Pioneer Graduates of FUTO's IT Department Reconnect, Launch Alumni Body

The pioneer graduates of the Department of Information Technology (IFT), Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), have reconnected with the Department in a three-day reunion that culminated in the formal inauguration of its alumni body.

The reunion, held from Thursday, October 1 to Saturday, October 3, 2026, brought together the 2009 graduates of the Department from different locations for an engagement focused on reconnecting with their alma mater and exploring ways of supporting its continued development.

As part of the programme, the alumni visited the Department on Friday, October 2, where they held an interactive session with the Acting Head of Department, Engr. Dr. Emmanuel C. Amadi, and toured its facilities, laboratories, projects and ongoing developments.

The pioneer graduates seized the opportunity of the reunion to gain an appreciation of developments in the Department since their graduation, while also sharing perspectives on its future.

The reunion culminated in a dinner attended by members of staff, the pioneer alumni set, the Dean of the School of Information and Communication Technology (SICT), Prof. Mrs. U.F. Eze, and senior academic staff of the Department.

In their remarks, members of staff commended the alumni for maintaining ties with their alma mater, and encouraged them to sustain the relationship through initiatives that would support academic and infrastructural development.

Among those who spoke were Engr. Dr. Obi Nwokonkwo and Engr. Dr. Gloria Eze, Reader and Senior Lecturer respectively in the Department; and Engr. Dr. Emeka Nwanga, Deputy Director, ICT Centre.

The formal emergence of the IFT alumni body is expected to provide a platform for stronger engagement between the Department and its graduates, including student mentorship, professional networking, research collaboration, and support for teaching and infrastructure.

The initiative also aligns with the broader emphasis of the administration of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. I.N.S. Dozie, on strengthening stakeholder partnerships and mobilising the University's wider community to contribute to the development of Nigeria's foremost university of technology.