Unlike other faith-based tertiary institutions, the fees of Anchor University will be affordable for members of its founding organisation – the Deeper Life Bible Church, its Assistant Registrar for Communication and Strategy, Okesola Sanusi, has
said.
He made this known last weekend during a visit to The Nation’s corporate headquarters in Lagos.
He said the university was not established to make profit but to promote human transformation and eradicate decandence in the society.
Sanusi was accompanied by Mr Ikechukwu Moagua, the Personal Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor, and Oyewale Omolara, an Administrative Assistant.
He said the institution was set up with the mission to revolutionise the nation’s education, with the aim of transforming lives of the youth and making them good leaders. He added that the university would churn out graduates that would have the fear of God and make positive changes in the society.
He said: “Anchor University is set up with the objective to restore discipline, piety and excellence in the nation’s education. Beyond issuing certificates based on character and learning, Anchor University will go extra length to award students certificates on integrity, which is the other part of character.
“Among the faith-based universities, we are proud to say that Anchor University is about the most affordable. Our fees are the most reasonable and I can assure you that average members of the Deeper Life Bible Church and the public can afford to send their children to the institution. Our fees are not as outrageous as fees charged in other private school.”
Through promotion of cutting-edge research and quality knowledge, Sanusi said the university, which took off in February, aimed to be among the top five tertiary institutions in the country in the next 10 years, noting that the quality of knowledge to be imparted on students would not be compromised.
He said the academic activities in the institution would be governed by the adherence to the teachings of the Bible, adding that students are required to comply with the school rules on social engagements. He said the school was not established for Christian children only, but opened for people of other faiths.
He said: “The university campus is not a regimented environment, where students are not free to hold opinions. We give our students freedom to associate in line with Biblical teachings. We don’t regard smoking and drinking alcohol as social activities. We have brilliant social programmes for our students, which are aimed at developing their creativity and skills beyond academic performance. This is what we regard as social event, not people engaging in acts of immorality.”
The institution took off with three faculties and 15 courses, which have passed through pre-accreditation.
Tag: varsity
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Anchor varsity is affordable for average family
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Okorocha donates varsity to Navy
Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has donated the state-owned Marine University at Ossemotor, Oguta Council Area, to the Navy.
Governor Okorocha announced the donation when the committee on the New Naval Base in Ossemotor, visited him at the Government House in Owerri.
According to him, the government earlier donated a 200-bed General Hospital at Ngor-Okpala to the Navy.
“We have donated the 200-bed ultra-modern hospital at Ngor-Okpala because we know the Navy is a disciplined force and will probably run the best military hospital, which will be benefit the people.
“We have now donated the marine university at Oguta, which is under construction, to the Navy. The university has the most beautiful location for the Navy. We started this project as marine university but we believe the proper institution to handle it, with the naval base, is the Navy. “We have donated the land and undertake to complete the project, which can take about 1,000 students and 1,000 officers when completed. We are waiting for you to resume classes so contractors can return to site.
“The Navy coming to Oguta will develop the waterway to Lagos, thus helping tourism to flourish, with Oguta Lake which will soon get a facelift. It will equally make the area secured.
Commodore Obenta, who led the visit, conveyed the Chief of Naval Staff’s gratitude for the donations.
He promised the Chief of Naval Staff will establish a port at Oguta and quicken the smooth take-off of the university, noting that a strong committee has been raised for that purpose. -
Idahosa Varsity faults FG on clearance for Fanta, Sprite
Management of the Benson Idahosa University (BIU), in Edo State has said that a private research carried out on Fanta and Sprite showed that the Federal government was wrong on the green light given to Nigerians to consume the beverages.
The University said information or data provided by the Federal government on the beverages fell short of addressing the safety concerns raised by the court.
Speaking to reporters at the weekend, Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Ernest Izevbigie, said the institution owe the society the responsibilities to provide expert opinion on the matter.
Prof Izevbigie, who is a professor of Biochemistry, said answers provided to questions such as the presence and amount of colourant in Fanta and the concentration of benzoic acid or sodium benzoate in the two beverages and the presence and concentration of benzene were not satisfactory.
He stated that colourant used in Fanta, the yellow sunset, had been implicated in cytotoxicity, carcinogenesis, allergies and hyper activity in children when the right amount is not used.
Prof. Izevbigie said the Federal Ministry of Health has some explanation to give on the standard given for the use of 250mg/kg benzoic acid in soft drinks as opposed to 150mg/kg that was obtainable in the United Kingdom and Ghana.
Izevbigie said pasteurisation and the use of carbon dioxide could achieve the same goal as the use of high benzoic acid without the added health risks.
He equally remarked that the Fanta produced in Nigeria already contained benzene due to the presence of benzoic acid and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), pointing out that the product already contains Vitamin C and that the warning that it should not be taken with Vitamin C was confounding.
According to him, “reduction of the sodium benzoate concentration to below 150mg/kg, a removal of Vitamin C as an ingredient in Fanta due to concern for benzene toxicity and the use of natural dye as a replacement for the colourant in Fanta.”
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Varsity ‘discovers crude oil’ in Bida River Basin
Researchers at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) University Research Institute, Lapai in Niger State, say they have discovered crude oil in the Bida River Basin in Niger State.
The institute’s Director, Prof. Nuhu Obaje, stated this at an exposition of raw materials and locally made products held in Lagos Saturday.
Obaje said the university had notified the federal government and relevant agencies of the find and that the discovery was made using new technologies invented by the institute which made crude oil discovery and drilling “quicker”.
The institute, he added, had also invented technology to convert water lily to bio-gas and another that reduces pollution in coal.
He said: “We have technology that finds crude oil faster. We found crude oil at Bida River Basin and we used our technology to locate more areas. We have communicated it to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the state government and soon, the drilling machine will muster to site.
“They will use our research and produce oil faster and in abundance. Already, Niger State Governor, Bello Sani, has written to The Presidency. We are aware that they have acted on it. The ball is in the NNPC’s court because we are waiting for them, although the response has been good so far.”
On the exploration of solid mineral deposits he said: “We are hoping that solid minerals and agriculture will compliment crude oil as we are keying into the Federal Government’s policy of diversification.
“We are here on the vision of our Vice Chancellor, which is to develop research at IBB University. We have moved to another level of application, innovation and domestication. We are here to demonstrate the researches we have been doing over the years.
“We have developed a new technology of using clean coal for electricity generation, smokeless fuel production and power generation.
“We are using clean coals to stop the generation of fumes that are dangerous, so that people can use it without it being injurious to their health.
“Ordinarily, coal emits green house gases that affect the climate but at IBB University Research Centre, we have had that dangerous part of the coals removed.”
Also speaking, Deputy Director, Dr. Naomi Dadi-Mamud said they were using oil and dead plants to generate bio-gas.
She said: “My research on bio-gas renewable technology was to convert such invasive plants on water bodies, like water lilies, to something useful. -
Varsity, poly sign MoU on degree programmes
The Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT MINNA) and the Federal Polytechnic, Bida (BIDA POLY), both in Niger State, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to some diploma courses offering by the polytechnic to degree.
The courses include Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Building Technology, Quantity Surveying, and Urban and Regional Planning.
The polytechnic’s Rector, Dr Abubakar Dzukogi, was at the university’s Senate building to sign the MoU, which would see the polytechnic running degree programmes in affiliation with the university.
Dr Dzukogi described the partnership as “mutually-beneficial”, saying the collaboration would increase the number of highly-skilled manpower in the country.
He said: “With this MoU, I have no doubt it is a harbinger of good things to come. Like FUTMINNA, BIDA POLY is poised to becoming a citadel of learning that takes pride in breathtaking and credible knowledge in technology. We have cerebral engineers, technologists, technicians and other qualified academic staff training our students with up-to-date knowledge in the fields. I have no doubt the polytechnic’s age-long vision to produce skilled, innovative and competent graduates will remain on course during this MoU period.’’
The university Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Musbau Akanji, stressed the need for both institutions to keep the terms of the agreement, saying the implementation of MoU would be seamless because of the closeness of both schools.
He said: “I am pleased to sign this MoU to train highly skilled manpower in the approved disciplines. I express profound gratitude to the polytechnic management for co-operation with the university. I commend both parties for the adherence to due process in the course of arriving at the terms of the MoU’.”
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Kwara earmarks N3b for projects in varsity
The Kwara State government has approved N3,021,374,903 for the creation of the school of Governance and Business in the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, Ilorin. 10 additional campuses will be built at Osi and Ilesha in Ekiti and Baruten councils.
Commissioner for Information Mahmud Ajeigbe addressed reporters after the State Executive Council meeting.
Ajeigbe said the council approved the appointment of a Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) Administration and Academics, in accordance with the law establishing the university.
The projects will be funded through the Kwara Infrastructural Funding window (IFK), based on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) framework.
Ajeigbe added that Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed will inaugurate construction of the Osi and Ilesha Baruba campuses in a few weeks.
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NIMASA: we’re committed to Maritime varsity
The Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is committed to the Maritime University at Okerenkoko, in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.
The agency, in a statement by its Head, Corporate Communications, Isichei Osamgbi, debunked claims the agency was opposed to the university’s take-off.
The statement reads: “It has become necessary to clarify the issue as the Federal Government is committed to the actualisation of the project which the agency conceived. It is pertinent to note that NIMASA is supporting every aspect of the law in its determination to fulfill its obligations.
“In addition, the National Assembly recently held a public hearing on the matter and it is expected that the funding of the institution and other aspects of running it will be specified in the Act setting up the university.
“For the avoidance of doubt, at no time did the Director-General, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, say anything contrary to the Federal Government’s position on the issue and we solidly stand behind the Federal Government on its determination to actualise the project.
“The benefits derivable from the setting up of the institution will be quite numerous. Apart from becoming a citadel for knowledge and development of human capital, job opportunities will be created to the Nigerian people, particularly the community.”
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Varsity, workers on warpath
The five-day nationwide warning strike by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Associated institutions (NASU) ends tomorrow. But both union’s chapters at the Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), may not resume because of a misunderstanding with management over outstanding allowances, promotion and other matters, report ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA and ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA.
Long before the one week national warning strike by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and (SSANU) the Non-Academic Staff Union Universities and Associated Institution, (NASU), which ends tomorrow, their counterparts at Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), had been on strike. FUOYE Vice-Chancellor Prof Kayode Soremekun, has called on the unions to end their strike as some of their demand, have been bet.
The workers staged a two-day protest last week demanding payment of outstanding salaries and hazard allowance and clearance of promotions.
Soremekun said the settled demand, included payment of salary arrears, and the non-remittance of cooperatives deductions, which the unions alleged had accumulated to N19million since December 2015.
“They have all been paid. We do not owe any unit from 2015 to date except the PAYE of Ekiti state for two months”, he said.
Management, he said, was working on modalities for promotion, since the workers had earlier kicked against the “examination before promotion” policy introduced by the Governing Council.
The VC noted that the workers’ demand for hazard allowance did not seem legitimate, adding that the 2009 agreement signed by the Federal Government with tertiary institutions, only singled out technologists under the aegis of the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) as being entitled to the allowance.
He urged the unions to go the Wale Babalakin-led Committee set up by the Federal Government to re-negotiate its 2009 agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to clarify the issue of hazard allowance.
Soremekun said even if the workers’ agitations were addressed, the documents might come up again in future because of the university’s huge staff strength compared to 11 others established by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
He said: “We have paid the November salary but since then, we knew there would be problems because there was a shortfall. Management decided to pay workers between L1 and L14, leaving the very senior ones including the professors.
“Unfortunately, I was in Abuja at the time and I was not carried along by my subordinates. When I returned, I insisted the action was wrong and we had to source for funds from our IGR to pay these people, which we did.
“I was then informed that we were not going to have December salary, I then started contacting some key people in Abuja. Within that same week, they sent some bodies here to come and see our financial records and found us not wanting.
“Of the 12 new universities, FUOYE has the largest staff strength on our payroll. We have about 701 senior non-teaching staff, junior non-teaching staff stand at 72, technologists six. Academic staff members, are 394. This is the figure as at October. Though this has been slightly altered, the ratio remains the same.
“This is what I met on ground. The unions alleged that I also employed workers. It is true, but those this management employed were very few key officers necessary in certain key departments and not the large figures being bandied in the media.
“It is only in FUOYE that we have 250 administrative officers. We are just five years old and I do not think even UNILAG after 50 years (of existence) has up to that figure.
“From the document at my disposal (referring to the 2009 Agreement), only the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) is entitled to this allowance and we have been paying them. Both NASU and SSANU seemed to have lost out probably because they were not able to convince government, thus the document simply directed universities to pay hazard allowance ‘only if they could’ to NASU and SSANU and not that universities are under obligation to pay.”
Soremekun said police were deployed on campus to present breakdown of law and order.
He said: “The police took over the gate and other strategic portions of the school because of the behaviour of some protesting workers. Why should I deploy police to gag union leaders or arrest them?
“I have my background in human rights activism. I believe in legitimate protest, but not the one that would cause a breach of others’ rights.
“The police learnt the Chairman of ASUU was beaten by the protesting workers and the man escaped the scene and lodged a complaint with the police, which prompted security beef up to prevent loss of lives.”
But, NASU chairman Malomo Oladimeji and his SSANU counterpart Adewole Mutiu said they would not end the strike because management is being economical with the truth.
Oladimeji claimed that management has the resources to pay hazard allowance. He warned that failure to do so would result to the invitation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to investigate and other Related Offences alleged financial abuses in the school.
He said other universities were paying the hazard allowance to SSANU and NASU members.
“We all negotiated earned allowances, which included the hazard allowance. There is something fishy. Some of these universities are paying the hazard allowance. They squander the money anyhow,” he said.
Adewole said management should be held responsible for the over-bloated workforce. He added that it should not constitute a reason for its refusal to pay the allowance.
Denying plans to sack workers.
“We are neither considering victimising protesters nor laying off staff. Thankfully enough, the NUC recently approved 19 new programmes for us. I am also glad to inform you that plans are in place to establish two new faculties, Pharmacy and Medical Sciences. In fact, the Senate will formally consider and approve the Doctor of Pharmacy programme this week. Federal Government has already made available funds for the new faculties.”
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Onabanjo varsity and the stormy years ahead
SIR: The last five years in the history of Olabisi Onabanjo University, (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, have been phenomenal and wonderful. Phenomenal because remarkable achievements have been made in both human and infrastructural development. Wonderful because both staff and students can attest to the serenity of OOU, and are now at ease with learning and welfare. However, these achievements can either be rubbished or incredibly surpassed in the next few years depending on whether right or wrong choices are made especially about who succeeds the outgoing Vice-Chancellor – Professor Saburi Adesanya. Foremost on the minds of most members of the university community is: who comes after the incumbent Vice-Chancellor? The question is crucial at a time like this when the devastating cuts in appropriations as the state struggle to cope with crushing budget deficits. A period of erosion of private support from gifts and endowment income associated with a weak economy. A time of declining state and philanthropic support, and a high rising expectation for higher education on the part of students and the broader public.
The era of the incumbent, has shown that much can be achieved where leadership is transparent and affectionate. OOU at a time was the port of call for everyone in terms of schooling and employment. From inception to late 1990s, OOU distinguished itself in teaching and research such that on several occasions many programmes won laurels at national and international levels, its graduates competed favourably all over the world which deepened the respect accorded OOU. Such gains went into the drains when wrong hands took charge and messed up hard-earned successes of the past leaders. All that changed for better when Prof Saburi Adesanya came into office, and the progress made in that few years is discernible and enviable.
Of course, he is a different person to different groups of people. To the students, he is a great leader. To the staff unions he is a good manager because strikes have been significantly reduced and welfare of the staff has been prioritised. Whatever opinion formed of him and his administration of OOU, he has become very big factor that can never be wished away for several reasons. He has earned himself a solid place in the history of OOU. In addition, those deserving staff that got awards, grants and scholarships to study abroad would be grateful to his open door management style. Of course, he might not be a saint, he might have stepped on many toes while discharging his statutory duties, however, he remains a relevant personality in educational system of Nigeria.
The governor and the visitor to OOU, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, should rise above politics and appoint capable hand irrespective of where he or she comes from – either from OOU or other institutions. Someone who is not after office and the benefits accruable to it, but who possesses the ability to translate vision to reality, that can sustain and build on the achievements recorded in the last few years. The governor should avoid bringing in a ‘yes sir’ administrator who lacks the toughness and candidness required to manage myriads of interests at OOU. For OOU to weather the storm of coming years, a good choice in the semblance of the outgoing VC must be hired. We would be fooling ourselves if we think just anyone is good enough for OOU especially at a time when we are witnessing a systematic, careless withdrawal of concern and support for university education in this country
- Tola Osunnuga, Ph.D.
Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.
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Akwa Ibom gets first private varsity
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved the operating licence for Obong University at Obong Nkak in Akwa Ibom State as a private tertiary institution.
The licence, which was signed by NUC’s Secretary, Mallam Adamu Adamu, was presented to the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Udoudo Ekanem-Essang.
The vice chancellor, who presented the licence yesterday to the Chairman of the university’s Board of Trustees (BOT), Prof. Moses Akpanudo, said the institution would continue to maintain its primal status as the first private university in Akwa Ibom State.
He said: “It means we cannot be stopped. Our university has had a lot of teaching problems. At a point, the licence was suspended. Thank God for the goodness of so many members of Akwa Ibom community and outside Akwa Ibom that it was restored. Now, it has been made permanent. It is a very significant milestone in the growth of our university.”
Prof. Ekanem-Essang said the university would run 10 programmes with over 500 students.
He said the institution had applied for five additional programmes, adding that by March, NUC would come for our resource assessment of the programmes.
The vice chancellor, who disagreed with the decision of the Federal Government to fund only public universities, said it was constitutionally illegal for the Federal Government to use the money from taxes or the sale of oil and other natural resources to fund public universities.
He said: “Right now, there are 69 private universities in Nigeria, even more than Federal universities. In aggregate, most students may be attending private and federal universities. So, those children attending private universities are not benefiting from the natural resources of this country. So, we have to revisit how we fund our tertiary education.
“Funding should not be based on any ratio. It should be based on student population. Funding should be targeted towards students rather than towards institutions. There are models we can test: the British model, American mode, Australian model and many other nations’ models across the world which are running tertiary institutions.
“We should study their models and see which one will be most appropriate for Nigeria so that every Nigerian citizen benefits from it. Right now, every Nigerian citizen doesn’t benefit.
“Nigeria’s tertiary education system is still elitist. We don’t make allowance for poor families, families that have not yet produced a university graduate. How do these people assess the university education?
“It is because education is one of the best vehicles to move from poverty to the middle class. So, if we don’t make allowance for these people who don’t meet the cut-off points, there is no provision on how they can remedy it except they take the exam next year.
“We have to develop a programme which allows people to remedy their situation and move into the university. We don’t have a programme for pre-education. Nigeria does not have pre-education programme. Science has shown that the first three years of life is when our brains are most functional. We don’t have pre-education a programme on how to prepare kids for this.”