Nigerian Students in the Philippines Honour Prof. Bond Ugochukwu Anyaehie, Felicitate Him on Appointment as UNIZIK Vice-Chancellor
Nigerian Students in the Philippines Honour Prof. Bond Ugochukwu Anyaehie, Felicitate Him on Appointment as UNIZIK Vice-Chancellor
Manila, Philippines (Southeast Asia) — Nigerian students in the Philippines, under the auspices of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Philippines Zone Incorporated, have presented an Honorary Merit Award and formally felicitated with Professor Bond Anyaehie following his appointment as the new substantive 7th Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka.
The felicitation was conveyed during a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor’s private residence – South East Nigeria, where the student leaders congratulated Professor Anyaehie on his elevation to the apex academic position. They commended his outstanding academic pedigree, proven leadership capacity, and sustained commitment to the advancement of higher education in Nigeria.
Beyond the congratulatory engagement, the visit provided a platform for robust discussions on potential academic collaborations and educational partnerships between Nnamdi Azikiwe University and Nigerian students studying in the Philippines and across the wider diaspora. Key areas explored included the Vice-Chancellor’s encouragement for diaspora students to remain committed to their degree and postgraduate academic pursuits, as well as opportunities for academic exchange programmes, research collaboration, and reintegration pathways for Nigerian scholars trained abroad.
The engagement was facilitated by the Chief of Staff to the students’ leadership, alongside a delegation of incoming Nigerian students in the diaspora who are preparing to commence PhD programmes and advanced studies across various academic disciplines. The delegation emphasized the importance of strengthening institutional linkages capable of harnessing the intellectual capital of Nigerians abroad for national development.
The visit also served as an opportunity for the students’ leader, Rev. Comrade Chikelue Christian Okoye, to personally appreciate Professor Anyaehie for his active role in previous years toward facilitating the approval of his doctoral degree programme in Dental Medicine/Surgery. This support was rendered during Professor Anyaehie’s tenure as Deputy Provost, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), where Okoye is also a staff member in the Faculty of Dentistry.
The courtesy call was led by Rev. Comr Chikelue Christian Okoye, President of Nigerian Students in the Philippines and Vice President of Nigerian Students in the Diaspora, who spoke on the collective aspirations of Nigerian students overseas to remain actively connected to academic developments at home. He reaffirmed the association’s commitment to promoting unity, academic excellence, and strategic engagement between Nigerian tertiary institutions and diaspora scholars.
Members of the delegation expressed optimism that Professor Anyaehie’s administration would open new doors for meaningful collaboration, strengthen global academic networks, and implement policies that support Nigerian students both at home and abroad.
The courtesy visit concluded on a positive note, with mutual assurances of sustained dialogue and cooperation aimed at advancing education, research, and international academic partnerships for the benefit of Nigeria’s higher education sector.
