Farewell from out going Chairman FUTO Alumni Association Lagos Chapter

 Great FUTOites, 

Best of the day to you all.

I find the recent events leading to our elections very interesting. It set tests to our characters both young and old. And we got answers to all the tests based on our perceptions, our ways of interpretation of stories and our level of fair thought processes. Yes, it shows us our characters and our strength of consistency. 

The Lagos Chapter will never be the same again but we remain united. It is time to get back to work on the processes and the bridges. 

I congratulate the newly elected Excos;  Kingsley Ukwuoma and his team members. Please do not gloat or you will get distracted. 

To those who were not elected, you did not loose. Our members only said that you will have another time to lead. That they have chosen those whose actions and activities they are prepared to take responsibility for. Please don't fight dirty, fight clean. Put our Excos on their feet and make them work. That's the fight we will like to see. This is the fight that will make us a greater Lagos Chapter. In fact, give them the engineering design of the bridge you want to build and work with them to design the Processes that our people can trust.

To our elders, I say thank You. Never in the history of our association have we seen these number. May this translate to more wisdom and good support for the newly elected Exco. I will want to carefully say that some of our elders could have done better in their involvements. It is important for our people to see and perceive consistency. Acting on wildcard assumptions can be fatal to relationships. 

To our Younger ones, especially the new ones. PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE AND COME BACK ONLY TO VOTE. Please STAY WITH US.  Let us build together. Please do not remain as tools for only elections and votes. You are graduates and have been given degrees in character and learning. This must be translated to better insights in involvements of the Alumni Association. 

For the elections, I thank the Committee for sacrifice. It was frought with concerns that we struggled to manage. I particularly thank AK Chikwendu for staying consistent with good advice. He has been around and knows our history of elections. His voice should have been important so that we don't stay too long again for an event that could have lasted shorter. Also, Refusal to do introduction not only set concerns for the process, it prevented us from knowing ourselves for the sakes of networking. But we learn and we move. Thank You Moruf Subair, Thank you Hon. Ben Ekwueme, Thank You Mike Amaki, Thank you Kalu Madu. Thank You AK Chikwendu. We have done it with your help. 

As I step aside from the position of the Chairman, I do so with peace in my mind. I'd like to think that I did my best to lead a team. It was extremely challenging. We have our disappointments and mistakes. No matter what we put in our report, for what we have done, you are the people to judge.  

One thing bothers me;  the fate of the Innovation Hub. May we never let the fire down. The pandemic and lockdowns hurt us but we looked for the faults the wrong way and hurt the journey. May our new found energies bring the Innovation Hub back up. Therein lies the future glory of the Alumni. For herein shall bring forth our greatest minds and shine us forth to the world that we may rank high up again amongst the citadels of learning. The world must hear us and see that we dreamt and we lived our dreams.

Once again, Congrats to the newly elected Excos. But a bigger congrats to us all. IT WAS THE LAGOS CHAPTER THAT WON. 

Best Wishes.

Collins Opara

FUTOAA Lagos Chapter