My-condemnation-of-the-recent-award-of-delta-state-justices-of-the-peace-jps-by-the-delta-state-government-and-my-renouncement-of-the-jp-title
September 7, 2020 | News
MY CONDEMNATION OF THE RECENT AWARD OF DELTA STATE JUSTICES OF THE PEACE (JPs) BY THE DELTA STATE GOVERNMENT AND MY RENOUNCEMENT OF THE JP TITLE
I consider it necessary to write to wholeheartedly condemn the recent award (2018 batch) of the Justice of the Peace (JP) titles in Asaba as approved by the Delta State Government under Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and also notify the public that, as a result of the 'category and caliber' of the kind of persons the said JP titles were given, I have decided to detach the JP title of Delta State from my name. This is simply hinged on the fact that I don't want my name, or anything concerning me, to be associated with the many alleged ‘questionable characters' of persons that were sworn-in and given this title of JP, which ought to be given on merit to credible persons of proven integrity, but has been rubbished and reduced to nothing, as it is being alleged by many public affairs analysts.
Most importantly, while I do not know the characters of all those that were recently given the said JP title, it is however being alleged that the said recent batch of JP awards, were donated/dished out to many political area boys and political area girls. Based on this, I really don't want my name to be associated with this title from hence forth, hence this public notice. As a Nigerian and a Delta state indigene, I still have high regards and respect for the institute of Delta State Government as a constitutional organ of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its legal system. But I have decided not to have any relationship with the said title of the Delta State JP. I no longer have faith, neither do I believe any more in the ideals which the office of the JP title stand for, simply because of the way it is been donated/dished out to persons.
Deltans cannot vouch for their alleged questionable characters and integrity, and without the use of any known criteria other than 'supposed' eligible persons buying the forms. Maybe, in the near or far future, I may consider to use the said JP title again when its worth and value is normalized by another Government of Delta State, or by the present Government. But as for now, I have no relationship with the Delta State JP title. And I have consulted with my immediate family and close friends before taking this decision. Like I said, in my own view, the JP title should only be awarded/given on merit to deserving persons in the society, regardless of who and the number of people that bought the forms. There should be a thorough screening process and back ground checks before such persons are approved by the Delta State Government to be sworn in as JPs. So, it is sad that the JP titles/awards have been reduced to naira and kobo, and the society craze to get titles by all means, has contributed to making the whole thing worthless.
For long, I have detached the Chief title from my name due to the kind of people some Urhobo traditional rulers donate the Chieftaincy titles to, and I have stopped wearing Urhobo CHIEF beads on neck and hand wrists for quite some time. I don't want to be associated with this type of titles.
Sometimes we need to ask ourselves the simple questions like, how many titles do globally-recognized persons like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and others have/had before impacting on the lives of many across the globe? But the craze for titles/awards by our society is simply unfortunate and a misplaced priority. These stated globally-recognized persons are simply known as 'Mr.' this or Mr. that. Even US President Donald Trump has no titles attached to his name. Nothing like 'His Excellency' this or His Excellency that. It is simply 'President Donald Trump', as always reported by the media. Even the Nelson Mandela never attached any title to his name. He was simply referred to as Nelson Mandela. So, if these globally-recognized great men don't bear any title then and now, who am I to bear such titles that have been made worthless?
We need to realize that the craze for titles/awards has not taken Delta State and Nigeria forward any bit. But it is sad that the Governor Okowa PDP-led administration has further reduced the JP titles/awards to nothing. It is now dished out like Garri and Rice. This is rather unfortunate. There is need for the Delta State Government to verify the societal status of those that were given/awarded with the latest JP title in the State. Their societal status should not be based on money-bags or have political undertones to it. They should be those who are known in the society as being honest, proven record of integrity with a credible attitude and is concerned about the good of the common man and overall development in the State. They should not just be any person that can buy the forms to apply for the JP title. The Delta State government should carefully review the said JP recipients with all sincerity of purpose in ensuring they are persons of proven integrity. The said JP awards/titles ought to be used by the Delta State Government to reward honest Nigerians that have proven record of zero tolerance to crime of all kinds, social injustice and underdevelopment.
Zik Gbemre.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes as if Those Were Our Causes
I consider it necessary to write to wholeheartedly condemn the recent award (2018 batch) of the Justice of the Peace (JP) titles in Asaba as approved by the Delta State Government under Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and also notify the public that, as a result of the 'category and caliber' of the kind of persons the said JP titles were given, I have decided to detach the JP title of Delta State from my name. This is simply hinged on the fact that I don't want my name, or anything concerning me, to be associated with the many alleged ‘questionable characters' of persons that were sworn-in and given this title of JP, which ought to be given on merit to credible persons of proven integrity, but has been rubbished and reduced to nothing, as it is being alleged by many public affairs analysts.
Most importantly, while I do not know the characters of all those that were recently given the said JP title, it is however being alleged that the said recent batch of JP awards, were donated/dished out to many political area boys and political area girls. Based on this, I really don't want my name to be associated with this title from hence forth, hence this public notice. As a Nigerian and a Delta state indigene, I still have high regards and respect for the institute of Delta State Government as a constitutional organ of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its legal system. But I have decided not to have any relationship with the said title of the Delta State JP. I no longer have faith, neither do I believe any more in the ideals which the office of the JP title stand for, simply because of the way it is been donated/dished out to persons.
Deltans cannot vouch for their alleged questionable characters and integrity, and without the use of any known criteria other than 'supposed' eligible persons buying the forms. Maybe, in the near or far future, I may consider to use the said JP title again when its worth and value is normalized by another Government of Delta State, or by the present Government. But as for now, I have no relationship with the Delta State JP title. And I have consulted with my immediate family and close friends before taking this decision. Like I said, in my own view, the JP title should only be awarded/given on merit to deserving persons in the society, regardless of who and the number of people that bought the forms. There should be a thorough screening process and back ground checks before such persons are approved by the Delta State Government to be sworn in as JPs. So, it is sad that the JP titles/awards have been reduced to naira and kobo, and the society craze to get titles by all means, has contributed to making the whole thing worthless.
For long, I have detached the Chief title from my name due to the kind of people some Urhobo traditional rulers donate the Chieftaincy titles to, and I have stopped wearing Urhobo CHIEF beads on neck and hand wrists for quite some time. I don't want to be associated with this type of titles.
Sometimes we need to ask ourselves the simple questions like, how many titles do globally-recognized persons like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and others have/had before impacting on the lives of many across the globe? But the craze for titles/awards by our society is simply unfortunate and a misplaced priority. These stated globally-recognized persons are simply known as 'Mr.' this or Mr. that. Even US President Donald Trump has no titles attached to his name. Nothing like 'His Excellency' this or His Excellency that. It is simply 'President Donald Trump', as always reported by the media. Even the Nelson Mandela never attached any title to his name. He was simply referred to as Nelson Mandela. So, if these globally-recognized great men don't bear any title then and now, who am I to bear such titles that have been made worthless?
We need to realize that the craze for titles/awards has not taken Delta State and Nigeria forward any bit. But it is sad that the Governor Okowa PDP-led administration has further reduced the JP titles/awards to nothing. It is now dished out like Garri and Rice. This is rather unfortunate. There is need for the Delta State Government to verify the societal status of those that were given/awarded with the latest JP title in the State. Their societal status should not be based on money-bags or have political undertones to it. They should be those who are known in the society as being honest, proven record of integrity with a credible attitude and is concerned about the good of the common man and overall development in the State. They should not just be any person that can buy the forms to apply for the JP title. The Delta State government should carefully review the said JP recipients with all sincerity of purpose in ensuring they are persons of proven integrity. The said JP awards/titles ought to be used by the Delta State Government to reward honest Nigerians that have proven record of zero tolerance to crime of all kinds, social injustice and underdevelopment.
Zik Gbemre.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes as if Those Were Our Causes