VC Lauds Biologists’ Contributions To Nation’s Dev

The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Prof. Celestine Onwuliri, has commended the positive contributions of biologists to the nation’s socio-economic development.     

Speaking at the 10th Eni Njoku Memorial Lecture in Nsukka, Enugu State, recently Onwuliri said President Goodluck Jonathan was a living example of such contributions.

“The arrival of Dr Goodluck Jonathan, a biologist, in Aso Rock has brought many transformations to the country”.

He commended the efforts of Jonathan, a zoologist, in moving the country forward and striving to achieve Vision 20:2020.

“The achievements of Jonathan as governor, vice-president, acting president and now president are a thing of joy to biologists as well as Nigerians,” he said.

He said the aim of the lecture, titled “Progressive Trends in the Development of Biological Science” was to attempt an overview of the impact of biological science to the well being of mankind.

The vice chancellor said the lecture was also to recall the indelible marks of the late Prof. Eni Njoku to research and learning.

Our correspondent reports that Njoku was the first vice chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and one of the pioneers of its Faculty of Biological Sciences.

“The history of biological science will be incomplete in this country without mentioning the late erudite professor,” he said.

Onwuliri, however, urged biologists to see the need to re-order the training curricular to emphasise on problem solving rather than mere paper qualification.

He said this would give graduates a strong practical orientation to self-reliance and self-employment.

In a remark, the Vice Chancellor of UNN, Prof. Bartho Okolo, said the institution had set for itself the mission of placing in the forefront, research, human resource development and academic excellence to make it world class.

“It is as a result of Njoku’s unquantifiable achievements that a hostel and a street were named after him in the university,” he said

Okolo, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics), Prof. Isaac Asuzu, commended the Faculty of Biological Sciences for sustaining the lecture series and urged other faculties to revive theirs.

Earlier, the Dean of the faculty, Prof. Obioma Njoku, said the lecture series was to remember the commitment of the late professor as well as to remind those alive that their positive contributions to learning would never be in vain.

Njoku thanked the family of the late professor for donating books worth about N750,000 for use in Eni Njoku Memorial Library.

He said that the staff and students of the faculty were grateful for the kind gesture.