Imolites Hail Uzodimma for Resuscitating Okorocha’s Legacy University

BY ONWUASOANYA FCC JONES

What has been in the news since last week is that the governor of Imo State, His Excellency Senator Hope Uzodimma, has sought and obtained the approval of the Imo State House of Assembly to relocate the newly established Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences from Aboh-Mbaise/Ngor-Okpala to Umuagwo in Ohaji-Egbema LGA, but that piece of news may not be entirely correct, as Okorocha, the vision-bearer and prime executor of that university actually made it a dual-campus institution. While, the campus in Umuagwo was supposed to be the academic headquarters of the university, the campus in Aboh-Mbaise, Ngor-Okpala would serve as the adminstrative headquarters of the institution. Maybe, for convenience of coordination, Governor Uzodimma has decided to take off with a single campus.

It is fair to explain that in building two campuses for one university, Okorocha actually built two structures that could conveniently house two full-blown universities. Hence, instead of bickering over a relocation that didn’t really happen, the stakeholders from that axis of the State should intensify efforts to lobby for the government to utilize the facilities already put in place by the Okorocha administration in that campus to establish another university for the benefit of the State. The truth is that no amount of university is too much for a State like Imo.

Speaking on this development, Honourable Philip Ucheoma, a PDP leader in Obiangwu, Ngor-Okpala LGA expressed satisfaction with the governor’s decision to resuscitate this university. In his words;

“Establishing these universities is one of the best and most indelible legacies of the Okorocha administration. I was embittered when it seemed that the past administration didn’t quite want to sustain these legacies and rather allowed the massive, state-of-the-art structures already put in place by Okorocha to waste away. I commend Governor Uzodimma for keeping to his words of continuity in governance. These universities belong to Imo people and were built with Imo people’s monies, so, it would amount to a sabotage against the people if you abandon them, maybe, because you don’t like the governor who initiated and completed them, or because you want to accentuate the falsehood that the man who built these magnificent universities and other legacy structures in the State didn’t do anything. You would end up ridiculing yourself.”

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Okorocha had established five brand new State Universities and attracted about three other privately owned universities during his time as governor of Imo State. These universities include; the Imo State University of Creative Arts Technology, Nkwere, The Imo State University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, the Imo State University of Engineering and Technology, the Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences and the Imo State University of Medical Sciences. Some of the private universities he facilitated include; the Claretian University, owned by the Catholic Church, the Hezekiah University, Umudi, the Lord Chosen University, Mgbidi and another University being built by the Catholic Diocese of Orlu. Okorocha facilitated the establishment of these private universities by donating lands and as well as supporting the promoters with financial donations.

Pastor Chris Uwakwe believes that with the resuscitation of the Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences by Governor Uzodimma, there is hope that other universities and State properties initiated by the Okorocha administration will receive attention. According to him;

“Governor Uzodimma has shown that it does not matter who initiated a project, as long as such projects were built with the people’s money, they have to be put into the use of the people. These universities, the hospitals, the markets and all those laudable projects initiated and mostly completed by Owelle Rochas Okorocha need to be reactivated and put into use for the State and the people. I think it was Okorocha’s vision to make Imo the knowledge headquarters of Nigeria, and Uzodimma can make that happen. The foundations are already laid and most of these structures are already in place. There should be nothing stopping them from taking off .”

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Okorocha who also hold the undeniable credit for establishing the only State owned college of education, which was recently renamed Benjamin Uwajumogu College of Education, Ihitte-Uboma, had made stupendous investments towards developing Imo’s educational infrastructure and contents. He employed over 20,000 staff into the Imo School system and attracted massive intervention from federal agencies into the Imo State University, Owerri, as well as ensuring a harmonious relationship between teaching and non-teaching staff and the government. This particularly ensured that throughout his eight years as governor of Imo State, the academic calendar was never interrupted.

Some people have worried about what would be the date of the Imo State Polytechnic, now that the premises housing it has been effectively changed to Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Owelle Rochas Okorocha had all that planned out. Before proceeding with plans to convert the former Imo Poly to a campus of Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Okorocha had set the right facilities in place at Umunakanu Ehime-Mbano for the relocation of Imo State Polytechnic, with campuses of the Polytechnic at Orlu, Aro-Ndiizuogu and Ahiazu Mbaise. These facilities were already almost completed. In fact, the Orlu and Ehime-Mbano campuses of Imo State Polytechnic were already running before Okorocha completed his tenure as governor.

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