The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Scholars

  • Sad holidays for ‘starving’ ECOWAS scholars

    Sad holidays for ‘starving’ ECOWAS scholars

    A postgraduate scholarship scheme sponsored by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has become a nightmare for some African students studying at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and the University of Ibadan (UI) because of unpaid allowances for over six months. Their fate is uncertain as the scheme is being scrutinised by the regional body, reports OLUWATOYIN ADELEYE.

    Most students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) have resumed from their homes refreshed after the Yuletide.

    But it was not so for the over 30 students under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Nnamdi Azikiwe Academic Mobility Scheme (ENAMS) studying at the university.

    They remained in their hostels against their will, as they had no funds to either travel home or celebrate with their peers who were in school with them.

    ENAMS is a scholarship scheme of the ECOWAS that gives students from the 15 member-states of the Commission the opportunity to engage in a fully funded graduate programme of their choice. The scheme is coordinated by the Association of African Universities (AAU).

    Participants in the scheme are studying in three universities in Africa, namely: UNILAG and the University of Ibadan, both in Nigeria, and Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (UCAD) in Dakar, Senegal.

    Despite protesting last month over lack of funding for over six months, the ENAMS-UNILAG students’ situation has not changed for the better.

    They complained about difficulties of reaching their coordinators over the issue, making them feel abandoned and neglected in a foreign country.

    While some are frustrated and want to return to their countries, others are calling for the remittance of their stipends to enable them complete their course work and sustain their upkeep.

    Biochemistry student, Lamin Darboe from Gambia, said he was miserable during the holidays.

    “The holiday was not good for me at all. I was locked up in my room, hungry and watching movies. Right now, I don’t even have soap to wash my clothes. My friends and I are just seated here thinking of what we are going to eat for lunch. I have not been able to do a lot of activities that I was supposed to do,” he said.

    Another student, Andre Jacques Molou from Guinea, who is running his Masters in computer science said: “We have been suffering here. Only God is with us. It is very hard to survive without money. I have been depending on my friends to survive.”

    Civil Engineering student, Anthelme Hodonou from Liberia said his holidays met him hungry.

    “It was not easy. We are stranded here. I was just in my room and it was very boring. We don’t have anybody to talk with so we are just like that. I have been drinking garri for over two weeks now. I am not the only son of my parents so I cannot continue to depend on them to send money.”

    Chala Komlan from Togo said the recession has worsened the situation.

    “The fact that we have not received our stipends till now is really bad. In this recession, everything is very expensive. So we don’t even know how to manage this situation. We are forced to borrow to survive and they are not communicating with us. We are also forced to ask our parents to send us money but that is even difficult because we are in different countries.”

    Tikemo Paye from Liberia, who is doing his Masters in the department of Botany, said, the lack of funds has stalled his research.

    He said: “The holidays were not good at all. We were all just in the hostel. I have completed my course work but I am now running my research work. I have not been able to go to the field. My supervisor communicated with me, telling me to go with my colleagues to Takwa Bay for our fieldwork. I don’t even know the place. I am also supposed to do my research in Gashaka-Gunti National Park in Taraba State. But I don’t have funding for my research. The stipend pays for our transportation, communication and every service we need in this country. Now the stipend is not coming on time and my programme is for one year and six months.”

    Emmanuel Lambte, a Ghanaian doing his masters in medical sciences, lamented that the suffering had gone on for too long considering they are not allowed to work.

    He said: “I am doing research. You have to fund the research and it is not a small amount. It is huge. You have to do laboratory tests, get the results, and buy apparatus among others. All these, we fund through our stipend. So since it is not coming, our research work has been stalled. In fact, we have had to improvise and it has been really hard. The period that the money was not coming was too much. Six months living in a foreign country, without funds is so bad. Even if they want to do something like that, it should not go up to six/seven months. We are not allowed to engage in any paid employment. We signed an agreement that we are to be fully engaged in our studies. We don’t want this situation to continue. I have been doing marginalisation. I now feed once or twice a day, I cut down my air time allowances, I now walk more than I take commercial transport, all to cut down cost so that I can use what I have to sustain me.”

    Nigerian beneficiaries of the scheme are also lamenting.  Agama Kalu from Ebonyi State, said he almost committed suicide due to starvation last month.

    He said he had exhausted the money he borrowed, using his first degree certificate as collateral, and he is now left with nothing to either pay back or continue his upkeep.

    Kalu said: “My holidays went very bad. I practically starved. This is not the time of pretending that it is well. Everybody travelled and we were left alone. Even the officers that used to give us little information about our status with ECOWAS no longer reply our emails. They should come and take us back to our countries since they have violated the agreement we made.

    “The interest rate for the money I borrowed to finish my programme has accumulated to an extent I cannot pay. Because I failed to pay back at the stipulated date, the interest keeps accumulating. I used my original B. Sc certificate as collateral. We were all in the hostel during the holidays with no place to go. We need stakeholders in the education sector to intervene.”

    Chidinma Dibejuba, from Imo State, lamented forced extension of her one-year programme in the department of Zoology because she could not meet up with the deadline for her research.

    She said: “It has been frustrating getting any work done. We were supposed to commence our research in my department since May. I did not start mine until as late as August, because of lack of funds. The materials are expensive and to get the humans to even cooperate with you is another aspect. I am supposed to have rounded up my research and defended this month, but now I am still here working on it. So my stay here will automatically be extended. Also, I have had to cut down on a whole lot of expenses and we have not been able to pay for our accommodation for the new session and even some of the months we have stayed. So how do we expect the authorities to let us stay in the hostel until probably our convocation day when we still owe previous accommodation fees? A lot of us are on one year programmes but that one year is no longer feasible for us. We have to extend by an extra year and we cannot convoke with our mates this month.”

    Chinedu Emmanuel, an ENAMS beneficiary studying information science at UI, said the situation is not different in Ibadan.

    He said: “We still owe accommodation and tuition fees. We owe about seven months accommodation fees and we don’t know what will happen this year.”

    Meanwhile, Coordinator of the programme, Prof Jonathan Mba, said AAU is innocent in the matter.

    He told The Nation that AAU only acts as the intermediary between the programme sponsor and the participants.

    He noted that the ECOWAS was under a new administration, which was investigating the programme, hence they have refused to fund it any further until their investigations are done.

    “There are nine students at UCAD, 32 at UI and 33 at UNILAG. The bulk of them started in January, others came in February and March due to admission issues. AAU signed an agreement with each of the students that they will be paid their stipends from time to time as we review their academic progress. So this is what is happening. We can only dispense the money given to us by the funding agency. We asked each student to open a bank account for their funds. The money is transferred directly to their accounts and we settle the institutions directly for their tuition fees. But the ECOWAS has not given us any funds because of their ongoing enquiry on the scheme. We have been in touch with the students to let them know the situation and we have been in constant communication with ECOWAS to let them know that the students are in serious predicaments,” he explained.

    Prof Mba also said: “Please contact ECOWAS directly as AAU has not received any funds from ECOWAS yet. As soon as we receive money we shall disburse to all the ECOWAS Fellows.”

    Efforts made by The Nation to get a response from an ECOWAS official in Abuja proved abortive.  There was no response to calls and text messages sent to the phone number provided.

    However, a media personnel attached to the body (names withheld) said she was unfamiliar with the case.

  • 53 Chevening scholars for UK

    53 Chevening scholars for UK

    Fifty-three Nigerians awarded Chevening scholarships and fellowships for the 2016-17 academic year, will depart this month for further studies in institutions in the United Kingdom (UK).

    The Chevening award is the UK government’s international global scholarship programme, offered by the UK’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office and partner organisations for fully-funded master’s study in the UK.

    Ahead of their departure, the recipients were hosted by the British High Commissioner, Paul Arkwright, in Abuja. He said the programme would provide them an opportunity to improve on their careers.

    “This is my second Chevening event since I arrived at this post a year ago.  On my many travels around the country, I am constantly meeting individuals who are at the very top of their careers and it is always pleasant to hear them introduce themselves as Chevening scholars. This further demonstrates the fact that the mission of Chevening is being met – a scholarship programme which aims to train exceptional individuals and provide a prestigious platform to further activates potentials of future leaders for greater impact in the development of Nigeria,” he said.

    For this year’s scholarship, Arkwright said the most applications worldwide came from Nigeria, adding that the number selected was also far higher than in 2014.

    “For the 2016/2017 Chevening cycle, Nigeria recorded the highest number of applications globally, with about 4,000 eligible applications. Following this, a total of 53 Chevening scholarship and fellowship awards were made available to Nigerians this year.

    “This is a massive upgrade from the 12 scholars who were selected in 2014, further demonstrating the UK’s commitment to Nigeria,” he said.

    Arkwright also said that since the first Chevening award in Nigeria in 1984, more than a thousand Nigerians have benefited from the scholarship.

    He added that the British High Commission is now collaborating with LADOL, a Nigerian company, and is seeking more local partnership to co-fund the awards and give access to more Nigerians to benefit from the scholarship which boasts a global alumni network of 43,000 members.

    He charged the awardees to give their best, take advantage of every opportunity the scholarship offers, and be good ambassadors of their country.

    Responding on behalf of the scholars, Chigbo Chikwendu thanked the British High Commission and FCO for the award.

    Chikwendu, a health professional, said the award would help to finally fulfill his five-year old dream to further his studies.

    Chigbo also praised the transparency and meritocracy of the selection process which made it possible for himself and his brother, Chinedu Chikwendu to be selected for the Chevening/GSK partner award to study the same course, at the same university this year (Health Policy, Planning and Financing at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, LSHTM).

    The President of the Chevening Alumni Association of Nigeria, Tom Odemwingie, and others bade farewell to the departing scholars.

    Applications are currently open for 2017-18 Chevening Scholarships and will close on November 8 this year.

     

  • Writer, scholars mark 50 years of Efuru in five cities

    This year marks the 50th anniversary of the novel, Efuru, by the late Flora Nwapa. The novel was first published in 1966 by Heinemann under the African Writers Series. Writers and scholars, in collaboration with the Flora Nwapa Foundation, will be celebrating its golden jubilee with literary activities and conferences across five cities.

    According to the organisers, the events will hold in Lagos, Maiduguri, Abuja, Oguta and Enugu between November 29 and December 11, 2016. They acknowledged the book’s global appeal and thematic preoccupation, adding that the five-city event is expected to attract hundreds of writers from across and outside the country.

    Born on January 13, 1931, in Oguta, Imo State, Nwapa had been referred to as the “mother of modern African women literature”. She died at the age of 62.

    The late author’s son, Mr Uzoma Nwakuche, who heads the Flora Nwapa Foundation, said the events would also celebrate the African woman, her legacy and dignifying role in the development of society.

  • Scholars address global peace

    In continuation of its serialized annual public seminars aimed at advancing the course of peace and human progress, the Lagos Zone of the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, an international, cultural, educational and philosophical organization will today hold symposium on national integration for global peace.

    The event will feature eminent scholars such as Dr. Douglas Anele, Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos among  others.

    The programme is scheduled to kick off at Ilupeju Lagos at 9am.

    The Special  Guest of Honour is Dr. Kenneth U. Idiodi, Grand Administrator and Director, Supreme Board of the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC.

  • Club supports Ijebu-Ode scholars

    No fewer than five persons in secondary schools in Ijebu – Ode, Ogun State, have received scholarship awards in recent years while one person also got sponsorship for a three-year doctorate research programme – all courtesy of the Ijebu-Ode Metropolitan Club.

    The Mayor of the Club, Metro Rotimi Kassim, who made this known during this year’s edition of the club’s annual lecture in Ijebu-Ode, said the gesture was part of measures to bring succour to the needy and also make the burden of education easier for some people to bear.

    Kassim named Mr Tunde Oduwobi, who is studying the “Origin and History of the Ijebus” at the Department of History, University of Lagos, as the beneficiary of the PhD scholarship.

    He reiterated the club’s commitment to the education of the Ijebu-Ode people as well as their socio-economic and cultural development.

    This year’s lecture titled: “Wellness, health and lifestyle,” was delivered by Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Adewale Sule-Odu.

  • Rivers overseas scholars to return home

    Three hundred and twenty-eight students offered special overseas scholarships by the Rotimi Amaechi administration in Rivers State would now have to continue their studies in Nigeria.

    Their scholarships have been terminated due to “financial challenges” facing the Governor Nyesom Wike-led administration.

    The 328 students are expected to return to the country between July and September 2016 to continue with their studies.

    The Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), Mr Larry Pepple, told journalists in Port Harcourt that they would return in three batches.

    “The first batch will return in July, second batch in August, while the last batch will return in September,” he said.

    Pepple explained that the government has discussed with the managements of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) and University of Port Harcourt about absorbing the students, adding that the agency is liaising with the various schools abroad to facilitate the timely transmission of the students’ transcripts.

    For those whose disciplines are not offered by the two universities, Pepple said they would be allowed to choose from other local universities that offer their courses; while those whose courses are not offered in Nigeria, would be encouraged to take related courses of the Bachelor Level.

    Denying that the decision was politically-motivated, the RSSDA Boss said the government is merely responding to the economic challenges facing the country.

    He also said that continuing their programmes locally would not defeat the objective of the scholarship as the students would bring their wealth of experience to improve educational development in the state.

    “Though the programme has been suspended, the development will not deter the government from sending some indigent Rivers people abroad in future to acquire special skills,” Pepple said.

     

  • Scholars seek uniform curriculum for Africa

    Scholars seek uniform curriculum for Africa

    Participants at a three-day international conference at the Houdegbe North American University Cotonou, Republic of Benin, have advocated a uniform curriculum review in Africa. According to them, it is capable of addressing the continent’s numerous social malaise.

    They also believed that some of the burgeoning social ills, such as Boko Haram, kidnappings, ritual killings, corruption, war and crime among others, should be taught in schools to allow children appreciate the extent to which they can  draw back the continent. This, in their wisdom, will psychologically prepare them to wage wars against them.

    The conference, themed: “Education for meaningful strategic development: The African Perspective”, was organised by Intellectual Development Initiative (IDI), a multi-disciplinary intellectual society.

    Central at the conference was planned crusade towards forcing governments in Africa to re-awake African cultural values among children, especially at the basic level; a step they believe can fast track the realisation of the theme.

    An educationist/consultant, Dr Yemi Adegoke, who delivered the opening address, told participants that the essence of education is already defeated if it is geared towards teaching a child how to read and write without regard for culture.

    Adegoke, who was decked  in a cream dansiki , said education begins with introducing  local food, mother tongue to the children and educating them about African values,  which encompass etiquette.

    Adegoke recalled that before Christianity and Islamic religious influence, Africans had always been tolerant about religion.

    “Today, some parents would disown their children or worse still, refuse to attend their weddings because such children refuse to follow the family faith,” Adegoke lamented.

    He frowned that most governments across Africa today do not promote indigenous languages and culture except where the duo could be exploited through tourism and entertainment.

    “It is easy to conclude that the future of African culture is bleak unless conscious effort is made to address this disturbing trend whereby African youths know more about European football than their own country teams  due to close affiliation with foreign clubs,” Adegoke concluded.

    A participant, Alade Abimbade, a professor of Educational Technology, University of Ibadan, lauded the conference for being interdisciplinary in composition. Alade noted that the only way of reversing the dangerous trend is by putting it into school curriculum.

    “If you want to save a situation, put it in the school,” Alade noted, adding: “This conference is to look at our curriculum and see the need for more possible inclusion. We have never talked about the dangers of Boko Haram (in the curriculum). It was like the outbreak of HIV in the 80s; but today, HIV is now in our curriculum. In the same vein, we should begin to look at how we can include Boko Haram and its motives in our curriculum. Over the last five years, we have been battling it. Today, Boko Haram is now in Chad and Cameroon.”

    Dr Olabisi Adedigba of Kwara State University (KWASU) is optimistic that a lifeline is underway if governments in Africa could take to recommendations at the conference.

    “As the black continent, there are so many ways we can work on development. We need to put in more efforts; the structures and facilities must be put in place; as well as the methodology,” he said.

    Speaking earlier, the convener of IDI, Prof Biodun Akinpelu said the forum would offer fresh platform for effective networking among scholars across Africa.

    “With high prevalence of unemployed graduates in most African nations, it appears we have not paid sufficient attention to the curricular in different disciplines. We just need to chart a new course towards sustainable meaningful development,” he said.

     

  • Scholars seek uniform curriculum for Africa

    Scholars seek uniform curriculum for Africa

    Participants at a three-day international conference that ended on Saturday at the Houdegbe North American University Cotonou, Republic of Benin, have advocated a uniform curriculum review in Africa. According to them, it is capable of addressing the continent’s numerous social malaise.

    They also believed that some of the burgeoning social ills, such as Boko Haram, kidnappings, ritual killings, corruption, war and crime among others, should be taught at schools to allow children appreciate the extent to which they can  draw back the continent. This, in their wisdom, will psychologically prepare them to wage wars against them.

    The conference, themed: ‘Education for meaningful strategic development: The African Perspective,’ was organised by Intellectual Development Initiative (IDI), a multi-disciplinary intellectual society.

    Central at the conference was planned crusade towards forcing governments in Africa to re-awake African cultural values among children, especially at the basic level; a step they believe can fast track the realisation of the theme.

    An educationist/consultant, Dr Yemi Adegoke, who delivered the opening address, told participants that the essence of education is already defeated if it is geared towards teaching a child how to read and write without regard for culture.

    Adegoke, who was decked  in a cream dansiki , said education begins with introducing  local food, mother tongue to the children and educating them about African values,  which encompass etiquette.

    Adegoke recalled that before Christianity and Islamic religious influence, Africans had always been tolerant about religion.

    “Today, some parents would disown their children or worse still, refuse to attend their weddings because such children refuse to follow the family faith,” Adegoke lamented.

    He frowned that most governments across Africa today do not promote indigenous languages and culture except where the duo could be exploited through tourism and entertainment.

    “It is easy to conclude that the future of African culture is bleak unless conscious effort is made to address this disturbing trend whereby African youths know more about European football than their own country teams  due to close affiliation with foreign clubs,” Adegoke concluded.

    A participant, Alade Abimbade, a professor of Educational Technology, University of Ibadan, lauded the conference for being interdisciplinary in composition. Alade noted that the only way of reversing the dangerous trend is by putting it into school curriculum.

    “If you want to save a situation, put it in the school,” Alade noted.

    “This conference is to look at our curriculum and see the need for more possible inclusion. We have never talked about the dangers of Boko Haram (in the curriculum). It was like at the outbreak of HIV in the 80s; but today, HIV is now in our curriculum. In the same vein, we should begin to look at how we can include Boko Haram and its motives in our curriculum. Over the last five years, we have been battling it. Today, Boko Haram is now in Chad and Cameroon.”

    Dr Olabisi Adedigba of Kwara State University (KWASU) is optimistic that a lifeline is underway if governments in Africa could take to recommendations at the conference.

    “As the black continent, there are so many ways we can work on development. We need to put in more efforts; the structures and facilities must be put in place; as well as the methodology.

    Speaking earlier, the convener of IDI, Prof Biodun Akinpelu said the forum would offer fresh platform for effective networking among scholars across Africa.

    “With high prevalence of unemployed graduates in most African nations, it appears we have not paid sufficient attention to the curriculums in different disciplines. We just need to chart a new course towards sustainable meaningful development,” he said.

     

  • Provost tasks Nigerian scholars on intellectual development

    Provost tasks Nigerian scholars on intellectual development

    The Provost, Adeyemi College of Education, (ACE) Ondo, Prof. Olukoya Ogen, has urged scholars to seek global outreach and intellectual development in order to enhance their career. Ogen gave the advice at a workshop themed: “Writing Research proposals for Fellowship and Grants” held at the Management Information System (MIS) building of the institution.

    The workshop was sponsored by the United Kingdom/Economic and Social Research Council (UK/E.S.R.C).

    Stressing the importance of international collaboration in knowledge transfer, the Provost said participation in seminars and conferences outside their institutions would help Nigerian academics to acquire knowledge and gain exposure to compete favourably on the world stage.

    Ogen also said Nigerian institutions need to keep abreast of global trends as institutions in the 21st Century are defined not only by physical attributes, but international presence, competitiveness and global recognition.

    In his welcome address, the Dean, School of Arts and Social Sciences, Dr Gbade Ikuejube, described the workshop as a landmark achievement and first of its kind in the history of the institution.

    Expressing optimism on the immense benefits that would accrue to participants from the workshop, Ikuejube described the team of resource persons as seasoned and experienced.

    Also speaking, Dr. Insa Nolte, a researcher and history lecturer in the Department of History, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, said the programme was aimed at developing the skills and proficiency of scholars in Nigerian institutions to enable them compete and network internationally.

    Calling for effective collaboration between Nigerian scholars and their overseas counterparts, he said knowledge transfer could better be achieved with international collaboration and mutual engagements.

    The two-day programme featured presentation of papers on various topics which include: “An overview of available national and international grants and fellowship programmes”, “Applying for and winning the George Forster/AVH Fellowships”; “Applying for and winning the Cadbury and AHP-ACLS  fellowships and “Applying for and winning the Leventis fellowship.”

     

  • Shettima urges Islamic scholars to fight insurgency

    Shettima urges Islamic scholars to fight insurgency

    Borno State Governor Kashim Shetitima has urged leading scholars with mass appeal, to discourage young men from being recruited into Boko Haram.

    The governor said the scholars should fight the ideology through preaching, noting that their silence on the matter would not help the situation.

    Shettima made the observation when he delivered a paper titled: “Democracy and Security in Northeast, Nigeria -a case study of Borno” at a fellowship and award dinner organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

    The event took place at Sheraton Hotel in Abuja.

    He said: “Changing the ideology of the Boko Haram will require intellectual roles by leading Islamic scholars with mass appeal. It is most disturbing to note that today in northern Nigeria, there is no single Islamic scholar that preaches against the Boko Haram ideology and the reason is because everyone is afraid.

    “Leading scholars like Sheikh Jaafar Mahmud Adam and Sheikh Albani Zaria who vehemently preached against the ideology have been killed. In Maiduguri, scholars like Sheikh Ibrahim Gomari, Malam Bashir Gomari and over 30 different scholars who were opposed to the Boko Haram ideology have all been killed.

    “Today, the only group in the north that can speak against the sect are holders of public offices, who have security men surrounding them. It is hugely important for us to identify Islamic scholars with the intellectual depth and mass followers to change the Boko Haram narrative so that we can save young souls from listening to the sect.”

    The governor explained that the scholars must be provided with the support.

    Shettima added: “They must be with maximum security not only them, but their families as much as public office holders are adequately protected. These scholars will be performing very important national security assignments that are as important as those of any public office holder, no matter how highly placed.”

    The governor blamed the trend on the democratic institutions, for failing to address the problem at the early stage.

    He also blamed leaders and himself for not rising up to the occasion and the journalists for unknowingly helping insurgents.

    The governor said: “We all have roles to play in addressing the insurgency because we all contributed in the making whether by indifference; by directly fueling it; by failing to address it or by standing in the ways of those who make efforts to address the problems. No active group is free from blame, from those of us who are political actors to even journalists. Shettima said, in exercising its freedom of expression and sharing of information, the media has had running battles with those in the position of authority; especially security agencies. He said security agencies devise strategies aimed at fighting insurgents, but these strategies end up being disclosed by the media. He added: “In some cases, deployments made to haunt insurgents get reported, thus giving insurgents clues about number of boots coming after them, sometimes including telling the world the routes being taken by troops. Insurgents in turn prepare to ambush troops. Apart from these instances, certain avoidable reports give undue superiority to Boko Haram, which boost their confidence. In fact, disorganized commanders of boko haram rely on the media to reach their fighters.  I remember with serious concerns, how a particular media house reported in April, 2015, that leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau was calling on his followers to continue fighting and not to relent in their struggles. A national and otherwise respected media house reported this. I also remember how another media house reported someone calling himself a soldier, alleging that Nigerian troops were behind Boko Haram attacks and I was wondering how unreasonable it was for someone to declare that his only eyes with which he sees are rotten, when the alternative to those eyes, is simply blindness. “What do we do if we are made to believe that those who are our only hope are those killing us? That would be a hopeless situation. These instances however, are not to say that the media hasn’t helped in the fight against Boko Haram. “The media has done far more positive things than posing some challenges. Journalists even sacrificed their lives in an attempt to expose activities of insurgents. The media remains a hero in the fight against insurgency.”