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Go back to school, Ohanaeze
urges Igbo youths
JAYNE OSONDU, Umuahia
PROMINENT
Igbo yesterday expressed concern at the attitudinal shift among Ndigbo,
particularly the youths, from education to commerce. They demanded urgent
reversal of the unwholesome trend, saying it is a sure guarantee against
exclusion in national affairs.
This position was highlighted at the first
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Education Summit which opened in Umuahia, the Abia State
capital, with the theme "Revitalising Education Among The Igbo."
Several dimensions to the common position
were veriously articulated by speakers including Gov. Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia
State, the host governor, Education Minister, Prof. Fabian Osuji, president of
apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze, Prof. Joe Irukwu, elder
statesman and Igbo leader, Chief Bob Ogbuagu and other patriots.
In a keynote address, Prof. Osuji noted
that the civil war (1967-70) inflicted unquantified desctruction to Igboland and
its possessions.
He said it was in the destruction of Igbo
psyche that the war inflicted the most incalculable damage to Ndigbo.
Prof. Osuji noted that the 30 months of
actual military combat did not cause as much damage as did the destruction of
Igbo mode of thought, intrinsic value system and way of life.
As a way out of the dilemma, he called for
the raising of educational resource centres in various cities and communities in
Igboland.
He urged Ohanaeze to do this in
collaboration with Igbo in diaspora who have indicated their intention to
participate in such programmes.
Governor Kalu, on his part spoke of an
inevitable need for Ndigbo to pay attention to the issue of private
universities.
He said a situation where of the 14
private universities already licensed by the Federal Government and seven
awaiting formal approval, only one is situated in Igboland, calls for deep
thought.
The governor, whose address was read by
his Deputy, Dr Chima Nwafor, also noted that Ndigbo have not shown sufficient
interest in media business.
He said the import of the education summit
had encouraged him to believe that the issue of the endemic braindrain in
Igboland will be permanently addressed.
He drew the attention of Ndigbo to efforts
of his administration to tackle education problem.
Gov. Kalu said the introduction of
work-to-learn programme, which has graduated about 20,000 persons, is one of
such efforts.
In his speech, Prof. Irukwu said Ohanaeze
believes Ndigbo have suffered as a result of the civil war.
He said the Igbo ethnic groups which used
to be in education suddenly abandoned it to their detriment.
Irukwu added that without reasonable
population of educated persons time will come when Ndigbo will not have those to
take up appointments at the federal and state levels.
Prof. Irukwu also lamented the present
situation where male youths have left education in pursuit of wasteful
tendencies.
He noted that ironically, women who were
at the background in education are the ones at the forefront now.
"In 1972, a class of 150 students could be
all males, but today, a class of 1,000 students will be 800 females and 200
males," he added.
The Ohaneze leader promised that the his
administration would improve the fortunes of Ndigbo.
Chairman on the occasion, Chief Ogbuagu,
in his speech, said it was time when crucial decisions on education of Igbo sons
and daughters should be taken for the good of the generality of the people.
Chief Ogbuagu said before now, Ogbuagu
said before now, Ohanaeze had set up organs to work towards repositioning Ndigbo
to their lost glory.
"The gathering aims to stir the minds to
find out the point at which the drift in education started and also on how to
stop it" he noted.
Earlier, his welcome address, the chairman
of Ohanaeze, Chief Okey Nwadinobi, said the decision to hold an education summit
is a culmination of several factors.
He said the state Council of Ohanaeze
Ndigbo made promise at its inauguration to consistently address issues which are
fundamental to the well-being of Ndigbo in order to empower them to regain their
pride of place in the affairs of the country.
He said the urgent reversal of the
unfortunate downward trend in eagerness for education attainment among Ndigbo is
the prime guarantee against their exclusion from the economic, political social,
technological and industrial development process of Nigeria.
According to him, "the theme for the
summit presupposes a glorious past, a worrisome present and a wish for a future
of high standards that will surpass our past".
"It is unfortunate that the aftermath of
the civil war conditioned Ndigbo to think only of immediate survival which
eventually lured them away from education," he noted.
Some of role call
Prof Fabian Osuji, Education Minister
Prof. Joe Irukwu - President Ohanaeze
Col. Joe Achuzie - Secretary Ohanaeze
Ndigboi
Prof. Chibuzor Ogbuagu, Secretary to Abia
State Government
Dr Chima Nwafor - Deputy Gov.
Prof. Rose Acholonu, Dean, College of
Humanitoes Imo State University
Prof. Samuel O. Igwe - former vice
chancellor, Abia State University
Prof. U. A. Onwudiwe - Vice-Chancellor,
Michael Okpara
Chief Ralph Egbu-Commissioner for
Information, Abia State University
Prof. Stella Ogbuapu-Deputy, Vice
Chancellor, Abia State University,
Lady Gloria Aguiyi-Ironsi
Dr Gloria Chukwuere-Commissioner for
Education State, Rep. Gov Udenwa
Dr Joe Nworgu
Prof. Kalu Ukah
Eze Isaac Ikonne
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