Bugus
Jerome Okolo
OBITUARY
SPUTNIK - Association of graduates of Universities of the former Soviet Union announce the tragic and untimely death of its founding National co-ordinator, Dr. Ike Abugu, in the Dana Airline crash on the 2nd June, 2012.
Dr. Ike Abugu obtained MSc & PhD degrees in Mechanical & Metallurgical Engineering at the Moscow Institute of Steel & Alloys. He was the Founding Council Member and immediate past President & Chairman of Council Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME). He also was a member of many Government panels and committees including the following: The 20:2020 National Steering Committee; African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) National Steering Committee; Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Microfinance Policy Advisory Committee; Enugu State Private Sector Development Advisory Committee; CBN Entrepreneurship Development Centre; Small & Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), and Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA).
Dr. Ike Abugu is survived by an aged mother, siblings, a much beloved wife and their young children.
The funeral service and interment will take place at 10:00am on 25th August, 2012 at St. Philips Anglican Church, Umuida, Enugu-Ezike, Enugu State.
We expect all his friends to be there at the burial of our dearest brother, friend, colleague, coordinator and indefatigable encourager of all. As we agreed, every friend should endeavor to contribute at least the equivalent of N10,000 to the Abugu memorial fund for his children and wife. We shall be grateful to those who contribute far more - our friend deserves every support we can give his family at this time. The details for contributions are:
BANK: Zenith Bank
ACCOUNT NAME: SOLICOM ENGR. LTD - SPUTNIK PROJECT
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 1013117565
Please indicate your full name and e-mail in the reference – so that you could receive the full and detailed account of all the monies received and the onward payment to Mrs. Abugu.
Besr wishes and kind regards,
Jerome Okolo
Interim Coordinator.
Just to remind us all of Dr. Abugu's energy and love for all of us, I am enclosing his last official e-mail to Sputnik below:
"Dear Dr Hassan,
Thank you for forwarding the sample letters and minutes of the LOC meetings. I am highly impressed with the elaborate preparations the LOC, under your leadership, are making for our 4th Biannual Congress. Well done!
A few observations though. The Minna meeting is the FOURTH. The first was in Asaba in November 2010, the second was in Abuja a year ago, and the third was in PH in November last year. I also initially made the mistake. Secondly, as I told you this afternoon, we should be careful not to create the impression that we are a dysfunctional group, especially before the Russians and Ukrainians. I was worried, for instance, by the manner the invitation letters to them were delivered. I thought the guys from Minna would have gone with either Jerry or Obi in Abuja.
Please give me an update on mobilization, especially from places like Kaduna, where I know we have large concentrations of our guys. We should target at least 200 delegates, apart from our special guests who will participate in only open sessions. How many people have paid? How many have pledged?
In your program, remember to create room for the Chief Host and the Host to make some introductory remarks, as appropriate. The two of us are the faces of the association, at least for the purpose of the Fourth Congress.
Finally, I wish to inform you that I am arriving Minna before 10am on 7th June, so that I can participate in the National Council on Trade and Investment taking place in Minna at Lego Kutigi Auditorium. I have been attending National Councils as a private sector leader for at least five years.
Please keep up the good job. I hope am not driving you guys too hard. Put all your guys to work on all aspects. Fortunately for us, Minna is one of our strongholds. So the expectations are high.
Best regards!
Dr Ike Abugu
National Coordinator"