Opinion
That Compulsory Education In A’Ibom
When Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State assumed office and announced the introduction of a free and compulsory education, the decision was gladly received by all and accepted as a welcome development. On that day, indigenes of the state that never heard the exciting news, when it was first announced, became friends to their radio and TV sets.
Those of them who were outside the state were forced to call their friends and relatives at home with their cell phones. Those of them who were not lucky enough to own radio or television sets were forced to run to opinion leaders in their communities. They ran to opinion leaders in their local communities, but not at night like the biblical Nicodemus. They all aimed at one thing. They wanted to confirm and ascertain if the announcement about the state government free and compulsory education policy was a reality. They needed to confirm this because rumour forms part of human life. We live and wake up with it.
With introduction of a free and compulsory education in the state, some parents started searching for the phone numbers of people they had given out their children to. Where these phone numbers did not go, some parents had to travel to the cities to look for their children. The introduction of a free and compulsory education in the state made some parents embark on a lease back. In fact the desire by some parents to bring back their children home made them empty their pockets just to transport their adult children to different cities where their young children were serving as house boys and girls.
As was expected, some of these youths rose up to the challenge and embarked on the errand. Those of them who could not succeed at first attempt were made to embark on a second “Missionary Journey”. It was an uncompromising mission, a mission to be achieved at all cost.
From then on, the percentage of Akwa Ibom children hawking in the state capital Uyo and those serving as house boys and girls in different cities in Nigeria drastically reduced. They returned home with one aim in mind: to benefit from what they saw as the generosity of the state government, they returned home to benefit from the free and compulsory education policy of the state government. It was the first of its kind.
Some of these homeward bound children could imagine themselves reading different books, speaking ‘Good English’; not ‘Pidgin English’ this time around and writing with legible handwriting. Their parents could not stop to imagine their children reading letters that could come from their elderly children from the cities, helping them fill their bank withdrawal slip and even filling their pension scheme forms. They knew their dream of having literate children was fast becoming a reality. They have one person to thank, the state governor.
The desire to have formal education was one thing parents in Akwa Ibom State really sought after. Both the poor and rich sought for it with utmost desire, as formal education had eluded them for years. They had a strong desire to have their children acquire formal education; it was a legacy to leave behind for their children not only plot of land and small buildings, but to leave behind a lasting legacy, the legacy of formal education, a ‘priceless legacy’
However, despite the introduction of the free and compulsory education policy in Akwa Ibom, the Godswill Akpabio led administration still has a lot of work to do in this regard in order to consolidate on the policy and make it a continuous process. The state government should put functional measures on ground that will safeguard its free and compulsory education policy and make it a lasting legacy. The free and compulsory education policy of the state government should be formally passed into law so as to leave a sustainable education policy that would leave behind a lasting educational policy for our generation yet unborn, a legacy that every Akwa Ibom child shall come to benefit from. When the free and compulsory education policy is passed into law, any administration that assumes office after Governor Godswill Akpabio will have no other option but to respect and continue to implement it. This is because one day an administration that is not “education friendly” may assume office in the state and may choose to kick into abyss the state verbal free and compulsory education policy.
Also, the state government should ensure that the free and compulsory education policy is implemented to its fullest by providing sufficient budgetary allocation for education in the state’s yearly fiscal policy. This will give education a high priority in the scheme of things in the state and enable the free education policy work optimally. This will also enable the state government provide such things as exercise books and text books for students in public schools.
It is noteworthy that since the Akwa Ibom State government introduced the free education scheme, the number of enrolment into public schools have witnessed tremendous increase. The state government should endeavour to employ more competent teachers that will teach and acquaint our students with knowledge in different subjects both at the primary and secondary levels.
The state government should try and curb the activities of anti-free education teachers, principals, headmasters and school heads who are bent on extorting money from students in the name of “maintenance fee” ‘hand work’ etc. If possible, they should be sacked. This will serve as a deterrent to others. The future of our children is more precious and priceless than the greedy urge of this self-centered teachers, principals, school heads etc.
The Akpabio –led government in Akwa Ibom State should learn from its predecessor. After winning election for a second term in office, Akpabio’s predecessor, Obong Victor Attah announced the introduction of free education in the state from primary one to junior secondary three. Unfortunately, this policy was never implemented because it was poorly formulated and under funded. This should not be the fate of the prevailing free and compulsory education policy in the state.
Also, the Akwa Ibom State government should upgrade the salary structure of public school teachers so as to save them from the financial lure of teaching in private primary and secondary schools. This will make them hold unto their jobs in public primary and secondary schools. It is a well known fact that most teachers in private primary and secondary schools were lured from public schools. They left public schools for private schools due to poor motivation and job satisfaction, typical of most public schools.
When teachers from public schools in the state are financially motivated and guaranteed optimum job satisfaction, they will have no other excuse but to put in their very best in teaching and satisfying the academic needs of their pupils. With this, our public schools in Akwa Ibom will be able to compete favourably with their counterparts in private secondary and primary schools.
Every Akwa Ibom Child has a right to be educated, therefore, private individuals, companies N.G.O’s must rise up to complement the efforts of the state government in making every Akwa Ibom child acquire functional formal education that will make them have confidence in themselves. Rise up to defend and fight for their rights when occasion demands. The quest by Akwa Ibom State government to give every Akwa Ibom child qualitative education should never be compromised at any cost.
The present generation of Akwa Ibom children and the generation yet unborn are watching us. They may never forgive us if we fail them in this regard. We cannot afford to fail them. This is the best gift we can give to them.
Philip is an intern with The Tide.
Faith Philip
Opinion
Nigeria Police And The “Miscreants” Theory

The “withdrawn” reaction of the Rivers State Police Command to public condemnation of the police antagonism to a recent peaceful protest in Port Harcourt, tagged #Take-IT-Back Movement organised by Civil Society Organisations, the Niger Delta Congress and other concerned groups, leave much to be desired. The Police Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Command, Grace Iringe-Koko in what seems a brilliant defence to the action of the unprofessional and inordinately ambitious conduct of the policemen had described those whom the police threw cannisters of teargas at, as, “miscreants and thieves”. To say the least, the Channel Television Reporter, Charles Opurum, Allwell Ene of Naija FM, Soibelelemari Oruwari of Nigeria Info, Ikezam Godswill of AIT and Femi Ogunkhilede of Super FM who were among those tear-gassed while discharging their legitimate duties of covering the peaceful protest, could not have been “miscreants” and “thieves”. Such practice of giving people a bad name to whip up public sentiment and hate and give a cosmetic treatment to an exceedingly ugly incident, seems the antics of some men of the Nigeria Police.
Some years ago I remember a trigger- happy police officer had rhetorically asked me, “Do you know I can shoot you here and brand you a criminal”? The question that readily came to my mind was, if a public officer and a professional journalist of several years of practice could be so threatened and branded a criminal, what is the fate of common citizens in society. That lends credibility to the fact that some victims of police brutality and extra-judicial killings are innocent. They are mere victims of circumstances. It is also common experience that men of the Nigeria Police swoop on scenes of crime, arrest some innocent residents of the area, brand them suspects and hurl them in detention for more than 48 hours. Nigeria Police should be more professional enough in their operations, so that innocent people will not suffer humiliation, incarceration and financial losses for bail. Agreed that it is within the statutory obligation of the Public Relations unit to launder the image of its organisation, but it should be done with discretion, and not with utter disregard and disrespect to the sanctity of human lives. Refutal must be factual and truth based.
The public relations or image making service if not done conscientiously can dent the credibility and integrity of a practitioner. No doubt the viral video clips on the police hurling teargas cannisters on peaceful protesters cannot be described as a figment of imagination or an attempt to “incite public anxiety and create unnecessary tension within the State” as stated by the Police Public Relations Officer in her reaction to public condemnation of the action of her colleagues. Though the able and Media-friendly Rivers State Commissioner of Police has apologised to the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Rivers State Council and the assaulted Journalists, for the unprofessional conduct of the policemen who were involved in the Journalists’ brutality, the conduct was, according to the leadership of Rivers State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists, “barbaric, inhuman and a flagrant disrespect to the rights of the assaulted journalists. Recall that the Rivers State Police Command had described as false, unfounded and baseless, reports that police officers fired teargas on unarmed protesters in an attempt to disperse them.
In the words of the Police Public Relations officer, “Upon receiving intelligence regarding the protest, our officers were promptly deployed to the specified locations. “On arrival, a group of miscreants was observed engaging in criminal acts, including the theft of mobile phones and other valuables from unsuspecting members of the public. “Our operatives responded swiftly, dispersing the individuals. This baseless story appears to be a deliberate fabrication by mischief makers seeking to incite public anxiety and create unnecessary tension within the state.” However, it is time Nigeria Police realised that the right to peaceful protest is legitimate and fundamental. It is enshrined in International rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and domesticated by Nigeria. Section 40 of Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to assemble freely. The right to peaceful protest is the beauty and a function of democratic governance. It offers the masses the opportunity for self expression and calling erring or a failed government or leadership back to its statutory obligation.
It allows people to publicly voice their concerns, challenge injustices, and participate actively in the democratic process. Protests serve as a vital mechanism for holding leaders accountable and ensuring that government actions reflect the will and needs of the people. The recognition and approval of the right to protest is one action that makes a great difference between a truly democratic government from a repressive, dictatorial and despotic administration. Protest is evident and inevitable in every human institution or organisation from family to school, work places etc, if the heads or the administrators abuse their position and treat with contempt the people on whose prerogative they (leaders) were elected. Some children have also protested against their parents, students protest against wrong administration etc. Protest is therefore, a corrective mechanism, it is expression of a dissenting position against anti-people policies and programmes. The distinctiveness of the Democratic governance over the Military is unreserved and unalloyed respect and regard for the Rule of Law. If the Rule of Law and its implications are undermined, then there is inevitable transition to dictatorship, a military regime in the garb of a civilian administration.
However, the calamitous consequences during the #EndSARS protest and #EndBadGovernance protest show that the respect for the rule of law and its implications remain a far-cry to constitutional requirement. The losses incurred during such protests cannot be consigned to the dusbin of history in a hurry. What is the outcome of the #EndSARS protests and brutality? Nigeria Police and other security agencies should tread with caution on the issue of peaceful protests and treating journalists and innocent members of the public as “miscreants”, and “thieves”.
By: Igbiki Benibo
Opinion
Essence of Easter

It’s another Easter, a day Christians the world over celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death. At the heart of Easter is the belief that Jesus rose from death on the third day after His crucifixion (as described in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). This event is seen as proof that Jesus is the Son of God and that His promises of eternal life are true.The resurrection is seen as Jesus’ victory over sin, death, and the power of evil. His rising means that those who believe in Him are no longer bound by sin or spiritual death but can share in His eternal life. Easter symbolses new life, not just spiritually but in how believers live their daily lives. Just as Christ rose, Christians believe they too can rise from past mistakes, addictions, guilt, or despair, and walk in a “newness of life.” In a world full of suffering, uncertainty, and death, Easter offers hope—the assurance that pain and death do not have the final word. It reminds Christians that no matter how bad things get, there is always the possibility of resurrection, restoration, and new beginnings.
But even beyond the religious narrative, Easter coroborates¹ a universal truth: that suffering is not the end of the story, and that even in the darkest times, renewal is possible. For many Nigerians today, that message feels especially urgent. The economic situation is unbearable. The cost of living has reached painful highs. A bag of rice now costs more than many families earn in a month. Electricity remains unreliable, jobs are scarce, and the dream of a better tomorrow feels distant. Politically, many are disillusioned. Promises come and go like the harmattan wind—loud in arrival, but often empty in effect. Elections have come and gone, but the people’s cries often go unheard. The skyrocketing prices in the markets, currency fluctuations, ever-rising cost of living, unabating insecurity have become the daily realities of many Nigerians. In the past few weeks, the conflict in Plateau and Benue States have reportedly claimed several lives. Thousands of people from the affected communities have fled from their ancestral homes.
Recently, in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State, about 25 people were reportedly killed, several properties destroyed by insurgents who attacked the agrarian communities. Many other communities in the country have painful stories arising from insecurity. Amid all this, Easter arrives—not merely as a date on the calendar, but as a symbol, a whisper from the heavens that says: this is not the end. As earlier stated, at the very core of Easter is a message of resurrection. For Christians, it is the story of Jesus Christ, who after the pain of the cross and the silence of the tomb, rose again in glory. But beyond the church pews and Sunday services, Easter holds a timeless message for every Nigerian: after suffering comes renewal, after darkness comes light. It reminds us that there is still power in perseverance. That in the same way Christ endured the cross and emerged victorious, we too must hold on—even if just barely—believing that change is possible. Easter calls us to resist the temptation to give in to hopelessness. It urges us to keep pushing, to keep speaking out, to keep believing that Nigeria can rise.
There’s an old Yoruba proverb that says, “Bi iku ile o ba pa ni, t’ode o le pa ni” — “If the threat at home does not kill one, that from outside cannot.” In other words, it is from within that we draw our strength. Despite economic hardship, political frustrations, feeling forgotten by those in power, we as a people should not give up. And that is the essence of Easter. The Bible says in Romans 8:18, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” It reminds us that hardship is not permanent. Things can change. We can rise. But Easter is not just a story of survival it is a call to action. Like Jesus’ resurrection, it demands transformation. It asks each of us: What must die in our society so that something better can live? Is it corruption? Is it apathy? Is it greed? And more personally: What must rise in us? integrity? compassion? courage?
Nelson Mandela once said, “Our human compassion binds us the one to the other—not in pity or patronisingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.” We must stop waiting for change from the top and start building it from the ground. Whether supporting a struggling neighbor, voting with conscience, speaking the truth in our workplaces, or simply refusing to cheat the next man—these are the small resurrections that will one day lift Nigeria from the grave. As the Igbos say, “Obu onye kwe, chi ya ekwe” — “When one agrees (to something), his spirit agrees also.” If we, the people, agree to rise—to hold onto hope and live with purpose—then even heaven will back our efforts. In a world that often feels heavy with uncertainty, conflict, and division, Easter invites us to pause and reflect. It challenges us to consider how we treat one another, how we face adversity, and whether we still believe in the possibility of transformation. It’s a moment to ask: What needs be resurrected in our own lives? Is it a lost relationship, a forgotten dream, or simply the courage to begin again?
This Easter, let us reflect deeply. Not only on the pain we have endured, but on the promise that lies ahead. Let us pray, yes—but also act. Let us hope but also build. Above all, let us remember: no matter how long the night is, the morning must surely come. Let the message of the empty tomb stir us into action—not out of fear or anger, but out of the same love and sacrifice that Easter celebrates. Because no matter how long the night, the dawn always comes.”Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” — Psalm 30:5. Happy Easter, Nigeria.
By: Calista Ezeaku
Opinion
Addressing Nigeria’s Social Ills Through Cultural Education
One of the critical problems confronting Nigeria today is the lack of recognition and appreciation of our tangible heritage, values, and norms – elements that are crucial for fostering social cohesion and responsibility. These values, which are inherently adaptive, can only be transmitted effectively through cultural education.Nigerian food Cultural education involves socialising individuals into the norms, values, and heritage of a given society through mediums such as folktales. Its primary intent is to nurture socially responsible and morally upright individuals who contribute positively to their community. In essence, cultural education is a learned behavioral pattern shared and transmitted from one generation to another. It encompasses customs, traditions, beliefs, arts, and philosophies of life. As Babs Fafunwa (1994) observed, every society, regardless of its size, has its unique ways of transmitting its cultural heritage.
Cultural education plays a vital role in shaping a child’s character and physical skills. Cultural education also has unique ways of instilling respect for elders and authority in the child. In addition, cultural education helps in developing intellectual abilities, fostering a sense of belonging, and promoting active participation in family and community affairs. This concept also cultivates a healthy attitude towards honest labour while it also helps to preserve the community’s cultural heritage. However, since Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the infiltration of foreign cultures, technological advancements, religious beliefs, and political systems have significantly helped in the erosion of the country’s social fabric. Today, Nigeria grapples with the loss of cultural values in more ways than one. The country also grapples with moral laxity among youths, violence, delinquent behaviours as well as the disruption of traditional political systems.
Beyond these, lack of cultural education has also triggered a decline in political will among the country’s citizenry. Thus, social issues such as sex abuse, prostitution, drug trafficking, kidnapping for ransom, internet fraud (which are more commonly known as 419); cybercrime, militancy, armed robbery, and examination malpractice have become rampant. However, these challenges can be mitigated through the promotion and sustenance of cultural education in Nigeria. Bringing cultural education forward in the country’s socio-political and economic systems would go a long way in redirecting the citizenry from the identified social ills. For instance, cultural socialization teaches children the proper ways to greet elders and interact respectfully. Observing parents during ceremonies are also a way to achieving this. Ceremonies such as weddings, child-naming, or funerals help children learn appropriate behaviour at such and sundry ceremonies, and decorum. Unfortunately, many youths today lack respect for elders and are antagonistic to cultural values. Instead, they are influenced by foreign films, contents and literature which often glorify disrespect to our culture; violence and weapon use. As a result, some have become political thugs, religious extremists or armed robbers. They now pose a severe threat to Nigeria’s national survival.
Furthermore, exposure to undesirable foreign cultures has led to extensive moral degradation which manifest in ways such as drug abuse, prostitution, theft, and internet fraud. Dressing among Nigerian youths is another concern. Many young people disregard their cultural heritage and show utmost disdain for their geographical environment. For example, some young women wear clothing that leaves vital parts of their bodies exposed, while young men adopt unkempt appearances, including sagging their trousers and leaving their shirts unbuttoned. There are also instances of unfastened shoelaces. These issues can be addressed through family-based cultural socialisation, where parents play a critical role in imparting cultural education. It is therefore recommended that, to address these social ills, the following measures are suggested. The first is that there should be ways to incorporate cultural education into the curriculum of our schools. Nigeria’s education system should be reviewed to emphasise cultural education, including the use of indigenous languages for instruction. Cultural elements such as morality, taboos, mores, and folktales should be promoted to shape human behaviour positively.
Another suggestion is that we should indigenise the Nigerian political systems. The political system should incorporate cultural principles and practices specific to Nigeria’s diverse cultural environments. This will encourage greater participation and accountability among political leaders. Thirdly, we must promote local content in media. A ban should be placed on the excessive use of foreign entertainment packages in media houses and on social media. Instead, Nigerian cultural content should be prioritised and promoted to reinforce cultural identity. Also, we must strengthen parental socialisation. Through this, families must embrace parental socialisation as a key method for imparting cultural education. Parents should model cultural values and behaviours to guide their children effectively. Cultural education is very essential for curbing social ills in Nigeria. By integrating it into our education system, political practices and media content, we can foster a society rooted in strong moral values and cultural heritage, thereby ensuring a strong and brighter future for generations to come.
Modupe is Chief Museum Education Officer, National Commission for Museums & Monuments, Osogbo, Osun State.
Veronica Adewole
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