The Rector of Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Michael Arimanwa has bagged the Banking Education Award.
The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Imo State branch conferred the award on him at its annual CIBN Dinner/Awards Night held Saturday, November 19 at Rockview Hotel, Owerri
Also honoured at the ceremony were Gov. Hope Uzodimma, Dr. Ken Opara (CIBN President) and Mr. Oliver Alawuba (GMD/CEO UBA).
The rector was given the award based on his invaluable contributions in banking education through the Department of Banking and Finance of the polytechnic.
The polytechnic has maintained an excellent record of performance in the activities of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.
The institution also has an MoU with the CIBN where students of the programme could run CIBN approved curriculum alongside their regular classes.
This practice would leave them with only a few courses to pass through to become chartered bankers, after their undergraduate studies.
Responding, the rector described the banking education award by CIBN as an honour which he considers a source of motivation to him.
He vowed to remain committed to enhancing banking education in Nigeria.
Arimanwa also commended the good relationship existing between the polytechnic and the CIBN, which according to him, “has been reinforced by the banking education award given to me.”
Recall that the CIBN earlier in the year bequeathed a smart Bankers Hall to the polytechnic based on what the body described as the track record of excellence which the institution had maintained in CIBN activities and programmes.
It is also noteworthy that the Federal Polytechnic Nekede was the only higher institution in South East bequeathed the beautiful edifice.
In a lecture at the event which had the theme “Building Resilience for Economic Growth in a Challenged Economy: The Agriculture Finance Option,” the guest speaker, Mr. Linus Okafor who is also the Accountant General of Imo State, described a resilient economy as that which has the ability to deal with adversity and withstand economic shocks, suggesting that agriculture is a veritable option to overcome the bleak economic indices facing the country.
Speaking to newsmen at the sidelines of the event, the rector described the lecture as very apt while describing agriculture as a credible option left for Nigeria to explore to keep the economy stable.
He advocated a mechanized system of agriculture which has capacity to add value to farming as well as guarantee food stability.
The rector encouraged the government to fully exploit the agricultural potentials of the country by incentivizing the sector adequately.
Beyond agriculture, the rector made a case for a knowledge-based economy which he described as a possible goldmine for the country when fully harnessed.
The CIBN Banking Education award is one among a deluge of awards that has been bestowed on the rector for what stakeholders have described as his outstanding performance in service delivery at the educational sector.
Recall that Arimanwa, an engineer had at four different occasions bagged best rector award from reputable education bodies in the country.
Principal Officers present at the occasion included the Deputy Rector (Academic) Dr. C.C. Onyemenonu and the Registrar, Mrs. E.C. Anuna, while the Bursar and Librarian were represented by Mrs. Ijeoma Ukwu and Dr. Charles Obichere, respectively.
