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  • Int’l Workers Day: Beyond the march and solidarity songs

    Int’l Workers Day: Beyond the march and solidarity songs

    “People will appreciate unionism when unions become active.” –Thomas Mattig.

    Time was when International Workers Day held significant meaning for all Nigerian workers.

    On the first of May every year, Nigerian workers join their comrades around the globe in body, soul and spirit to celebrate heroes of the workers/labour movement who risked their lives for enhanced welfare and conducive working environment.

    May DAY as the International Worker’s Day is popularly known in Nigeria, was chosen by the Second International (1889-1916), to commemorate the Hay market incident on the fourth of May 1886 in Chicago.

    In one of the peaceful demonstrations held across America by workers to demand an eight hour work day, Chicago police killed some demonstrators. At yet another rally organised to protest police killings and brutality, a bomb was thrown into the rally and some policemen were killed. Subsequently, eight organisers of the rallies were charged to courts, in spite of the evidence which showed that the labour leaders were nowhere near Chicago at the time of the dastardly act. They were convicted of culpable homicide, four to be hanged; and one was to later die in prison.

    Labour unions have sprung up in every sector and subsector of the Nigeria economy. However, for the better part of the last two decades, Nigerian workers have consistently been at the receiving end of job loss especially in the oil and gas sector, compared to their counterparts in other oil producing nations, due to multifaceted factors internally and externally.

    There is a decline in the quality of visionary and pragmatic labour leadership, to partner government or employers and to set realistic agendas for strategic position of the workforce. A perfect example can be drawn from labours’ inability and political will to get the four national refineries working. As local petroleum consumption is import-driven, jobs are created for foreign refineries while Nigeria’s rot away and workers face job losses in their thousands.

    These are not the best of times for Nigerian workers because they have failed to address fundamental or policy issues far too long that things have degenerated with government being allowed to renege on many agreements to fix the economy without sanctions.

    Industrial actions are going to be very risky in the face faltering oil revenues which typically sustains the economy‎,  ‎with the fact that the populace have gotten lethargic of incessant strike actions which resolves nothing at the end of the day.

    Meanwhile, there will be a much more vicious demand for increased pay by union members in the face of harsh economic realities and dwindling power of the naira.  Employers are changing the way they work as well.  Whereas Nigerian jobs are not being out-sourced, there however now exists, a mass of casual and contract workers whose working conditions excludes the typical employee benefits such as medical insurance, paid leave etc

    There are discordant voices within the Nigeria labour fraternity today, things are falling apart and the centre can no longer hold. The vultures seems to be having a field day as unions and labour centres engage in one show of shame after the other to the dismay of an already cynical public that has long wondered whether the labour movement contributes anything positive to their lives.

    Unionism used to be the bastion of robust debate, intellectual stimulation and cross fertilisation of ideas. However, what many celebrated as the capitulation of the dynamic campus unions, feeder system, is more than any other, the reason for the dearth of qualitative labour leadership outside the Ivory Towers experience.

    The narrative has changed as a labour metamorphosis into an embodiment of charlatans because emerging leaders have jettisoned basic courtesies of human interaction.‎ Unionism is now a farce.

    Contemporary labour leaders do not appreciate the efforts and ‎time-honoured ‎ culture of workers emancipation. Court orders are disregarded at will; corruption and criminality are the order of the day, a united front and national interest has been replaced by divisiveness and narrow group interest, the constitution takes a back burner or at most used to protect a few. Blackmail has replaced intellectual duels where superior arguments, logic should take pre-eminence. It is unfortunate and regrettable that people with clear intellectual challenges are the helms of some union. As sophisticated as union leadership is, the worst of us seem to be lording over the best brains in the unions.

    Suddenly, elections are held twice or more because there is no more trust within the fold, all kinds of gimmicks alien to labour movements are deployed including accreditation of none members as delegates to elections. Some leaders now orchestrate the sack of members seen as future stumbling blocks to a political calculation or aspiration. Not a few people are surprise that there is a union in the Banking industry, and members especially Nigerian daughters, sisters and mothers are being compelled to indulged in uncomplimentary acts to keep their jobs in the face of the sword of targets in a stagnant economy. Honour, agreement, discipline and other characteristics celebrated in the days of Pa Imoudu, Pa Sumonu and a host of others is gradually exiting from the union.

    We cannot afford to keep what one Minister termed “Limousine Comrades” in place.  Leaders who seek their own interest but pretend to be fighting for the masses.  There should be better and enlightened leadership at the helm of our unions.

    Our democracy and economy are exposed today because the watch dog has lost its bark and bite‎, leaving night marauders to have a field day. The ills of this era cannot be wished away if there is no paradigm shift in the way we elect our leaders. Members of the various unions must as a matter of urgency organise themselves to remove the tyrants of the day. There is a prize to be paid to put an end to impunity and corruption. The constitution should be given its place of reverence on all issues, injustice of any kind must not be allowed even if it’s being meted out to an enemy. Just as the pen is mightier than the sword; a great sword, deserves a great warrior. Nature abhors vacuum, if organised labour fails to give the masses leadership, untrained hands will take the centre stage.

    Today’s International Workers’ Day commemoration does not call for celebration, but sober reflection over the prostrate and internal damage the movement has been inflicted.

    How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a strange land? Psalm 137:4

     

    Gambo is the convener of Good governance group and the former Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria PENGASSAN

     

     

     

  • Nigerian nominated for Green Oscar

    Nigerian nominated for Green Oscar

    Nigerian conservationist, Inaoyom Imong, has been nominated among seven others, for an international ‘Green Oscar’ nature prize in the United Kingdom.

    Imong was nominated for the prestigious prize for his work in protecting the Cross River gorillas through community-based conservation in the Mbe Mountains.

    The Award is to be presented by HRH, the Princess Royal, at the Royal Geographical Society in London on 29 April.

    Organised by Whitley Fund For Nature, the awards are prestigious international prizes which honour exceptional individuals who, through their outstanding conservation work in developing countries, are redefining the way people engage with the natural world in the 21st century.

    Selected from a field of 174 applicants from all over the world, the seven wildlife conservationists shortlisted this year for the chance to win an award and a share in project funding worth £245,000 are:

    • Arnaud Desbiez (Brazil; giant armadillos);

    • Rosamira Guillen (Colombia; cotton-top tamarins);

    • Panut Hadisiswoyo (Sumatra; orang-utans);

    • Jayson Ibañez (Philippines; Philippine eagles);

    • Inaoyom Imong (Nigeria; Cross River gorillas);

    • Ananda Kumar (India; Asian elephants);

    • Pramod Patil (India; Great Indian Bustard).

    The charity’s patron, HRH The Princess Royal, will announce the final results at a special evening ceremony that would be hosted by television presenter Kate Humble and attended by Sir David Attenborough, same day.

     

  • APC will work to end poverty not manage it like PDP -Tinubu

    APC will work to end poverty not manage it like PDP -Tinubu

    ADDRESS OF THE CHANCELLOR, LADOKE AKINTOLA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, OGBOMOSO, ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU, DELIVERED AT THE 12TH CONVOCATION CEREMONY, HELD ON THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015.
    Protocol
    I am delighted to address this assembly for the first time since my investiture as the 4th chancellor of our university. When we assembled here for that memorable event exactly one year ago, many national and international personalities were among our guests.

    We had the privilege of the eminent presence of General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), now the President-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. At the time, we could only hope and pray that all would be well with our dear country, Nigeria. Today, we are grateful to God because he has heard our cry and has answered our prayer for a better nation. It is, therefore, my privilege to welcome you all to this important occasion of the 12th Convocation Ceremony of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso.

    Sweep of Change

    As I congratulate the Governing Council, Management, Staff and Students of this university for carrying on the work of the university in the face of daunting challenges which the entire nation had to face in the recent past, I would also like to express my joy at seeing the broom of positive change sweeping across the entire nation. I particularly rejoice with the youth of our nation whose hope and prospects for a better future are now bright.  Their welfare and development are sure to receive much needed attention through the enhanced and progressive policies of the new federal government.

    I must, however, state that for us as a nation to experience the change we yearn for, we should all be prepared for a fundamental change in our individual disposition and attitude toward nation building. This change at a personal level will help fuel a national re-orientation that will affect all sectors including governance. We must share the responsibility for change.

    Let us use this opportunity to dedicate ourselves to ensuring that the dividends of democracy reach all and sundry. This is the only way to build a secure future for the teeming population of our youth, a large percentage of who have had to go through harsh experiences of insecurity, unemployment and an uncertain future. A great opportunity is now being presented to us to re-define our identity as a nation and re-order our values and priorities. This responsibility is yours as well as mine.

    The nation can no longer afford to pay lip service to the development of her youths. I strongly believe that this country is blessed with vibrant and talented citizens whose capabilities for nation building are yet to be tapped. We must all stand in concert and unity of purpose to build a secure future for our country by developing our youth.
    Government and youth have mutual duties in this regard. You owe as much to the nation as the nation owes to you. In the past, government has not always honoured its role.  You have now elected a government that will honour its duties.

    One of Government’s primary duties is to provide you with an education in harmony with the demands of our political economy. We must educate you with skills required by the job market that you shall encounter and not for some abstract economy found only in textbooks.

    Then government must spur the economic growth that promises jobs and opportunity to all of you.
    A progressive government must turn its face from the austerity policies of the outgoing administrative that tried to manage poverty, but not end it. Such policies serve only to deepen and prolong the hardship of the average person. Such policies would lock us in a room without hope or safe exit. We dare not go in.

    In response to the downturn in private sector activity, a progressive government must exercise the creative boldness to generate economic growth, productive and equal opportunity. Under the circumstances that now confront us, government must use fiscal and monetary policy to enlarge the economic space by embarking on ambitious infrastructural development, housing and agricultural programs.

    These programs will provide jobs directly. Moreover, the enhancement of our infrastructural base and sharpening of our productive capacity that results from these programs will initiate multiple rounds of job creation. This is how economic growth and employment are sustained over the long term.

    This is what the APC manifesto pledged to you. This is what an APC government will seek to deliver.
    You, the youth, must be willing partners in this mission of radical, structural change.

    Through perseverance, strong determination and consistent search for knowledge, you must seek to excel for the betterment of your society. As you have gone through this institution, you must carry with you the evidence that the institution has gone through you.

    It is necessary for me to call on you the graduates to contribute your fair quota to the development of our country. Remember, the university that produced you has a vision “to be a centre of academic excellence for the advancement of technology in meeting socio-cultural needs of the society”. The knowledge you have acquired in this university becomes meaningful only when applied in a way that impacts positively on the society.

    Conclusion

    As I conclude, I need to place on record my appreciation of the efforts of the progressive governments of the two Owner-States of Oyo and Osun for their commitment to the growth and development of LAUTECH.

    I also acknowledge the good leadership provided by the Governing Council, ably led by Professor Wale Omole, OFR. I sincerely salute the courage of the Vice- Chancellor, Professor Adeniyi S. Gbadegesin and the Management team for bracing up to the challenges the University has had to face in recent times.

    The Senate, all Staff and Students are well recognized and appreciated for their contributions to the peaceful atmosphere in which the University has been carrying out its work.
    Finally, ladies and gentlemen, it is my privilege to assure you all that LAUTECH will continue to enjoy a top priority status.

    I thank you for listening.

    Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu

  • Ibadan crime diary

    Ibadan crime diary

    For 5 weeks towards the last conducted general elections, men of the Nigerian Police Force were able to arrest and expose various crimes committed in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.

  • Five social media pitfalls SMEs should avoid

    Five social media pitfalls SMEs should avoid

    Steven Cohen, Managing Director of Sage One Accounting AAMEA, shares some insight on social media pitfalls that small business owners should try and avoid to successfully manage their social media accounts and social conversations with customers.

     

    Social media is a powerful tool for the small business owner. It can help you to build customer relationships, improve your search engine optimisation, and create a buzz about your business.

    Yet unwary small businesses can harm their businesses more than they help them if they don’t have a strategy about how they will manage their social media accounts and their social conversations with customers.

    Here are a few mistakes that SMEs should avoid as they roll out their social media plans.

    1.     Underestimating the work load

    At first blush, this social media thing looks easy. All you need to do is post some short-form content everyday as well as check your social networks for mentions of your business and responses to your posts, right?

    But you’ll soon discover that posting interesting content and keeping pace with activity from your fans and followers will absorb plenty of your time. Build time to manage your social network accounts into your schedule or make sure that you have someone you can trust in your team to take care of it for you.

    And as tempting as it may seem, don’t try to be everywhere. You don’t necessarily need to be on LinkedIn, Google+, Facebook, Pinterest, AND Twitter. Start by choosing two networks and do a good job on them before branching out onto other sites.

    2.     Lacking a content plan

    Signing up for an account with Twitter or Facebook is the easy part. Once you have a presence on social media, you need to post regular content to make the most of it. There’s nothing worse than a social media account that is never updated, except perhaps one outdated with a bland automated feed.

    Think about what sort of content you’ll post and when, aligning it with your plans for promos, PR and marketing. Prepare content in advance – perhaps create a schedule of posts at the beginning of the week and draw them up in advance.

    Producing content can be expensive if you ask a professional, and time-consuming if you do it yourself. Look at what content you can use from your website or newsletters in social media, and don’t be shy to “curate” relevant content from other sources.

    3.     Managing your business and professional social presence as one

    The lines between the personal and professional often blur in the world of social media. Depending on your personal brand and the image you want to project for your business, it may well be beneficial to run one Twitter or LinkedIn account for yourself and for your company. But think carefully about the image you wish to project for your business as well as how your customers will respond.

    Will your customers be charmed, irritated or bored to know that you’re a father of two with a fondness for golf? And what are the dangers for your business of posting something personal and controversial on a company profile? Tread carefully – take your real-world relationships with your customers as a guideline for how to project your personal and company brands in social media.

    4.     Hard-selling

    One of the biggest mistakes that SMEs make in social media is to see it as a sales tool. Yes, it can help you to grow awareness of your product, bring traffic to your website, and get sales leads, but don’t think of it as a place for hard-selling.

    Customers will not follow you on social media for sales pitches. They will follow you to find relevant information that they can use in their day to day lives. That means you can benefit from being an advisor to them rather than blasting them with advertising.

    For example, don’t throw ad copy about why your solar heating is the best at your followers. Rather, link them to resources about living with load-shedding or choosing the right solar solution to minimise power costs.

    If you find independent content that reflects your thinking, don’t be shy to share it if you think your customers will find it interesting. This positions you with the customer as an expert and a trusted advisor rather than as a pesky salesperson.

    5.     Not preparing for a crisis

    If you’re on social media, customers will talk to you and about you. At some point, you will encounter someone who is unhappy with your service or your product.

    Sometimes, the customer will be right but reasonable, and you’ll be able to sort the problem out.

    Other times, you may encounter someone who is belligerent, after a freebie, or simply having a bad day. Think about what sort of complaints and criticisms customers could voice about your business online, and how you will respond to them.

    Often, if you’re responsive enough, you can turn a complaining customer into one of your biggest advocates. But if you ignore a small criticism, it can easily turn into a full-blown crisis for your business.

  • How stress, poor nutrition causes baldness

    How stress, poor nutrition causes baldness

    A consultant dermatologist, Dr Glory Iwuchukwu, on Monday identified genetic factors, stress and poor nutrition as the major causes of baldness in middle aged men.

    Dr Iwuchukwu, who works at the Lagos University teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, made the disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    She defined baldness as a condition that caused hair loss along the hairline at the top of the head or temples and progressed back towards the base of the skull.

    She explained that men whose fathers had experienced baldness were more likely to experience hair loss themselves and that it usually occurred in men with male-pattern baldness due to genetic factors.

    “Genetic factor is the most common cause of baldness among middle aged men because it’s been passed from one generation to the other.

    “This genetic factor varies; it could be inherited from either parents but in most cases fathers can easily pass on the trait which would be possible if it were X chromosomes,’’ she said.

    Iwuchukwu said that another cause of baldness was emotional stress and fatigue due to lack of good sleep which was the common factor among Nigerian men.

    “A lot of people who do not get adequate sleep are stressed and this can cause hair loss. In Nigeria, we do not sleep well because we want to meet up with our life`s needs.

    “And once there is alteration in our sleeping pattern, it affects the body’s immune function, hormone secretion and physical and mental stamina,’’ she said.

    Iwuchukwu said that the hair was very sensitive to changes within the body and baldness was always the consequence of such an internal disturbance, she said.

    The consultant also cited inadequate nutrition as another cause of baldness.

    “Drinking water to keep the body hydrated and eating foods and fruits with vitamins could play an important role in keeping the hair follicles and the skin of the scalp healthy.

    “At least the intake of six to eight glasses of water daily is the usual recommended amount for an average person,’’ she said.

    She, however, advised that adequate nutrition, reduced stress and adequate sleep could be helpful in slowing or preventing baldness.

    According to Iwuchukwu, some forms of surgery, such as hair transplant and scalp reduction are also used to treat baldness though they can be both expensive and painful.

  • GPE lists Malala, Obaji as ‘education champions’

    GPE lists Malala, Obaji as ‘education champions’

    Nobel Laureate, Malala Yousafzai and Nigerian activist Philip Obaji are among eight education advocates named by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) as champions.

    The young activists join a group of global education advocates, adding their voices to support the GPE’s work in almost 60 low-income countries to ensure every child receives a quality, basic education.

    As GPE Champions, Malala, Obaji and other advocates will be speaking up for the rights of children, to an education – and urging governments, business and civil society to work together to fulfill the long-standing pledge of delivering education for all.

    Malala, who last year became the youngest ever Nobel Prize Winner, said on GPE website: “Education is the right of every girl, every human being. I’m proud to be a champion for the Global Partnership for Education.

    “I believe all countries can do more, rich countries must do their part and keep their promises, and developing countries must give more of their own budgets to education.”

    Malala further added that every student knows what it is like to take an exam. “I hope world leaders will pass their own test and resolve to keep their promises every day, in every country, in every classroom,” she said.

    Similarly, Obaji, who won The Future Africa Awards Prize in Education last December, said: “As a children’s rights activist, I’ve worked with the most violated, traumatized and forgotten children in northern Nigeria.

    “I have seen children physically and mentally tortured, forcibly conscripted into armed groups, and forced to leave their homes. But I have also witnessed the transformative power of education.”

    Obaji also added that the Global Partnership for Education has helped many developing countries, including Nigeria, take the right path in their education systems.

    “As a result, millions of children are back in school, and funding is increasing for education in many places.”

    Besides Nigeria’s Obaji and Malala, the team of advocates who are championing the GPE course include, World At School co-founder, Chernor Bah; Dutch Youth Representative to UNESCO, Frits Brouwer and UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador, Hayley McQuire.

    Others include Canadian advocate and President of OneChild, Cheryl Perera; President of Leonard Cheshire Young Voices, Guyana; Leroy Philips, and Cameroonian advocate and Member of the United Nations Global Education First Initiative Youth Advocacy Group, Bertheline Nina Tchangoue are other young advocates championing the GPE cause.

  • Adichie’s Americanah, others shortlisted for IMPAC Literary award

    Adichie’s Americanah, others shortlisted for IMPAC Literary award

    No fewer than 10 novels have been shortlisted for the 20th International IMPAC DUBLIN Literary Award, managed by Dublin City Libraries.

    The list includes Americanah by Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, three novels in translation from Brazil, France and Morocco and novels from Australia, Ireland, the UK, and the USA.

    The IMPAC DUBLIN Literary Award, an initiative of Dublin City Council, is worth €100,000 to the winner and is the world’s most valuable annual literary award for a single work of fiction published in English.

    The award was launched on 7th April 1995, making this year our 20th anniversary.

    The shortlisted titles are:

    1.  Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigerian) Published by
    Fourth Estate and by Alfred A. Knopf.

    2.  Horses of God by Mahi Binebine (Moroccan) Translated from French by
    Lulu Norman. Published by Tin House Books.

    3.  Harvest by Jim Crace (British) Published by Picador and by Alfred A.
    Knopf.

    4.  The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan (Australian)
    Published by Vintage Australia.

    5.  Burial Rites by Hannah Kent (Australian) First Novel.  Published by
    Little, Brown & Company and by Picador Australia.

    6.  K by Bernardo Kucinski (Brazilian) Translated from Portuguese by Sue
    Branford. Published by Latin American Bureau.

    7.  Brief Loves That Live Forever by Andreï Makine (French,
    Russian-born) Translated from French by Geoffrey Strachan. Published by
    MacLehose Press.

    8.  TransAtlantic by Colum McCann (Irish) Published by Bloomsbury
    Publishing, Random House Inc. and HarperCollins Canada.
    9.  Someone by Alice McDermott (American) Published by Farrar, Straus &
    Giroux.

    10. Sparta by Roxana Robinson (American) Published by Farrar, Straus &
    Giroux.

    Speaking on the award, Ruth Doyle said; The titles on this year’s shortlist were nominated by public libraries in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the USA”, said Lord Mayor Christy Burke, Patron of the Award. “This is a list of high quality literature with three novels in translation which might not otherwise be brought to the attention of readers. I am delighted to see a Dubliner’s name included on the list – Colum McCann.

    “The 20th winner will be chosen from this intriguing international shortlist which includes four women writers. The novels come from Africa, America, Australia, Brazil, France, Ireland and the UK” said Margaret Hayes, Dublin City Librarian, “While many of the stories reflect contemporary themes, they bring us characters facing timeless challenges of love and loss, of innocence and isolation. These engaging stories are set against contrasting landscapes which include Brooklyn, Iceland and
    Lagos.”

    One of the shortlisted authors is a previous winner. Colum McCann won the prize in 2011 for his novel Let the Great World Spin.

    The five member international judging panel, chaired by Hon. Eugene R. Sullivan, will select one winner which will be announced by the Lord Mayor of Dublin and Patron of the Award, Christy Burke, on the morning of Wednesday 17th June.

    The Lord Mayor reminded Dubliners that they can borrow the shortlisted novels from Dublin City Public Libraries. “Readers have plenty of time to pick their own favourite between now and 17th June, when I announce the winner”, he said.

    The International IMPAC DUBLIN Literary Award is presented annually for a novel written in English or translated into English. An initiative of Dublin City Council, which now retains full ownership, the award aims to promote excellence in world literature and is managed by Dublin City Public Libraries.

    It is open to novels written in any language and by authors of any nationality. Nominations are submitted by library systems in major cities throughout the world.

    Founded in April 1995, the award is now in its 20th year.

  • Nigerians bag Gates Cambridge Scholarship

    Nigerians bag Gates Cambridge Scholarship

    Fifty-four of the world’s most academically exceptional and socially committed young people from 28 countries, including two Nigerias, have been selected as Gates Cambridge Scholars.
    They will begin their postgraduate courses at the University of Cambridge this October.
    The Nigerians scholars are Chiedozie Ibekwe, who will do an MPhil in Public Policy and Chioma Ngonadi, enrolled for a PhD in Archaeology.
    The 54 successful candidates were selected from a total pool of 3,535 applicants on the basis of their intellectual ability, leadership capacity, academic fit with Cambridge, and their commitment to improving the lives of others. Departments in Cambridge nominated candidates for the Scholarships and, of these, 106 were interviewed in Cambridge in late March (in person, by Skype or by telephone) by four panels of interviewers drawn from across the Schools in the University.
    Forty one of these were for PhDs and 13 for MPhils [masters]. The Scholarships were split evenly between genders.
    Ibekwe says the technology infrastructure deficit he observed growing up in Nigeria motivated him to study engineering at the University of Mississippi.
    His honours thesis, which proposed a strategy to develop an affordable portable generator for the Sub-Saharan Africa market, exposed him to the problems of manufacturing in countries like Nigeria due to infrastructure and human capital challenges. His passion for manufacturing attracted him to the Operations Management Leadership Program at General Electric (GE) where he spent two years training in manufacturing and supply chain management.
    In 2013, he had a rewarding experience in Nigeria supporting the local supply base development for GE in preparation for a new manufacturing plant. This experience helped him to appreciate the multiplier effect of manufacturing in terms of job creation.
    He is currently pursuing a master’s in supply chain management at Pennsylvania State University while working for GE Oil & Gas in procurement. After studying public policy at Cambridge, he plans to advise African policymakers on crafting and executing effective industrial policies to boost manufacturing and diversify African economies.
    He says: “My career goal is to use manufacturing, with localised supply chains, to drive development in Africa.”
    Ngonadi was born and raised in Anambra State and got a First Class Honors in Archaeology from University of Nigeria, Nsukka. In 2010, she completed my MA in Archaeology from the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania funded by SIDA/SAREC through African Archaeology Network.
    Her MA research was on a comparative study of the pottery from sites in coastal Tanzania.
    She focused on Mwangia pottery, a variant of Early Iron Working pottery (EIW) and compared it to the subsequent Triangular Incised Wares (TIW) tradition. Analysis of pottery showed that TIW has closer cultural affinities to Mwangia than the preceding traditions (Limbo and Kwale). She says: “My love for archaeology has taken me to Comoros Island, Uganda and Tanzania.
    ” At Cambridge, my PhD thesis seeks to examine the origin and development of farming over the longue duree in Lejja, southeastern Nigeria. Through ethnography, survey and excavation, my study will establish andoutline a cultural sequence with focus on the last 3,000 years and thus analyse broad scale changes in agricultural practices of these communities over this period.”
    The subjects of the research of the scholars range from aortic aneurysms, breast cancer and childhood leukaemia to sexual violence in India, bilingualism and autism, identity and nationhood in Ukrainian modernist writing and sustainable development.
    The 54 Scholars chosen in the International selection round will join 40 new American Gates Cambridge Scholars who were selected after interviews in the USA in February.
    Professor Barry Everitt, Provost (CEO) of the Gates Cambridge Trust, said: “We are delighted to have awarded Gates Cambridge Scholarships to 54 outstanding individuals from such a wide spread of countries and backgrounds. The Scholars are truly remarkable and inspiring individuals and showed at interview that they fit the mission of the Scholarship by their commitment to using their academic skills and leadership capacity to improve the lives of others. We look forward to welcoming all 94 new Scholars to Cambridge in October and to seeing their future impact as Gates Cambridge Alumni”.
    The Gates Cambridge Scholarship was established by the generosity of a $210m donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000, the largest single donation to a UK university.

  • Chibok girls’ Timeline: 365 days in captivity

    Chibok girls’ Timeline: 365 days in captivity