Professor Aloysius Okolie, the Vice Chancellor of the Enugu State University of Science and TECHNOLOGY (ESUT) has welcomed the new students/participants of the Institute For Peace, Conflict and Development Studies (IPCDS) to the citadel.
Represented by the Director, ESUT Business school, Professor Fred Eze, the Vice Chancellor congratulated the new students and informed them that the University acknowledges their admission.
Professor Eze who spoke at the orientation exercise for 2022/2023 students of the institute under the faculty of social sciences and humanities, charged the new intakes to take their programme serious because what they will learn is of immense importance to the society.
“This is one degree you acquire and you become a hot cake around the world. Take your lectures serious because you’re in the best hands in the university that will teach you in the best possible way.”
In his address, the Director IPCDS, Professor Felix Asogwa, while welcoming the students, expressed optimism that their training will make them better and help in advancing peace in the society.
Prof. Asogwa noted conflict resolution via that research and advocacy is the major reason for the establishment of the institute and withing four years it was founded, the first set of PhD students graduated. He further stated that they’ve a track record of timely completion of their programmes, unlike what’s obtainable elsewhere.
“I make bold to say that no student has overstayed beyond the stipulated time except the shortcoming was from the student.”
Going down memory lane, the university Don revealed that “the institute was midwifed in far away Acra, Ghana and its a regional institute meant to serve the entire South East Region of Nigeria and its meant to enhance research efforts in the areas peace, conflict management and Development.”
In the area of innovation, Prof Asogwa maintained that even before the COVID-19 popularised virtual learning, the institute was already making use of the technology and as such, during the pandemic, they naver lagged behind in lecture delivery. He further stated that after the pandemic, they uped their game by embracing technology in knowledge delivery and today, about 50 percent of the lectures are done online.
Conclusively, he assured the new students that the institute is rich with multi talented lecturers from across the region.
In his goodwill message, the Dean Faculty of social science and humanities, Prof. Nicholas Attamah the University for their support towards the geometric growth of the institute and encouraged the participants/students to take their studies because they’re blessed with highly skilled lecturers.
The Board members of the institute took time to address the students and reminded them why they’re in the institute and what they should expect after their programme.
One of Board Members, Dr. Uche Cyril Anioke, told the participants/students they’re privileged because they’re in a unique institute that will mold their character, improve on their intellectual capacity and ability to better coexist with other members of the society.
Dr. Anioke assured the students that their way of life, thinking and perception will change after the programme.
Another Board member, Ozo Dr. Ferdinand Anikwe told the participants/students that they’re studying about their immediate environment in practical terms, via research and devising means to resolve the numerous conflicts in the society.
