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Tag: scrap

  • When scrap metals meet creativity, what you get is…

    When scrap metals meet creativity, what you get is…

    In his ongoing art exhibition, titled Irin Ajo (the journey), Dotun Popoola makes history with his hybrid metal sculptures at the Signature Gallery in Lagos. Udemma Chukwuma who was at the opening reports

    When you think you have seen it all, Dotun Popoola comes out with compelling collection of sculptures. The artist’s ability to assemble scrap metals and bring them into life is fascinating. In fact, if you are not an art lover, you would definitely fall in love with the artist’s new body of artworks.

    And Irin Ajo features 16 well detailed sculptures, that consist of a fusion scrap iron pieces, bronze and carefully selected metal objects. The large and intricate sculptures depict advanced work which the term has come to identify the unique sculpture style of John Lopez, whom Popoola went to meet in the United States to improve on his talent.

    Irin Ajo he said: “describes my affinity and passion for welding sculptures, which was greatly influenced after my residency training in Lemmon. The experience made me see another side of my creative endowment from God. After this encounter with John Lopez, I got more confidence to explore my art in the way that I find more challenging yet satisfying.”

    The close to life-size sculptures dominate the exhibition hall and walls; greeting viewers who showed up in great number from the entrance to see the revealing show which opened last week. The show provides an amazing and unique experience for art enthusiasts who came to view the pieces. It was indeed an exciting opening.

    “My quest for knowledge especially in art related matters was so deep that I could not see myself becoming any other thing other than an artist. I find it difficult to concentrate my energy on any other profession that the art.”

    One of the works, titled Boer Boel had the most attention. A daring display of strength, hard work, and persistence, the size of the piece is inspiring and shows his immense display of talent. He said, “The dog reflects my personality. The dog is very strong, energetic, brilliant, fine, the most intelligent breed in Africa. Four boer boel can kill a lion and it can protect the owner to any extent. It is so loyal, disciplined and cultured. If you have it, you’re rest assured that nothing will happen to you.”

    The show is a combination of Popoola’s experience in the USA and Nigeria. “Fusing the two experiences together is what this exhibition is all about and calling it hybrid metal sculpture – though I’m not the inventor of hybrid metal sculpture; I just borrowed the term from Lopez who calls his works hybrid sculpture because some of the elements in the works have those elements of hybrid sculpture in using bronze, discarded metals with carefully constructed and carefully controlled metal. I combined all of them together to create the stunning sculptures with my experience in painting, so I carefully selected my works. Some are junks, considering the colour schema and some I painted them with auto base paint because even if the paint fades in the nearest future, the sculpture would still be strong, still remain the way it is and would still communicate.”

    Evaluating the sale of his works in Nigeria and in the USA, he said both are on the same level even though the exchange rate defers. “None of them is greater than one.”

    When asked what his best piece in the show is, he said: “For me, my best piece in this show is The Broken Sax of Abami Eda and followed by the Boer Boel.

    Without doubt, Irin Ajo, would be one of the most talked about exhibitions this year. The multimedia artist with focus on painting and sculptor said his desire to show what he had learnt became powerful and a decision to create the sculptures was made. From September last year Popoola went to his studio in Ile Ife, Osun State, where he resides, to fully explore his sculptural potential. On Saturday, February 24, 2018, he shocked everybody with this solo exhibition. The show runs until March 10.

    The toughest part to creating the sculptures was power supply, he said. And many of his generators in the process were destroyed and were used to create the works. “To practise as a metal sculptor in Nigeria is a journey that takes courage, dedication and self motivation. I woke up with enthusiasm, and great energy to start welding, drove few miles to my studio, but met no power. I sat down and waited for the Power Holding Company to switch on the light for me, but that might be till Jesus comes. The alternative source of power becomes the real power source but generators would not even last long. I have bought plenty generators just to keep working but ended up using them as scrap pieces on my sculptures, to even get the fuel to power the generator is like looking for gold. We are a country blessed with milk and honey and the masses work with creativity without money. Too many factors kill potentials in this nation. It is a sad story, but I refuse to be discouraged,” said Popoola, 36.

    The gallery owner and curator of the exhibition, Rahman Akar said the works are phenomenal in another dimension, direction and “everybody notices much effort which was put in. It is not for the faint hearted. Some of the works are deep and thoughtful, some are very touchy and what the works stand for and that is what I really like. I like people that have compassion, people that can feel, and that are aware of the society and what we go through. Like the parts series, all these things to me are very important.”

    The reason the gallery picked Popoola, according to Akar, “is purely based on what we saw; what this gallery stands for is in ‘Dotun and therefore he is here now and we are quite proud and satisfied to be behind the outing. And because this gallery always stands for the most talented and we like to give them a platform, especially sometimes even the unknown artist because we don’t charge for the space and because we believe in the artist we are more than happy to stand by them.”

    He said Popoola can sell his works more in the states but “this is an artist with aura. I think he is in his comfort zone. I don’t think he is after the money.”

    Some of the works featured includes Esin Oba (the royal horse), Portrait of Adeola, Akuko Gagara II (the rooster)

    Dotun Popoola was born in Lagos and he is from Abeokuta, Ogun State. He majored in painting at the Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State. He proceeded to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, where he majored in sculpturing. He holds a master degree in Painting from the same university. Currently he works with the National Gallery of Arts as a curator II in Osogbo, Osun State.

  • Don’t scrap JAMB – Rector

    Don’t scrap JAMB – Rector

    The Provost, Federal College of Education Okene, Kogi State, Dr Ajayi Iyela has condemned calls in some quarters for the scrapping of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

    He stated this in Okene over the weekend; saying instead of scrapping the board, the federal government should allow it to continue the responsibility of conducting entry examinations into tertiary institutions in the country.

    According to him: “Instead of scrapping JAMB, it is better for the examination body to continue to exist and the issue of post UME being organised by tertiary institutions in this country should be stopped because it is a duplication of effort”.

    He insisted that JAMB was doing wonderfully, adding that the recent computer based test it introduced has gone a long way in eliminating cheating.

    He said, “I think if there are little hitches in their operation, it should not be enough to call for the scrapping of the examination body. It is laughable when some people even advised that JAMB should revert to the use of pencil and erazer in writing JAMB test. This agitation will end up taking us backward while some countries even within Africa will be far ahead of us.

    “The use of computer based test employed by JAMB did not only reduce cheating  it has also eliminated the so called miracle centres where candidates in the past got high scores, but cannot defend it when given admission”.

    While calling on the people to advise JAMB on how best it can improve in performance, the provost attributed the “unreliable nature of JAMB scores” in the past to the analogue method employed, which he said was characterised by all manner of malpractices.

    He added, “The analogue method of writing JAMB examination paved ways for candidates to hire people to write the test for them. But today, and with the introduction of computer based test, shoddy deals is almost gone out of the system and this is an indication that institutions of higher learning organising post UME do not have reason for it.

    “I was at Kabba town in the western senatorial district of Kogi State during the recent JAMB examination where computer was used. Honestly it was not possible for any candidate to cheat. If the examination body can maintain this, the complains of unreliable JAMB scores will be permanently put to rest.”

     

  • PENGASSAN condemns calls to sell refineries as scrap

    PENGASSAN condemns calls to sell refineries as scrap

    The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, (PENGASSAN) has condemned calls by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to the Federal Government to sell the four refineries as scrap, describing it as sabotage.

    PENGASSAN, in a statement signed by its National Public Relations Officer, Comrade Emmanuel Ojugbana, said IPMAN’s suggestion was a fraudulent way of ripping the country off its national assets.

    The union supports the government’s efforts to ensure that the refineries are back on stream, especially with the report that the Kaduna and Port Harcourt refineries have satrted production.

    “Nigerians need to ask the IPMAN leadership why they want the refineries, which can be said to be in good form now to be sold as scrap. Even when the government has shown that the refineries can work and take care of 75 per cent of the nation’s local demand of refined products,” Ojugbana said.

    He said the proof that the refineries are still viable was exhibited by the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), which posted a net profit of N11.2 billion for December 2014, surpassing the 2013 figure of N3.2 billion.

    Ojugbana attributed this to the improved financial performance for the phased rehabilitation programme, which was done by the workers.

    “IPMAN should know that aside from the challenge of Turn-Around Maintenance of the refineries, inadequate and irregular supply of crude, which is the main feedstock, is another major impediment to the efficient and effective operation of the refineries,” he said.

    According to him, workers in the refineries are poised not only to produce refined products, but also to add the needed value to the crude oil, noting that the adverse effect of rationing or not feeding the plant with crude oil was that the plant remained idle for a long time.

    “When the plant is idle for too long, this breeds residual faults and problems whenever there is an attempt to start up, since the design of a refinery is better when it is continuously operated. We are again demanding adequate and regular supply of crude to the four refineries to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians and reduce or eliminate subsidy payment, considering the plunge in global oil prices,” Ojugbana said.

    PENGASSAN also challenged the government to grant the managements of the refineries autonomy for effective accountability while sustaining the rehabilitation process already initiated.

    “If any of the refineries fails to pay back the funding (if granted financial autonomy) and refuse to make commensurate returns to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) within one year, the government is free to apply appropriate sanctions,” he said.

    Recently, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, said the refineries would not be sold; rather that they would make direct payments into the Federation Account from the year.

    Kachikwu said the NNPC was adopting a plan that would give the refineries some sort of autonomy, without privatising them.

  • Time to scrap JAMB

    Time to scrap JAMB

    President Muhammadu Buhari, on October 28, 2010 at the Centre for Women Development and as presidential candidate under the platform of Congress for Progressive Change, presented his blueprint for the transformation of education sector to Joint Education Stakeholders Action Coalition (JESAC), a voluntary association of 19 critical education unions and associations in Nigeria.

    The continued relevance of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) was raised and vigorously debated.

    The recent admission policy somersault of  JAMB which has generated protests, court cases and public outcry make it necessary for Mr. President and all critical education stakeholders to again reflect deeply about JAMB.

    I still maintain that JAMB is a wicked policy. It should be scrapped, dissolved or merged with another more relevant agency. This is not a case of joining in the excitement, euphoria and frenzy of the moment. It is an opinion I have always held based on calm, selfless, objective and patriotic analysis of facts gathered over a period of 20 years as CEO of Exam Ethics Marshals Movement.

    JAMB was established in 1978 by military decree by the then Federal Military Government under the leadership of General Olusegun Obasanjo. The decree was amended in 1989 and again in 1993. JAMB is therefore the product of an era when the military wanted full control of every sector and everything. The 1993 JAMB decree provides in Section 5 (1) that “…the Board shall be responsible for the general control of the conduct of matriculation examinations for admissions into all Universities, Polytechnics (by whatever name called) and Colleges of Education (by whatever name called) in Nigeria… and for the placement of suitable candidates in tertiary institutions”

    The era of central military control of everything is now over. The businesses of banking, telephony, aviation, power, etc have since been deregulated and Nigeria is better for it. But there is a curious ambivalence in the education sector with the wicked policy of JAMB still being retained.

    The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria makes continued existence of JAMB anachronistic. Education is under concurrent legislative list in the constitution. Sections 29 and 30 of part II of second schedule of concurrent legislative list state that “a house of Assembly shall have power to make laws for the State with respect to the establishment of an institution for purposes of university, technology or professional education” The laws establishing federal universities state clearly that “the selection of persons for admission as students at the university is the function of the University Senate”

    The Federal Universities of Technology Act 1986, Federal Colleges of Education Act 1986 and Federal Polytechnics Act 1979 all vest the function of admission of students on the institutions. I am still in search of legal answers as to why the power of JAMB supersedes constitutional provisions, the power of State Houses of Assembly with regard to State Tertiary Institutions and the powers of various institutions as enshrined in their enabling laws.

    The baffle of continued existence of JAMB is compounded by the fact that the JAMB experiment is an unmitigated failure. The story of JAMB is the story of running crises, re-enacted year after year. It is a classical case study of what psychologists refer to as mad people doing the same thing consistently and expecting different results.

    • Onyechere is Founding Chairman, Exam Ethics Marshals International

  • Scrap FCDA

    Natives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have called for the scraping of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to ensure smooth operations of the incoming administration.

    The indigenous people who spoke through the Magajin Garki, Joel Yazegbe, at a press briefing tagged “Way forward for FCT natives in the incoming administration”, congratulated the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, even as they advised him to institute an investigation panel to probe the roles officials of the FCDA played on matters of land allocation.

    They further appealed to the incoming administration to carry the natives along by appointing one of them as a minister and to give them the opportunity to contribute to decisions and policies that affect them directly.

    According to Yazegbe, the natives are also appealing to the incoming administration to investigate the allocation of plots of land for numerous housing estates in the FCT, most of which are not occupied.

    “We want the incoming administration to ignore any document that is not properly presented by natives of the FCT. If there is any issue concerning the natives, we want it to represent the collective agreement of the natives.

    “We know that the era when some individuals in the FCT use names of fake association of original inhabitants to deceive any government in power for their selfish interests is over. This is because it has been to the detriment of the original inhabitants of the FCT. This time, we will not tolerate that from any so-called natives who want to sell their birthrights for peanuts.

    “That was how most of them encouraged the Minister of the FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed to come up with the land-swap policy, which has become punishment of some sorts to innocent natives of the territory. We are calling on the incoming President to beware of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agents who will always hide under the original inhabitants to deceive any appointed minister of the FCT,” he said.

  • Scrap poly now, says don

    Polytechnic education should be expunged from the  educational system to boost technical education in Nigeria and breaking into the world’s economy, a Chief Lecturer in the Department of Office Technology Management, Auchi Polytechnic, Dr Peter Iredia, has said.

    Iredia delivered the fourth inaugural lecture at the institution’s new auditorium.

    He spoke on the topic: The tripod of liberal, vocational and technical education: Politics of dichotomy in Nigeria.

    He said: “The only sure way to do this is the development of technology via qualitative and functional education. It is on this basis that this lecture is strongly recommending that polytechnic education should be expunged from the Nigerian education system.

    “All the premier polytechnics in Nigeria, i.e Yaba College of Technology, Lagos; The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Auchi, Polytechnic Auchi; Kaduna Polytechnic Kaduna; Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu; and few others that meet the required standards should be converted to universities of technology immediately to award Bachelors of Technology (B.Tech), Masters of Technology (M.Tech) and Doctors of Technology (D.Tech) degrees, with the rest polytechnics affiliated to the nearest Universities of Technology,” Iredia added.

    If done, Iredia believes the development will give a boost to technology education and place qualifications obtained from them on the same pedestal as other university qualifications so much that recipients will not only be psychologically satisfies but would also be recognised in the public service and labour market.

    He said to further plug the dichotomy between polytechnic and university education, some advanced countries are converting some polytechnics into universities.

    He bemoaned government’s apathy towards the secretarial profession, noting that modifications in its name and curriculum to correct poor perception of the profession have gone unnoticed by the appropriate authorities.

    He denounced some perceptions that inaugural lectures are meant for only universities, citing some polytechnics in Nigeria and overseas that also hold inaugural lectures.

    The Rector, Dr Philipa Idogho, said  the lecture challenges Iredia’s contemporaries to prepare for their inaugural lectures because Auchi Polytechnic would be a model in that regard.

    She said hard work, creativity and innovation has placed the institution high above its peers.

    Congratulating Iredia, she urged all to be focused on the objective of academic excellence.

     

  • Policeman ‘kills’ scrap seller

    •Over N200 bribe 

    A policeman attached to the ‘C’ Division Lokoja, Kogi

    State Command, has allegedly killed a scrap seller (scavenger), Haruna Moh’d, at Ganaja, over his refusal to part with the N200 he demanded.

    The incident caused a gridlock at Ganaja junction, as over 40 scavengers blocked the road and made bon fires to protest.

    It was learnt that the deceased was allegedly shot twice after an argument with the policeman.

    Policemen, according to a witness, were on a routine visit to the under Meme bridge site where the scavengers gathered used items for sale to interested buyers, but were disappointed when the usual gratification of N200 given to them could not be made available by the scavengers.

    It was gathered that efforts by the victim to make the police understand fell on deaf ears, and a heated argument ensued, which allegedly led to the killing of the scavenger, who was said to hail from the Northern.

    One of his colleagues, who spoke to reporters, said the police met them at the dump demanding to know the identity of the owner of a caravan, but when they were told the person who brought it was not around, the police asked him (the deceased) to part with some money.

    He added that when he refused to give them the money, they attacked him and dragged him on the ground before one of them shot him in the head and he died immediately.

    It, however, took the intervention of men of the SARS to disperse the protesting youths, who demanded justice.

    Police spokesman Sola Collin Adebayo confirmed the incident. He said the officer had been arrested while investigation was ongoing.

  • Union decries attempt to scrap TRCN

    Union decries attempt to scrap TRCN

    The  Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has rejected the alleged attempt by the Federal Government to scrap the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

    The National President, Comrade Michael Alogba Olukoya,  said the attempt to scrap the TRCN was a misguided policy summersault that will not only ruin  and ridicule the teaching profession, but also bastardise standards and quality of education in the country.

    The union said TRCN is the only body that regulates the practice of teaching in the country from the primary to the tertiary institutions, and wondered why the federal government wants to scrap the council.

    Olukoya, said TRCN, established since 1993 through the TRCN Act CAP T3, has achieved a lot for the educational sector through its laudable roles in the accreditation and re-accreditation procedures in the Colleges of Education, National Teachers Institute (NTI) and universities.

    According to him, TRCN Act was enacted after a nation-wide strike by the union on the need to regulate the teaching profession in the country.

    He said the union will not fail to return to the trenches as it did in 1992 and 1993 before the federal government established the council, if the alleged ongoing attempt by the federal government to scrap the council is not stopped forthwith.

    NUT urged the government to allow the TRCN to remain as government has done to other regulatory bodies in the country like the Libraries Registration Council of Nigeria (LRCN), Nursing and Wid-wifery Council, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Medical Laboratories Science Council of Nigeria and Council for the Regulation of Engineers in Nigeria (COREN).

  • Commission chief warns Fayose not to scrap LCDAs

    Commission chief warns Fayose not to scrap LCDAs

    Chairman of Ekiti State Local Government Service (ELGS) Chief Ranti Adebisi has cautioned that any attempt by the incoming administration to scrap the new local council development areas will set it against the people.

    Adebisi, in a statement yesterday, noted that the creation of the LCDAs was borne out of the people’s genuine demands for more councils.

    He added that they were not created to cause problems for the incoming government.

    He said the process of creating the LCDAs preceded the last governorship election, adding that it would not serve any purpose for anybody to read political meanings to their creation.

    The government last month created 19 LCDAs in addition to the 16 councils. It has also appointed caretaker committees to oversee the affairs of the LCDAs.

    But the state governor-elect, Mr. Ayo Fayose, whose party – the PDP – opposed the creation of the new LCDAs, said his administration would not fund the new councils.

    Adebisi noted that the creation of LCDAs would not add any burden to the incoming government as it has not increased the workforce.

    Rather, he said the councils’ formation has created more space for career workers at the top echelon of the local government service

    “Besides, it has further brought government closer to the grassroots and ensure wider participation by the people,” he said.

    He stressed that the creation of the LCDAs has met the stipulated procedure as stated in the constitution, adding that Ekiti people should ensure that the desire of the people are met through the new LCDAs

    Adebisi  maintained that council workers are happy with the new LCDAs, which has accounted for the successful take off of the new councils

    He added that the donation of structures and equipment for the smooth take off of the LCDAs by communities showed that they were widely accepted.

    Adebisi stressed that the communities, whose age long agitation for new councils were met by the Fayemi administration, have been praising the government for meeting their demands.

    On the performance of the commission, he said it has restored the confidence of the workers in the APC administration.

    He said despite the attempt at instigating the workers against the outgoing government, the commission has served the best interest of the workers and government in ensuring the harmonious relationship between them.

  • Scrap Police ministry, says Tinubu

    Scrap Police ministry, says Tinubu

    Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has advocated the scrapping of two ministries — Police Affairs and Interior.

    He described them as conduit pipes used by the government to siphon money.

    The former governor of Lagos State spoke to reporters at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, after commiserating with the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, and Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso over the attack on the Emir and Monday’s suicide bombing in which scores died.

    To Tinubu, running the ministries is a duplication of the functions and a waste of public funds.

    According to him, Nigeria’s security challenges could possibly be due to the duplication of ministries, rendering the Inspector General of Police, M.D. Abubakar, incapacitated to take firm control of security.

    He said: The financial handicap of the IGP, who is supposed to be answerable only to the Police Commission, which should be saddled with promotion and discipline, takes away his independence to steer police affairs properly without interference.

    Besides, Tinubu said there are fewer policemen to man the beats. In all , there are about 600,000 policemen nationwide. Training is also inadequate and the bureaucracy is as uncomfortable, said the former governor.

    “If the Inspector General is not in charge but has to go through one ministry, and the Pension Funds administered by one ministry are being stolen, why we should have such a ministry?

    Such funds should be channelled to the recruitment of more police officers.”

    This, said Tinubu, is why he supports community policing.

    “Let the IGP have 100 per cent control, so that we can hold him responsible for any security lapses that arise,” Tinubu said.

    Tinubu said he supported amnesty for Boko Haram militants, insisting that they are not ghosts as alleged in some quarters.

    “Some people are happy and benefiting from the Boko Haram insurgency because it allows them an unhindered access to security votes and want it to continue. So, I am convinced that the Boko Haram conflict is sponsored by some people for economic reasons, while others try to polarise it along political devices,” Tinubu said.

    He argued that the new All Progressives Congress (APC), the baby of the merger of political parties, cannot be killed.

    At the Emir’s palace, Tinubu condemned the attack on the royal father, describing it as “unfortunate”, adding that it portends a dangerous trend.

    “We came to Kano to pay a courtesy call on the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, over the most unfortunate attack and the incident that happened to an institution like him, and a great father with wisdom, who has spent many years on the traditional throne as a leader, being exposed to such an attack is very dangerous for our country and is making things seem hopeless.”

    The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, thanked Tinubu for the visit, describing him as a visionary and purposeful leader showing good example for the ordinary people.

    He urged politicians to be less aggressive in their approach, because, according to him, the unity and peaceful co-existence of the people are most important.

    Politics, said the Emir, should be devoid of criminality and violence, so that a peaceful atmosphere will prevail for the country’s progress.

    In Tinubu’s entourage are ACN National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande, the former presidential candidate of the party, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, former Minister of Labour and Productivity Musa Gwadabe and the former All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) National Chairman, Alhaji Yusuf Ali.