REAL REASONS WHY I WANT TO BE ELECTED PRESIDENT OF POST GRADUATE STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION IN RIVERS STATE UNIVERSITY—EKPRIKPO, ERENS SPIFF REVEALS
Dynamic, young, ebullient, physically and mentally agile, this tall light complexioned Doctoral PhD degree student of Rivers state University Nkpolu Orowurokwo Port Harcourt Ekprikpo, Erens Spiff is your good example of a hardworking creative youth of Rivers state.
This Ikuru town Andoni Local Government Area born scholar is specializing in Medical Laboratory Science with concentration in Coagulopathy and Oncology. He is currently running for the position of *President Post Graduate Students’ Association of Rivers State* University where he is already serving as Class Coordinator for his doctoral Degree Class.
Amiable, charismatic and serious minded Ekpripko, Erens Spiff in this Interview with The Ear Witness Publisher/Editor-In-Chief, Emeka Amaefula (+ 234(0)8111813069) reveals why he has come out to offer himself for service in the December 2023 election of President of the Post Graduate Students’ Association PGSA in Rivers State University Nkpolu Orowurokwo Port Harcourt. Read On.
May I meet you?
My name is Ekprikpo, Erens Spiff. I am from Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers state. I am currently studying for my Doctoral Degree PhD in Haematology and Blood Transfusion Science where I have my specialty in Coagulopathy and Oncology. I am from the Faculty of Science at Rivers State University Nkpolu-Orowurokwo Port Harcourt Rivers state.
What motivated you to pursue higher studies as a Post Graduate Student of your University?
I was motivated to pursue higher studies as a stand point for continuous development as an individual. I believe that stagnation should not be the case for anybody. And that at every level we should evolve and improve and better ourselves. As an individual I always strive to be better and improve myself. That has really motivated me a lot as a person and also in my academics.
What is your drive in going into humanitarian services with your Non-Governmental organization in the health sector?
Yes, I have so much passion for humanity this is seen in the running of my Health Foundation whereas I am the founder and President of Erens Ekprikpo Health Foundation. A foundation that is saddled with the responsibility for Healthy Living and provision of free medical outreaches for indigent persons in rural and urban communities. We do that for the love of humanity as we believe that love is not in words but love is found in our actions. So, in our actions we are actively committed to giving back to society with what we have. Of course, for now we don’t have major funders or support as we do it from our own meagre resources. It goes to show how much of the love we have for adding value to whatever environment we found ourselves.
And the Foundation is not just for Free Medical Outreaches and advocacy but also where we grow and groom leaders. Apart from what we do as a Foundation with regards to medical outreaches, we also come as a people to help ourselves improve in our various spheres of work and see how we can continuously add value wherever we find ourselves.
What is it like in the coming Post Graduate Students’ Association Election of your University?
In the coming Post Graduate Students’ Association election of Rivers State University, yes, I am interested in contesting. And I am going to contest for the position of President. My reasons include the fact that I have served at various levels and at various platforms. And I have over the years improved myself to communicate and to also serve and to motivate a group to achieve set out goals. I have been passionate especially within academia to add value to the delivery of quality education and also advocacy for the welfare of the students.
During my undergraduate I would like to say that I was selected to be Class Coordinator even as I speak currently, I am the Class Coordinator for the Post Graduate Students within my department. I have also held positions like Director of Socials during my undergraduate and different leadership positions around the University. So, coming in to be elected as the Post Graduate Students Associations’ President, I would like to introduce excellence as one of those core values that I carry as a person.
Also, I would love to engage stakeholders not just within the university community but outside the university community to see how we can attract them to the association. Because I also seek to make the association very visible, visible in the sense that we are not just Post graduate students within Rivers State University but we are Post-graduate Students from Rivers State University making waves across the State and beyond.
Engaging stakeholders outside the University communities’ institutions and also captains of industries where we can drive the growth, development and also the visibility of the Post Graduate Students’ Association. And that can also be contributing to the achievement of the goals and objectives of the University at large.
Do you have the capacity and the time to lead as President of the Post Graduate Students’ Association of RSU?
Of course, yes, I do have the capacity and time to lead as I said earlier that I am the Class Coordinator of my set of Doctoral Degree students. Also, I was the Class Coordinator of my set during my Masters of Science, MSc Degree programme. I have also led in various capacities and the Post Graduate Students’ Association will not be anything different.
But I know that it is a call to serve and I am ready to give it a hundred percent of my time, my resources and commitment to achieving the aim and objectives of the association.
What are the things that you have passions for in life?
My passions in life include first to leave a legacy and to make an impact wherever I am found. Wherever leaders are required in any space I would want to quickly present myself to serve. I am a person of service and I am a person that encourages human to human love.
Wherever there is anything that has to do with humans and anything that has to do with a group of people coming together to achieve a purpose or objective, I am in.
And I believe that we should not hide behind the scenes, that we should get involved in the building, shaping and projecting of strong values of leadership at our various spaces, that we take back our country Nigeria and remodel it to the country of our dreams. It is a wakeup call to everyone that has the capacity to deliver quality leadership not to shy away from doing so. It is a time for everybody to wake up and hold unto that philosophy of excellence in leadership and of course try to get involved in things that pertain to politics.
This is why I will want to say that the Nigerian dream of everyone has nothing to do with anybody but everybody.
So, everybody has to get involved and everybody has to play their own part and contribute their own quota to Nation building which will in turn help to achieve the reclaiming of our Country.
That’s my passion in life.
Looking at your youthful age, how has it been affecting your aspirations to be President of the Post graduate Students’ Association of RSU where their majority of adults?
Yes, my youthful age is a strong advantage because I will call myself a bridge or link between the elderly or the Old School so to speak. That bridge is a very strong factor as I understand the Gen-Zees and I understand the millennia.
So, my youthful energy comes into play because I am very young, energetic and equally very mentally, physically and spiritually sound as regards leadership and service.
What is your electioneering campaign manifesto as an aspirant to the post of President Post Graduate Students’ Association of Rivers state University?
First of all, my manifesto revolves around post graduate Students’ welfare. I will work to improve the welfare of post graduate students by advocating for better funding, accommodation and other facilities. I will also work to ensure that Post Graduate students have access to quality healthcare and Counselling services.
Secondly, I will also be contacting sponsors to build a Post Graduate Secretariat. This will provide a central space for post graduate students to meet, study and socialize. The Secretariat will also be used to host events, congress and workshops that support post Graduate students.
My administration if elected will be encouraging Research and Sponsors for Post Graduate Students. This will help them to develop their skills and knowledge and make a significant contribution to their field like we do have a SHELL LIVE WIRE project for Joint Venture internships for Postgraduate Students to have hands-on practical experiences in their chosen fields of research.
I will also work to attract sponsors for Post-Graduate Research Projects. This will help ensure that postgraduate students have the resources they need to succeed.
Thirdly I will reposition the Post Graduate Students’ Association to attract visibility to the General public as a leading voice for Post Graduate students at Rivers State University. I will do this by increasing the PGSA’s visibility through Social media, public relations, and other outreach activities.
I will organize an annual Colloquium for Post Graduate Students. This will provide a platform for postgraduate students to present their research and share their ideas. I will also organize an Award Night to recognize the achievements of Post Graduate students. I will encourage Post Graduate students to participate in extra-curricular activities and recreation. This will help them to balance their studies with their personal lives.
I am committed to making the PGSA a stronger and more effective Association that represents the interests of all Post Graduate Students at Rivers State University. I believe that by working together, we can create a more supportive and inclusive environment for Post Graduate Students to thrive.
