*Decries sharp contrast in academic infrastructure
The former Governor of Anambra State and Labour Party Presidential Candidate in the 2023 general elections, Mr. Peter Obi, has donated ₦15 million to the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu State.
During unscheduled visit to the faculty on Friday, Obi underscored the urgent need for government investment in health education, describing it as critical to national development.
Addressing enthusiastic students of the faculty, Obi revealed that his visit was prompted by a heartfelt letter from one of the students, who painted a pathetic picture of their plight.
He explained that he deliberately avoided notifying the institution’s leadership in advance to prevent any disruption to academic activities.
Moved by the visibly poor conditions of the students’ learning environment, Obi lamented the deterioration compared to what obtained during his time at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
Drawing on his educational experiences from some of the world’s best institutions, he decried the sharp contrast in academic infrastructure, noting that no nation should allow its children to suffer due to neglect.
Renowned for his commitment to education, Obi blamed the dire state of health institutions in Nigeria on chronic leadership failure.
He called for collaborative efforts to improve health education, which he described as indispensable to the survival and progress of any society.
“One of your colleagues reached out to me about the challenges facing your faculty and appealed for support.
“I have come to commend your resilience in striving to succeed in a system that is not providing you with adequate facilities,” Obi stated.
He recalled how, during his time at UNN, then-President Shehu Shagari once visited the school and even spent the night there, testifying to the value once placed on education in Nigeria.
Obi urged the students to be assertive in demanding better conditions, reminding them that the University of Nigeria has produced many outstanding individuals across various fields.
He also recounted how, as governor, he mobilised professionals to build a teaching hospital in Awka within 18 months. Similarly, he noted that the Law Faculty at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University was completed in just six months under his administration.
He stressed that health is a fundamental component of education that must not be neglected.
“We cannot continue like this. Things must change. Our children should not be subjected to these conditions,” Obi insisted.
He thereafter, presented a cheque of ₦15 million to aid the faculty’s development and support its bid for re-accreditation.
Earlier, Obi was conducted around the faculty’s dilapidated facilities, including the Phantom Head Lab, Prosthetic Lab, and the Lecture Theatre, the latter of which has a leaking roof.
The Chairman of the Fundraising Committee for the Re-accreditation of the Faculty, Mr. Boston Chukwuemeka, noted that the faculty currently has only nine phantom heads and dental chairs but needs at least fifty to meet accreditation standards.
He disclosed that a total of ₦38 million is required to upgrade the necessary equipment and infrastructure.
Chukwuemeka also appealed for an increased admission quota, from the current fifteen students to at least fifty, arguing that such expansion would only be feasible with improved laboratory facilities.
On behalf of the students, the President of the Dental Students Association, Mr. Daniel Ogba, expressed deep appreciation to Mr. Obi for his intervention, describing him as a mentor and father figure to the students.
