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Fubara Lauds Dame Toby’s Contributions To Educational Dev …As Mary Odili Bemoans Scrapping Of Teachers Training Colleges
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has showered encomiums on an educationist and school proprietor, Dame Christie Toby, for her contributions to educational development in the State.
According to a statement by the Head of the Press Unit,Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Juliana Masi, Fubara gave the accolades during the public presentation of the book: Dr. Christie Toby: Touching Lives, Raising Leaders,” in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
The governor who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, observed that Dame Toby, who is the wife of former Rivers State Deputy Governor, Sir Gabriel Toby, has lived a remarkable life of passion and selfless service to humanity.
Fubara said, “Your life is a remarkable one. Everything we have seen and heard today present an exemplary life of a teacher, educationist, school proprietor, philanthropist, and so much.
“I must say, one tread that runs through your life which I commend to everyone is the show of passion and selflessness. If you were not passionate and selfless, you would not have been what you are as a teacher.
“It is heartwarming that the author took the time to catalogue your life so that we all can read and better our lives and services to humanity. This is a book I commend everyone to read.”
The governor reiterated that because education is the bedrock of every society, his administration will remain committed to best educational development and practice by grooming teachers in the state.
“Education is one of the cardinal pillars of our administration, and our government will always honour those who have sacrificed their lives selflessly for the pursuit of good education in the State,” he stressed.
To further advance the educational development of the Christie Toby Education Centre, the governor launched the book with N20million.
The Pro-Chancellor and Governing Council Chairman of the Rivers State University, Hon. Justice Mary Peter-Odili, who served as chairman of the book presentation, described Dame Toby as a conscientious teacher, who went through the ranks to become the celebrated teacher she is today.
The retired Justice of the Supreme Court, however, regretted that the foundation laying institutions for teachers –Teachers Training Colleges- in the country were scrapped and has thus allowed infiltration of poorly trained teachers into the classroom.
“When I was told to be chairman of today’s occasion,… I simply saw the opportunity as God’s answer to my internal cry to have the chance to be heard on a government policy …which has made us lose our way in education.
“It is providential that I use the book presentation of this erudite scholar and a great lady of many parts as a platform for me to bring to the public domain, a missing link in our progress as a people to nurture the present and future generations… I do not know what informed the authorities to phase out the teacher training colleges. That is why we are now presented with some half-baked teachers who have very high degrees and academic qualifications but without a foundational base to properly teach our young ones. That faulty foundation is what has led us to the situation we know find ourselves where untrained persons are now training our future leaders in all spheres of life,” she stressed.
She further called on the authorities to revisit the reestablishment of teacher training colleges so as to harness the young properly and appropriately.
The book reviewer, Dr. Williams Wodi noted that the book, ‘Dr. Christy Toby Touching Lives, Raising Leaders’, is episodic, which combines ecclesiastical history, ethnography, cultural and political anthropology, psychology, philosophy and sociology that grips the reader from the beginning to end of the narrative.
According to him, “This book is a biographical account of a woman of faith, great moral priority, and courage. The author wonders in divers directions to unearth all aspects of her life. It has characteristically interwoven a narrative that would hold the attention of the reader from end to end. The author masterly beholds Christie Toby as an educationist, philanthropist, civil servant, activist, and a woman of faith who continues to lead a life of service especially to the under-served in a society that continually stricken itself of fellow feelings and empathy that compels us to reach out and touch other lives.”
Several dignitaries, including former Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Tele Ikuru and his wife, former Secretary to Rivers State Government, Dr Abiye Sekibo; serving and past commissioners, traditional rulers, among others also attended the event.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new members to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement yesterday, said the appointment is to fill existing vacancies and strengthen the board’s capacity.
The statement said the approved nominees are Mr. Olusegun Omosehin of the National Insurance Commission and Engr. Wole Ogunsanya of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria.
Tinubu also endorsed the nomination of Sam Onyechi, who represents the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum and Barrister Owei Oyanbo from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The President encouraged the new members to leverage their expertise and dedication to enhance local content development within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It added, “The nominations arose from the exit of previous institutional representatives from the Governing Council.
“The NCDMB Governing Council, established under Section 69 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, comprises representatives from key institutions.
“These include the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, and the National Insurance Commission.”
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to construct additional hostels, rehabilitate roads, and enhance power supply in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).
NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday by a delegation from the UNIPORT’s Governing Council.
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had committed to upgrading facilities at UNIPORT as part of efforts to foster partnership with educational institutions across the Niger Delta.
According to him, the implementation of additional projects at the university forms part of a broader strategy to improve education standards in the region.
“Aside from the construction of new hostel blocks and installation of a 300 KVA solar inverter system, the NDDC will also facilitate more projects in the university.
“The commission will also deploy its engineers to assess the condition of UNIPORT’s roads and hostels for potential rehabilitation,” he said.
Ogbuku noted that upon completion, the projects would add to various initiatives previously undertaken by the commission at the university.
“These and other projects reflect our commitment to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta region,” he added.
He reaffirmed the NDDC’s dedication to fostering development and strengthening partnerships across the region.
Earlier, Sen. Mao Ohuanbunwa, Chairman of UNIPORT’s Governing Council, who led the delegation commended the current leadership of the NDDC for its achievements in accelerating development in the Niger Delta.
He highlighted the university’s infrastructural challenges, noting that it lacked adequate facilities to accommodate its growing student population, and appealed for the NDDC’s support in addressing the shortfall.
“Currently, UNIPORT has a total student population of about 50,000, while its hostel accommodation capacity can only cater for 5,000 students.
“We therefore urge the NDDC to assist in the construction of additional hostels, improve transportation facilities, and facilitate the acquisition of gas turbines to enhance power supply for our students,” Ohuanbunwa pleaded.
The Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, commended NDDC for its impactful projects across the Niger Delta and extended an invitation to the commission to participate in the institution’s forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.
The Senate has rejected a motion to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.
Nwosu presided over the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was truncated by the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).
The election which was won by the late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola, was adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the electoral history of Nigeria.
The motion to rename INEC after Nwosu was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe yesterday after lawmakers threw it out last Wednesday.
Abaribe called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
However, the proposal sparked a heated debate once again, with lawmakers deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy.
Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results.
He argued that “there was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero.”
Senator Austin Akobundu, however, described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.
On the other hand, several senators like Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea outright, questioning why the Senate should honour someone who failed to announce the results insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results.
“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.
Also, Senator Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election.
“Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he tendered.
After intense deliberation, most senators rejected the motion through a voice vote.
They, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu.