ENGLISH DEPARTMENT HONOURS PROF. KATE AZUKA OMENUGHA WITH GRAND PROMOTER OF HUMANITIES AND ICONIC ACTRESS AWARDS

The Department of English, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, on Friday, 30th January 2026, at the English Hall, conferred prestigious awards on the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha, in recognition of her exceptional contribution to the humanities and her outstanding performance in film.

The awards "Grand Promoter of Humanities" and "Iconic Actress" were presented in appreciation of her remarkable portrayal in the movie “Uzumma.”

In the movie, Prof. Omenugha convincingly embodies the role of a Vice Chancellor who stands as a symbol of fairness, justice, student-centered leadership, and compassionate authority. Her character emerges as a beacon of hope for Uzumma, a young woman weighed down by cultural restrictions, academic setbacks beyond her control, and societal limitations that plunged her into despair, to the point where suicide seemed like her final escape.

What makes the performance particularly striking is not merely the significance of the role, but the effortless authenticity with which it was delivered. It is one thing to be assigned such a role; it is another to inhabit it so naturally that it feels lived rather than acted.

Perhaps this explains Prof. Omenugha’s own reflection that, from her younger years, she has always nurtured a deep passion for two things: the art of communication and the craft of acting. In Uzumma, both passions merged seamlessly, producing a performance that resonated deeply with viewers and earned her the Iconic Actress Award.

Beyond the screen, her enduring influence on younger generations through scholarship, mentorship, and advocacy for the humanities compelled the Department of English to also recognize her as the Grand Promoter of Humanities.

For those who have watched the live action, and for those who will soon, Uzumma stands as a powerful reminder to the younger girl child that no barrier is insurmountable. It also sends a broader message that limitations should never be mistaken for impossibility. Life may present obstacles, but it is our resilience and determination to overcome them that ultimately define us.

Congratulations to the Mother Eagle, Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha.

©️ COOUNewS, 2026.