It's Day One of parenting for William and Kate. After the excitement
and fatigue and joy of childbirth — emotions shared with a nation — the
young couple is expected to bring the prince home and start to care for
him.
But the lad's name — and his likeness — remain a
royal mystery. And as the infant child begins a long journey expected to
see him someday become a king, Brits — and people from around the world
— have been joining the royal family in celebration.
"The
whole country will celebrate," Prime Minister David Cameron said,
paying tribute to Prince William and his wife, Kate. "They'll make
wonderful parents."
After an impromptu party at
Buckingham Palace, more celebrations are expected Tuesday, including gun
salutes by royal artillery companies to honor the birth. Riders in
uniform will trot past the palace to Green Park, where six field guns
will fire 41 blank rounds.
The young prince was delivered at about 4:30 p.m. in London on
Monday, but the royal couple kept the world waiting another four hours
to learn of the birth.
Even grandfather Prince Charles
seemed clueless an hour after the birth. Asked by a reporter upon
emerging from a public event in the northern English city of York if
there had been any news, he laughed off the question and said, "none,"
as he got into a waiting car.
But news there was. The birth was announced via a formal press
release issued by Kensington Palace, which stated that the duchess "was
safely delivered of a son" at 4:24 p.m., local time, weighing 8 lbs., 6
oz.
Mother and son were both doing well, the palace said
Monday evening, and they were to remain in the hospital at least
overnight with Prince William.
"We could not be happier," William said via a palace spokesperson.
A
palace source told CBS News that William was with the Duchess
throughout her labor, and called the queen, Prince Charles, Prince Harry
and the Middletons with the news, at some point before the public was
notified.
While there were rumors outside St. Mary's
Hospital that Kate's family might visit on Tuesday morning, the palace
had confirmed nothing, and there was no indication as to when the
newly-expanded royal family might emerge to show off their little
prince.
Halfway around the world, royalist group Monarchy
New Zealand said it had organized a national lightshow, with 40
buildings across the island lit up in blue to commemorate the royal
birth, including Sky Tower in Auckland, the airport in Christchurch, and
Larnach Castle in the South Island city of Dunedin.
The
baby isn't even a day old — and may not even been named for days or even
weeks — but he already has a building dedicated to him.
In
Australia, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said an enclosure at Sydney's
Taronga Park Zoo would be named after the prince as part of a gift from
Australia. The government would donate 10,000 Australian dollars
($9,300) on the young prince's behalf toward a research project at the
zoo to save the endangered bilby, a rabbit-like marsupial whose numbers
are dwindling in the wild. The prince's name — when known — would be
added to the bilby enclosure.
"I don't know if the royal
family would need this, but we'll probably give them a free pass to
Taronga Park Zoo as well," Rudd said.
British media joined in the celebration.
"It's
a Boy!" was splashed across many U.K. front pages, while Britain's
top-selling The Sun newspaper temporarily changed its name to "The Son"
in honor of the tiny monarch-in-waiting.nto a waiting car.
The Federal ExecutiveCouncil yesterday hadan unusual start to its weekly meetings when video of the fracas that occurred in the Rivers State House of Assembly on Tuesday was played at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Wednesday’s meeting was presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo in the absenceof President Goodluck Jonathan, who is currently on a state visit to China.
As soon as ministers started arriving the council chambers venue of the FEC meeting, Aso Rock technical members started playing the video which was beamed on the big screen inside the chamber as well as the smaller screens placed on the well polished desk in front of each minister.
Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, who is considered a key actor in the political upheaval in the state,was already in the chamber at the time the video was being played. Also, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ama Pepple, who is also from the state, was also in attendance.
As soon as the part where the state lawmakers engaged ina free for all fight was being aired, someministers, including the Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu; Minister of State, Power, Zainab Kuchi and the Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement, Emeka Ezeh, quickly gatheredaround Wike, who is believed to be the pillar behind the five lawmakers who incitedTuesday’s show of shame.
Some of the Ministerswere heard telling Wike that the generalimpression was that he was the brain behind the crisis to which he quickly replied, “Did you see me there? I was in Abuja here when it was happening.”
As some of them twitched and screamed in unbelief as they saw how a lawmaker was hitting his colleague with a broken maze on the head, Wike was overhead saying the crisis was part of politics.
“See the governor, see the governor’s ADC on the floor of the Assembly. That is the gov’s ADC on the floor of the house,” Wike repeated as they all fixed their gaze on the big screen.
The elderly Pepple, however, had looks ofregrets on her face as she kept quiet while the embarrassing video was being aired.
At a point, Secretary to the Government ofthe Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, also entered the chamber and joined inwatching the video clip.
Upon sighting Anyim, Wogu shouted from where he was standing, “Secretary to the Government, I hope you are seeing your Assembly men (inreference to Mr. Anyim’s time as a Senator and former President of the Senate).” The ministerlater joined the SGF where he was standing to watch thevideo.
The men continued their discussion with the video still playing before Vice President Namadi Sambo walked into the council chambers to signal the commencement ofthe meeting.
After the meeting which lasted for barely an hour, Wike was approached by State House correspondents at the corridor leading to the Council Chambers to seek his opinion on the developments in his state but he replied, “Gentlemen, I will be with you, let me see the Vice President in his office, I don’t wantto keep him waiting, I am coming back”.
He never returned aspromised as he was later seen making frantic calls before leaving in his official car.
The Federal ExecutiveCouncil yesterday hadan unusual start to its weekly meetings when video of the fracas that occurred in the Rivers State House of Assembly on Tuesday was played at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Wednesday’s meeting was presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo in the absenceof President Goodluck Jonathan, who is currently on a state visit to China.
As soon as ministers started arriving the council chambers venue of the FEC meeting, Aso Rock technical members started playing the video which was beamed on the big screen inside the chamber as well as the smaller screens placed on the well polished desk in front of each minister.
Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, who is considered a key actor in the political upheaval in the state,was already in the chamber at the time the video was being played. Also, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ama Pepple, who is also from the state, was also in attendance.
As soon as the part where the state lawmakers engaged ina free for all fight was being aired, someministers, including the Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu; Minister of State, Power, Zainab Kuchi and the Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement, Emeka Ezeh, quickly gatheredaround Wike, who is believed to be the pillar behind the five lawmakers who incitedTuesday’s show of shame.
Some of the Ministerswere heard telling Wike that the generalimpression was that he was the brain behind the crisis to which he quickly replied, “Did you see me there? I was in Abuja here when it was happening.”
As some of them twitched and screamed in unbelief as they saw how a lawmaker was hitting his colleague with a broken maze on the head, Wike was overhead saying the crisis was part of politics.
“See the governor, see the governor’s ADC on the floor of the Assembly. That is the gov’s ADC on the floor of the house,” Wike repeated as they all fixed their gaze on the big screen.
The elderly Pepple, however, had looks ofregrets on her face as she kept quiet while the embarrassing video was being aired.
At a point, Secretary to the Government ofthe Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, also entered the chamber and joined inwatching the video clip.
Upon sighting Anyim, Wogu shouted from where he was standing, “Secretary to the Government, I hope you are seeing your Assembly men (inreference to Mr. Anyim’s time as a Senator and former President of the Senate).” The ministerlater joined the SGF where he was standing to watch thevideo.
The men continued their discussion with the video still playing before Vice President Namadi Sambo walked into the council chambers to signal the commencement ofthe meeting.
After the meeting which lasted for barely an hour, Wike was approached by State House correspondents at the corridor leading to the Council Chambers to seek his opinion on the developments in his state but he replied, “Gentlemen, I will be with you, let me see the Vice President in his office, I don’t wantto keep him waiting, I am coming back”.
He never returned aspromised as he was later seen making frantic calls before leaving in his official car.
THE
essence of education to the growth and development of any nation cannot
be over emphasised. Education is so crucial to economic growth that any
nation that genuinely hopes to develop must vehemently and consistently
appropriate a large chunk of its budget to developing its educational
sector. This is because without education, no nation would attain
meaningful economic and socio-political development.
.
Now when we talk of our leaders being responsible, what we are saying
is that they should stop paying lip service to the educational sector.
There is no doubt that the best legacy any parent can give to his
children is quality education, so our leaders should realise that there
is an urgent need to overhaul the comatose educational sector in Nigeria
because we cannot develop if we as a nation do not have a sound
educational system. The fact is that there is hardly any segment of our
educational system that does not require urgent attention. From the
primary, secondary to the tertiary education in Nigeria, the same story
of neglect abounds. But this time around, we are tired of promises, so
we want action on the part of the government.
Two months into the nationwide strike embarked upon by the Academic
Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) has now embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike
over the failure of the Federal Government to implement a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) signed with ASUU with respect to paying lecturers
‘‘EARN’’ allowance of N12,500 per month. While several moves had been
made on the part of ASUU to ensure that the government implements the
agreement, these had yielded no results over the years hence their
decision to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike as a last resort.
The Nigerian education sector is at present in a state of rot and
perennial neglect by successive governments and one wonders how we can
attain the vision 20:2020 if education is not given utmost priority in
the scheme of things.
ASUU on their part had reduced the ‘‘EARN’’ allowance, which is the
bone of contention, to 80 per cent but the Federal Government agreed to
pay 50 per cent. The issue here is why would a government legally enter
into agreements and renege on such agreements? It beats one’s
imagination that matters regarding education are handled with utmost
levity by the government. Yet we cannot develop if education is
relegated to the background in the scheme of things. There is no
equality in a system where a local government councilor earns three or
four times the salary of a university lecturer. Any system that
relegates teachers’ welfare to the background will definitely produce
half-baked graduates and graduates who cannot prove their mettle in the
labour market. Why would the government wait until lecturers embark on
strike before taking action? Does it mean that strike is the only
language the Nigerian government understands? When are we going to get
to a time when lecturers will no longer embark on strikes in Nigeria?
It is evident that strikes are really paralysing the already comatose
education sector. With the current insecurity in Nigeria, why would a
government allow our tertiary institution students to waste their
talents at home or roam the streets when they can be meaningfully
engaged in the classroom? Some of these students who are now idle hands
could be tempted to engage in nefarious activities or join criminal
gangs to perpetrate crimes. An idle mind is definitely the devil’s
workshop so the government must as a matter of urgency act to ensure it
resolves the issues with the polytechnic and university lecturers so
that these students can go back to school. The strike will not do anyone
any good; it will only end up crippling an already ailing education
sector. We were recently told by the Federal Ministry of Education that
only about 500,000 applicants will eventually get admission into our
tertiary institutions in 2013 out of about 1.7 million that sat for
the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the
Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) last April. Many
eligible applicants are denied admission placements due to shortage of
space in our institutions and there is shortage of space because these
institutions lack the requisite facilities to accommodate them.
One of the reasons why the education sector has degenerated to this
sorry state is that the government keeps paying lip service to it with
no proactive steps to forestall it. I think declaring a state of
emergency in the education sector is long overdue to forestall a total
collapse of the sector. A lot of reforms are urgently required in the
sector. The government can do this if it is really serious in addressing
the problems there. We are a country where so many talented people
abound. But one sure way to discover and tap them for the benefit of the
nation is when people have sound education.
The Federal Government should urgently call ASUP and ASUU to a
roundtable and iron out the issues with them so that they can call off
the strike as soon as possible to avoid the negative consequences of
these avoidable strikes. We want action now from the government and not
unending but empty promises. It is high time we discouraged strike as
the only tool that can coerce the government into action on matters of
public concern.
