A frontline trade unionist Comrade Issa Aremu has advocated for what he called institutionalized teaching of ethics in schools to cultivate virtoueos leaders.
He called for an urgent entrenchment of national ethics as contained in 1999 constitution as well as community renaissance as a precondition for eradication of poverty, insecurity and violent crimes in the country.
Aremu made this submission Tuesday while reviewing a book in celebration of the 60th birthday of Senator Doctor Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe Kwara central senatorial district and the chairman of the senate committee on health.
The launch of the book entitled “Paragon of Virtues”, written by children, friends and associates of the Senator was witnessed by Senate President, Ahmed Lawal and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, chief of staff who-represented the President and the Emir of Ilorin and chairman of Kwara state traditional councils, who served as the Royal father of the day.
He hailed the “record achievements” of Senator Yahaya Oloriegbe who he said, “though an orphan early in life, completed primary, secondary and university studies with distinctions in quick succession”, graduated as a Medical doctor, excelled in private medical practices and later emerged as elected Senator, of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Kwara Central Senatorial District, having recorded a landmark victory during 2019 elections.
He added that he is the first to move motion in the current 9th Senate and currently the chairman of the senate vommittee on health.
He recalled that in 2015 as “a Doctor without bounds” Dr Ibrahim Oloriegbe headed the Global Fund Country programme to eradicate Malaria in Liberia.
Comrade Aremu who was a two term former Vice President of Nigeria Labour Congress, ( NLC) and currently Vice President of Industriall Global Union called for what he called “ community/ family renaissance” to banish poverty and marginalization which breeds insecurity.
Aremu who condemned the notion of a failed state for Nigeria observed that, “If community is grounded in core values of discipline, hard and smart work and integrity, any failing state can be reconstituted.”
He made a case for a kinder Nigeria pen community in which: “families that through education, love, solidarity and kindness can assist all our children to realize their dreams. “It was a caring family and community that made the Senator and his younger brother, Abdul’Majeed, weather the storm having lost their parents.
Aremu also called for the reinvention of public schools “as the precondition to develop critical mass Human Resources for development”. Dr Ibrahim Oloriegbe is a product of public schools that once impacted knowledge. Yet he was a globally acknowledged student of many distinctions.”
The labour leader commended governor Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq of Kwara state for renovating as many as 29 public secondary schools after decades of neglect.
