HOW CAN WE ERADICATE AGROPHOBIA?

By Richard Ephraim

One might begin to wonder if the word “Agrophobia” exists in the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary or Merriam Websters Collegiate dictionary or perhaps the new world encyclopedia of word or concentrated Thesaurus, or any dictionary of sort. While others may contend that such term does not exist in strictu sensu. However, it is quite normal that this concept raises eyebrows of my target erudite readers at first glance because it is literally strange and yet to be discovered if at all there is any person, working painstakingly on the curative properties of this “ailment” which is fast becoming a common place in our climes.

First and foremost, let us understand what is “Agrophobia”. The term “Agrophobia” albeit not yet discovered by erudite scholars, researches or lexicographers is a new coinage invented by me, following my sojourn in the prestigious faculty of Agriculture and the ingrained views held by students, parents, and other folks with regards to agriculture within and outside the walls of the University of Uyo. However, for the purpose of this article, it means extreme and irrational fear and dislike of Faculty of Agriculture and Agriculture as an art and science profession in extension”.

Hmm! Yes, as (ridiculous) informal, baseless, strange and pointless as the term may sound to many, I fond it uneasy to put this concept down on paper. Nonetheless, due to my undeterred and persistent desire to impart this message to the victims of this “ailment” and the dire need to sanitize the myopic mentality, correct the misconception and change the delusive philosophy held widely by many students and the general public, I insisted to use this medium to bring to the fore, this new “ailment” that is already taking deep root in our society today.

No doubts, most students, parents and folks often contend that unless a high school alumni preparing for (UTM) examination registers and pursues programmes like MBBS, anatomy, physiology and a host of others in science and basic medical/clinical sciences faculty, such secondary school leaver will not make it in lie when he/she graduates with a degree outside the course of study aforementioned.

Others enthusiastically maintain that they envisage their children as future engineers, medical doctors, pharmacists, inter alia without even assessing or scrutinizing their wards meticulously to know what innate talents they are blessed with. Parents who don’t know the weaknesses, deficiencies, or defects of their offspring’s in some of these disciplines often mislead their children into forging ahead and pressing hard for courses they would not have the capacity to study in the university. The consequences of this is evident in the throngs of students who register and sit for PUTME (Aptitude test) every year only to discover that their names are not included in the admission list. Sadly in some cases, this happens to be their 3^rd of 4^th sitting for the exam. At this point, we cannot shy away from the fact that age is a factor (mostly among females) whose biological clock is ticking faster than the speed of light, as they begin to barge into cyber café trying to purchase another JAMB (UME) form. Most of them shy away from studying Agriculture because of “Agrophobia”, but in strictu sensu, most of these young people can farm very well.

More so, another scenario here is where a student who could not meet the admission requirements for any of his proposed course of study, reluctantly applies for supplementary admission, due to his/her persistent and burning desire to be in the University that year, or probably due to countless years of sitting for JAMB UTME and PUTME (aptitude test), as fate may have it, or permit me to say by the able and benevolent arrangement and favour of the “gods of admission” if at all such exists, he/she finds his/her way into the prestigious Faculty of Agriculture, the student manages to forge ahead with the intent of switching (inter-faculty change) to what may labeled “better programme, professional course or proficient discipline” etc after the student’s first year.

ECOWAS COMMISSION WORKSHOP ENDS:WEST AFRICAN LEADERS TO CURTAIL DRUG ABUSE/TRAFFICKING

A three-day workshop organized by ECOWAS Commission for regional media experts on the prevention of Drug abuse, Illicit Drug trafficking and organized crimes in West Africa ended in Lome, Togo, with a call by participants on the leaders of countries in the said region to take urgent steps to curtail the abuse and trafficking in illicit drugs within West Africa.

The three days workshop which drew participants from the fifteen ECOWAS countries observed that there was an explosion in the use and abuse of narcotic drugs in West Africa, adding that drugs most widely abused are cannabis, cocaine and heroin.

The workshop which took place at Palm Beach Hotel, Lome, Togo, re-echoed  the latest world report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime(UNODC) rating Nigeria as the African country with the highest  number of people abusing narcotics substances.

It said, Nigeria, according to a recent research, produces more than 8% of cannabis consumed in the world, and that about 20% of Nigeria’s adult population consumes cannabis.

The workshop drew resource persons from Nigeria and Togo with welcome addresses and remarks from other notable representatives of CNAD, ECOWAS, UNODC, INTERPOL and Minister of Security and Civil Protection, Togo.

While Professor Isidore Obot, a Clinical Psychologist from University of Uyo, Nigeria presented a paper on “Substance Abuse in West Africa: Health and Social Welfare Issues”, Prof. Valentin Kolou Dassa, a Psychiatrist from  University of Lome, Togo dwelt on “Demand Reduction – Prevention and  Treatment Interventions” and Mr Anietie Solomon Eteyit, a Communications scholar from, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, presented a paper on “Drugs, Drug Abuse and Drug Trafficking Issues in West Africa: Nigeria Media Perspective”.

The workshop was chaired by Col. M. Yark, Minister of Security and Civil Protection, Togo, who made opening remarks on the first day of the workshop(August 7, 2012).  Welcome addresses were given by the Permanent Secretary of Committee Nationale Anti Droge(equivalent of NDLEA in Nigeria), representative of ECOWAS Commission in Togo, remarks by representative of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime(on Regional and National Response to Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse in West Africa) and remarks by representative of International Police(INTERPOL)(on Overview of Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse Trends in West Africa).

Our checks showed that the workshop which lasted from 7^th to 9^th August, 2012 was attended by two Journalists(not below the rank of an editor) from each of the 15 West African countries.

NGO COMMENDS FG FOR TRAINING 250 AKS YOUTHS

 

The Director-General of an Uyo-based NGO, Barr. Mbet Okpongete, has said that the Centre for Policy & Human Rights Issues  has commended the Federal government for training over 250 Akwa Ibom Youths in various skills in Nigeria and overseas under the amnesty programme instituted for the repentant Niger Delta Militants, stressing that the programme has yielded positive results as it has rehabilitated the youths.

Speaking further through its DG, the Human Rights protection body noted with regret that the skills so acquired by the youths could constitute a colossal waste, as the now employable youths have remained unemployed for too long.

Barr. Okpongete who is also a social crusader, called on Akwa Ibom State government to organize a job fair, to expose these youths to various companies or firms engaging in the production of goods or services relevant to the nature of skills acquired by the youths. Through the job fair, the human rights crusader added, most employers of labour would locate the nature of skills required for the companies and then enlist the youths with such skills for employment.

To boost the state economy the human rights outfit which is also known as “the centre”, stressed that if the youths were gainfully employed, such would place them in a stable frame of mind as well as reduce the burden of overdependence on government.

According to a press release dated August 10, 2012, endorsed by the Centre’s D.G. and made available to Weekly Insight, the NGO was also of the opinion that at this time of widespread insecurity experienced across the nation, it would do the state a substantial good if the youths are gainfully engaged, as their continued idleness could portend for the state the worst condition of insecurity never experienced before in the annals of the state, since an idle man is construed to be the devil’s workshop.

MBOHO MKPARAWA IBIBIO INDUCTS 85 MEMBERS AT 25TH ANNIVERSARY

Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio, a socio-cultural organization started in 1987 by twelve members at Bonny Street, Calabar, on Sunday August 5, 2012 at the organization’s world headquarters, increased its membership strength by 85 members through a formal induction ceremony performed by the body’s President, Akparawa Nse Ube.

Addressing the new inductees, Akparawa Ube called on them to be good ambassadors of Mboho as acts of indiscipline, fighting, armed robbery, kidnapping and disrespect to constituted authority of Mboho would not be condoned. In administering the oath of membership on the inductees he charged them to keep to the tenets of Mboho’s constitution and other unwritten rules in their chapters. He admonished the new members to be humble, avoid what he called “group aggressiveness” and contribute to the growth of Mboho.

He said he was pleased that for the twenty-five years of Mboho no member has ever been found to be associated with any criminal activity but rather members have done the organization proud by contributing meaningfully to the growth of past and successive governments of the state.

Akparawa Ube said from the first chapter of Mboho in Itu in 1988 that the body has 46 formally inaugurated chapters in Nigeria and other countries of the world with over 10,000 members.  He said Mboho has been involved in humanitarian activities such as financial assistance to indigent students, scholarship awards, establishment of Mboho Unity School with Primary and Secondary sections with reduced fees for parents with less ability to send their children and wards to expensive schools.

Other achievements of Mboho for the twenty-five years of existence as enumerated by the president of the body include promotion of inter-ethnic cohesion, unity of Akwa Ibom State, promotion of peace, Ibibio language through essay competition, promotion of Ibibio culture, language and tradition.