23 Nov 2006 |
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Before Baba goes to school PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo's decision to return to school in 2007, as part of an out-of-office retirement plan is to be encouraged. But as someone who has spent sometime teaching students, and imparting knowledge, I propose to offer my services completely free of charge, as the President's Adviser. Make no bones about it and you must recognise the fact of my kind-heartedness here, because really every student needs an Adviser, be he/she an ex-President or ex-Minister, or ex-Chief Executive. And don't ask whether I am qualified or not to advise the President. I suppose you must know that the thing speaks for itself. Now, to business: Would prospective candidate Matthew Olusegun Obasanjo pay attention to the following, please? The revelation, under review, was made by President Olusegun Obasanjo, in the course of his address as Visitor to the University of Ibadan during the 58th Convocation ceremony of the university on November 17. Said he: "By March 2007, NOUN would have capacity to admit more than 100 thousand students; among whom will be my humble self". He added that "his decision to go back to school was to set an example to others that no matter their status or busy schedules, they could still spare time to learn". What the President did in these few words was to promote the importance of education and encourage Nigerians generally, not just senior citizens, to embrace the opportunity for growth and self-actualisation that education offers. He was also, perhaps unwittingly, promoting the National Open University of Nigeria, which is designed essentially to serve the interests of busy persons and strengthen the objectives of the Education For All Initiative. Based in Lagos, with about 20 study centres all over Nigeria, NOUN currently offers 750 courses and 50 programmes, with a pioneer student enrolment of 32, 400. It was first established in 1983 but it soon ran into troubled waters and was suspended in 1984. The Obasanjo government resuscitated it in April 2001. But beyond the advertisement value of the President's reference to NOUN, his choice of this university is also well-advised. NOUN is a specialist university providing open and distance learning opportunities which would make it easy for an ex-President who is bound to have a heavy demand on his time, also go to school at the same time. In a country with a literacy level of about 49 per cent, a drop-out rate of about 60 per cent at the primary school level, a largely prostrate education system, the twin evil of poverty and a failed school to work transition, which is in part responsible for the spread of despair, the President's identification with the value of education is meant to inspire and encourage. "Education" he had said "is crucial to the new orientation and value, to seek the understanding of who we are, and where we want to be." By the time he picks up admission forms for the 2007/2008 session, President Obasanjo would be close to 70 years of age. But he would not be the first old man who would be seeking knowledge. His realisation that he still has a lot to learn is a sign of humility. It is an ironic admission that he does not know it all. In the past seven years, President Obasanjo has cultivated the persona of a man who knows it all, or who thinks that he knows it all. Nigerians complain endlessly about his seeming lack of ability to listen and appreciate the viewpoints of others, his assumption that a position of power automatically confers Solomonic wisdom. But now, his announcement of a plan to return to school is a well-timed redemptive pitch. The President must know however that education is a matter of attitude. It requires patience and humility. Although NOUN runs a distance learning programme, Obasanjo's teachers would also expect that he will conduct himself in accordance with the rules of decorum and etiquette. He will need to be humble, if he must learn. Because of his background as a military officer, he already has certain attributes that would stand him in good stead (discipline and determination) but he must support these with humility. University teachers do not respect rank or status: their job is to impart knowledge. For the better part of his life, President Obasanjo has enjoyed the rare privilege of telling people to "Shut Up" and they would gladly do so. When he gets to NOUN, he would no longer be the Visitor to the University, he will no longer be President of Nigeria, he will be one out of 300,000 students who are seeking new knowledge and ideas. If he intends to learn, Baba must submit his assignments as and when due; he must show up for tutorial sessions and examinations, and he must develop the inquisitive, contemplative mind that is the true mark of a good student. I have a small monograph on "How To Prepare for Examinations". Baba may need such a useful companion. And he needs not fear. He won't be the first big man to go to school in retirement. Before him, General Yakubu Gowon (Political Science) Admiral Mike Akhigbe (Law), and General David Jemibewon (Law and International Law/Diplomacy) followed the same path. And age needs not be a problem either. Nola Ochs, 95, is currently a final year student at Fort Hays State University in the United States. When she graduates next semester, she will be the Guinness Book of World Records' oldest college graduate. The President did not indicate the specific level of education that he is interested in. NOUN runs a choice of programmes from certificates, Diplomas to Post Graduate Diplomas and Degrees. My advise is that he should enrol for a Degree Course. He has also not indicated his intended course of study. Now, there may be a little problem here. Not too long ago, President Obasanjo publicly dismissed some courses offered at the university level as "useless" including Sociology, History and Mass Communication. He was addressing young, unemployed persons, who were disturbed by the crisis of unemployment in the country. If he meant every word of this, Baba may be reluctant to spend his time enrolling for what in his estimation is "a useless course". But interestingly, it is "a useless course" that would be best for him. He already has a background in Engineering having studied that in his younger days. He also knows military science and war studies. He equally has substantial practical experience in the art and science of politics. Baba should be interested in enrolling for those courses, which can develop his capacity and offer him a sense of "where he wants to be". I recommend a combined course of study in Law and Psychology. Why Law? Law, because in seven years as Nigeria's President, Baba has demonstrated at every turn, a scant regard for the law. He has looked askance at the Constitution. His only understanding of the law is that the King can do no wrong, and whatever the king says is the law. And with him at the helm of affairs, this legal positivism formed the basis of a loud dictatorship that was given expression to the consternation of all decent men. Baba's disregard for the law included his erection of the Presidency into a near-divine structure. No one could argue with him. For him, the doctrine of the separation of powers is a piece of theoretical inconvenience. Judges are expected to bow before the all-powerful President. Legislators are required to obey his command. Governors in the states who show any form of independence have had to pay dearly for it. The example that is set by the President has since been followed by every other officer in the corridors of power. Even ordinary citizens find cause to trample upon the law. Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mohammed Uwais once accused the Executive of recklessness. The present CJN, Modibbo Alfa Belgore has also protested about the brazenness with which the Executive Arm of government violates the integrity of the judiciary, thereby compromising the rule of law. A course of study in law would raise the President's understanding of the value of law as an instrument of societal stability. It would rob him of ignorance about the interconnectedness of public and private estates, and turn him into a learned man. The study of law is good for society, but it also liberates and empowers the individual. Should anyone seek to take the President to task for whatever he might have done as President of Nigeria, his legal education would further be a source of strength in the face of such opposition. Why psychology? One of the major complaints about this President in seven years is that he does not have a talent for human interaction; for building relationships and for sustaining friendships. His Presidency is littered with ghosts of the various friendships that failed, unrequited love and unrewarded loyalty. Persons who started the struggle with him in 1999 and even before then, are today full of bitterness against him - there are those who accuse him of betrayal. There are others who have had to run away into exile because they believe he could send the EFCC after them, and send them to jail eventually. Many of these complainants may have their faults - they are after all human beings, they are Nigerians and they may have tried to abuse their access to the President. But the general impression is that the President has been unfair even to those who have been fair to him. The study of Psychology should enable the President to inquire more into the nature of the human mind and person. It should empower him with the knowledge of character types and motivations and how to manage the complexities of human interactions. Baba has been accused of being too natural, often being too brusque; understanding the human mind and the expectations of others, is the first step towards mastering the rules of human interaction. The President is himself, an author. He should enjoy reading the thoughts and writings of the likes of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Unfortunately when Baba gets this education that he needs, he would no longer be President. Nigerians would not be able to enjoy the benefits of his new exposure. How nice it would have been, if President Obasanjo had embarked on this adult education programme after 1979. Nigeria has been ruled since 1960, by either stark illiterates or half-educated power mongers, without anyone being a university graduate who has been trained to think, listen and learn, leading the affairs of state. If Baba had done what he now intends to do at NOUN, he would have broken the jinx in 1999 and perhaps he would have been a better President in some other respects. But it's okay. We can only hope that the President's declaration about his educational plans is not a Freudian slip. I'd be available for further consultations...
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