Schools attempt to give an education but they do not give wisdom, intelligence, integrity, compassion or any of the other most important qualities of a human being and a leader. An education really does not proffer much, unfortunately and gives even less these days; perhaps this is why drop-outs like, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and Harrison Ford are well known to us.
And then when schools and degrees are honestly reviewed, there is the “attempt” aspect. How many of our schools actually do give an education? Passing exam is not education. As a teacher, I know precisely what I am saying. Our students either know “iwe,” which means, know the study material, or know their “way,” both pronounced the same in Yoruba. When we look at Nigeria’s President and the First lady who has been employed as a Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa, a B.Ed holder in Biology and Psychology from the University of Port Harcourt, you can only say, #DiaRisGodo!
Perhaps Nigeria now more than ever actually needs a Jackboot (military disciplined) proud “semi-illiterate” “with no shoes” who comes from a position of under-privilege; who can relate and understand the plight and needs of the majority semi-literate, illiterate, miseducated, maleducated and wastefully-educated populace. We need someone who understands “challenge.” What we thought we were going to get in Jonathan who lied that he had no shoes (new childhood images showed him quite affluent, riding a toy horse in fancy shoes).
If the intellectual spectrum a PhD degree confers, produces the type of leadership which struggles to reproach us that “corruption is not stealing,” then Lord give us a “semi-illiterate” who sees only black and white and understands that simple indiscipline is corruption, and ordinary corruption is stealing and that this stealing is killing.
You see what it all boils down to is the decision making and the type of advisers a leader surrounds him or herself with. Can the President make the right call? Nigeria’s current President, Goodluck Jonathan has complained that his problem is he receives “contradictory advice.” So for instance, when his several advisers give him the following options to choose from in handling the insurgency destroying Nigeria:
(a) Give an amnesty reward to Boko Haram terrorists
(b) Support and equip the Civilian-JTF to defend their communities
(c) Arrest the sponsors of terror
(d) Stop the Army chiefs (and yourself) from looting all the funds for equipping the army
(e) Recruit troops, volunteers and purchase modern equipment to seal the borders
(f) b to e
He simply goes with the first option that strikes his fancy. (a) in this case.
It must be clearly stated and noted that not only does President Buhari have a school certification, the minimum requirement for competing for the Presidency, but also he has several other certificates from courses abroad that are “equivalent” as the electoral regulations stipulates. As a General and approved three prior times by the commission, he is automatically beyond qualified; however we are more interested in his underprivileged side. Indeed these particular skills—being one who has had to deal with the challenges faced by many of us, make him even sexier for the office.
Today we realize it is not about East or West, North or South; not about Agbada or bowler cap. It is not about Yoruba or Hausa, Igbo or Igala. It is not about Muslim or Christian as #FatherMbaka said. It is not about PhD or illiteracy. It is about character and the wherewithal. It is about discipline and integrity. It is about objective, preoccupation and purpose. This race is about having the right skill set, the capacity, inclination and ability to do the job— to rescue a nation blessed with promise, tumbling down into debt, destruction, decay and death.
Give us our semi-illiterate Jackboot and clear that place of the “PhD” holding elite nincompoop!
Dr. Peregrino Brimah; http://ENDS.ng [Every Nigerian Do Something] Email: drbrimah@ends.ng Twitter: @EveryNigerian
