Opinion

Clean Energy For Cleaner Earth

Published

4 years ago

December 10, 2021

The modern world in the 21st century needs to jellyroll its old ways and practices that have caused environmental degradation, pollution, global warming, ozone layer depletion, culminating in climate change. These ways and practices include greenhouse gases emissions, deforestation which is common in the Third World, air pollution from fossil fuels, desertification, etc; hence the need to embrace cleaner fuel, cleaner energy and cleaner environment.
The earth is witnessing more natural disasters now than at any period of time occasioned by human factors and natural effects. Deforestation, caused by tree felling without replacement for the purpose of cooking or energy source which is still rampant in developing countries. There is also the melting of glaciers caused by increase in temperature that swells the volume of oceans and seas around the world. Heat wave is now in a greater magnitude in Europe, the Americas and North Africa as recent reports show than at any other time. It also includes the Tsunamis of 2011, especially the one that hit Japan and other Islands in Asia, and the Fikushima nuclear disaster with so devastating effect.
The world should not forget in a hurry Hurricane Katrina of 2005 that caused unimaginable catastrophe to the people of USA. There had been some other disasters like typhoons and cyclones affecting the United States and Central America. Only recently, there were wildfires in Canada, the United States and parts of Europe, including Australia. Wildfires also devastated the Amazon forest in Brazil some years ago.
This year, countries like Germany, Belgium and parts of the Netherlands experienced heavy flooding with the water (flood) level reaching very high levels and causing terrible devastation to homes, business, schools, power lines and communication facilities. Also, there has been unusual torrential rainfall coupled with thunder storm/rainstorm leaving in its wake massive destruction of homes and livelihoods in Africa and Asia, particularly South East Asia, West Africa and Latin American countries.
The green house gases emissions which is most common in the advanced countries of the northern hemisphere sometimes described as high income nations, have contributed a lot to ozone layer depletion and global warming. And they are not doing much to cut back emissions level as agreed in the protocols adopted at the World Climate Convention of 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the Kyoto Climate Convention in Japan and other such conventions.
Declining green vegetation and inadequate forest resource in most of our urban and rural settlements due to urbanisation and massive construction of roads, buildings, dams and power stations and other harmful human activities as deforestation for different purposes have all contributed in no small measure to cause global warming and environmental degradation.
In this millennium, governments all over the world and humans have done much harm to the environment and the ecosystem than any other. Also to be blamed is the global dependence and use of fossil fuel for running industries, machines and automobiles and to power homes and factories. Added to the above factor is the reluctance or unwillingness of governments to take a more pragmatic approach and action against harmful acts and practices that degrade the environment and pollute the air, atmosphere thereby contributing to ozone layer depletion and climate change.
Worthy of mention is the action of the President Barak Obama’s administration of the United States, who took a hard stand and came on heavily on the oil giants British Petroleum (BP) when they polluted the Gulf of Mexico from their negligence. He ordered them to clean up the environment, pay compensation for the damage and to stop all of their operations.
Our ecosystem, marine life, the wetlands, seas, oceans and rivers, the animals, insects, birds, microbes and micro-organisms, including the green vegetation would thrive well and better with cleaner environment. Any wonder, the new paradigm is cleaner fuels, cleaner energy and cleaner environment. This new modern technology that has been embraced and put in use by some advanced countries of the world includes wind energy, solar energy and gas-powered energy, nuclear energy etc.
The cleaner energy and cleaner fuels (also known as renewable energy) have come to stay and have done so much good to mitigate climate change, ozone layer depletion and global warming. This renewable energy is the energy for the future and the right way for the world to go. Environmental friendliness and respect for the rights of the environment will guarantee cleaner and healthier air/atmosphere with a safer and better ecosystem. Also, the bio-diversity will be preserved.
Also in parts of the world or countries that enjoy sunshine for some parts of the year. This solar energy is clean, safe, convenient, very reliable and environmentally friendly; likewise the wind energy, which is derived from windmills driven by the force of the wind and generates power by the force that drives the turbines to produce electricity. You can have many windmills in a location called wind farm, and their combined force can power a large town or city. Again this energy is clean, convenient, reliable safe and environmentally friendly.
Similarly, nuclear energy which is got from uranium can be used to generate electricity by a nuclear reactor that can power large towns, cities and industries. To generate electricity for peaceful purpose not for military purpose and you would need to get approval from the International Energy Agency (IEA). It is also a clean, reliable, convenient and environmentally friendly mode of generating electricity.
Ayooso is a public affairs analyst
Of course, stories like this are not strange in our society where cultism and gangsterism is now the order of the day. Many of our young ones, particularly the young men have become thugs, kidnappers, terrorists, rapists, drug addicts, bullies and all that. And as each day passes, you wonder what the future holds for Nigeria with this crop of people.
This challenge was the main topic for discussion at a youth training programme recently. The parents, guests and speakers were perturbed that our young men and boys are going astray. A good number of them have become internet fraudsters, many are out of school, some have become a big problem unto the country, making our villages and towns very insecure and difficult to dwell in. From the presentations and contributions, it was obvious that many of our young men have issues and need help. And the big question was, who will save our boys?
I particularly liked the perspective of one of the guest speakers, a psychologist, to the issue. He heaped the bulk of the blame on the society, families and parents. According to him, generations of the male children both in Nigeria and elsewhere have been raised to suppress their emotions. They are brought up to believe that being a male, they are not supposed to let out their emotions even when they are hurting. He said phrases like “be a man; men don’t cry; why are you behaving like a woman?’’ and many others depict that being a male, you are supposed to behave like a superhuman, you are discouraged from sharing your feelings with anyone.
The implication, according to him, is that with such mentality, many men have no option than to express their emotion through anger or other unruly behavior. At any little provocation the person is ready to bring down the roof. Some do not mind inflicting injuries on others or even killing as it was in the case of Kunle. Just for a mere misunderstanding broken bottles and other dangerous weapons were being brandished by everyone.
The psychologist went further to point out that in a society like ours where there are high expectations from the male child, some of them are bound to get involved in all manner of crime – internet fraudster, kidnapping for money, name it. He painted a scenario where two people, a young man and a young woman will graduate from the university at the same time. The woman may immediately get married and from then going forward, her husband will be expected to cater for virtually all her needs while on the other hand, her male counterpart’s preoccupation will be how to get a job, rent a house, get married and start his own family. Not measuring up to this high expectation, some young men get frustrated and take out their frustration on people around the and the society at any given time.
He also highlighted the problem of poor parental upbringing, deteriorating family values, socio-cultural norms among other
I cannot agree more with the psychologist. Yes, criminality or defiance has no sex barrier. Both male and female are involved in the negative acts but what is the percentage of both sexes? How many females are among the agberos in our various motor parks across the country many of who make a living from hooliganism and thuggery? What is the percentage of the female sex among the homeless almajiri children seen mostly in the northern parts of the country? Recently I saw a squalor where some teenage almajiris live and I immediately concurred with the people who say that it may take a very long time to end Boko Haram insurgency, banditry and kidnapping in the country as those are avenues for them to protest against an unfair society in addition of the semblance of family tie these street kids get from them.
Some of these motor park touts under the umbrella of NURTW who have today become a menace to the society are creations of some desperate politicians and other moneybags who allegedly have them on their pay roll and use them as private army and tools for destruction during elections. Perhaps that is the reason why the threats of proscribing the union by Lagos State law makers and a similar call by many concerned citizens across the country have never come to be.
Our leaders have capitalized on the high unemployment rate in the country to take advantage of the young ones. Many experts and researches have posited that unemployment is the root of violence in Nigeria as unemployed youths are more likely to be perpetrators as well as victims of crime.
Therefore, it is high time we began paying more attention to our boys than we currently do. Many of these boys are hurting, some are daily being abused at different places by different people even women but they can’t speak up because “they are men”. Pertinent issues concerning the girl child are constantly being brought to the lime light both locally and globally. Currently we have the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence with the theme: Orange the world: End violence against women now and one is just imagining how good it will be for similar attention to be paid on the issues concerning the male child, especially their emotional issues by parents, family members and the larger society. I have no doubt that that will do the country a whole lot of good.

of the College to quickly absolve their students from the act that led to the eventual death of the junior student, blaming it on injury he sustained while playing football. The question many have asked is, if the kid sustained such a life threatening injury, did the school notify his parents? Did the school treat him? And what degree of treatment was given to him? Many parents that have children in boarding houses know that when a child sustains a certain level of injury or when he is suffering from certain illness, the attention of their parents is usually sought and sometimes they are asked to take their child to their family doctor for better treatment.
For the parents of some of the alleged culprits who have reportedly flown their children abroad thereby protecting them from justice and correction, it is rather a big shame. This kind of cover up is probably what they have been doing that resulted in their children now being murderers. It is in their best interest to bring those children back to answer for their crime to avoid more shameful acts from these children in years to come. If only other parents who have the habit of covering the wrongs of their children will learn from Dowen College incident.
Lizzy Ozioko,
Oroigwe.

Nigeria’s Problems Will Increase If…

The Vice-president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, told a group that visited him in Abuja. “it is wrong” for Nigeria, which is the largest economy in Africa, to break apart. We must never relent in ensuring that we keep to the ideals of the country and we don’t lose sight of what we are trying to achieve here,”
“People who suggest that the country breaks up, whatever may be the reason for their views, are certainly not correct and we must say so to them at every turn, the unity of this country is important for all of the different ethnicities, religions, everybody. Whatever the group or ideology, unity is important for every one of us.
“If you fragment, the problems are going to multiply, poverty will multiply.”
It is always interesting hearing such beautiful sermons, particularly from our leader. And truly, Osinbajo is not wrong. Remaining as one big country has its enormous advantages. But what worries many people is that beyond these inspirational talks, our leaders are doing little or nothing to unite the citizens. The drafters of the 1999 Nigeria Constitution, knowing how heterogeneous the country is, provided for federal character which states that people from one particular region or tribe should not dominate any government establishment. Rather, people from every part of the country should be given equal opportunity to serve the nation. Is that what is obtainable in Nigeria today? Is every Nigerian treated equally or some are regarded as sacred cows while others are regarded as second class citizens?
So, our leaders should learn to walk the talk. If they want the agitation for the division of the country to stop, there should be an inclusive government where people of all tribes, regions and religions are treated equally. What accrues from the abundant resources in the country should also be used for the development of the nation.
Eric Giadom,
Bodo City.

Wike’s Award To A PhD Graduate
Please permit me to use this medium to thank our able Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, for his show of benevolence towards a student of the Rivers State University (RSU) living with disability during the last weekend’s convocation ceremony of the institution.
For bagging a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree, for not seeing his condition as a barrier to attain that height of academic excellence, the governor honoured James Daniel with N50 million and an automatic teaching appointment in the prestigious university.
Obviously, by this singular act, the governor has changed the fortune of the disabled doctor. I join other well-meaning people both within and outside the state to thank the Governor for the life changing gesture. My prayer is that God should reward him and keep him alive and strong to continue the good work he is doing for the state.
To other physically challenged persons in the state, Dr Daniel should be a source of inspiration to you all. If this young man should come this far despite all odds, why can’t others follow in his footsteps? This same goes for other able bodied men and women in the state who instead of struggling to develop themselves, take to kidnapping, cultism and other manner of crime. It’s time for them to have a rethink.
Amanda Tokini,
RSU, Port Harcourt.

Opinion

Agony In Ivory Tower

Published

2 days ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

Quote: A university that tolerates missing scripts, result manipulation and ‘sorting’ is not merely failing students—it is quietly destroying the moral foundation of education itself.”

The sad cases of missing scripts, compulsory Sorting, inputting of wrong results and other obnoxious practices in some public universities, leave much to be desired. One cannot imagine how a student will be compelled to suffer consequences of the flagrant negligence of a Head of Department, a lecturer, Department staff or an ICT staff.Many academic and non academic staff in several public universities seem to be performing far below standard, thus unproductive to the university system. The unacceptable cases of sorting, missing scripts, missing results, inputting of wrong grades to students, should not be mentioned in a university, not even in any academic community. This is because people who are employed to work in various positions should have cognate work experience and unquestionable competence. They should not be seen as certificate welding illiterates but people who have been proven to be worthy in learning and character, diligent and competent to carry out assigned responsibilities with minimal or no supervision.

The university as a citadel of learning should boast of men of integrity, people who are repositories of applied knowledge and competence to drive the much desired holistic development in a nation that functions on quality teaching and learning. A situation where a student having gone through the crucibles of learning and written a prescribed semester examination or class-based evaluation test, is told that his or her script is missing or that he or she did not participate in that academic exercise, or must sort to pass, is an unpardonable error and a height of callousness. In fact some lecturers and staff of Departments are using the seeming systemic defect (which is their architecture) as an opportunity to extort students. Sometimes it is discovered much to students chagrin that the supposed missing script was later discovered when a ransom was paid.

Since a lecturer, or Head of Department has in their disposal both Yam and the knife and determines who takes what (if they wish to give without strings), students have no alternative but to submit to their importunate demands in order to graduate at record time.Such practices should be unheard of in an institution that should be a vanguard of moral and ethical values and conduct. What people learn in school constitute their behavioural patterns in the society. Where the school as an agency of socialisation cannot drive positive change first in its immediate environment, then the objective of education as a bedrock for the development of society, is inevitably compromised and counter-productive. The German Reformer, Dr. Martins Luther was quoted as saying, “I advise parents not to put their wards or children in any school where the Bible is not being used as a rule of life because such institutions will unnecessarily be corrupt”.

Gleaning from Luther’s sentiment one can deduce that the lack of respect and regard for values as well as the absence of the fear of God is the greatest undoing of most public schools. Another major challenge is that lack of Information, Communication and Technology literacy or compliance on the part of some lecturers and heads of department, may have informed the decision to give students’ scripts to secretaries to compile and input students results thereby making the secretaries the determinants of students’ fate. It is not saying a new thing that some of the secretaries in the process of compiling results have inputted wrong results, omitted names or down graded some students or given unmerited grades to others.Society today is ICT-driven and ICT-literacy enhances efficiency, speed and a reasonable degree of accuracy if the person behind the computer is level headed, articulate, competent, alive to responsibilities and is aware that negligence on his or her part is not only tantamount to a disservice to the university but to the students who may not graduate at record time because of his or her (computer operator’s) gross ineptitude or carelessness.

The ICT era makes the carrying of hard copy of results obsolete as lecturers through the Heads of Department can log on to the central server of the Exams and Records (if any) or ICT unit and input students’ results directly. By so doing the incessant cases where result on spread sheet is different from the one published online, more often than not, caused by abject negligence, will be avoided. The process will also end the intermediary services of some staff in the universities’ Information, Communication and Technology Department which has become a money spinner-a lucrative source of income to many of them. In fact some ICT staff reserved the power to award grades to students depending on students’ degree of compliance to terms and conditions. They can dubiously make or unmake a student. The university community should be considered too lofty to have careless, negligent, immoral and academic or professionally deficient people as academic or non-academic staff.

The Governing Councils and Senates of universities should be proactive in addressing the menace of missing Script, inputting of wrong results and sorting. This is necessary to end the slogan “Education is scam” so the system can produce quality students who are truly found worthy in learning and in character by operators who exemplify diligence, moral and ethical values. The much-needed reform must begin within the institutions themselves, because the future of any society is shaped in its classrooms.

By: Igbiki Benibo

Opinion

Strength of Emotional Equality

Published

2 days ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

Quote: “Love thrives not when one gives more, but when both give fully — not in competition, not in performance, but in partnership.”

In every healthy relationship, there exists an invisible balance. It is not measured in grand gestures, expensive gifts, or public displays of affection. It is measured in something quieter and far more significant: emotional equality. When couples stand on equal emotional grounds, love becomes less of a negotiation and more of a partnership. Emotional equality does not mean both individuals express love in identical ways. It does not require matching personalities or mirroring temperaments. Rather, it speaks to balance — a shared willingness to invest, to communicate, to be vulnerable, and to grow. It is the difference between two people walking side by side and one person constantly trying to catch up.

In many relationships, imbalance begins subtly. One partner initiates most conversations. One apologizes more frequently. One carries the emotional labor — remembering important dates, managing conflicts, sensing tension, and attempting reconciliation. Over time, this uneven distribution of emotional effort breeds exhaustion. The partner who gives more begins to feel unseen. The one who gives less may grow comfortable in emotional passivity. Love, in such a space, starts to tilt — slowly at first, then significantly. Resentment can creep in quietly, disguising itself as patience. Silence may replace honest dialogue. What once felt effortless begins to feel heavy.

When couples stand on equal emotional grounds, responsibility is shared. Both people are accountable for the health of the relationship. If conflict arises, neither hides behind silence nor dominates through control. Instead, they engage. They listen. They speak honestly without weaponizing words. Equality creates safety — and safety strengthens intimacy. It allows both individuals to express needs without fear of ridicule or rejection. One of the most overlooked aspects of emotional equality is vulnerability. True connection requires courage. It demands that both partners risk being misunderstood. But when vulnerability is one-sided, it becomes exposure rather than intimacy. If one person consistently opens up while the other remains guarded, trust cannot fully deepen.

Equality ensures that emotional risks are mutual. Where one shares fears, the other shares too. Where one admits weakness, the other responds with openness rather than judgment. In such a space, authenticity flourishes. Another crucial element is validation. In emotionally balanced relationships, both partners feel heard. Their concerns are not dismissed as “overreactions.” Their feelings are not minimized or compared. When couples operate on equal emotional ground, they acknowledge each other’s experiences as legitimate. They may not always agree, but they always respect. Validation does not mean surrendering one’s viewpoint; it means recognizing that another’s emotional reality matters.

Equality also protects individuality. Contrary to popular belief, healthy love does not erase personal identity — it enhances it. When both partners are emotionally secure, they do not feel threatened by each other’s independence. Personal ambitions are encouraged, not resented. Friendships are respected, not restricted. Growth is celebrated, not feared. Standing on equal emotional grounds means neither person shrinks to accommodate the other. Instead, both expand, knowing the relationship is strong enough to hold their evolution. Power dynamics often expose emotional inequality. When one partner controls communication — appearing and disappearing unpredictably, withholding affection, or using silence as leverage — imbalance emerges.

Emotional dominance weakens intimacy. It creates anxiety instead of assurance. But when couples share emotional power, there is consistency. There is clarity. There is no need to decode affection because it is offered freely and intentionally. It is important to understand that equality does not imply perfection. Couples will still disagree. They will face stress, miscommunication, and moments of frustration. However, when emotional footing is equal, conflict does not threaten the foundation. Instead, it becomes an opportunity for understanding. Both partners approach challenges as teammates rather than opponents. They choose resolution over ego and repair over pride.

Time often reveals whether emotional equality truly exists. In the early stages of love, intensity can disguise imbalance. Enthusiasm feels mutual. Effort appears equal. But as routine settles in and novelty fades, the structure of the relationship becomes clearer. Who still initiates? Who still invests? Who still shows up consistently? Sustainable love requires sustained balance. It is built not merely on attraction, but on deliberate reciprocity. Standing on equal emotional grounds requires intentionality. It demands honest conversations about needs and expectations. It requires both partners to examine their habits — whether they withdraw during tension, avoid accountability, or rely on the other to carry the emotional weight. Emotional maturity is not about avoiding conflict; it is about handling it responsibly and returning, again and again, to shared ground.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of emotional equality is peace. There is no constant anxiety about where one stands. No guessing games about commitment. No fear that affection may suddenly disappear. Instead, there is stability. There is reassurance. There is mutual effort. In a world where relationships often blur the lines between attention and commitment, equality offers clarity. It reminds us that love should not feel like competition or performance. It should feel like partnership. When couples stand on equal emotional grounds, they build something resilient. They build trust that does not fracture easily. They build respect that does not depend on mood. They build a connection rooted not only in passion but in balance. And in that balance, love finds its strength — not in who gives more, but in how both give fully.

By: Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi

Opinion

NDDC: Time To Illuminate Homes

Published

1 week ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Quote:“Twenty-five years on, the Niger Delta cannot celebrate illuminated streets while families sit in darkness. Development must begin inside the home — where children study, businesses grow, and lives are built — before it glows on the roadside.”

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was established in 2000 with a clear and urgent mandate: to facilitate the rapid, even, and sustainable development of Nigeria’s oil-producing Niger Delta region. The creation of the Commission followed decades of agitation over environmental degradation, infrastructural neglect, and socio-economic marginalization in the region. Its core mandate included the development of roads, bridges, electricity, water supply, health facilities, education, housing, environmental remediation, and economic empowerment initiatives. At inception, expectations were high that the Commission would transform the Niger Delta into a model of regional development. Over the years, the NDDC has indeed implemented numerous projects across the nine Niger Delta states. Roads have been constructed and rehabilitated in several communities, easing transportation challenges.

Schools have been renovated, and new classroom blocks have been provided in underserved areas. Health centres have been built or upgraded, improving access to primary healthcare services. The Commission has also awarded scholarships to students, including foreign postgraduate scholarships, empowering thousands of youths academically.Skills acquisition and youth empowerment programmes have helped many young people gain vocational competencies.Through various interventions, the NDDC has contributed to job creation and local economic stimulation.Solar-powered street lighting projects have been widely implemented in urban and semi-urban communities. These streetlights have improved visibility at night and contributed to enhanced security in some areas. Markets, highways, and public spaces illuminated by solar lights have experienced extended business hours.

For these efforts, the Commission deserves acknowledgment and commendation. However, development must always align with foundational mandates and pressing grassroots realities. A growing concern among residents is that while streets are illuminated, many homes remain in darkness. Rural electrification and household power access remain inconsistent and inadequate across large parts of the region. In riverine and remote communities, families still rely on generators, kerosene lamps, or complete darkness after sunset. The irony of brightly lit streets juxtaposed with powerless homes cannot be ignored. Electricity at the household level directly impacts education, health, and small-scale enterprise. Students cannot effectively study at night without reliable indoor lighting.Families cannot preserve food or power essential appliances without stable electricity.

Micro and small businesses struggle to grow without dependable energy access. While street lighting enhances public aesthetics and security, it does not substitute for domestic electrification. The proverb “charity begins at home” is especially relevant in this context. True community development must first empower households before beautifying public spaces. The Commission’s original mandate emphasizes integrated and sustainable development, not isolated infrastructural gestures. Balanced development requires that energy interventions prioritize homes alongside streets. Solar technology presents a unique opportunity for decentralized household electrification in off-grid communities. Extending solar solutions to individual homes would have a transformative social impact. Home-based solar systems could power lights, fans, small appliances, and communication devices.

Such interventions would reduce poverty, improve living standards, and stimulate grassroots productivity. By broadening its energy focus, the Commission would better reflect the spirit of its founding legislation. This is not a call to abandon street lighting projects, which have their merits. Rather, it is an appeal for balance, inclusivity, and alignment with core developmental objectives. Strategic planning should ensure that rural electrification and household access form a central pillar of ongoing interventions. Community engagement and needs assessments can help determine priority areas for household solar deployment. Twenty-five years after its establishment, the NDDC stands at a reflective moment in its institutional journey. The people of the Niger Delta say: thank you for the efforts so far—but not very much—because true appreciation will come when development begins at home and radiates outward, not merely when streets shine while houses remain in darkness.

By: King Onunwor