The Nation Newspaper

Tag: course

  • Their course, their course

    Their course, their course

    When Emeka Monyei was filling his Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) form in 2009, he opted to study Law at the University of Benin (UNIBEN). By the time the admission list was released, he was offered Foreign Languages.

    Seemingly disappointed with what he called “a strange discipline”, he struggled to effect a change of course. Unluckily, all his efforts were abortive. “When it became obvious that there was nothing I could do to salvage the situation, I allowed fate to take its course,” he told CAMPUSLIFE.

    But the story is different today. Burning with passion for translation and interpretation, Emeka is poised to make a statement with his knowledge of French. Like Emeka, many students of the department are of the opinion that a sound knowledge of French is an added advantage in the ever competitive labour market of today.

    As French becomes the second official language of the world, opportunities are opening up in commerce, translation, e-learning, tourism, interpretation and diplomacy. Unlike most academic disciplines, Phatai Shittu said the language provided ample opportunity for French students to generate income. “I recall some of us made some money last year at the Nigeria French Village through translation. We had the rare privilege of translating documents for a fee. Some people travel to Benin Republic for cross-border transaction; we make good money interpreting French. I think the opportunities are boundless, especially when you know your onions,” he said.

    A number of students told CAMPUSLIFE that they had always believed that French graduates only end up in teaching a profession some of them dread. But in an interview with our correspondent, the head of UNIBEN’s French Department, Dr Austin Moye, said it is a grave error to believe that French graduates would be jobless after graduation.

    He said: “It is sad that some persons ignorantly underestimate the capability of a French graduate. In reality, vast opportunities abound for graduates of this discipline. We have graduates of this department who have distinguished themselves in various sectors of the economy.”

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the department boasts of the highest number of seasoned French professors than any other institution in Nigeria. This feat probably explains why many of the students outshine their counterparts, especially during their one-year language immersion programme in Togo and Badagry.

    For instance, a student of the department emerged the overall best in Francophone Literature in 2012 at the Nigeria French Language Village, Badagry. In the same year, another student of the department won the poetry prize in Togo, defeating contenders from various African countries.

    Dr Moye described the feat as a reflection of the excellent tutelage to which the students were exposed. He said: “You cannot divorce the quality of our professors from the excellence of our students. They are two sides of the same coin. The dynamism and proficiency of our lecturers affirm our prime place in the comity of French education in Nigeria.”

    The immediate past president of the department, George Emorkidi, told CAMPUSLIFE that the warm relationship among students and lecturers should be praised. “I have observed over the years that in most departments, students practically walk in fear. But here, the bond is quite strong. The ease with which lecturers relate with the students is akin to that of a family. That, in my estimation, makes the department unique.”

    In an attempt to key into the vision of the department’s leadership, the Foreign Languages Students’ Association (FOLSA), led by Bobbipetreus Nkejika, has instituted a weekly debate session for students aimed at developing their oral communication skills. A 200-Level student said: “So far, the debates have been intellectually stimulating. It prepares us to sharpen our communication skills and develop confidence in public speaking. The initiative has brought a lot of idea out of our minds.”

  • ‘Aregbesola Administration on course’

    ‘Aregbesola Administration on course’

    Osun State Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Special Duties Mr. Stephen Kola-Balogun spoke with Musa Odoshimokhe on the rural development programmes of the Aregbesola Administration.

     

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the programmes of Osun State government as cosmetic. What is your reaction?

    It is really laughable. When the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was in power for seven and half years, it could not make an impact on the lives of the people. Look at it critically; what has the People Democratic Party (PDP) got to show as its achievements in office in all the years it ruled Osun State? Of course, seven years is a very long time for one to make impact. The current administration has not spent more than two and half years and the people of Osun are seeing the projects embarked upon by the government. Government has already carved out a standard that is no longer as usual. Placing the records side by side, what did PDP do in term of employment? What did they do in term of providing social benefit for the aged? What about the physically challenged? I can conveniently say that the Aregbesola Administration is in touch with these people. He shares in their pains, loves them and has evolved packages for them to meet their challenges. This is not a propaganda. It is what is on the ground and they are verifiable. These are facts that can be proved and both administrations could be compared in terms of performance. Osun is making progress and on a steady march; not even million of forces lined up by the PDP elements will distract the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). It is unfortunate that people are really trying to find out the achievement of the past government because it puts Osun in reverse for over seven and half years. There should be no basis to compare, as far as I am concerned. Having said that, I put the question to you, what has the past administration achieved in State of Osun?

    Political motives have been read into the Osun anthem, which is recited after the National Anthem. Why should government allow this?

    What the government is just trying to do is to create awareness and raise the consciousness of the people to arise and join in the building of the state. It is making State of Osun part and parcel of the developmental efforts. The government wants the people to believe in themselves and have a sense of belonging in their state and I think that is very important. I am not going to be hypocritical. When I came in as the commissioner in the state, it took a while to know the anthem and now it is part of me. I understand where the governor is coming from. Usually, when we have events, we start with the National Anthem and immediately we have it, we now recite the state anthem. I must say that every time we say the National Anthem, they actually respect it and stand still as it runs its course, but very few people recite the words. In other word, the National Anthem is there, but they don’t really understand the message. But immediately the Omoluabi Anthem comes up, you could see the difference; both educated and illiterates who sell pepper and palm wine in the market join in reciting it. They are filled with pride that they are part of Osun and love the clarion call to build the state. What the people have shown is that they identified withthe culture and in other words, it raises their enthusiasm and kindred spirits. Again, the governor has not said the anthem is competing with the National Anthem. The National Anthem always comes first, but what I have noticed is that very few people recite the words.

    How far has the administration gone in the implementation of its rural development programmes?

    What is government? It is for the people by the people and for the people and my governor is fully aware of that. He is happy when they surround him. He believes that power belongs to the people and he is quite aware that when you have the people, you don’t have problem. He wants them to be part of the progressive march and would do all that is necessary to assuage their problems. The governor wants to know what they are doing, what they want and what they want to achieve. And that is what the Aregbesola Administration is all about. He has set the goals and wants to know at every point in time whether the people are being carried along. He wants to ensure that no constraints hinder them from getting what they are supposed to have.

    Can ACN government sustain its tempo of achievements in the State of Osun in the coming years?

    We already have a template for that. Look at Lagos State. ACN has been in control of Lagos State since 1999 and now we are in 2013 and it is waxing stronger. The people in Lagos and Osun states have been good governance and they are very happy. In Osun, government is caring for all segments of society; the youth, elderly, culture, sports, health. Government believes in the infrastructural development and what ever political action that is needed to back them up would not be infringed upon. We are trying to bring government back to the people; we are trying to answer the yearnings of the people. In Osun, we are giving the people the things that would add value to their lives; we are bringing succour to families that have been denied opportunities to good life. And I can assure you that another mandate will be given to us in the State of Osun. The people love the governor.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • On course

    On course

    •We welcome Reps’ move to tackle weak financial control in MDAs 

    The move by the House of Representatives to tackle frontally the challenge of weak and ineffective financial controls in our public finance system is certainly overdue. Here we refer to the planned amendment of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) under which the House seeks to make funding for the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (AGF), a first line charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federal Government.

    The rationale, according to the lawmakers, is to secure the financial autonomy for the office charged with curbing the financial excesses of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government. The lawmakers also believe that this would address the issue of paltry allocation to the office in the budget, which continues to limit its ability to carry out its mandate. A good illustration is the statement credited to the auditor general, Samuel Ukura, saying that the agency could not audit the accounts of 97 foreign missions in the 2012 budget year because there was no money for his office to work. In the 2013 budget, the sum of N892milion was proposed for the office to audit the accounts of close to 600 MDAs.

    We share in the broad objective of weaning the office off its dependence on the finance ministry and the Budget Office. As it is, the nation has long moved beyond the debate on the need for independence for a critical office like that of the auditor-general. The challenge has always been how to ensure that the institution, as indeed similar ones, have the wherewithal to carry out their jobs and in an unfettered atmosphere.

    Financial autonomy is however only one step in the long journey to improved service delivery. Clearly, the time has come for the National Assembly to look into the books to see how, in addition to the proposed financial autonomy, the operational capacity of the office can be further enhanced. We consider that also key to the whole effort to reposition the office.

    The move by the lawmakers has itself thrown up some related constitutional issues deserving no less attention; these relate to the structure and nomenclature of some of the Federal Government’s agencies, as these have implications for our current practice of federalism.

    A good example is the office of the AGF itself; ordinarily, the correct appellation ought to be Auditor-General of the Federal Government since its mandate covers only the accounts of the Federal Government and its agencies. The same is also true of the offices of the accountant-general and the Attorney-General of the Federation which should be properly designated as those of the Federal Government.

    Of course, the former is without prejudice to the demand for the separation of the office of Accountant-General of the Federal Government from that of the Federation Account. The current situation in which the Federal Government appointee doubles as both the chief accountant to the Federal Government while superintending the federation account is not only far from equitable but also absurd.

    We also urge the National Assembly to take another look at the strident clamour for the separation of the attorney-general’s office from that of the minister of justice. We see great merits in the arguments that the two offices be separated. Indeed, our prescription is that the attorney-general – be it Federal Government or states – as the foremost defender of the public in the matters of law and public policy, should be insulated from the topsy-turvy of executive politics. That done, the minister of justice could then be left with the roles of being the administrative head of justice ministry as well as legal adviser to the Federal Government or the states – as the case might be.

  • Gbemi Saraki charts fresh course

    Gbemi Saraki charts fresh course

    Senator Gbemi Saraki, the delectable daughter of the late godfather of Kwara politics, Dr. Olusola Saraki, is currently enjoying life to the fullest even though she is said to be missing her late father and confidant.

    She had recoiled into her shell after losing the 2011 governorship election. The election was said to have taken a lot out of her, but the affable young woman is also said to be content that she gave a good account of herself in the contest.

    While the campaigns lasted, she had made not a few enemies from those who at some point wanted her silenced. Family sources informed Happenstances that she has finally settled the political tiff between her and her elder brother and former governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki. At the moment, the duo are said to be working together towards reviving their family bank.

    We gathered that the former Societe Generale Bank Nigeria (SGBN) owned by the late Olushola Saraki, which had its licence revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) some years ago, resumed operations last Tuesday with a new trade name, Heritage Bank. Happenstances gathered that the bank has already poached many of the top bankers in the industry from the existing banks.

  • Ex-bank chief Ike Oraekwuotu charts new course

    THESE are definitely best of the times for Ike Oraekwuotu, former Managing Director of Equitorial Trust Bank. After his exit from the banking industry no thanks to the Lamido Sanusi-led Central Bank sweeping reforms, Ike delves into haulage business and he is said to be smiling to the bank with returns from his investment.

  • Lulu: My dream for Nigerian football is still on course

    Lulu: My dream for Nigerian football is still on course

    SANI LULU, former Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), on Monday said that his vision for football development in the country was still alive.

    He said this was in spite of the case filed against him by the EFCC.

    The EFCC in 2010 filed a 10-count criminal charge against Lulu and three other former NFF officials who served with him on the board of the NFF.

    The case borders on alleged mismanagement of about N1.3 billion belonging to the football house.

    Lulu, however, said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, that no group or individual would stop him from contributing his quota to the development of football.

    He said he would not be discouraged from helping to fashion out a better way for the development of football, which he had been doing through FOSLA Academy, his football academy.

    ”What we have done in the past two to three years that I started this academy, which is built around a secondary school, is to have a place where boys will be put together to pursue their educational career.

    ”We are so disciplined pursuing this course and what is important is that I have full record of their background information.

    ”Their age certificates are openly confirmed from their parents and the schools they came from.

    “So I will expose them through the secondary school programmes that I have and I believe they will be of great service to the country by the time they finish and are going to tertiary institutions.

    ”In fact, judging from the way we are managing them, they will go places,’’ Lulu said.

    According to him, the experience gathered from the grassroots in the past 20 years has placed him in a better position to identify budding talents.

    ”I am a product of the grassroots and I have played football actively. I have also rendered my services as a public servant to government, so I feel the best thing to do is to get into the grassroots,’’ he added.

    Lulu noted that poor documentation of players’ records and the lack of control are the major challenges facing football academies in the country.

    He, however, told NAN that he had enough time now to concentrate, after his reign at the football secretariat, and to coordinate the activities of young footballers, especially his students.

  • ABUAD begins course in social justice

    Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), a Federal Government licensed private university acknowledged by NUC and other stakeholders as a model, and the fastest growing private university in Africa, has been granted approval by NUC to commence academic programme leading to the award of B.Sc Social Justice 2012/2013 academic session.

    The unique programme, designed by the University, is a multi-disciplinary and utility course for para-legal personnel to develop and strengthen the processes, values, skills and knowledge essential for alleviating the current problems that impair the working of the public and private sector.

    The programme, which is very rich in utility subjects and is mainly law, social sciences and international languages, will make the graduands bi-lingual and problem solvers in the public and private sectors, according to a statement from the university. They will be marketable in Nigeria and beyond and be sought for particularly in embassies, government agencies and parastatals such as Nigerian Police Force, NDLEA, Nigeria Prisons, Immigration, NAFDAC, EFCC, Nigerian Customs, Multi-national and Municipal companies.

    The graduates are not expected to attend Law School but are entitled to proceed to Postgraduate and Ph.D programmes. In addition, after graduating they could qualify for admission into second year in the Law College.

    Reforming our institutions and providing professionals depend on quality contributions from well-trained men and women.

    When the Resource Verification Team from NUC visited the institution, the leader of the team, Prof. Eyin Oshio said, “It is good I have been here as an eye witness of this spectacular development. Excellent! This is worthy of emulation, continue to excel, never relent and never give up”. Another member of the team, Dr. Kumo has this to say, “a truly determined faculty, equipped with adequate resources to achieve excellence”.

  • President, National Assembly still on collision course?

    President, National Assembly still on collision course?

    THERE is no sign that the differences between the National Assembly and the Presidency have narrowed despite yesterday’s presentation of the 2013 Budget Estimates by President Goodluck Jonathan. The undercurrents were clear in Senate President David Mark’s opening speech and Speaker Aminu Tambuwal’s Vote of Thanks.

    Mark emphasised that contrary to previous contention by the Presidency that the figures cannot be tinkered with by the legislature, the Assembly would exercise its power in scrutinising the figures and only appropriate that which it considers to be in the country’s best interest.

    Tambuwal, too, insisted that, as “I speak, interim field oversight reports from House Committees on the 2012 budget implementation are clearly unimpressive both in terms of releases as well as utilisation and this is a great challenge to all of us. It is important to state at this point the clear provisions of Section 8 of the Appropriation Act to the effect that approved budgeted funds shall be released to MDAs as at when due. This is sadly observed more in breach.”

    The year had started with disagreement over the executive’s management of oil subsidy fund. As the Labour movement took exception to the unilateral withdrawal of oil subsidy by the President, the House of Representatives convened a special sitting on a Sunday where it supported Labour’s position, calling for a suspension of the policy. The Presidency felt affronted.

    Another source of disagreement has been the non-execution of the constituency projects captured in the budget.

    The Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, once alluded to this in responding to charges by the lawmakers. She said the projects had not been ignored, but were undergoing the due process of release. The legislators took exception to the executive’s refusal to ensure due release of funds for the projects that would have endeared them to their constituencies.

    In August, confronted with an earlier resolution of the House threatening to remove the President if he failed to ensure 100 per cent implementation of the budget, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala said it was wrong to hold that the budget had only been implemented to the tune of 34 per cent. She put the figure at 56 per cent.

    However, a week after, while appearing before the Senate Joint Committee on Appropriation, Finance, Public Account, Public Procurement and Poverty Alleviation, the Finance Minister revised the percentage to 41 per cent.

    Just before the House went on recess in July, a motion by Albert Sam-Tsokwa and 20 other members sought to reprimand the executive for poor handling of the economy.

    In his contribution, Minority Leader Femi Gbajabiamila said: “President Goodluck Jonathan promised Nigerians a budget of transformation, but what we have is a budget of abracadabra.” He then added the more controversial clause, “if by the time we resume on September 18, budget has not been implemented 100 per cent, we shall begin impeachment process on Mr. President.”

    It did not stop there. While some Nigerians argued that it was just Gbajabiamila’s opinion as there was no such resolution by the House, no sooner did the lawmakers resume than they made it clear that they would not be available to receive the President on October 4 for the budget implementation. The House resolved that members should go on oversight and physical inspection of projects, a hint that it was still angry with the executive.

    The Senate was not left out. At a plenary session, outcry over economic performance and the security situation led respected Senator Uche Chukwumerije to threaten to lead the compilation of signatures that would pave the way to serving the President with a notice of impeachment if there was no noticeable improvement in the handling of public affairs.

    In obvious response to the growing disaffection with the legislature, the president last month came up with a Performance Contract Bond that would hold the ministers to their programmes of action. An innovation of the National Planning Ministry, the bond is expected to be reviewed every six months ostensibly in a bid to ensure that the much-orchestrated Transformation Agenda works.

    The President’s presentation of the 2013 Budget three months before the year ends is an improvement on previous years. Last year, the budget could not be signed into law before April 20, a situation that provided an excuse for the Finance Minister over the failure of implementation of the Capital Budget.

    The Information Minister, Mr. Labaran Maku, told reporters after a recent Federal Executive Council meeting that “the controversy is distracting the implementation of the budget”. Would things change in 2013? Would the National Assembly pass the budget before January 1 to allow for full implementation of the proposed fiscal plans?

    If the row enthrones sanity in the management of the economy, the people will rejoice.