Classmates of Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC) have counted the people of state lucky to have him at the helm of affairs, especially at this critical period in the life of the country.
Members of the 1987 Finance Class of UNEC said they were delighted and grateful to God that Ugwuanyi as governor had remained humble, peaceful, focused and visionary as he was during their days in the university, stressing they were proud of him.
Ugwuanyi’s classmates made the commendation when the governor hosted them to a cultural night dinner at Government House, Enugu, as part of their re-union programme, 35 years after their graduation.
The dinner preceded a visit to the Department of Banking and Finance at UNEC, which stirred Ugwuanyi and his classmates to a thrilling reflection of their days of toil, fun and burning of midnight candles in pursuit of academic goals.
During the visit, Ugwuanyi and classmates addressed students of the finance class, and encouraged them to remain focused and committed to their dreams and aspirations.
In their separate goodwill messages at the dinner, a member of the class, Pastor Emeka Ifeonu, expressed gratitude to God for making the re-union a reality.
“God has been so good to us 35 years after we parted. Most of us are seeing for the first time; it is just the mercy of God.”
He appreciated Governor Ugwuanyi for his unique personality describing him as a man of the people and a great achiever.
Presenting gift items to Governor Ugwuanyi as a symbol unity and gratitude, Mr. Ike Duru, on behalf of his classmates, disclosed that it was because of the governor’s humility that they gathered after 35 years, pointing out that “when he entered, he called all of us by name, that shows who he is, he is the same person he was in 1987. I want to tell Enugu State that you people are lucky to have somebody like him. Sir, we are your classmates, we are very proud of you.”
Earlier, members of the 1987 Finance Class observed a minute silence in honour of their departed classmates.
Welcoming his classmates to the Lion Building, Government House, Enugu, Ugwuanyi said the occasion was unique and a reflection on where they were coming from.
“Those days of lofty dreams and great ambitions yet shrouded in uncertainty of what life had in stock for us; and most importantly, the friendship we enjoyed in our youth. It is also desirable that on the sidelines of this event, we seek and engage our lecturers who were key to our learning and character moulding,” Ugwuanyi said.