By Nduka Odo
Challenges birth opportunities, ideas and great men. So did poor enrolment into higher education birth an idea that have come to stay for more than 20 years. In 1999, a group of undergraduates of Isiugwu, Enugu Ezike formed Isiugwu Elite Youth Association with the sole aim of encouraging enrolments into higher education among the people of Isiugwu.
With that objective, the association embarked on seminars and sensitizations for parents and students. They made members of the community understand why higher education is paramount. They taught secondary school students how to pass WAEC and JAMB without cutting corners. They counselled secondary school students on the choices of institutions and courses.
Such seminars also included issues like early marriage and completion of secondary education, especially for the female child. Many parents and guardians believed that higher education was so expensive that they never imagined their children having university degrees. But as time went by, the sensitization yielded fruits as families tied up their loins and enrolled their children into higher institution.
Beyond sensitization, the Association often gave out textbooks and notebooks to secondary school students. Members were readily available to mentor younger members of the community. In 2012, the association embarked on the construction of the Community Library. The uncompleted structure still waits inside the Community Secondary School, at the back of the principal office. One interesting thing to note is that the members who’re most undergraduates funds the activities of the association from their pocket money.
By 2014, the number of undergraduates from Isiugwu had increased. The rate of enrollment increased in folds. Barely could one name any institution in South east that had no student from Isiugwu. It was clear, everything being equal, that the efforts of the association had paid off. The central objective was being achieved.
Ironically, redundancy started setting in. There were many graduates. There were many more undergraduates. And far more eager to enrol. But the membership of the association dwindled. Collapse and death hung on the neck of the association. Meetings were missed and or cancelled. The enthusiasm had gone. Luckily, the traditional seminars at the Community Secondary School refused to die. It remained the only threat the association hung only.
I remember attending the Easter 2014 meeting. We were about five persons. And I was the only graduate member. There was no ground to blame graduates for not attending. The leadership structure of the association constitutionally rested on the undergraduates. That made it seem like once one graduated from higher institution, he or she also graduated out of the association. We realized right in the meeting that something had to be done to maintain the original noble course of the association. We suggested that the association needed reformation and re-organization.
Deliberations on the reformation lingered on until 2019, coincidentally, 20 years anniversary of its formation. The then acting president, Mr. Ike Ooda set up a Constitutional Review Committee chaired by Mr. Chidi Eze and myself as the secretary. The amendment to the constitution started with the name of the association. The term “youth” was eliminated. The objectives expanded. These include: to
Ø To champion, collaborate and lead in the community development projects.
Ø To encourage, guide and promote career development of members and other persons in Isiugwu.
Ø To play vital role in the employment and job creation for members and the Isiugwu people at large
Ø To undertake the attraction of projects and community development programmes for our community.
Ø To serve as a check against illegalities, frauds and known wickedness that may affect the common good of our community.
Ø To promote education and learning for the members of the community.
These are enormous tasks the association gave itself. To be able to scratch these tasks, the constitutional amendment transferred leadership to graduates while undergraduates serve as deputies in all capacities.
In 2019 Easter meeting being April 06, the General body of Isiugwu Elite Association (ISEA) adopted the reviewed constitution. In Christmas meeting of the same year, the general body elected new leadership. Mr. Chidi Eze emerged as the first Chairman of the reformed Association. Mr. Nduka Odo became the Secretary. Others elected into positions included David Odu for Vice Chairman; Engr. Samson Ooda as the financial secretary, Nurse Lovina Aako as treasurer; and Mr. Oliver Ameh, provost. Dele Maxwel Ugwuanyi, PhD chaired the election and inauguration of the new leadership. After inauguration, the leadership paid courtesy visits to authorities and dignitaries: the Onyishi, HRH Igwe Fabian Kanayochukwu Eke, the Parish Priest of St. Patrick Church Rev. Fr. Johnmartins Odugu, and so on.
The new leadership came up with Annual Conference as its first project. The task seemed herculean. But work started anyways. A conference committee was set up. The committee came up theme: Community Development: the Isiugwu Situation. The theme is succinct. There is nothing our dear community needs most right now like development. This is hopefully the beginning of a fruitful journey for the greatness that Isiugwu deserve. And like the core concept development states, ISEA comes to contribute its widow’s mite by working with everyone who has been working hard for the good of Isiugwu.
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