IMT Enugu Alumni President, Dr.Agodi Kanu, handing over a N5 million development cheque to IMT rector, Prof. Gozie Ogbodo.
From Maurice Okafor, Enugu
The four-day Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu Alumni Global Homecoming 2026 ended on Sunday with a thanksgiving service held at the Holy Spirit Chapel, IMT, Enugu.
The event brought together graduates of the institution from across Nigeria and beyond, who returned to celebrate their alma mater and deliberate on ways of contributing to its growth and development.
The homecoming reached its peak on Saturday, June 13, with distinguished personalities, academics and captains of industry produced by the institution playing prominent roles in the day’s activities.
Among them were former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development and former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Uche Sampson Ogah, who delivered the keynote address; Dr Queen Ifeona Osuala of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Omoku, Rivers State, who presented the homecoming lecture; and frontline politician, Dr George Moghalu, who chaired the event.
Delivering his keynote address at the IMT International Conference Centre, Campus III, Ogah advocated a lasting legacy from IMT alumni through sustained contributions to the socio-infrastructural development and academic advancement of the institution.
Ogah, who studied Accountancy at IMT and is President of Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, urged fellow alumni to play active roles in restoring the institution’s glory by deploying their experience, exposure and resources toward its development.
Represented by the Executive Director of Masters Energy, Dr Charles Eboka, the oil magnate pledged a donation of N10 million to support programmes of the IMT Alumni Association aimed at repositioning the institution academically and infrastructurally.
He also challenged every alumnus to contribute at least one per cent of their annual income towards the collective responsibility of transforming IMT into a globally competitive institution.
To achieve this, he proposed the establishment of an IMT Endowment Fund and IMT Outreach Programmes as strategic measures to place the institution among the world’s leading centres of learning.
According to him, his commitment to the institution stems from the role it played in laying the foundation for his academic and business success.
His words: “After building strategic enterprises across energy, hospitality, real estate, manufacturing, and other sectors of the Nigerian economy, my return here is deeply humbling. Whatever success is attached to my name belongs in a significant way to this institution: the lecturers who taught me, the classmates who influenced me, and the environment that demanded excellence.
“Homecoming, for me, therefore carries a communal implication like that African Zulu philosophical concept called Ubuntu, which means I am because we are, stressing the importance of community and the interconnectedness of all human beings.
“The same way, this IMT Alumni homecoming means an acknowledgment that: I am because we are. It also means responsibility. The greater our individual achievements, the heavier our obligation to ensure this fountain of knowledge and skills in Enugu never runs dry for todays and tomorrows students.”
Ogah further urged alumni to regard IMT as a bond that unites them and to work collectively to rebuild and sustain the institution’s reputation.
He stated: “Dear fellow alumni, we span different graduating classes, departments, decades, industries (banking, manufacturing, technology, public service, entrepreneurship, and academia), political affiliations, faiths, and ethnic groups. Yet, something binds us far more strongly than these differences can divide us: the shared IMT experience, which is the pride of earning our credentials here and the instant recognition when we encounter another IMT graduate in a Lagos boardroom, London conference, or Aba factory. That bond is not only sentimental; it is strategic.”
Commending the theme of the lecture, “Alumni as the Mirrors and Ambassadors of their Alma Mater,” Ogah encouraged members of the alumni body to strengthen their networks and support one another.
His words: “Are we fully harnessing this network? Are we intentionally connected and lifting one another, or are we rising in isolation? This question leads us directly to todays theme: Alumni as the Mirrors and Ambassadors of their Alma Mater.
“Each of us is a mirror, whether we wish to be or not. When people meet us in the marketplace, government, corporations, or communities, they see IMT. Our competence reflects its academic rigour. Our integrity reflects its values. Our success (or failure) reflects its relevance and effectiveness.
“Professional Excellence. When an IMT-trained CEO delivers strong results, when an alumnus drives innovation in manufacturing or fintech, our institutional reputation appreciates. But the reverse is equally true: corruption, incompetence, or corner-cutting by any alumnus diminishes the brand we all share.”
In addition to Ogah’s N10 million donation, the National President of the IMT Alumni Association, Mazi Dr Agodi Kanu, presented a cheque of N5 million on behalf of the association for the development and beautification of the institution, fulfilling a pledge earlier made during the institution’s convocation ceremony in February 2026.
Kanu also handed over another cheque worth N1.4 million to support 14 students under the Scholars Spark Scholarship Programme. The funds were presented through the Rector of IMT, Prof. Gozie Ogbodo.
The beneficiaries, selected from the institution’s seven faculties, emerged as students with the highest cumulative grade point averages in the National Diploma and Higher National Diploma categories. Kanu announced that the scholarship scheme would become an annual programme.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Rector, Prof. Ogbodo, commended the alumni leadership for initiating the homecoming programme.
According to him, the gathering provided an opportunity not only for old classmates to reconnect but also to renew their commitment to the institution that helped shape their careers and aspirations.
He stated: “The Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu, has remained a beacon of academic excellence, innovation, entrepreneurship, and character development since its establishment.
“The success stories of our alumni across Nigeria and beyond are eloquent testimonies to the quality of education and training provided by this institution. Wherever our alumni are found, they continue to distinguish themselves as worthy ambassadors of IMT.”
The rector, who assumed office about 18 months ago, said his administration had remained focused on repositioning the institution for global relevance.
His words: “As an administration, we have remained committed to repositioning IMT for greater relevance in the contemporary educational landscape. Through strategic reforms, infrastructural development, enhancement of academic standards, promotion of research and innovation, digital transformation, and strengthening of industry partnerships, we are laying a solid foundation for a more competitive and globally recognised institution.
“You will observe during the facility tour some of the remarkable improvements that have been made across our campuses. These achievements are products of deliberate planning, prudent management of resources, teamwork, and a shared vision to elevate the status of IMT to greater heights.
“However, the task of building a world-class institution cannot be accomplished by management alone. We need the support, partnership, and active involvement of our alumni. Around the world, great institutions have continued to thrive because their alumni have remained committed stakeholders in their growth and development. I therefore urge our alumni to continue to contribute their expertise, influence, mentorship, goodwill, and resources towards the advancement of IMT.
“We particularly look forward to stronger collaborations in the areas of scholarship support, infrastructure development, staff and student mentorship, entrepreneurship initiatives, endowment programmes, research support, and industry linkages that will further enrich the academic experience of our students.”
Prof. Ogbodo called on members of the alumni association to regard the repositioning of IMT as a collective responsibility.
He added: “As we celebrate this Homecoming, let us renew our collective commitment to preserving the noble ideals upon which this institution was founded. Let us continue to work together to strengthen the legacy of excellence, innovation, and service that has defined IMT over the decades.”
In her lecture titled “Legacies with Responsibilities,” Dr Queen Osuala emphasised the importance of alumni serving as a support network and mentoring students through the benefit of their experience and exposure.
She described alumni as the torch through which light is passed to succeeding generations.
Osuala urged members of the IMT Alumni Association to champion the campaign for repositioning the institution and cultivate a culture of giving back through financial contributions that would support academic excellence and infrastructural development.
Chairman of the occasion, Dr George Moghalu, the Labour Party’s 2025 governorship candidate in Anambra State and former National President of the IMT Alumni Association, commended the Dr Agodi Kanu-led leadership for introducing the IMT Global Homecoming initiative.
He expressed confidence that the next edition, scheduled for 2028, would attract broader participation and greater national and international reach.
