The Executive Director has  planted a symbolic Norfolk Pine he named “ Progress Tree” at the Institute’s round-about to symbolise his vision for the  Institute  to make speedy, all – round progress on various fronts.

Flanked by the Registrar, the Bursar,  the Director of Works, and the Head of Information, Protocol and Public Relations, Prof Ogbonna Onuoha performed this significant function following his recent inauguration as the Institute’s Executive Director by planting the symbolic “Progress Tree” to the applause of  members of staff who assembled to witness the brief ceremony.

After planting the Norfolk Pine symbolising unprecedented  dimensions of proprogress for the Institute, Prof. Onuoha explained how he envisioned it:  The ED said the vision of planting the tree at the round-about  came after he passed the place a number of times and realised that the space should not be left empty  .

The Linguistist then went philosophical and prophetic , saying:”The tree is planted to be a memorial; it will be a  symbol that we are moving forward. “

The ED said the strategically planted tree was a symbol that the Institute would survive and get over all its troubles – lack of money; not having enough  students; political bottlenecks and “ all the cacophonies about degree awarding or no degree awarding . …We have planted this tree  as a way of saying that this Institute will survive…With effect from (this) new year, new and good things will begin to happen here .”

He named the Norfolk Pine “Progress Tree”; and the round-about  neighbourhood  where it is situated the ED called “Progress Square.”

With the ED at the event were the Registrar, Mrs. Charity Ijoma; the Bursar, Mr. KolawoleAliu; the Director of Works, Arch. Emeka Izuwah,the Head of the Institute’s Information, Protocol and Public Relations, Chris Nwankwor, and a number of other staff, including Mr. Chukwuma Okeke of the OID whom the ED charged to ensure that the Progress Tree was nurtured to survival and maturity, which, if he succeeded in doing, he would get accelerated promotion on the orders of the Executive Director.