At last, Monday, January 15, 2018 marked the official launching and public presentation of the Imo Claretian University (subsequently referred to as ICU) of the Claretian Missionaries, Nigeria.
The inauguration steamed up with many social activities after the arrivals of our local and foreign partners. First among such were Fr Luis Botteon, cmf, the Pro-Rector of the Centro Universitário Claretiano in Batatais, Sao Paulo, Brasil who came with an ITC professional responsible for the online model for Distance Education of the Claretian University in Brasil Mr Evandro Tuca. They flew-in via Morocco on Friday, January 12, 2018.
The visitors, together with the Local Technical Organising Committee, initiated some meetings brainstorming on the schedules, revaluating and reaffirming the proposals and soliciting possible ways to accomplish them objectively.
However, rising from a plenary briefing on the following day, Saturday, January 13 to be precise, the team paid onsite visits to the various nursery, primary and tertiary institutions of the Province. Worthy of note is the Claretian Institute of Philosophy, CIP, indicated as the start-off campus/site for the ICU unarguably because it already boasts of institutional environment and academic facilities.
Therefrom, the entourage headed to the site allotted for the commencement of the proposed College of Medicine and Health Sciences at Isu Njaba, in Isu Local Government of Imo State. There, all the partners of the ICU congregated including Prof Alphonsus Ekwerike, from the United States and Prof Amadi O. Ihunwo from South Africa.
The evidenced dilapidating edifice, a goodwill donation from the State Government, nearly down-spirited the international body, but with further explanations from the Local organising committee, there appeared real hope as to the best utilization of the property, which, also, include 6 acres of land.
That same day, the group paid a courtesy visit to Most Rev Dr Anthony J. V. Obinna, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Owerri. He gave the party a hearty and fraternal welcome and promised to support the Claretian educational efforts being that the Claretian Missionaries have their seat and, more importantly, an historical foundation in the archdiocese.
On Sunday, January 14, the Brasilian collaborators were introduced at the 7am Mass in the St Anthony Mary Claret Catholic Church, World Bank, Owerri to the crowd of worshippers adorned in various traditional regalia (and women head ties) that typify Nigerian culture of divine respect and flamboyant, yet, courteous mode of dressing.
Not only the above, the visitors witnessed first-hand an awesome dimension of liturgical worship that is lively, enchanting, animating, participatory yet solemn. It was a singing Church unlike what obtains elsewhere where worship is frozen with gap-toothed pews that depict low attendance to religious services.
However, a courtesy call to the Governor of Imo State, His Excellency Owelle Rochas Okorocha did not materialize on the evening of Sunday, January 14 at the Government House, Owerri. However, this necessary visit eventually took place in the morning of Monday, January 15 at the palatial Rochas Foundation. In fact, it became an historic and indelible intro to the public presentation of the ICU to take place later.
The Governor had a brief from the ICU team and welcomed the idea of having such an international institution in the state. An outstanding comment he made was that, “Education is the mainstay, the main industry of Imo State”. This is true.
Consequently, he pledged his unalloyed support to the dreams of the Claretians in Educational domain and applauded the team for the wide-ranging planning for the inauguration of ICU. Hence, he volunteered one of his Commissioners for the occasion as he headed to the arena for the National Army Remembrance Day.
The official visit ended with some group/personal photographs at the facade of the opulent edifice in the vast terrain.
THE ICU LAUNCHING
The Imo Claretian University, an international educational collaborative project of the Nigerian Claretian Missionaries opened officially on Monday, January 15, 2018 at the Imo International Conference Centre (Annex), in the heart of Owerri, with both local and international academic personalities in attendance.
IMO is one of the 36 States in Nigeria and has Owerri as State Capital. The State is located in the heartland of the South Eastern part of Nigeria.
No language captures and explains the raison d’être of the ICU more than the motto: “Redeeming the Future through education”. The dreamers and founders have various themes, or, mission statements that intelligently articulate and underpin the unambiguous unique characteristics of the institution as clearly dotted in the official portal. Some of these fascinating themes read:
- Our graduates will be equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to meet the evolving needs of our national workforce
- Our commitment to excellence in research and technology transfer is second to none
- This university is simply like no other in Nigeria
- Leadership in software engineering is at the core of our strategy
It is clear from the above well-graphed thematic features that ICU is both a desired response to the educational malady in the country as well as positioning its faculties as responsible centres for future serious academic research and scientific discoveries/inventions. These ICU dreamers have some clearness in their optimism. They state:
The Imo Claretian University (ICU) is a public/private University established by the act of Imo State Parliament Law No. 4 of 2015. The establishment of this University was a direct response of the Imo State Government and the Claretian Missionaries to the burning need for more credible tertiary Institutions needed to address the yearnings of the teeming youths of Imo State and the broader South-Eastern Nigeria desiring for qualitative third level education (icu.edu.ng).
In furtherance to these motivating factors, the advent of an international academic institution in the calibre of the Imo Claretian University into the fledging Nigerian educational scheme at this critical time is because,
The overall decline in our educational system and the underlying moral values has become a major concern to the nation. The standards of education, discipline and morality has fallen to a point where an ‘intensive care’ approach is indeed the only way forward to ensure a sustainable future for the Nigerian youth. This dire situation has created the moral obligation on the part of the government and the church, which underpins the establishment of Imo Claretian University, to leverage education as a tool for social transformation (ibid.).
The above points were greatly elucidated by the opening address by Very Rev Fr Simeon Nwobi, cmf, the Provincial Superior of the Claretian Missionaries, East Nigeria.
Consequently, the Very Rev Fr Dr Wenceslaus Madu, cmf, the arrowhead of the occasion, the major dreamer of this entire reverie, Chairman of the ICU Organizing Committee, the dynamic and indefatigable Rector of the Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, made an academic presentation of the dreams and prospects of the ICU. He sees the new academic project as distinctive institution with clear-cut visions that berths confidently on the shores of the highly unstable educational landscape of Nigeria, offering it unique approach to learning and its attractive and diverse processes and methods.
Our partners from the Claretian University Centre in Batatais, Sao Paulo-Brasil, made a short video presentation of their acclaimed institution that presently boasts about 26,000 online students with efficient and professional establishments since the past 25-years in educational activity through Claretian Educational Action of the Brasilian Claretians. Some elucidations were made by Fr Luis Botteon, cmf, the Pro-Rector of the Institution via a translator (from Portuguese to English) Fr Marcellinus Rebecca Offor-Igirigi, cmf, coincidentally an alumnus of the Claretian University Brasil and the first Nigerian Claretian to study in Portuguese and in that rainbow country.
So many dignitaries and representatives of governments, the academia (foreign and local), Claretian Philosophy students, Socio-traditional leaders from Nekede, groups from Imo State Polytechnic and Imo State University Owerri filled the large IICC Annex massive complex to the brim.
Prof Amadi O. Ihunwo was the Chair of the event while Prof Alphonsus Ekwerike, the scientist behind the STEM invention, gave the lead DISCOURSE. He schooled the participants on the need for scientific research and the necessity to have enabling institutions like Imo Claretian University. The young and dynamic professor demonstrated these by advertising some of his own assorted products and inventions utilizing basic scientific formulas.
Faculties and their Courses of ICU include:
- College of Medicine and Health Sciences
- School of Medicine & Surgery
- School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences
- School of Physiotherapy & Exercise Medicine
- School of Nursing
- School of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences
- Department of Aquaculture
- Department of Food Science & Technology
- Department of Agricultural Technology
- School of Economics, Management, Society and Institutions
- Department of Economics & Econometrics
- Department of Business Administration & Management
- Department of Political Science & International Relations
- School of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences
- Department of Psychology
- Department of Early Childhood Studies & Practice
- Department of Social Care
- Department of Arts (Humanities & Social Sciences)
- School of Engineering
- Department of Software Engineering
- Department of Robotics
- Department Civil Engineering
- Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering
- Department of Mechanical Engineering
- School of Postgraduate Studies
- MSc in Project Management
- MSc in e-Marketing
- MSc in Entrepreneurship
- MSc in Big Data & Business Analytics
- MSc in Economics
- MSc in Political Science & International Relations
- School of Humanities and Social Science
- Philosophy
- Religion
- Theatre Arts
- Modern European Languages
FULL ROLL OF MAJOR ATTENDEES TO THE ICU LAUNCHING:
- Mrs Florence Emenalo, Hon Commissioner Tertiary Education and Non-Formal Studies, Imo Stae
- Sir George Eche, Secretary Government of Imo State
- Hon. Barr Ikenna Emeh – who moved the motion for the establishment of the University in the 7th Imo State House of Assembly
- Prof Linus Osuagwu, VC Eastern Pam University, another PPP University in Imo state
- Prof Awuzie, former VC of Imo State University (IMSU) and ASUU
- Fr Luís Botteon, Pro-Rector, Centro Universitário Claretiano, Batatais, São Paulo Brasil
- Most Rev Dr Hilary Nanman Dachelem, Bishop of Bauchi diocese
- VR Fr Simeon Nwobi, cmf, Provincial Superior, CLARETIAN Missionaries East Nigeria.
- VR Fr Dan Onyeayana, cmf, Delegation Superior, CLARETIAN Missionaries West Nigeria, represented by Fr Chrysanthus Ogbozo, cmf
- Prof Amadi O. Ihunwo, Head, Morphological Anatomy Division, School of Anatomical Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
– Professor: Neuroscientist, Secretary-General/CEO Society of Neuroscientists of Africa (SONA).
– Chair, Africa Subcommittee for Schools Initiative Committee of the International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN)
- Prof. Alphonsus Ekwerike, Harvard Medical School Trained Clinical Researcher & President/Research Director, Science Medicine Research Institute, Dallas, USA.(Discovery awards winning Institute). NASA trained Space Explorer, Space Medicine (Hyperbaric) Physician. The first Nigerian to discover asteroids 2010TL78 & CHF1274 as Indexed by NASA-IASC, USA, NASA Sponsored Georgia Tech Institute trained STEM Robotics & Systems Engineering Components Teacher. The discoverer of the disease, diagnosis & treatment of “Neurotoxic Spongi-Fibrous Syndrome” & Professor of Clinical Neuroendocrinology & Clinical Research. Professor/discoverer of Cognitive Neurosquatemetry (aka, STEM-Invention Technology Program).
This endeavor is a great intervention to the declining standards in tertiary education in Nigeria.
Pls where is the university located in owerri