by REMINISCING ON THE FIRST REGISTRY LECTURE IN UNICAL AND THE “APPEAL COURT SENATOR” QUILL
While searching for a document in my shelf this morning, I came across this brochure, of the first Registry lecture of the University of Calabar.
Saddened by the fact that months after the lecture, the entire public Universities have been under lock and key, no thanks to the APC government, I still took time to peruse through my jots on that day.
It was a very rich academic feast, with members of the gown and town in attendance. The Unical International Conference Center was filled to capacity as everyone struggled to take a comfortable position for a good listening.
The topic; Ethnicity, Education and Politics: A Triple SWOT Analysis and the National Question, as well as the guest speaker; the Very Distinguished Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, are two things that picked my interest.
First, the topic was and still remains a burning issue in our polity.
Secondly, I wondered how an active and serving Senator could do justice to this burning issue. But you know what? the Senator did it! it was an indepth research with workable solutions and recommendations.
Some of the salient points raised by the Distinguished Senator are;
1. Politics should be the overall concern of the Citizens
2. If politics is inescapable, so are the consequences
3. The Nigeria government has not done enough in applying the benefits of education to reposition her citizens
4. The very aim of education is not only for acquisition of certificate, but for societal development.
Personally, I admire politicians who display high intellectualism in academic discourse. They are just a few of them in Nigeria and Jari proved to be one. He displayed mastery of the topic, with a calm, consistent and unequivocal panache.
Sen. Jarigbe has proven to be an exceptional breed of the twenty first century politicians who not only concern himself with politics for politics sake but carries in him a demonstrable passion for service to humanity. He keeps an eagle eye on every aspect of human welfare, be it education, health, infrastructure, recreation, agriculture, empowerment, etc.
One of the major qualities of a good leader, is the ability to INITIATE, EXECUTE, MAINTAIN AND SUSTAIN development. Unlike the other who engages in “camouflage projects” with very analog digital concept, Jarigbe has maintained the tempo in development from when he was in the House of Reps to the Senate despite the distractions.
Like David, he is a man after God’s own heart.
In summary, beyond collecting undeserved awards and accolades, our politicians must demonstrate intellectualism with evidence-base representation. They must apply their ideas in solving societal problems. This should form the basis for any political aspiration, and this is what Jarigbe represents.
If being an “appeal court Senator” is to bring the desired development to the people, please give me more!
