The Vice Chancellor of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, Professor Aloysius-Michaels Okolie, on Wednesday, announced that the Management of the institution would launch 4G network to facilitate quality researches among the staff and students of the University.

The Vice Chancellor who insisted that there can’t be quality teaching without effective research, equally challenged the academia of the institution to always embark on refresher courses to update their knowledge.

He made the statements at Agbani, Enugu State while declaring open, the 2022 3rd International Conference/Workshop of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities of ESUT, tagged: ‘Post COVID-19 and the

Challenges of Governance in Africa: The Role of Social Sciences and Humanities’.

Professor Okolie, while lauding the Faculty for the conference, said the topic was apt in order to proffer solutions which would make African Continent shake-off the devastating effects of the corona virus pandemic on the social and economic lives of the people.

He equally said that the University is shopping for the facilitators of its water project to ensure effective water supply and reticulation on campus.

While delivering his keynote address, a professor of Clinical-Forensic Psychology, Harry Obi-Nwosu, said that the post COVID-19 Challenge for Africa would be met if the Continent becomes less dependent on other countries to achieve meaningful economic and political independence. He insisted that Africa must change from its present consumerist orientation to productivity, adding that Africa’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, would improve when the Continent restructures her consumption, investment, government expenditure and exports and imports patterns.

While talking about government expenditure in Africa, he said “Government’s expenditure in Africa not only reflects slave mentality but recklessness in most cases: depicting schizophrenic irreality of skewed allocation of funds to unproductive sectors and conduit pipe projects to the utter neglect of investments. By the modern concept of government, the expenditure is expected to focus on security which consists of food and shelter, education and health, then reduction of vulnerability distance to harm and territorial integrity.”

The don equally decried Nigeria’s annual low budgetary provision of 8.4% to education, which he said was a far cry from UNESCO’s recommendation of 26%, adding that recurrent expenditure on uneconomic matters like the cost of running cabals under the pretence of government functionaries typifies government expenditure patterns in Africa.

He equally said that Africa’s COVID-19 developmental needs cannot be met if the Continent remains disruptively competitive or subservient in ideas, philosophy, religious behaviour and ethnicity, adding that experts in humanities must rise to the occasion by re-writing Africa’s stories to remove both oral and written hate contents currently held by the people against one another, as well as the mentality of inferiority and scientific un-innovativeness.

Also, while discussing the topic ‘Reflections on the Current Political Campaigns and the Prospects of Delivering Good Governance in Nigeria, 2023,’ the lead paper presenter, Professor Damian Opata, identified ethnicism, religious bigotry, and unprecedented youth involvement as major issues dominating political space ahead of the 2023 general elections in Nigeria.

The don also said that disturbing phenomena such as terrorism, banditry, corruption, ethnicism, religious differences and all manner of emerging democratic abuses in Nigeria pose major threats to the survival of Nigeria.

While frowning at those questioning same-faith ticket for the candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Prof. Opata, said Nigerians should rather bother themselves with the competence of the candidates, not their religion or ethnicity, adding that the people have become so intertwined to be divided across religious affiliations while making political decisions.

“…In the current political context, it is privileging of candidates from one’s ethnic place in the struggle for power at the Centre. But is is also like putting the cart before the horse. If ethnicity were the decider in the selection of candidates, each ethnic group would have been asked to submit its best and from there, one would be chosen. This is the 21st century. Nigerians have embraced modernity. Different ethnic groups are living in areas that are not their ethnic roots of origin. Very many Nigerians know more of where they reside, or even born into than they know of their ethnic origin. Many that were Christians have become Muslims, and some that were Muslims have become Christians. There is inter-religious marriage in Nigeria. There are pan-Nigerian socio-cultural groups. Many events call for inter-faith service, and people embrace them. The Igbo have a proverb: Ife anacho na ite ofe bu anu: What is searched for in a pot of soup is meat. Why should Nigerians be searching for ethnicity in choosing their leaders, instead of searching for one who would govern well?” he queried.

He equally advocated for restructuring and adoption of a new constitution for the country, adding that the six geopolitical zones in the country should be recognised as confederal regions that can allow one another to develop for the common interest of the nation.

Earlier in her welcome remarks, the immediate past Dean of Faculty of of Social Sciences and Humanities, Prof Obiageli Omeje who stood in for her new successor, Prof Nicholas Attamah stressed the currency of the conference team and expressed confidence that the ‘seasoned’ guest lecturers would do justice to it. She used the occasion to appreciate the Local Organising Committee, led by Dr. Solomon Agu, the participants and others involved in the successful planning of the Conference.

 She equally thanked the Vice Chancellor for providing the enabling environment.

Photo: The Vice Chancellor of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, Professor Aloysius-Michaels Okolie (7th right), with the resource persons and Management Staff of the Social Sciences Faculty, ESUT, during the 2033 3rd International Conference/Workshop of the Faculty at Agbani, Enugu State on Wednesday.