UNN forges alliance with Vatican University
Barely 24 hours after his ordination, the new Catholic Bishop of Nsukka, Rt. Rev. (Prof.) Godfrey Igwebuike Onah, has interfaced a collaboration between the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and the Pontificia Urbaniana University, Vatican, in the areas of staff and students exchange and development of religion and cultural studies.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Prof. Bartho Okolo, a day after his ordination, Bishop Onah said that the collaboration was based on the mutual aspiration shared by the UNN and the Catholic university.
“Relationship of this kind can be expanded when there are common interests, given the motto of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka-“to restore the dignity of man”- and the objective of the Pontificia, Urbaniana University-human promotion and salvation- the first way of deepening the relationship is to concentrate on the values that are common to us”, he said.
Bishop Onah, who was a Professor in the Potificia Urbaniana University, said that although the Vatican regretted that he was leaving the University, they were comforted that he was coming to the environment of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He thanked the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria for his hospitality to him and his guests during the ordination and said that the gesture was a sign of good days ahead with the Institution.
Also speaking, the Rector of the Pontificia Urbaniana University, Vatican, Alberto Trevisol, urged academics to maintain close ties with their students through lectures and mentorships, stating that a student today may be a colleague tomorrow.
He expressed satisfaction that the Bishop, who was once a student of his University, had developed to become a colleague capable of offering good suggestions and advice.
The Rector, who was particularly interested in the study of Nigerian indigenous language at UNN, indicated his willingness to attend the commissioning of the Institute of African Studies Complex, which is currently under construction at the UNN.
In his response, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Bartho Okolo, thanked the Bishop and the Principal Officers of the Pontificia Uninversity, for extending a hand of friendship to the UNN. He noted that the University of Nigeria had remained focused to the vision of its founding fathers by empowering youths to restore the dignity of man.
Prof Okolo maintained that although the Bishop was the second to be ordained in the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, his (Bishop’s) status as a Professor made the appointment historical in the context of university business.
He therefore urged people to continuously pray for the new Bishop to enable him accomplish his apostolic, academic and social mandate in the community.
In the entourage of the Bishop were other principal officers of the Pontificia Urbaniana University, Vatican, including; the Vice-Rector, Pontificia University, Prof. Lorella Congionti, the secretary/Registrar, Fr. Roberto Cherubini , the Bursar, Monsignor Bellizio Reiligio, and a host of other Catholic priests.
Inya, Agha E.