By Michael Nnebife and Emmanuel Chigozie
It was a moment of celebrations like no other for the Management, staff, and students of St John Innovation Institute of Management and Technology, Neni in Anaocha Local Government Area, Anambra State, as 44 graduating students of the Institute embarked on an exhibition of their products as a part of activities marking their graduation ceremony.
According to the Rector of the Institute, Rev Fr Raymond Umennajiuba, the essence of the epoch-making event was to show the world what the Institute was capable of doing.
The event, which took place on Saturday, 19th October, 2024, at the Institute’s premises, began with a Holy Mass presided over by the Proprietor of the Institute and Bishop of the Awka Catholic Diocese, Most Rev Dr Paulinus Chukwuemeka Ezeokafor.
In a homily, Bishop Ezeokafor congratulated the graduating students, whom, he said, made a right choice by embracing skills acquisition programme, which, he believed, would offer them better access to a better life.
He advised them to endeavour to develop and improve on the various skills they had acquired.
The Bishop, who during the event, commissioned the Cosmetology Department of the Institute and a solar streetlight installed for the Institute by a philanthropist, in company of the dignitaries that graced the occasion, inspected various products, which included wears of different kinds for different people, traditional and wedding cakes, automatic electric power changeover, among others, made by the students.
In his speech, the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, who was a guest at the epoch-making event, thanked the Awka Catholic Diocese for establishing the Institute, saying that the idea of the Institute was in line with the Youth Development Agenda of the Chukwuma Soludo Administration.
In his remarks, the Rector of the Institute, Rev Fr Umennajiuba, who was full of excitement and gratitude to God for a clement weather, and Bishop Ezeokafor, for establishing the Institute, described the event as a memorable one.
He thanked the numerous dignitaries that graced the occasion for their various support and contributions to the development of the Institute.
Some of the excited graduating students, who included Martha Dutu, the best graduating student; Collins Chiemelie, from the Department of Computer Engineering Software; Ifeoma Onuorah, from the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Studies, among others, shared their experiences with Fides, promising to be good ambassadors of the Institute outside the world.
Present at the event chaired by High Chief Dr Austin Azubuike Ekweozor, represented by Comrade Mmaduabuchi Egbeocha, were numerous priests, who included the Chancellor of Awka Catholic Diocese, Rev Fr Charles Ndubuisi; members of the noble Knights and Ladies of St John International, Neni Commandery; community leaders, who included the Traditional Ruler of Igboukwu, Igwe Alexander Azike; among others.
