Gift Iheme

Gift Iheme is one of those rare individuals who are good in both art and science subjects. In Dority International Secondary School, she was a member of the Press Club and founder of the Bible Club.

After graduating from Dority in 2013, she obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (2019).

During her time as a medical student, she was elected Director of Welfare, the University of Nigeria Medical Students Association (UNMSA) and established a revolving fund for financially challenged students who couldn’t pay school fees, rent and examination levies.

The Parrot, UNMSA’s monthly magazine, chose Gift Iheme as the June Personality of the Month for being a role model and source of hope to medical students at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Gift is passionate about female sexual and reproductive health and has been involved in numerous medical outreaches to schools and rural areas across Nigeria.

Gift Iheme on a medical outreach

She’s a member of

• Medical Research and Humanitarian Society (MedRhus)
• Medix Frontiers (UNEC Medics Against AIDS)
• Christian Medical and Dental Association (CMDA)

Gift believes she can succeed in whatever she does. She loves to act and recently landed a role in the IROKO TV series, Ojukwu. She also enjoys writing and event planning.

Gift Iheme on the set of Ojukwu

Ojukwu trailer and a scene featuring Gift Iheme

Gift is enthusiastic about Dority International Early Learning School. She visited Dority a few years ago and advised the SS3 students to pick up the habit of reading books and go to the library more often. She also advised them to have a good relationship with their teachers.

Despite her tight schedule as a medical student, Gift volunteered to help create and edit content for the alumni website, dorityalumni.org.

For her commendable efforts in reducing the dropout rate of medical students at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, her proficiency in arts and medical science and her desire to uplift Dority International Alumni Association and Dority International Early Learning School, Gift Iheme is our August Alumna of the Month.

Member’s Corner takes a closer look at Dority International Alumni Association members. This week features Dike from Class of 2004.

 

How would you describe yourself?
I am Dike Ndukwe. I believe anything is possible, this pushes me to go all the way to achieve goals.

What are your academic qualifications? 
I have a B.Engr Information and Communication Technology from Covenant University.

Are you a member of any association?
I am a member of Nigeria Institute of Management.

Where do you work presently?
I am a realtor in Abuja.

What keeps you busy outside the office?
I love Jesus and I do a lot of activities for the church. I also enjoy mentoring young teens in my local church.

Which projects have you handled and which one challenged you the most?
I have been involved in many projects. My most challenging project was managing a 54-hectare site with 602 houses. My team and I achieved great things, making sure best practices were maintained on the site. The major challenge I had was managing a team of more experienced engineers. I was much younger than them but I carried them along by God’s Grace. I managed the site for 5years and the estate totally sold out.

What motivates you?
I am motivated by the reviews I get from happy clients.

What do you remember most about your time as a student at Dority International Early Learning School?
I remember one time we went to Umuahia to play a soccer match against Ibeku high school. They thoroughly beat us, to the point that our striker ran off the pitch and didn’t play again. When we returned to Dority, we jubilated as if we won. The whole school thought we won until we told them the real story. We all laughed. Awesome time in Dority.

Have you been to Dority since you graduated?
I have been back once but I wasn’t able to engage with the students.

Where do you think you will be in the next 5 years?
I would have set up the businesses I have in mind and grown spiritually and intellectually. I believe I would be married by then as well.

Which of your achievements are you most proud of?
I would go back to the project I described earlier. Pulling off that project made me proud.

Which issues or topics are you passionate about?
I am passionate about entrepreneurship for younger generations.

If you had the chance to mentor a Dority student today, what advice would you give him/her?
Believe in yourself. Discover your talents and purpose in life. Be close to God. Study hard and improve your entrepreneurship spirit and never be afraid to try things even if they seem impossible.

Where do you see Dority International Alumni Association in the next 5 years?
I see the alumni association networking with every single member and setting up a system where we can mentor and give back to the institution that shaped us.

Member’s Corner takes a closer look at Dority International Alumni Association members. This week features Godsfavour Ononogbu from Class of 2018.

How would you describe yourself?
I’m an understanding and easygoing person who’s always ready to accommodate and assist those around me.

What have you been doing since you graduated from Dority?
I’m a student of Psychology at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Was Psychology the course you really wanted to study?
Yes. I’ve always wanted to be a psychologist.

Are you a member of any association?
I’m a member of a non-governmental organization called Africa For Africa Youth Initiative.

What keeps you busy outside academics?
I do part-time photography and graphics design.

What motivates you?
Jesus Christ is my motivation.

What do you remember most about your time as a student at Dority International Early Learning School?
The methods of teaching and learning were of great help to me. They trained us to have good listening skills and this helped me a lot at the university.

Have you been to Dority since you graduated?
Yes, but not in a formal role.

Where do you think you will be in the next five years?
I see myself going into politics to generate innovative ideas that will change Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

Which of your achievements are you most proud of?
Being elected as the Deputy Speaker of the Students’ Representative Assembly in Dority.

Which issues or topics are you passionate about?
I’m passionate about politics and solving the socio-political and economic problems in Nigeria and Africa.

If you had the chance to mentor a Dority student today, what advice would you give him/her?
I’ll advise the person to stick to God in everything he or she does. Be diligent, determined and passionate about what you’re doing because that’s your driving force.

Where do you see the alumni association in the next 5yrs?
I see us becoming stronger than we’ve ever been.

Emeka Chibuike

One hundred and fifty students, from SS1 to SS3, assembled at the Dority International Early Learning School auditorium on May 17, 2019.

Emeka Chibuike took the podium. Ten minutes after he started speaking, the students became excited and cheered him on.

Emeka always had a knack for getting people’s attention. As a student of Dority, he participated in a lot of debates and science competitions.

He wasn’t just a brilliant student, he was also a funny guy who knew how to make others laugh.

After graduating from Dority in 1998, he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and Biochemistry from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Master’s degree in Industrial and Commercial Biotechnology from Newcastle University, United Kingdom.

He was

• Nigeria’s representative at the 1998 International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) at Fort Worth, Texas.
• United Nations Peer Educator Trainer on reproductive health and HIV/AIDS prevention, Katsina State (2006)
• Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Overseas Scholarship Scheme Awardee (2008)
• Resource Person, Cambridge-MIT Enterprisers Program (2010)
• Resource Person, Agropreneurship Workshop, Niger Delta University (2018)

He’s currently the head of the best scientific laboratory in Nigeria, Advanced Bioresource Laboratories, Bioresources Development Center, Bayelsa State.

 

Emeka Chibuike is passionate about self-development and self-actualization and has given numerous seminars on entrepreneurship and self-development. His speech to Dority students in May was so informative, that a teacher took notes of it for future reference.

 For his inspirational speech to Dority students, his unique blend of wisdom and humour, and enthusiastic support of Dority International Alumni Association, Emeka Chibuike is our July Alumnus of the Month.