![Theological education’s critical roles in raising capable leaders By Emmanuel Oyemomi Going back the memory lane, as far as Nigeria isconcerned, I don’t think we have a solid plan. What we have has been a legacy andthe impact of theological education has brought into the nation. Some greatinstitutions that are renowned for this – Harvard, Oxford, etc. have become thecream of the whole world. History made us know they started as seminaries butthese institutions later metamorphosed into other areas of education. JC Pool, the first Principal of the NigerianBaptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomosho was offered a license for a chartedUniversity by the then President, Dr Azikiwe which was rejected. The same Seminary later became the firstdegree awarding institution in Nigeria. As far as this nation and Africa are concerned,writing and education are not our heritage. Treasures not documented andwhatever education is in Nigeria is heritage and an aftermath of TheologicalEducation in Nigeria. All the schools government took over started as missionschools and government was not maintaining the legacy of the mission schools. Whenyou talk of academic integrity and soundness, we find them among the missionschools across the country. They are still functional and focused in providingsound education. Government keyed into education and made it apolitical matter to fight religion. This is through legislation against the schools.History was also doctored out of the curriculum. Several subjects have been removedas well. The nation has lost its bearing in terms ofeducation with consistent strikes by ASUU which affect the future of thestudents. We are yet to get our bearingin education. Late Chieg Obafemi Awolowo ensured education became a natural priorityto benefit the citizens but the reverse is the case today. It is worrisome thatwe have no value for education as the state of the nation’s educational systemis lamentable. Impact The impact of theological education is multifaceted, as Theological Education gave birthto several churches. It also gave birth to the proliferation of schools. These arethe immediate impact but in the 1950’s, primary school in those days werevirtually free education. If children were very intelligent, themissionaries gave scholarships to children. As a nation, we have no value foreducation. The people who had primary education to standard 6 in those days canbe compared with a graduate today. Themissionaries hired such standard 6 graduates and so many lives have beenuplifted. Missionaries hired them for several jobs in public sectororganizations. Help Theological Education must be given a space toshape leaders. We need to watch the track records of our leaders. Our leaderseven boast that our votes mean nothing to them. We have a crop of leaders who have notrack records and all they do is to manipulate. Theological education has been ostracized. In thelast few years, Theological Education has been waged war against. It is a threat/war against the source of Peacewhich is GOD. Theological Education can have a great impact on ourleaders which is a study about GOD. It is education that gives a transformationto be godly. In Theological Education,you are taught how you must have concern for fellow human beings, whenutilized, the impact is huge. Theological Education indicates that God isindivisible, most people with sound theological education act right. Theological education can train people who will useand lead the people. Theological education has produced leaders for the countrywho are functioning in various places. Theological education has helped peopleto be versatile but they are being massacred due to selfishness, nepotism andtribalism in the country. God authenticates Theological education as we willall return to God. - [ ] •Oyemomi, a professor, is Rector, Baptist College of Theology, Lagos.](https://cdn.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/atiku-wike-1.jpg)
By Biodun Busari
Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike has filed a lawsuit against the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; his Sokoto state counterpart, Aminu Tambuwal; and the PDP over the party’s presidential primary, which was held in Abuja on May 28 and May 29.
Wike and a PDP chieftain, Newgent Ekamon, are named as complainants in the FHC/ABJ/CS/782/2022 suit.
While PDP is listed as the first, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is listed as the second respondent.
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Tambuwal and Atiku are the third and fourth respondents, respectively.
The suit will not be unconnected with the drama at the party’s primary when candidates for the PDP presidency were asked to address the delegates during the primary election, and Tambuwal first demanded that they should support him by giving their votes to Atiku.
Atiku polled 371 votes in the primaries, compared to Wike’s 237 and Bukola Saraki’s 70.
Wike and his co-applicant requested the court to rule on eight grounds in the original summons, including whether the PDP’s alleged transfer of Tambuwal’s votes to Atiku was invalid and unconstitutional.
The plaintiffs requested that the court decide whether Tambuwal lost his right to vote after he resigned in favour of Atiku.
He requested the court to rule on whether Tambuwal “deserved to forfeit his votes having stood down during the primaries.”
If these disputes are resolved in their favour, Wike and Ekamon claimed, the court should give nine respites, including a ruling that the supposed transfer of Tambuwal’s votes to Atiku is unlawful.
The plaintiffs are also asking for a ruling that the PDP committed negligence and bad faith by giving Atiku the votes cast by the governor of Sokoto in the primaries.
They prayed the court to “cancel the transfer of votes and a corresponding order restraining the 3rd respondent (Tambuwal’s) withdrawal in the primary was done after voting had commenced.”
The applicants further requested that the court rule that the PDP and Atiku abused the situation created by Tambuwal’s withdrawal by allowing the governor of Sokoto to influence delegates to support the former Vice President in the primary.
Wike and Ekamon requested that the court order INEC to strike Atiku’s name off “its list of candidates in the 2023 presidential election” or to reject him outright.
“The 1st (PDP) and 4th (Atiku) respondents who also wanted the votes desperately agreed with the 3rd (Tambuwal) and assigned 3rd (Tambuwal) respondent’s votes to the 4th (Atiku) respondent and increased his votes to win the 2nd applicant (Wike).
“The 2nd applicant (Wike) won the primaries if the votes of the 3rd respondent (Tambuwal) had not been transferred or assigned to the 4th respondent (Atiku),” the suit partly reads.
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