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[OPINION] Citadel Of Learning in Ruins: Which Way Nigeria?
By Chidiebere Nwobodo
Seven months since ASUU began striking, our universities are still under lock and key. Our active youths have been abandoned in the doldrums of hopelessness. Imagine seven months of brain drain and despondency? and the thought of losing one academic session? what of seven months of idleness? and an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.
While the future of Nigerian students are in limbo, our political leaders are goose-chasing and shadow-boxing absurdities. who bewitched our leaders? where lies sense of responsibility and leadership? Presidency, Governors and National Assembly members are more interested in gaging the youths via social media bill and persecution of #ENDSARS activists. What a tomfoolery when the fledgling nation is on fire of insecurity, excruciating economy and decaying university system!
What is wrong with Nigeria as a nation? are we cursed or what? who did this to us? As parents, your kinds have been out of campus for seven months, and you’re still behaving as if they’re not losing anything? you wake up in the morning, exit the house to the office, to continue your self deceit as if all is fine in your home? you return in the evening knowing that your children idled away the day and you still sleep with your two eyes closed? Certainly, you must be an idiot!
This is exactly what our political class are doing to the fabrics of this country; deliberately destroying the youths by keeping them at home, simply because their own kids are abroad getting the best of education. And you think you and your children will have peace in the future? no way! Beyond the bone of the contention, which is the mode of payment of lecturers’ salaries cum outstanding allowances being owed by government, funding for critical infrastructure in the universities is at the all time low.
University system has been literally abandoned. Our universities have become so dilapidated and degraded to the extent that it is strangulating potentials it was meant to harness. Most of our campuses look like unkempt museums. They’re no longer glorified secondary schools but depressing dungeons of cultists, internet tricksters and raving prostitutes! creativity is zero; innovation is dead.
Human development is no longer the primary goal of the ivory tower but churning out worthless certificates of outdated courses like factories running on automated production lines. Majority of lecturers now venture into the once respected profession, not to impact knowledge but solely for economic benefits and its attendant side attraction of preying on our young ladies for lascivious satisfaction.
Huge chunk of our graduates are unemployed, underemployed and unemployable, while those currently in school are locked out because of ASUU and Government unending imbroglio, anchored on leadership cluelessness and gross incompetence. Nigeria is sitting on a time bomb. Our leaders doesn’t have the capacity to tackle present challenges bedeviling the nation while they are irresponsibly creating future monstrous problems.
The world is progressively moving at the speed of light, while Nigeria is busy snoring away its future on the bed of leadership tragedy, aided by hangover of mass docility. Whenever I take a limp into the future, juxtaposed it with landmark developmental strides around the world vis-a-vis stunted growth Nigeria is suffering, I begin to weep for this contraption masquerading as a nation.
…Says MOD has the infrastructure to make both systems work effectively
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, has inaugurated the Project Steering Committee and Project Implementation Technical Team for the Performance Management System (PMS) and the Enterprise Content Management of the Ministry of Defence with a charge on the members of both Committees to make the Ministry shine.
Inaugurating the committee at the Ship house, Abuja, the Permanent Secretary said that the Ministry of Defence has the infrastructure and human resources that are experts to drive the process to success. “We have experts in the Ministry that can drive the process. We have Directors and Deputy- Directors from different departments who are experts and can help in cascading the processes down to other staff of the Ministry,” he said.
He therefore called on the Ministry’s Performance Management System (PMS) Champions to demonstrate unwavering commitment and excellence in driving service delivery and achieving set targets in line with the ministry’s mandate towards fulfilling the renewed hope agenda.
While he acknowledged that there might be initial hiccups, he charged the PMS Champions to be resilient in overcoming the initial challenges that may arise with the programme’s rollout and re-emphasized the need for a continuous training. “In MOD, training is not going to be an issue. We can afford to be organizing training on PMS and ECM every week.
Furthermore, Dr. Kana said that the PMS and ECM Champions are expected to lead the charge towards ensuring efficiency, productivity, and accountability across the Ministry, with the ultimate goal of achieving total compliance with government performance standards.
… in line with Renewed Hope Agenda
The Honourable Minister of Defence, H. E. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has urged the graduating students of Army War College Course 8/2024 to uphold national security in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.
The Minister made the call during the graduation ceremony for the participants of Army War College Nigeria Course 8/2024 at Army War College, Abuja.
The ceremony is a celebration of the achievements of the graduates who completed 35 weeks of rigorous training in national security, military strategy, and operational art.
In his keynote address, the Minister who was the Special Guest of Honour commended the graduates for their dedication and perseverance throughout the course, emphasizing the significance of their newly acquired skills in leadership and strategic thinking.
He said: “It is a great honour to stand before you today at the graduation ceremony for the participants of Army War College Course 8/2024, I am privileged to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our graduates. Your journey to this moment involved 35 weeks of rigorous training, intellectual stimulation and growth, as well as personal sacrifice. Today is a testament to your resilience and commitment to excellence.”
Addressing the graduates on their future responsibilities, the Minister highlighted the importance of their roles as operational and strategic leaders in Nigeria’s Armed Forces. “Today’s graduation marks your gradual transformation from tactical into operational and strategic level leaders. Leadership is the cornerstone of military service, extending beyond mere orders to inspiring and guiding others towards a common goal. As graduates of the Army War College Nigeria, you are now equipped with the tools that will enable you to lead and navigate the geostrategic landscape,” he opined.
The Minister encouraged the graduates to lead with integrity, courage, and compassion, reminding them of their pivotal role in addressing complex and ambiguous challenges:
“Gentlemen, the world is constantly evolving and the challenges we face are increasingly complex and ambiguous. As officers skilled in operational-level planning, you will encounter uncertain and often perilous situations. I thus encourage you to embrace these challenges with confidence, aptitude, and determination.”
Furthermore, Badaru extended his gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for his support to the Nigerian Military and also acknowledged the sacrifices of the Chief of Army Staff, the College Governing Board, the Commandant, Faculty members, and families of the graduates.
He congratulated the graduates of the Army War College Course 8/2024, saying “Your future is bright, and I have no doubt that you will all serve our nation with distinction.”
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APRA Decries Terror Attack in Burkina Faso
… Spread of mpox in DRC and the frightening flooding in Sudan
The African Public Relations Association (APRA) has condemned the recent terror attack in the Burkinabe town of Barsalogho in the Sanmatenga Province of the Republic, which has killed so many people and injured scores of persons.
In a statement on Friday, signed by Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, secretary-general, APRA, the body said it is greatly concerned about the increasing terror attacks in Burkina Faso and in other parts of Africa.
“The umbrella body of practitioners and professionals of public relations in Africa hereby calls for the cessation of all forms of attacks, especially on unarmed people. We call for dialogue as a more civil approach to resolving conflicts instead of violent attacks leading to destruction and catastrophic outcomes that leave the continent more devastated.
“We are gravely disturbed by this recent attack in Burkina Faso, coming on the heels of the death of over 500 persons due to mpox scourge caused by the monkeypox virus ravaging the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, the hotbed of the health crisis; and the distressing floods caused by the collapse of the Arba’ at Dam in the east of the Republic of Sudan, destroying or impacting about 70 communities and affecting telecommunication infrastructure and other utilities. These and many emergent humanitarian crises in Africa have been overwhelming enough for a great but challenged continent. Therefore, entrenched terror attacks can only worsen efforts at restoring the glory of the continent.
“As a body of communication managers, APRA iterates its call for increased, sincere and responsible conversation and concrete actions among state actors and other stakeholders in Africa to address these and future challenges, many of which are heralded by warning signs. Therefore, APRA calls on the World Health Organisation (WHO) to resume strengthening collaboration with the government and people of DRC because mpox is yet to be defeated as an existential global health issue.
APRA stands in solidarity with the Governments and people of Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Sudan. We commiserate with those who have lost family members and friends. We also wish those injured and displaced speedy recovery.
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