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| Orok Duke holding the microphone in, Malabar Republic, UNICAL |
Nyok|14 September 2018
High Chief Edem Duke, a gubernatorial aspirant under the auspices of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Thursday, promised to appoint Nigerian students into the Cross River State Executive Council (SEC) should he be voted as governor during the 2019 general elections in the country NegroidHaven can report authoritatively.
Duke made this known in Calabar, the state capital city when he paid a working visit to Nigerian students in the University of Calabar (UNICAL) in their hostel popularly called Malabor Republic. Duke who expressed happiness at the warm reception accorded his visit said that, as governor, he will improve the living condition of Malabites and Malabresses. He charged them to maintain safety and security for a conducive learning environment.
His words, ‘I believe that in this institution of higher learning, in this UNICAL, there will be people who will be in the cabinet of the next governor of Cross River State, I know, it is a pledge, I have pledged it already.
‘I want to say that the challenge we face today is the challenge that youths are being asked to go and register to vote but youths are not being encouraged to go through school with little or no stress. Therefore, I have said and I have made a pledge to the institution of UNICAL, that when I have been sworn in as the Governor of Cross River State, I want to assure and inform you that I will improve on the present gesture of the present 26 scholarships in UNICAL.
‘Therefore, I want to plead with all of you, please, let there be safety and security for learning to take place in the University of Calabar. I want to appeal to each and every one of you, wherever, whatever part of Nigeria that you have come from, take your brother and sister as yourself.
‘Be your brother’s keeper, promote the interests of your brother and sister, defend the weak amongst you, ensure that when you have two loaves of bread, share it with one and another, because that will be the beginning of the new revolution for Nigeria, that you people will be the instrument of that revolution, of that re-engineering, of that revalidation of the mandate of youths in Nigeria, that you will work with me to entrench true democracy in Cross River.’
Earlier before proceeding to meet with the students, High Chief Duke met with the leadership of the school authoritative represented by the Vice Chancellor in the person of Prof Zana I. Akpagu at his office where he commended the cleanliness and tranquility in the school. He went down memory lane to recall his close relationship with UNICAL and sponsorship of charities then like the sponsorship of the Nigerian Universities Games (NUGA) competition,
While decrying the fallen standard of education nationally he said that education, for him, is paramount in investment in the youth, he said that ‘I commence the expression of my aspiration to be identified as somebody who desires to lead the government of Cross River State, it is my believe that the future belongs to our youth, and the nation that does not invest in its youth, is one that is waiting to fail in a short time. And for me, education is the most important building block in the investment in our youth. Unfortunately, in the Nigeria of today, education in its entirety is in a state of disrepair and that speaks to the fact that in the academic community all over the country, there is despair.’
For him, in stopping over by the office of the VC of the school, he was lending his voice to the advocacy for the rekindling of education in the Nigerian educational system. He informed that there are numerous organizations and foundations around the world who are willing to invest in university education, he promised to, if elected as governor, will explore contacts to foster the development of the University of Calabar.
Comrade Joseph Kelvin-Enyam who welcomed Duke to Malabor Republic described him as a ‘man of class’. He added that the paradise in Cross River State was long lost since 2015. Present at the event were the Dean of Students Affairs Associate Prof Adam Udam, Vice President of Students Union Government Miss Anietie Moses, Senate President of the SUG Senate Rt. Comrade Ita God’swill, Secretary of SUG UNICAL, students, etc.
Nyok
Is the Blogger-in-Chief, Editor-in-Chief & Publisher of NegroidHaven
