by Eze Eluchie
In appraising the role of journalists,
particularly of the print media, in formulating discourse and
agenda-setting in Nigeria’s skewed socio-political environment, the
reaction of some media outlets to two similar events which thankfully occurred
near simultaneously, go to expose deep rooted schism that further
underline the need for a restructuring and renegotiation of the
contraption known and referred to as Nigeria.
The deployment of
senior officers by both the Nigeria Army and the Nigeria Police Force
is noteworthy. Whilst some media outlets (notoriously The Nation
Newspapers) hit the streets with frivolous allegations made by
unverifiable and spurious entities against redeployment's made by the
Nigerian Army which has Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika, as the Chief of
Army Staff, the same media outlets went comatose when the Inspector
General of Police, MD Abubakar announced a redeployment of Police
officers which was definitely geographically lopsided.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Training hoodlums
by Eze Eluchie
Whilst MD Abubakar and the top brass of the Nigeria Police Force and his cabal of senior insecurity officials adorn themselves with 'sparkling uniforms', the recruits into the Nigeria Police Force are forced to live in sub-human conditions.
Any wonder why at the slightest contact with the civil populace, these recruits, when they end up wearing police officer uniforms, unleash a volley of bullets into the guts of hapless Nigerians? Any wonder why at the slightest confrontation with armed criminals, our insecurity operatives, obviously out-gunned, out-motivated and out-numbered, often times, scamper faster than Usain Bolt would ever have imagined himself capable of.
Who should we really blame for the thousands of extra-judicial killings our police and other insecurity forces commit in Nigeria, The men of the force (who know no better as a result of the quality of training and enlightenment they get whilst at the Training Schools) or the 'top brass' of the insecurity organizations (who develop pot-bellies) as a result of stealing the resources of their various insecurity agencies.
In all these, one doffs his hat for the few gallant cops we still have in the system, who despite seemingly insurmountable odds, stand firm and confront criminality and armed gangs. Some of these gallant personnel of our insecurity agencies, have often paid the supreme price for our common good.
Only a well structured and negotiated federation can ensure accountability of the security agencies and accord its citizenry security.
Lets restructure and renegotiate our contraption.
Picture: Police Barracks, Lagos
Whilst MD Abubakar and the top brass of the Nigeria Police Force and his cabal of senior insecurity officials adorn themselves with 'sparkling uniforms', the recruits into the Nigeria Police Force are forced to live in sub-human conditions.
Any wonder why at the slightest contact with the civil populace, these recruits, when they end up wearing police officer uniforms, unleash a volley of bullets into the guts of hapless Nigerians? Any wonder why at the slightest confrontation with armed criminals, our insecurity operatives, obviously out-gunned, out-motivated and out-numbered, often times, scamper faster than Usain Bolt would ever have imagined himself capable of.
Who should we really blame for the thousands of extra-judicial killings our police and other insecurity forces commit in Nigeria, The men of the force (who know no better as a result of the quality of training and enlightenment they get whilst at the Training Schools) or the 'top brass' of the insecurity organizations (who develop pot-bellies) as a result of stealing the resources of their various insecurity agencies.
In all these, one doffs his hat for the few gallant cops we still have in the system, who despite seemingly insurmountable odds, stand firm and confront criminality and armed gangs. Some of these gallant personnel of our insecurity agencies, have often paid the supreme price for our common good.
Only a well structured and negotiated federation can ensure accountability of the security agencies and accord its citizenry security.
Lets restructure and renegotiate our contraption.
Picture: Police Barracks, Lagos
Sustaining mediocrity
by Eze Eluchie
Do these characters ruling over our contraption really appreciate what harm they are inflicting?
On the same day that US President Obama is visiting Kindergarten schools to promote government investment in early childhood education and makes a generational statement to the effect that: "the size of your paycheck shouldn't determine your child's future. So let's fix this. Let's make sure none of our kids start out the race of life a step behind", it gets announced that over 81% of primary school teachers in one of the component States of our contraption actually failed ‘mathematics and basic literacy tests’ meant for pupils in 4th grade classes!
Are we readying our contraption for the present? Are we thinking of tomorrow? Are we believing tomorrow will think for itself? Perhaps some miracles will happen and it will all be well?
Let us all realize one fact: unless an apocalyptic event happens, such as the earth opening and swallowing all up, these kids being tutored by illiterate teachers will grow up.
These kids will want to eat!
These kids will want self fulfillment and self actualization!
Do these characters ruling over our contraption really appreciate what harm they are inflicting?
On the same day that US President Obama is visiting Kindergarten schools to promote government investment in early childhood education and makes a generational statement to the effect that: "the size of your paycheck shouldn't determine your child's future. So let's fix this. Let's make sure none of our kids start out the race of life a step behind", it gets announced that over 81% of primary school teachers in one of the component States of our contraption actually failed ‘mathematics and basic literacy tests’ meant for pupils in 4th grade classes!
Are we readying our contraption for the present? Are we thinking of tomorrow? Are we believing tomorrow will think for itself? Perhaps some miracles will happen and it will all be well?
Let us all realize one fact: unless an apocalyptic event happens, such as the earth opening and swallowing all up, these kids being tutored by illiterate teachers will grow up.
These kids will want to eat!
These kids will want self fulfillment and self actualization!
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