The Rivers State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has assured of massive attendance at the 217th Inaugural Lecture Series of the University of Port Harcourt, scheduled for Thursday, November 12, 2026.

Chairman of the Council, Comrade Paul Bazia, gave the assurance when members of the Media Sub-Committee of the Planning Committee for the lecture, led by Prof. Udoudo, accompanied by Dr. Chris Konkwo, visited the NUJ Secretariat to formally present an invitation to the event.

Bazia said the Council would mobilise journalists across its chapels to participate in the inaugural lecture, describing the engagement as an important platform for strengthening the relationship between the media and the academic community.

He commended Prof. Udoudo for personally visiting the Council to present the invitation, despite having earlier extended one, noting that the gesture demonstrated his respect for the NUJ and practising journalists.

The NUJ Chairman said journalists in Rivers State remained appreciative of intellectual engagements initiated by their former lecturers, mentors and colleagues in the academia, stressing that such programmes were vital to bridging the gap between the town and the gown.

He explained that journalists played a critical role in connecting academic research with society by providing feedback through which theories and hypotheses developed in the university could be tested against practical realities.

“We are happy about your visit and will be delighted to attend the lecture in our numbers. We do not take for granted such invitations and programmes from our former lecturers, mentors and colleagues in the academia.

“I assure you that the information will be circulated across all our platforms for the necessary publicity, while we will also mobilise our members to be in attendance”, he  said.

He described the topic of the lecture, “Newshound: A Watchdog or an African Hunter’s Dog?”, as timely and relevant, adding that it would offer journalists an opportunity to reflect on their professional responsibilities and relationship with other institutions.

Earlier, Prof. Udoudo said journalists and law enforcement agencies were key stakeholders in the discourse, which would examine the often-strained relationship between the two institutions, particularly allegations of unfavourable treatment of journalists by security agencies.

The university don explained that, despite his transition into the academia, he remained committed to the journalism profession and the need to ensure that journalists, as watchdogs of society, were accorded the respect and recognition they deserved.

He assured that the inaugural lecture would be comprehensive, engaging and memorable, while urging practising journalists across Rivers State to attend the event.

Prof. Udoudo added that the lecture would also provide an opportunity for journalists to interact directly with security personnel expected at the occasion.

King Onunwor

The Chairman of Etche Area Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs, His Majesty, King S. N. Amaechi, has commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, for his genuine reconciliation efforts aimed at uniting all warring groups in Rivers State.

King Amaechi, who is the Onye Ishi Ala  of Igbo Kingdom, gave the commendation in his reaction to the reappointment of His Majesty, Eze Sir Sergeant Chidi Awuse, as Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs by the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.

The monarch advised all political actors in the state to embrace peace genuinely for the overall interest, peace and development of Rivers State, noting that reconciliation remains the only path to stability.

Speaking further on the reappointment, he described the decision of the Governor to return Eze Awuse to the leadership of the apex traditional council as well-deserved and timely.

He said the reappointment represents a path to genuine reconciliation and will help in repositioning the traditional institution for effective service delivery.

The Etche monarch described Awuse as a man endowed with traditional sagacity who has paid his dues in the service of Rivers State.

He expressed confidence that Awuse would bring his wealth of experience, rich political background and fatherly leadership to bear in reorganizing the council to achieve its desired goals.

“HRM Sergeant Chidi Awuse is a man with traditional sagacity. He has paid his dues to the state. I am confident he will bring his wealth of experience to bear in the Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs of Rivers State”, Amaechi stated.

The monarch called on all traditional rulers in the state to rally round the new leadership and give it total support to succeed.

He stated that unity among traditional rulers is critical to complementing government’s efforts at fostering peace and development across Rivers State.

Akujobi Amadi

A Professor of Industrial Technical Education (Mechanical Technology Option) at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Rivers State, Professor John Ajike Uduma Uka, has called for the repositioning of Technical Education as a central pillar of national development.
Speaking on Thursday, at the University Auditorium, while delivering the 87th Inaugural Lecture titled, “Surgical Analysis of the Ills of Nigeria’s Technical Education Sector: Towards a Healing Process”, the Inaugural Lecturer noted that revitalizing Nigeria’s Technical Education system is not merely an educational priority but a national imperative.
He stated that a well-functioning Technical Education sector has the potential to bridge the skills gap, reduce unemployment, stimulate industrial growth and enhance the country’s global competitiveness.
Professor Uka emphasized that the healing process for Nigeria’s Technical Education sector requires coordinated reforms by the Federal Government, State Governments, educational institutions, industries, regulatory agencies, development partners and communities.
He explained that the sector stands at a critical crossroads, with its current state reflecting deep-seated structural inefficiencies and long-standing systemic neglect.
Despite its strategic importance in driving industrialization, employment generation and technological advancement, the sector continues to underperform due to a combination of policy inconsistency, inadequate funding, weak industry linkages and persistent negative societal perceptions.
The 87th Inaugural Lecturer said the challenges facing Technical Education in Nigeria are not isolated but deeply interconnected.
“As such, addressing them requires more than superficial interventions; it demands a holistic and sustained reform approach”, he said.
According to him, strengthening institutional capacity, modernizing curricula, enhancing industry collaboration and improving regulatory effectiveness through the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) are essential steps towards restoring the credibility and functionality of the sector.
He highlighted the importance of shifting societal attitudes and recognising Technical Education as a viable and valuable pathway to economic empowerment, noting that without such reorientation, even the most well-designed policies may fail to achieve their intended impact.
He recommended, among others, increased and sustained funding for technical education, upgrading of technical facilities and learning environments, strengthening industry-institution collaboration, modernization of the TVET curriculum, promotion of competency-based assessment, strengthening of the NBTE, promotion of entrepreneurship and self-reliance, and improvement of students’ perception of technical education.
Uka also recommended strengthening quality assurance and institutional accountability, expansion of digital transformation, enhancement of research, innovation and technology development, addressing regional and gender disparities, and strengthening policy implementation.
He stressed that if these recommendations are implemented with political will, adequate funding, stakeholder collaboration and rigorous monitoring, technical education can become a powerful engine room for industrialization, employment creation, technological innovation, poverty reduction and sustainable national development.
He concluded that a healthy technical education system is indispensable to building the skilled workforce required for Nigeria to compete effectively in the 21st-century global economy.
Declaring the event open, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of IAUE, Professor Okechuku Onuchuku, who was represented by the Dean, Faculty of Vocational and Technical Education and Head, Ndele Campus, Professor Isaac Ogundu, lauded the 87th Inaugural Lecturer, who he described as a seasoned scholar, for exposing the ills of technical education.
He appealed to the Rivers State Government to establish a Ministry of Vocational and Technical Education to give TVET a wider range and reach.
On his part, the Registrar of IAUE, Professor Chinonye Abraham Ajie, expressed appreciation to the 87th Inaugural Lecturer for holding the audience spellbound with his presentation and expressed hope that the essence of the lecture would be internalized by all.
In a vote of thanks, Professor TamunodienyeNkechiMba expressed gratitude to all who found time to grace the occasion.