By Chukwudi Nweje
President Bola Tnubu has been urged to authorise the use of one of the aircrafts in the presidential fleet to fly students of Christ the King College (CKC), Onitsha, Anambra State, who won the World Affairs Challenge (WAC) 2024 to Denver, Colorado, United States, to receive the award on April 28.
Chairman of Board of Trustees of CKC, Onitsha, Old Boys Association Worldwide, Maja Umeh, who made the appeal in a congratulatory letter to the students, the principal of the school, Celestine Okafor, the Proprietor, Valerian Okeke (the archbishop of Onitsha archdiocese), Governor Chukwuma Soludo, and the president, also urged Tinubu to encourage the induction of students into the African Hall of Fame.
He said Tinubu’s approval of a presidential jet to convey the students to the United States to receive the award “will inspire students all over Africa to work hard, and serve as a great symbol of honour. You (CKC students) have by this singular act, written the name of our dear country, nay Africa in gold on the global list of great achievers.
“I commend the students, the principal and teachers for this great feat and note that it is a justification of the various inputs in the institution by stakeholders over the years.
“I urge President Tinubu to encourage the induction of the students in the African Hall of Fame for being the first to make Africa proud globally in that category. This, I believe, will inspire students all over Africa to work hard. It will even be a great symbol of honour if the president will graciously allow the use of one of his presidential jets to fly the boys to Denver Colorado, United States on April 28, 2024 for the award ceremony. I commend the students, the principal and teachers for this great feat.”
Umeh, a former commissioner for information in Anambra State, added that the feat achieved by the students is a justification of the various inputs in the institution by stakeholders over the years.
He said: “CKC, Onitsha has produced notable old boys, including but not limited to judges at the world court, Supreme Court and chief judges of numerous states in Nigeria. In addition to producing the first Nigerian cardinal in the person of the late Dominic Cardinal Ekandem, the college has produced three state governors and became the first college in Nigeria to produce two presidential candidates from two different political parties in one election.
“I can only attribute all these achievements to the great spirit of the founding fathers of the college and the determination of CKC students at all times to ensure the fame of our college lasts forever.”
This is the second time CKC, Onitsha will be flying the Nigerian flag as winners internationally. In 1977, the school won the World Dublin, Arc Schools Soccer competition in Dublin, Ireland. Then former military head of state, Olusegun Obasanjo, received the team in Dodan Barracks, Lagos.