Education
‘Reading Culture, Key To Success In Life’
A specialist in youth development, founder and coordinator, Young Minds International (YMI), a non-governmental organisation, Mrs Ibinabo Celestine Ogolo, has identified the culture of reading among secondary school students as key to achieving success and greatness in life.
Ogolo, stated this at a one-day seminar tagged, “The Importance of Education and the Nigerian Child: What Hope for the Future,” organised by the Vision of Effective Education Advocacy (EEAG), at Community Senior Secondary School, Kalio-Ama, last Tuesday.
She explained that what can change a person’s life was in a book, and enjoined young people to imbibe reading culture in order to be successful in life.
Represented at the occasion by the Treasurer, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Rivers State Chapter, Mrs Susan Serekara-Nwikhana, said that true greatness resides in the determination to achieve excellence in one’s chosen career.
In her keynote address titled: “Think Great, Choose Right,” Ogolo stated that: “A great life can be acquired as a result of allocating your time, energy, thoughts and hard work towards what you want to be in life, ever remaining focused, dedicated and committed to harnessing the great potentials deposited in you in order to attain greatness in life”.
“It is not about wasting precious time indulging in negative vices such as disobedience to parents and the elderly, stealing, examination malpractice, cultism, premarital sex, watching of pornographic movies, abortion, negative peer influence, among others,” she added.
She emphasised that a great life does not happen by chance, but through God’s wisdom to think, resourceful, adding that embedded in man are natural abilities, skills, talents and spiritual gifts that could make one great and successful in life.
While exploring the theme of the seminar, Ogolo said it can transform the educational system in Nigeria, if everyone, especially among primary, secondary, tertiary institutions’ students imbibes the culture of reading.
“Education and reading are a sine-qua-non to good life. They are two trending words that could easily transform the fortunes and status of an individual, society and country at large, if properly imbibed by everyone, especially those who have the capacity to become great,” Ogolo said.
In his opening remarks, Chairman of the occasion and Director, Rivers State Secondary Schools Board, Okrika Zone, Mr Mpaka Daniels, thanked the organizers, Daniels commended the EEAG for the noble idea, adding that since they came on board, the Senior Secondary School, Kalio-Ama, has remained the best and described the group as trail-blazers.
In his address of welcome, the Principal of Community Secondary School (CSS), Kalio-Ama, Mr Dafuro Papamie George, said the seminar was aimed at sensitizing and encouraging the students to discover, and actualise those inherent positive potential in them, adding that it was very important that they become useful to themselves, and contribut, meaningfully to the society and the country at large.
Also speaking, the Chairperson, EEAG, Mrs Asikiye Promise, said the group was formed to address the poor attitude of students as well as assist them to develop the boundless opportunities education offers, and expressed optimism that having discovered the solution to the above challenges; the body was hopeful that it would reverse the ugly trend.
In their various presentations, Dr Dumoateli Iboroma, who delivered a lecture on the “Dangers of Unwanted Pregnancies and Prevention from Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Infections (STDs and STIs),” described unwanted pregnancy as ‘one that is not planned or ready to have,’ and enjoined students to have positive dreams and work towards actualizing them.
He urged them to desist from acts capable of resulting into early or unwanted pregnancies, and infections, especially STDs, STIs, and Vesico Virginal Fistula (VVF).
In their presentation, Old Girls of Government Girls Secondary School, Harbour Road, 1983 set, Miss Adiki Ndamioku and Mrs Grace Manson Endeboh, who spoke on the topic “Problems Associated with Adolescent Sexuality,” attributed the increase in premarital sexual activities to the high level of poverty, hunger, lack of unemployment and large population of unskilled youth in the society.
Some students who spoke at the end of the seminar described the programme as good one that would impacted positively in their lives.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
The 11th Global President of the Rivers state University Alumni Association (RSUAA), Dr. Marry- Ann Perekebina has praised the Obarijima Waite’s led Postgraduate Students Association(PGA), describing his tenure as ” visionary, transparent and worthy of emulation.
Dr. Perekebina , who spoke with journalists at the sideline of the commissioning of projects embarked by Obarijima Waite’s administration in Port Harcourt, eulogises him for leading a purposeful administration – characterised with team work, love and result.
She maintained, that Obarijima Waite’s have led a purposeful administration that touches on cole values expected of any leader,adding that he has embarked on several projects that will have direct bearing in the lives of PGA students who will make use of the facilities.
“I think it’s worthy of emulation and recognition and he deserves all the accolades. He is a transformational leader who believes in carrying everyone along.” she said.
Also speaking at the sideline, a Postgraduate student of Law and Diplomacy, Edward Olaka, equally lauded the President of PGA, Obarijima Waite, for his visionary and outstanding leadership style, and describing him as “a Square peg in a Square hole”
According to him, the performance of the incumbent President and his team will throw a huge challenge to his successor’s, stressing that their administration will be used as a yardstick to measure whoever that would be coming after them, describing his performance as a commitment and testimony to hard-work built on the fear God.
” This is the handiwork of God, because it is said that when the righteous rules, the people rejoice.”
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) is set to establish a Driving Training Centre at the University of Port Harcourt, to be domiciled at the Centre for Logistics and Transport Studies, NEMA House.
A team from the FRSC National Headquarters visited the University on Friday, September 12, 2025, to inspect proposed facilities in line with the Driving School Standardization Programme (DSSP) mandatory requirements.
Speaking at the end of the inspection, Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, represented by the Head of Driving School, Mr. Sunday Attah, expressed satisfaction with the standard of facilities available at the institution. He commended the University for its readiness to host the pilot scheme, noting that the Centre will be replicated in other parts of the country in due course.
Earlier, during a courtesy visit to the University Management, the Corps Marshal explained that UniPort was selected to host the pilot project because of its strategic importance to the nation.
Responding, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Owunari Abraham Georgewill, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Professor Chukwudi Onyeaso, welcomed the initiative and assured that the University remains open to partnerships that will promote academic excellence and national development.
A scholar and the 119 Inaugural lecturer at the Rivers state University, Prof.Chukwu Sancho Nwobuisi has called on political leaders across the world and Nigeria in particular to be transparent, accountable and lead with the fear of God, bearing in mind that when we depart the earth, we shall take home nothing, except the spirit who shall return back to the maker to give account of how we lived our lives.
Speaking to Journalists shortly after delivering his inaugural lecture on Wednesday in port Harcourt with the topic: ” War and The Dynamics of Ehianomics Economy The Nigerian Experience Who Are The Losers”, called on political leaders and those at the position of trust to think outside the box if they truly want the Nigeria to be great again.
He explained that the topic of the lecture basically is about social ills and how to correct the false narrative affects the system, while maintaining that the system has worsen to the point that the future of our younger generation now in dire danger, due to unemployment ,poor infrastructure,poor healthcare and everyone looking for a means to see ends meet.
The Frontline scholar,regretted that agriculture that used to be the economy main stay of the country is now downgraded due to over dependent on oil revenue, hence the unfortunate social and political crisis found daily in our communities.
” The study looks at the effect, influence and what affects the economy of the nation and how our mindset can change from over dependent on oil”
Prof. Nwobuisi, who didn’t mince words about corruption, maintained that corruption remains a serious challenge that the government needs to mitigate by the institutions saddled with the responsibility to pull the nation out of the menace.
” The way forward is that the nation’s anti-graft agencies must be strengthen to look around us especially on the invasion by the so called Yahoo boys.” Prof. Chukwu said.
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