The cost of ignorance

MUCH as l like this popular slogan –‘If you think education is expensive, buy ignorance’—tThe same way l have my aversion for it. I like it because it is a clarion call to every right thinking people to wipe off high level of ignorance and illiteracy by giving their wards access to basic education. Education all over the world is the only means of shutting the door against ignorance and a way of letting off the hook from poverty and squalor. I am using this medium to call on all stakeholders at the level of governance to prioritise the provision of quality education for our people.

In the nation where education is rooted and takes priority in the scale of preference, there is no doubt that such a country will, in all ramifications, blossom politically, economically, socially and of course, will step up in civility. Its citizens’ ways of life will be distinctive. In Nigeria as an independent country spanning 58 years, it is disheartening to note that the labour of our heroes past as is lyrically composed in its national anthem, is yet to be productive due to the greed, avarice and negative attitude of our present crop of leaders. Their self centeredness and inordinate ambition to acquire the country’s wealth to satisfy their over-bloated ego have indeed beclouded their sense of reasoning to the extent that, they take with levity, the education of Nigerian children, thus promoting high level of ignorance and illiteracy which if not nipped in the bud, will ultimately give birth to poverty, squalor and deprivation of individual rights. Lack of access to education is the easiest way of sliding a country and its citizens into utter darkness and incurable ignorance.

If education is given its pride of place in a country, there is no doubting the fact that such a country will record huge success in her social, political and economic systems. By achieving this creditably well, such a country will be strong and viable enough to provide qualitative and free education to her populace.

If education still remains costly in this country, it is not a curse that mass illiteracy will continue to be on the increase and the country will suffer for its fallout effects, by filling its landscape with rogues, urchins, thieves, marauders, drug addicts and armed robbers. Nobody is asking the country to make education, most especially in Nigeria totally free, but the people at the helm should make sure that education of its citizens are subsidized so that both the children of the rich and the poor have equal rights and access to education. By making this possible, Nigeria will step up in technological development and as well build up a superlative sociopolitical and economic ambiance where everyone will feed well, live comfortably without fear, killing, harassment and intimidation by the deprived illiterate. I am therefore using this medium to charge the president piloting the affairs of the country to take the education of Nigerian children as a matter of priority.

Sayo Alagbe,

Ogbomoso.