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Opinion

Gov Ayade And Cattle Business

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4 years ago

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Page 5 of The Tide of Monday, December 6, 2021, carried a news headline: “Ayade Frowns At Anti-Open Grazing Law”. For Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State to be quoted as saying that “the anti-open grazing law which some southern states have passed based on the resolution of the Southern Governors’ Forum might lead to war in the country”, is quite ominous and sad. As a state governor, Ayade must have access to unbiased security reports, one of which was that some sponsored groups were infiltrating into Nigeria as herdsmen. Who are the sponsors?
When the cattle jinx started brewing several years ago, a few concerned Nigerians who knew what was lurking behind it, raised some issues. When the issue of Boko Haram insurgency groups became alarming, President Muhammadu Buhari attributed the phenomenon to Libyan renegades after the fall of Ghadaffi. More worrisome was the alarm raised by former President Olusegun Obasanjo about “Islamisation and Fulanisation agenda”, which some Nigerians thought was a joke. Similarly, details of Nigeria’s membership of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) remain shrouded in secrecy, despite obvious signals, rarely inspiring.
To describe anti-open grazing law as legislating “to illegitimacy, a legitimate trade of a people, the nomadic herdsmen”, is to stand legality on its head. Issue of legality rests on rights and rights are only obtained by the fulfilment of duties. To “accommodate the concerns of farmers and herders” would include accommodating the rights and duties of each group within the ambit of legality. To talk about rights, duties and legality must touch on the issue of responsibility, if sanity must prevail in society.
Almost all nomadic herdsmen in the West African zone are of the Islamic brotherhood, whether they be Fulanis or not. With nomadic and wandering lifestyle as an occupation and culture, seeing adults and children move about in search of green pastures can be a pathetic sight. Concern for such herdsmen and their sad conditions called for the policy and programmes of Nomadic Education and the creation of settlements or homes for rehabilitation purposes. Even now, the University of Jos, among others, runs a programme on Nomadic Education.
That the primitive and old-fashioned system of rearing cattle over vast expanse of lands and territories must go on without modifications in line with modern realities, smacks of retrogression and narrow-mindedness. Add this to the fact that the herders are rarely the owners of the herds of cattle which they manage, then the need for intervention becomes obvious. One can say, without mincing words, even though evidence may not be presented in “chapters and verses (as Obasanjo would demand), that over 80 per cent of herds of cattle in Nigeria are owned by highly-placed Nigerians whose children would never rear cattle. Serving and retired Generals!
Then can we not see the hypocrisy and injustice in referring to cattle rearing, via open grazing, as legitimate trade and culture which must continue unchanged? Would Governor Ayade’s grandson move with cattle from Yobe State to Obudu on foot for several days? His “herdsmen brothers of the north”, in semi-arid condition, with no grass and having no money to do irrigation, must be allowed to survive. But the crop farmer in Ikom must not disallow herds of cattle from using his farm as a green and ready pasture! An Omoku man bought a head of cattle last November for N480, 000 for Nchaka Festival.
So, Ayade’s argument of herdsmen having “no money to do irrigation” to sustain their pasture does not hold any water. The issue is not preventing anyone from green pastures; rather, the apprehension is coming from other quarters covered in hidden agenda. Surely, the governor is not unaware that herdsmen kill, rape women in farms and had been seen in possession of firearms meant for soldiers in combat. Then who is “insensitive”, creating “anarchy” and “inviting the nation into war”?; according to Ayade.
Professor Ayade’s proposed Open Grazing Management Law, meant to find a solution to the cattle Jinx, is being awaited as the law that would save Nigeria from war. In his words: “I think morally, ethically, it is unacceptable to prohibit a trade that existed before I was born. I’d rather find a way to modulate it so that it will meet the definition of modern animal farming or husbandry. I think because it’s a profession, a business, it’s also a fundamental right of people to do the business”. Does that call for doing business using ancient methods?
Anti-open grazing law as made by other governors in the South never contains any clause prohibiting any trade or fundamental right of people to do business; but rather sought to bring sanity and security in the society. If Ayade is not aware of it, let him have the hint that some people have a unique mindset that cows must eat grass wherever grass grows because it is a fundamental right. It does not matter that the grass is in somebody else’s land. This is one item in Nomadic Education curriculum, under legal aspect of modern animal husbandry. Rear your cattle, but don’t breach the law or create insecurity by invading farms with impunity!
One would enjoin Governor Ayade to consult his security advisers to ascertain whether it is true or not that movement of cattle and herders southwards was not part of strategies mapped out in some quarters for implementation. He may also be told in confidence that some power blocs cling to religion as an instrument of power politics. Therefore, the issue of anti-open grazing law goes far beyond animal husbandry or legitimate trade and business, but has some value-added contents. Those who see far try to prevent what “might lead to war in the country”, by nipping the jinx in the bud.
Those who seek diligently to perceive the footprints of the ants would be shown the signs and symptoms of possible storms. Before major upheavals occur, there are usually early warning signals which obtuse, money-minded and boisterous talkers rarely perceive. In the case of Nigeria, an early alarm raised by Obasanjo has rarely been taken as a serious issue to table for national discussion. Similarly, lamentations of T. Y. Danjuma concerning ethnic and religious cleansing, of which “the armed forces are not neutral”, fell on deaf ears. How long must we pretend that all is well?
Those who can recall the origin and trend of Afghanistan situation would see similarities going on in Nigeria. In modern democracy, religious fundamentalism often clashes with the principle of freedom or self determination. Nigeria is not a theocratic state, neither must religion be used as an instrument of power politics. Governor Ayade’s concern for cattle business should also extend towards a greater concern for peaceful coexistence fostered by justice and the rule of law. Cattle business is a private affair.

By: Bright Amirize

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

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Opinion

Agony In  Ivory Tower 

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6 days ago

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March 9, 2026

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Quote: A university that tolerates missing scripts, result manipulation and ‘sorting’ is not merely failing students—it is quietly destroying the moral foundation of education itself.”
The sad cases of missing scripts, compulsory Sorting, inputting of wrong results and other obnoxious practices in some public universities, leave much to be desired. One cannot imagine how a student will be compelled to suffer consequences of the flagrant negligence of a Head of Department, a lecturer, Department staff or an ICT staff.Many academic and non academic staff in several public universities seem to be performing far below standard, thus unproductive to the university system. The unacceptable cases of sorting, missing scripts, missing results, inputting of wrong grades to students, should not be mentioned in a university, not even in any academic community. This is because people who are employed to work in various positions should have cognate work experience and unquestionable competence. They should not be seen as  certificate welding illiterates but people who have been proven to be worthy in learning and character, diligent and competent to carry out assigned responsibilities with minimal or no supervision.
The university as a citadel of learning should boast of men of integrity, people  who are repositories of applied knowledge and competence to drive the much desired holistic development in a nation that functions on quality teaching and learning. A situation where a student having gone through the crucibles of learning and written a prescribed semester examination or class-based evaluation test, is told that his or her script is missing or that he or she did not participate in that academic exercise, or must sort to pass, is an unpardonable error and a height of callousness. In fact some lecturers and staff of Departments are using the seeming systemic defect (which is their architecture) as an opportunity to extort  students. Sometimes it is discovered much to students chagrin that the supposed missing script was later discovered when a ransom was paid.
Since a lecturer, or Head of Department has in their disposal both Yam and the knife and determines who takes what (if they wish to give without strings), students have no alternative but to submit to their importunate demands in order to graduate at record time.Such practices should be unheard of in an institution that should be a vanguard of moral and ethical values and conduct. What people learn in school constitute their behavioural patterns in the society. Where the school as an agency of socialisation cannot drive positive change first in its immediate environment, then the objective of education as a bedrock for the development of society, is inevitably compromised and counter-productive. The German Reformer, Dr. Martins Luther was quoted as saying, “I advise parents not to put their wards or children in any school where the Bible is not being used as a rule of life because such institutions will unnecessarily be corrupt”.
 Gleaning from Luther’s sentiment one can deduce that the lack of respect and regard for values as well as the absence of the fear of God is the greatest undoing of most public schools. Another major challenge is that lack of Information, Communication and Technology literacy or compliance on the part of some lecturers and heads of department, may have informed the decision to give students’ scripts to secretaries to compile and input students results thereby making the secretaries the determinants of students’ fate. It is not saying a new thing that some of the secretaries in the process of compiling results have inputted wrong results, omitted names or down graded some students or given unmerited grades to others.Society today is ICT-driven and ICT-literacy enhances efficiency, speed and a reasonable degree of accuracy if the person behind the computer is level headed, articulate, competent, alive to responsibilities and is aware that negligence on his or her part is not only tantamount to a disservice to the university but to the students who may not graduate at record time because of his or her (computer operator’s) gross ineptitude or carelessness.
The ICT era makes the carrying of hard copy of results obsolete as lecturers through the  Heads of Department  can log on to the central server of the Exams and Records (if any) or ICT unit and input students’ results directly. By so doing the incessant cases where result on spread sheet is different from the one published online, more often than not, caused by abject negligence, will be avoided. The process will also end the intermediary services of some staff in the universities’ Information, Communication and Technology Department which has become a money spinner-a lucrative source of income to many of them. In fact some ICT staff reserved the power to award grades to students depending on students’ degree of compliance to terms and conditions. They can dubiously make or unmake a student. The university community should be considered too lofty to have careless, negligent, immoral  and academic or professionally deficient people as academic or non-academic staff.
The Governing  Councils and Senates of universities should be proactive in addressing the menace of missing Script,  inputting of wrong results and sorting.  This is  necessary to end the slogan “Education is scam” so the system can produce quality students who are truly found worthy in learning and in character by operators who exemplify diligence, moral and ethical values. The much-needed reform must begin within the institutions themselves, because the future of any society is shaped in its classrooms.
By: Igbiki Benibo
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Opinion

Strength of Emotional Equality

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6 days ago

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March 9, 2026

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Quote: “Love thrives not when one gives more, but when both give fully — not in competition, not in performance, but in partnership.”
In every healthy relationship, there exists an invisible balance. It is not measured in grand gestures, expensive gifts, or public displays of affection. It is measured in something quieter and far more significant: emotional equality. When couples stand on equal emotional grounds, love becomes less of a negotiation and more of a partnership. Emotional equality does not mean both individuals express love in identical ways. It does not require matching personalities or mirroring temperaments. Rather, it speaks to balance — a shared willingness to invest, to communicate, to be vulnerable, and to grow. It is the difference between two people walking side by side and one person constantly trying to catch up.
 In many relationships, imbalance begins subtly. One partner initiates most conversations. One apologizes more frequently. One carries the emotional labor — remembering important dates, managing conflicts, sensing tension, and attempting reconciliation. Over time, this uneven distribution of emotional effort breeds exhaustion. The partner who gives more begins to feel unseen. The one who gives less may grow comfortable in emotional passivity. Love, in such a space, starts to tilt — slowly at first, then significantly. Resentment can creep in quietly, disguising itself as patience. Silence may replace honest dialogue. What once felt effortless begins to feel heavy.
When couples stand on equal emotional grounds, responsibility is shared. Both people are accountable for the health of the relationship. If conflict arises, neither hides behind silence nor dominates through control. Instead, they engage. They listen. They speak honestly without weaponizing words. Equality creates safety — and safety strengthens intimacy. It allows both individuals to express needs without fear of ridicule or rejection. One of the most overlooked aspects of emotional equality is vulnerability. True connection requires courage. It demands that both partners risk being misunderstood. But when vulnerability is one-sided, it becomes exposure rather than intimacy. If one person consistently opens up while the other remains guarded, trust cannot fully deepen.
Equality ensures that emotional risks are mutual. Where one shares fears, the other shares too. Where one admits weakness, the other responds with openness rather than judgment. In such a space, authenticity flourishes. Another crucial element is validation. In emotionally balanced relationships, both partners feel heard. Their concerns are not dismissed as “overreactions.” Their feelings are not minimized or compared. When couples operate on equal emotional ground, they acknowledge each other’s experiences as legitimate. They may not always agree, but they always respect. Validation does not mean surrendering one’s viewpoint; it means recognizing that another’s emotional reality matters.
Equality also protects individuality. Contrary to popular belief, healthy love does not erase personal identity — it enhances it. When both partners are emotionally secure, they do not feel threatened by each other’s independence. Personal ambitions are encouraged, not resented. Friendships are respected, not restricted. Growth is celebrated, not feared. Standing on equal emotional grounds means neither person shrinks to accommodate the other. Instead, both expand, knowing the relationship is strong enough to hold their evolution. Power dynamics often expose emotional inequality. When one partner controls communication — appearing and disappearing unpredictably, withholding affection, or using silence as leverage — imbalance emerges.
 Emotional dominance weakens intimacy. It creates anxiety instead of assurance. But when couples share emotional power, there is consistency. There is clarity. There is no need to decode affection because it is offered freely and intentionally. It is important to understand that equality does not imply perfection. Couples will still disagree. They will face stress, miscommunication, and moments of frustration. However, when emotional footing is equal, conflict does not threaten the foundation. Instead, it becomes an opportunity for understanding. Both partners approach challenges as teammates rather than opponents. They choose resolution over ego and repair over pride.
Time often reveals whether emotional equality truly exists. In the early stages of love, intensity can disguise imbalance. Enthusiasm feels mutual. Effort appears equal. But as routine settles in and novelty fades, the structure of the relationship becomes clearer. Who still initiates? Who still invests? Who still shows up consistently? Sustainable love requires sustained balance. It is built not merely on attraction, but on deliberate reciprocity. Standing on equal emotional grounds requires intentionality. It demands honest conversations about needs and expectations. It requires both partners to examine their habits — whether they withdraw during tension, avoid accountability, or rely on the other to carry the emotional weight. Emotional maturity is not about avoiding conflict; it is about handling it responsibly and returning, again and again, to shared ground.
Perhaps the greatest benefit of emotional equality is peace. There is no constant anxiety about where one stands. No guessing games about commitment. No fear that affection may suddenly disappear. Instead, there is stability. There is reassurance. There is mutual effort. In a world where relationships often blur the lines between attention and commitment, equality offers clarity. It reminds us that love should not feel like competition or performance. It should feel like partnership. When couples stand on equal emotional grounds, they build something resilient. They build trust that does not fracture easily. They build respect that does not depend on mood. They build a connection rooted not only in passion but in balance. And in that balance, love finds its strength — not in who gives more, but in how both give fully.
By: Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi
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Opinion

NDDC: Time To Illuminate Homes 

Published

2 weeks ago

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March 2, 2026

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Quote:“Twenty-five years on, the Niger Delta cannot celebrate illuminated streets while families sit in darkness. Development must begin inside the home — where children study, businesses grow, and lives are built — before it glows on the roadside.”
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was established in 2000 with a clear and urgent mandate: to facilitate the rapid, even, and sustainable development of Nigeria’s oil-producing Niger Delta region. The creation of the Commission followed decades of agitation over environmental degradation, infrastructural neglect, and socio-economic marginalization in the region. Its core mandate included the development of roads, bridges, electricity, water supply, health facilities, education, housing, environmental remediation, and economic empowerment initiatives. At inception, expectations were high that the Commission would transform the Niger Delta into a model of regional development. Over the years, the NDDC has indeed implemented numerous projects across the nine Niger Delta states. Roads have been constructed and rehabilitated in several communities, easing transportation challenges.
Schools have been renovated, and new classroom blocks have been provided in underserved areas. Health centres have been built or upgraded, improving access to primary healthcare services. The Commission has also awarded scholarships to students, including foreign postgraduate scholarships, empowering thousands of youths academically.Skills acquisition and youth empowerment programmes have helped many young people gain vocational competencies.Through various interventions, the NDDC has contributed to job creation and local economic stimulation.Solar-powered street lighting projects have been widely implemented in urban and semi-urban communities. These streetlights have improved visibility at night and contributed to enhanced security in some areas. Markets, highways, and public spaces illuminated by solar lights have experienced extended business hours.
For these efforts, the Commission deserves acknowledgment and commendation. However, development must always align with foundational mandates and pressing grassroots realities. A growing concern among residents is that while streets are illuminated, many homes remain in darkness. Rural electrification and household power access remain inconsistent and inadequate across large parts of the region. In riverine and remote communities, families still rely on generators, kerosene lamps, or complete darkness after sunset. The irony of brightly lit streets juxtaposed with powerless homes cannot be ignored. Electricity at the household level directly impacts education, health, and small-scale enterprise. Students cannot effectively study at night without reliable indoor lighting.Families cannot preserve food or power essential appliances without stable electricity.
Micro and small businesses struggle to grow without dependable energy access. While street lighting enhances public aesthetics and security, it does not substitute for domestic electrification. The proverb “charity begins at home” is especially relevant in this context. True community development must first empower households before beautifying public spaces. The Commission’s original mandate emphasizes integrated and sustainable development, not isolated infrastructural gestures. Balanced development requires that energy interventions prioritize homes alongside streets. Solar technology presents a unique opportunity for decentralized household electrification in off-grid communities. Extending solar solutions to individual homes would have a transformative social impact. Home-based solar systems could power lights, fans, small appliances, and communication devices.
Such interventions would reduce poverty, improve living standards, and stimulate grassroots productivity. By broadening its energy focus, the Commission would better reflect the spirit of its founding legislation. This is not a call to abandon street lighting projects, which have their merits. Rather, it is an appeal for balance, inclusivity, and alignment with core developmental objectives. Strategic planning should ensure that rural electrification and household access form a central pillar of ongoing interventions. Community engagement and needs assessments can help determine priority areas for household solar deployment. Twenty-five years after its establishment, the NDDC stands at a reflective moment in its institutional journey. The people of the Niger Delta say: thank you for the efforts so far—but not very much—because true appreciation will come when development begins at home and radiates outward, not merely when streets shine while houses remain in darkness.
By: King Onunwor
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