By Our Reporter
IT was a gathering of some of the country’s most illustrious political personalities last Saturday.

Remarkably, the object of their gathering was not a political rally, but a call from one of the country’s most enchanting poltiical personalities – Senator Joy Emodi. It was the one year anniversary of The Brickhall School, an institution making its presence known in the federal capital.

The gathering, including the President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and a host of some of distinguished Nigerians were on hand to appreciate the industry and intuitions of the educationist turned lawyer and politician, Senator Emodi. They came to celebrate Mrs. Emodi’s venture in her first love, education.

Among those present were Senators Ibrahim Mantu, Senator (Prof.) Iya Abubakar, Effiong Bob, Grace Bent, Dino Melaye, Ben Obi and Uche Ekwunife among other senators. Also present were ex-Plateau State Deputy Governor, Paulen Tallen, Mike Omeri (ex-DG, National Orientation Agency, Osita Chidoka (ex-Aviation Minister) and the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, Ambassador Jerry Ugokwe among many others.

Senator Emodi as chairman of the Senate Committee on Education between 2005 and 2007 won a pro-education reputation that continues to glitter both in the
Senate and in the sector. So when she decided to praticalise her theories with the establishment of The Brickhall School in Abuja it was not surprising that
those who appreciate her onions would come around to felicitate with her.

Senators Iya Abubakar, Uche Ekwunife, Joy Emodi (host), Ambassador Jerry Ugokwe, Senate President Bukola Saraki, DSP Ike Ekweremadu , Senator Ibrahim Mantu and Senator Ikechukwu Obiorah cutting the one year anniversary cake of The Brickhall School.

Brickhall School she said, is a unique institution fashioned in the tradition of excellence and discipline.
Chairman of the occasion, Senator Ekweremadu in his address adviced the nation to look beyond oil to secure economic prosperity for the country.

He insisted the days of oil as super foreign exchange earner for the nation were numbered or probably over. Ekweremadu regretted that while the fruits of massive investment in human capital development made by Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo through free education in the Old Western Region, Late Nnamdi Azikiwe and Late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sarduana of Sokoto in the Eastern Region and Northern were still being reaped by Nigeria, education has been subsequently neglected to the chagrin of the nation.

“Without prejudice to the place of petroleum resources in our national life, we must face the reality that the days of oil as super earner of foreign exchange are numbered, if not over. Those who still look up to petroleum resources for the revival of Nigeria’s weather-beaten economy live in the past and are only building castles in the air.

Perhaps, the most thought-provoking submission of the day was that by Senator (Dr). Yusuf Datti Baba Ahmed, founder and Pro-Chancellor of the Baze University, Abuja. Datti who was the keynote speaker at the event said true change would continue to elude the Nigerian State until sufficient and continuous investments are channeled in the revitalization of the education sector.

“There can never be true change without quality education. Investment therefore in this all-important sector cannot be enough. Let us join hands together and secure the future of our children and grand children by deploying our resources to build good schools everywhere in our dear country,” he charged.