Lokoja
Mr Wemi Jones,the Kogi State Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, has sought divine intervention to enable heads of tertiary institutions in the state wipe out cultism in their institutions.
He nonetheless urged them to intensify effort aimed at eradicating cultism in their institutions.
Jones gave the advice and prayer at the maiden meeting he held with all the relevant stakeholders in education sector in the state,in Lokoja.
“I pray that God will give the heads of tertiary institutions in Kogi, and by extension other levels of education, the grace and the capacity to wipe out cultism in their various institutions.
”We have to wipe out cultism in our institutions because no matter what good plans we have, it will never be realised in an unsecured environment.
“It is very clear that you cannot build anything in an unsecured environment, so all our institutions are to ensure that they comply fully to the directive of the governor,” he said.
Duaglobalnews recalls that two weeks,the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello gave stren warning to heads of tertiary institutions in the state to stamp out cultism in their institutions,latest by February 29,2020.
The online media outfit reports that the governor’s warning became imperative given the worrisome instances of cultism in some of higher institutions of learning in the area.
The commissioner stressed the need to check cultism in the state in the interest of peace and development.
The commissioner, who took cognisance of Bello’s directive to heads of tertiary institutions to wipe out cultism in their institutions, latest by February 29,2020, prayed God to ensure that cultism becomes a thing of the past in such institutions.
According to Jones,the meeting is meant to interact with all the relevant stakeholders and brainstorm on how to take education to a greater height in the state, assuring it will be a continuous process.
”Whatever we do, if we do not educate ourselves, will get back to zero level in the area of insecurity, crime and other devices. We can only build a sustainable economy on an educated populace.
”Our door is widely opened, we are taking education to the next level and we will need all hands on deck; we will need suggestions and ideas from every stakeholder on how to move the sector forward.
Speaking, the Deputy Vice Chancelor (DVC) Administration, Kogi State University (KSU), Prof. Tai Oluwagbemi, said the school authority had intensified effort to ensure a secure environment in the university community and its environ.
He said the management of KSU were putting the machinery in place, as directed by the governor, to ensure that security is entrenched in our campuses and stamp out cultism in the institution.
The DVC also told the commissioner that the institution was also collaborating with the security agencies, religious leaders, traditional and community leaders, parents and students to ensure that cultism “is totally wiped out of the institution, as directed by the governor.
”We are taking the directive from the governor very seriously and we are working toward terminating cultism from our school.
“This is, because it is also of great concern to us due to the image of the institution. So, we are out to rebrand the image of the university”, Oluwagbemi said.
Contributing, the Vice-Chancellor, Federal University Lokoja (FUL), Prof. Angela Miri, commended Jones for convening the meeting and expressed optimism that it would enable effective collaborations and development in the education.
