The Nation Newspaper

Tag: geology

  • Ooni pays tributes to Oyawoye, Africa’s first professor of geology

    The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, says the Yoruba race is fortunate to have the likes of Prof.  Mosobalaje Oyawoye, Africa’s first professor of geology.

    The monarch spoke on yesterday in Ibadan at the launch of a book written by Oyawoye ‘Path of Destiny: An autobiography of Professor Mosobalaje Olaloye Oyawoye.’’

    The monarch said: “It is our contributions to humanity that count after our demise. The world is vanity; every material thing acquired will be left here, it would not matter. It is how much impact we have on people that constitutes an enduring legacy.

    “The first success Baba Oyawoye had is the blessing and grace to uplift others; you are a good father whose story will be included in the annals of Nigeria’s history.”

    Others who paid tributes to Oyawoye included the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, the Vice-Chancellor of Durham University in the United Kingdom, Prof. Stuart Corbridge, as well as Prof.  Akin Mabogunje and Prof.  Bolanle Awe.

    The reviewer of the book and professor of history at the University of Ibadan,   Tayo Adesina, described the publication as “a story of servant hood and selflessness to humanity.’’

    “According to the author,  this book is to serve as his autobiography, one that was set within Offa history, culture and tradition.

    “This self-imposed mandate is considered important to the next generation to fill their understanding on leadership, history, culture and tradition,’’ he said.

    Adesina said the 14-chapter book spread across 514 pages would enrich humanity beyond the boundary of Offa where the author hails from.

    Oyawoye, in his remarks, expressed appreciation and joy at being celebrated.

    “The book is filled with my experience of the University of Ibadan which has moulded my personal character; it has taught me that integrity should not be compromised.

    “Most of our universities are being destroyed because the government took them over. I resigned after 17 years when I saw the incursion of the military government into tertiary institutions and the danger it portends.

    “The return of autonomy to school is the key to revamping the education sector in Nigeria,” he said.

    According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the event was organised by the Monmodu-Jamiu Oyawoye Foundation in collaboration with Book Kraft.

  • Oil firm donates building to UNN Geology department

    Platform Petroleum Limited, an indigenous oil and gas exploration and production company yesterday handed over an ultra-modern building to the Geology Department of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The event had Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu as Special guest. He was joined by other distinguished guests, such as Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, Chairman of Platform Petroleum, Dr. ABC Orjiako, Chairman of SEPLAT, Professor O. Sylvester Adegoke, Dr. Bolaji Ogundare, Managing Director, Newcross and HRM King Dr. Edmund M. Daukoru amongst others.

    The edifice named Austin Avuru Building was built and donated to the department in honour of Mr. Austin Avuru, first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Platform Petroleum Limited and current CEO, SEPLAT Petroleum Development Company Plc who graduated from the department in 1980.

    A statement signed by Mr. Amaechi Moshe C. I., Ag. GMD Platform Petroleum Holdings Limited, said the facility “which is the first CSR initiative by Platform Petroleum Limited outside of its Umutu, Delta State, operation site came out of the desire of the company to support Mr. Avuru’s desire to reduce the huge infrastructural deficit at his alma mater.”

    He noted that things had gotten so bad at the Department of Geology to the extent that it was about to lose its academic accreditation.

    The new building, according to the statement, is larger and more conducive than the old departmental building and will provide office space for lecturers as well as laboratories and lecture halls for students.

    The gesture by the company is a reiteration of Platform Petroleum Limited’s commitment to creating value for the larger good of the society and the company is excited that the provision of this building will enhance quality of education for the staff and students of the Department of Geology.

    Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Benjamin Chukwuma Ozumba thanked the company for the support and congratulated Austin Avuru for being a worthy ambassador of the institution. He assured his guests that the university will justify the resources invested in the new building. He also enjoined other alumni to emulate Avuru and Platform Petroleum in helping to enhance the learning environment.

  • ExxonMobil sponsors dons from 30 varsities in geology

    ExxonMobil sponsors dons from 30 varsities in geology

    Geology lecturers from 30  universities have been trained on the latest advances in Sequence Stratigraphy, a key aspect of Geology, courtesy of ExxonMobil in Lagos.

    The course titled: “Sequence Stratigraphy – Concepts, Principles & Applications” was facilitated by a leading international authority on Petroleum Geology, Dr. Gary Hampson, Director of the globally renowned Petroleum Geoscience Master of Science programme at Imperial College, London.

    The week-long course was organised by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), Africa Region.

    The 30 universities that their Geology lecturers attended the course were Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria;  University of Lagos, Akoka; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; University of Ibadan; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife;  University of Benin; University of Port Harcourt; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso; Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye; Osun State University; Federal University of Technology, Akure; Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti and Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun.

    Other universities with lecturers that participated were Federal University of Technology, Minna; Kogi State University, Ayingba; University of Ilorin; Kwara State University, Malete; University of Jos; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; Anambra State University, Ulli; University of Calabar; Delta State University, Abraka; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; Enugu State University of Technology; Federal University, Ndufu-Alike; Niger Delta University, Yenagoa; Akwa Ibom State University, Mkpat-Enin; Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki and Niger State University, Lapai.

    Each lecturer had a minimum of a Doctorate Degree in Geology, specialising in Stratigraphy, sedimentology or petroleum geology and also had a minimum of five years’ experience in teaching.

    The course facilitator, Dr. Hampson, who is also the AAPG Distinguished Sequence Stratigraphy lecturer for the Africa Region, took the participants through very stimulating sessions on the various aspects and applications of Sequence Stratigraphy and its importance to the field of geology.

    The lecturers praised the AAPG and ExxonMobil for organising and sponsoring the course, adding that the knowledge gained from the course would further improve the quality of their educational instruction to their students.

    According to Mr. Andrew Ejayeriese, General Manager, Exploration of Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (EEPNL), an ExxonMobil subsidiary, the course was sponsored by ExxonMobil as part of the company’s continued efforts to improve upon the quality of Geoscience education in Nigeria to globally-competitive levels.

  • Bridging theory and practice gap in geology

    Bridging theory and practice gap in geology

    Teachers in the Department of Geology of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) have urged their students to use technology to hone their skills. OLADELE OGE reports.

    For graduates of Geology to be relevant in 21st century, they must be conversant with the latest industry techniques and technology.

    This was the kernel of discussion at a public lecture organised by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) in conjunction with the Department of Geology of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

    Speakers agreed that efforts must be made to ensure graduating students  undergo compulsory practical training before leaving the school.

    The lecture with the theme: Unconventional petroleum and other emerging challenges for Nigerian oil and gas industry, was held at the Princess Alexandra Hall. It was designed to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

    The keynote speaker, Prof Kalu Mosto Onuoha of the UNN Geology Department, noted that majority of geology students always showed interest in oil and gas exploration, stressing that there were other aspects of the discipline requiring expertise. He advised students to drop the habit of choosing area of specialisation without adequate information on the requirements and expertise.

    He said geologists in the United States had conducted researches in the development and production of shale gas in the country in the past few years. This development, he said, has raised the possibility that shale gas deposits in other countries could be commercially viable.

    Onuoha advised education policymakers to introduce curriculum that would harness students’ innovative skills and encourage the use of latest technology to replace theoretical instructions students receive.

    He emphasised that the acceptability and development of unconventional petroleum exploration would have far-reaching implications for energy markets across the world, particularly for members of the

    Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), such as Nigeria, which depends only on its oil export.

    He said shale gas would reduce demand for oil from the OPEC members. The low production, he said, would reduce OPEC members’ revenues from crude oil exports.

    Noting that pipeline vandalism and oil theft have affected economy negatively, Onuoha said people were  unhappy with security agencies  for their lack of will to arrest and prosecute the criminals.

    He said: “If Nigerians have been patiently waiting to see the development of oil sector, the government must be fair enough to ensure the country’s resources are managed the way they should be. If vandals and oil thieves had been prosecuted by the security agencies, there was probability that we would not experience the high-level poverty we are seeing now.”

    The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Benjamin Ozumba, pledged support for research initiated by SEPLAT Petroleum Company and Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) for staff and students of the Geology department. The work would be overseen by the PTDF.

    Avuru, the Chief Executive Officer of SEPLAT, thanked the vice-chancellor for supporting the project, noting that the oil firms were ready to invest in knowledge-based research by students of the department.

    He implored the students to be productive in their academic pursuit, saying the initiative by SEPLAT would be used to combat unemployment.

    To appreciate the gesture, students of the Fine Arts Department sketched large portraits of Avuru and the representatives of SPDC, Olufemi Ajayi, presented to them.