When Ughelli College Old Boys Donated ICT Centre To Honour Felix Esi

SATURDAY, 21 JULY 2012 00:00 FROM HENDRIX
OLIOMOGBE, ASABA
NEWS - METRO
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IT was a day of joy to when old boys of Delta
State-based Government College Ughelli (GCU)
gathered recently in the state to hand over an
information and Communication Technology (ICT)
centre built by the old boys to the school
authorities in honour of one of their own, the late
Felix Esi.
The event, which involved award ceremony,
presented also opportunity for the alumni, who
are also known as ancient mariners, to re-unite
with old friends and former classmates.
The venue of the ceremony was at the old
assembly hall, which wore fresh coat paint
courtesy of the old boy’s largesse. As they sat on
the auditorium while the executive members
conducted the ceremony from the podium, they
reminisced on the good old days.
Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan
took time off his busy schedule to put in an
appearance at the maiden annual dinner party,
which was held in Asaba, the state capita.
Others who attended the event include Ijaw
national leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark,
Deacon Gamaliel Onosode and Ambassador
Blessing Clark. Both Onosode and Blessing were
honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award.
Uduaghan, who considered the action of the
alumni as a wakeup call on the government to
shoulder its responsibilities, promised to pay
proper attention to the school.
Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqqayat Rufai,
advocated for more Public-Private Partnership
(PPP) to rescue the falling standard of education
and sorry state of infrastructural decay in the
nation’s secondary school education.
Rufai, who spoke glowingly of the initiative of the
association in setting up the centre, said
government could not alone develop education
sector to the desire of Nigerians.
Delta State Commissioner for Basic Education,
Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, said his heart was
gladdened in that the association was helping
the state government to restore the college to its
old glory.
The commissioner assured that the centre would
be put to use judiciously. As a way of
complementing the effort of the old boys and to
take the state of secondary school to higher
ground, he disclosed that henceforth, all Delta
State-based teachers would be made to undergo
compulsory intensive ICT training during holidays.
He revealed that government has planned to
make the school a boarding one come next
academic session.
Muoboghare remarked that there was no doubt
that Esi’s family, which was fully represented by
his widow, Margaret and son Ufuoma, would be
very proud of his legacy.
President General of GCU Old Boys World Wide,
(GCUOBA), Chief JJ Apkieyi explained that the
decision by the ancient mariners to set up the ICT
centre in memory of Esi was mooted shortly after
his sudden demise at the threshold of his
retirement in 2003.
Akpieyi revealed that the association was desirous
of restoring the school to its old glory so that the
present generation of students could benefit
from dream of the school’s founding fathers.
Described as a staunch passionate member of
(GCUOBA), the late Esi was said to be very active
in the affairs and activities of the association. He
maintained a dogged commitment to the efforts
being made by the association to revive the glory
of his alma mater.
President of the Lagos branch of the association
and Chairman of Arco Petroleum, Mr. Alfred
Okoigun, remarked that the faces of many of the
old mariners have become familiar to the
principal, teachers and students of the school as
they regularly come around for physical
inspection of infrastructure to enable them
identify what to refurbish.
Okoigun reiterated the determination of his
association to revamp the decayed and
dilapidated infrastructure.He added that old boys
are one of the principal stakeholders in the
growth and development of education.
Okoigun said: “We unanimously agreed to name
the centre The Felix Esi ICT Centre as a
permanent tribute to the memory of a
distinguished old boy that deserved the immortal
honour.
“Felix Esi ICT Centre will commence operations
with 60 desktop computers. Its broadband
Internet facility is comparable to what you will
find in any big establishment today. Download
and upload speed will be very fast and the users
of these facilities will be presently surprised that
Felix Esi ICT Centre will adequately meet their
needs.”
Okoigun said the association intended to extend
Internet facilities to the office of the school
principal and the staff rooms in the nearest
future.
Mr. Andrew Ejayierese, a schoolmate of the late
Esi, described Esi as a no-nonsense man, who
died in his prime. He added that the centre, if
properly managed, would give beneficiaries easy
access to information, which the benefactors
lacked in their days as students.
He appealed to the school authorities to always
maintain the centre to enable it meet the
yearnings of students in need of information in
the school.
Ejayierese said: “There should be appropriate
maintenance so that the facilities do not rust
away. Esi was very close to me. The younger
generation should take advantage of the ICT
Centre. The world is changing and without
knowledge of computer, you are useless.”
Ufuoma said although the father had planned to
study architecture at Ahmadu Bello University
(ABU) Zaria, he opted for engineering at the
University of Lagos (UNILAG) “because it was
shorter.”
Ufuoma said: “My father had a scholarship and
did want to study architecture but opted for
engineering because it was shorter. He did
achieve his dream of studying architecture
because I took a degree in architecture.”