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  • How to save education, by don

    How to save education, by don

    All roads led to Lapai in Niger State when the state-owned Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU) held its first convocation. YINKA OLATUNBOSUN (400-Level Chemistry) reports.

    What is the magic formula for universities to do well? It is by the provision of adequate infrastructure and good remuneration for lecturers, says emeritus professor of Language and Education, Thomas Adeyanju.

    Delivering the maiden convocation lecture of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU) in Lapai, Niger State, Prof Adeyanju, an education consultant, blamed the decline in the quality of education, from primary to tertiary level, on the insensitivity of government and the importance they attached to education.

    While primary school teachers in the United States and England enjoy a monthly salary of $3,000 (N480,000) and £2,500 (N655,000), the don said their counterparts in Nigeria earn less than N20,000.

    He described the salary package as demoralising, describing it as a factor encouraging exodus of professionals from the country.

    Prof Adeyanju said if Nigerian certificates must be acceptable globally, a minimum of National Certificate of Education (NCE) qualification should be set for teachers at basic level; Second Class (Upper Division) degree for secondary school teachers and PhD for tertiary institutions.

    To salvage education, Prof Adeyanju said Higher School Certificate (HSC) must be re-introduced, adding that the 60:40 admission policy for science and arts must be followed.

    Pro-chancellor and chairman of Governing Council Mallam Suleyman Ndanusa praised the lecturer for “scholarly dissection” of the problems facing education, urging stakeholders to learn from the lecture to restore the glory of education.

    The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Ibrahim Adamu Kolo, applauded the “insightful academic approach” of the guest lecturer, saying the paper contained workable solution to help policymakers in tackling the problem.

    The following day, graduating students filed out in academic gowns, beaming with smiles. They were the first set of graduates of the institution. Eight of the 1,732 graduands got First Class.

    The Visitor, Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, urged the graduating students to be models for measuring the academic and moral quality of the university.

    Aliyu warned students to shun violence and unruly conducts that could undermine the peace of the university’s host community. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to adequately fund the university, praising Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar for aiding the institution’s development.

    While launching the University Endowment Fund, Abdulsalami, who chairs the Board of Trustees, said the institution need about N3 billion to complete its facilities. He urged wealthy indigenes to contribute to the endowment fund.

    Gen. Babangida promised to complete the Senate Building; Mrs Modupe Alakija , an oil magnate, donated N100 million to the fund.

    Prof Kolo said the state government had spent over N19 billion to consolidate projects in the university since inception. He highlighted the management’s efforts to improve infrastructure, stressing that his administration had laboured to provide human resources and facilities needed for the school to compete with other institutions.

    The VC said research and knowledge-driven innovation were being pursued, appealing to stakeholders to have faith in the university.

    He urged the graduands to be good ambassadors of the institution praising staff and students for the development under his watch.

    The Registrar, Mallam Samaila Muhammad, thanked stakeholders and friends of the university for making the occasion a success.

    No fewer than 327 graduated with Second Class (Upper Division), 902, Second Class (Lower Division), 476 with Third Class and 22, Pass.

  • Save my son, pleads widow

    A widow, Mrs. Lami Onoja has pleaded with well- meaning Nigerians to help her financially so that she will be able to foot the bill for her son’s treatment.

    The widow, who lives at Area 8, Block 62, Nyanya, Abuja, stated that her 16-year-old son, Hamza Onoja has suffered kidney problem for two years.

    Onoja said she has no money to foot the bill. She therefore pleaded with government, public-spirited individuals and corporate organisations for financial assistance so that her son will not die.

    Mrs. Onoja, who said her husband died about five years ago, added that all relations have deserted her and her two children.

    “Life has not been easy for me and my two children since my husband died about five years ago. We have nobody to assist us and all our relations have distanced themselves from us.

    “We have been feeding from hand to mouth because I don’t have anything doing. I need a job to assist my family. We were told at Nyanya General Hospital about two years ago that my son has kidney problem and we need a huge amount of money to treat him.

    “The hospital later referred us to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital in Gwagwalada where we were asked to pay the sum of N 43, 700 just to carry out a test,’’ she said.

    Mrs. Onoja further stated that she has been able to raise N30, 000, hence the appeal with the public to assist her.

    “He is my only hope. I do not want him to die. Please help us. I am also ready to do any job to keep the family going; even if it means sweeping the streets to enable me to feed my family,” she said.

  • Mercy Johnson to govt: Save Chibok girls

    Mercy Johnson to govt: Save Chibok girls

    Top Nollywood star, Mercy Johnson, has called on the Nigerian government to assuage the pains in the hearts of the mothers of kidnapped Chibok girls by Boko Haram insurgents.

    The actress, in a letter, which has been applauded by many, said: “Sometimes, our realities remind us of the pain of others. My reality as a mother is that I get to see my daughter every day, while the reality of the mothers of the kidnapped 234 Chibok girls is that they don’t even know where their daughters are.

    “All well-meaning Nigerians must come together and help these mothers who have been in pains for more than two weeks and make the memory a reality- the reality of seeing their children again. Let us not for once think that the evil-doers who turn the realities of these mothers to memories cannot do the same to us, if they have the opportunities. This is not a war against a select group of people; it is a war against all well-meaning mothers in Nigeria, as injustice to one is injustice to all. Let the mothers rise, the men who love them should stand by their right hand and the children who adore them on their left and do all we can in our spheres of influence to ensure that the children come back home safe, so that the mothers can smile again.”

    She also urged Nigerians to intensify their prayers, adding that those who could fast should add more days to their fasting period.

    “We need the girls back! They are innocent; they have their future ahead of them; so, please do not cut it short. I dare say some of them will end up being the solution we desire to restore the lost and battered glory of this nation. Please, don’t kill or damage the future all in the name of militancy.

    “I appeal to the soldiers and other security operatives not to be demoralized. Do not let this evil people for once think that they can get away with this. If they ever get away with this, let me assure you that we won’t all be able to sleep with our eyes closed.

    “I appeal to the political class and those in power not to think that any right-thinking Nigerian will allow this matter to be swept under the carpet. This isn’t one of the matters we will keep mum about. If your child were one of the abducted children, we would probably have heard of the end of the matter. Let’s not fold our arms and let evil reign.”

  • Oni for APC ‘to save Ekiti from the locusts’

    A major loss seems set to befallen the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as former Governor Segun Oni is set to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    An aide of the former governor, Chief Taiwo Olatubosin, who disclosed this to reporters in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital in a telephone interaction at the weekend, said Oni’s decision to join APC was based on “an urgent need to save this state from a band of locusts who once plagued it (Ekiti State) and rendered hopes desolate”.

    Olatunbosun, a former Information Commissioner during Oni’s administration, said arrangements had been concluded for the move “in the overall interest of the Ekiti people anywhere in the world”.

    According to him, all well-meaning Ekiti people must submit themselves for the task of ensuring that Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the candidate of the APC, win the June 21 governorship election.

    He maintained that despite what he described as “the lies of the opposition parties about Fayemi’s performance” Oni was convinced of the governor’s great achievements and had decided to join the train to ensure APC’s victory.

    He noted that the administration had in three and half years performed well in the administration of the state, adding: “I have no apology to anyone in saying this. Oni has felt the best service to Ekiti people today is to partner Fayemi on this coming election. He will move with other well meaning followers into the APC camp. We cannot politicise the achievements of Fayemi. We won’t be doing ourselves any good. He has done well. He deserves a second term of four years.”

    Said he: “Segun Oni has decided to partner Fayemi regarding the coming election to salvage (save) Ekiti in this critical time of need. We all know where we were when Fayemi came into Ekiti and how the state has fared today.

    “The process leading to the emergence of Fayose as PDP candidate is a tragedy and even Fayose’s candidature too is a tragedy. Asiwaju Segun Oni is too decent and refined in civility to be associated with the political gangsterism of the PDP candidate, whose track record of violence and gangsterism is unrivaled.

    “We all know Fayose has failed as a politician, and all his plan to cause crises and mayhem in this state has been exposed. He was rejected in 2011 at the senatorial elections because he lacks capability, competence and credibility to lead.

    “To overlook the achievements of Fayemi in three and a half years and opt for Fayose is to risk missing an opportunity to cause lasting changes in this state. What he (Fayemi) has done for me, for every Ekiti indigene living and yet unborn is a legacy which deserves reward. This is why Oni is supporting him to come back.”

    Debunking the rumour in the social media that the former governor had reconciled with Fayose “at a strategic meeting”, Olatubosun said: “Oni did not reconcile with Fayose. Oni felt there was nothing wrong to honour his long time friend, Chief Dipo Anisulowo, whose daughter was wedding. His attendance at the wedding in Ado-Ekiti had no undercurrent of politics.”

  • ‘IT infrastructure maintenance to save Opex by 30%’

    ‘IT infrastructure maintenance to save Opex by 30%’

    The Chief Executive Officer, Venema Advies Nigeria Limited, Dick Venema, has said a professionally maintained information technology (IT) infrastructure could save organisations operating costs (Opex) about 30 per cent.

    According to him, the practice where companies adopt what he described as ‘the break-fix model’, is costing firms huge sums of money, adding that lack of professional IT advice is responsible for this development.

    Venema, who spoke in Lagos at weekend, said: “This is not how it works; in most cases, equipment is not broken; it is just badly maintained. This is usually due to the absence technical knowledge of IT by consultants and bad advice from some of the IT companies. Very high IT cost results from this as companies just keep on spending. Companies can optimise IT just by maintaining it well. That will reduce the cost that companies have by buying new equipment every time that something goes wrong. I think for most companies, they can save about 30 per cent at least a year by just maintaining the environment right as in good service. This, however, should not be limited to equipment but everything must be kept running smoothly. It all begins with the right advice and if the consultant who advises the company has no knowledge of what is happening in the IT world, he would not be able to advise the chief information officer (CIO) or CEO on the right solutions.”

    He cited internet connections as where a lot of companies are still running on slow satellite connection while optic fibre cable (OFC) is available through the street. He said though OFC connection might be expensive over satellite or aerial connection, it has the advantage of stability.

    He said: “What we see in Nigeria is that most companies are spending a lot of money on IT and still it is not working. So what we would like to offer them is a free cloud assessment of the current environment and to see how we can upgrade to a private or public cloud without any or minimal capital cost. No public datacenter or rack space is needed. Your own private cloud in your company without high costs upfront. We deliver complete private clouds with subscription models for VMWare, Microsoft, Symantec, RES and Trend Micro.”

    He said the firm is partnering with Immarsat, a satellite firm, to bring capacities into the country at affordable prices to boost the economy, adding that connectivity is central to economic prosperity. He said: “The Global Express technology that Inmarsat presented at AfriCom in South Africa, promises to deliver a higher capacity for prices basically comparable to the fibre connections here in Nigeria. “For companies which don’t have access to fibre connection, they still can get this 50 megabytes (Mb) speed by satellite. There is a long way to go in Nigeria for national fibre coverage. A lot of companies are still on satellite. Attaining a 10-20Mb speed for a comparable price brings cloud computing closer for companies that do not have high capacity access now. Inmarsat has a strategic alliance with Cisco to develop a platform for more advanced applications such as TV-on- demand, tele-presence and collaborative working.”

    He said the company is working towards delivering complete IT solutions together with its partners, adding that with services and products, it delivers turnkey projects related to connectivity, computing environments and communication.

    “We can build cloud or traditional ICT environments, we can transfer them, and we can maintain at any environment that is needed by a company. Together with our international partners, we all create the best possible IT solutions,” he said, urging companies to take advantage of the free assessment it is offering firms in the country to save cost and increase productivity.

  • ‘Help save my boy’

    ‘Help save my boy’

    Friendly Darasimi Daniel Sanusi was lost in a world of his own as he played with a pen and paper. In deep concentration uncommon to his peers, the 18-month-old scribbled away his ‘masterpiece’ of uneven lines. Then, suddenly, he broke down in tears, screaming at the top of his voice. Within seconds, his eyes had turned red; and his mouth, tongue, palms and feet, dark blue. It took a lot of petting from his mother, Mrs Temitope Sanusi, to get him back to his game. Once again, he started playing as if nothing happened. But within seconds, he screamed again, wailing.

    After staying with the boy for two hours, it was evident that it was a usual practice by little Darasimi; and also that the eyes, mouth, tongue, palms and feet were red and blue. What’s wrong?

    Darasimi has a life-threatening heart condition – a hole-in-the-heart. According to Mrs Sanusi, 26, her son was born with the condition, and it is growing worse each day.

    “From when he was born on October 9, two years ago, he always cries and refuses to eat. He even refused taking breast milk. And when he is asleep, he breathes heavily like someone who has been running for long. Also, I noticed that his eyes were becoming redder and redder; and his mouth, tongue, palms and feet had become dark blue. I kept feeling that something was wrong but did not know what to make of it. By the end of last year, his condition had worsened and he was always falling ill. He doesn’t eat; even up till now. He only takes watery things such as water and juice. Give him anything solid and he will vomit it. And by February, I made up my mind that I was not going to sit around and watch my child die. That was when I decided to seek medical help,” she said

    After a series of tests at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Darasimi’s mother received the heart-breaking news.

    “Our baby has a hole in his heart, we were told. In fact, after the test, they told us he was born with the condition. The news broke my heart. We were shocked and confused. It was the first time I was hearing about such condition,” Mrs Sanusi said.

    The news, according to her, has affected their lives. As a student of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), who had just finished her second year of the Ordinary Diploma, she had hopes that she would return to school after weaning her baby. But that was not to be.

    She said: “It has affected my education because after my one-year I.T, I thought I would be able to return to school. Now, I am only concerned with how to save my child. Although my husband is working with a hotel, he is not earning much. His job is even being threatened at the moment.”

    Her constant visit to LUTH for medical checkup instead of easing her pain is adding to her sorrow. I am told that Darasimi’s condition is life-threatening and he requires urgent surgery to correct the abnormality. And the tests show that it is getting worse as the days go by. I asked the doctor what caused it. I was told it is caused by heavy consumption of alcohol or cigarette smoking or an attempt to abort the baby during pregnancy. “But I didn’t do any of that.” But we were told it is also caused by malnutrition and also that children with this kind of problem have slow growth and don’t walk on time. It is making me to be sad.”

    Despite the family’s financial condition, Mrs Sanusi and her husband are determined to save their child. The search for medical help took them to the Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria (DSFN), an organisation that has helped sponsor several children living with Down Syndrome who have similar heart conditions. But Darasimi’s case was peculiar. He does not have Down Syndrome but a heart defect.

    She said: “We were told that the surgery could only be done abroad and that it costs over a million. Still, we are determined to learn more about it and to give my boy the necessary medical treatment as long as his life would be spared. My husband then went to consult with a friend, Mr Kanu Ahaoma, the Public Relations officer of DSFN. He introduced us to DSFN president, Mrs Mordi. From there we found that the surgery could be done in India and would cost about N1.8 million. Although they have been of great help, helping us to draft solicitation letters, Darasimi does not have DS, so we have to source for fund ourselves.”

    The task, according to her, has not been easy. For lack of options, she is soliciting the help of well-meaning Nigerians to save their son.

    “I tell you it has not been easy. We have been everywhere looking for help. Our families have done their bit but everybody has their own problem. What we raised from them, we have been using for medical care and tests. My husband and I can’t afford the money for the surgery. Like I said before, I am a student and my husband is just managing his job. Darasimi needs N1.8 million to be flown to India for surgery, to save him from dying. This is my first child and I underwent caesarian operation to deliver him. I don’t want to lose him. Please, help me…help save my son”

    To raise funds for the surgery an account has been opened at GTbank, Isolo branch, with the account number and name: Darasimi Daniel Sanusi 0126879219.

  • Osun to save N8.2b annually through Opon Imo

    Osun to save N8.2b annually through Opon Imo

    The Osun State Government will be saving N8.2 billion annually through the distribution of the Opon Imo (Tablet of Knowledge) to pupils.

    Instead of spending the fund on the purchase of books, the government will spend only about N200 million on Opon Imo.

    Governor Rauf Aregbesola made this known yesterday while distributing educational materials worth N30 million to scools at the multi-purpose hall of the Local Government Service Commission.

    The materials include 10,000 daily attendance registers, 11,600 school record diaries, 150,000 continuous assessment report cards for Junior Secondary Schools and 145,000 continuous assessment report cards for Senior Secondary Schools.

    Others are 7,000 white chalks, 70,000 cumulative record folders, 7,000 chalk board renovators and 30,000 chalk board dusters.

    The governor said with the downloading of 56 textbooks on 17 subjects into the Opon Imo, pupils only have to carry a digital device about, adding that this makes learning easier.

    Instead of being criticised for spending N200 million on Opon Imo, he said his administration should be praised for the initiative.

    He said about 150,000 tablets are to be distributed to pupils across the state.

    Aregbesola said his administration is investing huge funds in education to instil a minimum level of value in every public school pupil.

    He said: “Were we to buy 56 textbooks for 17 subjects offered in Senior Secondary Schools for 150,000 pupils. Over N8.4 billion would have been spent annually as against the N200 million expended on Opon Imo.

    “Instead of being praised for God’s endowed ingenuity and wisdom, which gave birth to the Opon Imo initiative, some people prefer to demonstrate their ignorance. They are grandstanding and claiming what they are not.”

    The governor described the score card of the last administration in the education sector in its 90 months in office as a far cry from his administration’s achievements in 27 months.

    He warned teachers against sharp practices in the distribution and utilisation of the materials and urged parents to monitor their children.

  • Yak’s goal can’t save Guangzhou

    Yak’s goal can’t save Guangzhou

    Nigeria international and Guangzhou goal machine Yakubu Aiyegbeni was in his element scoring a late first half away goal for the Chinese side Saturday, but the effort did not stop a 3-2 loss to Qingdao Jonoon at the Qingdao Tiantai Stadium.

    The homers shot into the lead as early as the 24th minute converting a penalty thanks to Bruno Meneghel, and increased the tally 16 minutes later through Zheng Long. It was Yakubu that however raised the hopes of the visitors when he found the net in the 42nd minute before teammate Sui Donglu grabbed an equaliser in the 84th minute.

    The hopes of Guangzhou R&F were finally punctured in the 88th minute when Zheng Long scored his second goal of the match and Qingdao Jonoon’s winning goal. Efforts by Yakubu and his teammates to remedy the situation in the final minutes of the tie failed to yeild result.

    Qingdao Jonoon incidentally paraded former Nigeria U-20 ace Gabriel Chukwuwunzo Melkam. Both Aiyegbeni and Melkam saw full 90 minutes action for their sides in the tie that saw five players getting yellow cards from the centre referee

    Melkam played for league leaders Guangzhou Evergrande in 2010 making 18 appearances with a goal in the kitty. The former Stationery Stores youth side and Kwara United ace joinced joined Qingdao Jonoon last year.

  • MAIGARI TO MEDIA: Save Eagles from robbers

    MAIGARI TO MEDIA: Save Eagles from robbers

    Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Aminu Maigari has appealed to the media not to make the issue of what Super Eagles players and coaches earn from match bonuses news items since such disclosures endanger their lives and that of family members.

    Maigari revealed this to select members of the pressmen in Lagos on Friday stressing that such disclosures make the players and officials targets for armed robbers, kidnappers and other evil-minded people.

    “Some of the things that we publish about these players especially their earnings and what we give them as bonuses endanger their lives. They complain to me most times and I feel for them given some of the things that have happened to them arising from what these criminals read about them and hear of them in the media. In fact, the players have approached us severally to complain. Thye told us of how they live in fear anytime they are in the country. And it is not good. I want the media men to consider these players’ pleas even if you say that such stories make your platform to remain in business.

    “On my part, I have appealed to my members not to disclose what we pay these players. But I get angry when I read the figures in the media. I know that the General Secretary, of course he is a lawyer, won’t tell anyone or my members. I have warned the workers in the NFF not to divulge such information.

    “Look at what happened to me for instance with one media man. He walked up to me asking why we were owing the coaches for three months. I asked if the coaches laid the complaints to him and if he had their permission to ask me the question. I inquired from him if he had been paid salaries in the last three months because I also read in a gossip magazine that his medium was owing staff salaries. He laughed and we both walked away.

    “I was shocked when he ‘broke’ a story that Maigari confirms indebtedness to Eagles coaches to the tune of N60 million. I was livid with anger. You can imagine that situation. And that is the reason why I don’t get angry with my people when I read such news in the media.

    “We will not shirk our duties to ensure that our players get the best in terms of their welfare, but please save them from evil people by keeping such personal issues out of the media. You can celebrate their goals. You can write about their families and what they have achieved. But please, leave out their earnings,” Maigari said.

    Last year, the father of Chelsea and Super Eagles midfield pearl, John Obi Mikel was abducted in Jos. Out-of-favour Super Eagles ace Christian Obodo was kidnapped in Delta State a few months ago, while Eagles captain, Joseph Yobo’s younger brother also suffered the same fate. All were eventually freed by security agencies.