UNICAL: Faculty Of Arts Students Association Decorates Mass Comm HOD With Award Of Recognition
By Ukpa ABRAHMAM (Malabor Republic)
The Faculty of Arts Students' Association, University of Calabar, has presented an award of recognition to Head of Department of Mass Communication, Prof. Chukwuemeka Uzoma Okugo, for his sterling qualities and contribution for the development of mass communication department and the most outstanding head of department in the largest faculty.
The award, which was given to the Head of Department at Mass Comm department by the Secretary general of the association, Comr. Jeremiah Akpan, on behalf of the association, attracted students and lecturers in the department.
According to the Secretary, Prof. Okugo has done extremely well in the area of research, management of students and general administration of mass communication department which is gradually gaining acceptance amongst the management and students.
Prof Uzoma Okugo (HOD Dept. Of Mass Com Unical)
"We are happy at his high performance and zeal in ensuring that mass communication department is living up to expectations.
"We, therefore, honour him today as the most outstanding HOD in our faculty. We wish him more grease to his elbow."
Responding, the Head of Department of Mass communication University of Calabar, Prof. Chukwuemeka Uzoma Okugo expressed joy and gratitude to the students describing the award as an award to Mass communication department as a whole.
" I don't know what I will call it, I don't whether to call it joy because I never expected this from you people"
"There's a saying from where I come from that " when you look far, you must have stood on the shoulder of some people"
"Mass Comm wouldn't have come to this extent without the likes of Prof. Stanislaus Iyorza, Prof. Presley Obukoadata, Dr. Uchenna Nwanchor, Dr. Lawrence Ekwok, Mr. Tony Igiri, Mrs. Faith Agbo, Mrs Itam Offor, Rev. Fr. Leonard Ojorgu including others and what we call "Team Mass Comm"
Prof. Okugo used the occasion to thank the staff of the Department including the Chairman of the central accreditation committee for their unrelenting efforts to ensure that the Department is fully accredited in few weeks to come.
He also eulogized Prof. Presley Obukoadata for his contributions and sending 360 E-books to the Department to ensure effective research, teaching and learning.
It could be recalled that the Department is set for accreditation by the National Universities Commission this year which the HOD pointed out that they have fought positive fight with the Management and has faced a lot of humiliation in the course of the accreditation just to make sure that they are being distracted but vowed to remain undaunted and strategically committed to get the accreditation.
Prof. Okugo assured the students of Mass Comm department of accreditation, noting that the Vice Chancellor has put over N200m towards the development of mass comm and very soon the department will become a faculty of its own.
He dedicated the award to about 30 students who remained in mass comm department even when their mates were asked to move to other departments and repeat class due accreditation issues shortly after he became the HOD
He commended the students for making them to believe that mass comm department would attain such height and assured them of continuous support in their academics.
