By Ugochukwu Iwuji
The Rector of Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Engr. Dr. Michael Chidiebere Arimanwa has been deliberate and strategic in carrying out an all-encompassing infrastructural revolution in the institution. From late 2018 when he assumed office as 8th substantive Rector, Arimanwa has been consistent in bridging the infrastructural gap in the institution, which incidentally is his almamater. He came in with a clear vision to build infrastructure that would transform the quality of teaching, the purpose of which is to produce graduates with capacity to fit into contemporary industry demands.
Fundamentally, the infrastructural revolution instigated by Arimanwa cuts across all departments and schools of the institution, reinforcing the seriousness and sincerity of purpose they portend. More commendable in the entire paradigm is the resolve of the Rector to complete all on-going projects before starting fresh ones. This is a lesson in leadership for leaders who want to quickly score cheap points by ignoring what their forebears had put in place. Truth is that leadership is a continuum and sincere leaders do not necessarily need to ditch an on-going positive process to begin a new one.
In his documented vision statement, Dr. Arimanwa asserted that he would “consolidate and maintain the accomplishments of previous administrations and establish a system that will turn graduates from Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, into skilled manpower ready for the industry and have capacity to create wealth.” How far the Rector has accomplished this vision is a leadership study worth elucidating. It is on record that Arimanwa did not start any new projects until he had completed those that were yet uncompleted due to financial or logistic deficits. It was therefore a breath of fresh air when he began to break new grounds in infrastructure.
His ambitious infrastructural plan was inspired by the vision to expand the Federal Polytechnic Nekede in terms of curriculum, manpower, development, numerics and efficiency, the end of which is provide a conducive atmosphere for a bountiful intellectual harvest. In this infrastructural initiative, the interests of all stakeholders are factored – with the provision of adequate learning spaces, suitable office accommodations, equipped laboratories and workshops, and digitized library for research activities.
Today, the Rector through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has built a brand new School of Engineering Office Complex. The massive structure located in front of the 1000-capacity auditorium has effectively solved the accommodation need of engineering lecturers. It is heartwarming that the complex will also accommodate more manpower in future. The complex, which is built to taste, is also completely furnished to provide comfort to the dispensers of knowledge. The large complex has been able to motivate members of staff who may need to be relatively comfortable to work better.
Arimanwa’s administration has also constructed a complex for the Department of Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Engineering. This massive structure expectedly has both office accommodation for staff and classrooms for students. It also has a resource centre and other facilities relevant to the discipline. The spaces in the complex are well equipped to guarantee good results.
Furthermore, the School of Engineering Technology has a new classroom complex fully equipped with learning materials. Since the institution is a technology-based one, the administration has ensured that the School of Engineering is well positioned to achieve its primary mandate of producing graduates that are assets to the wider world – people who are not only self-reliant but are key players in the world of engineering.
It is instructive that the Arimanwa-led administration at Federal Polytechnic Nekede has also paid no less adequate attention to the business management technology sector. The administration has been able to complete a massive edifice that has a good number of classrooms for the Business Management Technology Classroom Complex. These classrooms that are well equipped have taken care of the accommodation needs of the numerous students in that school. Directly opposite the structure is the beautiful Bankers Hall, attracted to the polytechnic by the Rector. The structure, which was constructed by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) is a 160-capacity edifice equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, learning materials and internet. Primarily, the structure is meant to complement the teaching of the discipline: Banking and Finance.
Arimanwa’s wind of infrastructure has also blown at the School of Environmental Design Technology Office Complex (SEDT). Today, the school has a well-constructed office complex for the accommodation of its staff. Typically, facilities are also provided to cater for the comfort of students. Thus, the administration has also constructed a fitting classroom complex for the comfort of students. It is noteworthy that these facilities are equipped for use.
There is a ground swell of infrastructure at the Department of Building Technology with the building and equipping of a workshop for them. The Rector has also remodeled the Fine Art & Design Departmental Studio, all intended for improved performance and result. Being a practical-oriented discipline, the department has since the remodeling of their studio increased its productivity with a periodic exhibitions of works carried out by her students.
The spread of infrastructure in Federal Polytechnic Nekede has been equitable under Arimanwa. The School of General Studies (SGS) has also got its own fair share of infrastructure with the construction of a large state-of-the-art classroom complex, which is also well equipped to take care of the learning requirements of students. With this gigantic structure, the days of searching for roomy classes for lectures are over in SGS.
Furthermore, there has also been an uncommon attention paid to the equipping of laboratories by the Arimanwa administration. Essentially, equipping facilities may be as capital intensive as building them. The Rector had in some fora alluded to this when he stated that the costs of some of the equipment in the polytechnic laboratories are higher than those of the buildings housing them. The Rector needs to be applauded for the intentional investments in equipping the laboratories. Great scientists and technologists are not forged only in the classrooms, they are essentially formed in the places of practical symbolized by the laboratories. Accordingly, the laboratories for the Departments of Surveying and Geo-Informatics, Building Technology and Biology/Micro-Biology have been equipped by the Arimanwa administration.
Similarly, virtually all laboratories that were not furnished before his administration, the Rector has made sure they are furnished and are functional. Those affected are the laboratories in the Departments of Chemical Engineering, Agricultural Technology, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Food Science Technology, Purchasing and Supply, Mechanical Engineering, Urban and Regional Planning and Mass Communication, among others.
Not done, the Arimanwa administration has built a single storey studio for Arts and Design Department. Clearly, the Rector has been focused and purposeful in expanding infrastructure to instigate productivity. He does not only build structures, he connects them to an expected outcome. In the same vein, the polytechnic chief has made sure that all classrooms have well-constructed seats and instructional materials suitable for academic harvest.
Taken together, Arimanwa’s infrastructural revolution is a study in leadership. He has proven that government is truly a continuum and not a show aimed at outshining others. The Rector proved this point when he completed all ongoing projects he inherited before implementing his own initiatives. He has also been deliberate in ensuring that structures built are tastefully furnished. Compared to other higher institutions around, Nekede clearly has better planned infrastructural facilities that promote high academic productivity. Instructively, the Rector has also institutionalized the maintenance of the infrastructure in the polytechnic. Undoubtedly, there may be no perfect state of facilities anywhere in the world, but the much already put in place by Arimanwa at Federal Polytechnic Nekede can reinforce bountiful academic excellence.