By Okere Nnamdi 08099075484.
In literal semantics, when something becomes ironical, it simply suggests that the opposite of what it’s supposed, is now the case. That is to say that to be ironical entails that the opposite way of what is expected. When one talks about the irony of a given situation, it connotes a situation of odd and amusing contrast.
Without being cynical, indeed, some of the administrative programmes of the Okorocha Government are odd, amusing and sharply contrast with what ought to be right, before the thinking and reasonable members of the public. In this article, I do not want to sound biased for any reason whatsoever in marshaling out the crucial points that are very dear to my mind, and how the Okorocha administration has not done well in so many ways.
No doubt, the Governor has performed in the first one year of his administration, with some palpable infrastructural development in place. We have also witnessed some road projects in Owerri municipality, in the midst of other numerous bad roads within the Owerri municipality, vis – a vis the on going massive rural road projects. No doubt, there is great hope underway, going by the way and manner the Okorocha administration is going.
On the contrary, there are too many conflicting policies presently embarked upon by the rescue administration. How can one for instance explain the rational behind the breaking of people’s fences at Whetheral road, including the ones that belong to banks, where much security attention is needed? It is also strange that tbe government is spending huge resource to re – construct dwarf fences on the same Whetheral road, whereas so many sectors of the state economy are suffering from lack of fund. Including the vexed issue of the Governor’s refusal to pay our Law school bursary.
Yes, it is Governor Okorocha’s intention to give us the kind of dwarf fences that exist in the develop countries of Europe and America, but what is however strange is whether the Governor will also provide for Imo people, especially the banks at whetheral road, that are now vulnerable to robbers, the kind of scientific security system that is also available in the develop countries that have dwarf fences. What an Irony!
Many have also accused Governor Okorocha of tribal sentiment, in the sense that majority of the contracts currently executed are either handled by his brothers, sisters or in-laws. Others accused him of turning the government House into family affairs, a situation whereby the Governor’s in -laws, brothers and sisters and their husbands and wives are now under the automatic employment of lmo· state government, either as TC Chairmen, SAs, SSAs and commissioners.
How can one understand the rationale behind Governor Okorocha’s removal of the roof and wall tiles of the Imo state modem secretariat built by the Udenwa administration, not more than six years ago? Before the removal of the roo±: it is not for any reason due for change, even in the next 20 years. It was alleged that the roofs were so removed so that one of Governor Okorocha’s relations could have a contract to execute.
Another school of thought has it that, since it was the intention of the Governor to create contract/employment opportunity for his people, he should have rather awarded the uncompleted and now abandoned walkways that link the various blocks in the secretariat, rather than engage in such debilitating waste of our state resources, by the removal of the roof Achike Udenwa built state secretariat, yet governor Okoroach is telling us that there are no resources to pay our law school bursary. This no doubt is one of the many Ironies of the Okorocha rescue Agenda.
And this brings us to the mother of all Irony in the Okorocha Rescue mission, which is his so called free education policy. How can any reasonable person comprehend the fact that the Governor in his usual showmanship, would be offering stipends to lmo pupils at both primary and secondary schools, when they have not asked for it, and moreso, it is completely useless pay such stipend that can not afford any textbook for the pupils; whereas the people that truly deserve bursary, (lmo State Students) at the Nigerian law school, are been denied of their legitimate bursary entitlement. This is the crux of all ironies in this literal work of art.
Having waited patiently without respond following a letter we addressed to the Governor, through the Chief of staff, Prince Eze Madumere, the Imo State Students Association, which is the umbrella body that unifies lmo Students in the six campuses of the law school (2012/2013 academic session) is forced to believed that Governor Rocha’s Okorocha attitude towards lmo Lawyers and would-be Lawyers is grossly biased. If not, how can one explain the fact that Governor Okorocha 40 not engage senior lawyers of lmo State origin in all his litigations, but rather prefer to employ lawyers from the southwest to handle litigations involving !mo State government. No doubt, that is an indirect way of portraying our much respected senior lawyer of Imo State origin in the bad light, whereas !mo has a galaxy of very senior Advocates that can be trusted to successfully handle government litigations. This no doubt is another major Irony of the Okorocha administration.
Why has Governor Rochas Okorocha refused to pay law school bursary of one hundred thousand naira (N 100.000.00) to each Imo citizen in the law school since he came to power? Whereas his predecessors, Governors Achike Udenwa and lkedi Ohakim made it a point of duty to ensure that Imo students-lawyers, in the law school are encouraged. And this to a reasonable extent motivated Imo students at the law school, hence the sound academic record of IMSU at the law school.
Even despite Governor Okorocha’s refusal to pay the 2011/2012 academic set their bursary entitlement, lmo went ahead and made another first class, in addition a good number also made 2nd class Upper from the 2011/2012 academic session.
It is regrettable that HIS Excellency refused to pay bursary to Imo students in the law school during the immediate past 2011/2012 academic session. To put the record straight, the governments of both Chief Achike Udenwa and Ikedi Ohakim paid bursary to Imo Students in the law school during their tenure. And the bursary assisted them to purchase one or two very expensive text books in the law school and also assisted them in very many ways. The effect was that Imo State Students, especially those from IMSU are noted for doing very well at the law school, over the years.
With the aid of Governor lkedi Ohakim’s bursary for this 2010/2011 academic session, IMSU produced the best overall at the law school, with fust class, in addition, to 52 other students made2-1(second class upper) at the Law school, during that session. Even though His Excellency did not pay the bursary of the immediate past set, yet another Imo son made us proud at the Law School with first class.
Governments of all the Northern States pay bursary of between N200 thousand to five hundred thousand naira to their students, in addition to monthly allowance of between N20, 000 and N50, 000 as the case may be. In the South West of Nigeria, Governments of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo and Osun also pay between N100 to N200 thousand naira bursaries to their indigenes at the Law School. Plus others incentives, such as free laptop computers. Ebony State, Rivers State and Kogi State pay N200 (two hundred thousand naira) bursary to her indigenes at the Law school, Plus a Laptop computer which is compulsory for every student. Those of Anambra, Enugu and Abia are sure of their Law school bursary. Ironically, when His Excellency came to power may 2011, we had expected that our Law School bursary would be enhanced, following his acclaimed love for education, but the reserve is now the case, as his administration frustrated the agitation by the immediate past set (2011-2012 session) to have their bursary paid.
Even when the students took the maximum risk and mobilized themselves to Government House from their various campuses nationwide, His Excellency refused to pay their bursary, but merely gave them N20, 000.00 (twenty thousand naira ) each as transportation back to their campuses. This is an irony to his so-called love for education and disservices to Imo youths. Again considering the much politicized and publicized free education policy of Rescue Agenda and attitude of paying stipends to primary and secondary school pupils, whereas Imo citizens at the Law School that genuinely need bursary are denied of it, one may forced to agree that the programmes of the present Governor are full of showmanship. Please prove us wrong by kindly paying our 2012/2013 law school bursary as herein requested.
Imo State Students Association of the Nigerian Law School is the umbrella body that unifies Imo students in the six campuses of the Law School, 201212013 academic sessions.
It may interest His Excellency to know that Imo State has the second highest number of students in the law school, after Lagos and Ogun States and Statistics shows that there are about 10-20 Imo indigenes, sent to the law school from Over 40 universities, nationwide. This is a great potential that must be positively harnessed; for future development and progress of our dear State.
It is to our knowledge that the Governor is a law grad\late from the University of Jos. We have also been following your activities as it concel11$ the legal profession. The latest been your participation in the 2012 NBA conference, Abuja 2012. Your Excellency, what is however strange to us is your attitude towards Lawyers and would – be Lawyers of Imo State Origin.
The 2012/2013 academic session, (Imo State Students in the Nigeria Law School), having not received any positive response from the letter dated 10/9/2012, requesting for our bursary and forwarded to you through your Chief of Staff, hereby resolved as follows.
That Law School Bursary is our birthright and we hereby solicit that your Excellency graciously pays our bursary for 2012/2013 academic session. The Governments of both Chief Udenwa and Ohakim paid law school bursary, and that of Okorocha cannot be an exception. That we shall lawfully agitate for our right. That the refusal of Governor Okorocha to pay bursary to the immediate past set (201112012) academic session is hereby condemned and should not repeat in 2012/ 2013 and future sessions. That the process of making sound and intelligent lawyers begins from the University to the law school. We therefore call on Governor Rochas Okorocha to emulate other governors, by paying our bursary, as hereby solicited. That full academic activities for 2012/2013 academic session of the Nigeria law school begins October 22 2012, and we hereby request that our bursary of NI00,000 (one hundred thousand naira) or as may be graciously INCREASED by your Excellency be paid to us; before this date (22 October 2012), as is the case with other States.
One thing that is irksome about Imo State Socio-political milieu is the fact that when issues such as this are raised, and the truth stated verbatim, the Government instead of responding positively would rather accuse the opposition of sponsoring such publications. I want to State pointblank that the issue of our law school bursary should
not be politici2ed. All we have stated herein are in good faith and should not be
associated with “Imo kind of politics”.
It is our hope that the education loving Governor of Imo State, OwelIe Rochas Okorocha responds positively to this lawful demand, by graciously paying our law school bursary on or before the 22 of Oct 2012, when we shall commence full academic activities. We also solicit your Excellency to make available free laptop computers to each of us, as the case is in some other States. Laptop computer is compulsory for every student of the law school. We join millions of Imo people in wishing you a happy 50th birthday celebrations; hoping that your Excellency would graciously pay our bursary, in the spirit of your birthday celebration. Your Excellency’s positive response would be sincerely appreciated. IMO MUST BE BETTER.
