ON THE GROSS ABUSE OF AWARDS/ TITLES BY NIGERIANS – THE EXAMPLE OF THE AWARD OF JPs IN DELTA STATE

By Zik Gbemre

It is really sad to note that Awards/Titles and Honours, which ordinarily should have been a sign of “societal recognition” for one’s “selfless-service” and “worthy accomplishments”, have been turned into a ‘product’ that can be bought with money, or given in the name of favouritism/nepotism or partisan affiliations. To the extent that the ‘value’ of such Awards/Titles/Honours have been rubbished and made worthless; from that of the National Honours to the least awards you can imagine. At the end of the day, we now have “Persons Of Questionable Characters” bearing society-recognized Awards/Titles and Honours. There are so many examples of such Awards/Titles and Honours given to serving/ex public office holders, politicians and business men/women in the country.

The recent awards of the title of Justice of the Peace (JP) in Asaba, the Delta State capital, precisely on September 20th, 2018, to 248 recipients, is a very good example and testimony of what we are talking about. The said award of JP, which ought to be given strictly ‘on merit’ to dignified, integrity-driven and society-recognized persons in our societies whose selfless service in the entrenchment and upholding of peace in our environment has greatly impacted the common masses; is now been turned into an ‘item’ of some sort that can gotten (through whichever means) and awarded to every dick and harry. We can imagine the number of persons (248) that were awarded the said JP title for the 2018 batch. And in 2017, no fewer than 235 persons, which included the State Commissioner for Higher Education, Mr. Jude Senebe, Chairman of Ughelli North LGA, Mr. Kenneth Ibru, Sir Oghenovo Clark, Mr. Felix Enede and Prince Elvis Oharisi, were sworn-in as JPs in Delta State by the State’s Chief Judge, Justice Marshall Umukoro.

What is even more annoying is the frenzy and funfair that is now attached to the said award ceremony. We, and many other stakeholders were amazed at how some persons in the society condescended to enduring the long wait among other “desperate recipients” to receive a Justice of the Peace title in the recent Asaba event. We were also amazed of how these persons sat among PDP loyalists, cooked rice and other ‘item 7 foodies’, dressed to kill – all in a bid to collect the JP title. We hear that some persons even carried traditional dancers to Asaba just to receive the said JP award. What sort of nonsense is that! One is even forced to ask, what exactly are they going to do with the said award other than to have it attached to their names, and be called/hailed as JP!

Seriously, the Delta State Government under Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, has practically reduced the ‘value’ of this particular JP title to ‘peanuts’ with the way it is being given/awarded. If they want to award JPs, should they not carefully look out for credible and reputable politicians, technocrats and respected Opinion Leaders with proven integrity, to be given such awards. Rather than distribute the award as if they are given out bags of rice and garri. Come to think of it, who are those that were awarded the JPs in Delta State? Often times, we cannot help but wonder the criteria that were used to give such awards. Apart from Olorogun Oscar Christopher Ibru, the majority of the recipients of the said JP award in Asaba, Delta State, were nothing but ‘political loyalists and errand boys.’ But why should the Delta State Government use politics in everything they do? What the public need in Delta State is good governance, which those holding the office-title of JPs are supposed to help to actualize by checkmating the activities of the Government of the day.

We need to understand that being given or having awards does not mean the recipient of such award really deserved it neither does it mean they have done something substantial to improve the lives of others. It is alien to our culture and heritage to value money, fame, titles and awards over worthy virtues like hardwork, honesty, integrity, empathy, love for one another, etc. Let us state categorically that the worth of a man is not measured by the number of titles or awards he/she received while on earth, but rather by the time tested, concrete, meaningful, valuable, and enduring contributions and achievements which he/she has made towards the lives of those in his/her immediate and remote environment.

A man with a chain of titles and awards who fails to contribute positively to the mental, social, economic, political, spiritual, emancipation and development of his people is like a tree that is in the forest today; when it is gone tomorrow, it is forever forgotten.

Zik Gbemre, JP.

National Coordinator

Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC)