Welcome Address by J.P. Kaigama
The National President, Society of Printing Practitioners of Nigeria (SPPN)
Council Members here present
Our colleagues in the academics
Heads of Departments of Printing Technology from various Polytechnics and other Institutions
Other special guests here present
Distinguished members of this noble profession
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen
I want, first of all, to thank God Almighty for granting you all journey mercies and for making this Council meeting possible here today.
From the depth of my heart, I sincerely welcome you all to this one and only Research Institute of its kind—serving the entire country of Nigeria, as well as West and Central Africa—in the areas of research and the production of animal vaccines and sera.
In fact, as you enter the Institute through the main gate, you will see boldly written: “National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom — Regional Laboratory Centre for West and Central Africa for Avian Flu,” among others.
Yes, Vom and its environs form the largest concentration of intellectuals in this country.
Institutions such as NIPSS, FECOLART, ROOT CROPS, St. Joseph’s, NVRI, NITR, BICOT, and IDF are all situated within a radius of 2 km.
Our Printing Department
You may be surprised to see that we have a very small division in the Institute—yet it is equal in importance to any other division, though it is the smallest in size.
This division, an indispensable unit of the Institute, was established to serve critical aspects of research and production, as well as the printing needs of the Institute. This includes the publication of research results, scientific journals, vaccine labels, and NVRI stationeries.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, here you can see a blend of professionals—those in the industry, those in academics, and we in the research institute—supporting research through printing. Yet we are all one body, one profession: the printing profession.
We are gathered here not only for the sake of association but as people with great vision and mission—to reposition the printing profession on a strong and solid foundation that will bring about high standards in both the profession and printing education, as well as promote the welfare of its practitioners.
My dear colleagues, at this stage, we must work—and work hard—for the future of our children and generations of printers yet to come.
We are here to build on the foundation already laid, which is clearly reflected in the aims and objectives of the Society of Printing Practitioners of Nigeria, as stated in the letter dated 8th August 2007 from High Chief:
- To promote advancement in the science and art of printing and its branches
- To promote and encourage original works and research leading to innovation in the industry, etc.
In line with these goals, we decided to invite our colleagues in the academics, as well as a coordinator from NBTE, to be part of a committee that will be formed to address all relevant issues. This committee will work in line with our plans to promote the advancement of the printing profession and the professional development of printing practitioners in Nigeria.
Call for Commitment
Distinguished delegates and members of this noble professional body, I want to use this moment to call for serious commitment from each and every one of us—to water the seed of this society (SPPN), nurture it, bring it to fruition, and ensure its sustainability for future practitioners.
SPPN, like other professional bodies—such as the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), an affiliate of COREN—has the potential to rise to an equal or even higher status. Many professional bodies have grown through dedication and unity of purpose.
It is therefore up to us to elevate SPPN to the same reputable standing.
My colleagues, I continue to call on all of us to be fully committed—with our time, our talent, and above all, our treasure. This is the only way to achieve our dream of making this great society equal to, or greater than, similar professional bodies.
Distinguished professional colleagues, there is much more I would have loved to say. But since this is only a welcome address, I will pause here and once again warmly welcome you all. I hope we will all participate fully in the discussions and contribute positively to every issue raised.
I wish you all a very productive and fruitful deliberation.
Thank you for listening.
J.P. Kaigama
I want, first of all, to thank God Almighty for granting you all journey mercies and for making this Council meeting possible here today.
From the depth of my heart, I sincerely welcome you all to this one and only Research Institute of its kind—serving the entire country of Nigeria, as well as West and Central Africa—in the areas of research and the production of animal vaccines and sera.
In fact, as you enter the Institute through the main gate, you will see boldly written: “National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom — Regional Laboratory Centre for West and Central Africa for Avian Flu,” among others.
Yes, Vom and its environs form the largest concentration of intellectuals in this country.
Institutions such as NIPSS, FECOLART, ROOT CROPS, St. Joseph’s, NVRI, NITR, BICOT, and IDF are all situated within a radius of 2 km.