Reaction trails Gov.
Wike’s “Why the Riverine cannot get a University”
Recently, Governor Nyesom Wike gave reason Rivers Ijaw
cannot get a University. The governor while speaking to the people of Ekpeye
Ethnic nationality who paid him a solidarity visit at Government House last
Wednesday, said he will instruct the Chairman of the Governing Council and the
Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University to cite a campus of the
University in Ekpeye land and when other people come (apparently referring to
the Riverine people) they should establish University for themselves.
Governor Wike said “Those things that you did not get
before, you will get it now. If we don’t do it, who would do it for us. Now
that God has given us this opportunity, we have to do it for ourselves. When
other people come, they should do it for themselves. Let me assure you that I
will call the Chairman, Governing Council of Rivers State University and the
Vice Chancellor, they must have to work out a way where we can have a campus of
Rivers State University in Ekpeye land.”
“This statement by Governor Wike reveals why he cited a new
Port Harcourt Polytechnic (Elechi Amadi Polytechnic) in his Obio Akpor LGA,
despite the fact that the Rivers State University and the Ignatius Ajuru
University of Education are all cited in Port Harcourt” some political pundits
noted.
Observers say that it is unfortunate that such words of
extreme discrimination and hate should be spoken by a sitting governor,
considering that the College of Science and Technology was established in Port
Harcourt by an Ijaw man, Governor Diete-Spiff and upgraded to Rivers State
University of Science and technology by another Ijaw man, Governor Melford
Okilo.
Prince Tonye Princewill an APC Chieftain in Rivers State in
his reaction said Wike forgets that the College of Education (now Ajuru
University of Education) was established near his community by a former
Governor of Ijaw extraction, Diette-Spiff; even the College of Arts and Science
was established and upgraded by Spiff and Okilo, all of them former governors
of Ijaw extraction.
He said: “It is disheartening that Rivers Ijaw, a people
that embraced western education, and produced graduates in several fields of
human endeavour ahead of some major tribes in Nigeria do not have a single
state-owned higher institution and now Gov. Wike is saying that they must wait
until they have their son or daughter as governor.”
“Wike is probably already seeing his end and is predicting
his hand over. What he doesn’t realize is a Governor of Rivers state is a
Governor for all and should govern with that as his guide” Princewill advised.
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