The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

  • Africa has no business being poor – Obasanjo

    Africa has no business being poor – Obasanjo

    • As daughter launches map of Nigeria  puzzle in Lagos
    Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo says the African continent has no business being poor and can change her fortunes with education.
    Obasanjo, who spoke on Thursday at the launch of the Ethan and Harriet Map of Nigeria puzzles created by his daughter, Mrs Bunmi Williams, said that poverty was caused by the continent’s leaders.
    “Poverty of Africa is a choice of African leaders. We don’t need to be poor. I believe we can make a different choice and if we do we will be what God has created us to be – a land flowing with milk and honey.
    “God hasn’t created us to be poor. Ans the beginning of not being poor is education,” he said.
    Obasanjo lamented the poor level of awareness of the Nigerian history and cultural heritage, likening it to suffering a memory loss.
    “Not knowing your history is like losing your memory. How can you be inspired when you don’t know your history; when you don’t know your sense of identity?” he asked.
    Obasanjo said he was proud that his daughter came up with a solution through the puzzle, which can help children and adults learn about all states of Nigeria, their capitals, and their locations on the map.
    “I came from the Mambila Plateau some weeks ago. And when people called me and I told them I was at the Mabila Plateau, they asked what country it was in. Mambila Plateau is in Taraba State.
    “What Bunmi has done, which I am that it is appreciated by you is that this important gap should be filled very early in preparatory education; our own adult lack of knowledge can be filled by this puzzle,” he said.
    He thanked his daughter’s husband (Rotimi) and father, whom he called to the podium, for supporting her creativity by giving her peace of mind.
    “For Bunmi to have the peace of mind to be creative is because the domestic environment is conducive and Rotimi partly makes it conducive; Baba Rotimi partly makes it conducive,” he said.
    In her speech, Mrs Williams said she was inspired to create the puzzles to preserve Nigeria”s heritage.
    “Our national and cultural heritage is our responsibility to preserve and promote. Only those that truly care can change Nigeria. But you can’t change what you don’t know about.
    “We created this to bridge the gap – as a fun way to teach our values,” she said.
    Mrs Williams said her firm has partnered with the Oando Foundation to distribute the puzzles (a wooden board kind and a floor puzzle measuring 3ft by 2ft) to public schools in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. She called for further collaborations with others to distribute up to 12,000 copies of the puzzles to pupils who cannot afford the price (N6,000 for the wooden,  and N10,000 for the floor puzzle).
    Many dignitaries like Dr Donald Duke, former Cross River State Governor; Mrs Sarah Sosan, former Lagos Deputy Governor; Erelu Olusola Obadan, former Osun State Deputy Governor and Minister of Defense, Mrs Ronke Soyombo, Director-General, Office of Quality Assurance, Ministry of Education; and Dr Femi Ogunsanya, President, Association of Private Educators in Nigeria (APEN) endorsed the puzzles at the event.
    Product reviewer, Dr Duke, who also lamented the relegation of history in schools said the product was a good one.
    “This is noble and really worthy of our entire support,” he said.
    Dr Ogunsanya said she was glad it would expose children to learning about Nigeria early in life.
    “The introduction and teaching of values must start from creche – with children under five. It gives me great excitement that it teaches children how to put together the Nigerian map early in life,” she said.
  • El-Rufai hails Bakare’s return to politics

    El-Rufai hails Bakare’s return to politics

    Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has credited Pastor Tunde Bakare for contributing to his becoming governor of the state.

    He also urged Nigerians to have faith in President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, saying the President has the best interest of the country at heart and is working assiduously to restore the country’s fortunes.

    El-Rufai spoke during Sunday’s service at the Latter Rain Assembly where he was a guest of Pastor Bakare.
    He said: “I am close to President Buhari today. But I would not be here today as governor if Pastor Bakare did not make me to join the CPC.
    “I was hounded after I left office, I was persecuted. I swore I would not have anything to do with government again. I was bitter. I felt that Nigeria deserves what it gets.
    But Pastor Bakare said no, I will pray for you and the bitterness would go.”
    Describing the present era as the most difficult in the country’s history, El-Rufai called for prayers for the President and Nigeria.
    He said the President was making efforts to go back to the era before oil became a mainstay of the economy but that the transition would be difficult.
    He said: “This is probably the most difficult period in Nigeria’s history. 70 percent of our national income from oil disappeared. It is the worst time to be in government. 30 states of Nigeria cannot pay salaries. We are lucky in Kaduna State that we can pay salaries – perhaps because you are praying for us – but it is difficult.
    “Any time I sit with Buhari I feel sorry for him because he has the fortune or misfortune of being president of Nigeria at the most difficult time. The first time the NPN had almost destroyed Nigeria.
    “There is one thing about him that is a strength and also a weakness – Buhari believes in humanity. So, when he gives you something to do, he expects you to do it as he would do it. But sometimes subordinates put leaders in difficult positions.
    “The Buhari I know will not do anything detrimental to Nigeria. And by God’s grace Nigeria will remain united.
    “Today we have a president that has no interest in making money for himself, his family and his friends. And that is a big difference from the past.
    “But I beg you to have faith and pray. With prayers, guidance…and with people like Pastor Bakare that enjoys unlimited access to the President, Nigeria cannot fail.”

  • UNILAG announces pre-admission screening

    The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has announced that online registration for the Screening Exercise for Admission into ALL COURSES/PROGRAMMES for the 2016/2017 academic session will begin on August 3, 2016 and close on 24.
    A statement issued by the Information about the university noted that candidates who chose the institution as their first choice, scored 200 in the 2016 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and have the relevant O Level results at one sitting can register for the screening. However, candidates less than 16 years old have been told not to register.
    The statement reads: “Candidates who made University of Lagos their first choice in the 2016 UTME and scored 200 and above are eligible for the screening. In addition, candidates must possess five (5) credit passes at one sitting in relevant O/level subjects including English Language and Mathematics.
    “Candidates, who will not be 16 years of age by October 31, 2016 are not eligible and need not apply.
    “Candidates who are awaiting results are also eligible to apply for the screening. Such candidates will be allowed to upload their results when they are released only if they applied within the specified period. Candidates are advised to check the University website for the specified period.”

  • UNILAG accuses defunct students’ union leaders of ulterior motives

    • Adegboruwa chambers writes varsity on the lawsuit

    The Deputy Dean, Student Affairs of University of Lagos (UNILAG), Dr Karo Ogbinaka has accused the suspended students’ union (ULSU) of working for their own selfish interests rather than that of the institution or its students.

    This is coming as Lagos lawyer, Ebun Adegboruwa, wrote the university on behalf of the union, seeking reversal of the suspension and withdrawal of the undertaking the students have to sign before Friday or be taken to court.

    Speaking to The Nation in his office yesterday, Ogbinaka said most of the ULSU leaders were under investigation for defaulting in various ways in the institution.

    “It is obvious that they are fighting some selfish and fraudulent interests because the demands they tendered to management just two days before the protest were based on trivial issues, not light or water or even higher cost of living. As a matter of fact, the President, Muhammed Olaniyan sent a very disrespectful message to the Vice Chancellor (Prof Rahamon Bello) just after the protest, making direct insults at him.”

    He said all the Students’ Union leaders clamoured for in their meeting, was the need for a new bus, a renovated school gate and to force the VC to hold a town hall meeting with students, which he believed, were trivial issues.

    On the issue of power and water, he said the management already informed ULSU that they had the intention to buy four generators to power the institution and regulate its supply due to power challenge in the country.  However, contrary to the ULSU’s claim, only two have arrived because the university does not want all generators to get worn out at the same time.

    Ogbinaka said the indemnity form the students were made to fill was legitimate, assuring that the UNILAG management would not do anything to jeopardise the future of their students.

    However, Adegboruwa in a letter addressed to the vice chancellor and dated April 27, 2016, said the students, having been admitted and paid fees, already had a contract with the university and need not be made to sign an undertaking to be readmitted.

    The lawyer also noted that suspending the union and asking the students to relate to the management through their faculty representatives was not in the general interest of the institution.

    The lawyer therefore urged the university to suspend the signing of the forms, lift ban on the Students’ Union and dialogue with its leaders, postpone the first semester examinations due to start May 9 by one month, absorb students’ representatives into the council, the senate and congregation of the university.

    He concluded saying: “Since the resumption for all students is already fixed for May 2, 2016, we expect your kind response to, and confirmation of the issues above mentioned, on or before April 29, 2016, failing which we shall proceed to execute our clients’ (ULSU and students) further instruction to apply to issue out a writ of summons from the court, for the determination of the said issues.  Please treat as urgent and important.”

    Some students, who spoke with The Nation on the forms yesterday, claimed it was unwarranted, and they were signing under duress.

    A final year philosophy student, Valentine, said: “I have signed the form. I am on my way to submit it at my faculty. But I think it’s a very stupid form. The conditions stipulated for us to agree on are very unrelated to what happened on campus that day. It’s as if they are saying we are all cultists. And the banning of ULSU is just rude. Something that was just restored. I think it’s just a show of power by the University management, just like every powerful institution in Nigeria. But I am in my final year and I don’t want anything to jeopardise that so I signed and thank God I won’t be here to experience the consequences of signing the form later. It’s my younger brother, who is just in 100-Level that I pity.”

    Some other students are however, hopeful about the restoration of the Unilag Student’s Union (ULSU).

    Final year mass communication student, Charles said: “I haven’t even printed the form. I am waiting to see if our union can do something to help us out. I know they are working hard to restore ULSU. Besides, as far as we (him and his three friends) are concerned, ULSU isn’t proscribed. Because they only told us through the website that ULSU had been suspended but we haven’t seen any official notice to that effect. ULSU wasn’t inaugurated through a website so that one is unofficial. In any case, I am waiting to see what happens by Thursday before I sign.”

    Anita in Psychology department said: “I have given the form to my parents to sign but as far as I am concerned, I signed it under duress. Because I don’t have a choice and we can’t even enter the school comfortably without the stupid form.”

  • “JAMB used wrong software for 2016”

    “JAMB used wrong software for 2016”

    • Seeks Dibu Ojerinde’s resignation as registrar
    • JAMB explains conflicting results

    The Association of Tutorial School Operators (ATSO) has accused the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) of using the wrong grading software to mark the 2016/2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    The group claimed that the error was responsible for the poor and conflicting results that were released by the board for the examination written between February 27 and March 17 in over 500 centres nationwide.

    At a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday, President of the group, Mr Shodunke Oludotun, alleged that the board erroneously used the software from last year to grade this year’s examination.

    He called for the release of the right results, as well as the resignation of the JAMB Registrar, Prof ‘Dibu Ojerinde.

    Oludotun said: “We have our evidence to show that virtually all the candidates we have collected results of 2015/2016 and not of 2016/2017.

    “This year, Prof Dibu Ojerinde advertised 2016/2017 UTME – we all saw it.  During his press conference, he also mentioned 2016/2017.  During the exam, the students on their monitor, it displayed 2016/2017. Why is it that the result that was sent to the students showed 2015/2016?

    “From our findings from insiders in JAMB, we realized that the software of 2015/2016 interfered with the 2016/2017, which led to the massive failure of the students.  If you can see the trend of results from (February) 27 to 29, the students failed; (March) 7-15, the students failed massively.

    “But we noticed that the 27-29 were compensated with 40 marks still under the interference of software.  We can see that the 2015/2016 software was used to mark, that was why the students were receiving 2015/2016 results.  So where is 2016/2017 result?  That is what we are asking Prof Dibu Ojerinde…We are saying that Prof Dibu Ojerinde should step aside.”

    Though the House of Representatives has told JAMB to revert to the Paper Pencil Test (PPT) mode of the examination since the conduct of the Computer Based Test (CBT) was fraught with irregularities, Oludotun said the group was in support of the CBT because it is better.

    “This Association of Tutorial School Operators, we are not against CBT.  CBT has really helped to bring more students to tutorial centres.  It makes them to be serious; and we have taught them.  But for CBT, the whole JAMB exam would have been messed up.  Because before CBT, it will only take you N2,000 for Cyber café to send the answers to you.  So I want to say that we appreciate the professor for introducing the CBT; and we are in support of CBT,” he said.

    However, he called for Ojerinde to step aside so someone else would build on the foundation he has laid to conduct hitch free examinations.

    Responding to ATSO’s allegations of software mishap, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, JAMB’s Director of Media and Public Relations, said whether 2010 or 2019 software was used, what was important was the programming and not the marking guide.

    “I am not a programmer, but I can confirm to you that JAMB does not joke with its template. What happened with the 40 marks issue is because the scripts were marked based on 250 marks because only English Language is 100 while the other three papers carry 50 marks, making a total of 250.

    “So when the first results were released, they were calculated based on 250, and after normalization we felt it would not be ideal for us to cheat on the candidates. So we had to quickly send them their real scores,” Benjamin stated.

    He refuted claims that the House Committee on Education had ordered the board to revert to PPT.  Onl the contrary, he said the committee praised JAMB for introducing the CBT.

    “The House never considered ordering the examinationn to revert to PPT; individual members only raised suggestions,” he said.

  • Queen’s College girls protest alleged sexual harassment

    Senior Secondary School 3 (SSS3) students of Queen’s College, Yaba abandoned their mock examination on Monday to protest the allegation of sexual harassment leveled against one of their teachers, Mr Olaseni Oshifala.

    While they put pressure on their teachers to let them out of the school gate, another group of protesters, who claimed to have been taught by Oshifala, stood outside the premises, condemning the allegations as falsehood.

    The sexual assault story was first published online by Olorisupergal.com, a blog run by Tosin Ajibade, and became viral over the weekend.

    In the piece, one Chinenye Okoye, mother of the JSS 2 pupil said to have been abused, claimed that the girl was molested by a drunken Oshifala when she left her hostel to relieve herself at night.  The story also claimed that, Oshifala, who teaches Integrated Science, was being protected by one of the vice principals, Mrs Kayode, who allegedly told Chinenye that he was untouchable.

    During Monday’s protest, the pupils, workers and Chairman, Parents/Teachers Association, Mrs Beatrice Akhetuamen, denied the claims.

    As a result of the agitation, the Biology paper for the Southwest Zonal Mock examination organised in preparation for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) was delayed.  The girls, bore placards that read: “No Mother, No child, No Case!”, “Haters at work, free Mr Seni”, “No Seni, no A’s”, “He didn’t do it,” “It is a set up”, as they chanted “No Seni, no biology”.

    All efforts by the teachers to send them back failed as they started chanting “open the gate.” They eventually went back to write their examination after a call made by a director in the Ministry, referred to as Mrs. Madueke, who asked to speak with the Head Girl, Angel Tony-Ativie, to prevail on her classmates to end the protest.

    In an interview, Angel said the claims were baseless.

    “This is a very untrue allegation against our Biology teacher; because most of the facts are baseless.  Mr Oshifala does not live in the boarding house; he is not an Integrated Science teacher; he teachers biology to SS1-SS3.  I have known him for six years; he has taught me for three years. He is our chief maintenance officer so the only time he is able to move to the boarding house, with the permission of the principal, is to check if the facilities are functioning.  He leaves the boarding house around 9 or 10pm.

    Another pupil, Unoma Omenyi, President of the Students’ Representative Council, said the story was a maliciously generated to create bad publicity for the school.

    “This is our teacher; this is someone that taught us for three good years.  We have known this man since JSS1 and we know he is not capable of something like this.  Every Saturday we have Biology lessons; this is why Queen’s College exists because we can proudly say we can write Biology and have A1 in WAEC.

    “I believe this is a publicity stunt to bring down the image of the school and the image of our respected teachers.  I just want to say they should leave our school and our teacher alone,” she said.

    Unoma added that it was unfair to crucify Oshifala when those accusing him have failed to come forward.

    “There is no girl; there is no evidence against him.  Because nobody has come up to say, ‘oh, I was raped’, ‘oh, I was molested.’ If there is no girl, there is no mother, then why are we accusing a man falsely when there is no evidence against him?,” she asked.

    On her part, the PTA Chairman, Mrs. Akhetuamen, said Oshifala may have been targeted because of his track record of working successfully with many principals of the school.

    She also said she made repeated calls to the number said to be owned by Chinenye but got no response.  However, when she used the App, TrueCaller, the number was identified to be owned by someone called Sola Salisu.

    However, when some journalists called the number, one woman, who said her name was Tope, picked the call (she was identified by TrueCaller on another phone as “Toyin Flask”).  She said she had no relationship with Queen’s College and had no daughter studying there.

    Mrs. Akhetuamen said a committee has been set up to investigate the issue.  She declined claims that the PTA or the college management was not responsive.

    She said: “The attention of the Parents Teachers Association has been drawn to online reports of sexual harassment said to have taken place at Queens College, Yaba, Lagos.  Upon hearing the reports, the school authorities swung into action even though we are yet to receive any official report, oral or written from any parent or student to that effect,” she said.

  • Atiku makes case for public education

    Former Vice President and Founder, American University of Nigeria (AUN), Atiku Abubakar, has cautioned the Federal Government against regarding private education as a substitute for public education.

    He spoke at the ninth founder’s day celebration of the university which held last Saturday at the Lamido Aliyu Musdafa Commencement Hall of AUN in Yola.

    Atiku, who is seeking to run for the presidency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said it is the responsibility of the Federal Government to adequately fund public education so Nigerians can access qualitative education.

    He said private education should supplement public education such that Nigerians patronise private schools because they want to and can afford it, and not because the public institutions are lacking.

    “Private education is not, should not and cannot be a substitute for proper government-financed public education.  Rather, private education should be supplementary and by choice for those who wish to and can afford to use its services.  Very good government must and should invest appropriately in public education for development to take root in our country.”

    At the event, Atiku was presented with the prestigious Harris Watford Global Citizen Award by the American Peace Corps Association.

    “No private businessman in Africa has worked harder for democracy or contributed more to the progress of higher education than Atiku Abubakar,” the group said.

    President of AUN, Prof Margee Ensign, said the purpose of the yearly Founder’s Day was to celebrate the founding, development, and remarkable progress of the development university.

    “AUN is a reflection of our Founder’s vision, and it has only been made possible by his extra-ordinary generosity. The AUN Community is particularly pleased to use this occasion to publicly thank its Founder, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, for making American University of Nigeria possible,” Ensign said.

    This year’s grand ceremony was marked with colourful procession, reflective speeches on the consequences of insurgency in the Northeast and the threat of Ebola, and achievement awards to deserving students, staff and outstanding friends of the university.

    Among the special guests in attendance were Prof. William Ellis Bertrand (keynote speaker), former Minister of Education and DG Atiku Campaign, Prof. Babalola Aborishade, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and elder statesman Otunba Oyewole Fasawe, an age-long friend of the founder.

     

  • Quotes worth reading

    I attended a training of primary school teachers by GFR Educational Services last week at the SUBEB Hall, Maryland that inspired me. It was not the first training I have covered but I appreciated the length the firm went to inspire the teachers. On both sides of the hall, they pasted various quotes on A4 size paper on the walls. The quotes were related to education, learning, reading and teaching.

    I was so inspired by many of the quotes that I decided to write them down. By the time I was done, I had written 42 quotes – just from one side of the hall. The quotes are reproduced below with the hope that our dear readers will learn from them as well. When you know better you do better, Maya Angelou. Children are made readers on the laps of their parents, Emilie Buchwald.

    The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read, Mark Twain. A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops, Henry B Adams. Choose an author as you choose a friend, Christopher Wren.

    Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body, Richard Steele.

    Education is bitter but the fruit is sweet, Agustin Merrisa.

    Children must be taught how to think; not what to think, anonymous.

    Teachers are leaders, anonymous. Responsibilty of learning belongs to the student, regardless of age, Robert Martin.

    I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well, Alexander the Great. Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself, John Dewey. A book is the most effective weapon against intolerance and ignorance, Lyndon Johnson. A writer only begins a book, a reader finishes it, Samuel Johnson. The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you, B.B King. Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance, Will Durant. A teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary, Thomas Carruthers.

    Let us read and let us dance – two amusements that will never do any harm to the world, Voltoire. Not all readers are leaders but all leaders are readers, Harry Truman.

    A man is known by the books he reads, Ralph Emerson. The average teacher explains complexity; the gifted teacher reveals simplicity, Robert Brault. To learn to read is to light a fire; evert syllable is a spark, Victor Hugo. Education makes a people easy to lead but difficult to drive; easy to govern but impossible to enslave, Peter Brougham.

    You don’t have to burn books to kill a culture; just get people to stop reading them, Ray Bradbury. To teach is to learn twice, Joseph Joubert.

    Teaching reading is rocket science, anonymous. Live as if you were to die tomorrow; learn as if you were to live forever, Mahatma Gandhi. What a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it feels about education, Harold Howe. Who dares to teach must never cease to learn, John Cotton Dana. Quality education starts with quality teachers

    The task of the execellent teacher is to stimulate “apparently ordinary” people to unusual effort. The tough problem is not identifying winners: it is making winners out of ordinary people, K. Patricia Cross.

    Reading is a basic tool in the living of a good life, Martimer Adler.

    A good teacher is like a candle – it consumes itself to light the way for others, anonymous. The gratest gift is a passion for reading, Elizabeth Hardwick. Children have to be educated, but they have also to be left to educate themselves, Ernest Dimnet. There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all, Jacqueline Kennedy.

    There is no substitute for books in the life of a child, May Ellen Chase.

    The best teacher is the one who suggests rather than dogmatizes, and inspires his listeners with the wish to teach himself, Edward Bulwer-Lytton.

    The mediocre teacher tells; the good teacher explains; the superior teacher demonstrates; the great teacher inspires, William Arthur Ward.

    One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child, Carl Jung.

    A book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fear it will go off in your face. It is one of the few havens remaining where a man’s mind can get both provocation and privacy, Edward Morgan.