A lecturer at Rivers State University (RSU), Professor Christopher Ahiakwo of the Electrical Engineering Department, has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to invest in renewable energy to address the persistent issue of power outages across the country.
He highlighted the potential of solar energy, drawing comparisons to Israel, where solar power is used during the day, with conventional electricity only employed at night.
Professor Ahiakwo emphasized that Nigeria, being rich in renewable energy resources, has untapped potential that could help resolve its power challenges.
He made the statement yesterday during RSU’s second valedictory lecture and book launch, where his book, “Nigeria Electric Power Supply System and Renewable Energy Potentials” was unveiled shortly after the valedictory lecture.
“The government must invest more in renewable energy that’s just the truth, if we invest more on renewable energy we are going to get it right in this country. I have travelled to Isreal and in Isreal during the day time they do not use electricity what they use is solar all through they only switch to their power system at night we can do that here as well. We are endowed with different sources of renewable energy and because of this that is why I decided to do a research to tell us the nature of our power system and the hiding talents in renewable energy that we can harness to improve the system”.
During the valedictory lecture, titled “The Contrasting Paths of Teacher Candle and Tire Fire*, Professor Ahiakwo also spoke on the role of educators, urging them to be selfless and motivated by a genuine desire to positively impact their students’ lives as He compared educators who nurture their students to a “teacher candle” and condemned those who prioritize personal gain, referring to them as “teacher fires” who exploit students.
“I started as a technologist, setting up laboratory experiments and overseeing assignments and laboratory works for both Diploma and B.Tech students, I dispatched my duty with passion often I will go off my way by providing photocopies of laboratory manuals to students who genuinely forgot to come with their laboratory manuals, this was the beginning of my teacher candle and I have never sold handout or books throughout my teaching career.
“While in a stark contrast to the nurturing warmth of the teacher candle, the teacher burns with a fierce and destructive intensity, these type of teachers prioritise personal gains over the sacred duty of educating, exploiting their position of power and influence for their own benefits, they extorts students, sexually harass them and they only way we can extinguish the teacher fire from our institutions is by ensuring that victims feel empowered and supported in coming forward, by putting up strict disciplinary measures, total zero tolerance to exploitation from teacher fire”.
On his part, RSU’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nlerum Okogbule, echoed Professor Ahiakwo’s sentiments, encouraging lecturers to emulate the selfless “teacher candle.”
He also noted that the university has established committees, including the academic enforcement committee, to uphold discipline and ensure a conducive learning environment for both students and lecturers.
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