Enugu: A former Commissioner for Commerce & Industry in Enugu State and a captain of Industry, Dr. Sam Ogbu-Nwobodo has been elected as Chairman, College of the Immaculate Conception Old Boys Association (CICOBA), Enugu Branch.
The election, which was unanimous was held during the Association’s bi-monthly meeting hosted by the immediate past Chairman, Rt. Hon. Chuka Bismarck Eneh, the member representing Udi South Constituency at the Enugu State House of Assembly at his GRA, Enugu residence.
Earlier in his valedictory speech, Eneh enumerated the achievements of his administration which include innovations such as a Mentorship Workshop for Outgoing CIC students and Hosting of meetings by birthday celebrants of the respective months. He also urged members to support the incoming executives.
Senior old boys present including Igwe (AIG) Alloy Okorie, Rtd and Prof T. F. I. Nwanne poured encomiums on Rt Hon Eneh for taking the Association to greater heights.
Other members of the new branch executive include Azubuike Echetebu (Vice Chairman), Barr Aganigbo Nwankwo (Secretary), Engr. Ifeanyi Nwodo (Publicity Secretary), Barr. Emeka Ofora (Treasurer), Kingsley Nwodo (Financial Secretary), Ebuka Nnamani (Director of Socials) and Gosife Eze (Assistant Secretary).
In an interview he granted to the press afterwards, the new Chairman, Dr. Ogbu-Nwobodo, who has a doctorate degree in comparative Constitutional Law commended his predecessor, Rt. Hon. Chuka Eneh for his tremendous achievements.
Below are excerpts from the interview:
hoo!haa!! : What is your Message to the Association?
Dr Ogbu-Nwobodo: We are privileged to be part of a great institution that nurtured us and made us what we are today. My Message is that we should re-commit ourselves to the ideals of the school. The primary goal is to keep uplifting our school, to keep being the best. CIC old boys, both home and abroad have done tremendously well in supporting and uplifting that school. We have also done tremendously well individually in our chosen fields. We will be remembered by the works that we put in to ensure that the school is made better than we saw it and also to increase and improve on what we do personally.
This lenten period, I pray that God in his infinite wisdom will continue to bless us. This is a blessed group. I pray and urge everyone of us to come back to the fold. Its a new dawn; a dawn to even improve on the sterling performance of my predecessors. There has been great leaders of this association that made it possible for us to be here today.
At the risk of being immodest, ours is a great history, a great story that is still evolving. So, I urge everyone to renew his pride in the ideals of Semper Fidelis, which means Always be Faithful; be faithful to what you believe in which is our College.
hoo!haa!!: What will be the vision and thrust of your administration?
Dr. Sam Ogbu-Nwobodo: I had a meeting with my executives because I dont want to waste anytime at all. I believe that anything worth doing is worth doing well. First of all, I will be collaborative. I believe in running anything entrusted to me in a business like manner. I’m achievement driven and I’m glad that the good people of this association insisted on me because I believe that “If service is beneath you, leadership is above you” . So my thrust is to improve the confidence the association has in its leadership.
Nobody that went to CIC, on his own, if he does the right thing should struggle. So, I want to make sure that, if you want to be on the bandwagon you are on the bandwagon. No CIC old boy should struggle but you must do the right thing,you must put yourself together.
Secondly, I want to renew the interest, both in terms of our past leadership and in terms of people that we respect. We are privileged to have had and to continue to have great leaders, both in CIC and also in society in general. I do not know of any other school’s old boys association that has done what we have done to our school, both the people in Nigeria and in Diaspora, in terms of Infrastructural Development.
I want to use this opportunity to thank the leadership of CIC Old Boys Association across the globe, doing the best they can to move us forward,the past leadership under Rt. Hon. Chuka Eneh and also our patron, Dr. Chike Akunyili and so many of them. We have produced the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ike Ukehe Chief Nnia Nwodo. So, I’m proud of my school. We have produced Governors. I acknowledge the contributions of His Excellency, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, my own brother, His Excellency Barr. Sullivan Chime, another brother of mine and a great friend, Col. Robert Akonobi, Chief C. C. Onoh and so on and so forth. I acknowledge our fallen heroes; one of our past Chairmen, Igwe N. P. Iloeje and also today, we learnt of the passing on of one of our great leaders, he was my Vice Chancellor in ASUTECH, Prof Chiweyite Ejike, we call him Aguowuru.
Its a big burden but with the support of the membership, we will continue to do what we know we have to do best. Ours is a great school, I implore everyone to join us. I wont forget the contributions of those in Diaspora, I wont forget quickly, my class mate, my brother and my friend, Prince Emma DenChukwu; that’s a leader of leaders,Chike Okoye and all those leaders. I know what they have done for CIC. Without them, the story would have been different. I acknowledge them and I want to key into that developmental stride but my main focus will be to ensure that the younger ones are given a direction. I cannot solve or this administration cannot solve all the problems but we must give them a direction, we must give them a platform, something that allows them to key in and improve on their circumstances.
hoo!haa!!: What advice do you have for the current students of CIC?
Dr Sam Ogbu-Nwobodo: They should realize that they have a burden, a positive burden on their shoulders. You must work very hard and keep to your Christian principles and the future will be bright for you, but you must work hard. I believe that nothing is good if its not earned gratification. I don’t like anything I dont earn. If I dont earn anything, I dont like it. So, you must work to earn everything you have. There should be no short cuts. Two years ago, I was privileged to be the Speaker at the Mentorship Workshop for the outgoing students and I told them “If you cut corners in life, corners will cut you” Period! You will not go too far. But, if you have a philosophy and the consistency where you earn everything that you get, you will go too far. Keep faith, if you say you want to do anything, do it and if you fail, be the first to say you have failed and people will understand.
