The Association of Papal Knights and Papal Medalists in Nigeria (APKMN) have built and donated an e-library to Veritas University, a Catholic Higher Institution in the Federal Capital Territory.
The President of APKMN, Rt Hon Dame Esther Uduehi in her address during the commissioning of the project, said the e-library is part of the contribution of the Association towards the growth of the school and the Catholic Church.
“Veritas University in our country’s capital, in Abuja will grow like most catholic universities the world over, to become the educational pre-eminence centre of the country. And an e-library no doubt will be a necessity for achieving this.
“We are happy that in the short time of our existence as a group, we have been able to contribute to this great need of our catholic university.
“This e-library is a special donation to the church and the university and it goes to meet one of the objectives and purpose for which APKMN was formed.
“In the year 2009, the Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) by decree, approved the formation of APKMN to enable all Papal honourees raise their voice in matters concerning the church and and carry out projects, while serving as a peer referent group to help members maintain and promote greater catholic life”, she said.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Reverend Father Professor Hyacinth Ichoku, while thanking the Association for the gesture, also called for more assistance from individuals and groups in the areas the school is lacking.
“We thank the Association of Papal Knights and Papal Medalists for their thoughtfulness in initiating this project and the sacrifice they have made ovcer the years through their contributions to build this Electronic library which also currently serves as the University’s main library.
“While congratulating the Association of Papal Knights and Medalists on the completion of this project, we also want to make further request to you as an association but also as individuals with means. As you can see, Veritas University is a very young and growing university.
“Our needs are therefore many. Our most pressing needs currently include the building of main library for the university, the faculty of engineering and computing science building, the faculty of nursing science building, the school of postgraduate studies building and students centre”, Professor Ichoku said.
The President of Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria (CNBC), Most Reverend Lucius Ugorji in his address, said Veritas University has grown not only in quantity, but also in quality. He said so many programmes have been added, and some products of the university now represent the country not only nationally but also internationally.
He expressed gratitude to the Association Papal Knights and Medalists for the great work the donation of e-library to the School.
“We are proud of this university, we have built a lot of structures, but while we build up structures, let us always keep in mind that the catholic university forms the heads, the hands, and above all, the hearts of people, our mission as a Catholic church is to build education that is holistic, preparing people not only for working in this world but also for their life hereafter”, he added.
Also, the Chairman Governing Council of the School and also the Bishop of Sokoto, Most Reverend Matthew Kukah said “one of the things I feel mightily proud of this university and the Catholic Church is that every other person on earth have come behind us in the area of education. We as Catholics must be a bit more robust and work with greater confidence”.
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