The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • Panacea to Nigerian graduates’ global irrelevance

    SIR: Robert Kiyosaki in his book, “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” asked the question, “Does school prepare children for the real world?” “Study hard and get good grades and you will find a high-paying job with great benefits”, parents used to say. But gone are those days!

    There has been a paradigm shift from focus on paper qualification to skills acquisition in the last couple of decades. But rather unfortunately, Nigeria and other African nations are waking up to these realities rather too late. It is absolute disillusionment for a twenty first century student to have a mind-set that a first class degree is sufficient to land him that plum job when he knows next to nothing about how real corporations are run. It is a saddening reality that prompts me to address this anomaly as leaving the status quo spells doom for the Nigerian future.

    The University of Lagos only recently had its convocation ceremony where over six thousand graduates received degrees in different categories. Every year, our ivory towers of higher learning churn out tens of thousands of graduates into the labour market which is already heavily saturated. It is no news that job availability is a mirage but even if there were more jobs than job seekers, the quality of these job applicants leaves more to be desired, constituting one of the main challenges of employers.

    So much noise has been made to have our educational policies reviewed. The ministry of education has been incessantly called upon to embark on a comprehensive overhaul of our curricula and make them relevant to the real world of work. Our students in higher institutions cannot see the gap between what our lecturers teach and what prospective employers would require from them. Hence, they just sit tight with books of the 1950s and ‘60s with no bearing on post-recession economy. The quality of academic staff in these ivory towers is another conglomerate of disturbing issues. It is a pathetic situation!

    So much as I concur that the bulk of the restructuring lies on the government, we cannot sit back and wait for a government. The private sector has got to come to the rescue because standing aloof would only be to the detriment of their future business concerns. Many thanks to corporations and organizations which have invested relentlessly to salvage the menace of skill gap existing in our graduate set. It is high time we shifted to a sixty-per cent-practical, forty-percent-theory system of teaching. This would avail our students in higher institutions the exposure to application of learnt theories to real life situations. It is my belief that the present administration is aware of the defects in the educational system more than any before and should be better poised to living up to its responsibility. And this responsibility involves the upgrading of the theory-focussed system to one with a healthy balance between theory and practical applications.

    •Joshua Oyeniyi

    Lagos

  • The war is not over

    SIR: Each time an Igbo person is killed in ethnic crisis in the North, it reminds us that the Biafra war is not over. The sentiment that led to the civil war in Nigeria is still alive. The same fear that the Igbo will take over the country politically, socially and economically and control the resources of the nation for its selfish use continues to cause the North sleepless nights.

    The North in their own rationalization believes they were born to rule. The Igbo, on the other hand, is so democratic in nature that the only leadership it understands is the one that gives it the freedom for enterprise. This ideological difference could prove the conundrum of the Nigerian situation. Whereas in the North a few elites dominate the ruling class, in Igbo land everybody has equal chance of being a member of the political class. All that is required of an Igbo is excellence in his or her field of endeavour. For example, a child of a security guard could grow up to become a leader if he or she works hard to acquire sufficient wealth. Hence it will appear the Igbo worships success, for better or for worse. In that token, the North venerates their leaders. . The typical northerner cares less for economic, political or social ambition.

    Nigeria will be better if it exploits the strength of its ethnicities. The unparalleled natural beauty of the North should be reserved for their simple living. The aggressive nature of the Igbo should be promoted for their enterprise. The key being a common respect for any Nigerian to be the best he or she can be. The killing of the Igbo in the North will not extinguish the burning desire for him or her to make money. The unfortunate rumour was that after the recent Kano bus bomb blast, some thugs in Head Bridge, Onitsha started what appeared to be a reprisal attack only to overrun northern goat dealers and extort money from them.

    The slaughtering of the Igbo in the north is totally insensitive. There is no good sense in taking an innocent life. Such an act must be considered the highest form of evil. On idealistic note if you take out the difference in language, there is only a human being. One hopes the Igbo do not go on a reprisal attack. This will demonstrate to the North, according to an Igbo proverb, two do not get mad. It is easier said than done to advice for peace to reign. The recurrence of these attacks on the Igbo makes it unbearable. Imagine if ones relative is among the dead. One pleads for the Igbo to take heart and consider it a blood sacrifice one makes for Nigeria unity.

     

    •Pius Okaneme

    Umuoji, Anambra State.

     

  • Still on Kano bomb blast

    The recent bomb blast in which scores of people died and were injured in a motor park in Sabon Gari, Kano, has again left many Nigerians in a stupor of surprise and pangs of anger and righteous indignation. These frequent bombings have not only dented but denigrated the image of our beloved country nationally and internationally. Furthermore, the blast is a serious national and international embarrassment. In addition, it is quite obvious that the incidence have raised fundamental issues about national security as well as Nigeria’s corporate existence.

    In view of all the bombings taking place in various places in the country with loss of lives and properties and trying to make the country ungovernable for President Goodluck Jonathan and his team, I think it is absolutely necessary and should be handled as a matter of urgency to seek for external assistance in order to find out the bombers and their sponsors. It is flabbergasting that security agencies have not been able to help matters in this regard. At times, we arrest and the suspects will escape either from cell or while police men were on patrol with them. This is ridiculous!

    Whatever the case may be and to all intents and purposes, there is the need for all Nigerians to always be religiously and jealously guided by the words of an elder statesman, octogenarian and first President of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, a professional teacher and career politician when he said: “The moment in our history demands of all of us the spirit of cooperation rather than the things that divide us; we would have succeeded in bequeathing a fitting legacy to the coming generation.”

    The federal government should endeavour as much as practicable to rise to the challenge of unmasking those behind the cowardly and dastardly act no matter how highly or lowly placed in the society and crush them in a most exemplary manner to serve as deterrent to others who would ever think of engaging on the destructive act. The bombing in a motor park is as condemnable as it is despicable and regrettable.

    However, let this be a time of sober reflection for us all. As Nigerians and the international community condemned the wicked act, let everybody look inward and reappraise what happened. Injustice and oppression cannot but ultimately produce a desire for revenge and or rebellion. Let our deep sympathy go to all who lost their lives, persons, properties and sense of security. Nigeria needs to be made safe for all, and the federal government should lead and show the way to this purposefully and decisively.

    In my opinion, all progressive and articulate Nigerians irrespective of religion and tribe must dislodge the idea of being agents of darkness and destruction. In this connection therefore, it is absolutely necessary with due respect, humility, and sense of responsibility to appeal to all Nigerians no matter the status to remain steadfast, focused on the part of truth, honour, fairness, and justice so that Nigeria can make meaningful progress economically and politically.

    With this recent bomb blast in a motor park at Sabon Gari, Kano, one may boldly say that the Nigerian democracy is therefore dangerous if not properly investigated. The way some saw the blast, it might lead to an extent that the falcon can no longer hear the falconer and that things will fall apart. This is not the best for Nigeria’s democratic structure. In the words of Desmond Mpilo Tutu, “Justice must be done to the poor and the oppressed and if the present system does not serve the purpose, the public conscience must be roused to demand another.”

    It appears that some of those engaged in the dastardly act must be under sponsorship but God or Allah knows whom or group. Like the immediate past Pope, Benedict XVI, while appealing for peace in a message to commemorate the 2007 World Peace Day (WPD) said, “Those with greater political, technical or economic power must not use the power to violate the rights of others who are less fortunate.”

    Charles Ikedikwa Soeze,

    Effurun, Delta State.

  • Delta transport system good but…

    Through careful planning and determination, the Delta State government has provided both big and small buses in some towns like Warri, Effurun, Sapele among others to assist commuters in both ‘’inter and intra’’ movement to drastically reduce poverty, encourage empowerment and ameliorate sufferings.

    It is disappointing and indeed distressing to say that these buses are doing more harm than good because they are not safety conscious thereby putting commuters, lives in a state of peril due to lack of designated bus stops for them as it is done in other states that have such facilities where passengers can board and alight.

    As a result, these buses stop indiscriminately or screech to a halt in places including centre of roads, thereby causing incessant traffic congestions especially in Effurun, PTI Road, Jakpa junction, Airport road junction, and Warri main market, among other places. The buses are therefore causing nuisance on our roads.

    Stopping at any point incessantly for commuters to either alight or board these buses is a display of irresponsibility on the part of the drivers and it is against safety of commuters. At the end, the purpose of providing these buses is automatically defeated.

    In order to avoid all these, I wish to passionately appeal to the state government to provide as a matter of urgency designated stops for these buses in order to help drivers of such buses and commuters avoid traffic congestions in major towns.

    Any driver that refuses to comply should be sanctioned appropriately no matter his political connection.

    Charles Ikedikwa Soeze,

    Effurun, Delta State.

  • Rebellion and leadership failure in Africa

    Sir: Sometime last year, an aggregation of rebel groups going by the name ‘Seleka coalition’ overran several towns in the Central African Republic. Government troops were no match for them as they easily brushed aside their feeble resistance. They were soon at the gate of the capital, Bangui, and threatening to take it when a ceasefire was brokered. That ceasefire eventually collapsed. On March 24, they sacked the presidential palace and sent the president, Francois Bozize fleeing for his life. This incident is not peculiar to CAR; in fact it could have happened in many other countries in Africa. Why?

    Since the middle of the twentieth century when most countries in Africa got their independence the continent has hardly at any point been strife-free. If it is not outright civil war, then it is some rebel or insurgent activity. When it appears one is about to be contained, another flares up somewhere else. It may not be necessary to start listing all the hot spots in the continent but suffice it to say that only very few countries in Africa can be said to be entirely crisis-free. Why is this so, are we cursed with a life of perpetual conflict? No! We are not cursed, we are the cause.

    It is true that post-colonial African states by their very nature are susceptible to conflicts. The conflicts, however, are not unavoidable. They are largely products of leadership failure. At the root of most conflicts in Africa are injustice and poverty. Many African rulers through their actions drive their people deep into poverty; they perpetrate horrendous injustices on the populace or section of the populace for which they cannot legally seek redress. When a man who is wronged has no hope of getting justice from a system then he might want to take justice for himself.

    It is also true that some of the conflicts in Africa might have been engineered and stoked by foreigners. But people cannot wake up and start fighting their government for absolutely no cause. They must at least have a reason. Unfortunately many African governments through abysmal leadership readily present their people with ample reasons to rebel. What foreigners merely do is assist the rebels with tools for their rebellion.

    If African leaders would be fairer in their dealings with their people and place greater premium on justice and the rule of law, then fewer people would have cause to rebel. If African leaders would stop mouthing empty promises but assiduously work to make living worthwhile for their people then fewer youths would want to risk their lives as rebels. Justice, rule of law and improved standard of living remain the only recipe for a more peaceful Africa.

    • Nnoli Chidiebere

    Aba, Abia State.

  • ‘My Oga at the top’

    SIR: I wish to agree with Abraham Lincoln in the letter to his son’s teacher that for every scoundrel there is a hero; for every enemy there is a friend. He said that the bullies are the easiest to lick and Achebe said that there is nothing to fear from the man who shouts. What is the hope of a nation when most of the custodians of hope are not fixing the breaches well?

    Obafaiye Shem, the commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC Lagos State was interviewed at channel television station on March 2, and he was asked to give the official website of the NSCDC. It became obvious that the person being interviewed could not give any correct answer. The mistake was that he wanted to play on the intelligence of the audience. Lincoln says it is good to learn how to lose but to enjoy winning. If he didn’t know the answer to the question, he could frankly say that he could not give one for now and promise to find out and release it later since it was necessary to give the real website. The interviewers who seemed to have known his ignorant state kept asking him the same question. But who was the ‘Oga at the top’ being referred to? We may organise a party and feast on his grammatical inaccuracy if the basic requirement for his post is English proficiency and not his physical ability. Why should proficiency in language not be a requirement? Is pidgin not be used in the army? Are all students after SSCE presentable? Are we all exempted from flaws and malpractices?

    The major issue is that many people believe he is not good, he is ignorant, he did not know the website, and they seem to be right. However, the noise, the singing and dancing and mocking of ‘Oga at the Top’ is like a hungry and angry dog biting a stone. Many people derive pleasure in the seasonal criticism on speech-making and issues that are not invaluable to the society. ‘My Oga at The Top’ is germane to the society if we had focused on the effect of nepotism, education system structure and flaws of agencies rather then biting the nails of a person whose world is a microcosm of Nigeria.

    Can we ignore the fact that it is the misplaced priority at the prime such as desperation to get a certificate rather than ability, degree rather than career, knowledge, fame and any –how-wealth rather than profitable and defendable skills that culminates into unqualified officials (as many as we may have) in this country today? Was there not a time some NYSC members could not recite the national anthem? Are such not at the top?

    While we cannot continue to celebrate mediocrity, we must be realistic to the truth about the involvement of many of us in corruption. Many managers and directors of companies with captivating speech ability that could tame souls had always (and still) loot billions as ‘national cake’ or ‘company cake’

    There are many issues that affect us but we ignore them and seem compromised to the fate of helplessness. Bombing and terrorism, immunity of the legislators, pardoning the heroes of corruption, profligacy, examination malpractices, unemployment, fixed-party system, and so on are rampant. Do we not know that we have National Association for Unemployed Youths in Nigeria?

    But what is the purpose of social criticism in a place where the voices of the people never move the rulers (not leaders)? What is the purpose of social comments when it reduces nothing of what is intended? What is the essence of social criticism when it is not effective to cause social change or check corruption?

    What gain have we when we ignore the main and bite the vain?

    • Samuel Kuye Oladimeji

    University of Lagos

  • Ban secondary education abroad

    Sir: The falling standard of education in the country has been a source of worry to stakeholders and other interest groups in the education industry. Every year the country continues to receive shocking news of mass failure by students in WAEC, NECO and other exams. More worrisome is that among the few candidates that are able to break even, only a handful of them score credit in core subjects, especially English and Mathematics. In the last NECO exam not up to 25% of the candidates who sat for the exam recorded credits in English and Mathematics. This is a sorry situation.

    The reason why the ugly trend has remained unabated is because the children and wards of the politicians and other prominent persons in the country send their children abroad to study; only children of the middle class and the poor study in our public schools and because of this they are not directly affected about whatever goes on in our schools.

    The situation in our public schools today is worrisome. More than 50% of the teachers have lost interest in teaching. This group of teachers have sidelines which occupy their school hours thereby affecting their presence in the classroom. On the other hand, the students have thrown reading to the wind. Instead of making books their closest companion they resort to playing with their cell phones which they manipulate in the class while lessons are going on. They also indulge in watching home videos and pornographic films.

    So it is only when children of politicians, ministers, governors and other bigwigs study locally that the poor performance of students in examinations could be viewed seriously and a lasting solution effected. Because they do not have any stake in our education system, even though they appear to have, that is why they are paying lip service to the whole issue. Once their children and wards begin to study in our public schools, teachers would sit up and there would be a fierce competition among the students,

    Against this backdrop, I suggest that secondary education abroad should be banned.

    • Nkemakolam Gabriel

    Port Harcourt

  • Universities as towers of intrigues

    SIR: I refer to the mudslinging that has characterized the appointment of a Vice Chancellor for the Osun State University spearheaded by the Justice and Integrity Group within the university. It would appear as if the sense of decency associated with academic community has taken its flight from this university. Otherwise how would you explain a situation where the group went to the extent of making reference to the fact that the daughter of one of the contestants for the position was already 40 years old? This to me is not a strong reason to buttress the fact that the female contestant is above 60 years. If the lady in question became pregnant at the age of 18 years, is it not possible for her to be a grandmother at the age of 58 years?

    Everybody is aware that nearly all Federal Government policies are replicated at the state universities. So as of today, it is no longer a secret that retirement age of a professor is 70 years. Why this crisis over the issue of age for God’s sake?

    What I can deduce from the intrigues among academics in this university is that Nigerian universities are fast losing the academic culture that characterized the university system in the sixties and early seventies. Unfortunately, those who upheld the standard then are now old thereby paving the way for inexperienced academics. Majority of the present crop of academics were not fortunate to be mentored by highly experienced academics who left the shores of Nigeria immediately the economic depression in the late 70s set in. This created a big vacuum to such an extent that those unqualified for certain positions were promoted if only to fill the vacuum. This practice has constrained quality in the Nigerian university system. In some universities you have Lecturer 2 as Head of Departments while there are professors in Nigerian universities today that have not supervised a single PhD holder. Some lecturers cannot even distinguish the role of the senate of a university from that of the council. Otherwise how could a group within the academic community approach the House of Assembly to meddle in the simple process such as the appointment of a vice chancellor? Nigerian universities have become citadel of political intrigues that prevent them from consummating their principal functions.

    Until the academic community is able to appoint principal officers and fill other positions with little or no rancour, its clamour for autonomy would remain elusive. Government on its part must ensure that appointment of vice chancellor and other principal officers in the universities are highly transparent to reduce the tension that is associated with appointment into such positions. That is why the composition of Council members must be tilted in favour of those within the university system. The decision of the council on the choice of a vice chancellor must be binding on the government. A situation whereby somebody in a third is approved by the governor as the vice chancellor portends great danger for the future of academia in this country.

    It is therefore important that necessary steps must be taken by both the government and the academic community to restore the lost glory of Nigerian universities. It is unfortunate that as of today, Nigerian universities have lost their previous status of ivory tower in the 70s and acquired a present status of intrigue tower.

    • Abayomi Akintokun,

    Essex, London

  • Re: Bad maths or bad faith

    SIR: Sincere thanks to Sanya Oni for his write-up with the above title in The Nation of March 26. Thank you for arguing in favour of de-energised, de-humanised and traumatised Nigerians on the vexed issue of fuel or petrol subsidy.

    One thing I do not understand is whether the petroleum subsidy grows. I ask this because since the Abacha regime set up the now demised Petroleum Trust Fund which ran with proceeds of petroleum subsidy withdrawal, there has been periodic removal of the same subsidy leading to increase in pump price of petrol each time by subsequent regimes including that of President Obasanjo.

    In addition, the government has been unable to tell Nigerians the actual level of subsidy on petrol and monies doled out to friends and cronies via the so called subsidy. How does the subsidy return after its removal?

    One is worried that the government would deliberately transfer the burden of illegal payments to some well heeled people that “must be settled” in the guise of fuel subsidy reimbursement.

    Kindly continue with your fight for us if they will hear for we are already at a tight corner and would be unable to take more under any guise including subsidy withdrawal and increase in electricity tariff.

    • E. U. A. Enwereuzo,

    Okose Road, Uromi

  • Tinubu @ 61: The tasks ahead

    SIR: I refer to a speech credited to a prominent American citizen to a graduating class of engineering students in the United States: “Even at the pinnacle of your career your task is not done yet because new challenges will always await you as citizen engineers”.

    At 61, encomiums will be pouring in for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu from all nooks and crannies of Nigeria and abroad. His millions of associates, friends, well-wishers, his foot soldiers, and hangers on will be fighting for spaces on the pages of newspapers, magazines, TV and radio stations to celebrate their leader. His achievements will be posted on every wall for the world to see. Parties will be organized by his great followers in some areas to get attention. Colloquium and public lectures will be put in place by his admirers in honour of BAT. Street drummers and dancers will not want to be left out in the big show. Singers will not want their voices to be left out. What of writers and newspaper columnists?

    Conversely, his adversaries especially those whose political fortunes have nosedived as Asiwaju’s rose will sneer and offer uncomplimentary tributes. Those that fear his rising political profile, those that are so woven to the present decadent order will hiss and jeer. These are normal flipsides to a life like Asiwaju’s and conforms to the life of a great man.

    However, in the midst of these huge celebrations which are not only imperative but necessary, I want to chart another form of celebration as I want to challenge the leader, Asiwaju BAT that the task to reclaim Nigeria’s stolen future still awaits him as a ‘Citizen Engineer’. Asiwaju has received laurels both in Nigeria and abroad. He has shown leadership even when rocked in the cradle of difficulties and pillowed pains and hardships.

    He has shown remarkable and tremendous courage and perseverance in the midst of persecution. He has shown huge capacity to lead even in the face of challenges. To make things happen, Asiwaju has dared to drill the deepest well in Nigeria. Through dint of hard work, he has restored leadership and glory in the South-west and Edo State.

    But all these ground breaking achievements will be nothing if Nigeria goes under. In nearly 16 years, PDP has systematically grounded Nigeria, bringing to ruins a promising country that needs to show the way forward for Africa. In our own very eyes the party and its 40 thieves have squandered our future, our children’s future. PDP has purloined off Nigerian resources and future to coded accounts while Nigerians continue a life of pain and misery. A country blessed with a vast preponderance of human and material resources is lying prostrate because our good men had done nothing.

    At 61 Asiwaju BAT must be in battle gear now, he must wear the armour. The five-star General must lead his troops to war to reclaim Nigeria. Asiwaju should throw his doors wide open for Nigerians who desire change to come in. He should use his long undefeatable and unstoppable legs to go to them if they fail to come. He should use his golden voice to beckon on them to join the human race. Asiwaju should use his hands that are more than handy to drive the great handshake across Nigeria in order to stop the drift in the land.

    With his international connections, Asiwaju should reach out to the international community and seek help. With its brazen deep pockets, oil wells, and contractors with stolen money, to unseat PDP will be no tea party. Asiwaju must lead the onslaught against these people. None but honest and wise men must rule under this roof henceforth. This is duty Asiwaju owes us at 61.

    • Joe Igbokwe

    Lagos