By Jim Pressman,Freelance, Abuja
So much has been written and said about tomorrow’s National Honours List, and I appreciate the anger and disgust of many with the appearance on that list of some names certain people who, left to this reporter, should be behind bars or be awaiting trial, and all that…with all due respect to many other deserving, good citizens of this great nation, on the same list. As we wait for the long due amendment to the National Honours Award Act to make withdrawal from those who prove undeserving of the medal mandatory, we take particularly sweet consolation in the last-minute pencilling of the great achievers, the new – millionaire Paralympians, who wiped off a bit of the shame from our London 2012 fiasco! They too deserve to hang the Member of the order of the Niger MON medals after tomorrow’s ceremony.
We must agree however with Sunday Trust Editor Theophilus Abbah, though that there is no way you can ignore ten of these award-winners (could not find ‘awardees’ in my orthodox dictionary, sorry!) because of the kind of things they have done for self, country and for humanity and God in their lifetime.
This takes this reporter to the few women on that long list, as a gender buff, proud father of three girls we hope will soon make that list, too. The interest in a particular lady, Professor Charity Ashimem Angya, theatre theoretician, practitioner, and teacher who is currently Vice – Chancellor at the Benue State University (BENSU) across the street from the BBL Quarters in Makurdi, brought back memories of our first visit a long time ago before the creation of BENSU, and the story we did for the defunct Post Express newspapersabout life in Benue state with particular reference to their women in general and the Tiv in particular.
Every Tiv woman (or man, yes!)anywhere in the world today must be proud of this first female PhD from the land of warriors, farmers and lovers of the good life, as she bags the Order of the Niger (OON) Monday September 17!The new generation of young Benue woman have a role model to follow and emulate as they grow, knowing now that they too can be whatever they wish to be so long as they are willing to keep their eyes on the sparrow.
Ahead of the ceremony we wish to say a big congratulation to Madam VC and hope that she gets fired up to harder at mentoring and grooming a larger pool of new Benue women of tomorrow, here today.
