Features
Vanguard Personality Of The Year What A Year!
Chairman, Editorial Board
It was challenging making choices in a year that left you with few options. All the unimpressive issues were thrown up when we were to make the choices, they were clear markers of the sort of year Nigerians had.
When we were not groaning and speculating further increases in prices of petroleum products, we faced daily stories of human beings bombed to death. We got so used to reading about deaths that they were mere statistics, the position it appeared government took. What did it matter if hundreds died in a country of 167 million people and counting?
Those deaths meant more. The statistics were people. Families were fragmented. Lives lost without anyone appearing to care. Nigerians believed less in their country, seeking refuge in primordial enclaves that turned out to be no havens.
Insecurity was a major challenge. Government admitting it was not enough. Are the big budget spenders, beneficiaries of the insecurity, hence they are unwilling to do anything about it?
The same could apply to fuel subsidy which is a scam and a scandal rolled into one. Why is nobody (those who can) willing to deal with the matter? Will they throw up their hands in resignation as the Senate committee probing the despoliation of the pension funds has?
Meaningful change
It was in the midst of these that we found the winner of our Personality of The Year, a choice that would appeal to anyone who craves for meaningful change. He was not chosen for his appeal or popularity, but for the ground breaking changes that he is making in Rivers State, a state that once presented the same challenges that Nigeria faces, particularly security.
Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi has through personal decisions that border on the exceptional, made painstaking efforts to develop a State that has resources, but served as den of kidnappers, which was an excuse for not developing it.
Security has improved remarkably and he is still working on it. Schools, hospitals, housing estates, transportation systems and farms of impeccable quality are springing up in various parts of the State.
Like a man in a hurry to get to the next project, he ploughs through the State, giving hope, to the poor, who stop him on the streets and he talks to them, and the women and elderly who are assured of quality free medical services in the hospitals.
Amaechi is a big dreamer and it is obvious that what he has achieved is only a small part of his dreams. Would things have been different if more Nigerians dreamt more? Real dreams for improving the country, not the crass for looting the public vault that is increasingly becoming the primary purpose of governments, instead of the welfare and security of our people, as the Constitution prescribed.
We present to you a young man, just 47, who has dared to dream and the consequences of his dream on Rivers State, now called Rivers of Possibilities. It is a journey we recommend for a new year…
ROTIMI CHIBUIKE AMAECHI:
Statecraft Masters Competing Needs
JIDE AJANI
Eighty-Five years after, a tradition that started in the United States of America, finds a worthy winner in our shores. When in December 1927, Henry R. Luce and Briton Hadden, founders of TIME Magazine, decided to choose a “Man of the Year”, they could never have imagined the universal effect that decision would have on journalism worldwide.
Today, the “Man of the Year” or “Person of the Year” or “Issue of the Year” phenomenon is global.
On the morning of October 25, 2007, 42-year-old Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi headed to Nigeria’s Supreme Court for a judgment on his epic political ambition of claiming the governorship of Rivers State against the contenders he had once been in the same corner.
He was not sure of the verdict nor the impact he would make in Rivers States, and Nigeria, years on. The Supreme Court held that since Amaechi was supposed to be the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate for the April 2007 election, but was illegally shoved aside, the victory of the party at that election be transferred to Amaechi as the rightful candidate. That judgement, after eight years of this Fourth Republic, was a landmark judgment and could not have happened without the doggedness of Amaechi. That, in itself, is a feat; he was sworn-in the following day.
After a gruelling session where Vanguard Editors debated personalities like House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Dame Patience Jonathan, Lady Folorunsho Alakija, The Kidnapper, The Okada Rider and a few other nominees, Amaechi emerged Vanguard Personality of The Year 2012.
Anything special!
So, what were the factors that swung it for Amaechi? He has been governor for about five years so what has suddenly become so starling today that was not in years past? And in an environment of clashing political and socio-economic interests why should a state governor be acknowledged for merely doing what he has been elected to do?
Well, consider this: Within his first year in office, Amaechi established a state of the art primary school, Elekahia Model Primary School, in Port Harcourt. Any governor can build a model primary school but what stands Elekahia out is that it serves as a leveller between the rich and mighty on the one hand, and the poor and very poor, on the other. In order to accommodate more students into the primary schools, the government had to stop the building of the bungalow pattern of Elekahia, to continue with a new storey building design which would be able to take 25 classrooms instead of the usual 14 classrooms, with a standard of not more than 30 students per class – each equipped with ICT facility, internet connection, modern library, science laboratory, football field, basketball pitch, volleyball pitch and Nursery playground among others in a primary school.
Because of these amenities, the rich tried to appropriate it by withdrawing their children from expensive private schools to enrol in Elekahia.
Expensive private schools
It took the intervention of Governor Amaechi to stop the enrolment of children of the rich. He charged that Elekahia was for the poor with a promise to replicate same in every local government area and then every ward in the state.
He has delivered. Indeed, out of 500 new model primary schools being built across all 23 local Government Areas of the state, 254 are hundred percent completed, 92 are fully functional while the others are being furnished and equipped for students to move in. These are cogent and verifiable facts on ground.
The governor’s initial target however ‘was to deliver on the planned total of 750 primary schools by the end of his tenure, but due to the rush and increase in the number of pupils , the government has decided to stop at 500.
This is just a teaser about the Amaechi mystique. Now, governance or statecraft is about the philosophy of creating joy by spreading wealth to the largest number of people within a geographical entity. This relates to using statecraft as a leader to transport a people (in a Third World country like Nigeria) to the next level, just as Lee Kwan Yu did in Singapore.
In their book, POWER, AMBITION, GLORY, Steve Forbes, Chairman, CEO, and editor in chief of Forbes Media, and classics professor, John Prevas, provided intriguing comparisons between six great leaders of the ancient world and contemporary business leaders, setting out basic factors which led to greatness and the lessons you can learn.
Perhaps, Amaechi, a graduate of English of the University of Port Harcourt, who consumes literature like choice cuisine, may have read the book.
STRUCTURES DRIVING VISION
Forbes and Prevas insist that it is not just enough for a leader to have vision but he must put in place structures to effect it. They compared Cyrus the Great and Jack Welch and John Chambers and how their modern businesses were built.
Amaechi put security first. Before he became governor, Rivers State was the high-profile kidnap capital of Nigeria, with Port Harcourt, the kidnap commercial hub.
Development paradigm
Sensing that you can never engage any development paradigm in the absence of peace and security, he sought the help of security experts from Israel.
He established the C4i, an operational code name for the security engagement, with a high security training camp where selected personnel of the police receive first class training.
Then there is the situation room for C4i, where Port Harcourt (it has since been extended to other towns in the state) is kept under a bird’s eye view monitor.
The operation is so swift that any form of criminal activity in the capital is monitored, tracked and can be contained in minutes. That made Port Harcourt an investment hub once again; because it became safe.
BUILD CONSENSUS AND MOTIVATE
The authors also say being a great leader requires knowing how to build consensus and motivate, using Xenophon of Greece, who put aside personal gains to lead his people out of a perilous situation in Persia (the same way Lou Gerstner and Anne Mulcahy did in rescuing IBM and Xerox), as an example.
Since assuming duties as Chairman, Nigeria’s Governors’ Forum, NGF, Amaechi has been consistent in his position that though most of the state governors are on the same PDP platform with the Federal Government, FG, that does not in any way obviate the reality of enthroning a regime of good governance for the benefit of Nigerians.
Therefore, unlike the seeming cosiness in the relationship between the FG and the NGF over the years (especially the person of the chairman of the forum), a relationship which had made the NGF an appendage of Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Amaechi’s leadership of the body has transformed it into a quasi-check to FG’s whimsical approach to governance.
First is the management of the Excess Crude Account, ECA, and the Sovereign Wealth Fund, SWF. Whereas the FG has made very forceful arguments for both, the points of reality which Amaechi and the NGF have made clearly flow from the need to ensure that Nigeria operates as a country where the rule of law is entrenched.
Investment decisions
At different fora, Amaechi has made the following arguments: Has the FG showed enough transparency in the way it handles joint ventures with state governments – an example of which is the constitutionally guaranteed management of the Federation Account? Who has the final say in ratifying investment decisions regarding the SWF?
Why should the FG make investments or savings on behalf of state governments? Even in the face of the shambles that Nigeria’s federation operates on, allowing the FG to get away with its continued stance on the ECA and SWF would be a grand violation of the laws of the land.
And NGF points to FG’s continued pillaging of the federal reserves from over $60billion in 2007 to just about $30billion in just about four years. Even the vexed issue of subsidy, the Amaechi-led NGF raised an alarm over how a N240billion scheme which was budgeted for, ballooned to over N2.3trillion. The thread that runs in all of these is consensus building. And you can not build consensus if you do not motivate.
Amaechi could have corralled his colleagues who are largely PDP members to kowtow in a conspiratorial manner, to the whims of the FG. But no! He is standing on the side of the people of Nigeria and not just members or leaders of PDP. Although some dispassionate observers may argue that the NGF is merely posturing, the counterpoise to it is simple: should the forum allow the FG to continue riding rough shod over Nigerians?
Character in leadership
Then there is character in leadership. Using the example of Alexander the great because of his exceptional leadership skills but destroyed through inability to manage phenomenal success, Forbes and Prevas drew a comparison with Dennis Kozlowski of Tyco, who at the head of his business empire lost his head – he is now in jail.
Amaechi, too, has turned Rivers State into a huge construction site. Attempts to draw a parallel between his achievements and other state governors have met with humility from him. Whereas most politicians would not put in context the uneven revenue allocation to states,
Amaechi easily admits that though some states earn more than others, there is a saying in his community that “when an individual receives a part on the back for doing something, he would seek to do more”. He is doing more.
And his choice as Personality of the Year is a pat on the back from Vanguard. Some have even touted him as a possible vice presidential candidate but he says his primary assignment is providing good governance to the people of Rivers.
He is not the first chairman of NGF. But his approach has brought something of a collective which is issue-based and not ego-based. Let us draw a parallel here on the issue of personality and character.
The New Yorker, November 6, 2000, tries to put in context the debates between Al Gore and George Bush for the American presidency viz: “This may explain the paradox that while Al Gore was widely judged the substantive winner of all three of the candidates’ televised debates, and certainly the first and third of them, he lost the battle in the post-debate media echo chambers and, perhaps partly as a result, in the opinion polls. In the final debate, Gore stretched the rules (within the bounds of civility), while Bush complained and turned beseechingly to the moderator for help. Neither attribute is attractive, but it may turn out that fear of the first will outweigh contempt for the second.”
By the same token, therefore, whereas the NGF effuses effluvium of angst which creates public opprobrium, Amaechi’s approach in seeking to situate the agitations of the NGF within the praxis of the need for a larger good for society places him on a pedestal of good leadership. So, while people may be contemptuous of the NGF, Amaechi’s approach creates a shield of inoculation.
THINKING OUT OF THE BOX
Ability to think out of the box is also crucial; and this, according to Forbes and Prevas was demonstrated by Hannibal who crossed the Alps in winter to challenge Rome for control of the ancient world.
The first monorail project in Nigeria would be completed in Port Harcourt soon, very soon. When he decided that the project was worth pursuing, many saw him as going round the bend. Though the chart of the monorail route has bends enroute its terminus, the succour this would bring to the people of the state would be immeasurable.
Ambition: Forbes and Prevas go further to say a leader must have ambition to succeed. Like Julius Caesar who had plenty of it, Amaechi breaths ambitious projects.
Rivers Songhai initiative, a centre for training, agricultural production, research and development of sustainable agricultural practices, is about 20 times the size of the model from Port Novo. The farm project sits on a 314-hectare land in Tai Local Government Area. It is an integrated farm which combines livestock, arable farming, fisheries, snail farming and poultry.
There is also a 2,000-hectare farm in Etche with a total available land space of 3,000 hectares. The farm is projected to cost $140 million. The State is contributing $100m; the investors $40 million. The farm would have 300 farming houses (to accommodate 300 farming families), agro processing facilities, and 3,000 hectares for farming.
These are aside from fish farms in Buguma, Andoni, Opobo and Ubima; not to mention a Banana Farm in Ogoni-100 hectares have been done out of the total of 250 hectares and expansion is still on.
24 secondary schools are being built across the State with facilities that would be the envy of our higher institutions. They are also being built with standard boarding facilities, fully equipped laboratories for all required subjects, sporting facilities etc. In terms of infrastructure, they would compete favourably with any of the state owned universities in Nigeria.
There are 160 Model Health Centres spread across all 23 Local Government Areas in the State and most are already in use. The Free Health Care programme has contributed to a decline in the mortality rate of Rivers people particularly maternal and child mortality as the Health centres are strategically sited to serve every part of the state. Indigenes and residents of the State are beneficiaries to the programme.
David Iyofo, Amaechi’s Media aide, once wondered “how Oga will complete all these projects”. This was in the first two years of the Amaechi administration. Asked two months ago what he now thinks, Iyofo said he now believes more in the saying that “with God all things are possible”.
There is also the Greater Port Harcourt City Project, one that would create a city from scratch that may rival Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
Is he not taking too much at the same time?
Tradition of man of the year
According to TIME, The illustrated history of the world’s most influential magazine by Norberto Angeletti and Alberto Olivia, “The first “Man of the Year”, Charles Lindbergh, was named in 1927. The cover featuring his portrait was published in January 1928. The title is always designated in December and the issue is printed in late December or early January. Man of the Year was changed to Person of the Year in 1999.
The first American President selected was Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1932) when he was president-elect. He was chosen twice again, in 1934 and 1941, and he holds the record for the American president who was most often on the cover – in 1932, he was president-elect and was chosen at a time of unprecedented economic crisis; in 1934, for having fervently battled the Depression; and in 1941 for preparing a reluctant United States to join the war.
Interestingly, Adolf Hitler was selected in 1938 and TIME gave it to him because he was “the greatest threatening force that the democratic, freedom-loving world” faced.
When in 1979 the magazine chose Ayatollah Khomeini during the Iran hostage crisis, “thousands of readers sent protest letters”. Because they did not agree with the choice
There may indeed be other Nigerians who may have achieved greatness in the year.
But after a gruelling debate session by Vanguard Editors, especially situating development paradigm in the context of governance and leadership which is a scarce resource in Nigeria, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi emerged as Vanguard Personality of The year, 2012.
Ikeddy Isiguzo
The importance of vocational training to the development of any nation cannot be over emphasised. Technical education experts define vocational education as any form of educational program or course that focuses on teaching the specific skills and knowledge required for a particular job or trade. Unlike traditional academic education, which is often broader and theoretical, vocational training is practical, hands-on, and tailored to prepare individuals for specific careers or industries. They also argue that the dearth of trained vocational and middle-level technical manpower represents a very serious gap in the development of third-world countries, including Nigeria. This argument, perhaps, underscores the Federal Government’s bold move towards educational reforms in Nigeria which includes the inculcation of vocational education into the schools curriculum as a way of equipping students with practical skills and enhancing their employability.
A recent statement released by the National Orientation Agency (NOA), indicated that the government has added 15 vocational subjects to the Basic Education curriculum. These additions which take effect from January, 2025, they said, are designed to promote hands-on learning and better prepare students for the job market. The new subjects include: Plumbing, tiling and floor works, POP installation, Event decoration and management, Bakery and Confectionery, Hairstyling, Makeup, Interior Design, GSM Repairs, Satellite/TV Antenna Installation. Others are: CCTV and intercom installation and maintenance, solar installation and maintenance, garment making, agriculture and processing, which covers crop production, beekeeping, horticulture, and livestock farming (e.g., poultry and rabbit rearing) and Basic Digital Literacy, incorporating IT and robotics.
The former Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, who earlier hinted on the new curriculum for basic schools during a meeting with stakeholders in Abuja, last October, said under the new curriculum, pupils in basic schools will be required to acquire at least two skills. According to the former minister, “The idea is that by the time children finish school, they should have at least two skills. Students should be able to finish school with a minimum of two skills so that they can have a very productive life. “The basis for the curriculum is the National Skills Framework, and it has been approved. It’s a very big project; it affects all schools in Nigeria, public and private.“Whether in the public sector or private sector, all schools are going to implement it. So, this is already determined. It doesn’t require anybody’s consent or any institution can depart from it.
Speaking on implementation, the Mamman said, “We do not expect comprehensive, full implementation from January because, when you roll out something new, there’s a lot of preparation that has to take place by the schools, acquiring new things, equipment, and small things that they will need,” adding that plans were underway to ensure teachers were well-equipped for the new curriculum. He also spoke on the benefits of the curriculum, noting that it would rekindle the desire of parents and students to acquire formal education. Hear him, “Some parents do not want to send their children to school. Right now, part of the problem why schooling has become unattractive is because people finish and there’s no change in their lives. “They cannot be employed. They can’t do anything on their own. So, parents question the value of spending money to send their children to school. “Now it’s going to change that game altogether.
And we have seen how these things resonate with parents. When they are successfully implemented, you will see students will want to run to school every morning. Parents want to take their children to school because they are learning practical things while in school.”The Acting Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, Dr Margret Lawani, had also disclosed during the same event that the newly introduced subjects fell under the vocational and entrepreneurship studies framework, which has been designed to expose pupils to various trades across multiple sectors. In the views of some vocational training experts, the decision to include vocational education into the basic school curriculum is plausible as it comes at a time when the nation’s education system is facing mounting criticism for its inability to adequately prepare students for real-world challenges.
They opined that by introducing vocational training at an early age, Nigeria has an opportunity to bridge the gap between formal education and practical skill acquisition. They however noted that the success of this initiative hinges on thoughtful implementation and sustained support. “The problem of Nigeria has never been a dearth of ideas or policies on how to move the country forward. In the past some educationists came up with the idea of 6-3-3-4 system of education whereby Students would be taught introductory technology and other forms of vocational skills at the junior secondary school level to better equip them for the real world in future. What happened to that brilliant idea? How many schools have well-equipped laboratories and well-trained teachers to handle these technical and vocational subjects? “The idea of setting up technical schools and polytechnics across the country is for them to serve as a grooming ground for young Nigerians in the area of technology.
How has the government, both federal and states, supported these schools to succeed? So, our problem is lack of implementation, fragmented policies and lack of sustenance not lack of ideas”, posited one expert. He advised that for the new curriculum to bear positive fruits, the government must take time to sensitize heads and owners of schools, teachers, parents and pupils of both public and private schools on the importance of the subjects and assist the schools in acquiring the necessary equipment and tools for the smooth running of the curriculum. “These subjects being introduced cannot be taught only theoretically as we are used to in this country. They require regular practical classes which will cost some money. Government, via the ministries of education, must vote out money for these practical classes and be ready to supervise schools to ensure that they are doing the right thing,” he added
Noting the importance of vocational training in today’s Nigeria where the rate of unemployment is high, Mr. Abel Ikiriko, a basic technology teacher in a Private School at Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt, regretted that vocational training is often seen as a last resort for those who fail academically, leading to low enrolment. He said, “I say this because I am a teacher and I know what we see in school every day. When these vocational subjects are introduced, you will see parents who will go to their children’s schools to make trouble because the children are compelled to learn maybe Hairstyling or something like that. Every parent wants their children to be doctors, lawyers, engineers and other professions and never skilled persons because for our society, skilled jobs are for the dullards.” “One of the most pressing issues in our labor market is the skills gap. Employers often struggle to find workers with the right skills, despite high unemployment rates. Yet many youths are not willing to be trained in a vocation. They prefer to search for the unavailable white-collar jobs. So unfortunate,” he continued.
Ikiriko said that the inclusion of vocational training in primary schools has benefits that extend beyond future job prospects. “Hands-on activities help children develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity—skills that are essential in any field. Vocational subjects can also provide an alternative pathway for students who may not excel in traditional academic subjects, ensuring that no child is left behind in the education system. Moreover, these subjects can instill a sense of dignity in manual labor and shift societal perceptions about the value of skilled trades.”He advocated for public awareness campaigns so as to change perceptions about vocational education, and showcase its potential to lead to successful careers. Mrs. Meg Amadi, a mother of three pupils is concerned about the curriculum of the primary schools being overloaded, stressing that that is a potential risk.
According to her, primary school students are at a formative stage of their development, and overloading them with too many subjects could lead to cognitive fatigue. She maintained that careful planning is required to ensure that the new vocational subjects complement rather than compete with core academic learning; that they are seamlessly integrated into the broader curriculum without overwhelming students. To maximize the impact of this initiative, she offered the following suggestions: the government must invest in training and retraining teachers to deliver vocational subjects effectively, collaborating with vocational training institutes and NGOs for better result; government should begin with pilot programs in select schools to identify best practices and address challenges before scaling up nationwide; the private sector should be engaged to provide funding, equipment, and expertise for vocational training in schools.
Nonetheless, some analysts are of the view that the addition of 15 vocational subjects to the basic school curriculum is a visionary step toward transforming the nation’s education system and improving the nation’s economy. they hold that if implemented effectively, the initiative will equip young Nigerians with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world while fostering a culture of innovation and self-reliance. They said that with collaborative effort, strategic planning, and unwavering commitment from all stakeholders and the right execution, this bold move could serve as a model for other nations seeking to align education with the demands of the 21st century.
Calista Ezeaku
The importance of vocational training to the development of any nation cannot be over emphasised. Technical education experts define vocational education as any form of educational program or course that focuses on teaching the specific skills and knowledge required for a particular job or trade. Unlike traditional academic education, which is often broader and theoretical, vocational training is practical, hands-on, and tailored to prepare individuals for specific careers or industries. They also argue that the dearth of trained vocational and middle-level technical manpower represents a very serious gap in the development of third-world countries, including Nigeria. This argument, perhaps, underscores the Federal Government’s bold move towards educational reforms in Nigeria which includes the inculcation of vocational education into the schools curriculum as a way of equipping students with practical skills and enhancing their employability.
A recent statement released by the National Orientation Agency (NOA), indicated that the government has added 15 vocational subjects to the Basic Education curriculum. These additions which take effect from January, 2025, they said, are designed to promote hands-on learning and better prepare students for the job market. The new subjects include: Plumbing, tiling and floor works, POP installation, Event decoration and management, Bakery and Confectionery, Hairstyling, Makeup, Interior Design, GSM Repairs, Satellite/TV Antenna Installation. Others are: CCTV and intercom installation and maintenance, solar installation and maintenance, garment making, agriculture and processing, which covers crop production, beekeeping, horticulture, and livestock farming (e.g., poultry and rabbit rearing) and Basic Digital Literacy, incorporating IT and robotics.
The former Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, who earlier hinted on the new curriculum for basic schools during a meeting with stakeholders in Abuja, last October, said under the new curriculum, pupils in basic schools will be required to acquire at least two skills. According to the former minister, “The idea is that by the time children finish school, they should have at least two skills. Students should be able to finish school with a minimum of two skills so that they can have a very productive life. “The basis for the curriculum is the National Skills Framework, and it has been approved. It’s a very big project; it affects all schools in Nigeria, public and private.“Whether in the public sector or private sector, all schools are going to implement it. So, this is already determined. It doesn’t require anybody’s consent or any institution can depart from it.
Speaking on implementation, the Mamman said, “We do not expect comprehensive, full implementation from January because, when you roll out something new, there’s a lot of preparation that has to take place by the schools, acquiring new things, equipment, and small things that they will need,” adding that plans were underway to ensure teachers were well-equipped for the new curriculum. He also spoke on the benefits of the curriculum, noting that it would rekindle the desire of parents and students to acquire formal education. Hear him, “Some parents do not want to send their children to school. Right now, part of the problem why schooling has become unattractive is because people finish and there’s no change in their lives. “They cannot be employed. They can’t do anything on their own. So, parents question the value of spending money to send their children to school. “Now it’s going to change that game altogether.
And we have seen how these things resonate with parents. When they are successfully implemented, you will see students will want to run to school every morning. Parents want to take their children to school because they are learning practical things while in school.”The Acting Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, Dr Margret Lawani, had also disclosed during the same event that the newly introduced subjects fell under the vocational and entrepreneurship studies framework, which has been designed to expose pupils to various trades across multiple sectors. In the views of some vocational training experts, the decision to include vocational education into the basic school curriculum is plausible as it comes at a time when the nation’s education system is facing mounting criticism for its inability to adequately prepare students for real-world challenges.
They opined that by introducing vocational training at an early age, Nigeria has an opportunity to bridge the gap between formal education and practical skill acquisition. They however noted that the success of this initiative hinges on thoughtful implementation and sustained support. “The problem of Nigeria has never been a dearth of ideas or policies on how to move the country forward. In the past some educationists came up with the idea of 6-3-3-4 system of education whereby Students would be taught introductory technology and other forms of vocational skills at the junior secondary school level to better equip them for the real world in future. What happened to that brilliant idea? How many schools have well-equipped laboratories and well-trained teachers to handle these technical and vocational subjects? “The idea of setting up technical schools and polytechnics across the country is for them to serve as a grooming ground for young Nigerians in the area of technology.
How has the government, both federal and states, supported these schools to succeed? So, our problem is lack of implementation, fragmented policies and lack of sustenance not lack of ideas”, posited one expert. He advised that for the new curriculum to bear positive fruits, the government must take time to sensitize heads and owners of schools, teachers, parents and pupils of both public and private schools on the importance of the subjects and assist the schools in acquiring the necessary equipment and tools for the smooth running of the curriculum. “These subjects being introduced cannot be taught only theoretically as we are used to in this country. They require regular practical classes which will cost some money. Government, via the ministries of education, must vote out money for these practical classes and be ready to supervise schools to ensure that they are doing the right thing,” he added
Noting the importance of vocational training in today’s Nigeria where the rate of unemployment is high, Mr. Abel Ikiriko, a basic technology teacher in a Private School at Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt, regretted that vocational training is often seen as a last resort for those who fail academically, leading to low enrolment. He said, “I say this because I am a teacher and I know what we see in school every day. When these vocational subjects are introduced, you will see parents who will go to their children’s schools to make trouble because the children are compelled to learn maybe Hairstyling or something like that. Every parent wants their children to be doctors, lawyers, engineers and other professions and never skilled persons because for our society, skilled jobs are for the dullards.” “One of the most pressing issues in our labor market is the skills gap. Employers often struggle to find workers with the right skills, despite high unemployment rates. Yet many youths are not willing to be trained in a vocation. They prefer to search for the unavailable white-collar jobs. So unfortunate,” he continued.
Ikiriko said that the inclusion of vocational training in primary schools has benefits that extend beyond future job prospects. “Hands-on activities help children develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity—skills that are essential in any field. Vocational subjects can also provide an alternative pathway for students who may not excel in traditional academic subjects, ensuring that no child is left behind in the education system. Moreover, these subjects can instill a sense of dignity in manual labor and shift societal perceptions about the value of skilled trades.”He advocated for public awareness campaigns so as to change perceptions about vocational education, and showcase its potential to lead to successful careers. Mrs. Meg Amadi, a mother of three pupils is concerned about the curriculum of the primary schools being overloaded, stressing that that is a potential risk.
According to her, primary school students are at a formative stage of their development, and overloading them with too many subjects could lead to cognitive fatigue. She maintained that careful planning is required to ensure that the new vocational subjects complement rather than compete with core academic learning; that they are seamlessly integrated into the broader curriculum without overwhelming students. To maximize the impact of this initiative, she offered the following suggestions: the government must invest in training and retraining teachers to deliver vocational subjects effectively, collaborating with vocational training institutes and NGOs for better result; government should begin with pilot programs in select schools to identify best practices and address challenges before scaling up nationwide; the private sector should be engaged to provide funding, equipment, and expertise for vocational training in schools.
Nonetheless, some analysts are of the view that the addition of 15 vocational subjects to the basic school curriculum is a visionary step toward transforming the nation’s education system and improving the nation’s economy. they hold that if implemented effectively, the initiative will equip young Nigerians with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world while fostering a culture of innovation and self-reliance. They said that with collaborative effort, strategic planning, and unwavering commitment from all stakeholders and the right execution, this bold move could serve as a model for other nations seeking to align education with the demands of the 21st century.
Calista Ezeaku
For three decades or more, there has been a cessation of oil production activities in Ogoni land. But recent meeting of President Bola Tinubu with notable sons and groups may return Ogoni to renewed oil-production once again. Ogonis are weary of perennial neglect. Days after the meeting, President Tinubu gave a nod to the establishment of a University of Environmental Technology in Tai in the Ogoni area. He had earlier-on approved appointments into some federal boards in which some notable Ogonis were among the beneficiaries. The President’s actions and speeches so far have indicated good faith and good intentions. This has urged hard-nosed and irrepressible resistant leaders like Attorney Ledum Mitee, one-time President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), to be in complete agreement with the return to oil production.
He was heard on the news calling on all well- meaning sons and daughters of Ogoniland to accept the offers coming their way. Many Ogonis however, are still doubtful about the President’s intentions. They have said it is all geared towards the Federal Government having access to the rich oil and gas deposits in Ogoni soil. There is also distrust by some who have yet to heal from past injustices inflicted on the land by previous governments in cahoots with the oil majors. Since 1993 when oil production stopped in Ogoni land following intensive protests from the Ogoni people, the Nigerian government and the oil majors stopped reaping from millions of dollars in proceeds from the oil and gas. Lawson Hayford, a veteran journalist, who has reported the Niger Delta for over four decades, particularly the Niger Delta and the Ogoni crisis, said Nigeria has lost revenue amounting to over N30 trillion for the 32 years that oil has not been mined in Ogoni land.
Writing in the Southern Examiner, Hayford said, “While oil exploration and production in the Niger Delta region began in the late 1950s, operations were suspended in Ogoniland in the early 1990s due to disruptions from local public unrests with oil fields and installations remaining largely dormant for about 34 years, leading to a loss of revenue of over N30 trillion. “There are a total of 96 oil wells connected to five flow stations across the four local government areas of Khana, Gokana, Tai, and Eleme in Ogoniland. They were being operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC of Nigeria, a subsidiary of the Royal Dutch Shell.” That story is presently being rewritten by the remediation efforts of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) and the work of Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, its Project Coordinator.
“Over 50 communities are now enjoying potable water.” As though this was not magic enough, contractors are working hard toward mangrove regeneration not to leave out empowerment programmes for women and people with disabilities. These are stories too good to be true. In addition, the Petroleum Industry Act has also been introduced to take care of some basic needs of the oil communities, especially by tying development of the communities to the operational budgets of the oil companies. The establishment of a host community development trust as a condition for oil mining license holders regarding community development, may well be the magic wand required to turn things around for the Ogonis. A trying present is most likely to give way to a prosperous future. The future of the land and peoples of oil-bearing communities appear brighter with possibilities within this framework.
Environmentalist and lawyer, Iniro Wills, however, strongly thinks that the community-friendly clause in the PIA is only a tiny drop that cannot quench the thirst of the people’s appetite. Only time will tell. A lot of work needs to be done to bring every party in the Ogoni scenario to the table. Some groups are yet to agree with the return of oil production in Ogoniland, while others do not quite agree with the modus operandi adopted to initiate the process. They would all need to be brought together to ventilate their positions so that everyone is taken along together. Last Saturday, the committee that emerged to kickstart a process of the consultations initiated by President Tinubu convened a meeting at Freed Centre, Bori in the heart of Ogoniland. Though it was well attended, proceedings had to be hurried as a group of protesters stormed the venue.
Blessing Wikina, a long time public communications expert from Ogoni however, noted that the Bori meeting was a good landing. He said he was there. He dismissed the slanted reports about the meeting which he said were done to create social media content. He said in his social media handle that the committee deliberately avoided founding the consultations along old ‘loyalty blocs’ and ‘groups of people with entitlement blood.’ “Every Ogoni was to attend as an individual, not as a member of a camp. This approach meant no one would claim success or failure.”
Several factions exist in Ogoniland, including the leading pressure group, MOSOP, and they all need to get involved in the consultations, including those sulking for not being invited to the Abuja parley with the President.
Factional MOSO President, Fegalo Nsuke, recalled how MOSOP championed the Ogoni struggle from the beginning and wondered why MOSOP was not invited to Abuja or the Bori meeting. Hayford said, “sidelining MOSOP in the move to re-enter Ogoniland for oil and gas production could create distrust in the hearts of the Ogoni people, cautioning against rushing the process in order not to generate tension, anxiety and crisis in the landscape of Ogoni area.” Certain that the current process led by President Tinubu would yield good fruit for the Ogoni, Wikina says, he silently prays that “this oil resumption comes sooner, so that our people will participate in productive ventures around our oil economy…..and get benefits like our brothers in Orashi area, Bonny axis, etc.”
He cast a glance at the Bodo-Bonny road that will link mainland Nigeria with the vital island port of Bonny that is passing through Ogoniland. “Shall we wait, watch, as vehicles drive through here, to where lucrative oil businesses are happening…without our involvement? Every party will have to sheathe their sword and embrace the ongoing consultation process that will lead to a prosperous future for the land and the people.
Dagogo Josiah, Olayinka Coker and Emmanuel Obe
Josiah, Coker and Obe wrote in from Port Harcourt.