The Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, recently honoured notable Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in their various field of endeavors, amongs whom are the Governor of Rivers State, Barr Nyesom Wike, the Federal Commissioner representing Abia State at the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Sir Chris Akomas, Chief Obinna Iyiegbu (Cubana),the Chief Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre,Prof Azubuike Onyebuchi and others.
The Institution in her combined convocation ceremony held recently at the School’s Pavillion, Aba,conferred the Fellowship Awards on these individuals.
Recall that the Institution for the first time after eleven years organized a combined convocation ceremony for graduands from 2010/2011 academic session till date.
As part of her activities to mark the epoch making event, the school decided to honour these Abians and other Nigerians with impeccable character.
The former Deputy Governor of Abia State and the Federal Commissioner representing Abia State at the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Abuja, Sir Chris Akomas,was not left out in this honour.
In an interview with Newsmen shortly after being conferred with the Fellowship Award, Sir Akomas, praised the innovation ongoing in the school under the new Rector, Associate Professor Okorie Hagler and promised to partner with the Institution for better and continuous innovations and technologies.
According to him, it is only innovative ideas that can help reposition the Institution, as well as give it a boost to restore its lost glory.
Akomas stated that his hope for the Institution is to support it until it becomes one of the best in the South East, stating that the growth of the school would further announce the Institution, the commercial centre of the state and as well, the state at large, urging the Rector and his team not to relent in putting the school on the pedestrian of success.
The former Deputy Governor of the State, as a way of partnership, further announced the Chris Akomas Prize, which would be regulated by the Chris Akomas Foundation, to encourage and reward every best graduating student of the institution going forward.
He, however, donated two hundred thousand naira each to the best graduating students of the school across the eleven years and three hundred thousand naira to the overall best student with a CGPA of 3.8, stating that the prize would be given every year.
Chief Akomas also gave the sum of two million naira to the school, in partnership with the development of the school, urging other well to do Abians to give to the growth of the school.
Meanwhile, the Rector of the school, Associate Professor Okorie Hagler, in his address, said the convocation ceremony apart from presenting opportunities to take stock and seek more and better ways to assist the Institution in its quest towards excellence in technology, it would also afford stakeholders, parents,guardians and graduands the opportunity to celebrate their feat.
Hagler, while congratulating the graduands who burnt midnight candles to ensure that the resources expended on them were not purposeless, recalled that the establishment of the Abia State Polytechnic was borne out of the people’s yearnings to truly compete with industrialized Europe and the Asian Industrial giants, not only to surpass the toga of japan of Africa, but be Africa for Africa, adding that the Institution has not failed in pursuing this vision and it would not fail.
Highpoint of the School’s 7th to 18th combined Convocation ceremony, was the conferment of the Fellowship Awards on the Governor of Rivers State, Barr Nyesom Wike, the Federal Commissioner representing Abia State at the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Comrade Chris Akomas, Chief Obinna Iyiegbu (Obi Cubana), Ide John Udeagbala, Lady Bridget Nwankwo, Prof Azubuike Onyebuchi, Chief Jackson Abbah, Chief Greg Okafor and Mr Johnson Chukwu.
