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  • Unilorin holds 33rd convocation Oct. 21

    Unilorin holds 33rd convocation Oct. 21

    The University of Ilorin ( UNILORIN ) will hold its 33rd Convocation on Oct. 21, the Registrar of the institution, Mr Dada Emmanuel, has said.

    The registrar in a statement on Friday in Ilorin said the convocation would include award of Degrees and Diplomas as well as prizes to deserving graduates.

    According to him, other events for the convocation, including a book presentation in honour of the out-going Vice-Chancellor, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, would commence from Oct. 13.

    He said the convocation lecture on the topic `The Genius in You: New Tools, Techniques and Technology for Developing the Individual and Institutional Greatness,’ would be delivered by Prof. Chris Imafidon of Oxford University, United Kingdom.

    NAN

  • Ex-Iraqi President Talabani’s body arrives in Kurdistan

    Ex-Iraqi President Talabani’s body arrives in Kurdistan

    The body of former Iraqi President, Jalal Talabani, arrived in the Iraqi Kurdish City of Sulaimaniya on Friday for an official funeral attended by several Iraqi and regional officials.

    A coffin carrying Talabani’s body was wrapped in the Kurdish flag carries by military personnel from the plane coming from Germany.

    Talabani died on Tuesday, according to Kurdish television station and internet new portal Rudaw.

    His body would be taken to the Great Mosque in the Sulaimaniya city before he is buried.

    Talabani’s wife, Hero, and Kurdish President Masoud Barzani were joined by Iraqi President Fouad Massoum and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif at the airport.

    A key mediator in Iraq’s divided political scene, Jalal, who died at 83 years, became the first Iraqi Kurdish president in 2005.

    Talabani has been hospitalised several times in recent years, ever since he suffered a stroke in 2012.

    NAN

  • MAPOLY upgrade: Amosun allays fears of students

    MAPOLY upgrade: Amosun allays fears of students

    Gov. Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun says the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic ( MAPOLY ), Abeokuta, will continue to run its normal academic programmes in  the next four years.

    Amosun also dismissed insinuations that the institution had gone into extinction following its upgrade to a university.

    He made the clarification when he spoke to protesting students under the aegis of National Association of Nigeria Students ( NANS ), Ogun chapter, at the Oke-Mosan Governor’s Office in Abeokuta.

    The state government recently upgraded MAPOLY to Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology ( MAUSTECH ).

    It also created Ogun State Polytechnic to be located at Ipokia area of the state.

    Placard carrying students marched from Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC ) on Abiola Way to the Governor’s Office in protest.

    The demonstration was christened “Rescue Ogun State Education Campaign.”

    Some of the placards had inscriptions which read: “Save Ogun State Education”, “Education must survive” and “Mapoly must survive.”

    Amosun also said he would discuss with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic ( ASUP ) on the problems in the institution.

    He explained that students running various programmes at different levels would complete their studies and would not be taken to Ipokia.

    Amosun, however, said that there would not be automatic appointment for the aggrieved lecturers in both the university and the new polytechnic.

    “I am not happy because this is my school. What is happening today is because those that have been given the privilege to serve us are not serving well.

    “Everybody here will finish their courses; it will take four years before MAPOLY will go into extinction.

    “You are not going to Ipokia. If the lecturers don’t want that, we will sort them out.

    “We will seek for new lecturers for the university and the new polytechnic.

    “Mapoly lecturers are not comfortable with it. I said the appointment they have is for MAPOLY, for the new university, they will have to reapply.

    “If they are qualified, they can take them. I will ask the commissioner to meet them again,’’ he said.

    On the delayed examination, the governor stressed that the lecturers should explain why they decided to hold the students to ransom.

    He argued that the reason should not be because the state government created a new school.

    “We are only admitting ND1, if you have carryover, you are going to Ipokia. I told them (management), don’t admit new students to MAPOLY,” he said.

    He added that education would be free at the primary and secondary schools, adding that government would need to subsidise tertiary education.

    The governor said the state government was working hard to improve the standard and quality of education in the state.

    Earlier, Olawale Balogun, the NANS Chairman in Ogun, explained that the students were not happy with the standard of education in the state.

    Balogun urged the government to address the issue as a matter of urgency.

    He specifically mentioned the delay in the commencement of   examination at MAPOLY, saying the action would affect the career of the students.

    Balogun also decried the cancellation of the payment of Senior School Certificate Examination fee and the hike in the acceptance fee of Olabisi Onabanjo University ( OOU ), Ago-Iwoye.

    Meanwhile, the Rector of the school, Prof. Oladele Itiola, has proceeded on his terminal leave.

    The Secretary to the State Government, Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa, announced the appointment of  Mr Ayodeji Salimon  as the Acting Rector of the school.

    NAN

  • Elumelu to host 1,300 African Entrepreneurs from 54 countries

    Elumelu to host 1,300 African Entrepreneurs from 54 countries

    The Tony Elumelu Foundation ( TEF ), Africa’s leading philanthropy, on Friday announced plan to host 1,300 African Entrepreneurs, Business leaders and Policymakers from 54 countries in Lagos.

    Mrs Parminder Obe, the TEF’s Chief Executive Officer, who made this known at a briefing in Lagos, said the 3rd Annual TEF Entrepreneurship Forum was slated for Oct. 13.

    She said the 2017 invitation had been extended beyond the usual 1,000 Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurs to include selected SMEs, media, hubs, incubators, academia and investors from across Africa.

    “Assembled SMEs will build networks, share knowledge, connect with investors and link with corporate supply chains.

    “Since launching the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme and committing $100 million to empowering 10,000 African entrepreneurs in a decade, we have unleashed our continent’s most potent development force, its entrepreneurs.

    “In just three years, our first 3,000 entrepreneurs have created tens of thousands of jobs and generated considerable wealth.

    “On Oct. 13 and 14, the global entrepreneurship community will gather in Lagos to build a New Africa, a thriving, self-reliant continent capable of replicating the results of our ground-breaking programme.

    “The two-day forum will feature plenary panels, master classes, sector specific networking opportunities and policy-led forums focused on enabling African business growth.

    “This is the first year we have opened the forum up to include the full pan-African entrepreneurship ecosystem.

    “In doing so, we are enabling African SME communities to come together and expand the possibilities for intra-African partnerships.

    “I am looking forward to welcoming our invited policy-makers and investors to join us at the forum, as we empower the next generation of African business leaders,’’ she said.

    Also speaking, Mrs Owen Omogiafo, the TEF’s Chief Operating Officer, said speakers at the forum would include Wale Ayeni of International Finance Corporation, Stephen Kauma, Afrexim Bank and Andre Hue, African Development Bank.

    “Others are Stephen M. Haykin, USAID Nigeria, Heikke Reugger, European Investment Bank and Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, United Nations Development Programme,’’ she said.

    Omogiafo said TEF’s long-term investment in empowering African entrepreneurs was emblematic of Tony Elumelu’s philosophy of Africa Capitalism, which positions Africa’s private sector, as catalysts for social and economic development.

    She said the foundation, which was founded in 2010 by Tony Elumelu, was aimed at empowering a generation of successful pro-profit entrepreneurs who drive Africa’s economic and social transformation.

    According to her, the foundation received 20,000 applications in 2015 from residents of 53 African countries out of which 1,000 applicants were selected, with Nigeria contributing 64 per cent.

    “In 2016, 45,000 applications were received with Nigeria contributing 30 per cent with 1000 selected applicants.

    “Agriculture leads the sectors represented with 26.67 per cent: a great number are into poultry and fish farming.

    “Fashion and ICT followed in second and third with 10 and 8.8 per cent respectively.

    “This year, we received 93,246 applications out of which 1,300 applicants had been selected in 52 African countries with 57.1 per cent from Nigeria for the forum.

    “Entrepreneurs are coming from Kenya. Uganda, Ghana, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Rwanda, Botswana and Cote d’Ivoire,’’ she said

    NAN

  • Sodangi wants Nasarawa North to produce governor in 2019

    Sodangi wants Nasarawa North to produce governor in 2019

    Sen. Abubakar Sodangi on Thursday threw his weight behind the calls to zone the Nasarawa State governorship seat to the north senatorial district in 2019.

    “Nasarawa North is the only senatorial district yet to produce a governor. The first civilian governor, Abdullahi Adamu, was from the West senatorial district, while his successor, Akwe Doma, and the incumbent, Tanko Al-makura, are from the south.

    “It is only fair that the north be given a chance as well. We must consider their request for justice and the need for oneness,” Sodangi told reporters in Nasarawa.

    Sodangi, a three-term senator, who represented Nasarawa West in the Senate from 1999 to 2011, under the platform of PDP, defected to the APC last year.

    “I have told the people of Nasarawa North to put their house in order; I have told them to unite so that we can beg other zones to support them.

    “It is not anyone’s right to insist on the governorship, but we need to listen to each so as to build a strong and united state with equal opportunities.

    “I understand that my former political party, the PDP, has already zoned the seat to Nasarawa North. If my  present political party, the APC, equally zones it to the north, I shall be happy,” he said.

    NAN

  • Police arraign man for breach of trust

    Police arraign man for breach of trust

    The police on Friday arraigned one Kabiru Garba of no fixed address in a Minna Magistrates’ Court for alleged breach of trust.

    Garba is standing trial on a two-count charge of criminal breach of trust and cheating, offences that contravened the provisions of Sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

    The Prosecutor, Insp. Emmanuel Danladi, had told the court that one Iliya Musa of Sardauna Motors, Minna, reported the matter at the police station on Sept. 8.
    Danladi quoted the complainant as alleging that the defendant deceitfully collected his car valued at N650, 000 on the pretext that he had a buyer.

    The complainant said Garba remitted only N230, 000 to him after he sold the car and kept the balance.

    The defendant denied committing the offences, while the prosecutor asked for an adjournment to enable the police conclude investigation.

    Magistrate Maryam King granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200, 000 and a surety in like sum.

    King said the surety must be a civil servant, not below grade level 14, who resides within the court’s jurisdiction

    NAN

  • Odegbami urges Nigerians to support Eagles against Zambia

    Odegbami urges Nigerians to support Eagles against Zambia

    An ex-international, Segun Odegbami, has appealed to Nigerians to support the Super Eagles in their match against the Chipolopolo of Zambia on Saturday in Uyo.

    Odegbami on Friday in Ota, Ogun state said that this would qualify them for the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup.

    Super Eagles, topping the Group B with 10 points, had earlier beat Chipolopolo of Zambia at home by 2-1 in the first leg.

    According to him, Nigerians should support Super Eagles through vocal and their prayers, because it is a game that Nigeria must win.

    ”We must do everything possible to win the match so that we can qualify for Russia 2018 World Cup,” he said.

     Odegbami, however, implored Nigerians to turn out massively at the Godwin Akpabio Stadium in Uyo to lift up the Super Eagles’ spirits.

    The ex-international also urged Nigerians to leave the technical aspect to the coaching crews to decide.

    NAN

  • U.S. Republican lawmaker resigns after sex scandal

    U.S. Republican lawmaker resigns after sex scandal

    U.S. Republican Congressman Tim Murphy has announced his resignation after his affair with a young woman came to light, official statement said on Friday.

    “Upon further discussion with my family, I have made the decision to resign my position,’’ Murphy, an eight-term member of the House of Representatives, serving since 2003, said.

    The statement came one day after the 65-year-old said he would not seek re-election to Congress at the end of his current term, which would terminate in 15 months.

    The shifting position was the result of the House Republican leadership urging Murphy, who represents Pennsylvania’s 18th congressional district, to step down, considering him a distraction as the party fights for a major tax reform.

    “I’ve spoken with Tim quite a bit the last couple of days.

    “I think it’s appropriate that he moves on to the next chapter of his life,’’ House Speaker Paul Ryan told a press conference prior to Murphy’s resignation.

    In September Murphy admitted to an affair with a woman half his age.

    The couple’s text message exchanges reported by the U.S. media showed Murphy had asked the woman to abort their unborn child.

    It came as a devastating political blow as Murphy had been an active advocate of anti-abortion laws.

    “I’ve never written them, staffers do them, I read them and winced.

    “I told staff not to write anymore,’’ Murphy said of the anti-abortion statements released in his name after the woman complained of his inconsistent stance.

    NAN

  • NUT urges KDSG to pay backlog of salary arrears

    NUT urges KDSG to pay backlog of salary arrears

    As teachers celebrate World Teachers’ Day, the Kaduna State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers ( NUT ), has urged the state government to pay salary arrears owed its members.

    “Some teachers in Kaduna State are owed up to 11 months salary arrears; we think this is unfair,” Mr Audu Amba, the NUT chairman in the state, said on Thursday in Kaduna, at an event organised to mark the day.

    Amba equally decried the consistent delay in the payment of local government teachers’ salaries.

    “Sometimes, teachers are paid two or three weeks after other workers have received their salaries. We find this disappointing,” he said.

    The chairman also urged government to pay teachers the balance of 2015 leave grant, as well as the 2016 leave grant that was still being awaited.

    “Ten per cent of teachers’ salary is deducted monthly and paid to them as their leave grant at the end of the year; paying the grant should actually be a right and not a privilege,” he said.

    Amba called for more training and re-training of teachers, especially those in primary schools, so as to boost the quality of service delivery.

    He said that the theme of the 2017 teachers day, “Teaching in Freedom: Empowering Teachers”, was to emphasise the need for a free teaching atmosphere.

    “Teaching in freedom will encourage teachers to discharge their primary responsibilities of imparting knowledge, skills and character on the younger generation,” he explained.

    Amba, nonetheless, commended the state government for the the massive rehabilitation and furnishing of public schools, and also lauded the unprecedented budgetary allocation of more than 33 per cent to the education sector.

    “That huge budgetary allocation far exceeds the UNESCO recommendation of 26 percent,” he noted.

    NAN

  • 38 classrooms, 22 health centres constructed in Plateau in 2016

    38 classrooms, 22 health centres constructed in Plateau in 2016

    The Plateau office of Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs ), constructed and furnished 38 classrooms and 22 primary health centres in 2016, Mr Samuel Damla, the Coordinator, has said.

    Damla told newsmen on Thursday in Jos that it also constructed 17 boreholes and seven VIP toilets.

    According to him, the projects are spread across various communities in Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Shendam, Kanke and Jos North Local Government Areas.

    “The projects are mostly in the rural ares because our mandate is to alleviate the sufferings of the people in the rural communities, especially in the areas of education, health, water and sanitation.

    “We have also constructed boreholes and VIP toilets to promote personal hygiene in some of the communities,” he said.

    He said that the SDGs office trained 2,000 youths on Google digital production and programming this year, and explained that the training would empower the youths with the requisite knowledge to harness the potential of the digital world.

    “The digital world has lots of opportunities and could create many employment opportunities,” he said.

    He said that funds would soon be made available to the SDGs office following the payment of N600 million counterpart funds by the state government.

    “We intend to pay more attention to addressing the menace of erosion and deforestation and support people venturing into agriculture in 2018,” he stated.