The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Sunday 28th February, 2016 decorated His Grace, Most Revered Professor Daddy Hezekiah (MFR) with an award “The Pillar of Education” in Nigeria.
The ceremony which took place at the 75, 000 sitter temple of Living Christ Mission saw the crème de la crème of Nigeria’s apex students’ body grace the occasion. The roll call include the National President of NANS Comrade Tijani Usman, the Vice President Comrade Victor Ufoma, the Secretary as well as the Public Relations Officer Comrade Nwankwo Ezekial.
The amiable student leaders took time to laud encomium on His Grace, Most Revered Professor Daddy Hezekiah for his enormous philanthropic résumé which includes a scholarship scheme of over one thousand people with Bachelors, Master and Ph.D degree program. His university, Hezekiah University Umudi (first private university in Imo, Nigeria) is reputed to have the lowest tuition fees amongst private universities in Nigeria as well as a 50 million naira scholarship given to students of the university by Daddy Hezekiah.
Comrade Tijani Usman while presenting the award described Daddy Hezekiah as a “father and Role Model”, noting that he is the “First Chancellor of the First Private University in Imo, Nigeria”.
Professor Hezekiah while advising the students called on them to utilize their positions as youth leaders just like people like Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Francis Akanu Ibiam and Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara did during their time as youth leaders. In his words,
Some of the leaders who existed in those days…use to listen to students, but nowadays, our politicians are not interested in the students, they are not interested in education; they bring up policies that are very dangerous to the development of education…”
Daddy Hezekiah therefore, challenged the student leaders to convey to the Nigerian Government through peaceful means (devoid of protest), the innate contradictions that abound in the educational sector in Nigeria.
The erudite scholar who has degree qualifications in five disciplines notably among which include Industrial Chemistry and Public Adiministration noted with dismay, the pathetic situation in which students are made to write the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board Examination (JAMB) at wee hours of the morning (as early as 6am); recalling also that a female candidate was raped on her way to write the examination most recently.
He also appealed to the student leaders to convey to appropriate authorities the defects of writing JAMB examination through use of computers. Professor Hezekiah jettisoned the argument of society transiting to computer age since even in western societies where computers emanated, students still write examinations with paper and pen. He therefore called on Nigerian leaders not to cutoff the bridge simply because they have crossed over since most of them who impose these laws do not even know how to use computers themselves.
Professor Hezekiah also condemned outrightly the notion of universities exploiting candidates for admission in a desperate bid for money through excessive advertisement whereas, in reality, admission is limited. In his words,
a university will know that they need only ten people to be admitted into their institution and yet they will put up an advert for more than 10 million; they collect money and later declare that students failed woefully in the examination and no one talks…”
Further, Professor Hezekiah advised the Nigerian Government to reduce the duty on second hand goods such as cloths for the sake of the poor whose condition has worsened with the continuous deterioration of the economy so also review the policy of ban on importation of rice through land borders since rice now sells at 70 naira a cup indicative of a geometric rise in price.
Daddy Hezekiah also counseled students to be useful to their parents especially their mother who bore them. Similarly, he told students not to be drunkards, smokers or vagabonds.
The ceremony also witnessed confirmation of an award of Excellence by the NANS leadership to Princess Onyinyeomachukwu Divine Gift Samuel Hezekiah as “The Hero Among Students” for her exemplary lifestyle and decent dressing during her days as student at the University of Nigeria, Nsugbe chapter (UNN).
It would be recalled that His Grace, Most Revered Professor Daddy Hezekiah was in 2008 honoured by the Nigerian Government with the award Member of the Federal Republic (MFR).
Daddy Hezekiah helped Muslims rebuild a mosque razed by fire in his abode; he donated twenty thousand dollars to the Israeli Government in their fight against terrorism, thirty thousand dollars to the United States of America following the 9/11 attacks as well as championing the course of widows and the disabled with his personal resources.
To read more about the mighty works of Daddy Hezekiah, a man reputed to have miraculously raised the dead countlessly through the name of Jesus via a mere telephone set despite the enormous geographical distance, please visit www.livingchristmission.com. See also, Meet the Man Who Raises The Dead #Hezekiah
