The Petroleum and Chemical Engineering Education Society (PCEES) in a media chat/Zoom meeting held at the Icon Valley Hotel, Utako, Abuja yesterday, Tuesday, 13th, April 2021, presented Petroleum Engineering books to the Department of Petroleum Engineering of the University of Benin.
Present at the venue were the President World Wide of the University of Benin Alumni Association (UBAA), Engr. Ikenna Obiosor, Chairman of UBAA Abuja Branch, Paul. E. Odili, Vice President, North of UBAA, Vincent Idukpaye who is presently serving as the Abuja Caretaker Committee Chairman, members of the Alumni Association based in Abuja and media representatives. Joining the event by Zoom were, Dr. James Arukhe, founder of PCEES, who joined from Saudi Arabia and Dr. Nkem Ejiofor who joined the meeting from Canada.
In his speech, the President World Wide of the University of Benin Alumni Association, Engr. Ikenna Obiosor, while appreciating the very kind gesture of PCEES said that, the donation of these books will go a long way in equipping and enriching the faculty of Engineering of the University of Benin. He said the faculty of Law is also doing very well as it is in the process of raising N150 million Endowment Fund for the Faculty of Law. Also he noted that, the Dean of the Faculty of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering requested specifically for these books which fall under the category of books not easily available in Nigeria.
Presentation of books by Petroleum and Chemical Engineering Education Society (PCEES) to the Faculty of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering of the University of Benin through the President World Wide of UBAA in Abuja on Tuesday, 13th April, 2021. pic.twitter.com/Ejr2Eehdsd
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He recalled that when the new Vice Chancellor resumed duties, she had called on members of the Alumni to assist her in building the school. He said Alumni members from within Nigeria and the Diaspora are actively involved in giving back to the institution and that various groups and classes are actually contributing their quota in enriching the school.
In his conclusion, Engr. Obiosor thanked PCEES for it’s good works and urged them to keep it up noting that, the price of a good job is more work. Therefore, he tasked PCEES that this was the beginning of there good works and assured them that they where not alone in the task of giving back to their alma mater.
Barrister Frank Tietie, Secretary of the Petroleum and Chemical Engineering Education Society (PCEES) Governing Council, acknowledged the members of the governing council who joined the event from Saudi Arabia and Canada. He also acknowledged the presence of News Agency of Nigeria, the producers of Inside Niger Delta, NTA and TVC News as well as the publisher of CrossFire Reports.
Subsequently, he invited the Diaspora team made up of Dr. James Arukhe from Saudi Arabia and Dr. Nkem Ejiofor from Canada to make their speeches.
In his speech, Dr. Nkem Ejiofor said that, the event did not have to be a big ceremony neither did it have to wait. He said this is just the beginning of so many good things to come. He emphasized that, this is one opportunity to make sure that the University of Benin alma mater is always represented in world events. He quipped that, what good would it be if in 20 years’ time you say you were a product of the great University of Benin and there are no more University of Benin students/graduates coming up anywhere anymore?
Dr. Ejiofor said the program is not just for the University of Benin but rather, it was also for our young people in general. He however said, like the adage goes, charity begins at home and that is why PCEES is starting its work from the University of Benin which is their Alumni Association. He said they were not just supporting Petroleum and Chemical Engineering but hope that when things improve, they would try to support other Faculties. He said this was just their starting point and that the goal of PCEES is how to give back to its alma mater, an institution that nurtured them. He said PCEES is happy to participate in its own little way. He thus accepted the challenge from the President World Wide that the price for a good job is more work.
In his remarks, founder of PCEES, Dr. James Arukhe said that PCEES was formed at a time of hardship, a time when the Alumni and other Petroleum Engineering Professionals came back to support the Program and Faculty. It was principally a Petroleum Engineering program but their vision has stretched to encompass Chemical Engineering initially in the University of Benin.
Dr. Arukhe said he and his long time First Class University of Benin undergraduate school mates, friends and partners consisting of Nkem Ejiofor and Solomon Inneh as put together PCEES and subsequently became its Board of Trustees members. He said they realized that Petroleum and Chemical Engineering Faculties especially in Africa, face difficult situations in several settings and therefore, needed help to preserve the programs.
Dr. Arukhe said he and his friends were able to make the privileged observation because most of them schooled outside Nigeria for their Masters and PhD degrees. He had his Masters in Canada and PhD in America, while Dr. Ejiofor read his Masters and PhD in America and Engr. Inneh studied in Norway. He emphasized that when you schooled in all these places and you have the opportunity to reflect on the facilities back at home, you will almost want to say that the Faculty and the students are magicians in Nigeria to produce world class brains under the conditions that they face.
He gave an example with a University in Calgary that has a program for just the year one students, where you have enormous amount of support from the industry for laboratory work. Also, he said two or three laboratories were donated for year two students by individuals of high net worth or even competing companies. He said PCEES was the contribution of professionals in the industry to invest in creative minds and enhance the teaching of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering in Tertiary Educational Institutions.
Dr. Arukhe further said that, PCEES hopes to expand its vision beyond Petroleum and Chemical Engineering to other disciplines. He stated that through this non profit organization, they will turn the fortune of the younger generation around by providing them with financial and material support. He said PCEES will support students, lecturers and institutions carrying out research in the areas of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering and that they hoped to promote the principles and practice of research and development in Petroleum and Chemical Engineering Education. He explained that this will make our students and graduates to be globally competitive and enable our brilliant youths excel anywhere in the world without having to know any God Father.
The books were later presented by Barrister Frank Tietie to the University of Benin Alumni Association led by its President World Wide, Engr. Ikenna Obiasor who promised to deliver them to the Dean of the Faculty at the earliest possible time.
Dr. Arukhe said he Hope’s that, they will evolve a medium of international exchange of technology in the field of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering. He said by so doing, they will succeed in building bridges between the academia and the industry. He said PCEES will be that intervention vehicle that will spur social progress and economic development, by facilitating excellence in Petroleum and Chemical Engineering Education in Nigeria, Africa and the World. He shared their vision for other institutions and Faculties to show that their long term strategic vision is to enhance the employability of graduates from Nigeria and hence contribute to wealth creation.
