• Alumni Programs
• Photo Album
• Donate a Scholarship
• Fees & Dues
• Update your Info.
• Featured Alumni

• UK Alumni Only
• Contact Us
• FGC Ikot-Ekpene

News New UK Alumni Officials Elected Ebosele Oguname loses Dad Eugene Uranta Passes On Summer Events planned by UK Alumni Have you got News? Events Africa Diaspora Heathcare Forum March 21-22 Africa Day 2006 May 13 Nigeria Music Awards June 16 Submit an Event

The way forward

Download document (pdf 31k)

By the Exco FGC IK UK Alumni

FELLOW ALUMNI,

I thank you in advance for taking the time to read this address and welcome you to an interesting journey ahead. I look forward to very interesting times ahead for us in the United Kingdom, our alma mater and FGC IK alumni worldwide. But firstly, I must concern us with my immediate programme for the next two years and my vision for us for the longer term.

We possess a sound structure in FGC IK UK Alumni Association, (probably the main reason we have survived our teething period) which is lean, functional and therefore easily sustainable. This has been as a result of profound thought which we have spared this body from start. We have in place today, a Welfare Policy which we ought to be proud of and which has seen us provide support and, or succour to members in their moments of celebration or times dire.

We have been able to sponsor and will continue to sponsor a number of awards and scholarships for students in our alma mater. We have enjoyed numerous social events and maintain meaningful friendship amongst members. Therefore, in spite of problems we’ve had with meeting attendance on occasions, we have done well. We have matured and now need to expand our horizon whilst keeping our structure and values. If we carry on working exactly in the same manner, we will carry on being the same. Not that we are not good as we are, but there is room for greater accomplishments!

Following the meeting of executives held last weekend, I present to you proposals for an expansion of our horizon which will involve engaging society on all fronts: Build our UK body by reaching out to older and younger alumni, maximising networking opportunities, welcoming & supporting new arrivals (settlers and those in transit), contributing to our immediate environment UK, our motherland Nigeria, our and the wider world through forging effective links with alumni the world over and encouraging the development of our Alumni association where they are not yet existent.

Meetings

Meetings will be quarterly and open to review at future date. I encourage all to attend meetings which will provide excellent opportunities to have us benefit from each other’s views. Decisions for this body are mainly reached at the meetings and you get the chance to air your views. Thirty minutes of every meeting will be dedicated to a talk by a member on a pre-agreed area of expertise or interest. As a guide, we could cover areas such as career guidance, investment guidance, emerging IT or Management views, photography, travel, health & fitness, literature etc. I am aware that we have amongst us some of the most accomplished individuals in our environment. I am also aware that there is a lot we could learn from each other. Younger and less experienced members may derive benefit from an opportunity to interact constructively with more experienced members in a reasonably relaxed atmosphere. This will help raise the level of our aggregate output and level of skills as a group.

Growing Membership

We plan to take over the world, but first we must grow in our home. The current executive is fully committed to embracing all new members. We must pro-actively seek the older alumni. They have stature and experience to give us. We also acknowledge that for as long as FGC IK remains functional, the mathematical reality is that most of our new members will be drawn from the younger generation. It is to this effect that we drive the new Settlement policy. In addition, to giving mostly younger alumni real help, it will give them a real sense of belonging. So the message is; Every one must come onboard – young or old! If you know any old student, please invite him/her to our next meeting.

Dues

I take this opportunity to thank all members who continue to pay their dues regularly and on time. The association has relied upon your financial contribution for survival and growth. No organisation, despite good vision and best efforts, can make any progress without the financial support of members. I am immensely thankful to you and promise you valid results for your steadfastness. I also use this opportunity to ask all members to bring their dues up to date. It is not a huge amount, but does go a long way. We currently accept 5 pounds as monthly dues. Please endeavour to bring your figures up to date.

Greater Visibility, Profile and Web Activity

It is time the world got to know about us! We will be increasing our visibility and profile, not in a sub-standard manner, but in a way that will promote the real substance that abounds in us. There is value in us projecting our alumni strongly. We gain the respect (or greater respect) from society; we impact upon society by offering an indication of the positives an alumni association can achieve for Alma mater and members. We are about to become a flagship alumni branch and a rallying point for the development of FGC IK alumni worldwide! One of the ways we can invigorate our body and our programmes is by maximising the opportunities our website offers.

In addition to providing visibility, projection, interaction & networking, knowledge & information base for members, it represents an exceedingly viable commercial prospect. It is an opportunity for members to advertise their respective businesses, brands and interests at a reduced cost. We are a defined market segment of mainly educated, affluent Nigerians within the 18-45 age-group, average duel time on the website exceeds 20 minutes at the moment. Our audience has a commercial value. Let’s exploit it to good use. We will be taking on adverts from members on the site at more than competitive rate to enable us cater for the cost of further developments of the site and other uses the money can make good.

As we speak, the site has a functional forum (http://www.fgcik.net/forum) with participants from all over the world. You will be amazed at who you might encounter. We are currently developing a directory in the password-protected UK membership area to facilitate better networking amongst us. There is also a Featured Alumnus section which offers coverage of a member chosen by members every month or so to help project our stature to society and provide inspiration to all members. There is much more going on there which the Webmaster will talk to us about soon. Get there, don’t even hesitate. http://www.fgcik.net.

Major Annual Events

I propose we maintain set dates for two major events every year. The set dates, to be published on our website, will enable members and visiting alumni plan accordingly to ensure good turn out. The proposed dates are as follows:

Date in summer for us and our families following from last picnic in the beautiful Richmond Park.

A date towards the end of the year for end of year party which we will also use for launch of agreed project for the next year, a donation to charity of our choice and celebration of our achievements in that year.

Charity

We should consider working with a charity of choice every year. We may use the Xmas party to invite one charity of our choice to deliver a presentation we might all benefit from. It will be an idea to present the charity with funds at the end of the party. That, in tandem with a project launch, ought to end our year on a positive note. I suggest members think around fund-raising opportunities in preparation for the next meeting. As a thought, there is a 10Km Great London Run in July supported by Asics. I will be participating and will hand all raised funds to our body for onward delivery to our charity of choice. If any one is interested, please let me know.

Welfare & Settlement

Our excellent welfare policy will be reviewed to bring it in line with developments occurring within our fold and society at large. We shall be embarking on the development of a Settlement policy for the support and direction of newly-arrived alumni to the UK. Those interested in authoring this landmark policy should let us know before or at the next meeting.

Project for our beloved Alma mata

Two of our executives, Robert Udoh & Uwem Inyang, will be visiting Nigeria this year respectively. They have kindly offered to visit FGC IK on fact-finding mission. Their objective is to engage students, staff and the principal in discussions regarding the school’s requirements. Each of them will come back to us with a report which will give us a degree of insight into the problems faced by students and school. These reports will enable us, as a body, decide what project we will embark upon. Upon deciding what project to embark on, we will use our annual Xmas party to launch it.

Investment Trust

Members should consider the prospect of a portion of our purse being put into a safe and rewarding investment. Whilst there is no significant purse at our disposal at the moment, I consider this to be of great significance. It is a start in the right direction. It signifies where we want to get to and will no doubt start the yield of returns which will enable us build something of value in the near future.

Socialising & Networking

Those who play together, win together! Well, probably not always but mostly true. We will be exploring avenues to go out in groups. This in itself will give us opportunities to interact more and get to know what values we can derive from each other. So as you dey sip your Guinness or Supermalt, ask those useful questions and remember to be generous with information too. People, I thank you all again for the patience in absorbing this fairly long read. We will do it because we can!

I leave you with these thoughts.

Pro Unitate

Chibueze Umezuruike (Umez Baba)

President

• UK Alumni Home
• Contact Us
• Webmaster