TRIBUTE TO THE LATE CHIKE EGBUNA

THE NEED TO IMMORTALIZE THE LATE CHIKE EGBUNA

Brethren, if the gospel truth must be told; frankly I’m being faced with imbroglio as I present this critique owing to the fact that a lot of things has gone wrong or has been mishandled. If you know me too well, you would know that I’m not good at withholding facts especially when it has to do with sensitive issues. I don’t intend in any way to speak in tongue or in parable, thus, let’s have it this way as stated below.

It’s often said that “Who the cap fits, let him wear it.” In the same vein, a very popular citation says, “To whom much is given, much is being expected.” Many similar quotations too numerous to mention are in existence, but I wish to quit at this point since I’m not here to cite citations. Needless to say; we know why we’re gathered here. The reason I’m standing on this pulpit at this time is simple and self-explanatory only if we can absorb the aforementioned theme with absolute sincerity. Mind you, no member of this congregation is known for dishonesty, and such canker won’t commence today.

Penultimate week, barely few days ago, a bosom friend of mine called from Spain in Europe to make an enquiry on how the present political administration in Imo State had been thriving towards good governance. In summary, candidly I told him that the government in question was good in honouring (recognizing) competence. On that note, I let him know that anyone who adores competence must arrive at his/her success room. Let’s ride on!

It’s of no need reminding us of today’s topic because I’m of the view that it’s boldly and widely written. Thanks to my artist for ensuring that clarity and boldness remains his watchword while inscribing the theme on the banner; and to the ushers for the job well done while hanging the banner.

Brethren, the Late Chief Dr. Chike Egbuna who died eight years ago, 20th January 2005 precisely was a man of many colours; an impeccable inventor, international figure, renowned media tycoon, undisputable philanthropist, enigma par excellence, epitome of humility, inter alia the progenitor of millions of brains and intellectuals that are still in existence.

Chike Festus Egbuna otherwise known as MR. SOUL, born to the prestigious family of Elder & Princess Gabriel Orjichukwu Egbuna in Ubachima Awo-Omamma, Oru East LGA of Imo State dropped a remarkable footprint on the sand of time prior to his eternal exit. He left Nigeria for England at a very tender age of 18, and successfully studied International Relations, Mass Communications and Broadcasting in various citadels of higher learning in the U.K. His academic studies also include Political Science and Economics.

After his education which was an all-round affair in both Arts and Social Sciences, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) of London invited him to its African Service at the Bush House in Central London. Due to his immense love for his country of origin, while in BBC during the Nigerian Civil War, he ran homely media programmes like “Calling Nigeria” and “Calling Africa” concurrently. He was also a Guest writer/Presenter, Editor, Consultant, Music analyst and Disc Jockey to various Radio and Television broadcasting firms both in Germany and Holland which include Radio Deutsche Welle, Cologne (The Voice of Germany), Radio Nederland Hilversum – Holland, and Sudwestfunk Baden-Baden – Germany respectively. Above all, he recorded several other achievements too numerous to mention during his stay overseas.

The same love he had for his country and his continent as well, made him come back to Nigeria not long after the end of the said Civil War, to publish a Black African monthly Magazine “INDIGO” to reflect the indigenous patriotism in him. He was also the Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of a Music Man’s monthly Magazine “DISKMART” due to his extreme passion for music.

Later in his life, he applied his journalism/publishing career to politics when he was recognized as the Chief Image Maker of the then Governor of the Old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo. A position that attracted an enormous admiration from all and sundry throughout his service years.

When the Nigeria politics was hijacked by the military, he returned to his broadcasting career. He was asked in 1987 to write a blueprint for the establishment of a Frequency Modulated (FM) Station at Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) Owerri by the then Commissioner for Information, Dr. Chris Anyanwu. The design he presented was so enticing that the Commissioner urged him to come from Enugu where he lived to Owerri, to pilot the newly proposed FM Station. But being a man who believed in competence and fairness, he insisted that an interview should be conducted in case there were other “better hands”. All in all, he won the interview and was gladly asked by the Imo State Government to come to Owerri and resume duty as the Director of the FM Service and Special Duties; the position from which he rose to Director General until his retirement in April 2001. As a DG, he made IBC to become the envy of all which I was a living witness. Above all, the level of humility that originated from him while he was the DG cannot be overemphasized. He was the person who made me to know that the DG of a broadcasting firm can as well anchor news or programmes; the least in the number of the signs of humility discharged by him while on earth.

Being the Patron and award recipient of fathomless notable Social/ Professional Non-Governmental Organizations both home and in the diaspora was not unconnected to his creative ingenuity, elegant uniqueness and innumerable philanthropic gestures he lived to showcase.

The Late Chike Egbuna was indeed endowed with outstanding talents that led him to great heights in journalism and politics. A man who started his broadcasting career in far way British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), London where he earned the reputable name “Mr. Soul” and ended that in his home-state broadcasting firm, Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) where he took time to nurture his lovely and loving wife, Esther Egbuna in broadcasting excellence that has also earned her the famous name “Sister Ee”, and as well made her to rise to the position of the first substantive female Director General of the same broadcasting house at a very young and exuberant age; a rare history indeed!

We’re already aware that information is power. Suffice to say that, a society yet to be informed is apparently still living in the past. In other words, information which can only be guaranteed by journalism can also be referred to as societal light; and we all know what light signifies. If we’ve unanimously agreed to the fact that information ought to be seen as “Societal light”, then someone who played a very major role while alive to ensure that not only his home state but Nigeria in general embrace the efficacy of information should be tagged as a light progenitor. Truly, the Late Dr. Chike Egbuna was a light progenitor! Based on this, I urge not just the Imo State government but Nigeria at large to revisit the numerous flawless idiosyncrasies and accomplishments of the deceased while on earth with the aim of ensuring that, his name becomes immortal.

I bet you, immortalizing the Late Chike Egbuna is like placing a round peg in a round hole. At this juncture I plead with each of everyone of us who knows what it takes to be a hero and what’s required to make a history to kindly and earnestly support this holistic crusade. Though the proposed gesture is long overdue, but it’s better late than never for posterity sake.

He deserves the cap, therefore it should be given to him to wear. Most importantly, he gave the society the best before his eternal departure, so he expects the best in return even in his grave. After all, the present government in Imo State, which is the state he came from, understands the actual meaning of competence and heroism. Yes he is late, but the golden footprints he left behind will continue to chant eulogies on his behalf for eternity. Think about it!

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COMR. FRED NWAOZOR

Social analyst & activist

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Innumerable Unemployable Youths

UNEMPLOYABLE YOUTHS: AN INDICTMENT OF OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

Barely few days ago, someone, a colleague precisely mistook my gentility for cowardice; maybe weakness. Just not unlike a bosom fellow has mistaken my kindness for foolishness lately; a freeloader indeed! Sometimes you may choose to remain an onlooker over a certain scenario owing to its trivial nature. But when things start to get out of hand, you wouldn’t need a mentor to remind you of the role you’re expected to play.

Brethren, greetings to you all! I’m so glad we’ve gathered once more on this platform for another wonderful sermon. I’m afraid, this one might be a bit cruel because I’ve found out that we’ve derailed tremendously in our various responsibilities. Of course it’s a fact; and no one can dispute it. If you have a contrary view, then don’t hesitate to set up your crusade immediately after this presentation.

Beware, many have gone. Thus don’t see yourself as the supremacy or one who controls whatever that happens here. Rather, you’re required to accept the fact that you’re one of the subjects of nature. You can never cheat it (nature), instead the reverse becomes the case. I repeat, beware trillions have gone already. And you would never be an exception whenever the need arises; get that into your thick skull.

Believe me, Nigeria as a whole is profoundly littered with uncountable number of unemployable individuals. Someone may ask, who’s unemployable?

An unemployable person is one who does not have a job and is unlikely to get a job because of the way he behaves or due to lack of relevant or required skill(s). in a concise and precise term; one who’s unemployable doesn’t have a job and has no chances of securing any simply because he’s not fit for it.

This anomaly is rampant in Nigeria, and it’s solely attributable to the rapid decay of the country’s educational sector. Honestly the sector is fast decaying, and it seems there’s nothing anyone can do about it in spite of the effort made so far to ensure that such aberration cease to exist.

If the truth must not be withheld, then it’s needless to say that, the educational downfall in Nigeria is not unconnected to the recent high level of corruption in her academic, administrative and socio-political system. Let’s ride on!

‘Sorting’ known as an academic decadence found amongst the lecturers which I’ve taken time to write on in one of my previous editions has introduced grievous harm to the Nigerian academic system. As a result of this perpetual cankerworm, most students no longer take their studies seriously thereby resulting to proliferation of half-baked graduates in the Nigeria’s labour market.

Secondly, lack of seriousness and non-carefulness of most academic and non-academic staff in our various citadel of higher learning have led to several misplacement of files and other official documents which I happened to be a victim during my university days. This nonchalant attitude of staff has been constituting series of aberrations on the affected campuses, such as dislocation of data belonging to students which often leads to misallocation of grades or scores to the said students.

Above all, inadequate or lack of teaching facilities and abuse of the existing ones have constituted the major phase of this ongoing porosity in learning curriculum. Most of our higher institutions are not unlike mere secondary schools; suffice to say that, they’re simply glorified primary schools. Lack of befitting libraries, laboratories, workshops, lecture classes, staff offices, et cetera, have introduced an environment that makes even ‘an imbecile’ to graduate at ease in our universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and so on. This poignant scenario is wholly linked to the incessant corruption rate in the nation’s political system. Recently the Nigerian government seems to be insensitive over the aforementioned ugly trend constantly and consistently witnessed in our schools. Such lackadaisical habit has almost destroyed the country’s educational system which has warranted the incidence of unquantifiable unemployable graduates in our labour market.

On the other hand, the available facilities have been greatly abused in one way or the other by both the lecturers and the students, and the schools’ authorities as well. Most of the universities/polytechnics’ teachers have often times derailed in their respective responsibilities in respect to strictly indulging the students in practical training. Severally they ignore the essence of the available practical facilities/apartments thereby engaging the students in mere theoretical coaching. The most pathetic aspect of this apathy is that, these theoretical teachings invariably take place in the so-called theatre, laboratories, workshops or what have you, as the case may be. Needless to say; in the minds of the lecturers involved, provisions of practical apartments are inconsequential or, waste of time. A loathsome and destructive conception if I’m not mistaken.

The students on their own consider the practical facilities as irrelevant section in their learning curriculum thereby from time to time dodge from practical classes as stipulated on their lecture time table. The more serious ones among them end up joining the ruthless chorus due to influence. The schools authorities have chosen to condole such disgusting acts by not implementing a strict law to ensure that the students attendance and active participation in practical sections remain non-elective or mandatory, and as well a prerequisite towards sitting for the stipulated course during the examination period.

Something drastic and urgent needs to be done concerning this fast indictment of the Nigeria’s educational system, else, we would wake-up one morning and discover that our labour market in its entirety has turned to a mere playing ground. Let’s not continue indulging in acts that would warrant the wrath of our ancestors. They’ve granted us enough benefit of doubt and we ought not to take that privilege for granted. I’m afraid, if we continue to take their kindness for foolishness, an unavoidable doom awaits our entire vicinity because I’m strongly of the view that they’re earnestly losing their patience. Think about it!

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COMR. FRED NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com

The Socio-Cultural Encyclopedia of the Nigerian Society

LAUNCHING THE SOCIO-CULTURAL ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF THE NIGERIAN SOCIETY

I’ll ensure that this edition would have nothing to do with diatribe as long as it lasts, so that, I wouldn’t mess up our entire joyous mood. Of course it’s no longer new in the system that the utmost desire of mankind is to remain a happy creature. In other words, we all dream, thrive and above all fight to embrace happiness. If yours is exceptional, let us know. And if such case holds, then I would tell you unequivocally that, such person is not human. Even animals in the thick forest pray to be delighted with their respective daily thrives.

As I was going through a certain social media, twitter precisely few weeks ago, I encountered a brief statement that was reportedly made by one of the American drone warriors, Mick Krever. He said, “America wants an antiseptic war… The reality is that, nothing is clean.” Having received the tweeted message, I smiled tentatively. Please don’t act like one who has been inundated by overflowing lake. In other words, do not allow your sense of reasoning to be overwhelmed by this paragraph; though you might be astonished. Thus, see it as a mere digression. Meanwhile, let’s proceed!

Today we’re discussing the need to launch the socio-cultural encyclopedia of the Nigerian society. Let’s take it bit by bit till we arrive at the full or exact meaning of the topic because I can’t afford to see you being lost.

According to BBC English Dictionary, an encyclopedia “is a book or set of books in which many facts are arranged for reference, usually in alphabetical order. Whilst in this edition, according to the author’s mindset or based on its context, an encyclopedia is something that is very full, complete, and thorough in the degree of knowledge or information that it has. On this note, part of the topic “…socio-cultural encyclopedia of the Nigerian society” means, the complete and thorough socio-cultural endowments or know-how of the Nigerian society.

Brethren, the complete Nigerian socio-cultural endowments can also be referred to as a book. Then if that case or opinion holds, in other words we’re discussing the “book” that contains the complete knowledge of the Nigeria’s socio-cultural system. Though the aforementioned book might seem “invisible” because it’s still in the pipeline; but I tell you, we’re really discussing a comprehensive book.

On the other hand, a launch is an activity in which a new product or newly completed project is being made available to the entire public. Apparently, this edition is informing us on the need to launch this book, so that, the entire public and the world in general would feel its impacts.

Universally, Nigeria is richly blessed with enormous cultural heritage. But it’s so pathetic that most of these endowments have been abused greatly. To be precise and concise, Nigeria as an independent country is made up of over two hundred and fifty (250) ethnic groups; and each of these groups is tremendously blessed with various socio-cultural heritage. This simply means that if well summed or estimated, we would discover that Nigeria is loaded with several thousands of cultures.

These cultural heritage include dancing, masquerading, dressing, hunting, wrestling, moulding of sculptures, just to mention but a few. Frankly, it’s time we harnessed these heritage because I’m strongly of the opinion that, it would contribute immensely to the nation’s internally generated revenue. Therefore, I’m urging us to see it as a potent potential revenue source. Above all, I’m also of the view that if properly addressed, it would help to foster a formidable unity among Nigerians.

Just like when a book is being compiled, either by a sole author or group of authors; it would be thoroughly edited by an experienced editor before it would be published. During the editing process, the unwanted tenses or words are bound to be eliminated while the useful ones would be left to stay or better still, enhanced. In the case of editing this socio-cultural encyclopedia, the editors required are men, whom were groomed in both anthropological and historical skills because we don’t need one who would create a stigmata of ineptitude. They’d be expected to look inwards and see those cultures that are not useful or relevant to our god gifted society thereby eliminating them; and discover how the useful ones ought to be promoted as well.

All hands is needed to be on deck to see that this fantastic dream is actualized because this anticipated launch is long overdue. Thus, we need to launch into this activity immediately. The apt government authorities, captains of industries, non-governmental organizations, well-meaning individuals inter alia, should work both collectively and individually to ensure that this sector that would intensely boost our tourist industry is thoroughly considered and enhanced. Most importantly, the law makers are expected to enact relevant laws that would affect this proposed crusade positively.

Without mincing words, we’ve put a damper on this “book” that ought to had been launched long ago. But it’s better late than never because we still have the time and resources to restore normality. The book mustn’t continue to be kept in seclusion. Let’s launch it!

Honestly if we embark on this campaign, I bet you in no distant time, Nigeria would be one of the countries to reckon with in terms of tourism. It’s only a-day old child that’s yet to know that tourist industry if well harnessed, remains one of the greatest revenue sources in any nation. There’s urgent need for diversification; we must not continue to reckon on oil and gas industry. Who knows, one day this so-called oil might vanish.

Mind you, we don’t need a war, not even antiseptic one, to ensure that this project is accomplished if truly we want to end up embracing happiness or moment of euphoria which remains the greatest desire of mankind. In a nut shell; a holistic approach rather than hostility, is required. Think about it!

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FDN NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com