The Nation Newspaper

Tag: UNILAG

  • Lift Africa holds Africa Youth summit

    Lift Africa, a youth-led organization focused on transforming Africa youths has held the 4th edition of Africa Youth Summit of Greatness last Saturday.

    The body which was formerly known as “Tuns Quotes” campaigns for peace in Africa through inspirational summits across the continent.

    According to a statement made available to newsmen, the vision was received in 2006 at lagoon front University of Lagos ( UNILAG) during the meditation of Babatunde Adejumobi, the president and founder of Lift Africa. The reality of the vision however came four years after.

    The organization which has branches all over Africa had representatives from different parts of the continent at the summit.

    Emmanuel Mills a member of the organization from Volta Region Ghana stressed the power of youth.

    He said “ the hope of Africa is in the hands of the youth and they should not disappoint the continent.

    “They should try to learn from the leaders both from their right and wrongs.

    “ A matured youth live a purposeful life.

    “Everyone have a particular thing he is created for. Maturity is not only in age but in mind and the ability to endure challenges”.

    One of the speakers at the event, Mrs. Oluremi Odelola spoke about the responsibilities vested on a leader.

    She said: “for someone to be a leader, he must have the ability to motivate and carry along his followers. A youth leader should be young and intelligent and also have a good character, determination to serve and must be committed.

    She called for training, workshops and mentoring programmes for youth empowerment.

    Awards and certificates were presented to members of the organization and other participants.

  • UNILAG old students give back after 20 years

    The 1994 set of Political Science, University of Lagos (UNILAG) have celebrated their 20 years of graduating from the institution with a donation of public address system to their department.

    Head, Department of Political Science, Prof Browne Onuoha, said he was delighted by the donation of the 4Amaz AL 1504 1000W PMPO public address system – the first gift from any alumni of the department.

    “We cannot wait for the government to provide everything for us.  This set has done what no other set has done to the department. This is the first a student will give back. They initiated this so that others could follow.  The public address system is one of those things we need, because when we have large classes, straining your voice to reach everybody is a problem.  It is like they know what our need is, and stated from where it is itching us most.  Almost all our classes will have them,” he said.

    One of the alumni, Babatunde Tijani said the gift was presented on the date of their 20th anniversary.

    Tijani said: “We were admitted in 1989 and we finish the four-year course on August 28, 1994. We are here to give back in our own little way to the department that has invested so much in us and made us who we are and we are here to celebrate with head of department, teaching, non-teaching and some representatives in the department of political science.

    “The 1994 set waited so long because getting its members was not easy since members are spread all over the world and it was difficult gathering them.  Twenty is a remarkable figure and we also felt that it is better than ever. For being alive for two decades is a thing for us to give thanks and give back in our own little way. The saying goes that any river that forgets its source will dry up, but we want to be progressive that is why we are here today.”

    Dr. Derin Ologbenla of the department said the faculty and alumni would set up a platform to interact and connect so that a relationship will be bridged.

    “We will organise end of year dinner and party to bring old and present students together,’’ he said.

  • Bowen, UNILAG, EKSU win Maritime competition

    The trio of Bowen University, Iwo; University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Ekiti State University (EKSU), won the top prizes in the Maritime Blueprint Competition held at the Julius Berger auditorium of UNILAG last Thursday.

    The two-member teams from the three institutions outperformed Law students from three other institutions (Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Benin, and the University of Ilorin) in the competition sponsored by SIFAX Group.

    The teams debated on the topics “Merits and demerits of Foreign Direct Investments in the Maritime Sector” and “Ports and Ports Charges: A Recurring Decimal under Ports Reform Regime” in two rounds in which they were required to demonstrate their oratory skills, knowledge of port laws, reforms, charges, and recommend solutions.

    At the end of the keenly-contested competition, the Bowen University team made up of Adekeye Olanrewaju and Dunmade Samuel won with 85 points.  Pius Bankong and Ipinnuoluwa Ade-Ademi of UNILAG followed with 81; while the duo of Durola Tosin and Oyewole Sunday placed third with 78 points.

    Mouth-watering prizes, including laptops, smart phones and cash, were presented to the winners who were unveiled at the Taiwo Afolabi Annual Maritime Conference, which held the next day.

    SIFAX organises the contest and conference in partnership with the Maritime Forum of the Faculty of Law, UNILAG.

    SIFAX Group Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, said the need to deepen the knowledge base of the law students and stimulate their interest in the country’s maritime industry informed the company’s sponsorship of the competition.

    “We don’t have enough maritime legal experts in the industry as I speak to you. Very few students also show interest in the legal aspect of the sector. Having identified this, the company decided to take up the sponsorship of the competition.

    “We believe that this gesture would go a long way in stimulating interest of students in maritime law. I am personally leading the mentorship charge because as a lawyer, I have experienced firsthand the many opportunities inherent in the application of law to the maritime sector.

    “We are also doing this because at SIFAX Group, it’s part of our corporate philosophy to positively affect the society,” he said.

  • UNILAG to launch centres of excellence to boost research

    The University of Lagos ( UNILAG ) says it has concluded arrangements for its research agenda setting workshop and launch of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Centres of Excellence, would improve its PhD training and research activities.

    Prof Gbenga Nubi, a member of the organising committee for the workshop, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Lagos that the ARUA centres would provide a platform for speedy provision of solutions to every day challenges.

    The launching and workshop, planned for Sept. 6 to Sept. 7 is a collaboration between the university and ARUA.

    The centres of excellence to be launched are ARUA Centre of Excellence for Urbanisation and Habitable Cities in Africa and ARUA Centre of Excellence for Unemployment and Skills Development in Africa.

    “The two-day event has Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, Secretary-General of ARUA and Prof. Wellington Oyibo, Director, Research and Innovation, University of Lagos as speakers.

    Nubi, also the Founding Director, Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development of the institution, added that the essence of the launch was to set an agenda on what the centre would be doing in the next five years.

    The one time Dean, Faculty of Environmental Sciences noted that such issues confronting the society as transportation, slum and healthcare system among others would be brought to the fore.

    He added that already, ARUA was ready to support these centres with millions of dollars each year for five years for improved PhD training and research.

    According to him, such support will spur African researchers to look at areas that should be researched into, such as urbanisation, health and others.

    “That is why universities in Africa agreed after wide consultations that the way forward should be the establishment of centres of excellence in some selected universities and UNILAG happens to be one of such universities with two centres,” he said.

    Meanwhile one of the speakers at the upcoming event, Oyibo, UNILAG’s Director, Research and Innovation, also told NAN that the launch and workshop, was set to take up leadership in the areas of urban and smart cities as well as entrepreneurial and skills development in Africa.

    “There is going to be a kind of national and continental gadget that will drive development.

    “It will equally provide direction to countries, states, governments and agencies through the development of critical mass and multi-state engagements that will deliver progress.

    “The situation of these centres in UNILAG is set to make a strong impact in the society and nation.

    “It is going to be Africa’s strategy to answer questions around sustaining cities, entrepreneurship and youth empowerment,” Oyibo said

    Contributing, the institution’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academemics and Research, Prof. Oluwole Familoni, said the launch would give the university a wonderful beginning in the execution of its mandate.

    “We are indeed excited at the development and at the same time set to go. We are happy the launch is about to take place so that we can generate some funds to hit the ground running.

    “You know we cannot operate just like that without first launching these two centres in an effort to raise some money to carry out our mandate.

    “It is going to be a grand event as we are expecting all the ARUA Deputy Vice-Chancellors from across Africa.

    “May I also say that the centres were contested for and of the total 11, UNILAG won two. It is also something worth celebrating.

    NAN reports that ARUA was inaugurated in 2015 in Dakar, Senegal, bringing together 16 of the region’s leading universities.

    It is a network of universities from various countries in Africa with a common vision.

    The network is about expanding and enhancing significantly the quality of research done in Africa by African researchers.

    ARUA is intended to develop local research excellence through collaboration to find solutions to the developmental problems of the continent.

  • UNILAG to host conference on land development

    AN international conference on land and development is to be hosted by the University of Lagos (UNILAG) from October 24-26.

    It is being coordinated by the varsity’s Research and Innovation Office and the Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development.

    In a statement, the institution said the theme of the conference is: “Land and development in Lagos.”  The sub-themes would include land tenure system; land valuation; land use historical, political and social evolution; land development; spatial data infrastructure and land administration; and land management policy and advocacy.

    The institution said in a statement that the closing date for the submission of abstracts has been extended to the end of the month. Also, it noted that there would be exhibitions on the side by interested practitioners and stakeholders in the land use and development value chain, including proprietors of land for sale, housing estate developers, housing plan and mortgage scheme providers, rent-to-own schemes, land reclamation and dredging companies, industrial and mixed use land developers as well as surveyors and valuers.

    “The Governor of Lagos State has been invited as the special guest of honour, while Senator GbengaAshafa will be the guest of honour. The keynote speakers include a former Surveyor-General of Nigeria, Professor P. C. Nwilo; the Chairman of the Presidential Technical Committee on Land Reforms, Prof Peter Adeniyi; and Lead Land Administration Specialist of the World Bank, Dr Mika-PetteriTorhonem.”

    It added that the conference was expected to attract scholars from all over the world because of the diverse interests in land, would have Prof Rufus Akinyele and Prof Wellington Oyibo as the chairmen of the local organising committee, and would assist the government in formulating appropriate land policies.

  • UNILAG Mass Comm: ’87 set donates interactive boards to dept

    The 1987 set of the department of Mass Communication alumni at the University of Lagos ( UNILAG ) has donated a set of interactive boards to the department.

    The coordinator of the 87 set, Alh. Tajudeen Adeyemi described the event as a privilege to give back to the department.

    He said, “The idea of this initiative came about at our second reunion. We thought of doing a tangible project that will be useful to both the staff and students of the department and contacted one of us, Dr. Olubunmi Ajibade, a senior lecturer in the department and he suggested interactive boards.”

    Adeyemi, who commissioned the facilities was accompanied by the President of Unilag Mass Communication Alumni Association (UMCAA), Mr. Vincent Oyo and members of the 87 set;
    Managing Director of Complete Communications, Alh. Mumuni Alao, Mr. Michael Bamigbola and Mr. Taiwo Osunsanya among others.

    Oyo said the move was a beginning of more support initiatives that would come to the department.

    He expressed enthusiasm that the interest of the department’s alumni body was to train students to do big things in the future.

    Uyo noted that the goal of UMCAA was to ensure that the department is transformed to a viable faculty of communication.

    He added however, that the association has been intensifying its efforts to kick start its “Gown-to-Town” programme which he said, was inspired by the need to intimate students with the best media industry experience.

    Meanwhile, in her address, the head of department, Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika described the gesture as a direction towards the destination communication is going globally.

    She expressed joy and gratitude just as she said the facilities would serve as one one the ways through which the staff and students of the department will “reskill and retool.”

     

  • UNILAG begins post-UTME screening

    The University of Lagos (UNILAG) will hold its post-UTME screening between August 6 and 10.

    A statement by the management yesterday directed eligible candidates to register online for the screening once the registration portal opens on July 23.

    The statement reads: “The University of Lagos online registration for the Post-UTME Screening Exercise for Admission into all courses/programmes for the 2018/2019 Academic Year will commence from 23rd July, 2018 to 3rd August, 2018.

    “Candidates who made University of Lagos their first choice in the 2018/2019 UTME and scored 200 and above are eligible for screening. In addition, candidates must possess five credit passes at one sitting in relevant O/level subjects including English Language and Mathematics.

    “Candidates, who will not be 16 years of age by 31st October, 2018 are not eligible and need not apply.

    “Candidates who do not participate in the Post-UTME Screening will not be considered for admission.”

    After paying the screening fee of N2,000, candidates are to register on the university’s website, www.unilag.edu.ng.

  • UNILAG begins post-UTME screening

    The University of Lagos ( UNILAG ) will hold its post-UTME screening August 6-10, 2018.

    A statement by the management on Wednesday directed eligible candidates to register online for the screening once the registration portal opens July 23, 2018.

    The statement reads: “The University of Lagos online registration for the Post-UTME Screening Exercise for Admission into ALL COURSES/PROGRAMMES for the 2018/2019 Academic Year will commence from 23rd July, 2018 to 3rd August, 2018.

    “Candidates who made University of Lagos their first choice in the 2018/2019 UTME and scored 200 and above are eligible for screening. In addition, candidates must possess five credit passes at one sitting in relevant O/level subjects including English Language and Mathematics.

    “Candidates, who will not be 16 years of age by 31st October, 2018 are not eligible and need not apply.

    “Candidates who do not participate in the Post-UTME Screening will not be considered for admission.”

    After paying the screening fee of N2,000, candidates are to register on the university’s website, www.unilag.edu.ng.

  • UNILAG urges blogger, victim to appear before panel

    Vice Chancellor University of Lagos (UNILAG) Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe has urged Joy Nwanna, a former student, and a blogger, Linda Ikeji, to appear before its Sexual Harassment Panel.

    Ogundipe, who spoke yesterday at the Senate chamber, said the duo’s appearance would help the Prof Chioma Agonmo-led panel to unravel Nwanna’s allegations of sexual harassment against Prof. Segun Awonusi of the English department. He assured them of protection, should they come forward.

    In May, Ikeji featured a post of semi-nude photographs of Awonusi sent by Nwanna, who accused him and others in the English department of sexual harassment.

    Nwanna was a student of the university between 2012/2013 and 2015/2016 sessions.

    Prof. Ogundipe said the five-member panel dug into contacts from Nwanna’s student records and tried reaching out to her and her next of kin, but met a brick wall.

    “She gave us the name of her next of kin, Samuel Nwanna. His number is 08060971976. We called, but it did not go through. Her sponsor is Idighisai Grace. The phone number is 07033543627. We got in touch, but it was another person who responded. The number with us concerning Joy Nwanna is 07035574747. It was Yakubu Idris who picked the call. This particular individual had different personalities. If she is ready to attend to the request of the panel, we will give her cover. Even Ikeji, who is an alumna, we are appealing that as a proud alumna of this university, she should assist it to get to the bottom of this issue so that the name of the university will not be ridiculed.

    “The email address she used to get across to our university man (Awonusi), we sent a mail, but got no reply.”

    The VC said Awonusi appeared before the panel twice.

    “Awonusi submitted a written report; the committee looked at the report. He submitted the email she sent to him and appeared before the panel twice,” he said.

    Ogundipe said the panel got no response from any other student regarding the sexual harassment case.

    “The panel called on other students, who had information about the case or others to come forward, but nobody responded,” he said.

    The VC said the university would not rule out using law enforcement agencies to trace Nwanna. He urged people with information about the victim to help the university in its investigation.

    Ogundipe said: “The suspected victim was identified as Miss Joy Nwanna by Prof. Awonusi in his interactions with the panel. Records of Miss Nwanna showed that she was admitted into the Department of English as a direct entry student in 2012/2013 session.

    “She graduated from the university in 2015/2016 session.

    “Attempts by the panel to contact Miss Nwanna through the phone numbers in her records and by e-mail proved abortive. The panel also attempted to contact Linda Ikeji to convince the suspected victim to come forward, but she was not forthcoming.

    “The preliminary investigations have raised certain questions and issues that need to be investigated. Investigations are on. The university is making efforts to confirm the authenticity or otherwise of the pictures released. It requires Miss Nwanna to come forward to substantiate the allegations.

    “The press and the public are urged to assist the university by impressing it on Miss Nwanna to come forward to substantiate her claim. An appeal is also made to Ikeji to convince the victim to appear before the panel and state her story.

    “The university assures Nwanna and Ikeji of protection, should they come forward.”

  • AIB, UNILAG partner on material laboratory usage

    The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on the use of its metallurgical laboratory at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.

    AIB Commissioner, Mr. Akin Olateru, at the signing of the agreement at the varsity’s Senate Building, said the lab would be of benefit to Nigerians, students of higher institutions of learning and industries.

    Olateru said the lab would save Nigeria huge capital flights, which would have been expended on air tickets, hotels and others by researchers, stressing that collaboration with organisations would further enhance one another’s capabilities.

    He explained that the agency had written to 12 higher institutions of learning on collaboration on the use of the facility, but decried that only three universities – University of Ilorin, UNILAG and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka replied.

    He noted that the United States’ National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) partnered public and private organisations and wondered why same could not be done here.

    He said: “I believe we can make this country great with collaborations. We need collaborations like this to help us add values to the country. We actually wrote to 12 universities, but only three responded to our letters, which is very unfortunate.

    “This is why I want to thank your leadership for the signing of this MoU because it shows the efforts you are putting in place to increase the knowledge base of this great institution of learning.”

    He, however, expressed satisfaction with the responses of the three universities, adding that there still room for any institution willing to partner it.

    He noted that the management would not compel any organisation or institution to collaborate with it on the use of the equipment.

    UNILAG Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe explained that university education is about research.

    He declared that UNILAG was  research-oriented, saying the institution collaborates with other universities and institutions across the country and beyond.

    He said varsity students had been taking the centrestage in the country while at the international level, they have been making great impacts.

    Ogundipe said: ‘The direction of research now is about collaborations and networking. I am glad that we are starting this on a good note. I want to assure you that we will make maximum use of this with our students. Our intention is to make our students known locally and visible at the global stage and I am happy we are achieving that so far. On our own, we will give this collaboration the 100 per cent support it deserves.”