Okenyi Kenechi
Federal Technical College of Education, Omuku in Rivers State has expressed willingness to assist the Igbu Upata Kingdom on her drive for technical and vocational self-reliance.
Provost of the College, Dr. Emmanuel Ikenyiri, who made the disclosure on Tuesday in a meeting held with the Eze Igbu Upata III of Upata Kingdom, Eze Felix Enene Otuwarikpo, said the College is ready to partner the Kingdom on the One Youth, One Skill programme initiated by the Upata Kingdom.
The Eze had earlier informed that he and his traditional entourage were in the school to parley with the management on how best the skills acquisition programme initiated on ascending the throne, can be made a success.
While he lauded the Eze for using the traditional structure to drive development, Ikenyiri assured that the College will make available it’s technical and vocational department to deepen the programme.
Speaking also, Dr.Pac Ordu who is the Deputy Provost, thanked the Eze and his entourage for finding time to visit, noting that the institution has the requisite technical capacity to assist the Kingdom’s quest to equip her youths with technical and vocational skills.
Ordu who made a presentation of home-grown rice to the Eze said the institution is “widely acclaimed as an entrepreneurial centre where students are groomed to be self-reliant in various technical skills.”
Though the Eze congratulated Ikenyiri on his appointment as Provost, he, however, said his visit was to cement the existing cordial relationship between the College and Upata Kingdom created by a former provost, Dr. Nkasiobi Oguzor, an Upata son.
He outlined his achievements since the past one year as Eze, which includes the training of youths for self-sustenance under the One Youth, One Skill programme.
Eze Otuwarikpo further appealed for collaborative partnership, expressing delight that the use of traditional structure for the purpose of development, Public-Traditional Institution Partnership (PTIP), “can assist develop the society faster.”
According to him, “through this form of partnership, the traditional institution participates in ensuring some measure of peace especially, if the youths are engaged in productive ventures. Our sole aim is to achieve peace through effective and constructive engagement of our teeming youth population.”
He said due to the effectiveness of the process, the Igbu Upata Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs had gone further to mobilize the citizenry for growth, opening talks with organisations that could assist the human capital development of their people.
The monarch’s entourage includes HRH Eze Kelvin Ngozi Anugwo, Nye Udu Ede Upata I; HRH Eze Chigozie Edward Odoi, Nye Udu Owu Upata; HRH Eze Mathias Ejila, Nye Udu Ugboko Upata; High Chief Levi Onyiri, Chairman of Upata Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs among others.
