Issele-Uku - Have Your Say

WHY AFRICAN AIRLINES ARE BANKRUPT
By Festus Nwosu, October 2011
Houston, Texas.

Dear Mr. Eke, I wish you a speedy recovery. At the same time, you 're entitled to your opinion that is the essence of democracy. There will be people who will agree with you and many who would ask what planet you just arrived from. I can see why your opinion is tilted to the direction you and the invisible statistics you claim to have. You say you were born after the civil war. I presume the Biafran/Nigeria civil war.

Well, I was born way before that and the statistics I will unleash will be mostly personal and eyewitness account and testimonials. You see, I am one of those who attended primary school when our people were under the Western region, when Nigeria was governed within the three zones; East, West, and North in the late 50's. That was the era when the two majority parties were the Zik's NCNC and Awolowo's Action group. These two parties were the most popular; Zik and Awolowo were doing the politiking trying to woo our people. Needless to say that majority of our people were NCNC members, just because Zik was an Igbo man from Onitsha and Awolowo a Yoruba. Families were split and at odds with each other, because of who they support. It was so bad that some families resorted to machete aka, cutlas fights and administering native poison covertly to each other. But the gist was, despite the fact that our people had Zik's (Nnamdi Azikiwe) back, it was Awolowo who delivered.

I and other people from that era were the beneficiaries of a FREE PRIMARY EDUCATION. It replaced the STANDARD SIX format of Primay Education, where a kid could be sent home for not paying the three pence, six pence or one shilling as the case may be. You know what? Our people with their fickle minds, calls it "Akwukwor Awolowo". Just because they did not have to pay their children's fees they termed it inferior education. Check your statistics and find out if millions of people who benefited from this education turned out well or not, whether they received inferior education. I know I didn't. The achievements people attained from this education is immeasurable. Guess what? The exercise books and Readers (yes that's what they call it then) were free of charge, the pencils, crayons and coloring books were also free. Chalks and the books in the cupboards (our library) are free. Kids were learning, teachers were getting paid as they should every month. There were discipline, no gangs and cults. Only two lessons on Fridays, the rest period is manual labor till closing time at 1:45pm. There were exit-books students who were sick had to sign to visit the local govt. dispensaries, where they give medicine if you have cough, dysentery, measles, malaria etc. Then we use to have sores from either playing, or from farm work and other domestic chores. These open sores would be dressed and treated and a bandage placed on it, we use to call it plaster. When yours eventually falls off you would cry for the loss.

These primary schools, including the one I attended was well kept, no high-tech equipment or anything of sort but nevertheless, was always in pristine condition. This was in the fifties before Nigerian independence. Yes the Oyibo was still in charge hence things still worked. I am not advocating for re-colonization. But you get the drift?
Today, the primary school is still around. The building is dilapidated, the only thing Gov. Ibori did as in any school in Delta State, was put a stupid fence, a gate and gate man. They started one unfinished new block but no windows installed. When it was built and managed by the proprietor, Rev. S.W. Martin, of Pilgrim Baptist Mission, like every primary school, Modern school, Grammar School, Technical school, Teacher training college and yes, an American styled General hospital, he singlehandedly built all, were in tip top condition until the then newly created Bendel state govt. decided to annex all private schools. From there on you may say, "There goes the neighborhood". Since then things have been falling apart and the center could never hold, if I may borrow from Achebe. I am from Issele-Uku by the way. All these schools and hospitals are all eyesore now. The promising hospital that patients use to come all the way from Benin, equipped and sponsored by American foreign Baptist Mission Bureau USA, are all in ruins now. This hospital is surrounded in and out by tall weeds and grass. Whose fault is it, the white man? Give me a break, and stuff your statistics. Ibori tried to convert a closed Girls grammar school into a hospital. The sign post said hospital, but there is nothing there to treat any body with. Yes, the white man did it. Eku Baptist hospital Eku, used to be one of the few good hospitals in Nigeria, Each time I pass through to visit my uncle at Sapele, I am always in awe of the environment, the compound, and the golf lawn style landscaping with tall pine and Melina trees when it was ran by Americans.

Since Nigeria or Bende/Delta state took over, you would't want to have first aid treatment there. God forbid you needed surgery. Yes, the white man sabotaged it when he was leaving? Oh no, Delta state is a poor state, they can't afford to renovate and reequip already existing hospitals and other infrastructures or build a new one. The white man is the reason we don't have electricity, running water, good roads etc. The white man corrupted your leaders since 1960. They taught them the ingenious ways of looting the National treasury, the most clever way to perfect the art of bribery and corruption. The white man taught Nigerians how to evolve from rags to riches, I mean billionaires, just by going into politics. The white man taught them how not to have conscience and oblivious of the peoples plight. Yes, the white man taught them how to steal these monies since they are depositing them in their banks. After all, these underhanded lessons, the black man never thought one day, you know, this white man is teaching me all these things he is not looking out for me or my people. That's it, I am going to change my game plan and help my people with the money and resources God blessed us with. They are not stealing thousands or millions anymore; they are stealing billions now, what next, trillions?
Brother Eke, you and people like you may disagree with my piece. I don't give a rat@@@##$$%%. I know majority will agree with me. But at least you would probably agree with the little lesson and info I gave at the beginning of this piece to make my point. The then Bendel State Gov. Ogbemudia, was known for the numerous infrastructural projects he started on and actually finished. Some would say he stole money too and became rich in the process, but others, noticed too he stole a little and gave a lot back. To day's politicians are like maggots they eat and eat until noting is left. Food stuffs are beyond the reach of the poor these days, do you expect the white man to take blame for that? Maybe they should be planting our rice, egusi, and growing agbono trees in their respective countries and export them to Nigeria and Africa. You don't think it is a shame? Nobody goes to farm any more, instead, they are all selling off their lands and public lands for millions of naira. No place to farm now even if you are inclined to do the farming. They have all become hustlers, even the village chiefs, all accepting kick backs. All these atrocious cultures are the results of the white man's dastardly acts.
Brother Eke, I am going to rest my case. You can write a rebuttal or all worth not. I will never be interested, oh! it is your prerogative to do so. But I am not going to be interested in your impending cockamamie statistics. Good day.