IMMORTALIZE EKWUEME: FEDERAL LAWMAKER BEGS FG
The Federal Government has been urged to upgrade the Federal Polytechnic Oko to Federal University of Technology.
Similarly the Federal Executive Council in enjoined to rename the institution after the second Republic Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme as a way to immortalize the late sage for his achievements in national development.
A member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Ben Nwankwo made the appeal when he visited the widow of Dr. Alex Ekwueme at EziOko in Orumba North Local Government area of Anambra State.
According to Mr. Nwankwo who represents Orumba North and South Federal Constituency, the call became necessary in view of the immense contribution of Dr. Alex Ekwueme to the establishment of the Federal Polytechnic.
He said Dr. Ekwueme was a great pillar of the constituency and the old Aguata as well as Nigeria in general.
“We have lost not just a leader. We have lost one of the best minds, one of the best intellectuals in the face of Africa. He read across up to law and yet as humble as you can ever imagine.”
The federal lawmaker revealed that Dr. Ekwueme was passionate about upgrading the Federal Polytechnic Oko to a federal university of technology, hence his (Ekwueme’s) request during their interaction for him (Nwankwo) to work on a bill towards the realization of the agenda.
“I should think very, very strongly that he should be named after him, not as a polytechnic because e of his intellectual stature, because of the selfless service he has given to this country, because of the struggle for democracy; all these factors, the polytechnic should be upgraded to a university of technology and be named after him.”
Mr. Nwankwo also appealed to the Federal Government to address the perennial ecological challenge threatening the polytechnic and the community, saying that the government should declare the community as ecological disaster area.
He urged the Ekwueme family, the people of Anambra State and Nigerians to see the death of the former Vice President as an act of God.
Meanwhile, the leader of traders in the community, Mr. Tochukwu Okeke had told Radio Nigeria that business premises, including shops, markets, filling stations, banks, among others, closed in honour of Dr. Alex Ekwueme.
CHRIS OBILERI