The Nation Newspaper

Tag: news

  • Protect your children, SAN urges parents

    PARENTS have been urged to protect their children against abuse. Mrs. Titilola Akinlawon (SAN) gave the advice  at the annual lecture organised by the African Women Lawyers Association(AWLA), Nigeria to mark the ‘Day of the African Child’.

    Akinlawon, who chaired the event spoke on the topic, “ Child protection; culture and responsibilities.”

    She urged parents to inculcate high level of discipline and integrity in their children.

    Female children, he said, shout when they are being abused by the opposite sex,in order not to lose their dignity and self-respect.

    She said the right of every child is protected and guaranteed in the Lagos State Child’s Rights Law enacted in 2010 and in the child law put in place by the Federal Government.

    The Senior Advocate of Nigeria noted that though the present generation of children have the privilege of Internet and other electronic media network around them, she counselled  them not to abuse such priviledges by visiting websites that would not advance their academic pursuit.

    “You are our future if we fail to pay attention to your welfare, then what does the future holds for you”, she asked.

    Speaking on ‘Child Protection’, Mrs. Tam George, said a recent report by United States stated that over 10.5 per cent of children of school age in Nigeria are out of School.

    “You have a right to sound education, you have a right to leisure and recreation, you have right to move together in group, you have right to ask and to express yourself, you have right not to be physically abused.”

    George however charged the children to pursue their goals and also seek more information that can assist them in their academics.

    Similarly, Mrs. Lara Williams who spoke on “Culture and Religion”noted that culture has taken away over 90 per cent of the daily activities in Africa.

    She said that there was need for  male children  to have respect and dignify their female counterpart.

    According to her, there should be an end to the attitude of discrimination between the male and female child in the family.

    She frowned at the public discrimination against disable children in the society.

    “Disable children are always not being properly taking care of. They are always being hidden from the public even by their parents” she lamented.

    Williams urged the children to desist from rebellious act and instead package themselves and behave well in their respective homes.

    She also tasked children to listen to instructions from their parents, adding: “Parents have responsibilities to you and you children also have responsibilities to them”.

     

     

  • Agency takes measures against flooding

    As part of effort to prevent flooding, the Department of Urban Affairs of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council said structures at flood- prone areas and under high tension wire will soon be demolished.

    The FCTA said many of the buildings close to the flood plains have already been  marked for demolition and clearing of drains has begun to allow free flow of water

    The Acting Directorof the department, Alhaji Liman Ibrahim disclosed this in Abuja at the flag-off of FCT flood awareness campaign.

    The one -week sensitisation campaign that would be carried out in all the six area councils may not be unconnected with the recent predictions by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET).

    Ibrahim stated that the sensitisation campaign was a wake-up call by all stakeholders to prepare for flood and adopt measures aimed at preventing, averting and containing flooding incidents.

    According to him, “it is a wake-up call on our relevant stakeholders to take proactive measures towards preventing and tackling the incidence of flooding in the FCT, these measures include but not limited to clearance  of drains to allow for free flow of storm water, demolition of illegal structures built on flood as well as early warning system”.

    The sensitisation teams include officials from National Emergency Management Agency, Federal Fire Service, and Abuja Metropolitan Management Council.

    Part of the flood- prone areas visited includes Dutse Alhaji, Dutse Magaranta, and Kubwa all in Buhari Area Council.

     

  • FCT slates media walk for sickle cell

    FCT slates media walk for sickle cell

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has expressed its readiness to sensitise residents on sickle cell anaemia this month.

    The Secretary, Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr. Ademola Onakomaiya, said this at an interactive session with journalists in Abuja.

    He decried the stigma as well as sicklers’ lukewarm interest in sensitisation programmes.

    “I intend to call people with sickle cell disease, people that are genotipically challenged because it’s not their own doing , we have been doing a lot on that, we have been having loads of sensitisation programme with some NGOs and the department of public health.

    “We will enlighten them, empower them to know that this is you, you are better than the rest of us, you should explore your preventive strategy, don’t stress yourself, don’t do this emotionally. But because of the stigma associated with it, many people will not even want to come unless they have crisis, that is why it’s not that vibrant.

    “You know you empower people, when you empower them, they decide better. Prevention is better than cure.

    “We can have a media walk on sickle cell in July; it’s something that we can do. I tell people if we don’t do it, nobody will do it. Seventy per cent of our population is young. It’s for us to take charge of our country. It is for us to decide where we want to go”

    On bone marrow transplant as a cure for sickle cell anemia, he said, “You can have a bone marrow and die tomorrow and have sickle cell and live forever.”

    On the Karu District Hospital in FCT, the Secretary said it is expected to take off fully before the end of the year .

    The secretary said all the various equipments needed are already on ground.

    He said the contractors handling the construction of the hospital caused the delay,adding that the inability of the contractor to complete the job has brought untold hardship to residents of the area.

    The completion of the hospital, he further stressed, will reduce the problem of congestion in hospitals especially those in the city centre as well as the Asokoro and Nyanya General Hospitals.

    Expressing disappointment at the slow pace of work on the contract which was awarded in 2005, with a completion period of 84 weeks, he urged the company to work towards meeting up the deadline or have it revoked and given to a more serious contactor.

    According to him, four months is enough to complete the job insisting that the people of the area have suffered and that the FCT administration would not condone unserious approach towards important projects.

     

  • ‘Why govt can’t empower every Nigerian youth’

    The Federal Government has said inappropriate placement of youth-related programmes in some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and poor implementation of government policy are responsible for the challenges facing youth empowerment programmes.

    The Minister of Youth Development, Inuwa Abdulkadir who made the position of the Federal Government known at the ongoing Ministerial platform in Abuja, said  the  non-implementation of the National Youth Policy is part of challenges hindering the ministry from making progress in youth related matter.

    ”The National Youth Policy provides that there will an inter-ministerial council to be called the National Youth Development Council under the chairmanship of the President.

    “It will comprise all the chief executives of the core relevant ministries, to serve as forum and clearing house on all youth policy matters of national interest, this has not been implemented,” he said.

    Abdukadir also decried lack of cooperation of some state and local government authorities in the establishment of skill acquisition centers as stated in the national youth policy across the country.

    ”Problems associated with land allocation within areas where centres are to be built, as well as lack of appropriation for the ruining of the youth development centres and personnel,” he said.

    The minister who further mentioned insufficient and late release of funds as part of challenges militating against the ministry, however, recommended “the need to refurbish and upgrade the existing the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (C&LTC) to meet up with its challenges and execute its mandates”.

    Abdulkadir maintained that in spite of challenges, the ministry would ensure “the completion of on-going national youth development centres in all the six geo-political zones of the country.

    ”Ensuring more young unemployed graduates are given required entrepreneurial, vocational and skills training in specialised vocation, so as to grow youth economy and thereby create wealth.

    ”Articulating integrating leadership and skill development modules in the training of youths as part of the ministry’s input in human capacity development for future leadership roles”.

    On the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), the minister noted that “the implementation of the approved expansion of the administrative structure of the scheme has worked, as it has helped to drive the policies of the scheme, thereby enabling it to cope with the dynamics of youth mobilisation and management for national development and self-reliance”.

    He disclosed that “658 corps members were trained and empowered under the Millennium Development Goals to establish agro-enterprises and not less than 131, 659 corps members were given skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development training in the year 2012”.

    Consequently, the minister called for the “release of more funds to the NYSC scheme for the implementation of its core programmes and for the conduct of skill acquisition training/empowerment of corps members, as well as the establishment of Youth Development Fund in line with global best practices”.

  • A push for efficient criminal justice system

    The Panel on Implementation of Justice Reform (PIJR) set up by the Federal Ministry of Justice is proposing some changes aimed at ensuring efficiency in the criminal justice system. These are contained in a Bill for a fresh law to guide criminal prosecution. Eric Ikhilae, who was at a workshop held by the panel in Abuja to fine-tune the Bill, reports.

    IT is a fact that the justice administration system suffers from a lot of problems, the major one being delay.

    It takes years for the court to resolve minor disputes that ordinarily not take months.

    The case is even worse where, under the criminal justice process, an accused, with political and economic means, could easily sabotage his/her trial. With funds to hire senior lawyers, such an accused person successfully stalls his/her trial by exploiting existing inadequacies and loopholes in the system, including corruption.

    A recent research has it that it takes an average of 10 years for a case to move from the court of first instance to the Supreme Court. To the effect that when it is decided by the apex court, some of the parties would have either died or the decision becomes a mere academic exercise, because events would have overtaken the case. This development has, undoubtedly resulted in the growing loss of faith in the court system by the people; increasing insecurity and violent crimes and heightening competition for the increasingly dwindling economic opportunities in the land.

    Also, more people are being tempted to resort to self help in the face of an inefficient justice delivery system.

    To reverse this ugly trend, there are calls for an urgent identification of the various problems responsible for the inefficiency of the justice system and the evolution of ways of ensuring its efficiency.

    This is why all eyes are now on the effort by the Federal Ministry of Justice’s Panel on Implementation of Justice Reform (PIJR) to take the necessary measures.

    Already, the panel, headed by Justice Ishaq Bello of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has identified areas requiring attention, particularly in relation to the criminal justice system. It has also made far-reaching recommendations.

    The panel is working on a Bill to be submitted to the National Assembly to give legal backing to its recommendations.

    The Bill seeks an Act to repeal the Criminal Procedure Act, Cap C4 Law of Nigeria (2004), the Administration of Justice Commission Act, Cap A3 Law of Nigeria (2004) and enact the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2013.

    The panel has held a workshop in Abuja to put finishing touches to the Bill, before its presentation to the National Assembly. At the event held in conjunction with the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS) were Justice Bello, Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George (SAN), Director, Public Prosecution of the Federation, Simon Egele, among others.

    Justice Bello stressed the relevance of an efficient criminal justice delivery system to the nation’s quest for economic growth.

    He observed that the drive by various governments for foreign investment would yield no result in the face of a weak and inefficient justice delivery system. He argued that investors are only attracted to environment where their investments and lives would be safe; civil and criminal cases resolved promptly and where they are sure of redress if wronged.

    Justice Bello, who expressed delight about the work done by his panel so far, said the Bill, when passed into law, has the capacity to ensure efficiency in the criminal justice system. He said the panel is looking towards July this year for the Bill to become an Act.

    “The Act will ensure that the system of administration of justice in Nigeria promotes efficient management of criminal justice institutions; speedy dispensation of justice, protection of the society from crime, and protection of the rights and interests of the defendant and the victim,” he said.

    He explained that the Act will apply to criminal trials and other criminal proceedings in courts and tribunals established by an Act of the National Assembly, except Court Martials.

    Prof Akineye-George, in a presentation, gave a picture of what new ideas the Bill proposes. One of such is the need to reverse the current lop-sided underlying philosophy in criminal trial, where the state assumes prosecutory role and total control of criminal trials, without roles or consideration for the victims.

    The panel identified problems of lack of reliable statistics or data for criminal cases; lack of victims protection, absence of timeliness (undue process delay); poor application of information and communication technology (ICT) in court processes; lack of accountability among relevant agencies involves in criminal justice system – the police, the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Federal and states ministries of Justice, prison service, court, among others.

    It also identified weak coordination and interaction between these agencies; congestions in courts and prisons, and mounting unresolved cases.

    As a way out, the Bill has made wide-range recommendations, which when adopted by the Legislature, will transform the criminal justice system.

    As a solution to the problem of inadequate statistics,the Bill is proposing the creation of a central criminal records registry with the police headquarters. Every police station shall replicate this, from where the central registry will be fed with records of cases from the police stations.

    The panel suggested the involvement of victim in the process and that they be restore to their formal state, through compensation, at the completion of the case. To address the problem of delay, the panel is suggesting the attachment of time to the role of each player in criminal trial process. For instance, the DPP is expected to issue its advice within 14 days, parties to a trial are allowed at most, five adjournment per side for the life of the case.

    Also, frivolous request for adjournment shall attract penalty in cost. As part of its witness protection initiative, the panel has recommended the payment of witness’ fare by the court.

    Under the arrangement, a witness is paid what it cost him to transport himself to court every time he/she is invite to testify.

    The amount will be calculated by mileage to be determined from the summons served on such a witness.

    Where a witness os in court an proceedings could not go on owing to the fault of a party, the party will be made to pay the cost of the witness’ transportation for that day.

    The initiative is also intended to enhance witness’ cooperation and motivation.

    The Bill is also proposing the deployment of ICT to aid the process’ speed and efficiency.

    It is suggesting, for instance, electronic recording of police’s interrogation of suspects, court’s proceedings, among others.

    This is partly intended to ensure reduce police’s reliance on torture in eliciting confession from suspects.

    To ensure accountability among relevant agencies, the panel has also suggested that the magistrates or judges involved in criminal trials, engage in periodic visits to detention centres to ensure that prison officials play their roles as required.

    The panel is also proposing the establishment of a coordinating platform, to be known as Administration of Criminal Justice (ACJ) Monitoring Committee, to coordinate the activities of the relevant agencies within the ACJ system.

    As a measure of decongesting the prisons, the Bill is proposing the adoption of alternative to custodial sentence in the mold of non-custodial sentence.

    By this, people with less offences like minor theft, are sentenced to community services as against imprisonment. There are also the recommendations for day-to-day trial in criminal cases; elimination of interlocutory appeal; creating a peg on the number and interval of adjournment that could be granted in the life of a case, among others. Prof Akinseye-George said, when passed, the Act would occasion fundamental changes in criminal justice administration in the country.

    He said what is required now is urgent passage of the Bill by the National Assembly and its prompt replication by the various states in the country. Egele, who was delighted about the steps taken so far, said he believe the various recommendations in the Bill would help in ensuring prompt trial of criminal cases in the country.

     

     

  • Abuja celebrates amnesty

    Tor a time, it looked as though nothing else mattered at the nation’s capital.

    The prestigious Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, was filled to capacity. Guests who turned up late had to endure standing. Representatives of the Federal Government as well as staff of the Amnesty Programme were in high spirits. Beneficiaries of the programme could not be happier.

    Hard work, determination and hope paid off in the end. Youths of the Niger Delta who once bore arms against the Federal Government and its facilities lay down their weapons and forsook agitation. They embraced rehabilitation, choosing to acquire skills. Today, many of them are pilots, engineers, skilled farmers, among others.

    The event left no one in doubt that the celebrators, the Federal Government and erstwhile militants, now preferring to be addressed as ex-agitators, came to celebrate the success of what was once thought to be a hopeless situation.

    Hours before the celebration of the fourth anniversary of the Amnesty Proclamation and third year of the implementation of the Amnesty Programme, at the prestigious Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, the expansive hall was filled to capacity.

    Almost half of the hall was occupied, not by the staff of Amnesty Programme office or civil servants but the beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme.

    The Ijaw National Congress (INC) was fully represented, and it almost looked like it was the INC that was being celebrated when the Chairman, Amnesty Programme, who doubles as the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Niger Delta, Kingsley Kuku, took the podium and invited contributions from each member of the Congress to the ‘struggle’. He went from how the journey started back in their school days to the Kiama Declaration, to the protests borne out of sheer determination, to the arrests and down to the success of the day.

    The event began with Lawrence Pepple, Head of Reintegration Department, who took the guests through how disarmament began with 20,192 persons, through 6,166 for the second phase before ending with the third and final phase of 3,64216.

    In highlighting the positive side of the Federal Government’s programme, Kuku said the country is enjoying peace that has boosted the Nigerian economy, adding that crude oil production now hovers around 2,6 and 2.3.8 million barrels per day. The volume of savings, according to him, translates to about N33.4b per day. Ironically, he noted the country needed about N4 trillion for its national budget but the region was able to provide an estimated N6.3 trillion last year.

    Though he assured Nigerians that the youth will not return to militancy, Kuku took time to debunk insinuations that the reformed youths were involved in oil theft. He hinged his argument on the fact that Niger Deltans are too poor and technically disadvantaged to partake in the lucrative and highly technical illicit venture. He said the illegal trade was perpetrated by some highly placed Nigerians and their international collaborators, adding that the only Niger Delta indigenes that could be found in the circle would be manual labourers that have no real consequence on the illicit trade.

    “Oil theft is highly technical and capital intensive and there is no way you can find Niger Delta youths involved in it. These products are transported in vessels; no Niger Delta indigene has a vessel. Also, it is a supply and demand thing, meaning that if there is no demand, there won’t be supply. In other words, there must be international collaborators involved, Niger Delta youths don’t have such connections. In addition, where would Niger Delta youths have the resources to pay for demurrage running to months in many instances? Peasants can’t engage in such business and majority of Niger Delta youths are peasants,” he said

    He, however, assured that the menace would soon be a thing of the past as President Goodluck Jonathan has taken up the issue with his colleagues around the world. ”It is an international crime of demand and supply but the President is dealing with it because highly placed people in and out of Nigeria are involved, not our Niger Delta youths”.

    Kuku presented 22 trained pilots and instructors who graduated from the African Union Aviation Academy. All of them have been certified as CLPs (Commercial Licensed Pilots) including a 20-year-old Favour Odozor, who is the youngest pilot in the country. She was also presented alongside her colleagues. Fifteen out of 40 ex-militants who became gainfully employed after their formal training by the Amnesty Office were also in the hall as well as 25 ex-militants that also completed their Masters Degrees in various disciplines in the United Kingdom. Several trained ex-militants that have been offered formal employment in the private sector were also invited for the event.

    ”Four years on, the Amnesty Proclamation has generally met the desired goal, which is the stabilisation of security conditions in strategic Niger Delta. A total of 30,000 persons were enlisted in the Amnesty Programme. Of this number, 14,000 have been deployed to universities as well as vocational training centres both within and outside the country. Over 11,700 have graduated in various fields and several of them have been employed including 10 with the Nigerian Army and six with the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), 40 with the Century Energy Group, five with SAP Drilling Oil and Gas Ltd and 30 with the Proclad Group, Dubai, UAE,” Kuku said.

    The Presidential aide also reiterated government resolve to terminate the programme by 2015. He said though there is no going back on the exit date of 2015 for the Programme, Kuku however disclosed that the Amensty office would  complete the training of all enrolled ex-militants. ”Beneficiaries who are pursuing long-term educational programmes shall duly hand over existing Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) who are statutorily empowered to oversee scholarship and training programmes of the Federal Government”.

    Kulu said the Federal Government will pay a N65,000 monthly allowance to 30,000 ex-militants for the provision of critical infrastructure and impactful development projects in the region as contained in the Amnesty Proclamation to help stimulate economic growth of the region.

     

  • Union boss lauds ACE

    The National President of the Senior Staff Union of Colleges of Education, Nigeria Comrade Mohammed Uwaisu, has commended the Management of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo for creating a good relationship between it and unions in the College.

    Comrade Uwaisu spoke during the South West Zonal Delegates’ meeting in the college.

    According to him, the college was a preferred venue of the Delegates meeting because conducive environment in the college and smooth working relationship between management and unions.

    The Provost represented by the College Librarian, Dr. Rotimi Egunjobi, commended the College branch of the union for putting up a structure in the College.

  • Evil genuises worsen Nigeria’s woes

    The proposed policy by the United Kingdom, UK, that would require Nigerians to pay a bond of £3,000 (N750,000) to discourage them overstaying their visas evokes sadness about the discrimination we suffer from foreign countries.

    The misdeeds of some have been allowed to affect the way all of us are perceived and treated – like the way oil from a morsel of food spreads from the fingers to the palm and wrist. Nigerians are not the only immigrants in the UK and other countries that commit crime. As distasteful as the policy is, however, this is not a diatribe to bemoan how badly we are treated outside our shores but to check ourselves and dedicate our bountiful energy and talents to productive endeavours.

    From interviews with agents of many foreign universities in the UK and other places, I have learnt that Nigerians are brilliant and resourceful. They make good grades, win awards and join in many worthwhile projects. However, the bad deeds of our countrymen are in the news more often. If some Nigerians are not duping people, others are involved in fights, robberies and recently, terrorism and murder. Our reputation has suffered a battering because of these bad conducts.

    The sin for which we are most notorious is fraud. Our unfortunate popularity in that field is so great that an author, Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani dedicated her novel, I do not come to you by chance, to the subject and won an award for it. It takes so much intelligence to plan fraud that if Nigerian youngsters were to dedicate their energies to more useful purposes, we would have solved our electricity problems by now.

    As these fraudsters seek ways to defraud foreigners, others ply their trade locally. Almost on daily basis, I am bombarded with scam messages in my email box telling me to take advantage of some huge amount of money somebody from God knows where left to a family member I do not know who suddenly wants to share some of it with me; or that somebody deposited N640,000 in a bank account I do not have or that I should update my internet banking details.

    I always thought I could not fall for such scams. After all, I do not expect to reap where I have not sown. However the latest scam mail I got and almost fell for left me quite shaken. I marveled at the brilliance behind the attack. Last year, about this time, my email was hacked into. By the time I regained access to it, all my contacts had been deleted as well as over one year’s worth of emails, which was painful because I used my box as some sort of archive that can be used research past stories we have investigated or published; and obtain photographs and other useful details.

    That was why when I could not access my email from my office desktop computer on Sunday, I was worried. I remembered a mail from Yahoo that I neglected to read on my blackberry phone. When I could not sign in on my desk top, I went back to read it. It stated that I had applied for the cancellation of my yahoo mail and as a result the providers had started the process which would last three days. To terminate the cancelation in case I wasn’t the one that made the request, I was told to click on a certain link. Failure to do so would mean I would lose all my mails, contacts, draft and others in my box.

    Because of my previous experience, especially as I couldn’t access my box from my desktop, I clicked on the link. It redirected me to another website which look genuine that I was to input my email and password. I typed my email. I was required to type the password twice. Each time I wanted to do it, I was distracted by another activity such that the task would be terminated. I tried again. All of a sudden, it dawned on me that I should not disclose my password online. It was then I noted that the website name, kaiedoaccessories.com had nothing to do with Yahoo. When I conferred with a colleague, I decided against it and opted to change my password on my desktop instead. That was how I narrowly escaped the scammers.

    But the thought that I was nearly deceived, and so close to losing my details a second time did not leave me easily. I wondered at the intelligence the fraudsters used to nearly convince me to give up my password. I wondered why they could not use their brains to think up solutions to our country’s myriad problems. I could not stop thinking of how much we are losing when our bright young minds would rather use their intelligence and talents for evil, to cause agony rather than development. I pray they have a change of heart.

     

  • Graduands show love to school

    As part of their community service, the outgoing pupils of Edgewood College, Lekki, Lagos decided to present a table tennis to a public school, Victoria Island Primary School, VI, Lagos.

    The presentation performed by Folakemi Oduwole, outgoing assistant head girl, formed part of Edgewood’s graduation last weekend.

    Speaking at the presentation, Folakemi said presentation of gifts to the beneficiary school is an annual ritual. Last year, she said Edgewood gave uniforms, stationery, and text books among other items, a gesture she describes as a bond of love they have always shared with the school.

    In his keynote address, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Odein Henry Ajumogobia (SAN), gave the graduands, some of who already had their ‘A’ Level results as well as those that had completed University Foundation Programmes, tips on how to prepare for the next step in life.

    Ajumogobia, who was the guest speaker at the event, said their freedom began now, but warned that they must start taking responsibilities for their actions or inactions.

    “From here, you students will be free and accountable for your actions to yourself and the law,” he warned.

    He further warned that freedom at the tertiary level can be intoxicating, admonishing them not give in to it, because temptation of not attending class might occur.

    He urged them to embrace qualities such as good manners, decency, and good sense of humour, remorse, knowledge and sportsmanship.

    “Remember that your qualities as a person will be more important than your qualification,” Ajumogobia said.

    He also counselled them to prepare for hard times.

    “Explore your gifts and talent because they might bring you fame and fortune. Embrace hard work and humility, focus on others around you, challenge yourself and above all fear God.There are setbacks, difficulties and obstacles, embrace them because they are part of life. Keep your eyes on the goal; life is like a marathon; learn something new every day, follow God as you take these confident steps” he said.

    In his valedictory speech, the outgoing head boy Maxwell Jack, said his heart goes out to his classmates of Year 2013 for the fortitude they demonstrated all through the year.

    He said: “I also commend you for allowing me to lead you and yet teaching me so much. As we leave Edgewood to pursue degrees in various part of the world, i implore that we don’t forget the invaluable lessons we have learned at Edgewood. The sharp edge that we have should not be allowed to go blunt, the same determination we have shown here should be present in all our endeavours in our various universities.”

    In her goodwill speech the school’s Executive Director Mrs Kehinde Phillips told her pupils to be the best.

    “The difference between extraordinary and ordinary is that extra. Never hesitate to attempt that little extra that can bring change in your life,” she said.

    Thirty-two graduates were presented with certificates, plaques, and prizes.

  • Schools urged to adopt IB

    SCHOOL owners and education experts have been enjoined to adopt International Baccalaureate (IB) as a method of education to enable their students gain global recognition and other advantages of this system over others.

    The IB Regional Manager in Africa, Mrs Adzo Ashie, gave the advice at a seminar for parents, educationists and students at the Greensprings School, Lekki campus, Lagos.

    Listing the merits of IB, she said: “The IB is a futuristic programme; its products, especially the Diploma holders, are global citizens with very good knowledge of the local environment. They get good jobs on graduation.”

    The programme gives an international perspective on education, involves critical thinking, independent research and uses inter and intra-disciplinary approach, groups and personal projects, she further said.

    She continued: “The IB was founded in 1968 in Geneva, Switzerland as a non-profit education foundation. We are in 160 countries. The IB Diploma is now offered by 2,215 schools. They include those in Argentina, Zambia, Ghana, and three in Nigeria, including Greensprings School.

    Mrs Ashie said the characteristics of the IB Diploma are strong desire to learn; students have the ability to express themselves orally and in written words, develop and successful study ad time management skills, think critically, work well with themselves and with others and participate in various activities.

    According to the IB, the main components of the programme are: Theory of Knowledge (TOK), creativity, action and service. The students are expected to prevent an extended assay as part of their graduation requirement.

    She said the IB partners about 600 universities, which include Harvard and the London School of Economics, and that have testified that its students are better than those from other institutions.

    Greensprings Director, Mrs Lai Koiki, said the aim of the school is to be unique. “We love to do new things. Quoting philosophers, she said the objective of education in is to train a child in a proper way that could help him be a better citizen. Founded in 1985, she said Greensprings’ aim is to impact on the educational system. “Our vision is o promote life-long leaning in a severe environment. Our core values: child centredness and integrity.

    She said came across IB in 1989 during a visit abroad and since then, she fell in love with it and integrated it into the school’s curriculum. “In the 21st Century, information is at our finger tips. We don’t need to memorise. You only need to teach children the skills to use to get the facts well. The students should think critically, discern what is good and put it to use; focus on deep meaning of things,” she said.

    The Head of School, GreenSprings, Lekki Campus, Harry McPaul, said IB is for everyone. “You don’t need to send your children abroad or far away places. There are good schools around. IB programs are for the young too,” he said.

    The school’s Principal Mrs Ruth Bello-Giwa, said: “The IB education inspires and can be used to change the world. It is not just about books. It is about making the students to make a difference in the community. It develops knowledge and understanding. It is indept. It is about skills and knowledge, value and character, mental cognition and reflection to develop students to be happy, successful and fulfilled. The intention is to change the world.”