Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has said it was wrong for alumni to succeed as individuals without such success rubbing off on the institutions that trained and prepared them.
The governor who is an alumnus of the University of Uyo, stated this during the institution’s 2024 alumni reunion in Uyo.
Eno, represented by the deputy governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, noted alumni all over the world play crucial roles in the development of their alma mater after graduation.
He urged alumni members, especially those that are doing well, to give back to their almer maters by helping to address some critical needs in the institutions.
He said, “We should consciously go beyond these exciting moments to commit to giving back to the school which equipped us for the great lives we are enjoying today.
“It is a misnomer for alumni to make progress as individuals while their alma mater is decaying.”
Earlier, the President of University of Uyo Alumni Association, Onofiok Luke called on all alumni to join hands with the executives to address the critical concerns of the institution.
He also noted that 33 years after the institution’s commencement, it has not received its take-off grant and called on the Federal Government to ensure its release as soon as possible and increase support for the university.
He added, “We call on all alumni to join hands with the executives to establish exchange program for the university students with others institutions globally, support the completion of ongoing projects and partner in developing secure infrastructure for electronic voting in the upcoming election.”
The Guest speaker at the event, Inam Wilson (SAN) speaking on the topic, ‘Drawing from the gown to influence the Town -The Missing Link’, called for synergy between the town and the gown, adding that there should be connectivity to drive excellence.
Inam urged Vice Chancellors of Universities to not only look for increase allocations but should move further in increasing their internally generated revenue.
It’s a misnomer for alumni to make progress while institutions decay – Gov Eno