Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Dr Mrs Nkechinyere Iwe, wife of the Vice Chancellor, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, MOUAU, has emphasised digital literacy among women and girls as inevitable skill for their global relevance and competitiveness.
Speaking at this year’s celebration of International Women’s Day of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike Women Association (MOUAUWA), Dr Mrs Iwe, noted the importance of digital literacy among the 21st century women and girls.
According to the VC’s wife, digital literacy is the yardstick for measuring literacy level as well as the major determinant of success in businesses.
“If our women and girls must compete favourably with their counterparts and the male folks in other climes, they must be empowered with digital literacy,” she said.
She said that mothers must be digitally literate to effectively monitor theirs children and wards who are usually digitally advanced.
Mrs Iwe encouraged women and girls to prioritise digital literacy for more efficient service delivery.
The VC’s wife who gave the theme of this year’s women’s day celebration as: “Women Empowerment in a Digitalised World,” commended the management of the institution for its continued support to MOUAUWA.
She identified the completion of MOUAUWA Skill Acquisition Centre, as top on the priority list of women in the university, and solicited support for the project.
In a remark, the VC, Professor Iwe, who noted that the concept of digitalisation had cut deep into every sphere of human endeavour, assured MOUAUWA members of the continued support of the university Management in the pursuit and realisation of their dreams.
In her keynote speech, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Professor Franca Asawalam, noted that in the digitalised world, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), “has permeated all spheres of human endeavor and is now controlling the lives and affairs of men and women.”
She stressed the need for women to be digitally advanced in order to exercise control and provide guidance to their children to avoid eating the forbidden fruit in the garden of digitalisation.
The DVC explained that International Women’s Day “offers an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women in human affairs, to encourage other women to work hard so as to attain the great heights that those accomplished women have attained.”
She cited the Director General of World Trade Organization, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as one of the accomplished global women “who worked hard and developed herself mentally, intellectually, psychologically, socially and emotionally; and also demonstrated capacity, competence and capability which enabled her to defeat men that contested with her for that office.”
She noted that deposit of talents, time and treasures in women “is not inferior to men,” adding that If properly developed and harnessed, women can do so much more than they are currently doing for the common good of human kind.
Some accomplished women in the state conferred with award of honour at the event included: Lead Pastor and wife of the Founder of Streams of Joy, Pastor Eno Jery-Eze; wife of the Provost of Abia College of Education, Arochukwu, Dr Chioma Nto; popular Preacher, Dr Mrs Chioma Ibezim; wife of the governorship candidate of the Young Peoples Party, YPP, Dr Amaechi Enyi- Nwafor.
Highlights of the ceremony included the cutting of anniversary cake and handing over of digital tools (handset) to winners of dancing competition among the women.
The event was attended by the university women and their friends including Dean College of Humanities and Social Science, Abia State University, Professor Roseline Ndumele, who was the mother of the day.
