The reasons for private participation in the establishment of school at whatever levels of the educational system in Nigeria are not farfetched. The fact that qualitative education is important and should not be compromised prompted the need for private schools in Nigerian educational system. Issues that affect the performance of education are issues of concern to families, communities, local, states and federal governments.
Governments at all levels in Nigeria are seen to be helplessly watching public structures and institutions collapsing and some in a dangerous state of coma with little or no hope of being revived. Some of the reasons for the creation of private schools are: providing admissions to many teeming applicants seeking admissions on a yearly basis (many Nigerians who can afford the fees they charge have been relieved in the areas); restoring and sustaining quality (not because they have qualified staff in the right proportions but that they ensure what is to be done rightly at the right time); restoring and sustaining discipline (among staff and students because they have the will power to do so added to the fact that they do not want their investment to collapse); effective monitoring and supervision of academic activities (the presence of the proprietor is regularly felt); running stable academic calendar as they rarely go on strike; staff dedication and seriousness to duties; producing students that are globally competitive, etc. All these have contributed to the failure of public schools in Nigeria. The roles that private schools play in rescuing the battered image of education in Nigeria are very highly commendable but there are some issues that are really retarding or staining these good efforts and these issues need to be addressed. One of the major challenges is the issue of exorbitant school fees and regular upward review of fees. Some private schools have taken the advantage to be extorting people in the name of school fees without giving quality service to complement the school fees. Another issue is proliferation of substandard institutions, promotion of class consciousness and distinctions. The use of unqualified teachers and administrative staff is another area to look at as well as inadequate provision of infrastructural facilities and examination malpractice.
Education is a critical sector that needs maximum attention in every society. Training and nurturing of children are major challenges that must be addressed keenly. Training every child and family is different. Each child has his or her potentials and that is why children should not be treated the same way. Child comparism is a taboo in education and that is why it is important for every parent to understand their children.
It is important to give your child praise and positive feedback because children especially young ones measure their worth and achievements by what you think. But be realistic in your praise. If a child fails at something or shows no talent at a particular skill, praise the effort but don’t unrealistically praise the results. Reassure your child that it is fine not to be able to do everything perfectly. Tell him that some things take repeated effort and practice and sometimes it is fine to move on after you have given your best effort. Self-confident children are willing to try new things without fear of failure. With younger children, you will need to supervise from the sidelines. Set up situations where she can do things for herself and make sure the situation is safe but then give her space. For example, demonstrate how to make a sandwich and then let her try it on her own, without your hovering or intervening. Encourage exploration, whether it is a trip to a new park or new foods at mealtime. Day trips and outings, new hobbies, vacations, trips with teammates or schoolmates can all expand your child’s horizons and build confidence in her ability to handle new situations.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Igbo is one of the three major tribes occupying the south-eastern geopolitical zone of Nigeria. They have cultural traditions and customs, which help in maintaining their society. Just like the belief systems of other cultural groups; man has designed various institutions and webs of customs that regulate and order his social life. Hunter and Whitten (1976:294) note that “belief systems deal with everything man can imagine.”
A traditional priest who could be a witch doctor who cures those who have been be-witched.A herbalist who knows the powers of many roots and herbs.A diviner who tells fortune, he is consulted before any sacrifice is offered.The chief priest (Eze mmuo)- He is an official servant of a deity or oracle, who offers sacrifice to the spirits and generally ministers at the shrine.
The coming of Islam and Christianity into Africa had much influence on the African traditional religion in its entirety. The coming of Christianity into Igbo land in 1846 altered the act of living sacrifice most especially the human sacrifice. The Christian Missionaries were able to stop the burying of chiefs with living beings and the act of using human beings as scapegoats. Although some people still offer sacrifices but it’s no longer being celebrated as in the past.Another form of human living sacrifice is the Osu caste system among the Igbo where a human being is consecrated to a deity or shrine and his generation automatically belong to the deity. This group was set aside, isolated or confined to specific areas in the community. It was a taboo to have any social interaction with an Osu. Generally, deities and spirits represent an important aspect of traditional religion in virtually all African societies.
Although the names of these deities and spirits, their method and time of worship vary from society to society, their
significance and relevance in traditional observances cut across all the cultural contexts of Africa. The names and
worship patterns in any given African society are basically dictated by the culture of the given society. the worship of
deities and spirits, hierarchy in the cultural context of Abiriba in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State,
south-East Nigeria. Abiriba, like any other traditional African society has no classical work or records about her
religious practices.
Deity worshipers
Therefore, the research relied mostly on oral interviews,direct observations, group discussions, and interactive sessions with elders and traditionalists for data collections,analysis and inferences. In adapting this approach, we were able to ascertain the names of these deities and spirits, their individual and collective roles, the hierarchical organization, as well as the worship methods as strictly adhered to by the practitioners. According to the people of Abiriba, deities are god’s representatives on earth and sacrifices and prayers are offered to God through them.“God is the Supreme Spirit, the Creator of everything… but this Supreme Spirit has made many inferior spirits who are nearer to man and through whom man normally offers his worship to Him.” As regards the spirits,it is believed that they are of many different types populating the universe In all African traditional settings, the people recognize the existence of the Supreme God,called deities and spirits.The worshiping of deities and spirits in Abiriba community has gotten to the climax that even the government cannot protect it citizens against this evil ancient traditional practice.
Abia State government has practically admitted the helplessness situation of the government over the deity and circumcises rites,a traditional practice in Eastern Part of Nigeria, a traditional practice in Abiriba community whereby pre-teenage or teenage female children are ‘chosen’ to serve the Chief Priest as heir apparent to the traditional throne and the forceful circumcision rites as customs demand as the Child Chief Priest.The failure of the Nigeria Police Force to protect victims of the traditional practice remains a contradiction and a huge challenge “you may look at this from the perspective of clash of modernity and ancient practice.
When the Grassroots Publishers contacted the Police Chief in Abiriba about the wanted circular dated 23rd october 2015 from Abiriba Communal Improvement Union signed by the former President General Chief (Dr)Jonah Ndukwe Ezikpe Anagha and secretary declaring a teenager Miss Esther Onyekachi from Abiriba community and her family wanted defiling their customs and gods of Abiriba Community and demanded her father to hand over his only daughter for circumcises rites and sacrifice as customs demands and that for disobeying the gods of Abiriba land the entire Abiriba Communal Improvement Union declared the entire family of Esther Onyekachi dead or alive to the extend that the community issued a circular on 23rd october,2015 to all Abiriba sons and daughters in Nigeria to hunt for Esther Onyekachi and her parent for defiling their customs and traditions of their land and that she has put the wellbeing and lives of Abiriba people in jeopardy and that their gods will not rest until the Abiriba land is appeased with their blood.
When Grassroots Publishers confided to the Police Chief in Abia State was speaking from both side of his mouth on this saga and he responded ; we have an obligation to cultivate and maintain cordial relationship with the traditional rulers but also protect the human rights of citizens. It is obvious that the law takes precedence over traditional practices and we are therefore obliged to step in when any law is contravened. The challenge is that so far no victim has managed to show evidence of any law being broken”Confronted with the recent and specific cases of Miss Esther Onyekachi who were sought after for the traditional ritual but their parents, who are known staunch Christians, resisted strongly leading to all manner of torture, the Abia State Police chief declined to comment, saying “the Nigerian Police Force does not comment on individual cases but I can assure you that all matters in the nature that you have described are investigated in collaboration and consultation with the traditional rulers and if anyone is found to have contravened the law, actions will be taken” Asked how many cases his Command has prosecuted since inception or at least under his watch, the Police Boss declined to provide details. Meanwhile information available to us has it that apart from the notorious Miss Esther Onyekachi saga, there are over the past 10 years no less than 12 reported incidents, one of which resulting in the death of the 9 year old sister of the child Chief Priest due to complications from the gruesome circumcision she was put through. The child Chief Priest disappeared two years later, unknown today whether he is dead or still alive hence the hunt for a new one.
The Miss Esther Onyekachi case is said to be complicated by two factors. Firstly the child’s uncle,who is a High Chief
is a member of the community Traditional Ruling Council and by implication, one of the custodians of the age long practice. He is suspected to have given his tacit approval and suspected to regard the choice of his grand-niece as an honour. The parents of the teenage child Esther Onyekachi are known serious Christian believers. Indeed her mother who had announced that she is resolved to confront such practices against children and the girl child. Her husband resisting the abduction of the child Chief Priest led to his torture and release to enable him produce the child for consummation of the traditional ritual. When he absconded and would not produce the child on the appointed date, a delegation was sent to Lagos, their base and all over the world to fetch them. The Onyekachi’s are said to have escaped out of the country, possibly to the America.
All efforts to trace them have so far failed. The uncle of Esther Onyekachi could not be reached for an interview after initially agreeing to one but would not honour the appointments made.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) primary appeal committee which would decide the fate of Tony Nwoye who emerged as the party’s standard bearer for the Anambra State governorship election began sitting in Abuja yesterday.The party’s primary has been marred by allegations of irregularities and imposition especially from one of the aspirants, Senator Andy Uba, who wrote a petition to the Hassan Lawal-led Appeal Committee.
Senator Uba was not seen at the venue of the sitting yesterday, but Nwoye was sighted around 1.00pm. He was drilled by members of the committee for 45 minutes, after which he told newsmen that he had confidence in whatever report the committee would come up with.When asked if he has reached out to other aspirants who contested against him, he said that all other aspirants except Senator Uba were on the same page with him. He said that efforts to reach out to Senator Uba after his emergence as the party’s candidate for dialogue and reconciliation was rebuffed, by the lawmaker.
“Andy Uba is the only aspirant who refused to talk to me. I called him, I sent an SMS to him, I even got to his house but he refused to open his gate. As for the other aspirants, I have met with all of them.“I came here with all the wards and local government party chairmen and secretaries from Anambra State who came to support me while I appear before the Appeal Panel. At the hearing, I was asked if it was true that members of NANS beat up delegates, but I told them it was not true because no member of NANS, former or current, was part of the primary. I told them that all the delegates that voted were delegates statutorily expected to vote.
“My mandate comes from God and should be left alone. It is not about Tony Nwoye but about these people who suffered all the night to vote for me. I felt for them and I have no fears that the panel will nullify the primary,” Nwoye said.While explaining the position of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) regarding the primary, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi, said that the report of the panel would be the final determinant.
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