“Choose the best; shun mediocrity. Mediocrity has a way of shriveling enthusiasm. But commitment to excellence taps an incredible source of energy” – Robert Schuller, VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 52.

Your Excellency, I had the honour and privilege to deliver the Keynote Address at the 80th anniversary of Government College, Ughelli, GCU, on Friday, January 17, 2025. I was particularly happy when the programme announced that you were coming to grace the august occasion. It would have provided me the opportunity to tell you personally that you are one of two current Governors who has not disappointed me by the way you have managed the affairs of Delta State.

Nobody is perfect; and you can’t please everybody – especially in a multi-ethnic state like Delta. You have done exceedingly well. Those familiar with this page for over 30 years would confirm that praise-singing is not the style here. Only one Governor, since 1999, has met the gold standard of governance; and that is Obong Victor Attah. You are well on your way to becoming the second. I wish you well. That said; I was disappointed when the Master of Ceremony, MC, first announced that the Deputy Governor would, well, deputise for you.

That was quickly followed by another announcement that the Dep. Governor would be represented by the Honourable Commissioner for Basic Education. The Professor read the prepared speech; received the applause and sat down as events unfolded. As far as I was concerned, there were two major events requiring your personal attention; and which could not be delegated to anybody else. My address was not one of them. And you missed nothing by not hearing it delivered. By virtue of the Nigerian Constitution, the state Governor is the alpha and omega in his state. Nobody else has the prerogative to attend to those two issues. That was why your absence left a gaping hole in the proceedings.

RUNNING A SELF-IMPOSED ERRAND

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter” – Reverend (Dr) Martin Luther King, Jr, 1929-1968.

Before going into the substance of this article, permit me, as usual, to declare that the Government College Old Boys Association, GCUOBA, did not send me on this errand. I was not paid to promote the idea. It was a great honour for me to have been invited to deliver the address; and a privilege to sit among some of the most eminent Nigerians the college has produced. I was not paid for the opportunity to do so. So, on no account should anybody opposed to what follows assume that this is a paid advertorial. I firmly believe in it. At any rate, I have undertaken such efforts before on important matters.

In 2010, I was the arrowhead of the struggle to get a Christian Governor elected in Lagos State when most people regarded it as a pipe dream. By the time Sanwo-Olu finishes his second term, it would have been twelve years of Christian Governor in Lagos State. Henceforth, religion will no longer matter. Long before that, I was also among the members of Igbobi College Old Boys Association, ICOBA, who got Governor Bola Tinubu to return our school to ICOBA. By then, Igbobi College, which had been forcefully acquired by the military government, had descended from excellence to mediocrity. We were successful; and I will forever be grateful to Tinubu for his gesture. Personally, I regard those two matters among the most remarkable achievements in my life made possible by having this forum to try and bring changes into our nation.

WHY GCUOBA’S APPEAL MAKES MORE SENSE NOW

“Only believers can build a Cathedral “- Albert Camus

Your Excellency, two requests were made by the President International of GCOBA in your absence. The first naturally requested for donation from the State Government towards the construction of a N3 billion Secretariat – including an auditorium seating 1, 000 people. That needs no explanation. The second is, to me, more important. GCUOBA is requesting the State Government to hand over the school to them as a step towards restoring it back to the centre of educational excellence it once was. That is the reason for this intervention. The good Professor promised to deliver the two messages; and there is no reason to doubt him.

However, he (Governor) might not be aware of the history of GCU to explain the proposal and its benefits to Delta State in particular and Nigeria, and even the world, in general. The truth is; a great deal of the knowledge which propel the world come from a few citadels of learning; which in turn are merit-based. Government College Ughelli was among the handful of excellent secondary schools established by the British for which admission was based strictly on merit. The contributions of its old boys to Nigeria and humanity provide all the evidence needed to support the argument that every country needs some centres of educational excellence in order to be globally competitive. Two indisputable facts are available.

All the top 25 economies in the world have at least eight to ten universities among the top 1, 000 universities ranked in the world. Africa and Nigeria have the fewest. No African country is now in top 25. We attend the G-20 annual meeting simply because the world cannot leave us out and not on merit. Meanwhile, GCU has demonstrated what merit-based schools can produce in terms of human capital development if allowed. We have at our disposal the list of people admitted to GCU from its inception in 1945 to 2005; and it is remarkable how its old boys have dominated various fields of endeavour in Nigeria. Although, the task is not finished, we hope to be able to publish the first list of twenty great achievers from GCU in this year of its 80th anniversary. I apologise to those who might have read some of these names before; the repetition has become necessary because of the special appeal to the Governor of Delta State. Among GCU’s old boys, we have been able to identify the following:

Major-General David Ejoor, 1932-2019, Mr S.B Agodo, the longest serving Permanent Secretary in FG; Chief Grey Longe, Secretary to the FG; Professor Itse Sagay, SAN; Architect Charles Majoroh; Olorogun Albert Akpomudje, SAN; John Momoh, Channels TV; Great Ogboru; Olorogun Taiga, CON; Prince Nduka Obiagbena, THISDAY, ARISE TV; and the legendary Sam Amuka aka Uncle Sam – co-founder PUNCH, Publisher VANGUARD MEDIA; and Mudi of Africa – leading fashion designer who dressed three African Presidents and was visited in his workshop at Anthony Village, Lagos by the King of Morocco demonstrating the Monarch’s regard for excellence.

The list is not exhaustive of contributors which this great institution has nurtured to serve mankind well. In education as in all aspects of life, the Pareto Principle operates. People in every sphere of life are divided into two groups: the vital few and the trivial many. Education is no exception. Restoring GCU to its former glory is certainly a step in the right direction. Furthermore, Your Excellency, this is a win-win arrangement as our experience at Igbobi College had demonstrated since Governor Tinubu returned it to us. Lagos State allocates whatever it wants annually, the Old Boys are responsible for providing the funds necessary to maintain the quality of education they want for their school.

Fortunately, every generation produces its own crop of millionaires, and even billionaires; the classes take turns to provide whatever is needed to upgrade infrastructure; and the effort now benefits immensely from contributions from the Diaspora. I rest my case for now Your Excellency; but, there is little doubt in my mind that, years from now, when you might have finished your second term, that you will look back and be pleased that you took this decision. If you don’t believe me Sir, ask President Tinubu about Igbobi College next time you meet with him.

ALL GCU OLD BOYS: TIME TO START CONTINOUOS FUND RAISING.

“We make a living by what we get; but, we make a life by what we give.”

On Friday January 17, 2025, on the campus of Government College Ughelli, the President General Worldwide of the GCUOBA, Olorogun Akpomudje, SAN, announced the launching of a N3 BILLION DEVELOPMENT FUND. About N500 million was raised by the fund raiser – the inimitable Olorogun Dr M. O Taiga. There was a commendable effort led by the “Peoples General” Great Ogboru who led the parade of donors. As an economist, I can, with little fear of contradiction, declare the result, about 16 per cent, good, but not nearly enough.

There is still 84 per cent or more to go because by the time the N3 billion is gathered, inflation might drive the figure to N4 billion or more. I have the list of all old boys from 1945 to 2005 with me. I am appealing to everyone – including the families of those who had passed on – for donations. The children of the late Gamaliel Onosode, 1933-2015, incomparable boardroom guru, had already set the example in this regard. They paid, what I assume, a handsome first installment. Given 84 per cent, or more, left to go, there is no doubt in my mind they will do what late Papa knew best to do and help bridge the gap. As far as I am concerned, that an Old Boy is with the saints triumphant in heaven is no excuse for his name not to appear in the roll of honour at Ughelli.

“Little drops of water, little grains of sand make a mighty ocean.”

 Low income is also not a reason not to send money. N1, 000 will buy nails or some cement blocks. Irrespective of your financial position, just commit yourself to going to a P.O.S and send at least N1, 000 a month. In one year, you would have donated N12, 000; in five years N60, 000.  Send all donations to:

GCUOBA 80TH Anniversary Account

UBA:  102-767-8072.

Almighty God will replenish your purse as you donate.