Activist petitions UNESCO over secondary school demolition

By Athan Agbakwuru, Owerri

Social crusader and civil rights activist, Dozie Nwoko on behalf of the people of Mbaishii communities, in Ngor Okpala LGA, Imo State, Nigeria has sent a strong worded petition to the Director-General, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, over the alleged destruction of Amala/NTU Secondary School and grabbing of the school land.

In an open letter to the UN body, the petitioner, Dozie Nwoko
an Old Student of Amala/Ntu Secondary School drew attention of UNESCO to what he termed, ‘a grave injustice happening in Mbaishii communities’ where the “only Government Secondary School serving the Amala/Ntu communities in Mbaishii, Ngor Okpala LGA, has been destroyed by Evangelist Ebuka Obi and his Zion Ministry.”

Nwoko stated, “This secondary school was built in 1976 by the Federal Government of Nigeria. It is a legacy and the alma mater of many of us who passed through its walls. Today, under the leadership of Governor Hope Uzodinma, the Imo State Government has handed this public school over to his brother, Ebuka Obi, to grab and convert for his private estate business.

“As old students and indigenes of Amala/Ntu, we are pained that we no longer have an alma mater. The destruction of this school is the destruction of the educational future of our children and the heritage of our people.

“We therefore appeal to UNESCO, as the custodian of education and culture, to intervene, investigate this matter, and help protect the right of our children to public education.

“Let all well-meaning Nigerians and the international community help to ensure that this letter gets to UNESCO and that justice is done.”