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  • Bayelsa poll: Who gets APC ticket?

    No fewer than eight aspirants are competing for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State. But, the intra-party contest is between Senator Heinekein Lokpobiri and Chief David Lyon. Senior Correspondent mike odiegwu reports.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State will pick its governorship candidate on Saturday No fewer than eight aspirants are competing for the ticket. However, the battle is between former Minister of State for Agriculture Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and, a businessman, David Lyon.

    Former Governor Timipre Sylva is out of the contest. He is now Minister of State for Petroleum Resources. Before, it was,  a contest between him and others.

    The race would be as keen in the APC and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Sylva is throwing his weight behind Lyon.

    The Lyon’s option was a last-minute decision taken by Sylva and his camp, shortly after his inauguration as minister. The move by Sylva’s camp forced other aspirants to return to the drawing board and review their strategies. Even the Restoration caucus of the PDP, led by Governor Seriake Dickson, is rethinking some of its decisions, following the body language of Sylva.

    There are puzzles:

    Can Sylva succeed in his agenda to annoint Lyon? Can another aspirant sping a surprise? Some are saying that it will be like a camel passing through the eye of a needle for any aspirant in the APC to become the candidate without the backing of Sylva. They argue that Sylva owns the party structure and being a ‘super’ minister and state leader of the APC with a rising political profile, he is a great factor in the exercise.

    But, others believe that other aspirants, especially Lokpobiri, also have equal rights in the party as Sylva. They posit that Lokpobiri as a minister played a crucial role in setting up the current structures of the APC and that many party members are loyal to him. Yet, people believe that all the aspirants should be judged by their qualifications, experience and credentials.

    The APC aspirants are Lokpobiri, founding members, Preye Aganaba and Chief Ebitimi Amgbare; David Layon; former Commissioner of Police, Deseye Poweigha and former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Frankland Briyal.

    Lokpobiri:

    He is one of the most experienced public servants in Bayelsa State with a rich resume. Lokpobiri, who hails from Ekeremor Local Government Area in Bayelsa West Senatorial District, was a member of the House of Assembly where he became a two-time Speaker. He was a two-term member of the Senate and headed Senate Committees on Sports, Transport and Water Resources.

    Lokpobiri, who studied Law at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, also holds a Doctorate Degree from Leeds Beckett University, U.K. He was one of the most vocal senators in his period. He left the PDP for the APC in 2015 through the assistance of Sylva, who supported him to become the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development. He also supported Sylva, who flew the flag of the APC in the 2015 poll. If experience, qualifications and credentials are the requirements, Lokpobiri, according to observers, would have emerged an indisputable candidate of the APC.

    However, the odd against Lokpobiri is his senatorial district of origin. He is from Bayelsa West with Governor Dickson, who for the first time in the history of Bayelsa, is completing eight years as governor. Many people are of the opinion that in the interest of zoning, equity and fairness, other zones will resist any candidate from the west, which has two local government areas, at the general election. Lokpobiri is also battling a cold war with Sylva. But, Lokpobiri will always dismiss argument for zoning, saying since all the senatorial districts had tasted governance, the slot could go to any other zone beginning with local government areas like Ekeremor, which is yet to produce a governor. He has also declared that he had no problem with Sylva.

    Aganaba:

    He comes into the race with many success stories from his private business. Aganaba, who hails from Kolokuma-Opokuma in Bayelsa Centra, floated a company, Freenet Global Resources, which has investments in dredging, marine consultancy, reclamation, shore protection works, sweeping and clearing of oil wells. Aganaba is an electrical engineer.  Despite not holding any public office. The prince from Odi Kingdom has sponsored cultural festivals and attracted many federal projects to his constituency.

    He has been a frontline progressive and a founding member of the APC. He donated the first secretariat to the party when people persecuted few members during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. Aganaba was a member of the APC Primary/Convention Committee in 2014 and the Secretary, Media and Publicity sub-committee. If being a loyal party member could fetch one the ticket of the party, many people believe that Aganaba would be solely considered to fly the flag. He is also favoured by zoning, following the public sentiment that the governorship should return to Bayelsa Central.

    However, Aganaba is considered by some persons as lacking the required experience in public administration. His Kolokuma-Opokuma local government area is the most politically-disadvantaged council in the state. It has the least voting population. Others are also questioning his popularity, structures and networks to withstand the ruling PDP in the forthcoming poll. But, Aganaba always dismissed such doubts, saying he remains the candidate to beat.

    Lyon:

    Lyon has been a silent force. Little was heard about him publicly. To many people, Lyon was made popular by Dickson, when the name featured prominently in most live media chats of Dickson during the last general elections. Lyon, who hails from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, is a big time player in the oil sector. He reportedly owns six ocean liners that lift oil for multinationals, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Lyon played a crucial role in curbing illegal oil bunkering and restoring daily production quotas of oil companies in Bayelsa through his security agencies.

    Lyon, however, became popular for his generosity. Over 7000 persons are said to be in his monthly payroll. Almost all the ex-militant leaders in Bayelsa are receiving huge amount of money monthly from Lyon’s company to safeguard pipelines and other oil facilities in the state. Lyon has a functional scholarship scheme that recruits students from across the eight local government areas. Some of the earlier beneficiaries are studying abroad. Many people described his philanthropic and humanitarian gestures as second to none. Since he joined politics, he has remained loyal to the APC. He became the major financier of the party and he has propelled his associates into leadership positions. One of them, Preye Oseke, is currently a member of the House of Representatives on the platform of the APC.

    Apart from being a successful oil magnate, nothing much is known about his public life. Lyon was a senior prefect in the class of 1988 at the Secondary School in Olugbobiri. He studied Chemistry at the Rivers State College of Education in the early 90s. He was a Youth President in his community, Olugbibiri, between 1996-98 and has been involved in politics from the days of NRC and SDP. He once contested councilorship election in 1993; chairmanship in 1997 and 2002. He also contested for membership of the House of Assembly. His major strength is his popularity, Sylva’s support and zoning.

    But, those against his aspiration said he lacked experience. They also said the governor has linked him to electoral violence. Besides, many people accuse him of inability to speak in public and articulate issues. But, his supporters dismissed the allegations, saying they are at variance with his personality.

    Briyai:

    He is the immediate past Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Cross River State. He became a REC on June 30, 2017 and resigned his appointment in August 2019 to join the race on the platform of the APC. Prior to his resignation, stakeholders under the auspices of Bayelsa Grassroots Development Initiatives (BGDI) led by Prof. Emiemokumo, shut down Yenagoa, the state capital, in a rally and asked Briyai to return and join the governorship race.

    They cited his generosity, his academic background, administrative acumen and performance in all the offices he had held as reasons why he should join the race. Prior to his appointment as REC, Briyai, who hails from  Southern Ijaw and served for 16 years in the Nigerian Airforce, was a Senior Lecturer in the Biological Science Department, Niger Delta University (NDU), Amassoma. He restored sanity in the university as Dean of Students’ Affairs.

     

    Amgbare:

    Since joining politics, Amgbare, who hails from Sagabama Local Government Area, has been a progressive. He was the governorship candidate of the Action Congress in 2007. He instituted and won  a legal case against the election of former Governor Sylva. The court voided the election and ordered a fresh poll; a development that permanently altered the political calendar of the state. Though he lost the fresh election, Amgbare has grassroots support and he has been an active player. His highest odd is coming from Dickson’s local government where power has resided for about eight years.

    Deseye Poweigha:

    Poweigha is the only female governorship aspirant. She is a retired Commissioner of Police with a mass appeal among the women. Most people have been congratulating her on mustering the courage and boldness to join the men in the race.

    Apart from the personalities of the aspirants vying for the APC ticket, another major issue in the party is the mode of primary. The camps are divided over whether the party should adopt direct or indirect poll of conducting the primary. While the camp of Lokpobiri wants the indirect method, those of Aganaba and Sylva want the direct primary. But, there are indications that the direct primary will be the mode. The party can not hold ward and local government congresses required to elect delegates for a direct primary. It is too late.

     

  • Ending the farmer – herder conflicts

    The great “giant of Africa” is entangled with a variety of complex political problems including inequality, corruption, oil disputes, national disunity, and the Boko Haram insurgency. Violence has also intensified in rural areas between herdsmen and farmers amid claims of trespass and sabotage. The cycle of this resource-based violence is often catalyzed by low rainfall or drought.

    Studies have shown that right from 1999, the hostility between farmers and herders in Nigeria has resulted to the death of more than 10,000 people and displacement of hundreds of thousands more. Similar trend of death and displacement is evident in the western Sahel, due to a geometric increase in the number of farmers and cultivated land at the expense of pasturelands suitable for the nomads. The conflict has evolved from spontaneous reactions to provocations and now to deadlier planned attacks, particularly in Benue, Plateau, Adamawa, Kaduna, Nassarawa and Taraba states.

    As a result, Benue, Taraba, Plateau and other Nigerian Middle Belt regions have remained hotbeds for such hostility. Concentration of the violence is at the North central region. The persistent attacks in Benue state have had a spill-over effect on the neighbouring state of Nassarawa. Further studies shows that over 3,641 people have died in the clashes from 2015 to late 2018 in reference to the disputes over land and/or cattle between herders (in particular the Fulani and Hausa) and farmers (for example the Adara, Berom, Tiv and Tarok). Nasarawa State has also suffered an increase in violence involving both herders and farmer militias. From January to June 2018, over 260 people were killed in several incidents, mostly in the southern zone covering Doma, Awe, Obi and Keana local government areas. Most of these killings followed the influx of herders driven there by the Benue State anti-grazing law. The rising conflict between the herder and farmer is indeed as deadly as the Boko Haram insurgency.

    In January 2018, the News Agency of Nigeria reported that over 18000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were in 11 camps in Nassarawa State. Large-scale displacement and insecurity in parts of Adamawa, Benue, Nassarawa, Plateau and Taraba states hinder farming as well as herding and drive up food prices.  It is obvious that majority of farmer-herder clashes have occurred between Muslim-herdsmen and Christian farmers, thus aggravating ethno-religious hostilities in Nigeria. The violence also exacts a heavy burden on the military, police and other security services, therefore distracting them from other important missions, such as countering the Boko Haram insurgency.

    Several machineries have been put in place in a bid to address the menace of herders- farmers’ conflict prevalent in the North- Central, Middle- Belt and many other regions in Nigeria. What should be essentially considered however is not just that violent conflicts are terminated but that peace programs are specifically designed to end the motivation and opportunities for waging  armed conflict thus reinforcing factors that would ensure peace, justice and stability. Also, that a sustainable just structure is built. It is within this context that peace practitioners highlight accurate basis for the implementation of their respective programs. Strategic questions such as “what needs to be stopped” and “what needs to be done/supported” are critical discourse that demands a reflection in a bid to effectively curb the spate of incessant violence.

    An adage says “an attention to what is bad is often the first step in effectively correcting wrongs.” From observation, there are three factors that are mostly responsible for the escalation of the land-contest between the herdsmen and farmers. First is the rapid growth of ethnic band of soldiers, such as those of the Bachama and Fulani in Adamawa State, bearing illegally acquired weapons. Second is the failure of the federal government to prosecute past perpetrators or paying attention to early warnings of forth-coming attacks. Third is the introduction in November 2017 of anti-grazing laws vehemently opposed by herders in Benue and Taraba states, and the resultant exodus of herders and cattle, largely into neighboring state Nassarawa and, to a lesser degree, Adamawa. This legislative action plans sparked up clashes with farmers in those states wherein the nomads and their cattle migrated to. To stop the bloodshed, the current Buhari administration needs to demonstrate more decisive leadership, notably by improving security concerns; address the resource based conflict by ending impunity for attackers; and creating a livestock reform program which is aims at educating the nomadic herdsmen.  The government needs to speed up the National Livestock Transformation Plan in a bid to effectively install peace in conflicting regions.

    Furthermore, it is clear that peace building requires certain action plans that are strategically aimed at ending violent conflict. An analysis of what to support in a bid to efficiently restore peace and stability in conflicting regions of herdsmen attacks rightly includes an assessment of potential partnering organizations and their capacities for working. Ending the violence as well as building sustainable just structures to ensure peace requires series of efforts at individual, local, state and federal government levels in the society. In this light, the Nigerian government should firstly, reinforce security for farmers and herders. Military deployment in response to conflicts between farmers and herders has become the popular choice of action by the federal government in many locations. Though the military can play a key role in stabilization, the military is currently deployed in nearly every state and tends to respond to local conflict issues that are better served by the police of community-based mechanisms. The federal government should deploy more police in affected areas; ensure they are better equipped; improve local ties to gather better intelligence; and respond speedily to early warnings and distress calls. In addition, it should begin to disarm armed groups, including ethnic militias and vigilantes in the affected states, and closely watch land borders to curb the inflow of firearms.

    Secondly, the federal government should review the current program on nomadic education and create enlightenment. They should partner with the state and local governments to undertake a comprehensive review of the nomadic education program. The process should include extensive participation of representatives from the pastoralist community to ensure it reflects the expectation of the herders in terms of timing and the realization of the key objectives of providing the nomadic children with quality education, as well as training on modern herding.

    Thirdly, the federal government also should order the investigation of all recent major incidents of farmer-herder violence. It may need to accelerate the trials of individuals or organizations found to have participated, sponsored or been complicit in violence.

    Fourthly, elaborating the new National Livestock Transformation Plan and commence implementation is essential. The federal government should publicize details of its National Livestock Transformation Plan, encourage buy-in by herders and state governments, and move quickly to put the plan into effect in consenting states.

    Next, the freezing enforcement of and reform state anti-grazing legislation is recommended. The Benue State government should freeze enforcement of its law banning open grazing, as Taraba State has already done, and amend objectionable provisions therein. It should also help herders become ranchers, including by developing pilot or demonstration ranches, and conducting education programs for herders uneasy about making the transition.

    Encouraging herder-farmer dialogues and support local peace initiatives is another recommendation. Federal and state governments should foster dialogue between herders and farmers, by strengthening mechanisms already existing at state and local levels, and particularly by supporting peace initiatives at the local level. The federal government should further collaborate with the state and local governments to build up alternative responses that utilize dialogue and mediation as de-escalation techniques with the conflicting parties. Security agents need clear rules of engagement over their conduct, management of internal security, and respect to human rights and international humanitarian law.

    Above all, their focus should be on guaranteeing the safety of the citizens they were deployed to protect, by not deepening the animosity of the herders and farmers through unprofessional or criminal behaviors.

    • Stephen writes from the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Abuja.

  • ‘Why Sylva is backing Lyon for governor’

    Festus Daumebi, a lawyer and Bayelsa Central senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last general elections, spoke with Mike Odiegwu on why former governor of Bayelsa State and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, annointed Chief David Lyon as governorship candidate for the November 16 poll.

    You once called on the leader of the Bayelsa APC and former Governor Timipre Sylva to join the governorship race. Are you disappointed that Sylva, who is now a minister, did not heed that call?

    I’m not disappointed at all. Let me applaud Chief Timipre Sylva for deciding to be a statesman that he is and has been. He has put the party’s interest and that of his state above his personl interest. As a matter of fact, Bayelsans were yearning, praying and craving for him to be the next governor, going by his antecedent and track records when he was governor of this state. There is no ministerial portfolio that you will compare to that of executive governor of a state; a viable state like Bayelsa State. If he were after his personal interest, he wouldn’t have accepted a ministral portfolio against the people’s wish for him to become the next governor of this state.

    So, you can see clearly that Chief Sylva is a statesman that puts the interest of the people above his interest. At this critical time of  our political development, particularly in Bayelsa State, where the PDP claims to  purportedly hold the grip, it will only be good in the interest of the nation that we have the leader of the party at the center to work with his followers back home to further strengthen the party in the state and that’s exactly what Chief Sylva has done. So, why will I be disappointed?

    How do you react to claims by some critics that the junior ministerial portfolio given to Sylva belittles him and Bayelsa State?

    I am not disappointed at all at that office. It is at the President’s prerogative to allot portfolios and if anybody is condemning Chief Sylvia for accepting a minister of state portfolio, I think the person is misguided. In fact, the minister of petroleum for state is as viable as any other first grade ministry. It is among the first grade five ministries in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Bayelsa being a major contributor in the petroleum sector, it’s only good that a son of the soil, who is conversant with the issues, handle that portfolio. As a matter of fact, on behalf of the APC and people of Bayelsa State, I thank His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, for finding our son and our leader worthy to hold this all-important ministry and we are glad. We are not disappointed at all.

    In Bayelsa State, how strong is the APC?

    The party, as a matter of fact, is ready and more prepared than any other political party you can imagine in this state. In 2019 general elections, the performance of the party is out there in the public domain. This is a state where the temporary ruling party, the PDP, believes is a hundred percent PDP state. But, we have at present two House of Representatives’ members and a serving Senator. That is to say out of the three senators, we have one and out of the five House of Rep members, we have two. In other words, out of the eight National Assembly members we have three and they have five for now and there are matters before the tribunal that we cannot talk about. Nobody knows how those matters will go. So, that’s to say that APC is Bayelsa and Bayelsa is APC.

    Now, talking about the preparedness of the party in the state, the dynamics of the politics in Bayelsa has changed within the past few days, following the emergence of Chief Sylva as a minister. Sylva, who is the leader of the party in the states, holds the party so dearly to his heart. With a man he has decided to back, David Lyon, our likely candidate by the grace of God, I don’t see the chances of the PDP winning this election. With the candidate we are putting forward, PDP stands no chance.

    Don’t you foresee crisis within your party ahead of the election, especially after the primary?

    There are no crisis anywhere and there will be no crisis. It is a simple logic. For you to win an election, you must have a structure. Today if Chief Sylva is not contesting an election, whoever he decides to back and give support, will win the election because he has the structure in the states. So, where will the crisis come from. You cannot come from nowhere where people have finished building the house, you become a landlord it doesn’t happen. So, there will be no crisis in APC. All members of the party are entitled to vote as we have adopted direct primaries for Bayelsa. The party have adopted direct primary.

    Has the party adopted direct primary?

    Yes. At the state level, we have adopted direct primary where every party member is entitled to vote and we believe in the people. We know all the people. We are here every day in Bayelsa with the people. Most of these people only come in two weeks to the election; some are Port Harcourt-based. So, how can you come from nowhere two weeks to the election and expect to win a man who has been with the people? We are here with the Chief Sylva structure. Our foot soldiers are everywhere and so winning this election wouldn’t be an issue.

    One of the aspirants, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, supported Sylva, your principal, in 2015. Why is your camp not supporting Lokpobiri since Sylva is no longer running?

    Politics is a game of interest. Like I said, Lokpobiri  is an elder brother. He’s my leader. I respect him so much. But, for this purpose, for this governorship purpose, if he emerges,  if God says it is his own and he emerges as the candidate of the party, I pledge my 100 per cent support to my party man. But, before the primary, he doesn’t have my support. It’s a personal decision, before the primary my support is for David Lyon, the aspirant that is backed by Chief Sylva.

    Manypeople are describing your aspirant, David Lyon, as a neophyte. Do you think he has requisite experience and credentials to be governor?

    Let me start from credentials. Our constitution is clear. The requirements for one to become the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a school certificate. David Lyon has a sound primary school certificate, a sound SSCE, a graduate of the University of Ibadan. He did College of Education in Port Harcourt campus.

    All these certificates are attached to his form that I personally purchased on his behalf and submitted. So, the issue is, if you think that he’s not qualified, what’s your definition of qualification? You can go to court. Talking about degrees, what Bayelsans want are tractors, bulldozers, working sites, action and not PhD holders and professors that will come and tell us they want to turn us today to Dubai. Tomorrow, they say it is Jerusalem and next day, they are creating a new city towards the end of their administration. That is not what Bayelsans want.

    David Lyon is not going to promise Bayelsa Dubai.  David Lyon wants to promise Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, our neighbors. At least if in four years, and God grant him the grace and he gets to eight years, and he can change the state’s narrative to that of Akwa Ibom, we are good to go. We’re serious about this. So, if anybody is talking about qualifications, David Lyon is more qualified than any other persons.

    How do you react to the recent display of strange brotherly love between your principal, Sylva, and the Governor Seriake Dickson?

    I must at this point commend Governor Seriake Dickson for the brotherly love he showed at the point of the nomination and screening of our principal. That is to say a man may be bad, but not in all areas. I know that Seriake Dickson is not a good leader, but I give it to him on the role he played during that period. He showed that we can fight inside, but let us be brothers outside. The APC, for that show of love he displayed is grateful. We are very sincere people. When you do good, we give it to you and when you do bad we give it to you.

    Are you expecting defections, following the recent changes in the state?

    It has started already.  The governor’s representative in Ogbia Local Government Area and  Southern Ijaw defected to the APC recently. Let the parties primary come and go, you will be tired of publishing defections because the people know that the Restoration Government has failed and what the Restoration Government is planning is from frying  pan to fire.  How can you be a commissioner and you can’t pay your children school fees and yet there is no physical development? This is very parochial and sectional government that believes in only its immediate environment. The governor doesn’t believe in the state. Do you see Yenagoa as a state capital?

    So, this election is  not about the APC, it is about the individual. It is the individual candidate that the party is projecting. It is the individual that rules or governs or represents his people. So, Bayelsa has realized themselves and the mistakes we have done over the years and we are willing and prepared to correct them with our PVCs. We are going to vote based on individual.

    Power comes from God. David Lyon is not coming to be a governernor to enrich himself. It is not all about money. The major driving force of this team is the development of Bayelsa State. Before you develop a place, you must have interest in that place. How do you expect most of these people that are parading themselves around Bayelsa to develop the state when they don’t even stay here. We have the majority with us. We are good to go and by the grace of God David Lyon will be sworn in the next governor of Bayelsa State.

     

     

  • ‘Building collapse a major challenge’

    The National President, Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Mr. Kunle Awobodu, has identified building collapse as the major challenge facing the construction industry.

    Speaking in Port Harcourt, he said the menace of building collapse has created doubts about the competency of practitioners and artisans in the international community.

    He said the menace was man-made and could be overcome, if there was genuine interest to right the wrong. “About 10 years ago, when I was the chairman of the NIOB in Lagos State, the frequency of building collapse in the state made the then Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, to set up a technical committee to reform the Physical Planning and Development Law of the state.

    “The committee developed a bill that was passed by the state House of Assembly and assented to by the governor in 2010, becoming the new Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law,” he said.

    Awobodu continued: “Promulgating the law was one hurdle crossed, but the implementation becomes a bigger hurdle.” According to him, compromise and corruption remained the bane in the fight against building collapse. He, however, noted that NIOB must sustain the efforts to ensure that buildings that are being constructed in Nigeria meet the required standard.

    He said if builders were complaining about that the construction sphere is replete with quackery, NIOB should proffer the solution that would encourage developers and clients to patronise trained builders.

    In view of this, he said, “Self-development and professional competency drive will be salient in the programme of this new NIOB administration.”

    Awobodu said the institute would embark on international collaborations to equip members with latest construction technology and improved construction methodology.

  • Campus journalists launch UNIZIK chapter

    National Union of Campus Journalist, Nigeria (NUCJ), has extended its arm to Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

    The inauguration and three-day workshop with the theme: “Campus journalism in the era of fake news” held at the Faculty of Art’s Theatre Hall and UNIZIK FM Hall respectively. The event had over 100 students in attendance.

    The training featured resource persons in the media industry. They include: Director, UNIZIK 94.1 FM, Prof Stella Okunna; Managing Director, Anambra State Broadcasting Service, Stella Igboka; and Chairperson, National Association of Women Journalist, Awka, Uche Nworah among other media personalities.

    Participants were trained in basic elements and ethics of journalism, data journalism, conducting successful interview, how to write good stories, as well as the basics of fact-checking, among others.

    Chidi Onumah, author of ‘We are all Biafrans’ and Nigerian/Canadian journalist, who trained the students on ‘Introduction to campus journalism’, narrated his experience as a campus journalist at the University of Calabar. He urged participants to be professional in their writing.

    “People who practice campus journalism pay attention to details like climax, syntax and so on. They do their home work very well.  As campus journalists, our responsibility is to ask.

    “At the ivory tower, where integrity is being ditched, journalism becomes the cornerstone to demand accountability, especially when it’s about the welfare of students”

    Read Also: Nigerian student unveils Beginners’ Handbook for campus Journalists

    Anambra State Broadcasting Service Managing Director, Mr Uche Nworah, while training campus journalist on Introduction to Journalism, emphasised on the importance of ICT skills to boost campus journalism work and urged them to be smart and savvy with ICT.

    He also urged them to be active in writing well detailed story that will promote the welfare of students on campus.

    The National Union of Campus Journalist, Nigeria( NUCJ), Publicity Secretary, Samuel Ajala  narrated his foray into journalism and urged them to be good ambassadors of the union.

    NUCJ South-East Zonal Secretary, who doubles as the UCJ UNIZIK Editor-in-Chief, Chiamaka Okafor, emphasised on the need for active union on campus and narrated what the significance of the union will be in the institution.

    At the end of the workshop, some students shared their thoughts on the event with Premium Times.

    One of the trainees, identified as Moses Mary from Mass Communication Department said: “I learnt a lot about how best i can be a journalist, to do the work with passion and skills.”

    Another trainee, Okafor Chidera Christian of Mass Communication Department said: “The programme is motivating. So far, we have been here to learn a lot and connect with each other. I can write news now and I can interview any student on campus based on what I have learnt.”

    The event was organised in partnership with Premium Times, Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ), African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) and other organisations.

    NUCJ, is an umbrella that unites all campus journalist in Nigeria.

    The organisation is committed to promoting welfarism of campus journalist in Nigeria.

  • Firms plan festival to raise N10m scholarship for students

    Scholarx and iManage Africa have announced plans to hold a festival, AcadaFest, to help raise up to N10 million to sponsor university tuition for deserving students in Nigeria.

    The event scheduled for September 15, 2019 at the Muri Okunola Park, Vitoria Island, Lagos, would feature Music from top acts like Waje, Show Dem Camp, Bez Idakula and Johnny Drille.

    It will also showcase Food and Book vendors like Dundu Nation, Azdamtreats, Rovingheights Books.

    A statement by CEO of ScholarX, Bola Lawal, noted that the festival is being sponsored  by FCMB, Tecno Mobile, Okadabooks, Wallets.Africa, Pulse.ng  and others,  which will allow the entire proceeds from ticket sales to go towards the Scholarship Fund.

    He said with the economic inequalities in Nigeria, there was need for collaboration by Nigerians outside government to help the situation.

    “I don’t think it’s a secret that we have access to education problem in Nigeria, largely due to economic inequalities caused by high poverty levels. What we as a collective; need to improve upon is how to help make things better? Yes, we know government (at all level) need to step up their efforts, but we can’t wait, we must act. And this is what ScholarX is all about. Using technology, we want to connect as many students as we can to viable funding sources. AcadaFest is another step in the right direction. We are very grateful that iManage Africa joined us in making this a reality,” Lawal said.

    Godwin Tom, CEO, iManage Africa, said collaborating with ScholarX was an opportunity he had sought for to give back to the society.

    He said: “Like many people in Nigeria who are willing to contribute or support the future of many young people, I always struggled with how best to do so and ScholarX created a solution for me and people like me. I needed to find a way to get more people to know about the tremendous work they are doing. Acadafest is an opportunity to do and send some deserving students to school at the same time. Everyone wins!” –

    Lawal, called for members of the public to support the festival by purchasing tickets from the firm’s website.

    ScholarX is an education Finance platform that has fully funded 600 students with $70,000 in tuition raised, and $100,000 in scholarships managed and 300 Diaspora Donors.

    iManage Africa is a talent manager/brand consultant firm in Nigeria, which has managed stars like Wizkid, and currently manages: Wande Coal, Ice Prince, Bez, Show Dem Camp, Beverly Naya and planned and executed sold out concerts.

  • Business school’s scholarships for Nigerian undergraduates

    To encourage students and create easier access to advanced studies, Rome Business School Nigeria, an Italian Business Schools operating in the country, has announced scholarship opportunities for intending Master’s degree students for its October intakes.

    The scholarships are for students applying to study Masters in Business Administration (MBA); Marketing and Communications; International Human Resources Management; as well as Agribusiness. Intending students are advised to send in their applications to the school’s campus at Ikeja GRA, Lagos or contact admissions office for further assistance.

    In a chat with CAMPUSLIFE, the Country Director, Dr. Humphrey Akanazu, said: “We are seeing the urgency to rebuild the Nigerian education landscape and investing in the potentials of Nigerian graduates. In view of this, we have opened our doors to promote the professional development of students, professionals and entrepreneurs by creating scholarship opportunities for intending master degree students to foster education advancement and contribute to meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development goal on Education”.

    “The scholarship is designed to give graduates, professionals, and entrepreneurs the chance to develop their competencies in managerial disciplines based on the best international standards, thus helping them become competitive in the job, professional and entrepreneurial markets.”

    Akanasu said Rome Business School Nigeria is a European managerial training and research institute of excellence with an elaborate international standard academic curriculum.

    He added: “Our courses feature the highest levels of teaching quality and scrupulous care for the students’ needs with a personalised assistance of expert faculties, the wealth of learning materials and the meticulous checking of the learning progress ensures the maximum effectiveness of the training courses.”

  • Sundry Misusages XXIV: Much/Many . . . plus more

    We continue with those little matters of misusage that matter. As we have stressed times without number, these are some of the fine points that set apart the writer who is on top of his art from the splash-dash, instinctive writer. More importantly, a mastery of such matters can make one writer a more effective communicator than the other. You know how! When your usage is correct, that means your choice of words, phrases and expressions is such that makes your message easy to read, understandable and use. In other words, you sre sharing meaning smoothly, which is what effective communication is all about. There lies the essence of the following conversations.

    Much/many

    These are adjectives or determiners used normally to describe quantity, volume or magnitude as appropriate. But you must be careful in applying either in different contexts, lest you confuse your reader and betray your own superficial understanding of the language.     The point is, much and many should not be used interchangeably. This is the point missed in the following specimen incorrect usages taken from our writers’ companion, “Pop” Errors:

    (a). . .Millions of dollars was put in the county development fund, but not much jobs are created.

    (b)…Much of the politically-motivated agitations revolve around the administration’s handling of reports of probes.

    As an adjective, the word much has been wrongly used in both examples, because the nouns jobs and agitations, which it modifies, are count nouns. “Pop” Errors explains: “Much should be used only in reference to non-count nouns. If, for example, agitation is the associated noun in the second sentence, it will be correct to say much of the agitation, because then agitation is being used as a non-count noun. In other words, it is correct, in that wise, to say much of the agitation was . . . .”

    On the other hand, many should only be used to modify count nouns, that is, nouns that you can count in numbers. This is why in the two specimen sentences, the word many is the appropriate usage, because the nouns jobs and agitations in reference are count nouns. To make ourselves clear, we display the corrections thus:

    (a). . .Millions of dollars was put in the county development fund, but not many jobs are created.

    (b). . .Many of the politically-motivated agitations revolve around the administration’s handling of reports of probes.

    Much/Most

    Handling much and most is as delicate as the foregoing treatment of much and many. It poses a similarly tricky problem, but the same principles apply. The following example demonstrates this amply:

    Much of the crises stem from the autonomous foundations of the colonial acts of creation.

    Much is inappropriate usage in this sentence because you could count the noun crises in terms of two, three or many crises. So, correct usage is most, not much, in that position, most meaning a larger number. We should note, however, that if the noun is crisis, an uncountable noun, much will be the appropriate usage. Here is what we mean:

    Most of the crises stem from the autonomous foundations of the colonial acts of creation.

    OR

    Much of the crisis stems from the autonomous foundations of the colonial acts of creation.

    Myriad

    Many do not often note that the word ‘myriad has two forms – noun and adjective. As a noun, it means “an extensively large number of something.” As an adjective, it is pre-modified by the article the, as in “the myriad problems of modern life”’ (“Pop” Errors citing OALD). This demands that the writer must be mindful of which form he is applying in specific instances. Consider the usage below:

    Africa has been repeatedly challenged by implosions caused by myriad of factors.

    The problem in the above usage is the absence of the required article a, to determine the noun myriad. Usually, the determiner is the article a whenever the word is used as a noun, as in the sentence at issue. And when it is used as an adjective, the required pre-modifier is the article the. For correct usage, the writer must be mindful of which is which at all times.

    Back to the sentence at issue, where myriad is used as a noun, correct usage should therefore be:

    Africa has been repeatedly challenged by implosions caused by a myriad of factors.

    News

    The delicate issue here is the nature of news as either a singular or plural noun. Such usage difficulties breed egregious misusages as follows:

    (a)…News of the Boko Haram caliphate declaration have been compounded by the disturbing news of army officers being tried for mutiny.

    (b). . .I knew there might be one or two important news emanating from that meeting.

    In (a) above, the noun news has been mistaken to be plural, hence the plural verb have instead of has, which is the appropriate verb in the context. Clearing the air and citing OALD/AmazonKindle as to whether news is singular or plural, “Pop” Errors explains: “It is a mass noun that almost always takes a singular verb.” So, correct usage in (a) is:

    News of the Boko Haram caliphate declaration has been compounded by the disturbing news of army officers being tried for mutiny.

    In (b), the usage of news as a countable noun is unacceptable for the same reason given in (a) above. So, we refuse to count and therefore correct as below:

    I knew there might be important news emanating from that meeting.

  • Firm to focus on girls’ STEM development

    Lonadek Inc., a firm which has spent the last 13 years organising the Vision 2020 Youth Empowerment and Restoration Initiative (YERI) to raise awareness about careers in oil and gas and technology, is to focus on Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) for girls next.

    Speaking at the closing of the 13th edition of the Vision 2020: YERI Summer Camp Programme, a five-day initiative which ended last Friday at the Cedar STEM & Entrepreneurship Hub (CSEH), Jibowu, founder and principal consultant, Lonadek inc, Dr Ibilola Amao, said the focus on STEM was aimed at increasing the number of women and girls working in STEM-based industries.

    She said: “We want to focus on women and girls in stem and we also want to look at women in entrepreneurship.  We realised that not enough women are running businesses in energy, power, infrastructure, oil and gas; and I really would hate to be just one of many women who have run a business.

    Read Also: Glo partners firm on empowerment of Girl Child

    “I think we need to encourage more women in the male dominated areas to run businesses so we can get a better country.”

    Speaking on why Vision 2020 YERI was initiated, Dr Amao said she worked on the feedback she got from the field.

    “As we engage with our clients and customers in our industry, we pick from the issues and challenges we are faced with and then we try and translate it with what are the jobs for the future, what do we need to sensitize children in school about,  what do we need to begin to prepare their minds for and then we expose them to this things so our themes are informed by the issues and challenges we see primarily in the oil and gas industry or in the energy, power and infrastructure industry.

    During the weeklong summer camp, 31 participants from 10 secondary schools in Lagoswere exposed to classroom sessions, robotics, STEM in the society, digital marketing, renewable energy, health and safety, etc. as well as leadership skills like personal branding, etiquette.

    The facilitators were experts and professionals across various industries. The students also went on a field trip to General Electric where they learnt about innovation and technology and the principle behind the 3-D Printer.

    The participants were also grouped into teams to brainstorm on problems like flooding, global warming, agriculture, oil spillage, using STEM.

    They learnt the 4C’s to problem solving – Critical Thinking, Creativity, Communication and Collaboration.

  • Lagos SUBEB boss laments poor data on out-of-school children

    The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) chairman, Dr Ganiyu Sopeyin, has promised support for out-of-school children through the Out-of-School Children Empowerment Foundation (OSCEF), a non governmental organisation (NGO) that gets streets children back into the classrooms.

    At a meeting at the SUBEB office in Maryland, with OSCEF founder Mr Akeem Kelani, and director of programmes, Miss Oluwaseyi Ariyo, Sopeyin lamented the lack of sufficient data to reflect the true population of out-of-school children roaming the streets of Lagos.

    He faulted claims that there were no out-of-school children in Lagos State.

    “The data gathering would lead to provision of the much needed infrastructure and would also challenge the misleading release by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) that there are no out- of-school children in Lagos,” he said.

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    The SUBEB chairman spoke of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s concern  about changing the lot of out of school children. He promised to leverage this to provide the needed support for the out-of-school children.

    “Mobile education and home tracing are instruments that must be employed in this project, we would collaborate with members of National Youth Service Corps to make this work,” Dr Sopeyin said.

    He also praised OSCEF for the laudable work it has been doing, which include the enrolment of out-of-school children picked from Ikeja Army Cantonment and enrolled in the 9th Brigade Primary School; coordinating mobile education and community engagement activities.

    He, however, promised to change the ugly trend of school children roaming the streets through his office.

    Kelani said the foundation would work with the School Based Management Committee (SBMC) to achieve its aim.

    “We have plans to work with the School Based Management Committee to achieve this,” Kelani said.