Mayor of House, My-ACE China
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, who spoke on what he calls ‘economics of morality’, says the scarcity of morally sound graduates has pushed up the hiring price of the few that have strong character.
China, who is the founder and chairman of the Mayor of Housing group, spoke at the Physio-Cultural graduation ceremony of Showers International Christian School in Woji, Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.
China said excessive moral decadence and exam malpractice now in schools have made many school leavers not employable. He said because of collapse of morality in schools, the value of the few morally sound ones has highly gone up. He said this is the best time for students to make themselves highly valued and highly priced.
He said: “Economics of morality became important to me when I understood it, because as a young person, I don’t do anything that does not have financial reward or remuneration. So if you ask me to be a good person, how does it pay me?
“After going through staunch and very hard formation in my secondary school days, I developed that high morality, and it has commanded a premium. That has helped me to build my company today from nothing, because morality was a capital for me.”
China, who is behind the Alesa Highlands Sustainable Green Smart city, tasked the students to remember that when something is scarce, something happens to it. “If you guys don’t know, when something is scarce, it becomes expensive. For instance, when fuel is scarce, hope you know it becomes more expensive.”
He went on: “Morality is so scarce right now that it commands a premium, and it’s so expensive that most rich people would pay anything to have moral people. And I myself, I am what I am today on the basis of the premium of morality.
“On this score, I specially congratulate you all. I also want to congratulate your school for teaching in character and learning. You came to a good school. When I saw in Showers Christian School that character came before learning, I knew this is a school built as of old. Because as of old, all certificates in Nigeria used to be: ‘You’ve been found worthy in character and learning.’
“Showers Christian School has been found worthy in instilling character. This is the first school I’ve gone to that I saw them give an award for the best person in character. It shows that you extol character. Keep it up.”
State of emergency:
The Mayor of Housing also called for declaration of state of emergency in education, saying moral decadence has destroyed most of the society. He said until immorality is chased out of schools, the products (educated people), would continue to be misfits in society.
He stated: “I believe a state of emergency needs to be declared in education because many schools are miss-educating their students.
“But more than a state of emergency on education, the only thing worse than a state of emergency is martial law. There should be a martial law on morality. Because even the schools that are teaching people education do not educate their character.
“And it’s not a coincidence that before now, your certificates certified you worthy in character and learning.
“But all that is not important. What is important is the economics of that morality. If you are a good person, does it pay?
“I am in the field. I went to the same UNN with your guest speaker. I finished in 2003 as the best graduating student, Medical Lab Science. What I found out is that morality without productivity is self-deception.”
On what sound education steeped in morality could do to any man, he said: “I came into Port Harcourt in a company that I was working for before, and that company took advantage of me, and I was standing my ground and maintaining my morality.
“God led me to a community called Alesa. And I told them I have the morality they can trust and do business with so I could get investors to develop that land.”
He said trust and morality won him big business in Alesa today. “Every rich man wants a trustworthy accountant, banker, lawyer, etc, that will manage his money. Every rich man wants a trustworthy businessman he’ll give his money or his company to run.”
China commended Showers Schools for producing the few morally sound students in the society, saying this is due to the school’s policy that says ‘Cheating is not an option, but excellent result is a must.’
Mrs Akpan: Challenges of zero-fraud system:
Speaking, Mrs Ekama Emilia Akpan, the Managing Director of Showers group, urged parents to get closer to their children and to lead by example. She said it is not what parents say but what they do that their children will do.
On zero-fraud policy:
Mrs Akpan showed pain, saying that trying to uphold zero-fraud policy has been very difficult. She said some of the children who did not start with Showers lacked the foundational character structure and resilience needed to move ahead. One thing we are sure of is adequate teaching and preparation. We also encourage our students to learn how to be proactive by going to their teachers to seek help such as adequate teaching. Do not sit and expect everything. Make a move and don’t sit complaining.
- Engr Anthony and Mrs. ekama Akpan
She said some parents also do not understand the system and would want their children to be assisted. Some WAEC invigilators are also not comfortable with our zero-fraud policy.
“Yes, it’s not easy, but I make sure I pay the teachers well. So if I find that you’re trying to be fraudulent, assisting children for money, you will not stay in this school. Our prayers are that we will be able to get the right people that we will partner with, and then we get the government that will support us, because our children going away is a loss to the country.”
She went on: “Illiteracy is a curse. It’s not good for the economy, and it’s also not good for the human souls. So, I am praying that we have opportunities to enlarge our commitment to quality education starting from the lower level.”
She said a lot of schools were helping children, and that it was the genesis of what is manifesting in the final exams.
On the future of Showers, she said she has come back to revamp the school to its former glory.
Speaking, Engr Anthony Akpan, chairman of Showers International Christian School, said the school is unique because of close monitoring of every child. He said Showers has plans to grow bigger soon.
Engr Akpan, who is the husband of the founder harped on the school’s legacy of trusted exams and credible graduands. He said the physical aspects of the school would be improved in the coming months.
Akpan said is what sustains the school. He also hinted about plans to start a university.
School in the neighbourhood is future of education
In his lecture, Engr Bunmi Obembe, a retired executive director in TotalEnergies, who is an education enthusiast said the future of Nigerian education is ‘School in the Neighbourhood system’.
He said sending children under 18 years of age to faraway schools is not only risky but dangerous.
The retired chief engineer said the future of Nigeria’s education lies in ‘School in the Neighbourhood’ system parents can help nurture their children into adulthood.
According to the guest speaker, Nigerian cities should be designed in such a way that children would walk to schools and back in the glare and care of their parents.
He mentioned Showers International Christian School as a place that saved many families by providing a school equal in British standards yet full of strategies for strong moral and intellectual training to equip the child to face the future with assurances.
Saying Showers International which has some of the best graduating students both in Nigeria and abroad was bringing unique value in Nigeria, Obembe urged parents to shun faraway (foreign) schools.
Tamunosisi Gogo Jaja, onetime commissioner of education in the state who is chairman of the parents-teacher association (PTA), said a very highly rated school recommended Showers for his children’s A/Level studies.
He said when you open the door of school, you close the door of the prison yard. “When you study in Showers, you are assured. Parents who want A/Level for their children should consider Showers.”
He mentioned how he supported sending Rivers scholars to the PAMO University after then Gov Nyesom Wike brought back students on scholarships abroad, and how the experiment has helped the state.
The wife of Gogo Jaja asked parents not to pamper their children because a hard future would crush pampered children.
Valedictorian remarks:
In her valedictorian speech, Nneoma Treasure Odoemelam, who obtained one of the best results in the sciences, made it clear that ovation was not only for the final year students but more of an occasion to congratulate the junior school graduands moving to senior segment. “As you begin your senior secondary education, embrace every opportunity to learn, remain focused, and always strive for excellence.”
- The award-sinning students
She said: “Our journey has been one of learning, determination, and growth. We have overcome challenges and created memories that will remain with us for many years.
“To our parents and our guardians, thank you for your prayers, sacrifices, encouragement, and unwavering support. You have been our greatest strength.”
Odoemelam left a piece of advice to her fellow departing students, thus: “As we move on to higher institutions and other pursuits, let us carry with us the values of integrity, hard work, humility, and excellence that we have learned.
“As we celebrate this milestone, let us look ahead with confidence, carrying with us the knowledge, memories, and values that will guide us into the future.”
