Revenge is a kind of wild justice, which the more man’s nature runs to; the more law ought to weed it out. – Francis Bacon, English philosopher.
Revenge is a kind of wild justice, which the more man’s nature runs to; the more law ought to weed it out. – Francis Bacon, English philosopher.
Abia State University authorities’ withdrawal of certificate they issued to their former governor, Orji Uzoh Kalu over eleven years ago on the ground that it was issued in error is not only repulsively filthy and morally revolting but unwonted especially coming from a low breed institution. This calls to question the value of the certificate coming from such a reckless institution whose staff room is filled with shenanigans and unprincipled characters. The University authorities have clearly confirmed that they are closer to mercantile activities than academics but the obvious fact is not what is to be discussed but rather the toll this dirty dance will take have graduates of Abia State University.
When I heard of the certificate withdrawal, I didn’t think of what it could cause Orji Uzoh Kalu because it will not cause him anything but what it may cause other graduates, with ABSU certificates, problems. This action taken by the Abia State University was by some media reports engineered by the state governor who has been on the path of war with his godfather and a man he genuflected and followed around for eight years. As expected his government denied it and as a visitor to the institution he claims no knowledge of their activities including this certificate saga. He probably knows that the withdrawal will not affect political aspirations of his benefactor but just wanted to smear shame on his image. Shame is one thing politicians bathe with at home before presenting themselves to the public. I think to this extent, his dirty response to Kalu’s return to PDP has achieved nothing but causing unquantifiable damage to the institution in particular and Abia state in general.
The two Okija shrine monks, Orji Kalu and Theodore Orji are in unity of one mission, inadvertently killing Abia state. Kalu had his eight years as the governor of the state and Theodore will be completing his eight years by 2015 and there is a striking signature identity in the two administrations; non-performance. Orji Uzoh Kalu didn’t perform and Theodore who is his political son graduated from his school of non-performance and is really proving that he is true son of his godfather. If there is any better difference between the two Orjis, it must be insignificantly minute and thereby making them two sides of the same coin.
The place of ABSU certificate in Nigeria especially in the labour market is greatly jeopardized and the graduates of this institution are going to be the scapegoats. I will be surprised if any of the two Okija shrine monks’ children is in any of the universities in Nigeria not to mention ABSU where they have shifted the base of their political fight and theatre of their ignoble drama. I took special interest in this certificate debacle after one Chief Executive Officer of one of the leading indigenous firms here in Port-Harcourt issued a stern warning to his human resources manager not to accept applications from people with ABSU certificate and he went as far as contemplating extending the same order to all the state university certificates citing other CEOs who do not accept any state university certificate as an example.
The truth is that so many organizations and corporations now reject degree certificates emanating from any state university in Nigeria but I think ABSU and the government of Abia state have made theirs a special case and are further jeopardizing other state universities’ certificates as they are now seen as cash for certificate institutions. When I was pondering the effects of this irrational action of ABSU toward their students, I tried to picture a self sponsored ABSU graduate hunting for a job. What will be the state of his mind if his application is rejected on the basis of his university’s name and not on his inability to defend the certificate? Will his patriotism and belief in the system grow when he finds out that the same certificate he paid over hundred thousand naira each session for at least four years is worth nothing in the labour market? What kind of confidence and self belief will he exude when his certificate is placed side by side with other certificates bearing federal and private universities' names? These are the questions the government of Abia state and ABSU authorities should have asked themselves before allowing vendetta and monetary gratification to blur their judgment respectively.
The panel investigating the certificate issued a statement saying, “on the strength of the findings and recommendations of an investigative panel into allegations of the extent of breach of Academic Regulations of Abia State University in the admission process and graduation of Kalu, Orji Uzor in the discipline of Government and Public Administration with matriculation number 00/42226, the senate of Abia State University at its resumed 69th Extra-Ordinary meeting of Friday, 1st March 2013 and by vote of eighty-eight(88) against three (3) dissenting voices only, approved the cancellation and withdrawal of the degree results and certificate awarded to him.” If it took Abia State University twelve (12) solid years to correct their “mistake”, how long will it take them to clear the institution of lazy and commercial lecturers?
The present turncoat vice chancellor of this putrid institution was once very close to Orji Uzoh Kalu the former governor and he wrote so many good things about him and sang his praises for eight years. Nobody should be surprised if and when he turns against the present governor at the instance of a higher bidder. I believe that since they are already washing their dirty linen before the public, Kalu’s camp will put their nose beneath the dirty lathery water to come up with dirty under wears of their opponents especially when many professors in our universities are back door professors. I really pity all the actors of this unfortunate combat because they need nothing but “pity” as they have sewn cloths with shame. In their quest for a vendetta of any kind they should not forget this Chinese proverb which says, “He who sets out on revenge must first dig two graves."
Obi Ebuka Onochie
[email protected]
Port-Harcourt
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of SaharaReporters
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