May I use this opportunity to wish you all Happy Easter celebration and may the Lord bless us abundantly and bring lots of happiness to us and our families. Amen.
In our usual tradition, we have gathered here again, during the Easter season to discuss topical issues with the sole aim of proffering solutions to the challenges of the society.
Permit me to commend the dogged spirit of the Secretary of the Council, Comrade Fidelis Egugbo, whose strong belief in God, made it possible for this lecture to be organised annually.
We thank all of you for your cooperation and commitment to making the society a better than we met it.
We thank our dear Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, for making the Unity Hall, Government House, available for this year’s lecture and for making Delta State conducive for an international discourse to take place. No doubt, Delta has become the tourist delight of all.
Prof. Stella Chinye Chiemeke, the Vice Chancellor , University of Delta, UNIDEL, Agbor, a renowned administrator, is the Guest Speaker for today’s lecture and she will speak on the topic, “Flight of Talents: Navigating Nigeria’s Brain Drain Predicament.”
The lecture is of two segments and we thank the discussants who were carefully chosen to be in the panel. We thank Dr. Kemi Emina for making himself available annually as Moderator for this lecture and to our dear Rev. Fr. John Konyeke, we thank you for the support which has come in several ways. The success story of Maris Lecture from inception is evidently as a result of God’s hands being in what we are doing. To Him alone, be the glory.
Your Excellencies, thank you for coming, our elegant Mother of the Day, Lady Rosaline Amioku, we thank you for coming, we are also, grateful to Hon. Pastor Jonathan Ukodhiko, member representing Isoko Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives for making a lot of sacrifice to be chairman of this occasion.
To the regular participants and those who are attending the lecture for the first time, we say welcome, and please, make your contributions for the society to be better.
Maris Annual Public Service Lecture series holds every Wednesday before Easter Sunday, that is, the Wednesday of the Holy Week.
It was instituted in memory of Stella-Maris Chukwufunimnenya Egugbo. It is our prayer that you assist in sustaining the ideals behind the lecture. For financial contributions, kindly pay to Maris Secondary School Account – Zenith Bank Account Number: 1017189528 or call Fidelis on 08032933933 to know how to contribute.
I offer my sincere gratitude to Your Excellencies, all our religious leaders for your presence today and continued support for the peace and progress of Nigeria and in particular, all of you who are present here because, without your physical presence, this lecture will not be successful. God bless you all.
On behalf of the Maris Trust Council, and with a heart full of gratitude to God, I welcome you to the Year 2024 Edition of Maris Annual Public Service Lecture.
Thank you and God bless us all.
AN ADDRESS PRESENTED BY CHIEF (SIR) KENNETH KEMNETI OLISE, Ph.D, FCA, JP, CHAIRMAN, MARIS TRUST COUNCIL, MTC, AT YEAR 2024 EDITION OF MARIS ANNUAL PUBLIC SERVICE LECTURE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2024 AT THE UNITY HALL, GOVERNMENT HOUSE, ASABA, DELTA STATE
