The Bendi Technical College (BTC) in Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River State recently attracted the attention of critics, commentators and analysts of pubic affairs. Established in 1978, the college has produced a great number of people, some of whom are now established scholars, technocrats and professionals across diverse endeavours of life. The contribution of her products to nation building and development is phenomenal and has been praised in several quarters. To list the names of men and women who passed through the college would fill volumes and we do not intend to make such a list here.
Like many other public schools in Cross River State, the fortunes of BTC have terribly nosedived over the years, leaving students of the school to study under extremely difficult conditions. The college lacks basic infrastructure like access road/bridge, water supply, power, toilets, accommodation, office/classroom space/furniture, laboratories, workshops and a functional library/ICT centre. The existing buildings in the college have become scandalously dilapidated and unusable to staff and students. We can only leave to imagination the terribly cascading facilities at the college, which at some points, and ironically so, was attended by the Cross River State’s Commissioner for Quality Education, Dr Godwin Amanke, and the Chief of Staff to the Government of Cross River State, Hon. Martin Orim!
Many people in Bendi, including this writer, had thought that the swearing-in of professors as Governor and Deputy Governor of Cross River State was going to improve the fortunes of the state’s education sector, including those of BTC. The change in nomenclature of the ministry of education to the ministry of quality education strengthened the optimism that there would be massive improvement in educational services and facilities. Six years down the road, the situation in public schools has not changed in any appreciable way; it has rather worsened as many other things under the current administration in the state. Little wonder, the euphoria and fanfare that greeted the emergence of the current administration have completely died down, leaving sycophants and booth lickers with the onerous responsibility of convincing Cross Riverians that things are getting better.
To return to the BTC story, the desperate groans of parents and guardians about the terrible conditions of learning at the college sweetened up into joyful ululations when Rt. Hon. Legor Idagbo published a letter dated 25th September 2020 on his Facebook timeline announcing to the world that he had facilitated “the execution of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) ICT Centre in Bendi Technical School.” The letter stated that “The contract price is N122,809,075.00 (One Hundred and Twenty-Two Million, Eight Hundred & Nine Thousand, Seventy-Five Naira) … . The contract duration shall be for a period of six (6) months which shall take effect from the commencement date of the contract.” Against the expectations of many stakeholders, the contract at BTC was executed in the most unsatisfactory and unacceptable manner. Rather than building a 21st century ICT centre, those involved with the contract merely collapsed two classrooms into a bigger space for the installation of computers. The shabby way the contract was executed left no one in doubt that its facilitators were more interested in what they would gain from it than how it would serve the end users.
Displeased with the fraudulent and criminal betrayal of trust by the facilitator and contractors, the Northern Cross River Youths Coalition petitioned the MP to the EFCC. In a swift reaction, the MP dismissed the petition as a useless piece of handiwork of his enemies. Encouraged by this claim, his followers and supporters queried the writers of the petition, claiming that constituency project contracts are awarded to MDAs and not Members of National Assembly (NASS). Based on this claim, they ordered that all questions concerning the three projects facilitated by the MP in his constituency should be directed to the companies that executed them. Some concerned individuals bought this advice and resolved to follow up with the contractors since the MP and his supporters had made it clear that it was not his responsibility to ensure that his constituency projects were executed to specifications.
As the concerned citizens set out to pursue the investigation with relevant questions, the supporters of the MP dramatically reversed themselves, calling on all and sundry to “beat the drums of joy” to the “pragmatic RT HON LEGOR IDAGBO” for turning the Bendi Technical College “into a much sought after citadel in ICT knowledge based hub.” With unusual excitement, they wrote further: “This [the project] was facilitated by our principal in his piloting of the affairs of Nigerian Local Content Monitoring Board Committee. At a time like this, the least we could all do as a sign of appreciation and a Filip for him to do more is to say THANK YOU. The trend whereby some brothers of ours are regrettably turning a blind eye to this humbling effort and rather more concern(Ed) with the 2023 race is of grave concern.” For some strange reasons, they regarded those calling for accountability and explanation as ungrateful enemies of the MP. To showcase their much-noised about transformation brought about by the MP at the BTC, they manufactured and displayed several breath-taking pictures of the college. Those pictures are capable of convincing the public that those who were still complaining about the quality of execution were unfair to the MP.
To ascertain the reality on ground, I decided to take a trip to the BTC. Like every other person who has been to the college in the last few days can attest, there are several questions begging for answers by those that were involved with the project. BTC which has been used as a channel of siphoning public funds is in dire need of patriots who will look the facilitator and contractors in the face and tell them the truth about the injustice done to the present and future students of BTC as well as other constituents of Bekwarra/Obanliku/Obudu Federal Constituency. The supporters of the MP should not distract those who have taken it upon themselves to ask important questions at the relevant quarters by urging the public to roll out drums to celebrate the renovation and installation of computers in an expanded classroom.
I should end this episode by reminding Bendi elites and other people that are supporting this injustice of W.E.B. Du Bois’ immutable assertion that it is a tragedy for an enlightened individual to pursue personal gains while ignoring the plight of his/her oppressed kin. We should always remember that from the time of Esau till now, people who sold their birthrights for a pot of porridge have lived in regrets. While it is true that half bread is better than none, it is also indubitable that the reverse is the case with education, where half of it is dangerous. It is the responsibility of good followers to ask questions on whether projects have been executed as awarded or not. If followers fail in this responsibility, the society will be the worse for it.
Dr. Dave Imbua writes from the hills of Bendi.
Disclaimer: This article is strictly the opinions of Dave Mbua PhD, and does not represent the views of The Lumine News or the organization the author works for.
