Opinion II Mourning The Imo Monarch Murdered In Cold Blood

MOURNING THE IMO MONARCH MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD

        

The last time I checked, Imo in her entirety was undoubtedly in a mourning state that even the blind could observe the wearing physiognomy of the Eastern Heartland.

        

The unfortunate outlook of the state was informed by the ugly incident that ensued penultimate week, precisely on Sunday, 24^th June 2018. On that tragic day, the traditional ruler of Mgbee Autonomous Community in Orlu Local Government Area (LGA), Eze Brendan Ibekwe was reportedly butchered like a chicken by suspected assassins.

       

In accordance with the report, the hired killers had met him on his way to an official assignment on the aforementioned day and shot him repeatedly till he passed on. In order to ensure that he was truly lifeless, they cut his throat with machete just like one would do to a mere fowl ready for consumption.

        

Having accomplished their ungodly mission, the corpse was dumped along the Orlu-Owerri Expressway, a few kilometres from his palace. It was further gathered that the assassins stole his royal beads, wrist band and mobile phone. This implies that if they had more time, they would have even left with his entire regalia, particularly clothes.

        

As it has always been said that “no smoke without fire”, the news making the rounds indicate that the affected community had been embroiled in communal crises, thereby pitching one village against another. Hence, they had been deeply involved in the faceoff, perhaps without minding the pitfalls.

         

On the other hand, it is rumoured that the murder might not be unconnected with the just concluded LG primary elections in the state as it concerned the community. It is insinuated that the conflict of interest that resulted during the polls between some individuals in the area could be the cause of the incident.

       

As at Tuesday, 26^th June 2018, the Imo State Police Command via its Spokesperson Mr. Andrew Enwerem, confirmed the killing and disclosed that two people had already been arrested in connection with the ordeal. He went further to inform that the Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Dasuki Galandanchi had ordered an immediate investigation into the dastardly act.

       

The moment the news arrived my desk in the early morning of Monday being the following day after the bad omen, I couldn’t help but kept pondering over how we managed to get to this point. I kept asking myself the scenario that actually led us as a people to this unspeakable arena.

        

In a similar development, early June 2018, it was reported that the people of Ogbozinne Autonomous Community in Nkanu LGA, Enugu State was thrown into a state of shock as their royal father – Igwe Stephen Nwatu – was gruesomely slain by some of his disgruntled subjects.

        

The slain monarch was reportedly beaten to coma by the community members before he eventually joined his ancestors unwillingly. Though it was gathered that the ruler allegedly used his vehicle and police escorts to consciously knock down an old man who was presumably among his antagonists, I saw no iota of reason the ostensibly aggrieved persons would resort to taking the law into their hands as if we are in ‘banana republic’.

        

It is so saddening that at a time we are deeply perturbed and bedevilled over the incessant ongoing massacre of residents and farmers in some parts of the country by alleged herders, we are here practising patricide or what have you. It suffices to say that when people in some quarters are bothered over the killings of their relatives by strangers or invaders, we are right here busy slaughtering ourselves.

       

Hence, at a moment we are supposed to be formidably united towards defending ourselves and territory, or being our brothers’ keeper, we are rather posing threat to them and even going extra mile to take their lives. How do we reconcile this? This paradox of life is what has not ceased to keep my person so worried and mesmerized ever since I got the news of that assassination that took place in the state.    

        

It is, therefore, needless to remind the police that at such a time like this, the ball is conspicuously in their court. It is their statutory obligation to unravel the actual rudimentary origin of this irrational occurrence piloted by some obnoxious elements in our midst as well as ensure that no stone is left unturned toward serving justice.

        

I equally want to use this medium to urge the various traditional rulers in the state and its environs to desist from any form of activity that might warrant doom to their persons and/or respective communities. They must at all cost steer clear of any such act as partisanship, politicking, persecution and prejudice, among others.

        

A real royal father is expected to remain neutral, apolitical, independent, and above all god-fearing. It’s not anymore news that some of our contemporary traditional custodians are deeply involved in active politics, which is totally an aberration.

       

 The government, on its part, ought to ensure that it swiftly wades into any ensued crisis taking place in any community within its jurisdiction with a view to addressing the plight without much ado. We shouldn’t wait until a quagmire gets out of hand before taking the apt action.

        

It is the duty of the government to ensure that every locality under its territory is safe and peaceful at all times, hence the need to prevent or stop, as the case may be, any factor that could be a barrier to such lofty expectation. Security of lives and property remains the fundamental constitutional duty of the governments at all levels.

        

As it stands, three parties are currently needed to properly investigate the ordeal that befell Mgbee Autonomous Community. The parties in question are: the government, the police and the bereaved community.

       The above stated stakeholders need to put heads together toward doing only the needful as we eagerly look forward to hearing the good side of the story. But, how soon will it come as we mourn this fine royal father? Think about it!

FDN Nwaozor

National Coordinator, Right Thinkers Movement

___________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador         

Opinion II As FG Scraps HND Certificate

AS FG SCRAPS HND CERTIFICATE

         

Recently, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government (FG) abruptly introduced a new policy in the Nigeria’s education sector.

         

The decision, which was unanimously reached at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held on Wednesday 6^th June 2018 where the approval of a comprehensive reform of the country’s tertiary education system was made, had it that the ongoing Higher National Diploma (HND) certificate invariably awarded by the Polytechnics would no longer be valid.

         

The resolution disclosed that the HND honour would, from date, be bestowed on only the students that had already been admitted for the programme in our various polytechnics. Hence, the affected institutions would henceforth be limited to award of the National Diploma (ND).

         

Under the policy, the polytechnics would now become campuses of the proximate universities whereby the Vice-Chancellors (VCs) would be legible to appoint the Provosts for their respective affiliate Polytechnics, subject to the ratification of the universities’ councils. In view of this, the students who are desirous of further education would be awarded a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree by the concerned proximate university.

        

In addition, all the programmes being run by polytechnics that aren’t technology-based or technically-inclined, which constitute over 70 per cent of the overall programmes currently offered by the institutions, would outrightly be scrapped by the mandate of the new policy.

        

The FEC further directed that to kick-start the policy, the nation’s two most prominent polytechnics – the Yaba College of Technology and Kaduna Polytechnic – would henceforth be known and addressed as City University of Technology, Yaba and City University of Technology, Kaduna, respectively.

         

With education being on the concurrent list, the states are enjoined to follow suit. And to give legal backing to the resolutions, the FEC approved the submission of two Executive Bills to the National Assembly (NASS) through the Attorney General of the Federation for onward enactment.

       

The first bill would concretize the setting-up of the two named city universities while the second one would approve the preparation and consolidation of all federal polytechnics as well as colleges of education as campuses of their proximate universities.

        

The Minister of Education, Mr. Adamu Adamu while briefing newsmen immediately after the meeting, further highlighted that “the HND certificate will remain a legal tender in Nigeria and holders of such certificate will continue to be recognized as the equivalent of first degree holders without discriminatory remunerations and limit to progression in the work place”. Similarly, the boss stated “the NCE certificate will be retained as the minimum teaching qualification at the basic level of education”.

         

Ever since I received the entire content of the new policy, I have not ceased to be worried owing to various pertinent factors that might in the long run pose a barrier to the progress of the policy, thereby bedevilling our education sector as well as the country’s labour market and the existing work places.

         

To aptly address – or better still avoid – the foreseen anomaly, the bill to be sent to the NASS must be well detailed and all-inclusive devout of any clause that may ensue crisis in the future. And for this to be actualized, all parties involved must consider the interest of the country at large as priority.

         

First, I saw no reason granting the VCs of the proximate universities the immunity to appoint the heads (provosts) of their affiliated tertiary institutions. Rather, the emergence of such leader ought to be strictly via election among the interested and qualified candidates who must be academic staff of the affected polytechnic or college of education, as may be the case.

         

Secondly, there is no need renaming the various polytechnics to ‘City University of Technology’ since they would all be recognized as campuses of their proximate universities. Rebranding them as city universities simply implies that there’s no further need to place them as affiliate institutions.

         

Thirdly, to introduce uniformity, the proposed bill must mandate all the state governments to key into the policy towards avoiding any conflicting situation. It would be abnormal for the federal polytechnics to stop awarding HND to their students whilst those of the states would continue to do so.

         

Inter alia, for this policy to be fully appreciated and adored, it would be ideal and wise to totally abolish the recognition and existence of the HND qualification in Nigeria. This can be achieved by directing those who had already been honoured with the certificate to return to their respective alma-maters with a view to undergoing a one/two-year programme that would make them qualified to receive the B.Tech degree certificate.

         

The above suggestion is highly consequential because as the policy progresses, the labour market or employers of labour would be forced to abhor the HND certificate or see it as a worthless qualification. The HND has hitherto been discriminated let alone when the country’s polytechnics are prohibited from awarding it.

        

The honourable minister had in his speech stated that holders of such certificate would “continue” to be recognized as the equivalent of first degree holders as if the HND holders had ever been treated as equal to their university counterparts. Think about it!

FDN Nwaozor

National Coordinator, Right Thinkers Movement

__________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056

Twitter: @mediambassador            

TechDeck I Harnessing Resources Toward Greater Nationhood

HARNESSING RESOURCES TOWARDS GREATER NATIONHOOD

         

It has ostensibly become compelling for Nigeria as a country to look inwards towards discovering her entire natural resources with a view to harnessing them for a greater nationhood.

        

Some of the common natural resources on earth are land, water, sunlight, atmosphere, wind, coupled with animal life and vegetation. A natural resource may exist as a separate entity like fresh water and air as well as a living organism such as fish, or it might exist in an alternate form, which must be processed to obtain the required resource to include petroleum, metal, ores, and most forms of energy.

          

It’s noteworthy that some, including air and sunlight, can be found everywhere, and are known as ‘ubiquitous resources’. Whilst, most resources only occur in restricted areas, and are referred to as ‘localized resources’.

         

There are very few resources that are considered inexhaustible – these are solar radiation, geothermal energy, and air, though access to pure air may not be possible. The vast majority of resources are theoretically exhaustible, which means they have a finite quantity and can be depleted if improperly managed; a good example of this is petroleum. Such finite resources required a sound policy and regulation, to be implemented by the concerned government, towards their preservation.

         

It’s pertinent to acknowledge that every manmade product consists of one or two natural resources. Suffice it to say that everything required or used by mankind constitute of, at least, a natural resource. In most cases, some of these resources such as air and water, are directly utilized or consumed by man without processing them.

         

The above outlined phenomenon proves beyond doubts that humankind cannot survive or strive successfully, as the case may be, without natural resources. This assertion is not unconnected with the reason every rational government makes frantic effort toward adequate use and preservation of the natural resources found within its country.

         

In Nigeria, hundreds of natural resources abound, in which each state including Abuja is a beneficiary. Some of these resources are petroleum, tantalite, lead, zinc, glass-sand, copper, gemstone, crystal, oil/gas, bitumen, phosphate, gold, coal, clay, salt, gypsum, iron-ore, uranium, and limestone, in addition to sunlight, wind, land, water, vegetation and air that are ubiquitous in nature.

          

Some of the aforementioned substances can enable any country to massively embark on agriculture, and attain to any desired height. Nigeria does not possess just land, but a well fertile land that can produce crops in any quantity and quality. Its vegetation and atmosphere is equally invariably good enough to raise every kind of animal life, including wildlife.

         

Though crop and livestock farming used to be the talk of the day in the Nigerian society, it’s sad to note that currently such lucrative occupation is being relegated to the background owing to over-reliance on mono-resource, petroleum. It’s really high time we as a people desisted from this irritating high level of dependency that has eaten deep into our socio-economic bone marrow.

          

Proper utilization of clay alone can take the country’s tourism industry, that’s presently moribund, to enviable heights. Same is applicable to the use of other similar compounds or metals that are in abundance across the federation, to include uranium, limestone, and gold. In the same vein, it is disheartening that an essential mineral resource like coal has, over the decades, been swept under the carpet; coal can be used to produce energy, both in the form of heat and electricity.

          

It’s mind-boggling to hear that a country like Nigeria that can boast of abundant sunlight, wind and what have you, is still battling on how to generate steady and reliable electricity, whilst countries like U.S.A blessed with just limited amount of the resources, are experiencing uninterruptible power supply. Away from energy; it could be observed that our forest reserves that could produce enough timber for importation, are currently wearing a pathetic physiognomy as a result of docile policies.

          

Indeed, Nigeria is densely endowed with various lucrative natural resources, but it’s very sad that the governments at all levels are not doing enough as regards the adequate use and conservation of the resources; hence, this calls for drastic turnaround via deployment of genuine political will. Now that the sale of oil and gas is no longer booming, it’s high time we retraced our steps toward ensuring that each of the available resources is thoroughly harnessed for the needed economic emancipation.

          

Crude oil ought to also be regularly renewed. We can clean used oil by using pretty conventional refinery technologies. The first step is vacuum distillation, which dewaters the oil. Then, we do wiped-film evaporation; this essentially separates out all the contaminants and additives inherent in it.

         

Finally, it would go through a hydro-treating process, which infuses hydrogen back into the hydrogen molecules and makes it very high quality re-refined oil. This routine can be sustained via a sound policy, hence the need for the government to concentrate on the needful.

         

The government really needs to ensure adequate conservation and sustenance of these natural resources, through implementation of strict and viable policies cum laws, and their proper enforcement. Most of these policies such as Land Use and Forests Reserve Acts, which were duly upheld in the past, are presently abused or overlooked in various quarters.

          

We need to urgently revive them, make apt amends where necessary, as well as introduce new ones toward attaining a greater nationhood. Think about it!

FDN Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH)

______________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056 

Twitter: @mediambassador