On 1st December, 2012,
Governor (Dr.) Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, was conferred with the Honorary
Doctorate Degree of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto at the University’s
convocation ceremony. I was sitting few metres away from the Governor and could
observe the joy with which he was listening to his citation as read by the ever
vibrant Prof. Sharubutu. Another remarkable thing was that Mr Amechi spoke on
behalf of the six recipients of this unique honour from a University that
distinguishes itself as the most peaceful in Nigeria and whose graduates are
always revered for academic excellence. I can still see the posture of Rotimi
as he read the address from his ipad with the usual calm and easy mien.
A CHAIR TO ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
A portion of Dr. Amechi’s speech
that called for a loud applause was the donation of a chair to the ‘Department
of English’ of the University as an English graduate. Donating a chair to a
Department means that reasonable amount of money would be dedicated by the
donour to support and promote research in the Department. To make this clearer,
a day earlier, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim
Pius Anyim who happened to be the presenter of pre-convocation lecture donated
a chair to support research and community service on child nutrition. He
supported the chair with an INSTANT INITIAL CASH DONATION OF N50 MILLION. Senator
Anyim’s generosity was influenced by his experience in the late 80s as a corps
member on NYSC in Sokoto where he observed that malnutrition was the most
prevalent health/social challenge in the state.
When SGF donates this generously
to support a research chair, you can imagine my expectation when a Governor from
the OIL-RICH STATE of RIVERS donates a chair to my Department. With tremendous
joy, I called my Head of Department and other senior members of the Department to
congratulate them on this ‘good news’.
RIDICULING HAT TRICK HONOURS
With the UDUS award, Amechi
carries THREE important titles that would ordinarily make one to take his word
seriously. He is often called ‘Honourable’ because he was one time Speaker of
the Rivers’ Assembly; he is called “Excellency” because he is the Governor of
Rivers State; he is called ‘Doctor’ because he was so awarded by UDUS.
Nigeria is a republic. It is
neither a monarchy nor an empire. In a setup like ours, respect, honour,
reverence and esteem are earned -they are not given. Thus, notwithstanding
these titles, the behavior of Mr. Amaechi to this PUBLIC PLEDGE remain my major
yardstick of majoring his veneration and reverence. This informs my liberty in
calling him with any of his three names in this piece without the usual
appendage of HIS EXCELLENCY!
Amaechi, my Department and University are still
waiting! We do not have the time nor the luxury of visiting Port Harcourt to
beg for what you willingly pledged.
