The management of Calabar Study Centre of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Calabar, Cross River State, on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, paid a courtesy visit to the newly installed Ndidem of Ikot Ansa, HRH Nte Paul Assema Ita, in furtherance of the centre’s advocacy campaign.
The visit, led by the director of the centre, Prof. Onyeka Iwuchukwu, afforded an opportunity for the centre to pay homage to the royal father, especially as Ikot Ansa, the domain of the new king, is the immediate host community of Calabar Study Centre.
The visit also enabled Iwuchukwu and her team to acquaint the monarch and the council of clan heads of the operations of NOUN as the premier Open and Distance Learning (ODL) university in the West African subregion.
Iwuchukwu stated the purpose of her visit, saying that her team was at the palace to congratulate the royal father on his coronation as well as to intimate him of the golden opportunity of second chance education offered by NOUN.
She explained the strong points of the uniqueness of the university, which she said include flexibility, cost effectiveness, and the joy of studying at any place and at one’s own pace.
The monarch was informed that the centre was one of the first established by the university, but lamented that it has failed to grow in enrolment as expected.
The director explained that the reason for the current massive advocacy campaign was to create awareness geared towards increase in enrolment.
Ndidem Ita, in his response, promised to relay the message of the advocacy to all corners of his kingdom. He directed all the clan heads present to collect as many flyers as were available to enable them publicise the university in their areas of jurisdiction.
The Ndidem commended Iwuchukwu for her zeal and determination to take the centre to an enviable height.
He revealed that he was aware of the positive changes that have taken place at the study centre since she assumed duty as centre director and urged her to keep the strides up.
While assuring the centre director of his commitment to introduce deliberations on the affairs of the centre in his council meetings as an effort to increase enrolment, he encouraged her to feel free to come to him as need arises.
The royal father was presented with some advocacy souvenirs by the centre director.
