Children's
Centre
University
of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria|
Children's
Centre
University
of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria |
Back to Events
Events of 2005-2006
Mrs. Ify Nebo, UWA Patron sent off
Monday,
June 1 marked a bittersweet occasion as the women bade a fond farewell to UWA
Patron and wife of the out-going Vice-Chancellor, Mrs. Ify Nebo. Members appreciated
the many forms of support received from their patron, from teaching baking and
crafts during vacation programmes and participating in Centre events, to keeping
our needs and requests ever before the Vice-Chancellor and seeing them through
to a favorable conclusion. They also expressed admiration for the humanitarian
role Ify Nebo has played, for instance in her work for prisoners. Mrs. Teresa
Mbakamma and children from. the University Staff School presented a special
rendition of the Children's Centre anthem in her honor. On her part, Mrs. Nebo
shared her experiences in developing entrepreneurial skills in home crafts.
As a remembrance she gave the Centre one of her stitch-n-stuff works portraying
Noah's ark .
Children's Centre acquires artwork by Ify Nebo
Stitch
and Stuff artwork by UWA Patron Ify Nebo featured in an exhibition at the National
Commission on Museums and Monuments, Enugu February 14-20, 2009. Committee members
visited the exhibition and acquired a piece illustrating the nursery rhyme “Hey,
diddle diddle!” for the library.
Women's book club takes up themes of motherhood and race relations
The February meeting of the book club discussed Ann Crittendon's Price of Motherhood , a critique of policies negatively affecting mothers in the United States and comparison to practices elsewhere. Members went on to discuss comparable dilemmas in Nigeria and explore possible steps enabling mothers and parents generally both take care of their families and work effectively outside the home. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee , an examination of race relations in the American South during the 1930s, was the topic of the March discussion. Members considered the depiction of parent-child relationships and small town society, the racial inequalities prevalent at that time, and the changing situation in the United States signified by the election of Barack Obama.
Pavilion rebuilt at new playground
The
Children's Centre pavilion, originally built at the old playground in 1980 and
decorated with sculptures by the students of El Anatsui, has been re-constructed
at the permanent playground site. It is named in loving memory of Uju Ubagu
(1983-2006), whose memorial fund supplied 630 pounds sterling for the re-construction.
The sculptures were rescued from the old site just as bulldozers moved in to
start construction for the NUGA games. The new pavilion, which features a thatched
roof and brightly-painted dwarf wall, is fast becoming a favorite spot for relaxation
and story hour activities.
Children share Amadi's Snowman via the Internet
Saturday
storyhour in November gave children the opportunity to share Amadi's Snowman
, a picture book about an Igbo boy who discovers the value of
reading, with children around the world . Amadi's Snowman is written by
Katia Novet Saint-Lot, who spent many years in Enugu, Nigeria, and illustrated
by Dimitrea Tokunbo. Members of Children's Centre and children from Central
School I in Nsukka discussed the book, shared favorite books and experiences
with reading with children in India , the United States and other countries.
They also exchanged pictures and answered questions about their life in their
respective countries. More information on the virtual tour is available
at www.papertigers.org/wordpress/tag/katia-novet-saint-lot
.
Chief (Dr.) E. C. Iwuanyanwu donates 18-seater bus
September
2008 saw the arrival of a new bus for the Children's Centre. It was purchased
from the 2 million naira donated by Chief (Dr.) E. C. Iwuanyanwu following the
Children's Centre 25 th Anniversary. Already the bus has been put to good use
for long vacation excursions, school visits, and trips to Enugu for the 2008 book
fair and other purposes. We are very grateful to our ever-generous donor for this
most valuable gift!
The
Children's Centre recently participated with schools around the world in an
online global water summit introduced to us by former member Ogonna Agu. From
January to May children from the United States, Nigeria, Sweden, India and other
countries studied issues relating to water by communicating online, sending
digital photos, accessing video clips, calculating water usage, and sharing
ideas and experiences. The project culminated in a global summit on May 9, 2008
during which the Children's Centre gave a powerpoint presentation on the problem
of water scarcity in the Nsukka community.
Merrileas Nursery raises funds for Children's Centre
Children of the Merrileas Nursery of Parkside School, England recently raised
fundsfor
Children's Centre by designing and making their own Christmas cards. Proceeds
of the sales came to 317 pounds sterling. The Children's Centre is very grateful
to the children for this laudable effort.
PULA donates 2,000 books to school libraries
In the first
half of 2008 the Children's Centre distributed 2,000 books donated by People
United for Libraries in Africa (PULA) to 8 primary schools in the Nsukka area.
These included books shipped from the United States and those purchased locally
from publishers in Nigeria. A team from Children's Centre held on-the-spot cataloguing
sessions to help the schools organize their collections. Recipients included
Central School I, Township II, Model School 2 (pictured here) and Agu Achara
in Nsukka and schools in the rural communities of Obimo, Nguru, and Nru.
CCL helps schools develop library hour programs
In
an encouraging step, the Enugu State Ministry of Education recently approved
library hour as part of the primary school timetable. In response the Children's
Centre organized a one-day workshop on planning library periods. On January
16, 2008 thirty-five teacher librarians and head teachers from 22 schools in
Nsukka Local Government Area met to consider the use of library use instruction,
story hour and project work in furthering the aims of education. Resource persons
included Prof. Virginia Dike and Dr. Ogo Amucheazi of the Children's Centre
Committee, Dr. Nancy Achebe of the University of Nigeria and Dr. Nwana of Nnamdi
Azikiwe University , Awka. The Centre also demonstrates the use of library periods
during class visits from neighboring schools, like that of Onuiyi pictured here.
CCL Mini-Library goes to Abuja
Materials from the Children's Centre Library supported a workshop exploring
the role of school libraries in the basic education programme. The workshop,
organized by UNN's Department of Library and Information Science for the Nigerian
Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), attracted participants
from all over the federation to Abuja from September 18-22, 2007. The Children's
Centre supplied extensive book and bulletin board displays to support sessions
on resources for learning, project work and reading promotion.
Prison Library at Awka starts examination classes
Inmates at Awka Prison have begun preparing for standard examinations at junior
secondary and primary school level. Classes are based in the library started
as an outreach program of the Children's Centre. At present 8 inmates are preparing
for the junior secondary school exams and 8 others are preparing for primary
school equivalency exams. There is a long waiting list, but only this number
can presently be accommodated in the small space available.
The Nigerian Television Authority visited the Children's Centre on May 19, 2007 to film a reading picnic. This took place through the good offices of Tony Alum, a reading consultant (see www.ivoryreader.org ) and graduate of the Department of Library and Information Science. The program features an interview about the Children's Centre, scenes of children reading in the library, an outdoor story hour for younger children, older children reading and playing table tennis outside, and a discussion on reading.
Over 100 children
enjoyed an action-packed program of activities from April 10th to 14th this
year, featuring drama, music, dance, computer training, tie-and-dye, beadwork,
films, sports, debate, and more. The program was conducted by a team of university
student volunteers and youth corpers under the direction of Goodhead Uchendu,
who initiated the program last year. A highlight was Friday, when UWA patron
Mrs. Ify Nebo came to teach the older girls how to crotchet hand towels. At
the closing ceremony on Saturday children entertained their parents with drama
on good behavior and HIV/AIDS, choir singing, miming, and a football match attended
by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Chinedu Nebo and Mrs. Nebo.
Dr. Uche Azikiwe commissions football field
At the closing ceremony of the 2006 long vacation program Dr. Uche Azikiwe commissioned the Chukwudi Tobenna Douglas Azikiwe Children's Field, named in loving memory of her late grandson. The field was developed with a donation of N50,000 given by Dr. Azikiwe during the Silver Jubilee celebration. Following the cutting of the ribbon and ceremonial kick-off, the two best neighborhood teams from the vacation program --the Azikiwe team (in green) and Nebo team (in blue)-played the final match. The Centre thanks our good friend Uche Azikiwe for this generous gift. Thanks also goes to D. O. Dike of the Department of Health and Physical Education for his technical assistance in developing the field.
Gift from Chief (Dr.) E. C. Iwuanyanwu walls Children's Centre
With part of the 2 million naira given by our ever generous donor Chief Iwuanyanwu, the committee has completed walling of the compound. This will allow for fuller playground/sports development. The remaining money will be used to purchase an 18-seater bus for excursions, outreach, and other activities. We are ever grateful to Chief Iwuanyanwu for his generosity to the Children's Centre! This session saw the take-off of a women's reading club made possible by the donation of books by PULA. Titles discussed so far include four tales of growing up in Nigeria--Beasts of No Nation by Uzodinma Iweala, Graceland by Chris Abani, Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Adichie, and Slavegirl by Buchi Emecheta. Remaining books for the year include the classic novels Pride and Prejudice and To Kill a Mockingbird and a nonfiction title, The Price of Motherhood by Ann Crittendon.Prof. Willhelmina Kalu recognized for her contributions
The foundation chair of the Children's Centre, Willi Kalu, who now resides in the United States, was sent off in July 2006. Willi's contributions began at the very founding of the Children's Centre, when she was Secretary of UWA; she then served as Chair of the Children's Centre Committee for most years from its founding until 2002. Using her background in educational psychology and special education, Willi began the playground committee in 1979, initiated the International Year of the Child Festival of 1979 and International Youth Year Workshop of 1985, the Children's Centre Theatre, Motherless Babies Project, and Psycho-Educational Testing Services (PETS). She also contributed to the development of long vacation activity programs, the library, and the Ecumenical Religious Activities Program (ERAP). We wish her every success in her new endeavors, confident that she will continue to build on her work for the welfare of children and youth.
April 2006 saw the mounting of the first ever Easter vacation program, with 126 children registering for two weeks of computer training, dance, drama, excursions, art activities, debate and creative writing, sports and a picnic. The program was organized by Goodhead Uchendu, a university student, with assistance from his friends, librarian Margaret Ajogwu, members of the Children's Centre Committee, and staff of the Department of Library and Information Science. The grand finale was a performance for parents.
Help from the University School Old Friends in Lagos
Former campus children now living and working in Lagos have come together to assist the Children's Centre. Following a meeting with Virginia Dike, hosted by Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu in September 2005, Kelechi Ekezie donated two computers and a printer, while his brother Ken Ekezie has pledged a computer and CDs; Osita Ike sent a set of science encyclopedia and other books. Lemeke Mere, a member residing abroad, donated the sum of N10,000. In July2006 Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu and Chijioke Onuora came together to plan work on the playground.
Ada Udechukwu donates computer and office furniture
The former
secretary of the library committee, Ada Udechukwu, gave the sum of N30,000
for furniture during a visit to Nsukka in January 2006. The money was
used to build three tables and a printer stand for the computer laboratory
and a custom-built cabinet to house the office files. The Centre is
very grateful for Ada's continuing support of the Children's Centre.
Visits
by schools expanded
The 2005 long vacation
program featured an extensive schedule of excursions, including two visits to
the Enugu state capitol. Two busloads of children visited the airport, National
Museum, a television house and FM station in Enugu. Visits in and around Nsukka
included the zoo, archeaology museum, motherless babies home, and a religious
retreat center. Transport was made available by Ify Nebo, the patron of UWA,
and the University Librarian, E. Ikegbune.
UWA receives her patron, Mrs. Ify Nebo
Members of the
University Women's Association welcomed their new patron, the wife of the Vice-Chancellor,
Mrs. Ify Nebo in February 2005. At a reception held in her honor, the patron
was given a guided tour of the Children's Centre and introduced to its programs
and plans. Mrs. Nebo, a religious counselor with extensive experience in children's
work and domestic arts, expressed delight in the Association's activities and
pledged her support and active participation. Since that time she has provided
welcome support to playground development, vacation activities, and the prison
library project.
Ify Nebo is shown
at the reception with Virginia Dike (L) and Nwanneka Nwala (R).
Dr.
Chikwe Ihekweazu, a medical doctor now resident in England , made the presentation
at a reception held during his visit to Nigeria in May 2005. During the occasion
Chikwe spoke on the positive role the Children's Centre played in his generation's
growing up, and members shared memories of Edith and her contributions to the
project.
Edith Ihekweazu was part of the Children's Centre from the very beginning, attending the library opening in October 1978. She was foundation member of the Children's Centre Committee and Playground Committee, as well as Treasurer of UWA during the project's formative years. Edith also contributed to the academic life of the University as a scholar in languages and literature and her first Nigerian female professor.
The African Children's Literature Research Collection developed from the committee's practice of acquiring a second copy of every African children's book they could find. As a result, the library houses a valuable collection of Nigerian and other African children's books, consulted by numerous scholars and students over the years.
Parkside School in UK donates computers
Students and staff
of the Parkside School in the United Kingdom raised 931 pounds sterling for the
Children's Centre in response to the Silver Jubilee appeal. The mover behind the
fundraising drive was art teacher Sue Ubagu, who conducted vacation art activities
for the Children's Centre in the 1980s, when she was resident in Nsukka. The money
is being used to initiate computerization of the Centre, providing computer equipment
for library use and a desktop publishing unit for producing reading and learning
materials with local content.
PULA
donates to school and prison libraries
(see Outreach , Schools and Prison Library)
