Category: Alumni Magazine

Alumni Magazine ,

Alumna of the Month: Gift Iheme

by Ikenna Ohiaeri

picture of Gift Iheme

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.

Share this story on:
Alumni Magazine

Member’s Corner: Godsfavour Ononogbu

by Ikenna Ohiaeri

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

pic of Godsfavour Ononogbu

Godsfavour Ononogbu

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.

Share this story on:
Alumni Magazine

Alumnus of the Month: Emeka Chibuike

by Ikenna Ohiaeri

PIcture of Emeka Chibuike

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.

 

Share this story on:
Alumni Magazine, Member's Corner

Member’s Corner: Okechukwu Nwankwo

by Ikenna Ohiaeri

Member’s Corner takes a closer look at Dority International Alumni Association members. This week features Okechukwu Nwankwo from Class of 2001.

picture of Okechukwu Nwankwo

Okechukwu Nwankwo

 

How would you describe yourself?
Okechukwu Nwankwo is a hardworking and creative person. A wonder to myself most times.

What are your academic qualifications? 
I have a BSc in Applied Geophysics and Physical Oceanography from the University of Calabar.

What are your job experiences and where do you work presently?
I worked for Ebonylife TV as a set dresser and assistant art director from 2012 to 2016. Right now, I’m a freelance art director. My media firm is Frosted Media.

What keeps you busy outside the office?
I started a women empowerment organization. I give seminars and encourage young women, especially those between twelve and twenty-five years, to be the best they can be in life. They shouldn’t be discouraged by what society thinks about them, they should be bold and show that they have the same potential for greatness as men.

Which projects have you handled?
I have worked on films like Wedding Party 1 and 2, Royal Hibiscus Hotel, King of Boys, New Money, The Setup, Bling Lagosians, Ojo’s in the House, Up North and the drama series, Dere. I have also worked on TV commercials for Maggi, Glo, Star, Gulder and Onga.

Which project challenged you the most?
I have had a few challenging projects but The Setup was the most challenging. The script was deep creative wise and I had to imagine a lot of the art direction and develop a concept. The script was so challenging that the entire production team had several meetings about it. We had to change locations to fit the script and the film’s characters and bring in coloured walls because we couldn’t paint the walls of the houses we rented to shoot the film. It was awesome at the end. Truly amazing.

What motivates you?
The fact that I love beautiful things helps to motivate me when I work. A lot of Nollywood films lack set translations and depictions. Standing apart from the crowd motivates me to do awesome stuff.

What do you remember most about your time as a student at Dority International Early Learning School?
I remember a lot of happy times as a Dority student but the goals I scored during inter-house sports and break periods are what I remember most. I hardly played soccer again and it hurts me till today. My classmates took football seriously.

Have you been to Dority since you graduated?
I went to Dority a few years ago and I barely recognized any of the students but they did remember me. They clapped and shouted and called out my name as I passed the windows. It was surreal.

Where do you think you will be in the next 5 years?
In the next five years, I’ll be one of the biggest filmmakers in Nigeria. I’ll be all around the world making my own films and bringing joy to homes. Maybe I’ll consider politics too.

Which of your achievements are you most proud of?
I am proud of even the smallest jobs I have done. Because nobody gave me a chance. I didn’t study film making but God led me through the right path to what makes me happy.

Which issues or topics are you passionate about?
I’m passionate about jobs and about women and the way women have been relegated to nothing in this county and all over the world. Ten years ago, I started a campaign against child molestation and rape. I am a different person when these topics are broached or I’m working on a case concerning this. I am also passionate about the service of God.

If you had the chance to mentor a Dority student today, what advice would you give him/her?
Look at yourself and see what makes you happy, what you will wake up every day and be happy to do. Whatever that is, follow it because life is too short to struggle at a job.

Where do you see Dority International Alumni Association in the next 5 years?
The alumni association’s growth is quite fast. My own class of 2001 started something too and it’s the best group I’ve joined in years. I see Dority alumni making great strides in the next five years.

Share this story on: