Fiction II THIS LONELY PATHWAY

By Fred Nwaozor

I will wear my mask
While I do my work.
Yes, even on a mast
And as I take a walk.

This is to avoid a blast
From the new Corona
Who has come in vast
To maim my new Corolla.

I'm now on the alert
To strangle the pandemic,
Even as the bank alert
Ceased to enter my pan-den.

Let's lock-up the doors
While the lock-down lasts.

Fred Nwaozor
Poet, Novelist & Playwright

Opinion II Uzodimma's 100 Days: All Eyes On Imo

By Toni Wakiki Akuneme





In his inaugural address to Imo people in January this year, as their 6th democratically elected governor, Senator Hope Odidika Uzodinma reiterated his commitment to purposeful governance benchmarked by free enterprise, social security and rule of law. He pledged (on oath) to "restore financial discipline, entrench due process and conduct government business in the most transparent manner "

I met the man Sen. Hope Uzodimma sometime in 2011 when my cousin, Hon Uche Obiozor, presented me to him as his constituent who was posted to the Nigeria High Commission in Ottawa, Canada as Immigration attaché (then he had just become the senator for my Orlu Zone).

The next time I met Sen. Uzodimma again was in 2015 when I just returned to Nigeria after my foreign service and he had asked to meet with the youths of my town, as part of his non partisan constituency briefing. Fortuitously, I was nominated unanimously to tell the distinguished senator, the expectations of Awo-Omamma youths. After that meeting which held in the home of one of our elder statesmen, Sir Jerry Onuwa, the senator held my hand and whispered to me, "no wonder they made you their spokesman ". I smiled.

We never met again until in 2017 when I was elected president of the global forum for all Awo-Omamma people (ADF) and we paid the senator a courtesy visit in his Abuja office. Again, we interacted cordially on the need to include Awo-Omamma in his constituency program and projects. Instantly, the obviously impressed senator, asked his then Legislative Assistant, Ralph Nwosu, to allocate one civic center, one solar borehole and two feeder roads for Awo-Omamma community in their list of NDDC interventions. The borehole was completed within few weeks while the roads are still under construction and the civic center has been published by NDDC in their 2019 projects but yet to be commenced.

I cut a deep impression of the man Hope Uzodimma after those meetings and other more intimate contacts I had with him later on in 2017 and 2018 in company of my cousin Alloy Nnawugo, his classmate way back from Mgbidi Boys college, who always visited from London. I never saw Sen. Uzodimma as someone who pretended to be perfect. He rather came across as a simple, friendly but highly focused man who knew exactly what he wanted from life and possessed an unambiguous and charming style for pursuing his life's ambition.

Fast forward to January 2020 and behold Sen. Uzodimma had become the Executive Governor of Imo State after a two time stint in the Nigerian Red Chamber. The New Imo Governor must have come prepared, having had his eyes on the crystal ball in Douglas House since 2003, seventeen clear years before he finally wrestled the coveted seat from Mr Emeka Ihedioha of the rival People's Democratic Party.

I have no doubt that the new governor has come on board with an uncommon zeal that is already energizing the entire state towards sustainable development founded on inclusiveness and collective responsibility. His robust political experience and active Legislative career at the federal level must have equally exposed him to policymaking cum leadership strategies and skill sets that will help him navigate the curves of statecraft in his avowed bid to achieve the New Imo of his dreams.

I am convinced that Sen. Uzodimma fully understands the need to very quickly impress Ndi Imo who may not afford him a second chance for a good first impression, given their checkered political experience and against the backdrop of the remarkably divine way in which he launched himself into Douglas House, beginning with his dislodging of the Okorocha hold on Imo and then the unseating of an Ihedioha who claimed to be the governor albeit not meeting the mandatory two third spread of votes cast in the 27 local government areas of the State.

Recent political history in Nigeria shows that such governors who reclaimed their mandates by divine Judicial intervention like the Peter Obis and the Rotimi Amechis, wasted no time in giving their people real QUALITY service delivery, being naturally fired up by their peculiar circumstances.

Sen. Uzodimma is not likely to be any different, judging by his sure and steady flow in the last 100 days of his administration, by way of citizen based governance. His first moves included the continuation of all genuine policies and programmes initiated by the ousted, ill fated government of Mr Ihedioha, to truly underscore that government was a CONTINUUM, such as retaining the famous water engineer Emeka Ugoanyanwu who has started the reactivation of the hitherto moribund Otammiri Water scheme, retaining all the road construction contractors in the state especially in the state capital, Owerri, retaining all the panels of enquiries instituted by Mr Ihedioha against the activities of former governor Okorocha, prompt payment of workers salaries and pensions but with a caveat that only physically identified persons will be captured. No more ghost workers and ghost pensioners.

Other salient but silent milestones of the Uzodimma's administration that are not easily discernible to the uninitiated, include the prompt signing into law the bill on Enhanced Criminal Justice Administration which aims at simplifying complex court proceedings and decongesting the prisons in line with Federal Government Reform efforts to make Nigeria Prisons more of Correctional facilities than punitive. Thus, innovations like speedy trials, alternatives to imprisonment such as Community paroles and Plea bargaining will be the hallmarks of Justice administration in Imo state which becomes one of the few states to domesticate this new law in consonance with the Federal government.

Sen. Uzodimma's greatest achievement in the past three months is unarguably his ability to forestall the entry of the dreaded Corona virus into the entire Imo state, which has received both local and International commendations. Doubtless the total lockdown of the state naturally affected social and economic development in the state especially the arrival of dozens of foreign investors that had been issued visas for business meetings with the governor and his team.

Some of these investors were to come from Japan to discuss alternative power generation and distribution potentials in the state, while another group from Canada were set to arrive Owerri for high level discussions on livestock and other agro based services. A third group from Israel had also gotten their visas to come for signing of agreements on affordable housing and construction projects and the beauty of all these engagements is that they are bringing their own funding from offshore and all imo government is expected to provide is just the enabling environment and political will to drive these businesses with the attendant multiplier job creating potentials.

Sen. Uzodimma sure has such political sagacity in quantum deposits and little wonder he prefers to call himself the Oracle of PROSPERITY as he gears up not just to create wealth for nde Imo but also to ensure that such wealth is equitably distributed among the rich and the poor with Special focus on the vulnerable groups in the state. The governor is fully convinced that if a greater percentage of imolites are gainfully employed, crime will reduce, tourism, for which Owerri has come to be known, will triple and Imo will become more prosperous.

Already, once the lockdown is over, the governor is personally set to engage the leadership of major professional organizations like NBA, NMA, ICAN, COREN, NUT, NLC, and so on, so they can come to Owerri for their Annual General Meetings, which he will personally attend the opening ceremonies and encourage the government owned hotel to offer them free venues and discounted rooms and services. The idea, which Uzodimma copied from the city of Miami, is to ensure that all round the year, the state capital and its environ will remain busy with activities such that hoteliers, restaurants, beer pubs, cab drivers, business owners and other tour operators will be fully engaged from January to December. With this plans comes the massive reorientation of all major stakeholders in the tourism sector to ensure that visitors to imo state go away with the desire to come back again and again, based on a solid impression.

The governor is committed to upgrading the infrastructural and environmental systems around the state, with urgent emphasis on Owerri the capital. He literally has taken over the daily supervision of waste disposal and monitoring of on going road construction projects in the state.

Sen. Uzodimma is so passionate about the Recovery, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of the New Imo he visualizes that he has vowed to go round by midnight once the lockdown is over, to physically inspect street lights, pot holes, security patrols and traffic lights to be sure that contractors don't try to compromise his aides. He Hope's to make the state free from such abuse like littering the streets and urinating publicly as first offenders will be used as scapegoats to test the determination of the state.

Sen. Uzodimma is aware that all eyes are on him, having made clear promises during his campaigns and inauguration. He does not have any slightest plans to go back on those promises. He sees the whole process of governance and politics as a hobby and is not in it for personal aggrandizement.

Sen. Uzodimma has a date with destiny and will rather quit than try to shortchange Ndi Imo. Uzodimma ultimately wants to make Imo the symbol of QUALITY east of the Niger. Quality people. Quality products. Quality services. Uzodimma has already dusted the original master plan for the state as created by the legendary Dr Sam Mbakwe and is willing and able to reinvent the New Imo of Mbakwe's dreams, which successive governments ignored.

Sen. Uzodimma will engage with all stakeholders in periodic town-hall meetings to review his strategies and plan new ones. At the end, all Sen. Uzodimma wants is for Ndi Imo to get the good life while God alone takes all the glory.

Let the Corona virus pandemic go away, so the good times can begin.

Toni Wakiki Akuneme
Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor, writes from Awo-Omamma.

Analysis II On Proposed Migration To 5G Network

By Fred Nwaozor

Few months back, sometime in August 2019, the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Prof. Umar Danbatta said the agency had approved dedicated spectrum for trial deployment of the Fifth Generation (5G) network services in the country.
In his words, the boss acknowledged the evolving trends in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) ecosystem, giving rise to such technologies as Internet of Things (IoT) applications and Smart cities and communities, among others, saying the NCC was well positioned to jump-start trial of the 5G deployment.
This, which was disclosed at the 4-day conference titled “Ist Digital African Week” organized by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) as was hosted by the NCC at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, saw Prof. Banbatta empasizing that the commission, in line with its collaboration and strategic partnership drive, had taken steps to involve members of the academia as major stakeholders in its activities towards the development of the telecom sector.
He further stressed that the recent licensing of seven infrastructural frims to deploy metro and inter-city fiber and broadband point of Access with a minimum capacity of 10Gbps across the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Nigeria, was in accordance with the “8-point agenda of the commission for the provision of ubiquitous broadband infrastructures” within the shores of the country in the “Next Level document”.
He noted that such a regulatory move was consistent with Nigeria’s Vision 20:2020, which recognizes the importance and imperative of ICT, as part of the “new world order” and catalyst for sustainable socio-economic development.
He, therefore, boasted before the audience that Nigeria had not only achieved but exceeded the 30 per cent penetration target set by the National Broadband Plan 2013-2018, stating equally that by the end of June 2019, the country’s broadband penetration stood at 33.31%.
In a related development, at the 39th Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) that held sometime in October 2019 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami stated that the country was ready to deploy 5G network across the federation to ease network flow.
The minister said Nigeria was ready for the 5G network but preparation was key, as he equally mentioned that the 5G could not be deployed across the country yet due to some gaps in citizens being unable to access the 2G, 3G and 4G networks.
He, however, acknowledged that the gaps were already there among the teeming users of the networks in Nigeria but advancement should not be delayed because some people were not yet on the same page with others.
Dr. Pantami frowned at the situation whereby Nigerians don’t believe in their local products, as he recognized that a Nigerian in the United Kingdom (UK) was the first person globally to design, build and develop first real-time 5G network dedicated to self-organized networks in the UK, using general-purpose processors.
He landed by saying “we usually fail to deploy what we produce”. According to the boss, Nigerians were so much addicted to foreign products and whenever they hear anything ‘local’, it appears to them as inferior. He thus reiterated “the perception of undermining our effort is what we need to change”.
It’s pertinent to fully comprehend the meaning and essence of the 5G network. 5G, as the acronym implies, is a 5th Generation mobile network. It is dedicated to handle much larger role than that of the already existing ones such as the 1G, 2G, 3G and 4G networks, respectively.
5G is introduced to elevate the mobile network to not only interconnect people, but equally interconnect and control machines, objects, or any form of devices. It’s meant to deliver new levels of performance and efficiency that would empower new user experiences and connect new industries.
The 5G network will deliver multi-Gbps peak rates or faster speeds, ultra-low latency, massive capacity, as well as more uniform user experience. Hence, it’s imperative to note that the 1G was designed to solely deliver analog voice, 2G for digital voice, 3G brought mobile data, whilst the 4G ushered in the era of mobile internet, which we are currently enjoying.
In summary, the 5G is a new kind of network in the telecom sector. It’s a platform for innovations that won’t only enhance today’s mobile broadband services, but would equally expand mobile networks to support a vast diversity of devices and services, as well as connect new industries with improved performance, efficiency and cost.
5G is, therefore, an advanced wireless technology that has begun wide deployment in 2019. It’s worth noting that, presently, about four million Koreans have access to the 5G network as at October 2019, with about five million expected by year end or early next year.
It’s also amazing to comprehend that China has deployed over 100,000 base stations in her quest for 5G wide usage, hence about 150 million 5G mobile subscribers are expected in the Asian country by 2020.
Since it is obvious that the 5G mobile network will soonest dominate the telecom sector, Nigeria as an entity must therefore not act in abeyance than to concentrate on how best an effective and efficient 5G network can be duly introduced into the Nigerian society.
As Nigeria, likewise other developing countries, is still trial-testing her technologies and securities towards creating and launching a wholesome environment for the awaited 5G network, she must acknowledge the key parameters needed to be considered as the concerned authorities undergo the testing process.
First, a well-designed unit comprising tested and trusted experts must be inculcated into the NCC purposely to handle all the technicalities and intricacies that need to be put in place prior to the arrival and launch of the 5G network system in the country.
Moreso, the security aspect of the preparation mustn’t be overlooked. It’s noteworthy that the wider the broadband, the more available opportunity for the criminals in the telecom sector.
Considering the above assertion, aside the already constituted law enforcement agencies in the country, there would be a compelling need to further institute a special Security Intelligence unit within the NCC, to tactically handle issues pertaining to frauds. This very proposal requires a strict legislative back-up and apt implementation.
The 5G network will operate in a high-frequency band of the wireless spectrum, between 28 Gigahertz (GH) and 60 GHz. It’s expected to add unlicensed frequencies such as the 3.5 GHz to its list of new frequencies for mobile use. This means a lot of bandwidth would be available to the teeming users.
The aforementioned merit indicates that the 5G won’t only boost ease of communication among telecom subscribers but equally expand the economic band or prospect of any country involved. Hence, the need for the Nigerian government to act fast. Think about it!


Comrade Nwaozor is the
National Coordinator, Right Thinkers Movement
____________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com

Fiction II WHAT A PANDEMIC!

Poet: Fred Nwaozor

Oh, what a pandemic
In this global village
Disrupting human isodemic
Even in our local village!

This is so demonic
To our collective existence.
Hence, needs severe demo
To quench the persistence.

As we mainly deploy exorcism
To free the bedevilled atmosphere,
It's noteworthy that this exodus
Needs more of forensic sphere.

So, while COVID-19 sputters
Let's jettison anything spurious.

Tech II Adamu's Digital Learning Advocacy Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

ADAMU’s DIGITAL LEARNING ADVOCACY AMID COVID-19 PANDEMIC

By Fred Nwaozor

Digital (virtual) learning is any form of learning that is accompanied by technology or by instructional practice that makes effective use of technology.

It encompasses the application of a wide spectrum of practices including blended and virtual learning. Through the use of mobile technologies, digital learning can be used while travelling and other related activities.

It’s noteworthy that there are a plethora of tools and resources online, many which are free, that can be used to create and enhance a digital learning environment.

Some of the tools being used by the 21st Century digital learning tutors include Google+, YouTube, RSS, iTunesU, cloud-based Word Processors (Google Drive), Evernote, file-sharing platforms (Dropbox), Zotero and digital pocket.

Penultimate week, precisely on 2nd April 2020, unsure of how long the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic that causes pleurisy would linger, the Nigeria’s Minister of Education – Mallam Adamu Adamu – engaged 237 Vice-Chancellors (VCs), Rectors and Provosts of the various higher citadels of learning across the country on a rigorous talk concerning how to reopen their respective institutions using virtual learning.

In the amazing discussion that lasted for hours, which held via a teleconference, the said boss directed all universities, polytechnics and colleges of education to activate virtual (online) learning environment to enable students continue their studies through digital devices.

He however acknowledged the fact that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was still on strike, hence assured the Federal Government (FG) would do its best to resolve the lingering labour crisis.

Mallam Adamu who was physically flanked by the Executive Secretaries of the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) as well as the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), among others, further stated that the FG could not afford to shut schools for a long time, thus called for the meeting to ascertain remedies to the challenges posed to the nation’s school calendar by the COVID-19.

The minister who affirmed at the online session that he had tested negative to the COVID-19, said “We cannot be held down by the pandemic. We have to deploy all e-platforms to keep our universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and other schools open.

He frowned that the outbreak of the COVID-19 had negatively changed everybody – both individuals and institutions – therefore asked the leadership of the higher citadels of learning to device alternative ways towards ensuring that the education of the young ones would not be truncated.

Mallam Adamu who urged the education leaders to take advantage of technology as it was found in other parts of the world, stating the country could not shut down all schools when it could boast of other means to teach the students, equally disclosed that the government was already collaborating with the World Bank and the United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) on how to create platforms for virtual learning classrooms.

Having reiterated determination to end the ongoing impasse between the FG and the ASUU, the minister stated that the private universities that were not on industrial action could immediately commence the virtual learning prior to the anticipated resumption of the public varsities that were still on strike.

On their part, most VCs of the private varsities welcomed the idea, hence expressed readiness to reopen their institutions having claimed they already had top grade virtual (online) learning system. They however pleaded with the FG to amend the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) Act to enable private citadels benefit from the intervention funds.

Mallam Adamu went further to enjoin the UBEC to work out modalities on how primary school pupils and secondary students could learn by using digital channels such as the radio and television stations. He said the FG would involve the state governments in this regard.

This could be referred to as a clarion call made by the education minister, conscientizing the stakeholders in the education industry to embrace the current realities. He was apparently making effort to let them comprehend that digitalization – or technology at large – cannot be kept in abeyance at such a critical time like this.

It’s really appalling that at this moment when virtually everything is being digitalized across the globe, most Nigerian higher educational institutions are yet to fully key into the language of digitalization let alone granting access to the teeming students. It’s not news that till date, most of these citadels are still finding it difficult to engage their students in e-library platform.

Though face-to-face contact – or physical presence of a tutor – plays a very major role in impaction of knowledge, hence cannot be jettisoned, it’s imperative for these leaders of thoughts to acknowledge that the impact of a tech-driven teaching mode in the contemporary society cannot be overemphasized.

Hence, it’s needless to assert that time has come for our institutions to deploy a new and alternative means of learning in their various jurisdictions in line with the present global realities.

However, come to think of it; one of the prime reasons that informed the recent incessant industrial actions embarked upon by the varsities’ dons was reportedly the continued poor funding of the institutions by the governments at all levels.

The last time I checked, the main reason that resulted in the ongoing strike by the ASUU members remained the compelling need to revitalize the country’s various universities in the area of learning, infrastructure and research.

If the above paragraph holds water, we will then wonder how the minister would expect these institutions to duly embrace digital pattern of learning when they are ostensibly facing paucity of funds in their respective purses. This smacks of deceit.

It’s worthy of note that the Nigeria’s numerous varsities have recently been deprived of their rightful place. The current move by the government to totally denial them their right for autonomy is a tangible proof to this assertion. As if the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy wasn’t enough, the FG still went ahead to involve the varsities in the newly introduced Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) policy after several stakeholders had condemned the action.

The worst of these remains that the latter - as regards the aforementioned policies - is currently causing more harm than good in the sectors that have keyed into it. It suffices to assert that the IPPIS, which is primarily targeted to curtail corruption in the public sector, is rather reportedly constituting more corrupt practices.

For any society to move forward as expected by all, viable and feasible policies must be initiated and duly implemented by the apt authorities, and the existing ones that are perceived to be lofty and wholesome must equally be sustained at all cost.

It's more disheartening when realized that those who invariably embark on the countless industrial actions do so only for the sake of tokenism. It's, therefore, unarguably high time we faced reality squarely and vow to hold the bull by the horn.

As the days unfold, the country continues to witness myriad of brain drain both in the health and education sectors, yet those concerned would still observe the unfortunate incidence with amazing physiognomies.

As much as we eagerly want these citadels to improve or grow in terms of learning content and research quality coupled with patent development and innovations, the needed support must equally be granted without involving any element of pranks. Think about it!


*Comrade Nwaozor*, policy analyst & rights activist,
is the *National Coordinator, Right Thinkers Movement*
--------------------------------------------
Twitter: @mediambassador
frednwaozor@gmail.com