By Angela Atabo
Ambrose Alli University (AAU),Alumni Association, FCT apter ,has urged the formation of a National Alumni Development Framework as a coordinated platform for alumni associations across Nigeria.
Justice Godwin Iheabunike, Judge, FCT High Court, Abuja, who spoke on Sunday in Abuja at the AAU Annual Lecture Series in Honour of National Executive Council Members, said the framework would help to share knowledge.
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Iheabunike said it would also aggregate funding, influence policy, and deliver structured interventions.
He said, “This could take the form of an umbrella body recognised by the Federal Government and tied to national development goals.
“The Ambrose Alli University Alumni Association can lead the way by convening a National Alumni Summit to explore this idea.”
According to him, alumni associations are not mere relics of academic nostalgia but are vehicles of national progress as they possess the intellectual, financial.
Iheabunike also described them as moral capitals that would help in shaping destinies, not just of universities, but of nations.
“Let us recommit ourselves to the values of service, knowledge, integrity, and unity.
“Let us move beyond annual gatherings and begin to implement strategic interventions that change lives, empower institutions, and build a stronger, more inclusive Nigeria.
“The future of nation building is not just in government houses or multinational boardrooms.
“It is in our hands. As alumni, we are not just witnesses to history; we are called to be architects of the future,”he said
Iheabunike said the Nigerian economy was facing a youths unemployment crisis, opining that alumni associations had the unique capacity to act as economic catalysts by promoting entrepreneurship among graduates and undergraduates.
He said through business incubation programmes, venture capital linkages, and mentorship, alumni could help create the next generation of job creators rather than job seekers.
Iheabunike added, “Ambrose Alli University Alumni Association, for example, could consider establishing an enterprise fund to support graduate-led businesses, thereby contributing directly to the productive sector of the economy.”
He urged alumni associations to provide invaluable mentorship that shapes young minds to actively groom future leaders.
The judge also called on them to provide a unique platform for fostering national unity by bringing together members from different ethnic, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds.
He called on alumni associations to forge partnerships with universities, government agencies, international donor agencies, and the private sector.
This, he said, was to unlock funding for alumni-driven entrepreneurship projects and also influence public policy in all sectors.
The AAU Alimni Association, FCT Branch Chainman, Dr Peter Orobor, said the theme was thoroughly chosen due to the current social, cultural and political developments in the association and Nigeria at large.
Orobor said with specific focus on the role and contributions of alumni associations in nation building and development to leverage such platforms to better the alma mater that made them and contribute to the nation.
He added, “Fellow alumni, the time has come for us to deepen our understanding of why we exist as an association.
” We must move beyond mere social reunions and ceremonial appearances to becomea dynamic network of influence, support, and purpose.
“Today’s world demands it. Our alma mater needs it.
“And our graduates deserve it. At the core of this moment is a call to responsibility, a call to re-imagine what it means to be part of the AAU Alumni family.
“Our priority must now be to empower our graduates, particularly those who are not gainfully employed.”
In the same vein, Orobor urged them to create systems that support their entry into the labour market and into competitive postgraduate programs both home and abroad.
The Chairman of the occasion,Mr Festus Eguaoje,a Director at the Office of the Civil Service of the Federation,said the theme of the annual lecture was an invitation to reflect on the power of collective action and shared responsibility.
Eguaoje said,”The lecture series is more than an annual event;it is a call to action.
“It is a reminder that beyond our personal achievements lies a shared herald a responsibility.
“Whether through mentorship,philosophy,professional collaboration,or advocacy,alumni associations are uniquely positioned to be catalysts for development linking the past with the future and vision with impact.”(NAN)
