A CASE OF TWO STUDENTS OF GOVERNANCE FROM ABIA

EZE and Okoro were two sons of Abia State who went to Abia University to study governance for eight years. First to secure admission was Eze and because his people have suffered so much as a result of bad governance, expectation was high that he would better the lots of his people by doing well in the university.

But instead of concentrating on his studies to perform well, Eze, living under the delusion of being an acclaimed 'Big Boy' before securing admission, wasted his precious time grandstanding, rabble-rousing, bragging and creating crisis in the university, while his counterparts in other universities were doing well.

While in the university, Eze's popularity soared, not as an outstanding student, but as a notorious noise and troublemaker who always wanted to be noticed by all, even when it was not necessary. He was always busy chasing rats while the house was burning. He claimed to know everything about governance even more than the lecturers, whereas he knows nothing because he lacked the capacity and requisite resources. His admission into the university was arranged and perfected by those in positions of authority who were close to his mother. Under normal circumstances devoid of abracadabra and palm-greasing, there was no way Eze could have secured admission on merit.

After the first four years, it was obvious to all and sundry that Eze had failed himself and the people with his abysmal performance in all courses. Cumulatively, his result was a complete failure. This was when everything was at his disposal for him to succeed.  With the obvious ineptitude on Eze's part, the university authorities in collaboration with the people insisted that Eze must be expelled and that he should not be allowed to complete the remaining four years. He and his mother, as usual, nocturnally went on their knees begging the authorities to give Eze a chance for another four years;                                                 a plea the university authorities and the people considered and gave Eze chance for another four years.

But for Eze, this was the final chance for him to become more arrogant, suppressive, troublesome, uncontrollable, kleptomaniac and greedy instead of facing his studies which is governance. Expectedly, after the last four years, Eze failed woefully in all aspects of governance. His several attempts to move for a higher course in governance in the past eight years was frustrated by the university authorities and the people who issued him a red card for failing all the courses in governance which included security, infrastructures, peace, education, health and others.

Because of his failure and antecedents, Eze with his mother and two brothers perfected strategies, conspired and laid landmines in the university to ensure that Okoro who has just secured admission to read governance in the university will not do well. They were afraid of Okoro's track record, knowing that giving the best opportunity as enjoyed by Eze that he would do wonderfully well.

For the first three and half years of Okoro's first four years in the university, Eze, his mother and brothers were interfering and intruding in Okoro's field of study, distracting him from his focus of doing well. Eze and his mother seconded Eze's younger brother, Okonkwo to Okoro to ensure that they cage him well at the detriment of the people. They connived with the relative to put Okoro at bay and ensure that he  fails like Eze. But in the face of all the daunting challenges, Okoro was above average in performance within his first four years, far better than Eze.

Towards the end of his first four years, Okoro with the support of the people liberated the school from the stranglehold of Eze and his mother and dismantled all the obstacles put against him and his people. At that point, Okoro discovered his mistakes, apologized to the people and started doing marvelously well in his studies to the accolades of his people and the university authorities. Eze and his mother became very upset, envious and unhappy with Okoro's breakthrough and outstanding performance and engaged foot soldiers to cause insecurity for Okoro.

With his intelligence, hardwork and humility, Okoro conquered Eze, his mother and their allies and concentrated in doing well in his courses which included health, security, infrastructures, education, youth empowerment and others. Okoro is now in his first year of the second and last four years of the eight years course on governance in the university. So far so good, his performance, especially in the past 10 months is a testimony of a man who is in a hurry to make up for the lost days and the evidences are there for the blind to see.

But instead of hiding their heads in shame and acknowledge Okoro's success where Eze had failed in the past, Eze and his mother first of all accused of Okoro of abandoning them after they have helped him to secure admission into the university to study governance. When the fairy tale and propaganda failed them, Eze turned round to accuse Okoro of non-performance. A case of coal pot calling electric kettle black. This was Eze who failed all the courses he studied on governance in the state university for eight years, accusing Okoro who is still in his fifth year with a better result than Eze's eight wasteful years of failure.

BARTHOLOMEW IKEOGWU, a management consultant wrote from Wuse, Abuja