My name is Sylvester Enyida Ndubueze and I am from Nigeria.
I want to tell the story of my studies at BPI (BNTU).
I did not choose BPI in Minsk by myself. I would say I was lucky. We did not know much about the USSR yet. It was in the year 1976-77.
After one year of Preparatory courses in Rostov-on-Don, I was posted to the town called Zdanov. And like many of my colleagues in our group (Group #10) I complained. I felt that if I have to have the full benefits of studying and living in a very developed economy like USSR then I should be sent to any of the mega cities. I did not know Zdanov. I have never been there but I felt it was smaller than Rostov-on-Don where I had just completed my Preparatory school. Our language teacher Mrs. Olga Manuelovna promised to help me.
So I left for Summer holidays in England. I came back to the USSR with the understanding that I was coming to pick up my belongings and head back home to Nigeria. I was thinking of my other choices. I thought of my two earlier placements in Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigeria (for Mechanical Engineering) and the University of Benin, Nigeria (for Mechanical Engineering). Before leaving for the USSR I was already studying Mechanical Engineering for one year in Rivers State Polytechnic of Science and Technology. I also had placements in a University in Alabama USA and Stamford University in USA and another in West Germany. All these were backed by scholarships from the Federal Government of Nigeria. I must admit here that I was truly very confused. As a young man of 19years, the wave of extreme loneliness hit me so hard; I just wanted to return home very much. Winter was harsh. I had no friends.
On my return from summer holidays, my language teacher happily announced that she had succeeded in transferring me to Minsk the Capital of the BSSR. I was to study Machine Building at Belarusian Polytechnic Institute BPI.
The first winter in Minsk
In Minsk I felt better. The city was more modern and westernized. With a host of other older Nigerian students in Minsk I felt more at home. Our language teacher Mrs. Galina Iosifovna Burova was a real mother to many of us. We called her "Mama Nigeria". How I wish I could see her once more in life, just to say "Thank you".
Soon I realized that I was lucky to be receiving high quality education comparable to none in the Science and Technology of Machine Building.
I started proudly writing letters to my friends in other universities in Nigeria and USA that at least I have found my destiny and I was studying Machine Building that was my soul desire before opting for the USSR.
In our group (Group #103117), we had many foreign students from Ghana, Ethiopia, Uganda, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria. We were friends and we helped each other in our studies. Russian language was a difficult language. Our Russian classmates found enough courage to be friendly and helpful to us. Many of our lecturers were just wonderful. They were dedicated and proud to teach and help the students. Many of the lecturers became our friends. I always wrote about them with pride, to my friends and family back home in Nigeria.
I enjoyed the Tests, Exams, Course works, Home works, Practical lessons etc. That was the unique brand of education we were not used to. It transformed me from ashy student to a better and confident student and professional. We had Research Works.
My thesis project
I equally enjoyed the scheduled practical industrial exposures. We had the opportunity to work practically like any other regular worker with our hands. We worked on individual machines and in automatic transfer production lines. Later we wrote Reports and defended our works. All this was very exciting.
Presentation of my diploma thesis
The people of Belarus are mild and friendly. Slowly but surely I made friends. I loved the national celebrations. I loved their dedication and patriotism. I enjoyed the celebrations of Women's Day, Victory Day, and New Year Day. I went to Holiday Resort in the Naroch. It was beautiful.
Lake Naroch
The city of Minsk itself was very beautiful, green and clean. My stay in Minsk can only fill me with nostalgia and happy memories.
After graduation, I returned to Nigeria and worked all my life in my specialty - I was engaged in the design, production and repair of machinery and equipment in the best companies in my country.
I am proud to represent my school BPI (Belarusian National Technical University) very well in all areas of design, production of Machine parts, Modifications, Maintenance and Repairs.
In the maintenance workshop in Nigeria
Now I am retired but I now privately engage in Consultancy and Design/Production of Machine Parts.
I say «Thank you!» to the Belarusian people and the Belarusian National Technical University, to all the teachers who made me who I am today. Happy anniversary, BNTU!
