Opinion
An Open Letter To Retirees
It can be quite heart-warming for a retiree to be remembered and visited by those he had mentored in the past. Such gesture of gratitude becomes even more valued in an environment where “men’s evil manners live in brass, their virtues we write in water”. Let the principle of mentorship not die away in the public service, for there will always be a few grateful youths who can appreciate those who built them up in the past. It was a pleasure that out of many students one had taught since 1981, eleven of them are professors in various universities, and remembered their mentor.
The plight of retirees usually range from ailing health to financial strains. After the age of sixty-five, virility and agility obviously begin to diminish, calling for rest and reduced activity. Delay in payment of gratuity and pensions worsen the conditions of some retirees, sometimes to the extent of loss of self-esteem. There are some whose problems are loneliness, boredom and how to spend leisure hours effectively, some retire with a troubled conscience and inner conflicts arising from many factors.
Expectedly, many senior citizens devote their old age in religious activities wherein they find some solace and means to banish loneliness and boredom. Surely, self-less goals and activities add meaning and value to the life of individuals. In old age the human spirit longs for increased activity not devoted primarily to economic gains as goal. Therefore, retirement should not mean the end of activity or self-exertion. However, it would be wrong to live under physical or psychological strain in old age, especially striving after mundane goals.
Life has a way of educating everybody irrespective of the abundance or absence of formal education. One lesson which senior citizens learn is that the younger and older generations rarely look in the same direction. In old age, values and lines of striving often change, inclining towards higher goals rather than pig-headed adventure into pursuit of wealth and fame. A part of the strain which retirees can have is an inability to make the right adjustment of striving towards higher values and ideals.
Retirement should be regarded as sabbatical leave, characterized by a transition from formal working life into a phase of inner exploration of the issues of life. It is not movement of the hands of the clock that brings change but increase in the radiation of the soul of an individual, especially an increase in the recognition of the meaning and purpose of human existence. The greatest failure any senior citizen can have is to miss the vital transitional task.
Such transitional task has nothing to do with successes in neither material human strivings nor the abundance of wealth and fame. Neither has it to do with any illusion of salvation via dogmatic orthodoxies or cult practices. It is after retirement from a hectic working life that an individual would have the most opportune time to embark upon a voyage of discovery of what life is all about. One quick conclusion which a serious-minded retiree can arrive at is that everyone is being forced to make a quick turn-around before the night comes. Those who fail to see this necessity would continue to grub around with the madding crowd.
While financial difficulties may be the most common strain of a larger majority of Nigerians, we must not lose sight of the fact that what we experience and encounter in life are symbolic messages that need to be decoded. It is possible that the younger generations may see things differently and carry on heedlessly, there is a strong need for caution in everything that we do or pursue.
Elders are meant to see farer and perceive issues from a deeper perspective and this places a responsibility on them to guide the younger generations aright. The deeper meaning of what we call corruption is that any nation which allows integrity to be choked out of existence is a nation in danger. While some of current experiences of retirees serve atonement purposes, they also provide opportunities for inner transformation. Those who sit on retirees’ benefits thus causing them agonies will also have a day of reckoning. Regular exercises are helpful for retirees.
Dr. Amirize is a retired lecturer at the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.
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Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
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
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