Opinion

Saving For The Rainy Day

Published

11 years ago

January 19, 2015

The Nigerian economy is
undergoing turbulent times and the entire nation is caught in the web of the sordid economic reality. The nation has lost 40% of its revenue from its monolithic oil resource base for the past six months as a result of accelerated decline in global oil price. There has been a gross depletion in foreign reserve, shrinking of federation account, and a drooping allocation sharing to the various tiers of government.
Expectedly the Nigerian masses are paying dearly for the economic depression through a high cushioning effect and austerity measure. Regrettably, our leaders, the custodians of our national treasury that owe us explanation over the management of our common wealth are indulging in escapist measures to obviate their sense of responsibility.
In recent times our national leaders have engaged in verbal invectives and tirades of blames over who should receive the highest odium for the sorry state of our economy.
The situation is worsened by the fact that politicians are mopping up their loots for another election year. This has been exemplified in the sudden frugality on expenditure and release of funds for the running of the economy. Vested political concerns have taken prime schedule at the expense of targeted budgetary spending and project execution. Civil servants are groaning under the pangs of lack as a result of backlog of unpaid salaries, while the entire Nigerian citizenry are yoked under enhanced servitude.
While the likes of OBJ and IBB have addressed the perilous times with a sense of self exoneration, President Jonathan’s recent confession at a political rally in Lagos State serves as a glaring indictment of our past and present leaders over the mismanagement of our national treasury.
Addressing a tumultuous crowd of supporters and apparently reacting to swipes against his anti-corruption posture by the opposition, President Jonathan had confessed that his generation had failed Nigerians. A somberly President Jonathan had also charged Nigerian youths to take their destiny in their hands by working to salvage Nigeria from the throes of institutionalized corruption.
The implication of the President’s confession is that Nigeria’s economic woes date back to decades of misguided governance and decadence stench of perverted leadership at all levels of governance in the country.
Nigeria lost its national sense of probity and accountable leadership shortly after the collapse of the first post colonial era of leadership superintended by the founding fathers of independence. The founding fathers recognised the divergent points of comparative advantage in our national economic fortune.
Prior to the discovery of oil they managed the accruable proceeds from the available resources for the service of the state, and there was economic boom across the length and breath of Nigeria. Driven by patriotic zeal, roads were constructed, schools were built, utilities worked and the people enjoyed a life of abundance. All these were done without the impact of petrol dollars.
Despite their ideological and political differences advanced through the preponderance of regional bargaining, our founding fathers were united in one course; the common resolve to protect the dignity of the Nigerian State and prudent management of state treasury.
As leaders they were moderates and models that created a sense of social economic equilibrium in which the ordinary Nigerian could have a stake in his economic development. The split and blink in our national development process was propelled by the advent of a centralized command system sealed in a unification decree which jettisoned the prospective confederacy that was the hope of socio-political and economic redemption of the nation.
The fusing of the Nigeria State in a precarious process of corporate existence has proved to be the greatest undoing in the making of the Nigerian State. The principles of human dignity and the tenants of democratic liberties were grossly abused in the leadership transition and succession hijacked by the military aristocratic class. The unfettered access of military rules to state coffers and their inordinate ambition offered them a luxurious indulgence in executive banditry and soiled their oath of allegiance and real constitutional role in nation-building.
Military rule later gained its roots in Nigerian politics through the tacit collaboration of civilian allies in what Nigerian political legend and icon, Nnamdi Azikiwe, branded as ‘diarchy’. The system assumed a notorious height under the reign of Nigeria maximum dictator, Ibrahim Babangida, the longest serving military ruler in the nation’s political history. Babangida, who is now seeking a clean bill of health and a soft-landing, presided over an oil windfall as a serving military president as he chose to be officially addressed. Yet he perfected the displacement of a practical and sustainable approach toward economic development through his pandora box of economic policies and theories, that later turned out to be mere gimmicks of self perpetuation in power.
IBB never saw Nigeria beyond his political ambition and he adroitly pursued his infernal political agenda with a self-serving orgy that whittled the prospect of national growth. IBB never gave proper account of stewardship as a leader and his infamous regime and that of his cronies fell ingloriously to a prolonged rescue mission and intervention by a coalition of pro-democracy proponents and their international collaborators.
Then OBJ came on board in 1999 to navigate the ship of the hard earned democracy. International borders that were shut against the country were opened. Nigerians were hopeful of genuine economic rejuvenation but OBJ also allowed his political ambition to divert his attention from consolidating the gains of democracy. His anti-corruption crusade was selective and he paid his service to the diversification of the economy and promotion of entrepreneurial development in the country.
The middle economic class was eased out leaving a widening gap between the “Super rich” and the “Super poor”. OBJ never saved for the rainy day, and he owes Nigeria an explanation over how he managed our commonwealth.
That our leaders are astounded by the dwindling economic fortune of the country expose their lack of vision, profligacy, desperation for power and incurable incompetence in its execution.
Rather than fall on a reserved surplus to make up for the critical times like the Biblical Joseph in Egypt, our leaders have bequeathed Nigerians with an intractable catalogue of development challenges in all spheres of our national life.
It is therefore time to hold them accountable for what happened to the oil windfall, the excess crude and money accruing from the Subsidy Re-investment Programme (SURE-P). Nigerians must transform from spectators to participants in the nation’s development process and save themselves from possible economic extinction.

Taneh Beemene

Opinion

Agony In Ivory Tower

Published

3 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

3 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