Prince Tonye Princewill, son of the Kalabari monarch and Rivers State Labour Party’s governorship candidate in the April 11 election, has re-emerged on the streets of Port Harcourt with his familiar humanitarian gestures.
It was gathered that Princewill visited Federal Government College (FGC), Rumuokoro, Port Harcourt, for an assessment of the college’s needs, based on a request by his Class of ’85 to see and hear first-hand, the challenges and needs of their alma mater.
The 1985 set plans a mega 30- year-reunion event scheduled for December, with the theme: ‘Coming back home to do good.’
He was sighted inside the premises of the FGC discussing with the staff, students and the principal. The prince graduated from the college in 1985.
On his arrival, the petroleum engineer/project manager-turned politician, was taken on a tour of the school’s facilities by the school Principal, Mrs Onyeama, and some management staff.
The four-hour non-stop and detailed excursion unveiled most of the issues facing the college. From unpaid huge electricity bills, inaccessible e-library, insufficient classroom furniture to internal roads that will bring tears to your eyes; including poor drainage, extremely dilapidated infrastructure, overgrown elephant grass that could do with some landscaping, and a few thousand students who would immensely appreciate genuine mentoring.
In his remarks, Princewill commended a Federal Government Initiative called STEP B, for some of their critical intervention projects and urged them to please do more.
He also assured the principal and staff that he will take their challenges back to his mates in the FGC 85 set, to collaborate and come back with an intervention plan that will be both visible and lasting.
He urged all former students to remember where they came from. “No matter the institution, giving back, no matter how little, is a duty.”
After the tour, Princewill took out time to interact with some of the students in their classes. And he was quite impressed with their level of exposure and intelligence, despitechallenges.
In her reaction, the principal thanked the prince and his team for the visit, and promised to continue to do her best to maintain the glory and standard of the school.
•Photo shows Tonye Princewill with FGC Port Harcourt Principal, Mrs Onyeama.
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