The Nation Newspaper

Tag: engineering

  • Fight corruption, uplift engineering, don advises

    The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof Adekojo Waheed, has said corruption must be fought headlong for engineering to experience more breakthroughs.

    He spoke at the second lecture/first induction of the College of Engineering, Bells University of Technology (BellsTech), Ota.

    Waheed, who decried corruption in all facet of life, noted that if bureaucratic bottlenecks that had hindered flow of  funds to appropriate quarters are removed, disciplines, such as engineering would henceforth enjoy free flow of funds which could facilitate its operations.

    Said Waheed: “Government and the society should rise up to fight against corruption. This should include direct remittance of funds to the account of executing companies and more serious actions and sanctions should be meted out to those found guilty of corruption.  Middle level engineering personnel should also undergo regular training; policies and governance should be enhanced, appropriate research and development should also be carried-out.

    Speaking on the topic: Challenges of engineering practice in Nigeria emerging economy, Waheed said: “Another way forward for the engineering profession to move on, is enhancing quality assurance measures towards guaranteeing top quality job delivery.

    Waheed listed challenges militating against the engineering practice to include inadequate engineering education and re-training.

    “There is poor funding, poor attitude of employers, inadequate equipment, students population explosion without commensurate facilities, lack of high-quality manpower, inadequate industrial training, poor remuneration for practising engineers and lack of appropriate government policy,” he said.

    He said there was also insufficient engineering research, dearth of engineering material-producing industries, and poor quality assurance measures, among others.

    He said Nigeria has abundant human and natural resources that can make her a truly great nation, adding that Vision 20:2020 is achievable.

    “As a matter of fact, Nigeria’s potential are far greater than what we are seeing presently. The greater potential will manifest when the professionals, especially in engineering and technology take their appropriate lead that would bring the technical and engineering know-how to boost the productive and productivity capacity of the nation economy,” he noted.

    He listed other professions that influence status to include Accounting, Architecture, Dentistry, Dietetics, Education, Engineering, Law, Mathematics, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Psychology, Science, Statistics, Surveying, Teaching, and Veterinary Medicine.

    The disciplines, he said, play significant roles in the provision of public goods and services, adding that the development, growth and well being of citizens of a nation depends largely on the contributions of her professionals in various fields across private and public sector.

    The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof Isaac Adeyemi, congratulated the students who were also graduating.

     

  • Varsity gets license to teach engineering

    The Nigeria University Commission (NUC) has approved engineering programmes for Adeleke University, a private university, located in Ede, Osun State.

    When the school resumes academic session, the management said the engineering programme would start.

    The faith-based institution got the NUC license to operate in 2011, but started with courses in Business, Social Sciences, Arts and Sciences. The approval of engineering programme would boost the institution’s admission quota.

    Confirming the development, Director of Admissions, Mr Dipo Aliu, said: “The NUC has approved engineering courses and these include Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Agricultural Engineering. These four courses will be started immediately another session begins.”

     

  • Engineering students make case for quality education

    The Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka chapter of the Nigerian Universities Engineering Students’ Association (NUESA) has held a symposium to mark its Engineering Week.

    The event, which held at the FEG Engineering Hall, hosted students from Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT), Delta State University (DELSU), Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), and Anambra State University (ANSU).

    In his paper entitled: The importance of university and industry collaborations in engineering research, president of the DELSU chapter, Jude Uti, said collaborations between universities and engineering firms led to industries making giant strides in product improvement, service delivery, technology and medical advancement.

    He said the event offered students opportunity to meet with industry professionals, who could help them to choose mentors in their respective area and equip them with necessary knowledge to make them employable.

    A lecturer in the Department of Industrial Production Engineering (IPE), Prof Christopher Ihueze, in his lecture titled: The making of Nigerian engineer and common engineering courses: Panacea for infrastructural development, said poor and inadequate infrastructure hinders Africa’s development. He said the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Vision 20:2020 may not be attained if infrastructure is left to rot without funding.

    He condemned people’s attitude to emphasise university education without quality, stressing that corruption, insufficient and poor infrastructure, lack of incentives and obsolete engineering curriculum reduced performance of engineering students.

    The Director of Electronics Development Institute (ELDI) in Aba, Dr Michael Ndinechi, who spoke on From research to realisation, said: “A successful national research endeavour requires a number of facilities to be put in place, which include knowledge institution, laboratory facilities, funds and researcher-industry linkage.”

    At the event were  former UNIZIK Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Prof Sam Omenyi, president of the Students’ Union Government Chukwunonso Ibe, presidents of NUESA in ANSU, FUTO and ESUT chapters Kingsley Anyadike, Chibuzo Okonkwo and Igwe Ofodile respectively.

  • Engineers, ICPC to fight quackery

    Engineers, ICPC to fight quackery

    The Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) is partnering the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to fight quackery in engineering.

    COREN President Kasim Ali spoke yesterday in Abuja at the 23rd Engineering Assembly, with the theme: Commercialising Engineering: An Imperative for National Development.

    The engineer explained that to ensure prompt response to violation of engineering code of ethics, the council signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ICPC.

    He said: “A copy of the MOU was circulated to all personnel with up-to-date licence. The council will not hesitate to use the provision in this MoU against any person or organisation that encourages quackery.

    “The major achievement in the last one year was the production of a revised Benchmark for Minimum Accreditation Standard (BMAS).

    “I am pleased to report that the council has accredited over 32 engineering programmes since the last engineering assembly. The council has also approved post-accreditation visit to accredited institutions. Under this policy, COREN will pay unscheduled visits to engineering programmes that had been visited, to ensure compliance with standards during accreditation.

    “Over the years, COREN received complaints that engineering graduates were not being posted to engineering establishments during mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

    “The NYSC Director-General has given the approval and directed appropriate directorates to ensure that henceforth engineering graduates should be posted to engineering establishments.”

    Kasim said the onus was on members to provide details of such establishment where engineering graduates could be posted.

    Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang said engineering technology plays a strategic role in nation-building because it provides the bedrock and catalyst for meaningful development.

  • ‘I’ ll abandon engineering for music’

    How did you become a music producer?

    It all started when I was in secondary school. I attended the Federal Government College, Ogwulawo in Kogi State. I developed interest in playing piano during church service. I started teaching myself. People who were expert in it also taught me. Later, I moved on to learn how to play guitar and I joined the music class in the school. Our music teacher, who we knew as Mr John, helped to develop my interest in guitar. So when I left secondary school in 2010, I was introduced to a music making software “Fix Studio”. That was how it all began on a large scale. The software allows conversion of music played with keyboard and piano to digital format. I felt I could really do things with the computer, without having to use the piano. So I started using Fix Studio. Then, I opened a studio in my parents’ house. In my second year in university, I bought my own instruments and got a place where I am now.

    How were you able to procure the gadgets?

    It was not easy because then, I had to save my pocket money. Instead of buying new clothes, I would save the money and put on old clothes so that I could buy some of these equipment you see here. Today, I thank God that things have changed.

    Do you sing also?

    Yes, I sing. But I do more of production and sound mixing. I have some tracks but two of them have been released. They are Sweat While and Serenade. Presently, I am working on my digital album to be released before the end of the year.

    Does your being a music producer in any way affect your studies?

    Yes, It does. But not so bad. I know that if I can invest all efforts I am putting into music production into my academic assignment, there would be a big difference. But the fact remains that academic certificate is what I need to acquire but music is what I have interest in. But then, God has been wonderful. My grade point is okay. It is all about time management.

    What are the challenges you face as a music producer?

    My major one is separating music, business and personal life. Progress in music has a lot to do with fame, and fame brings with it a lot of responsibilities. This is where my challenge lies.

    Have you played alongside any popular artiste?

    Not really but I have done a lot of works with upcoming artistes. I have worked with Eclipse, a graduate of UNN, whose record label cherishes my work. We have many songs whose beat I mixed. They are yet to be released. But one of the songs titled Holy Water has been released. I have other artistes I am working with.

    What would you like to change in the Nigerian music industry?

    I want to bring in dynamism to expand the industry. One problem Nigerians have is that, once an artiste releases a song and it becomes popular, everybody will begin to make the same kind of song, same pattern, the same flow and same lyrics. But I want to bring in something different from this; I want to make Nigerians understand that innovation is the key.

  • OAU’s leadership in software engineering

    Obafemi Awolowo Uiversity, Ile-Ife continues to engrave her name in the psyche of global reckoning as a centre of academic excellence. She remains the best and the number one university in Nigeria. She has retained this position for two consecutive years. In the latest Webometric ranking of world universities released by the Cybermetrics Lab of Spain – a world renowned Research Council and which was circulated around the world, the university was ranked the best and number one university in Nigeria and the entire sub-region of West Africa. She also moved from number 14 position to number eight in the Africa. This makes her the first university in Nigeria to be among the best 10 universities in Africa.

    This break-taking achievement has been made possible because OAU as the leading ICT university in Nigeria continues to be the trail-blazer in other ICT initiatives in the nation’s educational landscape. Her researchers developed and established the first i-Lab in Africa, South of Sahara, after, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) started its pilot programme in 2005 with three African universities namely OAU, Makerere University, Uganda and University of Dar a-Salaam, Tanzania. I-Lab is a scientific innovation which enables students and researchers carry out experiments over a network without being in the same geographical location. Her Central Science Laboratory with the assemblage of state-of-the art equipment, including Varian Mercury 200 NMR Spectrometer which is the only one in the entire Nigerian university system is the best not only in Nigeria but in the entire West Africa. It attracts researchers and scholars from the sub-region. In furtherance of the determination of the administration of Professor Bamitale Omole to make ICT and other related innovations the fulcrum of her developmental strategy in teaching, research, administration and service delivery, she is now the pace-setter in software engineering.

    Recently, with the financial support from Step-B/World Bank and Skye Bank Plc, a multi-million naira Centre of Excellence in Software Engineering was commissioned in OAU in July. The facilities in the centre will greatly impact in the teaching and research efforts of the university and make her retain its enviable position on the ranking of global universities by Webometric as the best university in Nigeria.

    The centre’s Telepresence Environment which is fully equipped with Huawei TP 3118 product will enhance the delivery of lectures for large classes. Lectures will be delivered to students located in different auditoria in real-time over the internet. OAU researchers will also have web-conferencing and interactions with other researchers all over the globe in real time via the internet. There exists a Cloud Computing Environment (CCE) with 7.7 TB cloud server for applications and OS, and cloud storage of 96TB with 500 virtual Terminals.

    The objective of the centre which is well-equipped with highly sophisticated equipment is to address the paucity and dearth of educational software which will utilize teaching aids in the teaching and learning of Science and Technology (S & T) post-basic courses. It will also enhance the capacity of post-basic teachers to develop, deploy and evaluate teaching and learning of S & T using modern ICT facilities with a view to facing the 21st century S & T challenges. The programmes of the centre will build national capacities through postgraduate trainings, post-doctoral researches, short-term trainings, conferences and workshops in software engineering in S&T courses such as software development and application, networking, development of internet and web applications, simulations, graphic, remote experimentation, hardware design, implementation and maintenance.

    The centre will impart knowledge to students in these areas using ICT driven participatory and student-centred teaching and learning approaches that would produce graduates who will be practical-oriented and serve as the catalysts and purveyors of the technological development of the nation.

    For the centre to move abreast with modern trends in software engineering, it will leverage on some international and national partners which OAU has working relationships. The international partners include Abdusaalam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Italy for the provision of network backbone and hotspots, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) U.S.A in the area of S&T training and research in internet and remote experimentation, Hewlett Packard (H.P) in the area of modern methods in teaching S & T courses, CISCO Academy and Oracle Academy, USA in capacity building in networking and database management. CHAMS PLC, OMATEK Computers Plc and Main One Nigeria Computers Plc which are the local partners will also assist in software development, hardware design and implementation as well as in the provision of internet bandwidth respectively. Already, Sir Demola Aladekomo, Group Managing Director of CHAMS Plc and an alumnus of the university has graciously agreed to build a Software Development House (SDH) to be located beside the centre to expand the software studio.

    The centre also has a software studio where developers can interact to enhance their development skills with a view to developing various applications in software for local and international consumption. The software studio has started producing results. Within the last six months, a group of students from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering trained at the centre as software developers have been able to produce two major innovations: the “‘Akowe” and the “Kedu” software. The Akowe is an application software that enables lecturers deliver lectures over network either via the internet, or the Intranet, and for students to receive the lectures remotely from different locations. The “Kedu” is a network based on real-time communication system that leverages on the existing network facility of the University. It enables users communicate over the Local Area Network (LAN) even without the internet.

    The i-Lab project has also made significant impact in teaching and research efforts by OAU. Firstly, it has solved some of her basic needs in experimentation. Another significant benefit of the project is the opportunity OAU students have had in working with leading global companies in the domain of the project. Through the i-Lab project, OAU staff and students have free access to majority of the lecture notes, audio, video and presentations of MIT Professors under that Institution’s Open Course Ware (OCW) which is the most popular Open Educational Resource (OER) project. This is because OAU is the only university in Nigeria which has the server of the OCW of MIT. Staff and students of OAU have leveraged on the accessibility of the MIT Open Course Ware to conduct research activities including porting the i-Lab platform to mobile phones, developing servomotor lab which allows students to carry out experiments in control engineering, and developing Emona Datex laboratory which enables experiments to be carried out in telecommunications.

    As a result of the immeasurable benefits from interdisciplinary collaboration in the area of research and training, OAU will extend the immense benefits of both the i-Lab project and the software engineering to other universities in the country.

    • Adefemi is of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife

     

  • How I dumped engineering for acting —John Dumelo

    How I dumped engineering for acting —John Dumelo

    Ghanaian actor John Dumelo caused a lot of stir some years back as people questioned his sexuality when he chose to be part of a Nigerian movie described to be gay titled Men in Love. He reacted to such intense criticisms at the time, saying he is not bothered with such stories because he is not gay.

    John further posited then that acting, first and foremost, is a craft, and as an actor, one must be willing to step out of his comfort zone by taking up different roles to enhance one’s craft. The suave actor who was spotted recently reveals more about his career, relationship and his foundation in this interview with AHMED BOULOR.

     

     

    WHAT are you here in Nigeria for?

    I am here in Nigeria for the premier of the movie titled Letter to my Mother. The movie is produced by Kafiu Danku who is also an actress herself. It is a catchy production and it will sure win over a lot of fans.

    What role did you play in the movie?

    I played the role of a loving man who was abroad for a while and then came back home to search for a woman to marry. When I got home, I showed the woman I was about to get married to my mum but she didn’t approve of the woman. I didn’t understand why my mum didn’t want me to marry the lady in question and there was a certain reason why she didn’t approve of the marriage. I later got to find out why my mum didn’t want me to marry the said lady as the movie unfolded.

    Why did you choose to be part of the movie?

    I read the script and I loved it because the director gave me the role and it was really challenging. I have never played such a role as an actor; I have played the role of a lover boy and a bad boy as well, but this role was quite different from what I had done in the past. I decided to give it a try and see where it takes me to. I also played the part of a mentally ill patient at some point in the movie and that part was really challenging.

    How did you get along with your other colleagues on the set of the movie?

    It was a great experience on the set; the director ensured everything went on well and Adjetey Anang also put up a sterling performance while we were together on set. It was a wonderful working experience and I am glad to be part of the movie.

    What was growing up like for you?

    Growing up was fun; I grew up in Accra, Ghana from a middle income family and I had a wonderful time growing up as a child. I grew up like every normal child and I recall very memorable times as a young boy growing up in Accra. I went to the university and I studied Engineering and later became an actor; I am also a businessman.

    Why did you settle for acting instead of practising as an engineer?

    I have an engineering firm back home; it is not like I have forfeited being an engineer altogether. Whenever I am not on set doing my thing as an actor, I spend my time as an engineer. That also keeps me going too; I have understanding parents who gave me their support when I told them I wanted to become an actor. They gave me all the support they could muster and that is why I am able to juggle between acting and engineering. It has been a rewarding affair thus far and I only look forward to more positive outcome.

    How influential were your parents towards your acting career?

    My parents were really influential towards my acting career; at first they were not comfortable but I was able to overtime convince them about my intentions and they eventually had no option but to support me. I had been able to satisfy them on one side by getting a degree in engineering and they in turn supported my ambition to become an actor. They are my number one fans now and they buy all the films that I have featured in. I just can’t stop thanking them; they have been my pillar all these years.

    Did you always want to become an actor?

    Yes, I had always wanted to become an actor; I took part in my first movie about 22 years ago as a little kid. It was a kiddie’s production back home in Ghana and ever since that production I have always had the burning desire to be a renowned actor.

    So what has the journey been like thus far?

    It has been great; it has been awesome and I have had a steady growth and there is more to come in terms of films and other major productions. There is also more to come in terms of impacting people’s lives positively. I also run the John Dumelo Foundation and we help people across the continent of Africa. It has been great thus far…

    Do you have the intention of veering into movie production in the near future?

    Yes of course! I do harbour such intentions because I also run a film school in Ghana and I must say I am seriously looking forward to venturing into movie productions very soon.

    Do you think actors need any form of training to become movie producers?

    Well, yes! The fact that you act or you have an experience in acting in most instances affords you the needed experience to become a movie producer. An actor can comfortably become a good or great producer; mind you, it is not every great footballer that becomes a great coach.

    Some of my colleagues have evolved into producers and some direct too because acting gives you the edge, because it exposes the rudiments of producing and directing to you when you are on set as an actor. The movie industry is one that makes you evolve. It is just like banking…

    When did you launch your Foundation?

    The John Dumelo Foundation was founded about five years ago and so far we have been involved in so many projects back home in Ghana. We’ve also gone outside Ghana; we’ve had projects in The Gambia and we recently also had a charity project in Sierra Leone. By and large, this year we hope to embark on projects in 13 different African countries.

    For me, it is a way of giving back to the society that afforded us the opportunity to display our innate talents. When you go to such countries you discover that you also have fans there because they support you and buy your movies. It is essential that you give back in some way in helping small communities build schools, supply medical facilities, exercise books and stationery. That’s my little way of giving back.

    Was there any particular experience that made you set up the Foundation?

    My main reason was about giving back to the society; as an actor or someone in the entertainment industry, it is the fans that make you. And there is no better way to say thank you than giving to people who are your fans and are in need. It is about helping people for me with the little that I have; it doesn’t hurt for me to say take this to help someone in need. Plans are far advanced for the construction of a new classroom block for the Aberdeen Community School in Aberdeen, Freetown, Sierra Leone.

    We hope it is completed in the next 18 months. It is part of my quest to give back to society. The construction would be preceded by cash and school stationery. The Foundation has thus far embarked on several charity projects, including the ongoing construction of a four-unit classroom block for the Bayire Basic Primary School, Bayire, in the Upper Western Region of Ghana. I also have the John Dumelo Scholarship Scheme where we pay school fees for undergraduates in Ghanaian universities. As I said earlier, it is just a way of giving back and I am happy when I give back to society.

    What is in the pipeline for you?

    I am in Nigeria at the moment for a screening; I am also trying to put finishing touches to one of my movies very soon and by the end of this year you will see more movies that I produced myself.

    How do you contain female admirers?

    I kiss all of them (general laughter); I try to be nice to all of them. They inspire me a great deal. I love all my fans both males and females and they should not believe all the rumours they hear. The rumours are there and everyone has one trailing him or her but they should not believe the rumours they hear about me

    Are you married?

    No, I am not.

    When do you think you will get married?

    Maybe in a year or two

    Why are you not married yet?

    I am dating, and as I said, I’ll be married in a year or two.

  • From engineering to flour production

    From engineering to flour production

    Mrs  Jane Kolawole, Director, Janeland Net-works Limited is  a chemical engineer.

    A product of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology(LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State, she  became an entrepreneur a quirk of fate. She was given a contract  job instead  of a permanent one in a company  she served  as a Corps member.  Mrs  Kolawole realised that it was difficult for her  to keep the job and her home  as she had to leave early – sometimes at 5 a.m Lekki from her home at the mainland.

    Along the line, she  discovered  that her passion is in production. As she searched for ideas, she began to notice that many homes and small entrepreneurs use beans as an ingredient. The Janeland Networks boss decided to experiment with bean flour and started the  business from her kitchen. After some trials she produced a bean flour product acceptable by people making moin moin and akara.

    Her bean flour is made from beans, which has been cleaned, peeled and milled to a fine flour. The flour is used to prepare dishes such as moin-moin and akara.  Her experience in the chemical  industry along with her passion for good food has made her  a valuable asset in the creation and development of bean based products.

    Mrs   Kolawole started the business around 2010. In the beginning, business was slow. But she has been toughened by the highs and lows of the business.

    Some of the greatest challenges she faced at the beginning were economic. Mrs  Kolawole  started the business with little money. Then shwe bought a half  bag of  beans for  N8000. Now, it sells for between N10,000 and N12,000. She hopes  to run a successful business that will create jobs for friends and families. She has taken the risk, and proven that she has the courage to step up to the edge of the precipice and believes that she can make it. She is continuously look for ways to improve the way  the business  provides services to clients as a startup.

    She attributed growth of the business to her strong spiritual faith. The growth of the business is linked to good word-of mouth from satisfied clients, who continue to give her referrals and kept patronising her.

    Currently, the bean market is not oversupplied, so, she is going to benefit from increased demand, but needs funding to expand and support several products and initiatives to help small scale food producers.

     

  • In focus: Stem cell research and genetic engineering

    Continued from last week

    Imagine a patient with kidney failure spared the ordeal of renal dialysis twice a week. Consider a child on death bed with the condition of aplastic anaemia ,and a few hours after receiving transfusion of stem cells , his bone marrow begin to distribute healthy red blood cells into his circulation; picture how those affected will feel especially if they don’t have to travel out overseas for these interventions. Nothing makes greater sense of the presence of Government than having group specific health care facilities like those that can be deployed in the conditions stated above. The successful transplant of body parts such as Liver, Heart, Kidneys, or of limbs, depends on many factors including age, gender and health status of the recipient. Getting donors is another issue. For every one involved including the managing team to be happy at the end of such a big Endeavour, very many activities take place at different times and involve very many people, sometimes from across continents. Indications for such heroic major surgical interventions are not common but can arise as the fall out of natural disasters, wars, communal conflicts, accidents and others. It is fair to suggest that every country on earth has had a share of such challenges.

    The two hands of a young American soldier which he lost by way of traumatic amputations were recently replaced by a Team of Surgeons .What has made such a feat thinkable began as an idea from the observation by one group of scientists that certain animals, Salamanders, Klinks and Geckos have the capacity to replace body parts. Others also noted that certain animals performed autotomy,(self amputation) a phenomenom whereby an animal slices off parts of it’s body and escapes with the vital part, knowing it has the capacity to regenerate the lost parts. While the observations metamorphosed in the minds of scientists, others engineered replacing lost parts by fabricating them from whatever materials could suit the user and at the same time be environment friendly. Thus bioengineered artificial body parts predated the transplant of living tissues. Obviously through superior medical thinking, scientists in the western world are moving from the market of prosthesis to a more natural one of whole limb transplant. So the ability to face conflicts in all strategic directions after all, does not depend on how much mass destruction you can do with Conventional, Nuclear and Biological weapons, but more importantly how much repair you can do to the damage occasioned by your adventure, not only on your enemy but yourself as well.

    The argument is that it is time the establishment of centers of excellence in the country took into consideration these new frontiers in Anatomy, Physiology and biotechnology.

    Just as the location of a cement factory in an area helps provide employment for those willing to work , setting up laboratories and medical centers with adequate personnel and with all the equipment required to operate in accordance with international standards will open several opportunities for exchange of knowledge or shall we say secretes of the trade. Young aspiring scientists in Health, Bioengineering, Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Sciences will have access to facilities they only dream, or read about from the internet.

    This can only be achieved if Heads of institutions, Vice chancellors, Chief Medical Directors and others entrusted with oversight functions see them selves as individuals who will one day benefit from the contributions of those they head; if such heads of institutions, establishments and departments see every young man or woman as a Nigerian, and not an indigene of a state that should be punished for belonging or not belonging to a political or social arrangement.

    For many Nigerian scientists currently living overseas, happiness is not really complete. Those who are aging are not as free as their brothers and sisters here in Nigeria. Coming home to move freely with neighbors and socialize with family members, while making themselves available for research, teaching and inventions, remain uppermost in their minds, but challenges of the environment including the cancer of tribalism being persistently injected by governments, heads of institutions past and present have kept them quarantined overseas. One thing they do enjoy however is the fact that they are celebrated, something that gives them that sense of fulfillment. PhD students overseas are celebrated irrespective of race or color. They enjoy financial benefits from Governments, several foundations established by elder states men, politicians, entrepreneurs businessmen religious organizations and internationally recognized Scholars. Unlike in Nigeria, PhD students have no business paying tuition fees, or spending huge sums of money to see them through dissertations or thesis. Unless this system is dropped there may be nothing to remember about the MDGS after the year 2015.

    Indeed Stem cell research should be a priority area for African countries where the nature of the relationship between Malaria endemnicity, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and partial protection against sick ling for heterozygous (AS &AC) individuals, at least at the molecular level has not been fully understood. These three diseases are currently ravaging the continent and for them, the gains recorded so far have come as a result of knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP) studies and certainly not as a result of therapeutic measures, though they (therapeutics) have been significant in reducing mortality in some cases. It is however still very disheartening that more than half of the states still have HIV/AIDS prevalence higher than 40%. Current statistics are low estimates because the boys, are not going for voluntary counseling and testing (VCT), and rich men and women living with HIV/AIDS only tell people they have cancer. They do not go to government treatment centers to avoid being part of the statistics. The problem of course is that heads of families are dying leaving orphans with out any hopes of a future; the economy surfers when people suddenly stop going to work, and of course poverty is inevitable when money is diverted from other aspects of daily living, either to buy drugs or receive blood transfusion.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Samsung to build more engineering academies

    Global giants in mobile phones and household electronic products, Samsung, is to build more engineering academies to address technical and engineering skills shortage in Nigeria.

    Managing Director, Smasung Electronics West Africa Limited, Bravo Kim, told The Nation that building the Samsung Electronics Engineering Academy (SEEA) in the country further demonstrates the firm’s commitment to building a workforce of technicians and experts to fulfil the Federal Government’s plan of creating decent jobs, especially for the young.

    “We already have one SEEA in Lagos. The last one, which we went to do the ground breaking ceremony was in Ekiti, Ekiti State. So as long as any government shows interest, Samasung will partner with them. This year, we hope to have the one in Ekiti to join the one in Lagos. Every year, we like to establish one or two in each state,” he said.

    In 2011, Samsung launched its SEEA in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria as part of the company’s broader goal to develop 10, 000 Electronics Engineers across the continent by 2015.

    The SEEA provides hands-on, vocational skills training for Grade 10-12 students and opening up skilled, well-paying job opportunities for its students.

    According to him, the Nigerian market remains the largest on the continent. He expressed pleasure in the fact that the economy is growing, adding that the firm would partner with the government and other stakeholders to ensure that Samsung keeps growing with the market.

    Reviewing its activities last year, he said: “This (last) year, the economic situation has not been so good. But we are growing. In mobile phone (segment), we made about 60 per cent compared to last year and in our consumer electronics, depending on the product, there is some difference in general.”