By Amaechi Agbo

Enugu – Five Staff of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT College of Medicine were on Monday honoured by the management of the college.

Among the recipients of the awards is the Former Provost of the College, Professor Frank Ezugwu, a Casual worker, Mrs Ijeoma Helen Ugwu.

Others are: Prof. Samuel Ghasi, Prof. Joy Ebele Ikekpeazu and Mrs Philomina Chinwe Ogbodo.

The five staff were honoured by the management for their distinguished performance to the College in the 2023/2024 academic session.

The awards are: the Best Lecturer in Faculty of Clinical Medicine went to former Provost, Prof. Frank Okechukwu Ezugwu; Best Lecturer in Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, Prof. Samuel Ghasi; Best Lecturer in Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Prof. Joy Ebele Ikekpeazu; Best Performing Non-Teaching Staff in ESUCOM, Mrs Philomina Chinwe Ogbodo and the Best Performing Casual Staff in ESUCOM, Mrs Ijeoma Ugwu.

The ceremony, which got underway a little behind schedule at the College Auditorium, saw key individuals making speeches. First was the Provost of the College, Professor Uchenna Ekwochi who addressed the need for the merit award and how the five awardees were selected.

“The award is ESUCOM management’s way of saying thank you for the excellence service you have rendered to ESUCOM. It is also our way of telling the world hoe much premium we placed in quality service. The award will serve as a stimulant to other staff to strive for excellence,” he said.

Shortly after him was the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ossai who delivered his speech through the Commissioner for Health, Professor Emmanuel Obi, stating the state government’s support to ESUT and improved education in the state.

In His speech, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Aloysius-Michaels Okolie lauded the management of the College for the initiation and promised support.

While congratulating the awardees on their achievements, he charged them not to relent and urged those not considered for the maiden award to improve on their commitment and work ethics.

Adding “At the end of the day, the intent of the ESUCOM Annual Merit Award is to promote work ethics and excellence among the staff. This is the guiding principle of the University management and we will support you in this regard,” the VC said.

The awardees who spoke to EUST Monitor variously in interviews, expressed gratitude to the management for the honour and expressed determination to do more.

“This is an honour and achievement I dedicate to Mother of Perpetual Help and to the management of ESUCOM and our university. The reward for good work is more work, I will not relent,” Prof Ezugwu said

On her part, Mrs Ijeoma Ugwu gave God all the glory for her great day and dedicated her award to her family, bosses and the management of the board.

In her words “Ọ di m kam nọ na nro (It’s as if I am in dream)” she said

Highlights of the Award ceremony were presentation of plaques, certificates and a token of N100, 000 to the awardees as well as group pictures with the management and staff of ESUCOM.

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Perhaps, when getting up from bed on Monday, December 16, 2024, Mrs Ijeoma Helen Ugwu’s expectation was to attend the Maiden ESUT College of Medicine Annual Merit Award, as a an awardee, collect “whatever the management got to offer” and retire home for the day.

Little did she know that God and destiny has a date for her as she attended the award ceremony as a casual worker but left as a Permanent Staff!

Delivering his speech the Pro Chancellor and Chairman, ESUT Governing Council, Chief Chinyeaka Ohaa, who flew into the state from Abuja for the ceremony, described the award ceremony as the nerve of the university in attaining its set targets of academic excellence and staff welfare.

He recounted that the award ceremony was dear to him and that he wouldn’t have been absent from it. While appreciating the management of the College for the innovation, Chief Ohaa further made two declarations;

“The management has already announced that the awardees would receive a token of N50, 000 each. Let me also add that the Board will add N50, 000 to make it N100, 000. That means each of the recipients will receive N100, 000.

“I am delighted in the calibre of the nominees for the award because I have known some of them. Prof Ezugwu has been a friend and brother, likewise others.

“However, the height of my happiness is that a casual staff is among the nominees. I have been in the system and know that to be a casual staff is not easy. The stipends you are paid don’t take you anywhere.

“To our sister and mother, Helen Ugwu, Thank you for all you are doing. This shows that you treasure and value your position as a casual staff. However, I want to assure you that from today, you are no more a casual work, you are now a permanent staff. If you can emerge as the best in your current “casual position” how much more when you become a permanent staff. You deserve it, and congratulations,” the Pro Chancellor said.

Mrs Ijeoma Helen Ugwu’s Profile

Mrs Helen Ugwu, one hails from Ee-Obara in Nsukka Local Government Area.

She had her primary and secondary education at Community Primary School Odo-Akpu, Onitsha and Pinnacle Comprehensive Secondary School Transekulu, Enugu State.

She joined ESUCOM in 2015 as a casual worker, a cleaner deployed to the hostels, with her exceptional diligence and dedication to service, always willing to give in her best to keeping her place of assignment very clean. Even when her supervisor calls her out for duties away from her duty point, she patiently, without complains and murmuring do it perfectly and reverts to the supervisor.

She is always willing to assist her colleagues through the job and with a sound relationship with them all

Mrs Helen Ugwu is happily married to Mr Elias Ugwu, with 5 children

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