Opinion
Why Alpha Students Serve Average Students
Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid – Albert Einstein
Many have the belief that the rich are crooks, but there are far more people who are honest, hard working and are not crooks.
A child’s most important teachers are his parents who provide the foundational building blocks of education. Parents celebrate a child’s first words, also teach them to count, walk and read and ride bicycle. Parents always prepare their children for the worst. Parents interact with their children every day and consciously or unconsciously, they have a huge and powerful impact in shaping their lives. Every child is a genius but unfortunately, their ingenuity may not be recognised by the education system. Most parents know that a child’s true genius is found in his dreams. We see a glimpse of it in early age.
The business of education is seen as a big industry in the world, impacting the lives of people. The step in making changes in our lives starts with a change, a shift in context, change in our perspectives and the filters we use to process information.
Good grades and academic success can be a double-edged sword. Being lauded as an A-student on the track to corporate success may only open a few doors and help what colleges and universities anoint as the best and brightest graduates. There is more to a rich and wonderful life than the white-collar job you leave school well qualified to do. The real world is not about your grades because there are existing games where different rules apply.
The future belongs to those who can strongly embrace change, see the future and anticipate what it needs and respond to different opportunities, challenges and passions. I believe that a child’s genius is his dreams. Creating a conducive environment in which your child can discuss his or her dreams is an important exercise. Be patient to listen to all he has to say. Bring down yourself to be friends with him as to make him trust you enough to open up to you. How well you understand him will enable you guide him more appropriately.
Rich people also go broke because, all over the world, there are millions of retirees many of whom were once rich but now live in fear of outliving their retirement savings. It is insane to say to your child “Go to school and get a job” when jobs are being shipped overseas or replaced by advancements in technology. It is insane to say your house is an asset when it is really a liability. It is insane to invest for long term in the stock market when professional investment firms are using multi-million naira computers to invest in the short term.
Education focuses on content which includes reading, writing and arithmetic. But rather be based on context. The reason why many persons are poor and remain poor is because they have poor context which includes thoughts, beliefs, values, choices, etc. It is also the reason why many lottery winners are soon broke. People with a middle-class context don’t get rich because, instead of investing, they just consume more. They buy expensive houses, take nice vacations, drive expensive cars and spend money on higher education.
Greatness is often a reflection of a person with high emotional intelligence. Emotional is equated with success intelligence because successful people are successful at managing their emotions, especially in stressful situations. Many people grow up physically but fail to grow up emotionally. Most adults are still little kids on the inside. They go to school, get a job and the little kid inside them shows up. Years pass and a day comes when they wonder what happened to their lives. They’ve worked for years with nothing to show for it; lack of emotional development that often hinders adults in the real world. They spend their lives doing what they want to do rather than doing what they need to do. Nothing they do would seem to work. Things that would ordinarily work for every other person hardly works for them. Even if such person takes first in a job interview, he is never taken; rather the next person or even the least performer gets picked.
Generosity is the key to success; most successful entrepreneurs are generous because they plan to create job opportunities for people. The real issue between the rich, the middle class and the poor is focus. The poor and middle class focus on their incomes, how much they earn.
Education is not about equality, it is also not about being fair. The reason parents attach importance to their children’s education is because they know that it has the power to give their child advantages in life. Financial education should be seen as an important part of that and teaching your child that money gives unfair advantage. Explain the different types of income and why understanding the differences among them is important.
In creating an active learning environment in your home, you are giving your child a huge and unfair advantage. With a strong financial education, your child will have the freedom to pursue his dreams.
Harry is with the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
Do the Fulani herdsmen have an expansionists agenda, like their progenitor, Uthman Dan Fodio? Why are they everywhere even the remotest part of other areas in Nigeria harassing, maiming, raping and killing the owners of the land?”
In a swift reaction, The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) decried and strongly condemned the invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In his denunciation, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described the incident as very unfortunate and deeply troubling, warning against a recurrence of the violence experienced in Benue State. “The killing of yesterday is bad and very unfortunate. We are getting preliminary information about how the herders gained access to the farmland, and it appears some hoodlums may be collecting money and granting access illegally.”
He called on the Hausa community in Rivers State to intervene swiftly to prevent further attacks.
“We want the Hausa community in Rivers State to take urgent action to ensure these issues are resolved”.
But will such appeal and requests end the violent disposition of the Fulani herdsmen? It is not saying something new that the escalating threat and breach of peace across the country by the Fulani herdsmen or those suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, leaves much to be desired in a country that is bedevilled by multi-dimensional challenges and hydra-headed problems.
Some upland Local Government Areas of Rivers State, such as Etche, Omuma, Emohua, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Abua, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, have severally recounted their ordeals, as herdsmen invaded farmlands, destroyed crops, raped female farmers and killed protestant residents.
Again the wanton destruction of lives and properties which no doubt has overwhelmed the Nigerian Police, makes the clamour for State Police, indispensable. The National Assembly should consider the amendment of the Constitution to allow States to have their Statutory policing agencies.
As insurgency has risen to an all time high in the country were killings has now grown to be a normal daily activity in some part of the nation it may not be safe to say that Nigeria still practices democracy.
Several massacres coming from the Boko Haram and the herdsmen amongst all other insurgencies which have led to the destruction of homes and killing, burning of communities especially in the northern part of the country. All these put together are result of the ethnic battles that are fought between the tribes of Nigeria and this can be witnessed in Benue State where herders and farmers have been in constant clashes for ages. They have experienced nothing but casualties and unrest.
In the month of June 13-14, the Yelwata attack at the Guma Local Government Area by suspected gunmen or herdsmen who stormed the houses of innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) claiming the lives of families, both adults and children estimated to be 200 victims. They were all burnt alive by these unknown gunmen.
This has been recorded as one of the deadliest insurgencies that had happened in recent years. Some security personnel that were trying to fight the unknown gunmen also lost their lives.
Prior to the Yelewata attack, two days before the happening, similar conflict took place in Makurdi on June 11, 2025. 25 people were killed in the State. Even in Plateau State and the Southern Kaduna an attack also took place in the month of June.
All other states that make up the Middle Belt have been experiencing the farmers/herders clash for years now and it has persisted up till recent times, claiming lives of families and children, homes and lands, escalating in 2025 with coordinated assaults.
Various authorities and other villagers who fled for safety also blamed the herdsmen in the State for the attack that happened in Yelwata community.
Ehebha God’stime is an Intern with The Tide.
