Hello Konkomitan:
I agree with you that all parties to a disagreement should be investigated or listend to and their respective perspectives reported. The parties in this case being Harvard University, Governors and Guardian). But I think this case is different. I do not see the need to investigate Guardian or report its perspective. It based its editorial on Governor Akpabio's press conference which the governor is yet to deny. In fact, Thisday's story of June 14, 2009 (
http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=146038) confirmed the details contained in Guardian's editorial. So you already have the governors' perspective in adition to that of Harvard University. Why investigate facts that have been confirmed by the governors?
Let us even assume that one wishes to contact the governors to obtain their perspective on the matter, how do you do it? Whereas Harvard University has a telephone number and answers its calls, emails and questions, how do you get the governors' side of the story when the governors have no known telephone numbers or email addresses? If you are implying that you know the contact information for the governors, you should do everybody a favor by providing the details. Alternatively, if you do not have their contact information, you can still help the investigation by explaining how you expect the governors's perspctive to be obtained in the absence of contact information.
To me, the real issue is not so much about lies but whether these governors should have taken a job for which they were not qualified or lack the "capacity" to perform; cannot get the same training in a Nigerian university; or should be spending limited resources in this manner. With due respect, these are the real issues in my opinion. If the training sought from Harvard University is actualy an imperative, we can't the governors bring the Harvard University lecturers to Nigeria and conduct the workshop in a Nigerian University, thereby saving scarce resources?
If you cannot trust your health to a "doctor" who is yet to attend medical school and obtain the requisite qualifications, why should Nigerians trust governors with the governance of their respective states when the governors have admitted lacking the capacity to do the job?
What is so complicated in "capacity building" to justify the spending of limited resources on a trip to Harvard University? Any governor who is interested in capcity building need not travel far. I believe governor Fashola of Lagos state will be too happy to accommodate and teach "capacity building and good governance" to these governors for free. What do you think?
I hope you will consider my observations to be in order. Have yourself a great day.