Obinna Odogwu, Abakaliki
Recently, students from some secondary schools in Ebonyi State, especially from the old Afikpo bloc converged on Government Technical College, Afikpo for a mathematical contest. Also present were their teachers and of course, members of the academic and non-academic staff of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State.
The mathematics contest was put together by friends and well-wishers of the Vice-Chancellor of MOUAU, Prof Francis Otunta, as part of activities lined up for his 60th birthday celebration.
As expected, each of the participating schools was in high spirit and each of them made efforts to grab the first position.
Akanu Ibiam Polytechnic Staff Secondary School, Unwana clinched the first position. The first runner up was Ishiagu High School, Ishiagu while the second runner up was Akpoha Comprehensive Secondary School, Akpoha, Afikpo North council area.
Other schools that took part included Government Secondary School, Afikpo; Government Secondary School, Okposi; Akanu Ibiam Girls Secondary School, Afikpo; Comprehensive Secondary School, Afikpo; Isu Girls Secondary School, Onicha in Onicha Local Government Area; and Oziza Comprehensive Secondary School.
Although the contest ended successfully, the celebrant, Prof. Otunta, went home depressed. He was unhappy because of the poor turnout of students for the mental exercise coupled with what he tagged the decaying state of education in the country.
He regretted that if the event was a dancing competition where young girls would come naked, the venue of the birthday celebration would have been filled to capacity.
Otunta, who is a professor of mathematics, argued that unwarranted holds on lascivious activities by many young people as well as bribery, corruption, and other worldly activities being promoted by the society have contributed to the disheartening state of education in the country.
The mathematician, however, did not spare secondary school teachers and some of their counterparts in the universities. He accused them of contributing in no small measure to the problem of education in Nigeria.
“The truth is that our educational standards are dropping. They are dropping not because we don’t have intelligent people but because we cheat. And so, the problem is not the act of the president, the principal or that of any leader. The problem is that of us.
“We cheat to go to the university; we cheat to enter secondary school, we cheat to get jobs, we cheat to do everything. How can we produce teachers who will not cheat?
“Our teachers cheat to award marks to our children. Our teachers do all sorts of evil things to survive. Only God can help us. If we can eliminate cheating; if we tell the truth to ourselves, to our community then the solution shall come.
“I want to tell you this: a nation is not destroyed by atomic bomb or whatever. A nation is destroyed by having poor educational qualities; by allowing cheating to go on.
“The government cheats in employments; there are no interviews where merit is needed. Let’s do all these things; stop cheating and things will change for good.
“If we all agree to stick to merit, fine; conduct interview to hire a mathematics teacher; let the best candidate be employed as the teacher. But before the interview is conducted, you know what happens; I am sure you know it.
“I am from assistant God; this and that, small god, I have my cousins brother’s wife’s son who also wants to be the teacher. The man at the other end (of the telephone) will respond, ‘OK, OK, I will see what I can do.’ They will take such. A first class material will be thrown out. That is why our educational system is poor.
“Let us do the right thing and if we do that consistently, we will get the desired result. Take the children along the line, obeying all laws and then things will change for good. But if we continue cheating and producing whatever we like, things will remain bad,” Otunta declared.
The don accused secondary school teachers of setting up ‘cheating centres’ where they collect money from parents in order for their children to pass examinations.
“Teachers of secondary schools have special centres. They collect money from parents so that their children will go there. They call it the best school where students can get 300 percent in Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and school certificate examinations when you know that these people do not know anything. Correct that and everything will return to normal and good again,” he stated.
Prof. Otunta, while admonishing the students reminded them of the need to embrace God and always keep good company. Citing himself as an example, Otunta told the gathering that he looked up to the renowned professor of mathematics, Prof Chike Obi, as his academic father.
“When I was in your shoes, I was not as good as even the group that came first. But as I was growing up, I became more interested in having Prof. Chike Obi as my academic father.
“Then, I used to only pray for two things: God don’t let anything happen to my head and my right hand. So, even if they carried me to exam hall I will pass. That is the only prayer I used to offer. This was because I didn’t know about the things of God. I knew about God; I didn’t know God. It is important for us to know God. He is the giver of knowledge.
“Don’t say that in mathematics they don’t use English, you can speak any jargon and say it is correct. No! If you don’t learn and speak good English, you will not understand the question, and the topics. You will not understand anything and therefore you will know nothing at all,” he admonished.
Expelled from school
The mathematics guru told the gathering that the venue was divinely chosen for the exercise to enable him tell the story of his life, especially as it affects the school. He narrated that he attended the school as a child but was rusticated because he was troublesome.
“The reason is that I have the grace of God upon me and we brought them here so that I can tell my story about this school.
“As a young boy, I was better known as a stubborn, rascally boy. I didn’t know anything about God. I was known as a very stubborn boy, rascally boy who primarily was only good at fighting and playing football very well. That’s all I was known for.
“And so, after my school certificate in 1976 and I didn’t gain admission into the university, I came here to study for A-level maths, physics, and chemistry so as to take cover in them and gain admission into the university. This was because I failed to gain admission in class 5.
“But my stubbornness led me to beating up bigger boys than myself and it was so much that in February 1977 my mother spent N14 to treat the injury I inflictd on him. Because of that, I was expelled from this school by the principal whose name was Mr Iwe.
“Mr Iwe, the younger brother of my deputy vice chancellor’s father was the principal in this school then. Prof. M. O. Iwe, my deputy vice-chancellor, was a small boy like me living with his uncle around that area.
“My expulsion from this school was not for criminal activity, not for cheating, but for wanton brutality. It is a record from this school. I was expelled from Government College, Afikpo; that’s what the name was called, for wanton brutality. But I am not saying that what I did was right. Don’t do that.
“Immediately I was expelled, I started asking myself some questions: am I going to be a waste? That’s what I asked myself. But I said no. I then began to work towards self actualisation. I multiplied the efforts I was making by three.
“That’s why from 1979, I was declared first everywhere I went to. It is because of the pain I received from this school. Now, don’t wait for pains,” he advised the students.
Meanwhile, a lecturer at MOUAU who presided over the contest as quiz master, Kayode Adekunle, a professor of Chemical Engineering, praised the students for their “sound performance.”