By Francis Sadhere, Warri
Atuwatse II Secondary School and Gbaraun Grammar School, Oporoza both in Warri South and Warri South West Local Government Areas of Delta respectively have emerged winners of the 5th Edition of Comrade Sheriff Mulade competition organised for riverine secondary schools in Warri South-West, Warri North and Warri South Local Government Areas in Delta State.
The competition was sponsored by the Centre for Peace & Environmental Justice, CEPEJ, in order to bring education more closer to the rural and riverine communities.
Atuwatse II College emerged winner with 30 points in the Quiz Competition that was organized by the Centre for Peace & Environmental Justice, CEPEJ.
Erejuwa Grammar School and Ogbe-Ijoh Grammar School scored 26 and 24 points to clinch second and third positions respectively.
The National Coordinator of Center for Peace and Environmental Justice and convener of the competition, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, said what prompted him to organize the quiz and Essay Competition was because in his early days in school, he found it very difficult to transport himself to the closest secondary school in the riverine communities.
He lamented that the government is the day has not yet been able to provide the needed education in the riverine communities.
“I am a victim of lack of education because of the riverine terrain. We find it difficult to even transport to the nearest school in the community. Up to this moment government has not been able to provide the needed education in our area and this is why I will continue to call and appeal to the state government to pay more of attention to the riverine area.
“I am not talking of infrastructural development, I am talking of education. If you give them quality education, it will reduce unrest and youth restiveness. It will reduce unnecessary tension in the area.
“So, it is important that government needs to pay attention to the riverine areas so that there will be some relative peace,” Mulade said.
While noting that Nigeria’s economy is a mono-economy and that it relies on crude oil, Comrade Mulade pointed out that the riverine Communities produces over 70% of the crude that sustains the nation’s economy and therefore needed more attention from the government.
