...She Is The First Female Recipient Of NANS Award In North Central Nigeria

The National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) has given a national award to Dr. Oluwakemi Omoniyi Ogungbamigbe, Dean of School of Communication and Information Technology (SCIT), The Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State.

The award was presented by the NANS Zone C at the polytechnic main campus (PS)'s boardroom, on Wednesday.

NANS Zone C encompasses all tertiary institutions which are universities, polytechnics, colleges, mono-technics and all affiliate institutions in North Central Nigeria.

NANS members confirmed that Dr. Ogungbamigbe is the first female recipient of the award in North Central Nigeria.
NANS executives emphasized that she was nominated for the award after series of investigations and verifications on her person. North Central consists of Kwara, Kogi, Abuja. Niger, Nassarawa, Plateau and Benue states. So there were nominations from all states but she emerged the winner.
They added that random samplings of students were done and all students attested to the fact that she is not a lecturer but a mother. Always there for her students and always concerned about their welfare. It was said about her that she is always willing and available to profer solutions to all students problems.

The Acting Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr. Olarongbe Afolabi noted that the award was well deserved.

Dr. Olarongbe, represented by Dean, School of Applied Sciences and Technology Dr. Isiaka Olasunkanmi Azeez said: "this award doesn't come to me as a surprise. This is a woman of substance and anywhere she is, she is always ready to put in her best. I have known her for that. More grease to your elbow, ma.

"Whatever you have been doing that led to this award and other series of commendations, keep doing it."

Dr. Azeez also commended the NANS, noting that the award would serve as a form of encouragement for other lecturers as well as motivation for those who are not doing enough.

Rector of Lens Polytechnic, Offa, Dr. Ademola Ebeloku said Dr. Ogungbamigbe should be appreciative to be alive during her celebration.

"The greatest award is the appreciation of the people and today you are alive to get the award. He noted that in Nigeria of today, they only appreciate you when you are gone (i.e dead). We thank God today that you are alive to receive this award.

"The only thing I can tell you is that you should continue doing what you do. Congratulations once again."

The Federal Polytechnic Librarian, Dr. Rasaq Femi Quadri, during his address, described the awardee as a mother of all indeed.

"I have worked with her, with all modesty she's a woman to work with. She's a mother and she's well committed to what she is doing. Severally you would see her chip in advices that would help you out with your assignments. She does all her things satisfactorily well.
We will not only congratulate her but also wish her well.

The recipient of the award, Dr. (Mrs) Ogungbamigbe said the award was a surprise.

"I must say I'm overwhelmed. When I first heard about the award few weeks ago I was a bit under the weather. I din't take it seriously. I questioned my callers that how did they know me and who nominated me?

"I was not expecting the award. I thank God who counted me worthy and also gave me the opportunity to be alive to be celebrated.

She afterwards appreciated all those who contributed in one way or another to bring the programme to fruition.

Immediate past Director of Institute of Continuing Education (ICE), Hajia Mulikat Aliyu who doubled as the Mother of the day, appreciated God for making the program a reality and for granting members of NANS who travelled from long distances journey mercies. She added that...
"I'm highly delighted because when we started at the departmental level in the school of Communication and Information Technology, she was the only female in her department (Mass Communication) and I was the only one female in Library and Information Science department, too.

"Whatever that's said about her motherly roles should not come as a suprise. She's a mother, lecturer per excellence and researcher. She has always been concerned about the affairs of the students in the institution and not just in School of Communication and Information Technology alone. Some of the things they must have taken into cognizance for this award was when some of our students misbehaved sometimes ago, her dogged intervention saved about five hundred students from been sanctioned.
The Dean, Directorate of Students' Affairs, Engr. Dr. Waheed Balogun, stated that the awardee is a mother and Counselor!

"As it was rightly said, this award is not a surprise. Dr. (Mrs) Ogungbamigbe is someone I always see as a mother. She is always seeing to the affairs of students and treats them like her biological children. He sighted an instance that
when a student engages in exam malpractice and starts telling stories like 'I forgot it in my pocket', 'I didn't know it was there', 'I forgot to discard the paper I was jotting with'. She would say, 'you know, maybe we tell him/her (erring) student to write a letter of apology or allocate the erring student an engagement like a community service! Don't let's send them away to get worse but correct and reform them.

"She's a mother. She's a mother in deed. Like Mrs Aliyu said, some students would have been rusticated by the school last year if not for her dogged intervention.

Engr. Dr. Balogun subsequently prayed for renewed strength for the Dean as she goes about her motherly roles for the students.

The Head of Office Technology and Management (OTM), Iyiola MK who spoke on behalf of heads of departments in SCIT also described the Dean as a mother, disciplinarian, academician and highly dedicated to duties.

Dr. Olatunji Jimoh Olorede, who spoke on behalf of Mass Communication Department, stated that Dr. Ogungbamigbe is someone who soars high above peers.

NANS members who were at the programme included Orisaniyi Omotayo, FEDPOFFA SUG President, Olaseni Abdulrasheed Olalekan, FEDPOFFA Senate President, Hassan Ridwan Ayinde, XY NANS Kwara Secretary General, Anthony James, Director Of Media and Publicity, Abdullateef Opeyemi who is the Chairman Award Committee.

Others are Olaniyan Segun, Abiola Azeez and Abdullahi Yusuph.

The NANS representatives are all from the six North Central states.