Ex-Journalist Emerges Best Varsity Lecturer Of The Year

Former Enugu based journalist with The Week magazine, Dr. Chinenye Nwabueze, has emerged as the best lecturer of the year in an inaugural award held by the Student Union Government (SUG), of Anambra State University, Igbariam campus.

The award which was keenly contested by the dean Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Dr. O.B.C. Nwankwo, the former head of English Department, Dr. C.C. Chukwueloka, and Dr. Nwabueze, of Mass Communication Department of the institution went to the ex-journalist.

Speaking at the occasion, the Dean Student Affairs of the University, Dr. Therese Okeke, remarked that the award is meant to motivate the lecturers to be more committed to their duty, and commended the winner for his dedication to duty.

Also in his contribution, the SUG president, Comrade Chijioke Okoye, described the award as a prize for excellence, maintaining that it was equally geared, among other things toward cultivating a healthy relationship between lecturers and students.

His words: “This award is actually geared towards improving relationship between lecturers and students. And it is a prize for an excellent work done. As you have witnessed with me, Dr. Nwabueze of mass communication department emerged as the best choice among students.”

The SUG Director of Social, Comrade Nkemakonam Ezenwabachili, said that the award was based on hard work, and commitment.

Comrade Ezenwabachili explained that the contestants were voted for by the students through the union’s opinion box, facebook and other social networks, adding that “a notice was pasted on the school notice board, facebook and other social networks for students to express their views. And students voted following the guidelines contained on the notice.”

He, therefore used the forum to advice other lecturers in the institution to sit up and tackle their responsibility with dedication, bearing in mind that the students are always watching them.

In his reaction, the award winner, Dr. Nwabueze, said that he felt highly humbled by the award given to him by the student’s union body.

He described the award as a big challenge to him to ensure consistence in his work, pointing out that “the reward for hard work is more work”.

It would be recalled that Dr. Nwabueze as a practicing journalist, was in 2000 bestowed with the best Sports writer of the year award by members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Enugu state chapter, even as he was in addition given the reporter of the year award by the defunct National Post newspaper.

He is currently the deputy national secretary of the African Council for Communication Education (ACCE).

Other awards given at the occasion were the best footballer of the year, the best goalkeeper, the best course representative and the assistant, the best politician and the most decently dressed student of the year.