The All Africa Students Union (AASU) has conferred on the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Prof. Benjamin Chukwuma Ozumba, the 2016 Kwame Nkrumah Africa Leadership Award in Education, Medicine and Societal Development.

Presenting the Award to the Vice-Chancellor at the Princess Alexandra Auditorium, Monday, the Acting speaker of AASU Congress, Ambassador Armstrong Ovie-Afabor, said the choice of Professor Ozumba was based on his outstanding administrative records as Vice-Chancellor and his stellar antecedents as a medical doctor.

“Our choice of Professor Ozumba for this Award,” said Armstrong, “is a testimony of his dedication to research in Gynaecology, general medicine, administration and management.”

He noted that Professor Ozumba did not solicit for the award, but his selection was based on recommendation. “Among all the recommendations presented to the jury, Prof. Ozumba stood out,” he said.

The speaker of the Pan African students’ organisation explained that the aim of the award was to promote excellence among African leaders and project them as role models to the younger generations.

“Today all of us have come from different parts of the continent to reward and commend the good works of Professor Ozumba, he is the kind of leader many nations in Africa is yearning and asking for,” he said.

In his response after receiving the award, Professor Ozumba dedicated the award to staff, students and various unions in the university, stating that without their cooperation, his administration would not have recorded meaningful progress.

“I love and cherish this honour from the bottom of my heart,” he said.

The Vice-Chancellor, who was recently conferred the “Vice-Chancellor of the Year Award” by South-East Students Union, said the Kwame Nkrumah Leadership Award had challenged him to double his effort in the service to humanity.

Ozumba called for the elimination of all forms of barrier in the inter university movement among African students to enhance association and knowledge sharing.

“Students from any part of Africa should have the freedom to visit other schools on study sabbaticals; this will help us achieve Pan Africanism among our students,” he said.

Meanwhile, the occasion was also used to inaugurate the newly elected Students’ Union Government officials of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

The Vice-Chancellor urged the new student leaders to see their election as an opportunity to serve their fellow students and as a preparation for their future leadership positions in the society.

“Always be guided by the fact that education would catapult you to a higher position but only good character will sustain you there,” he said.

Prof Ozumba urged them to be transparent in their dealings and learn to balance their services in the union with their academic demands.

The Dean, Student Affairs, Prof Peter Aka, described the 2015/2016 Student Union Government as the 9^th Republic of the SUG in the University since the lifting of the ban on students’ unionism in the university.

Prof. Aka challenged the new Students Union leaders to emulate the good virtues of their predecessor.

The Student Union President of Nsukka campus of the university, Comrade Emmanuel Chukwu, thanked the Vice-Chancellor for ensuring seamless conduct of the elections, promising to work with the University administration to improve students’ welfare.

•Photo shows Acting Speaker of All Africa Students Union, Ambassador Armstrong Ovie-Afabor, (left) presenting the 2016 Kwame Nkurumah Leadership Award to the UNN Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba. Beside the Vice-Chancellor are Principal Officers of the University.

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