Attah Igala visit
The management of Idah Community Study of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Kogi State, has paid a courtesy visit to the new Attah of Igala land, HRM Agabaidu, Alaji Matthew Opaluwa Oguche II, to congratulate him on his recent coronation as the Attah Igala.
The Director, Mr. Emmanuel A. Amanabo, who led the delegation to the palace of the Attah Igala, facilitated with him and wished him a successful coronation and presentation of Staff of Office and the president Kogi State Council of Chiefs, and the fulfillment of his noble and important position.
The director said even though their aim and objectives of the visits were to congratulate him, they also wanted to inform him that the National Open University of Nigeria exists in his domain, and to intimate him of some challenges the center is facing.
He informed the Chief that in as much as the university is responsible with payment of staff salaries, it is the responsibility of the community to maintain the centre domiciled in their territory.
The director stated the challenges of the centre which included, lack of operational vehicle, infrastructural development, lack of access road which has been cut off by erosion and the buildings which are dilapidated and almost collapsing.
He further explained that the communities within the Igalaland as a whole lacked the zeal and willpower to key into NOUN, which he said could be due to inadequate awareness by the communities in collaboration with the centre.
He urged the Attah to play the Fatherly role and help to inform his notable subjects, mostly politicians, Businessmen and women, Chairman of Local Government of the Igala communities to join hand to assists the centre on infrastructure facilities.
The director, however, solicited that His majesty should help to advocate for the citizens to take advantage of the Open Distance Learning (ODL) mode of learning which the university offers to increase the population of the centre.
In his Response, the Attah Igaia, welcomed the NOUN delegations and thanked them for the visit to his palace.
He however promised to help the Centre by taking the awareness to Igala subjects and notable personalities within the Igala extraction, and pledged to visit the centre to see the situations of things for himself before the year runs out.
He further maintained that NOUN is the best university, and made reference to the time he was in Service with INEC, that he approved the permission of his staff to study with NOUN and upon their completion of studies they happened to be the best staff ever.
For that reasons, he pledged to informing the general public that NOUN is among the best universities in Nigeria that one can acquired their certificate and will be acceptable nationally and internationally’
On infrastructural development, he added that he will inform the Igala notable Sons and Daughters to invest in NOUN to maintain the Idah centre and build more centres within Igala land to bring University education closer to their doorstep as it is the slogan of NOUN.
