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  • NGO trains teachers on special and inclusive education

    A non -governmental organisation advocating for educators and families of persons with disabilities, Inclusive Education and Individualized Education Plan Centre (IEIEPC), has called for regular training of teachers, parents, counsellors and other stakeholders on inclusive education.

    Its Director, Mr Oyeyinka Oladipupo Oluwawumi, who spoke at a workshop organised in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Education for stakeholders in all six education districts of the state, underscored the importance of training teachers on inclusive education for special kids.

    “Disability is not the lack of ability to succeed; it only becomes an inability if necessary tools/aids are not maximised. To this end, there is a need for training and retraining of teachers. We collaborate with other professionals in the field of special and inclusive education for the divine goal of improving the lives of these children,” he said.

    The workshop, which held at the International Press Centre (IPC), Ogba, was devoted to advocacy on inclusion. It provided continuous training for teachers, parents, social workers and others, about unique ways to improve the quality of life, and help children with special needs maximise their learning potential.

    Oyeyinka lamented that schools had no standard plan for learners with special needs. “It is quite unfortunate that there is no standard plan by the school, and even most schools in Nigeria; although some consent to be using a timetable. If teachers do not have guide or see good reasons to have a modified curriculum for specially attending to impaired students, how then do we give these children opportunities to also fulfil their dreams and become successful’’

    Speaking on the topic “Best practices in special and inclusive education”, a senior lecturer at University of Ibadan’s department of special education, Dr John Oyundoyin said inclusive education should be approached with total adherence to the fundamental tenets of special education, parent involvement, community effort, use of assistive technology, provision of accommodation and the like.

    A nutritionist, Mrs. Ijeoma Ugwu, spoke on how to nourish special kids and avoid ingredients that may trigger anti-social behaviour.

  • NURTW member remanded for alleged robbery

    An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court yesterday remanded a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Jamiu Olalekan, at Kirikiri Prisons for allegedly attacking and robbing a hotel guest.

    Chief Magistrate  M.I. Dan-Oni,  who did not take the defendant’s plea, ordered that the case file be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice and adjourned till May 9.

    Read also: Court gives Evans till May 17 to get lawyer 

    Prosecuting Inspector Victor Eruada alleged that Olalekan and others at large committed the offence on March 9, last year, at 4pm, at Romes 69 Hotel, Agbodegba Street, Ijora Oloye, Lagos.

    He said Olalekan, who was armed with one locally made single barrel short gun, cutlasses and broken bottles, stormed the hotel, attacked Mr. Raheem Etti and robbed him of his N80,000 cash.

  • ‘INEC was unfair to Rivers State’

    Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and spokesman for the Tony Cole Campaign Organisation Prince Tonye Princewill spoke with reporters in Lagos on the outcome of the general elections and the future of the party in the Southsouth state. Excerpts:

    What is your reaction to the outcome of the Rivers State governorship election?

    What has happened teaches me a lot of things. Some Nigerians do not care enough about our corruption. At least, not enough to call a spade a spade when they see it. We all know what transpired, even if we don’t know the details. Yet, we put it down to how things are, in Nigeria, in Rivers State. Many Nigerians do not care about how you win, as long as you win. You can kill and maim your way to power and it won’t matter to them, they will gladly shake the bloodstained hands of the winner and bow down in loyalty. Our moral compasses have so ossified to the point where winning is more important than how you win. The outrage over what led to INEC’s declaration is shared by many, but not enough. Some of us have elected to do something about it. All it takes for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing isn’t a cliche for us.

    Your party, the APC, did not participate. But, it adopted the AAC candidate. The result shows Wike winning the combined forces of the APC and AAC with over 700,000 votes. What is your reaction?

    There is no correlation between that result and Rivers people. Unless it is in the minds of the ignorant or the complicit. If like some, you believe that the end justifies the means, it is convenient to disregard how that result was arrived at. But those who know better aren’t fooled. You say 700,000 votes, yet you ignore that one LGA, Wike’s own accounts for over 300,000 votes unchallenged after he stormed its collation center where a soldier was shot, yet another was injured critically by a machete and AAC agents taken hostage while electoral materials where carted away. An LGA where such occurred really had no business being accepted by INEC. But it was. Hook, line and with 300,000 votes. The list of high crimes by INEC and PDP continued across the other LGAs, but the APC Government let it be. If we the people had them taken matters into our own hands, people would have died and the neutral observer would have said we in Rivers state are savages. But they forget that you can only push a man so far. I don’t blame Wike, it’s his nature. I blame his accomplices. Wike already has what is coming to him, but they too must answer to this show of shame. They cannot escape it. Never.

    This election was held on March 9 and it took 24 days to fully collate and announce the result. Is that normal?

    Thank you for that question. It isn’t normal. And yet some expect a normal result to emerge from such an abnormal process? Like I said earlier, our moral compasses have been so redacted to the point where we can not call a spade what it is. INEC suspended a whole election in an entire state against the provisions of an electoral act and it stood. Our cries were dismissed and our voices ignored. Nobody listened. Amaechi is one man. If PDP and internal saboteurs cannot forgive him, should the entire state be made to suffer? Do our elders and youths have to be subjected to a Wike administration for another four years because of your hate for Amaechi? What did he do to you? What did we do to you? Every life in Rivers state is valuable and we will not rest until they are given the opportunity to realize their full potential. Some of the people lining up to stab Amaechi today were the beneficiaries of his good heart yesterday. In some cases, he even saved their lives!! Disagree, even deny him any advantage if you like, but don’t forget tomorrow, even if you have forgotten yesterday. Why demonize him constantly even when he is silent? What use is it to you to kick a man when others are kicking him too and why take out your pound of flesh from the backs of innocent Rivers people? Amaechi will forgive you. But Rivers people won’t.

    You raise several objections like that the result should have been announced within 21 days, that INEC kept result shhets in its custody rather than with the CBN. What difference does this make?

    The simple answer to your question is our objections made no difference because they interrupted the agenda that was in play. There is a reason why elections are covered by guidelines and transparency is the currency which INEC has to protect. In the Rivers state matter, they exhibited an arrogance of the highest order and made no concessions in our favour. None. The blatant disregard they showed is why we cannot let this matter rest. In a very short statement I issued after they declared Wike, I said they have murdered sleep and asked us to go to hell. We have heard them. They too will hear us soon.

    You issued a statement after the return of Wike that the election will not stand the test of time. How, what will you do?

    We have several options before us and each option will be scrutinised to the full. If this isn’t countered, it will become the norm. By our traditionally low standards, 2019 in Rivers state was a very new low. Therefore there must be consequences. You can ignore a small party and maybe get away with it, but not the APC. My saying after the selection and declaration was “Fiat justitia ruat caelum” and I stand by it. Rivers state deserves better than such an organized oppression. We are way too big for that.

    You have severally accused Senator Magnus Abe, who was factional governorship candidate of APC of fraternizing with Wike. How did he do that?

    Let me quickly correct you. Abe was an aspirant, not a candidate. And the APC only recognized Tonye Cole as its candidate. So the use of the term factional candidate is like calling someone a factional parent. It won’t fly. I’m not going to discuss Abe at length except to say that when the baby is not your own, it’s death does not affect you. We saw it in the Bible when Solomon confronted the two women over the ownership of the child. We know those who are happy about this hollow victory and we know those who avoided bloodshed to allow it pass. The real owners of Rivers state are in tears. The real friends of Rivers state are sad. The real lovers of Rivers state are in mourning, while those without a stake or conscience are either indifferent or at peace. Let every man take his position. The time to be held accountable will definitely come.

  • Rivers election tribunal grants substituted service on PDP, SDP

    The Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal yesterday granted applications for substituted service filed by two candidates for the House of Representatives.

    The Tribunal Secretary, Simon Aniefu, who addressed reporters yesterday after a sitting at the High Court, identified the candidates as Tony Boms of the Accord Party and Darlinton Peter Anaelechi of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    Read also: Abe: I knew Supreme Court would strike out my motion

    Aniefu said the two have are challenging the declaration of Kingsley Chinda and Chisom Dike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winners of Obio/Akpor and Oyibo/Tai/Eleme Federal Constituencies.

    He said: “The respondents and their party will be served through substituted means to wit, pasting at their party secretariat. The mattered has been adjourned till May 9, which coincides with the inaugural sitting of the tribunal.”

    The Tribunal Secretary said six petitions have been filed, and while two have been entered,  substituted service have been granted for two, service is still ongoing for the other two.

  • How to fund education, by ex-Ekiti Deputy Governor

    A former Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Prof Modupe Adelabu, has identified better ways to fund and manage education.

    Adelabu came up with the ideas in her inaugural lecture entitled: “As it was in the beginning, as it is now: Politics and education policies in Nigeria” at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

    The professor of educational administration said new insight was needed in view of the unstable oil revenue, which according to her, could not be depended on to fund education.

    She said: “Most education policies have faced challenges because some of these policies were based on financial and political postulations whose predictions were often not accurate… I also concluded in my researches that oil money is not infinite and, therefore, relying on oil alone would make education policies face challenges in Nigeria. I am happy to note that my predictions have come to reality as the scenario facing Nigeria now is the search for alternative means of funding, not only for education programmes, but for other national programmes.”

    To Adelabu, government at all levels should embrace Public Private Partnerships (PPP), involve communities through the school-based management committees (SBMC), support non-state providers (NSP) of education, open up more opportunities for women in leadership positions in education and accommodate globalisation in developing education policies.

    “There must be synergy between the government and the community members and the non-state providers in the management, funding and provision of education. Nigeria must not ignore the political environment, the economic environment and the international environment as chief facilitators of our educational policies and programmes. This has been the thrust of my research…”

    Read also: Ekiti employs marshals to enforce grazing law

    The don also called for appointment of only educationists as chairmen of state universal basic education boards (SUBEB) due to their strategic significance to education, adding that basic education effectiveness determines how well children can become useful players in the society as adults.

    To bridge the gap of quality education between rural and urban communities, which she said the Universal Primary Education (UPE) introduced in Nigeria in 1976 had not achieved, Prof Adelabu said Technical and Vocational Education was the answer.

    She called for integration of traditional vocations in the curriculum for rural dwellers.  “The systems of education appear not to have produced the desired results in terms of individual achievements and skills development. Because of this, rural schools produced unemployable citizens, who possess no remarkable skills. The problem with rural education is not only with the content of the curriculum, but its relevance. The crucial problem, therefore, is how to combine the official curriculum with local content and link the school with the community so that they can work together to provide resources and application of the knowledge and skills students would have learnt,” she said.

    When Adelabu served as the chairman of the Ekiti SUBEB, she succeeded in emphasising vocational education and integrating communities in the provision and management of basic schools.

  • Man gets one-month jail for snatching bag

    An unemployed man, Sunday Joshua, 20, was yesterday sentenced to one-month imprisonment by an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for snatching a bag containing valuables

    Magistrate Mrs. M.O. Tanimola sentenced Joshua after he pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

    The court, however, gave the convict an option of N20,000 fine in lieu of serving the jail term.

    Prosecuting Inspector Aondohemba Koti had earlier told the court that the defendant committed the offences in February at Ladipo, Mushin, Lagos.

    He said the defendant committed the offence with others still at large.

    According to the prosecution, the defendant conducted himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace by snatching a bag from a woman, whose identity was not disclosed.

    Koti told the court that when the defendant and his gang snatched the woman’s bag, she raised the alarm, which attracted people around.

    He said the people chased them and caught up with the defendant, who was arrested, while others escaped.

    The prosecutor told the court that the stolen bag was recovered.

    When the charge was read, Joshua admitted committing the offence levelled against him by the police and blamed his action on the devil.

    He pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing him.

    During facts and sentencing, Joshua again admitted guilt and the magistrate consequently convicted and sentenced him.

  • Korean dies from LADOL shooting incident

    A Korean employee of SHI-MCI FZE shot by an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence (NSCDC) guarding the LADOL Free Zone in Lagos on Wednesday died from injuries sustained from the shooting incident.

    Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) said in a statement on Wednesday night the deceased suffered multiple injuries to key organs.

    It regretted despite the battle to save his life at the hospital by medical experts, he succumbed to death from injuries he sustained.

    According to the statement, the LADOL Free Zone armed security guard first shot and killed his colleague during an argument on Monday at the SHI-MCI FZE yard.

    “The gunman then went on a rampage around the SHI-MCI yard before shooting the Korean employee who was conducting maintenance work in a crane in the zone.

    “This was an entirely unprovoked attack as the employee was not involved in the original argument between the gunman and his colleague,” SHI lamented.

    Following the shooting, the Korean was evacuated to Lagoon Hospital Ikoyi, where he underwent surgeries for two days.

    Read also: NSCDC to investigate killing of operative by colleague in Lagos

     However, he suffered severe damage to his kidneys and intestines from the gunshot and sadly died on Wednesday evening despite the best efforts of the doctors and nurses treating him.

    SHI said: “We are extremely shocked and saddened at the turn of events. We send our sincerest condolences to his family in Korea and are providing them with all the support they require.

    “We thank all the expert medical personnel that fought so hard to save his life.

    “Samsung will work tirelessly to ensure the gunman is brought to justice. We will also ensure that LADOL are held accountable for organisational and management failing that allowed the gunman to carry out this terrible crime in the LADOL Free Zone.

    “We are conducting a full investigation and demand answers from LADOL as to how this employee was screened and what protection they can offer to workers within the LADOL Free Zone who are now extremely concerned for their safety and welfare.

    “This incident has exposed the security lapses in the LADOL Free Zone which has led to the loss of a Nigerian and a Korean.”

    The firm revealed the Korean Ambassador has contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, demanding “a prompt and fair investigation into what happened and to ensure the safety of Koreans who live in Nigeria.”

  • 2019 ITTF: Nigeria thwarts Egypt’s dominance in team event

    The years of dominance of Egypt at continental junior level is nearing an end as their reign as African junior champion in the boys was stopped by Nigeria at the ongoing 2019 ITTF Africa Junior and Cadet Championships holding in Accra, Ghana.

    Even in the absence of Nigeria in the last two years, Egypt ruled like a king in the tournament but on evening of Wednesday, April 10, they received the beating of their lives as the Azeez Solanke-led Nigerian side paid them with their own coin with a whitewashing 3-0 win in the final of the junior boys.

    The Egyptians are yet to get over the hang-over of their 2-3 semifinal loss to Nigeria in the boys’ U-21 event.

    Despite being strengthened by the number best U-21 player in Africa, Mamoud Helmy; the Egyptians suffered a narrow defeat against the skillful Nigerian side.

    They came into the final of the junior boys’ frustrated and they left dejected after been bashed 3-0 by the Nigerians.

    Read also: 2019 ITTF African Junior and Cadet Championships: Nigeria hits semifinal

    It was Solanke who started the onslaught for Nigeria with a convincing 3-0 win over Ahmed Elborhamy and Jamiu Ayanwale increased Nigeria lead to 2 with another emphatic 3-0 win over Marwan Abdelwahab.

    Augustine Emmanuel completed the rout for Nigeria with another 3-0 bashing of Abdelrahman Dendan to give Nigeria the gold medal in the event.

    But the Egyptians were far ahead of Nigeria in the girls’ final as they won 3-0 to claim the gold medal.

  • Ronaldo scores as Juventus held to a draw at Ajax

    Cristiano Ronaldo produced yet another quality goal to add to his collection and help Juventus to a 1-1 draw at Ajax Amsterdam in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Wednesday.

    Juventus took the lead on the stroke of halftime as Portuguese forward Ronaldo began an attacking move inside his own half.

    He then sprinted downfield and diving to head in a clever chip from Joao Cancelo.

    Ajax equalised 30 seconds into the second half after Cancelo lost control of the ball to allow David Neres to run down the left wing.

    The Ajax player then cut inside and curl the ball past Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

    The result leaves the Serie A side in a strong position to advance to the semi-finals in next week’s return leg in Turin.

    However, they will be mindful of Ajax’s 4-1 away win over Real Madrid in the last round that eliminated the holders 5-3 on aggregate.

    Hakim Ziyech had several efforts at goal in a lively start for the youthful Dutch team, who have come through the pre-group phase qualifying round to reach the last eight.

    Donny van de Beek scraped the outside of the upright with a 25th minute effort from close range after opening up space for himself in the penalty area in Ajax’s best chance of the first half.

    But Juventus, with the 34-year-old Ronaldo central to their attacks, worked their way into the contest and came close themselves.

    Ronaldo set up Federico Bernardeschi to turn and shoot in the 37th minute. But he was just off target.

    Ronaldo, who scored a hat-trick in the previous round against Atletico Madrid, then scored a 125th Champions League goal.

    After equalising, Ajax then dominated possession but were guilty of over-elaborate passing and were also fortunate not to have given away a penalty.

    Defender Nicolas Tagliafico was tugging on the jersey of Juventus captain Mario Mandzukic and was lucky not to be punished.

    Spanish referee Carlos del Cerro Grande paused briefly in the 53rd minute to presumably hear from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) but resumed play before TV replays showed that Juventus had been denied a decent claim.

    However, influential left back Tagliafico will miss the second leg next Tuesday after being booked late in the first half.

    Juve hit the upright in the closing stages through substitute Douglas Costa although Ajax could have had the last say as Dusan Tadic missed a good chance in stoppage time.

    More than 100 Juventus supporters were detained by Dutch police before the match while home fans were also arrested as a water cannon was used outside the ground. (Reuters/NAN)

  • Without Ifa’s existence, there wouldn’t have been Google, says Ooni of Ife

    The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Wednesday said that the Google originated from the  ‘Ifa’ also known as the oracle.

    The traditional leader said that without ‘Ifa’, Google would not have been created.

    Ogunwusi said this during the press tour of the tourists sites within the ancient city ahead of the Tourism Innovation and Development Innovation Conference (TIDA) slated for April 24.

    The theme of the forthcoming conference is:” Impact of Sustainable Tourism Development and Marketing of Tourism Destinations on Host Communities”.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that ‘ Odu Ifa’ refers to the verses of the literary corpus  that are usually consulted by people who believe in its efficacy before embarking on any project or activity.

    It is also a West African religion and system of divination

    Ogunwusi said that ‘Ifa’ as a form divination was all about sourcing for information and knowledge through traditional consultation.

    The traditional ruler said that Google could be regarded as the modern way of sourcing for past information and what was likely to happen in the future too.

    He said that ‘Ifa’ originated several thousands of years ago and is seen as the voice of the almighty God referred to as ” Orisa Oke” which is supreme to other lesser gods.

    ” Without ‘Ifa’, there could never have been the google, so the google is the modern-day version of ‘Ifa’ .

    ” ‘Ifa’ is all about information, getting knowledge from the Almighty God.

    Read also: No Moremi, no Yoruba race, says Ooni

    “Whenever you  search the google for information or knowledge, you are consulting ‘Ifa’;  and without ‘Ifa’, there would not have been the google.”

    He said that ‘Ifa’ was still relevant in contemporary time t saying that was why people were still consulting the oracle for information and solutions to their problems.

    Ogunwusi explained that if the modern day youths and the educated wanted to know the date of any important event, they would search for it from Google.

    ‘That is part of the functions that Ifa’ does for its believers and followers; that is the truth but it may sound strange, ” he said.

    The Ooni who is the custodian of the Yoruba culture and tradition called on Nigerians to embrace traditional worships peculiar to their communities.

    He said that would not stop them from practising other modern religions. (NAN)