The fears expressed by critical stakeholders over the implication the lockdown declared by IPOB will have on the education of children of the Southeast region did not eventually materialize, as the West African Examination Council, WAEC examinations went on as scheduled on Thursday.
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB had earlier this week, declared that all social activities in Igboland be banned on the 30th of May, 2024, as a mark of honour to the heroes of the Nigeria-Biafran civil war of between 1967 and 1970.
It further directed that markets, schools, banks, government, and private businesses are not allowed to open from 6 am to 6 pm today.
Meanwhile, the WAEC had earlier fixed the General Mathematics Papers I and II on the said date and the fear has been that people may get attacked by the sit-at-home enforcers while going to write the exams or that they may forfeit the exams for fear of being attacked.
Our correspondent who monitored the compliance level to the directive in the state, observed that almost all public offices were locked while the roads were deserted.
However, while students of other classes did not come to school, those of Senior Secondary School, SS 3 classes, writing the WAEC examinations were seen in the examination halls undertaking the exams in a
peaceful environment.
Among the schools visited were Community Secondary School Isuaniocha, Community Secondary School, Mgbakwu, St John of God Secondary School, Awka, and Mount Zion Secondary School, Enugwu-Agidi.
Speaking on the development, the Dean of Exams and Vice Principal, Academics, Mount Zion Secondary School, Enugwu-Agidi, Mr Azubuike Nwakanma while noting that they did not experience any kind of disturbance during the conduct of the examinations, insisted that the sit-at-home does not serve the interest of the people of the Southeast in any way.
“I vehemently disagree with the sit-at-home because there are various ways to honour the memory of our people who died during the war, rather than restricting people from going about their legitimate businesses.
“Had this sit-at-home held, it would have amounted to a total disservice to our children and their future. No one robs himself of the future because of the past.
“Imagine the setback it would have caused for our children if they were denied this opportunity to participate in the examinations. It simply means that all the children in the Southeast will come back next year and rewrite the exam because it is a compulsory paper. And if they fix the same paper next year again, what then happens?
“I am not of the opinion that the dead should not be remembered but I am saying that we can restrategize and find more better ways to honor our heroes instead of denying people the freedom to move around and fend for their daily needs.
“So, I am of the opinion that anything sit-at-home should be abolished because it serves no good purpose,” Nwakanma said.
On his part, a teacher at CSS, Mgbakwu, Marcel Ezeani, while stressing that it is good to honour the dead, however, said the blame would be shared by both WAEC and those issuing the order.
“Since this May 30 Biafran Heroes Day has become an annual thing for the past three years and has affected the exams consistently for the years running, there is a need for WAEC to see how it can allow the day to be.
“I believe they should review the process and devise a better means to achieve the conduct of the exams without endangering the lives of the children and even the invigilators and supervisors,” he said.
While acknowledging that giving such consideration to the agitators may likely embolden them to demand more, Ezeani opined that if the government cannot prevail on WAEC to shift the examinations on the day, then there is nothing the students can do but to come out even with the risks involved.
For a social critic, Ifeanyi Maduba, the Southeast region is responsible for whatever problem they are facing and must begin to take back their region from the hands of criminals.
”This is what you get when you allow insane people to make decisions on your behalf.
“No sane person will jettison the interest of the future generation for such frivolity as honouring the dead. The education of children of the Southeast must be of paramount importance to any person who claims to have the interest of the region at heart.
”Assuming the people the agitators are claiming that they are marginalizing them deliberately fixed that exam so that your children would miss them because they know you are celebrating Biafran Heroes Day, would it not amount to foolishness to play into their game by acting as they had proposed?
“We must begin to think again in the Southeast,” he warned.
