Former Vice-Chancellor (VC), University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Prof Sylvanus Cookey, has lamented the growing gap between the rich and the poor in the country, describing the country’s leaders as selfish.
The Emeritus Professor of History stated, yesterday: “Today’s leaders are not building a nation, where all will be happy and fulfil their potentials as human beings; but they are introducing a system that segregates the rich from the poor, where the rich get richer and the poor become poorer.”
According to the second VC of UNIPORT, true leaders are selfless people, who serve with love and do things that benefit the populace, including the poor, the rich, the needy and those struggling. But he regretted that Nigeria has too little of such leaders.
The don was celebrated by the university, yesterday, following his remarkable legacies 30 years after he exited the institution.
“His legacies still influence every facet of the academic and administrative activities to date,” the management had said. Cookey added: “Everybody seems to be fighting for himself, not caring for those that are not in the position to help themselves or to access public funds. I think this is what is retarding the growth of this country.
“I think this is derived from our colonial heritage, where there was segregation between the white people and the black people, between those who lived in European quarters and those who lived in African quarters.”
People seemed to have moved those in a privileged position to the position of Europeans, not recognising that the struggle for Independence was to liberate everybody and make life comfortable for everyone.”
For him, until we realise that our society needs orientation away from that, the country will still be in trouble. The incumbent VC, Prof Owunari Georgewill, said Cookey’s impact on the institution “remains profound”.
Represented by Prof Clifford Ofurum, Deputy VC (Administration), the VC said the university thought it wise to build a centre as a memorial to celebrate Cookey’s impact.
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, who was represented by his Deputy, Prof Ngozi Odu, noted that the impact of Cookey “lives beyond UNIPORT”, as he laid a solid foundation for the university.
