Surely, a supportive gift given to promote a noble project which adds value to collective humanity and meant to encourage entrepreneurship is a noble deed. People who do so deserve great honour, especially in a society where niggardliness is more common than generosity. A generous state governor was once nicknamed Governor Donatus, “because, as a cheerful giver, he endeared himself to numerous admirers. In his honour, university staff usually made a toast at the close of activity in the Senior Staff Club, to: ‘Governor Donatus’”.
That the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, donated the sum of N500 million, as a grant to support PAMO University, was a news item in The Tide newspaper of Monday, May 24, 2021. In the Governor’s words, “We have decided to further support the growth and development of this university with yet another grant of N500 million only …” We were further told that “we instituted the special scholarship scheme to cater for not less than 100 indigenous students of this university yearly for five consecutive circle of admissions with effect from the very first set of students”.
It is to be expected that the kind gesture of the Governor towards PAMO University, on behalf of Rivers State, would not go down well with some people. There are talks about some civil servants and retirees being owed their entitlements, as well as other urgent needs calling for attention, which N500 million would have addressed.
John Cecile Rhodes (1833-1902), British-born South African gold-mine magnate; Prime Minister of the Cape of Good Hope Province, who annexed Mashonaland and Matabeleland, and named Rhodesia after himself, was a philanthropist. In his Will, he instituted scholarship award in support of students from countries of the British Commonwealth. Despite his generosity, a number of people here and there saw him as a typical gold digger and opportunist. One of Rhodes’ defenders said: “If you plunder to expand opportunities and benefits to a wider population, you are better than those who cheat with smiles and hoard their loots, while many die of hunger…”
An emerging philosophy in business studies puts emphasis on earthly possessions not being evil, if used judiciously to create more jobs and make life more meaningful for a larger number of people. Rather, what is reprehensible is a niggardly frame of mind whereby wealth blinds an individual to the plight of others and its acquisition becomes a propensity or vaulting ambition. Therefore, it is considered moral taking away wealth from where it is not adding value to life, and giving to those who can multiply its value and create opportunities.
This line of philosophy does not support plunder or usury and heartless exploitation of helpless people. A relevant law in development stipulates that any ability or possession which is not put to maximum use soon passes onto where it can be applied for greater human benefit. Neither can anyone sustain what he is not able to maintain and protect. This law is behind many marital failures. No woman wants to remain fallow!
We must not shy away from the fact that the Laws of Nature operate in inscrutable manners, irrespective of our sentiments, prejudices and ignorance. To say that “to those that have, more shall be given”, confirms the truth that assets that are not utilised effectively, pass onto better hands that can create more values. Similarly, those who ignore and place less value on what they have, but long for something else, soon find that they lose out altogether. An old philosopher once admonished that our business in life is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.
With regards to the principle of supportive donations, the idea is that the validity and justification must pass through some vital integrity tests, namely: the underlying motive, and cost-effective application of the donation. Governor Wike was quoted as saying that “such initiative by (Dr Peter) Odili and, indeed, any Rivers indigene was worthy of support from the state government”. The initiative in question is the entrepreneurial ability to establish a private medical university in Rivers State by an indigene. Does such noble project address a vital need? Yes!
A beer-parlour argument in support or against the N500 million grant would be as follows: Is it wrong to support such vital investment by an enterprising indigene in a state that has been short-changed for too long? No! On the other hand: Was there a prior consultation and approval by representatives of Rivers people before dolling out such donation with the people’s money? Are leaders not entitled to use their personal initiatives, discretion and good judgement at critical moments?
If 490 Rivers State students who are pursuing various medical courses in PAMO University since its inception are beneficiaries of scholarship, can anyone call such a gesture a misplaced priority? Such opportunity poses a challenge to parents and communities to strive diligently to encourage and support their children to avail themselves of opportunities that beckon for utilization. If each year the Rivers State Government gives not less than 100 indigenous students scholarship to study medicine in PAMO University, what legacy can be nobler than that? Invest loots in foreign land?
It is possible that non-beneficiaries of noble gestures would feel bitter and, perhaps, condemn what is noble, but that would not diminish the underlying motive of supportive donations. It is also possible that humans can abuse, distort and misjudge kind gestures, but that would not mean that it is wrong to be a cheerful giver. Public office holders had been known to buy exotic cars for friends and praise singers and such gifts had been known to end up in disasters. Does N500 million grant pander to base and lewd purposes? It’s social up-building!
There is one vital need left for the Governor to address. For humanitarian sake, some senior citizens who had worked hard and selflessly to build up Rivers State are currently bed-ridden and helpless. Professor J. G. Chinwah, who nursed up Rivers State College of Science and Technology to a University of Science and Technology, must not be allowed to die a dusty death, neither is he alone in this plight. Let the largesse go round!

Dr Amirize is a retired lecturer from the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.