Charles Ndongo addressing audience while Eric Chinje in company of ICT officials looks on
The Board of Trustees of the ICT University has conferred life-time achievement awards on Eric Chinje and Charles Ndongo.
The media professionals were handed the awards and dressed up publicly with academic robes by the Founder and President of the ICT University, Prof. Victor Mbarika and the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Jean Emmanuel Pondi.
The occasion was the ICT University’s 7th commencement ceremony which took place in Yaoundé on July 29, 2023. The Prime Minister was represented at the occasion by his Special Adviser, Prof. Cosmos Cheka while the Vice Chancellor of the University of Buea, Prof. Horace Manga sat in for the Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education and Grand Chancellor of Academic Orders, Prof. Jacques Fame Ndongo.
While Prof. Mbarika talked of the extra-ordinary services rendered to the nation by the two media professionals that deserve the life-time achievement awards, Prof. Pondi said at ICT University, they have decided to recognise people and their works while they are still alive.
Charles Ndongo, General Manager of CRTV expressed gratitude to the ICT University Board of Trustees and told the students that nothing is more important than working hard in life. He urged them never to give up until they achieve all their dreams. He equally used the occasion to thank his collaborators whom he said are also part of the award through the services they rendered or are still rendering at CRTV.
Eric Chinje who is the CEO of Africa Media outfit used himself as an example to encourage students on key values such as drive and determination, learning and overcoming challenges and lessons learnt. He called on the ICT graduates to use artificial intelligence in a relevant way to resolve problems. “If you love this country, take what ICT University is giving you to positively transform this nation. You already constitute a critical mass that can do it,” he said.
Hailing the ICT University, Chinje told reporters that it was the very first time since 30 years that he was feeling that the country was receiving him with some recognition. He, however, said what is important is to understand what ICT represents in the country. “There is no country in the world today that can emerge without this key technological element. It is a reality and it is an experience I have lived in the African continent and beyond. Let our fellow citizens know that it is ICT that will help us to surmount the numerous challenges as developing countries,” he stated.
He noted that digital technology is the obligatory passage that the level of development we hope for must pass through. “Those who master ICTs will be the leaders. They will be the ones to guide us and show the way. We want to use this technology for health treatment of citizens, creation of jobs for university graduates, rethink development model, show the way others took to reach levels of development we hope for,” Chinje maintained.
He added that digital technology can find solutions to the heaps of garbage he sees on the streets of Yaoundé as well as the poor state of our roads. He said he was happy to be informed that the ICT University has just launched the information, communication and media department. According to him, it is important because a country cannot sustainably develop without the media. He said media professionals must master their country and convince citizens through their reports to use ICT technology to move the society forward.
“The transformation of our society must obligatorily pass through a change of mentality, and this is the work of media professionals. We talk of social media every day and some people think that it is where you go to insult and condemn others. It is an important transformation tool if used correctly.
“Artificial intelligence is an extra-ordinary thing for our country. This technology can help us in realising many things without using many resources. We can use it to create content, share knowledge, accompany public discourse that could change the narrative. Let the media be involve in ICT,” Chinje said.
