ShortStory I The Peculiar Queen

THE PECULIAR QUEEN

       Ab initio, Amaudo an ancient kingdom situated in Enugu – the then capital city of East Central region, Nigeria – was unarguably known for its uniqueness in the whole of Igboland, especially during early eighties (1980s) based on the innumerable number of respected personalities found in the area in addition to the invariable and rare farming prowess peculiar to its indigenes in their entirety that it obviously became a point of attraction to every rational being that existed within the aforementioned calendar period.

        Hence, traders and farmers were frequently touring to the area to purchase their wares and farming materials, as the case may be, thereby making it reckoned to be a commercial kingdom to the envy of other neighbouring communities.

         Owing to the booming nature of the locality, its Traditional Ruler Igwe Ogadi Nduka – Ama II of Amaudo – was recognized by all and sundry as the most influential king across the entire Igbo nation. This remarkable phenomenon attached to the throne made it seemed like what every illustrious son of Amaudo wished to sit on.

        The most fascinating scenario was that anyone either indigene or none who received a chieftaincy title from the kingdom was widely regarded as one of the most important chiefs in existence. Thus, any personality within the clan whom was yet to bag the title was seen as one who hadn’t arrived, thereby constituting an unending inconsequential controversy among the people especially during occasions or festive periods.

        “Igwe..!” the community’s town crier Uzondu saluted Igwe Nduka, head bent as the custom expected right in the king’s palace. “Igwe…ee!!” the short, dark and plump young man repeated.

         He was standing about two metres away from the royal father who was seated on his magnificent and adorable throne surrounded by two palace male servants whom were busy blowing some air on him with native hand-fans made of wicker material.

         He had been ordered by the king just a few minutes ago to appear before him in the palace.

         It was on Friday September 10, 1982 at about some minutes past six in the evening.

       “Uzondu.” Igwe Nduka called.

       “Igwe.” He responded, lowering his moderately big skull.

       “Summon all the sons and daughters of Amaudo,” the King mandated. “Ask them to be in this palace as soon as the cock crows tomorrow.”

       “Igwe…ee”

       “Go immediately.” The King commanded.

       “Igwe…ee.” He said, bowing as usual and hastily dashed out of the palace as demanded.

        The following morning being Saturday, 11^th of September 1982 at about seven O’clock, the palace was flooded with every dick and harry in Amaudo as requested by the king. The alarming number of people present at the palace was no doubt an indication that Igwe Nduka was highly adored by his people. An open place at the King’s residence was used as the venue for the gathering rather than the palace due to the intimidating number of persons at the arena.

         Every elderly man and woman was comfortably seated while the youth as well as the kids were all on their feet as a result of insufficient seats.

       “Great people of Amaudo,” Igwe Nduka who sat on his throne commenced his awaited speech in a very high and pleasant tone. “You are all welcome!”

         On the King’s right hand was his immediate younger brother Chief Amaechi Nduka while High Chief Amasiri Ogbuehi – the Traditional Prime Minister (TPM) of the ancient kingdom – was rightly seated by his left side.

       “Igwe…ee!” The people chorused in unison.

       “Without being told,” Igwe Nduka who dressed in his kingship regalia proceeded. “You already know why we are gathered here.” He hinted.

        The elders amidst the crowd nodded.

       “Of course, a week today September 18 would be our Iri Ji festival,” the king said. “So, I thought it wise to remind you of the formalities involved based on our ancient tradition.”

       ‘Iri Ji’ festival, which was an annual event, meant New Yam festival. The remarkable ritual, which was celebrated every 18^th of September, marked the beginning of yam consumption for each farming year in the kingdom. Thus no one, not even the king, was supposed to consume a newly harvested yam until the ‘Iri Ji’ ceremony is observed.

        To be continued, please.

Comrade Fred Nwaozor

(TheMediaAmbassador)

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri

___________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056

Twitter: @mediambassador

Opinion II Imo Youths And The 2019 General Elections

IMO YOUTHS AND THE 2019 GENERAL ELECTIONS      

          

The last time I checked, 12^th of August every year remained International Youth Day. This signifies that two weeks ago, the world over commemorated the 2018 edition of the remarkable global event.

          

The International Youth Day is annually held on August 12 to celebrate the achievements of the world’s youth and to encourage their participation in enhancing global society. It also aims to promote ways to engage them in becoming more actively involved in making positive contributions in their respective communities.

         

The idea for International Youth Day was proposed in 1991 by young people who were gathered in Vienna, Austria for the first session of the United Nations (UN) World Youth Forum. The forum recommended that an International Youth Day should be declared, especially for fund-raising and promotional purposes to support the UN Youth Fund in partnership with various youth organizations.     

           

In 1998, a resolution proclaiming August 12 as International Youth Day was adopted during the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth Affairs. That recommendation was later endorsed in 1999 by the UN General Assembly.

          

The International Youth Day was first observed in the year 2000. One of the highlights of the event was the presentation of the UN’s World Youth Awards to the eight Latin American and Caribbean youth and youth-related organizations in Panama City. It’s, therefore, needless to state that this year’s commemoration represents the nineteenth edition of the worthwhile celebration.

          

It is generally noted that the youth is the main productive class of any nation, and Nigeria is not an exception. In the same vein, anyone in a youthful stage sees himself as one of the major parts of the engine room of any society he belongs. This perception is not unconnected with the teachings of nature, which is obviously ubiquitous.

           

It suffices to say that any existing society that cannot boast of meaningful youths is not unlike a tree that is being deprived of its major root. This is the reason any country that has lost its youths to social vices lives like a blind man as well as invariably sleeps with one eye open.

          

Though the definition of the youth regarding the age bracket varies from one school of thought to another, in a nutshell, it could be defined as a group of young people who are in their adulthood stage. Thus, a youth is simply an adult or a fully grown person that is young.

         

Considering the above definition, you would agree to the fact that the youth is indeed the engine room of any existing society. To this end, it is pathetic and devastating, to assert the least, seeing a society comprising irrational youths, or a group of young people that do not know their left from their right.  

           

It’s not anymore news that, presently, about eighty percent (80%) of the overall youths in most countries in the world, particularly developing nations, have intensely derailed thereby constituting series of inconsequential cacophonies as well as societal menace in all nooks and crannies.  An average member of such a misled group keeps believing – albeit ignorantly – that he/she is being manipulated by a certain set of individuals, without knowing that his future lies in his bare hand. 

          

In Nigeria, for instance, during the post-colonial era or thereabouts, virtually all the political positions in the country were fully occupied by the youth who were mostly in their twenties ranging from Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, Chief Tafawa Balewa, Generals Murtala Mohammed, Theophilus Danjuma, Ibrahim Babagida, Sani Abacha, Shehu Musa Yar’adua, Aguiyi Ironsi, Chukwuemeka Odumegu-Ojukwu, Olusegun Obasanjo, and Mohammadu Buhari, among many others too numerous to mention.

           

But today, the reverse is totally the case. You would hardly see a youth in his thirties becoming a commissioner in his or her home state, let alone occupying a ministerial position. Unequivocally, the ongoing profound apathy coupled with complete loss of vision among most of the new generation youths who occupy about one-third of the country’s population, calls for an outcry.

           

In the spirit of the 2018 International Youth Day and as the 2019 general elections draw nearer, I’m soliciting for awareness-raising campaigns to ensure that all our youths are fully sensitized in order to revive the ongoing alarming rate of moral decadence, docility, laxity, and mediocrity found among them.

          

Against this backdrop, I call on the governments, non-governmental bodies, religious institutions, the civil society, the mass media, and what have you, to join hands in this enticing crusade so that in no distant time, Nigeria can boast of a society filled with only resourceful and conscience-driven youths.

          

Our youths must be meant to realize that it is arguably high time power is taken from this set of ‘old’ people currently occupying the seat of power in various jurisdictions across the country, particularly the Eastern Heartland.

          

We can contribute our respective quotas by initiating or sponsoring both social and academic activities such as youth seminars cum conferences on education and empowerment, concerts promoting the youth both at home and in the Diaspora as well as various sporting events, parades and mobile exhibitions that will showcase young people’s accomplishments with a view to thoroughly sensitizing the mindset of the said group on their civic responsibilities, rights and privileges.

           

At this juncture, as the next electioneering era is fast approaching, it isn’t needful to reiterate that the overall Imo youths, that of Nigeria in general, are bound to arise at such a critical time like this.

         

We can’t continue to procrastinate because a stitch in time, they say, saves nigh. Hence, the time to act is now. Think about it!

Comrade FDN Nwaozor

National Coordinator, Right Thinkers Movement

______________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056

Twitter: @mediambassador

Opinion II When Governors Become Emperors

WHEN GOVERNORS BECOME EMPERORS

         

I had almost gone to bed on the eve of 2016 Christmas when a phone call filtered in from Germany to engage me in an informal chat as usual. The caller, who happened to be my old-time friend, actually called to express his bitterness over what he observed on the television regarding one of the Nigeria’s governors.

        

According to the buddy, he had on that very day watched a governor of one of the states in the Southern Nigeria commissioning a Christmas tree worth over half a billion naira whilst the leader in question was reportedly owing workers and pensioners in the state for several months.

         

I wish Mr. Kunle would someday meet with my dad whom I often refer to as a political philosopher. The old man – a well experienced octogenarian – one day informed me unequivocally that some states across the country were suffering from economic epilepsy, thus needed to undergo holistic lobotomy. His seeming candid view was informed by the way and manner in which some sitting governors invariably act as if they are not accountable to anyone.

        

To assert that currently some governors operate not unlike an emperor isn’t in any way an overstatement, and such weird custom is not peculiar to a particular state or region in the country. It suffices to say that virtually all the governors have been indicted of such bilious and nonchalant lifestyle.

        

Take for instance, a situation where a governor would refuse to conduct the Local Government (LG) council elections in his state and such scenario would linger till he leaves office. In most cases, he would put up a façade in the name of an election towards the expiration of his tenure, perhaps to prove to people that LG polls were eventually conducted under his watch.

        

Why wouldn’t such governor be rated as an emperor when every other official in the affected state such as the legislators cum judicial custodians would remain a rubber stamp as the unfortunate scene prevails? Funnily enough, when a court orders the governor to without much ado conduct the long awaited LG polls, he would rather regard such legal directive as baseless.

        

On a monthly basis, the Federal Government (FG) would release funds entitled by the third tier governments via the various states. In the process, the said allocation would be hijacked by the governors and such funds would never be utilized on the projects for which they were meant. Instead, they would be channeled toward the implementation of non-feasible projects.

        

The judicial system in the states suffering from such unruly behaviour is vulnerable, to assert the least. I have often times witnessed a situation whereby an injunction is issued by a court of competent jurisdiction to stop a governor from taking a certain intended action, yet the latter would overlook the order with the notion that he alone has the final say in the state.

          

The vulnerability of the lawmakers in such states cannot be left out. Rather than act as independent elected officials, the legislators would be reduced to mere aides of the governor thus would invariably be left with no choice than to operate as they were instructed by him. Similarly, the deputy governor would be subjected to function as the governor’s appointee. What is left for this set of governors is to fence their states in order to possess it as their birthright or personal asset.

         

As the uncalled ill lingers unabated, it’s noteworthy that the FG has a very vital role to play with a view to addressing it. There is a compelling need to, by law, scrap the various states’ electoral commissions.

         

By so doing, the conduct of the LG elections would become the prerogative of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), or its like that may be set up by the FG. This signifies that it would no longer be the responsibility of the governors to determine when and how the said polls would be held in their respective states.

         

The anti-graft agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) need to also shift their tentacles to the various states, to serve as a deterrent to all the public officers in the area. They must ensure that they could boast of well equipped branches in all the states across the federation, and such extensions must be manned by competent and trustworthy individuals who cannot compromise their statutory obligations irrespective of whose ox is gored.

        

The Fourth Alteration Bill that grants financial autonomy to State Judiciaries and State Houses of Assembly recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari is equally a way forward. Similarly, granting a financial autonomy to the third tier government is long overdue.

         

Inter alia, it’s high time the electorate woke up from slumber. They need to fully acknowledge that they possess the constitutional immunity to recall any lawmaker who is not living up to the expectations. Also, they needn’t be reminded that it’s equally their right to say enough is enough whenever the impunity of their governor goes to extreme point.

        

We must bear in mind at all times that he is an elected official, not an emperor, hence the need to question him when need be. Think about it!

Comrade FDN Nwaozor

National Coordinator, Right Thinkers Movement

_________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador            

   

       

TechDeck I Computer-Based Testing And Its Prospects

COMPUTER-BASED TESTING AND ITS PROSPECTS

         

Computer-Based Testing (CBT), otherwise known as e-assessment, can be defined as a pattern of administering tests in which the responses are electronically recorded and/or assessed.

         

It is conducted by the examiners by the use of various Information Technology (IT) equipment or mechanisms to include computer, the internet, networking, with the aid of special softwares.

         

The candidates, on their part, can sit for the test with the use of personal computer (PC) or an apt computerized gadget such as cell phone, particularly Smartphone, either at a testing hall or in their respective homes, as the case may be.

        

CBT is currently used for different purposes by various educational institutions. Many deploy it for entrance aptitude tests, some others for Continuous Assessment (CA), whilst few use it for their semester examinations.

         

It’s noteworthy that it is mainly in the case of CA or quiz that candidates are allowed to attend to the questions from any locality of their choice, thus the questions would be answered under no supervision.

         

In recent times, several academic institutions in Nigeria have adopted the CBT as an alternative assessment mode in contrast to the manual method that involves the use of paper and pen/pencil.

         

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) now deploys it for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) that tests the ability of candidates seeking admission in various citadels of higher learning in the country. JAMB fully commenced the use of CBT in the 2015/2016 UTME; prior to the said era, it was an elective mode.

          

Similarly, many professional bodies across the federation are making use of the CBT. It is equally used for promotional tests by some federal cum state’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

          

There are two major types of CBT namely: linear and adaptive. A linear test is a full-length exam in which the computer selects different questions for the candidates without consideration of their performance level. This method is scored in the same way as a Paper-Based Test (PBT).

           

On the other hand, an adaptive test is one in which the computer selects the range of questions based on each of the candidate’s performance level. This means that different test takers – even in the same exam room/hall – would receive different questions.

         

The CBT mode of assessment is arguably crucial and helpful, because it can measure different skills or sets of knowledge in order to provide new and better information about the candidate’s abilities. Moreover, the concerned institutions receive CBT results more quickly than those from the PBT, thereby enabling them to make their admission or promotion decisions, as might be the case, as fast as possible.

           

Furthermore, testing environments are more comfortable and individualized; hence, candidates can write the test/exam with ease, or without much constraint. For instance, in some such standardized tests as Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Graduate Record Examination (GRE), a word processor may be employed for writing essays more quickly contrary to the manual pattern.

           

In most CBT, a candidate might have access to immediate viewing of his or her scores on the computer screen, except in the case of essay-writing whose answers cannot be possibly programmed.

           

It’s worthy of note that one can sit for a CBT even if he/she has minimal or no previous computer experience. Instructions provided in a basic computer tutorial before the scheduled date of the test would give the candidate the required guidelines. This implies that any prospective candidate may have nothing to worry regarding an awaited CBT.  
           

However, it’s imperative to acknowledge that there are numerous challenges attached to the CBT pattern required to be tackled, that if not duly addressed, both the candidates and the examiners would continue to groan while making use of it.

          

For the use of the CBT mode to be thoroughly successful in Nigeria, issues pertaining to power supply, software maintenance cum protection, and internet speed must be considered seriously. Also, cases concerning physical security, manpower, and what have you, ought not to be swept under the carpet.

           

Unsteady power supply can lead to many crises while the test is ongoing. Use of outdated softwares as well as lack of foolproof websites can warrant hacking among other dubious acts, which could make the test questions to be leaked to the public domain prior to the exam date. In the same vein, use of unreliable internet service provider or web browser invariably leads to poor internet speed, and can as well make the site to hang, freeze, or crash. Even bad hardwares such as mouse, keyboard and connectors, can cause several distortions.

           

Inadequate security personnel would enable criminals to invade the venue of the examination where valuables are kept with the purpose of causing obstruction or making away with the gadgets. Above all, the use of inexperienced manpower coupled with unavailability of IT experts cannot be undermined if we are truly determined to sustain this feat.

           

Aside institutions that subscribe to the use of the CBT or e-assessment mode for entrance and promotional exams, which are usually annual or quarterly exercises, those who make use of it for CA are expected to be more vigilant and proactive.

          

The sites and gadgets being utilized ought to from time to time be upgraded, and a close monitoring and evaluation approach must be employed. CBT is good and viable, but the users must endeavour to do the needful. Think about it!

Comrade FDN Nwaozor

Chief Consultant, Docfred Technologies

_____________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056 

Twitter: @mediambassador