Making Saro-Wiwa University A Reality

Bill Gates, the famous business mogul and philanthropist, during his visit to Nigeria, last month, posited that Nigeria has the ability to attain the upper middle-income status like China, Brazil and Mexico if our leaders make the right choice. The global Microsoft giant who spoke at the special expanded National Economic Council Forum tasked Nigerian leaders to “sincerely invest in not just infrastructural development but also human investment”.
By coincidence, within the same month of March, the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, inaugurated a committee for the setting-up of a Ken Saro-Wiwa University of Environment in Ogoni land. This initiative, when placed side by side with Bill Gates expository on Nigeria, is not only timely but also strategic particularly when the Nigeria nation has marked the Ogonis in Rivers State as endangered species.
The Ogoni Bill of Right is yet unattended to, and now the Ogonis are caught up in a political jamboree of environmental clean-up.
Consequently, the Ken Saro-Wiwa University of Environment, being proposed by the Rivers State Government, very likely, will respond to the short and long term capacity needs of the people. It will fill the educational and technical knowledge gap that has been lacking and thereby lay to rest the fears of Bill Gates. However, another fear might emerge especially in this part of the world where every issue is a subject for politics.
Nevertheless, the Ken-Saro-Wiwa University of Environment, if eventually comes on board, has the existing Kenule Beeson Waro-Wiwa Polytechnic Bori for immediate take-off. It implies that the polytechnic will be replaced by the university with the name of the late playwright and environment crusader intact. This is naturally important for us as Ogonis because the spirit and soul of the late environmentalist forever rest on that citadel of learning.
Within and outside Nigeria, Ken had friends and admirers. His intellect, logic and style of presentation was unparallel and inspirational globally. It was, therefore, not surprised that Nigeria was summarily suspended from the Commonwealth of Nations for three years over the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa in November 1995.
For this reason, the anticipated Ken Saro-Wiwa University of Environment should not be narrowed to an Ogoni affair alone. After all, Ken was a success and success the world over, has friends and relations while failure, is an orphan.
The existing polytechnic in Bori definitely has structures for immediate take-off of the anticipated university. However, it should be on record that the proposed university will need well over 500 hectars of land for its permanent site.
The School of Environmental Politics, Food Security and the Timothy Paul Birabi College of Medical Sciences for instance, might be so structurally equipped with modern facilities that the existing Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic present campus may perhaps, not accommodate. Courses like climate change, Agric and agro-entrepreneurship, sustainable livelihood and rural development, among other areas of endeavour, might require vast hectars of land, going by the anticipated quality infrastructure that may be put in place.
Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa was a graduate of Classics and made his mark in poetry and administration in addition to being an advocate of anti-genocide on the Ogoni people. Thus, a school of poetry, literature and administrative studies, may be required just as a Faculty of Criminology – an aspect of law, is expected to function fully.
The road map for the establishment of the Ken Saro-Wiwa University of Environment and Sustainable Development means that Bori, the old rugged capital of the Ogonis, will be alive again.Thanks to Governor Nyesom Wike for the university initiative. Bori, like a lost paradise, inspite of the presence of a polytechnic, is crying for massive modern infrastructural upgrade.
However, beside the main campus of the university which is not in contention, it is instructive to consider a satellite campus at Andoni or Opobo/Nkoro.
These are some of the challenges before the Rivers State Deputy Governor-led committee for the establishment of the Ken Saro-Wiwa University of Environment and Sustainable Development.
Governor Wike is certainly not unaware of the many rivers his deputy, Dr (Mrs) Ipalibo Banigo, has to cross to produce a unique report that will be acceptable as working document for the ambitious project. Now, the onus lies in him to live up to his name as Mr Projects.
Lillybox is a journalist with the Radio Rivers, Port Harcourt.