By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, on Friday received in audience, the new Governing Council of Federal Polytechnic Oko.

The Council members led by its Chairman, Senator Barnabas Gemade, were received at the Governor's Lodge, Amawbia.

Speaking at the event, Senator Gemade who was the former National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described Soludo as the most famous former Central Bank Governor in the history of the nation.

He explained that their visit was to officially inform him that they had assumed duty in the institution as members of the governing council members

Gemade recalled that as Governor of the CBN, Soludo brought tremendous innovation, adding: "We have seen that in your style of governance.

"Part of our work in the institution is to ensure that we collaborate with your government.

"This council will ensure that the institution is close to your government in programmes of technological development. I am delighted to be here with my members", he concluded.

Responding, the Governor congratulated them on their well-deserved appointment, illustrating his emotional attachment to the institution.

He said, "I knew it when it was Oko Arts of Science. It later changed to Anambra State and finally, Federal Polytechnic, Oko.

"It has grown in number and size, but you have a humongous task ahead of you.

"I look at the institution with mixed feelings of hope and opportunities but also of despair.

"We know where the dream was, but whether we are heading to the position, I don't know.

"This is not peculiar to Federal Polytechnic, Oko. Most of our institutions are turning into glorified secondary school.

"We need to start asking the pivotal question of what our various individual institutions are known for. What comes to mind when our institutions are mentioned?"

The governor expressed sadness that many of the institutions have gone down, even as he harped on the need to return back to the fundamental ideas of "our forefathers."

He added: "I'm still looking at the glass as half full. The new composition of the Council is an opportunity for something unique to be done in the institution, rather than being a place where people are given paper certificates without something to do when they graduate.

"In our own Polytechnic here in Mgbakwu, I have a team reviewing their status. They will soon submit their report on whether the institution is fit for purpose.

"It is a general problem of our education, particularly tertiary education. I call them the "villagization" of our institutions, but I see Nigeria in terms of composition of members of the board".

While stating that there is huge work to be done to be able to rescue the education sector, Soludo recalled the days when university was universal, without regard to where one came from.

He added: "Here in Anambra, we recruited 8,115 teachers from 18 states of the country because the interest of the Anambra child is to be taught by the best teacher.

“We are already practising what we preach.

“Re-invent Federal Polytechnic, Oko. It has been villagized to a glorified high school. I've seen how it works elsewhere and it pains me to see what is going on here.

“We have a job to rebuild because education remains the ladder of opportunities. In terms of strategic partnership with you, there is a whole lot we can do to assist you, though yours is a Federal Institution in Anambra State. Let's do it together”.

Present at the event were, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Ernest Ezeajughi, Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Mr. Tony-Collins Nwabunwanne, The Acting Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Dr. Uche Onyegbu, among others.

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