Entertainment idol: Where is the education idol?

THIS is a question that should indeed be pondered upon by various academic stakeholders within the country. It is indeed unfortunate and saddening that Nigeria which unarguably boasts of numerous educational intellects only prioritizes programmes that are designated to breed, nurture and celebrate icons in the entertainment world while the educational sector on the other hand has lost its relevance.  The level of attention given to the entertainment programmes by corporate entities, government functionaries and other concerned stakeholders is not only disheartening and opprobrious but also alarming. Entertainment programmes like BBC Naija, Project fame, Nigeria idol and others have consistently enjoyed the limelight in terms of sponsorship and relevance attached. It is also notable that the few geniuses in the academic field are not given the befitting and well-deserving recognition and relevance.   It is distasteful to realise the bountiful relevance and utmost priority placed on the entertainment idols by respective stakeholders hitting the polity.

It is only in Nigeria where an academic intellect or a first class graduate is offered N50,000  or even less while entertainment idols are showered with mouth-watering money. This has consequently continued to delimit the educational atmosphere as most youths who should have become idols in the field of education now exhibit nonchalance towards the field. A good evidence of this distasteful incident is a case of the best graduating student of University of Nigeria, Nsukka who was awarded ten thousand naira as cash gift. This indeed speaks volume of the level of relevance we attach to academic endeavors as a nation. Indeed, regrettably, researches and academically oriented activities can be said to be waxing away on a daily basis as they do not enjoy the needed sponsorships by the relevant bodies. In recent years, the educational sector has undoubtedly suffered a huge setback in terms of finance to breed and nurture talents through educationally oriented programmes like self discoveries. Entertainment programmes seem to be enjoying the unnecessary sponsorships in Nigeria.

The government of the day has clearly not done enough to foster and revamp education in the country. It is grossly impossible to achieve the feat of producing an overwhelming number of idols in the field of academics in a situation whereby enough funds are not disbursed to revamp educational institutions, which could have gone a long way in producing intellects. It is not news anymore that Nigeria is far from the UNESCO funding threshold for education pegged at 26 per cent of any budget cycle. The consequence is that teachers are underpaid; there is lack of healthy learning environment and absence of commitment as well as passion by those who work in the sector. This has been at the heart of most industrial actions in the education sector often led by the Academic Staff Union of Universities. But all stakeholders are at one that only through empowerment of the citizens through education can any country achieve transformation

The lackadaisical nature of many students has also worsened the issue. The majority of the them are not passionate about achieving and actualizing a remarkable feat in the academic field. In recent times, it has been scientifically proven that the majority of the students have chosen to dissociate from fervent reading, participating in educationally oriented programmes and research etc. They prefer to expend their time on phones, checking or downloading entertainment stuff that has no significant and notable impact on their academic prowess.

Without mincing words, it is essential to note that a nation which fails to promote education will sink abruptly. To avert such menace, it has now become imperative for all hands to be on deck to revamp and reshape the educational section of the country as only this can guarantee its relevance and consequently produce worthy idols in the field of academics. The government must strive to ensure that the funding of the educational sector in the country is improved in such a way that it will align with the recommendation of UNESCO. By virtue of this, there will be an improvement in the quality of teaching and learning across the country. The government must also sponsor and attach huge relevance to academic research as only this can help the country to realize its ambition in a competitive global order. Furthermore, organisations within the country should extend their interest and sponsorship beyond entertainment programmes by investing in educationally oriented programmes or competitions. Without equivocation, when the rewards attached to academic excellence or participation in academic oriented competitions by concerned organizations and government are mouth-watering, students and other concerned individuals will be motivated to participate and invest their best in it. By so doing, the relevance that ought to be attached to education in the country will be restored.

• Komolafe is a student of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State.

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