-By Pastor Joseph Obaro Ikupa:
Q: Can I meet you?
A: My name is Dr. Clifford Imade Omozeghian Esq. I am a legal practitioner and by the grace of God, the current Worldwide President of Ambrose Alli University Alumni Association.
Q: How long have you been President of the Ambrose Alli University Alumni Association?
A: I was elected as president almost a year ago. The Convention that brought the current executive led by my humble self was held on 29th October, 2022. In that election, there was a tie in the office of the General Secretary and the President. Consequently, in line with our Constitution, the Board of Trustees of our Prestigious Association led by an erudite scholar in the person of Prof. A. D. Badaiki (SAN), midwifed a rerun election for the office of the General Secretary and that of the President on the 17th of December, 2022, where I emerged as the Worldwide President.
Q: It therefore means your administration is ten months old?
A. I say my administration as the Worldwide President is about a year. This is because, by our Constitution, our annual calendar is November 1st to October 31st. As I speak, we are already preparing for our 2023 convention, which has been slated for 20th and 21st of October 2023 in the main campus of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria as enshrined in our constitution.
Q: Can you highlight some of your achievements in the last one year?
A: A lot has been achieved during this period. First, we have been able to establish a very robust relationship with all the relevant stakeholders in the University including the Edo State Governor, His Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki, the Special Intervention Team, and the University Management with a view to establishing best practices in the governance of the university as well as making the products of the University highly marketable. We have been very concerned about the crisis that had bedeviled the University on account of the School fees adjustments during this period and our intervention has helped in no small measure in restoring peace and order in the University through positive engagements with all the stakeholders, particularly the students.
Secondly, on my assumption of office, the executive committee of the Global body of the Association saw the need to review the constitution to effectively accommodate diaspora Branches in the affairs of the Association, particularly, to allow their participation in future elections as well as to bridge some other observed lacuna in our Constitution. We immediately set up a committee to look at the various areas. Their reports are ready and will be ratified during the convention slated for October 2023.
Within this short period, we established two new branches; Sapele Main Branch and Ikeja Branch. Akoko Edo and Bayesa Branches will be created in the shortest possible time.
By the grace of God, I am determined to establish an unbeatable legacy during my tenure as the Worldwide President of Ambrose Alli University Alumni Association.
Q: You said your 2023 National Convention is slated for the 20 and 21st October, 2023. What are the programs for the convention?
A: The convention is also regarded as homecoming. All registered branches of the Association both at home and in diaspora are expected to be part of the Convention. There will be a tour of the university to see the state of the current facilities in the University. Also, there will be a pre-convention National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in the evening of day one for the NEC to review some policies and matters that would be referred to the convention for consideration and approval since the convention is the highest approving authority of the Association.
Day two will witness the convention lecture, secretariat report, and the annual financial report. During the Convention, I shall seize the opportunity to donate some Law books to the University for the Faculty of Law Library. Also, the Ambrose Alli University Litrary and Debate Society will be doing a round of the British Parliamentary Style of Debate in the course of the convention, and the climax will be the Presidential Dinner night.
Q: What is your message to Alumni members?
A: Well, my message to our Alumni members is to be good ambassadors of the university at all times in all their endeavours. They must help in the crusade to positively launder the image of our University. Secondly, I call on all well-meaning Alumni of our university to come to the aid of our great school through donations, support for the ongoing infrastructural project embarked upon by my predeccessor which I intend to complete as soon as possible, mentorship for our students as well as endowment of Professorial chairs in the University. I therefore seize this opportunity to call on all well-meaning Alumni and Alumnae of the university to support my leadership as well as the University.
Q: What message do you have for the students of the University?
A: Yes, I forgot to inform you that as part of my administration achievement, we have started a mentorship program aimed at providing mentorship for students of the University. Like I said during the last orientation program organized for the newly admitted students of the University, I implored them to be good ambassadors of the university at all times. I urge them to shun cultism and other vices that will hinder their academic pursuit. Thank you very much.
