By Jude Michael
The College of Nursing Sciences, Adazi-Nnukwu in Anaocha LGA, Anambra State, has held its 2024 Matriculation and Capping ceremony with no fewer than 218 students of Nursing and Midwifery signing official admission of the students into Nursing and Midwifery profession.
The event, which took place on Saturday, 5th October, amid huge presence of the parents, loved ones, including friends and well-wishers of the joy-overwhelmed nursing students, began with a Pontifical Mass presided over by the Proprietor of the College and Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Awka, Most Rev Dr Paulinus Ezeokafor, who described the ceremony as a great occasion for the Diocese, the students, and the entire college community.
Speaking in a homily during the Mass, the Bishop commended the students for successfully scaling through the hurdles and rigours of the admissions process.
‘This is just a beginning; so, you need to work hard because the area you want to serve in is a very delicate one.
‘It is a call that is directed to the lives of human beings. That is why you should be very very thorough in your studies.
‘You should be disciplined, I beg you; do the course thoroughly and perfect yourself so that whenever you are called you will answer,’ Bishop Ezeokafor advised the students, and reminded them of the need to always have compassion for patients.
In his remarks, the Administrator of the College, Rev Fr Jude Igboka, expressed appreciation to the Bishop for his support, fatherly advice and care for the College.
Rev Fr Igboka also appreciated the members of the College’s Board for their tireless efforts in making sure that the College was growing both in students’ number and quality of education it offered to the students.
The Administrator thanked the entire staff of the College for their sacrifices and effort to make the students better persons.
He further extended appreciation to the parents and guardians of the students for bringing their children and wards to the College to be nurtured in knowledge, moral and holistic formation.
The cleric also thanked the students for choosing the College and congratulated them, expressing the hope that the activity of the ceremony would be a soul-lifting one for them.
While presenting her address of welcome during the second part of the ceremony chaired by Hon Chukwuma Iloakasia, the Acting Provost of the College, Mrs Mary-Michael Ezenwuba, said the College was on the path to becoming a world-class college of Nursing.
According to her, the College was among the first three Colleges of Nursing that had keyed into the Nursing Education Reform Agenda of Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, migrating from a School of Nursing and Midwifery into a College of Nursing and Midwifery Sciences with the first set of ND Nursing students among the 218 students that matriculated that day.
Adding that the College had interest in girl child economic empowerment, the Acting Provost disclosed that the College was embarking on the construction of a two-storey skill acquisition centre, and appealed to the guests, the parents, and well-wishers to support the College to achieve the set goal.
In her goodwill message, the Director, Nursing Services, Anambra State, Mrs Perpetua Anene, represented by a retired Director in the Services, Mrs Kosi Ezekegbu, described nurses as the fulcrum of a hospital and advised the excited matriculating students to always pray for a Divine direction.
Some of the students, including Roseline Onyeleonu, who was capped as the best student from the Midwifery Department; Kingsley Ukoh; Lilian Onuogu from the Nursing Department, among others; who spoke with Fides, were excited to be part of the ceremony and promised to remain dedicated to their studies.
Egedege Cultural Dance, and a demonstration on cardiopulmonary resuscitation by the students, added glamour to the ceremony attended by prominent personalities, who included the Chancellor of the Diocese, Rev Fr Charles Ndubuisi; the Chief Medical Director, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Dr Josephat Akabuike, among others.
