* Calls for study of History as compulsory subject for Schools.
*Group launches Education Champions League competition in April with N10m star prize in Port Harcourt
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
A two-time former Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi of Youths, and Sports under former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has called on the government to make History a compulsory subject in the nation’s educational curriculum so that the younger generation will be abreast of the past.
Abdullahi who is also a veteran journalist and author of the popular books, A Platter Of Gold-How Jonathan Won And Lost Nigeria‘ and ‘Sweet Sixteen‘, a book adopted by JAMB/UTME 2019-2020 made the advocacy in Port Harcourt on Friday during the review of his book as part of the events marking the launching of a novel project tagged, Education Champions League,ECL, for secondary school students in Rivers State. This will involve intellectual contests to stimulate reading and writing culture among youths.
The former while commending the organizers of the event threw light on what inspired him to write the book that now serves as a document of history that highlights the inner political intrigues, complications and complexities that played out during the former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s( a minority Ijaw man from Ogbia in Bayelsa State) meteoric rise to the highest office in Nigeria as President and his eventual loss of the coveted office.
Among other things, Abdullahi said he was inspired to write the book all the while. As a Minister he saw every event that played out from the point of view of a journalist and a technocrat, not a typical Nigerian Politician and the irresistible urge to put pen on paper to document what he saw in Nigerian power play.
“I saw everything in government from a news angle, but soon realized that I couldn’t report all that I saw in government. I saw myself mainly as a journalist and technocrat not as a politician and realized that I was excluding myself from the mainstream but the journalistic instinct in me took a better part, so the book came forth”.
While answering some questions arising from the review of his book and the person of his former boss, Jonathan, Abdullahi said ” Former President Jonathan meant every word he says whenever he says that his ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian. He wasn’t a desperate typical Nigerian Politician and he does all he can to defend his friends”.
He further said to date” The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, argues that it won the election but Jonathan lost Nigeria. Some party members point out that Jonathan was too quick to concede defeat to APC and President Muhammadu Buhari.
But that action phone call conceding defeat has made both national and international hero”.
Abdullahi said he was elated that the review of his book was part of the programme aptly tagged “August Meeting” by the organizers as part of the launch of the Port Harcourt Education Champions
League stated that the idea to stimulate the Culture of reading and writing among the younger generation is noble and should be encouraged. He regretted that some of the upcoming generations wallow in ignorance even about their immediate environment despite the internet age because they are no longer intentionally reading and writing.
Kingsley Wenenda Wali, the Convener and arrowhead of the programme explained that the idea behind the Education Champions League, ECL, is to promote literacy and intellectual engagement in the state other than politics and political bickering.
He said, “A society that doesn’t read dwells in ignorance, and ignorance is a very dangerous tool”.
Wali,a Legal practitioner further explained that the Education Champions League (ECL), an Incorporated Trustee dedicated to fostering intellectual growth and community enrichment, is announced that depending on the educational calendar of the state, the competition will start in April or May for school in first instance for Secondary schools in Port Harcourt for logistic reasons.
Wali announced that the first prize Winner will take home a total of N10 million,50 per cent of it to participants,25 per cent to the school and 25 per cent to furnish the School library.
He also announced that the organizers have secured voluntary sponsors for competition in the next three years who assured that they key into noble that boost literacy, and intellectual competitive spirit among the younger generation.
The Book Reviewer, Tombari Robinson Sibe, commended the author for the in-depth and incisive Chronicling of the inner workings in Jonathan’s rise to the presidency and his eventual defeat.
On his part, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, who chaired the occasion and former Director-General of Nigeria Maritime, Administration Maritime and Safety Agency, NIMASA, commended the organisers of the event and their plan to kickstart the Education Champions League. He also extolled the former Minister whom he referred to as, “one of the analytical Journalists and Writers of Nigerian print media for finding time to honour the event, (despite the Ramadan fast), and his courageous efforts in writing a book that gives insights into the power play that led to the Jonathan’s emergence to power and his eventual loss
Other highlights were the official launch of the ECL, a review of selected Chapters of the book by some invited secondary school students, the unveiling of books written by two Journalists: Chioma Ezenwafor ‘Becoming A New Titan and ‘A Thousand Times On The Same Road’ written by China Achero both of who are Staff of Nigeria inform Radio, Port Harcourt.
Prominent personalities at the event, Dr.Dakuku Peterside, former Director-General Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency,NIMASA, and former Governorship candidate of APC, Joi Yowika former Acting MD NDDC,Mrs Ifeoma OCJ Okocha with and Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs who was represented by Iyke Orji. Others present were Adokiye Tombomieye, Eugene Abels, Academics, among others. Students cut across some Secondary schools in PortHarcourt also reviewed the book that was launched. Technocrat Robinson Tombari Sibe also reviewed the book as the chief witness.