All was set and ready for the first public outing of the Peter Nwomeh Foundation since it was launched on 26th December, 2014. The date was Friday, 1st of July, 2016 and the venue was the WAEC Hall of Ozalla High School, Ozalla. Time was 9:00 am, though the event began at approximately 10:30 am. The host of the event was the popular emcee, Barr. Andy Nwani.
The programme formally commenced with an opening prayer. This was shortly followed by an opening/welcome address by the PNF Scholarship Committee Chairman, Pharm. Cy Aninwike, who is also a Trustee of the Foundation. Thereafter, the programme’s Acting Chairman, Dr Maxwell Ngene, who stood in for the Chairman, Frank Nweke II, the former Minister, who was anticipated from Abuja, gave an opening address.
The first talk, “Choosing your career path”, was given by Dr Chris Ngwu, the Head of Department of Mass Communication at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT). He gave a succinct and engaging lecture enriched with relevant stories and testimonies to illustrate his points. The students and participants were thrilled.
Next was the unveiling of the Foundation’s first scholarship award. Just as the Scholarship Committee was losing hope of finding a qualified recipient for the scholarship award already instituted by the Foundation, the committee was presented with the compelling case of a student of Mathematics at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka who was struggling financially. After due screening, the young man who is a 300 level student was deemed to have met the prescribed academic performance required for bona fide students to receive the first scholarship award. He was at the workshop to receive it.
Mrs Angela Oguh, a Trustee of the Foundation unveiled the scholarship award after B. C. Ugwu, another Trustee, had introduced the recipient – Mr Chukwunonso Samuel Okafor – who is from Umunnebe in Obeagwu-Ozalla. It was to the delight of the participants that the award cheque was presented to the awardee. The atmosphere in the hall became emotional as the recipient narrated his experience, expressing appreciation to the Foundation for the uncommon opportunity to receive the award. He was nearly in tears as he spoke, and many of the attendees, from the high table to the students fought back the tears that were welling up in their eyes.
The second talk – a motivational talk titled “Be the Best in All You Do” – was delivered with drama and demonstrations by Mrs Chinelo Udeh, a seasoned career/guidance counselor and former Permanent Member 1 of the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (EN-SUBEB). She kept the participants lively and engaged.
The third talk, “Key Success Factors”, was given by a young school proprietor and consultant, successful entrepreneur and motivational speaker, Mr Ephraim Chukwuma Okenwa, also known as CEO. He was the only one who used PowerPoint projection during his presentation.
His presentation was very fascinating, and the use of PowerPoint presentation gave the students the impression of an actual lecture as they took copious notes with writing materials provided by the Foundation. While the second talk was ongoing, the Chairman, Frank Nweke II, arrived and was greeted with a standing ovation. He directed that the programme should continue uninterrupted, so that he would deliver his speech after the third talk. He accomplished it in a captivating way!
He addressed the participants, especially the students, telling the story of the 11-year old boy that was dropped off at the gate of the Federal Government College, Maiduguri in 1977, and left in 1982; only to return 22 years later, with the principal, staff and students, lined up to welcome a Minister of the Federal Republic. He then began to admonish them in various ways, ultimately referring to them as “Your Excellencies”, saying that there could be Governors seated amongst them; Senators, Members of the House, Ministers, Commissioners, Eminent Jurists, etc. It was a thunderous delivery that set an unquenchable spark in the hall, rousing the students with desires. One could literally see high aspirations on the faces of the young men and women. Again, he received a standing ovation for his fluent motivational speech.
Next was the Interactive Question and Answer Session which was handled by Dr. Maxwell Ngene, senior lecturer at the Renaissance University, Ugbawka, Enugu State, after succinctly highlighting the major takeaways from the previous lecturers.
Suffice it to say that there were so many questions that could not all be attended to within the timeframe allowed, but most were appropriately addressed by the speakers and others present, including members of the PNF Scholarship Committee, and other Special Guests, especially Dr. Uchenna Agu, Senior Lecturer/Consultant Gynecologist at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, and Dr. Caroline Chika, zonal head of the Enugu State Post Primary School Management Board (PPSMB).
The vote of thanks was given by Mr Dan Nwomeh, Secretary/Trustee of the Foundation, who also announced some donations that were received in cash by the Foundation that day. These were the sum of Fifty Thousand Naira (#50,000) each from Barr. Obi Kamanu and Chief Okey Aninweke (Usonkwu n’Ozalla), both Consultative Council members of the Foundation. Also, Barr. Kamanu donated another Fifty Thousand Naira (#50,000) to the host school for its ongoing fencing project. Nwomeh praised the Chairman, and the Acting Chairman for their exemplary commitment. He also appreciated the workshop Guest Speakers for their inspiring presentations. The students/participants were specially applauded for their attentiveness and involvement all through the duration of the programme. The participants and guests were served refreshments.
Other key guests at the workshop were the members of the PNF Scholarship Committee; Pharm. Cyril Aninwike (Chairman), Mrs. Angela Oguh (Secretary), three senior university lecturers, namely Dr. Arc. Engr. Augustine Nwagbara, Mr. B. C. Ugwu, and Engr. Chinweuba Udeh, a school principal, Mr. Cammy Onyia, and Mr. Dan Nwomeh. Also present were ACP Sam Oguh (rtd), Ms Alice Onyia and Engr George Chukwuani (Consultative Council members). There were also Prince Obi Nkwonta, Chief Boniface Udeh (Onwa); Ozalla Forum members including Uchenna Onyeani (Tallest), Sunday Ani and Clinton Nwomeh; teachers, youth corps members, the students (over 200 in number), and other school leavers.
The programme was later featured on the Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) 96.1 FM news bulletins on July 7, 2016.
