Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has showered encomiums on an educationist and school proprietor, Dame Christie Toby, for her contributions to educational development in the State.
According to a statement by the Head of the Press Unit,Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Juliana Masi, Fubara gave the accolades during the public presentation of the book: Dr. Christie Toby: Touching Lives, Raising Leaders,” in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
The governor who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, observed that Dame Toby, who is the wife of former Rivers State Deputy Governor, Sir Gabriel Toby, has lived a remarkable life of passion and selfless service to humanity.
Fubara said, “Your life is a remarkable one. Everything we have seen and heard today present an exemplary life of a teacher, educationist, school proprietor, philanthropist, and so much.
“I must say, one tread that runs through your life which I commend to everyone is the show of passion and selflessness. If you were not passionate and selfless, you would not have been what you are as a teacher.
“It is heartwarming that the author took the time to catalogue your life so that we all can read and better our lives and services to humanity. This is a book I commend everyone to read.”
The governor reiterated that because education is the bedrock of every society, his administration will remain committed to best educational development and practice by grooming teachers in the state.
“Education is one of the cardinal pillars of our administration, and our government will always honour those who have sacrificed their lives selflessly for the pursuit of good education in the State,” he stressed.
To further advance the educational development of the Christie Toby Education Centre, the governor launched the book with N20million.
The Pro-Chancellor and Governing Council Chairman of the Rivers State University, Hon. Justice Mary Peter-Odili, who served as chairman of the book presentation, described Dame Toby as a conscientious teacher, who went through the ranks to become the celebrated teacher she is today.
The retired Justice of the Supreme Court, however, regretted that the foundation laying institutions for teachers –Teachers Training Colleges- in the country were scrapped and has thus allowed infiltration of poorly trained teachers into the classroom.
“When I was told to be chairman of today’s occasion,… I simply saw the opportunity as God’s answer to my internal cry to have the chance to be heard on a government policy …which has made us lose our way in education.
“It is providential that I use the book presentation of this erudite scholar and a great lady of many parts as a platform for me to bring to the public domain, a missing link in our progress as a people to nurture the present and future generations… I do not know what informed the authorities to phase out the teacher training colleges. That is why we are now presented with some half-baked teachers who have very high degrees and academic qualifications but without a foundational base to properly teach our young ones. That faulty foundation is what has led us to the situation we know find ourselves where untrained persons are now training our future leaders in all spheres of life,” she stressed.
She further called on the authorities to revisit the reestablishment of teacher training colleges so as to harness the young properly and appropriately.
The book reviewer, Dr. Williams Wodi noted that the book, ‘Dr. Christy Toby Touching Lives, Raising Leaders’, is episodic, which combines ecclesiastical history, ethnography, cultural and political anthropology, psychology, philosophy and sociology that grips the reader from the beginning to end of the narrative.
According to him, “This book is a biographical account of a woman of faith, great moral priority, and courage. The author wonders in divers directions to unearth all aspects of her life. It has characteristically interwoven a narrative that would hold the attention of the reader from end to end. The author masterly beholds Christie Toby as an educationist, philanthropist, civil servant, activist, and a woman of faith who continues to lead a life of service especially to the under-served in a society that continually stricken itself of fellow feelings and empathy that compels us to reach out and touch other lives.”
Several dignitaries, including former Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Tele Ikuru and his wife, former Secretary to Rivers State Government, Dr Abiye Sekibo; serving and past commissioners, traditional rulers, among others also attended the event.