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Tag: wonder

  • Unveiling the wonder virtues in the word!

    Welcome to another exciting week! I believe you were blessed by the last teaching. Today, we shall focus on: Unveiling the Wonder Virtues in the Word!

    We understand from Scriptures that a word from the Lord on any issue of life puts us in command of that issue. As it is written: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth (John 1:14). It takes a Word from the Lord to exercise authority (John 5:30). God’s Word is loaded with wonder genes, and when we are inoculated with them, we will begin to manifest the wonders that the Word carries. The Psalmist says: Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law (Psalm119:18). For instance, when you take a glass of water and ask a layman, “What is in that cup?” He will say, “It is water.” However, when you ask a chemistry student, he will likely tell you that it is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen in some percentages. That is because he has been given access to the knowledge of the chemical content of that colourless liquid. That is what the Word of God is like; it is loaded with some stuff and when the Holy Ghost leads us into them, we begin to experience the effect of those things in our lives. The Word of God has life; it is made up of genes, which energise the living capacity of the Word.

    What are the Wonder Virtues in the Word?

    • The Word is Illuminative: The Word has power to illuminate us and this empowers us to dominate darkness. When Jesus came, evil spirits fled at His appearance, because He carried light. Nothing threatens darkness like light. It is written: …All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world (John 1:1-4/9). The Word does not only enlighten us, we are also lighted by it. The Word of God is supernaturally illuminative. It has the capacity to illuminate us with divine light, so we can dominate every realm of darkness.
    • God’s Word is Genetic: The Bible says: …the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life (John 6:63). God’s Word contains life-quickening genes. Anything living has genes within it. Thus, God’s Word has life genes. The Word was made flesh (John 1:14). This goes further to establish the fact that God’s Word carries genes within it. So, God’s Word is genetic, with the ability to transform the life of anyone that encounters it.
    • God’s Word is Creative: When a Word from the Lord comes, it creates even what is not in existence. When God said, “Let there be light,” there was light. Everything God said, He saw. God’s Word is genetically creative; it can create brand new organs for the body. Whatever is not curable must be repairable and whatever is not repairable, must be replaceable. He said: …for I am the Lord that healeth thee (Exodus 15:26).
    • God’s Word is Prophetic: Every Word from the Scriptures is prophetic, which means that it has an assurance of delivery. This is called the more sure Word of prophecy. When God’s Word of prophecy comes, its fulfilment is guaranteed (2 Peter 1:21-22). God said: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it(Isaiah 55:11). When God says a thing, His integrity backs it up. Any Word spoken by God to us is ordained for fulfilment because it is prophetic in nature, except we do not believe it.
    • God’s Word is an Indestructible Seed: It takes the Word from God for anyone to truly take command of any issue of life. The Bible says: Now the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God (Luke 8:11).It is also written: So shall my word that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the things whereto I sent it (Isaiah 55:11; see also Matthew 24:35).
    • God’s Word is Medicinal: There are healing virtues in the Word, because there is a healing God in it, and His Word carries the same order of healing virtue in Him. It is written: He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions (Psalm 107:20). By medicinal, I mean, it contains therapeutic values. His Word brings healing to our spirit, soul and body. We cannot tap into the healing virtue of God until it is rooted in our minds and spirit. If our minds are overwhelmed by the truth, we are in control. We need to have an understanding of what the Word carries, and recognise that our total health is part of the virtues in the Word.
    • God’s Word is Surgical: It has the capacity to create our desired solutions. Examining the woman that was bent over in Luke 13:11-13, Jesus performed instant surgery on her and she was made straight that same hour. All He said was, “Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.” That brought about instant healing.

    In summary, every time we approach God for His Word, we must understand that His Word carries all we need for our health and wholeness(John 1:1).It took God four days to create the fullness of the world; it took Him only one day to make man. Therefore, it will not take Him more than a day to repair or replace whatever is damaged in our lives. But, you must be born again. Are you born again? If you are not, this is an opportunity to do so. Simply say the following prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Today, I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now, I know I am born again!” For further reading, please get my books: Turnaround Power of the Word, The Force of Freedom, Walking in Dominion, Satan Get Lost, Born to Win and Fulfilling your Days. I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m., and 11:30 a.m. respectively. I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 01-4548070, 01-4548280; or E-mail:feedback@lfcww.org; Face book: www.facebook.com/davidoyedepoministries/;  Twitter: @DavidOyedepoMin

  • Nigeria’s, Morocco’s ‘Wonder of Africa’ pacts on gas, fertiliser

    Nigeria’s, Morocco’s ‘Wonder of Africa’ pacts on gas, fertiliser

    Moroccan National Board of Hydrocarbons and Mines Director-General Mrs Amina Benkhadra (right) and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Director-General Maikanti Kacalla Baru last Monday signed documents of cooperation agreement of the Nigerian-Moroccan gas pipeline project that will connect the two nations as well as some other African countries to Europe at the King Palace in Rabat. ASSOCIATE EDITOR OLUKOREDE YISHAU examines the importance of these deals

    Rabat, the heart of Morocco, was upbeat last Monday. Reason: the palace of King Mohammed VI was hosting a delegation from Nigeria, which was led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama.

    Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbe, his counterpart in the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Jigawa State Governor Presidential Committee on Fertiliser Chairman Abubakar Badaru, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Director-General Maikanti Kacalla Baru and Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FESPAN) President Thomas Etuh were also at the palace to witness history: the signing of two bilateral agreements.

    One of the Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed is on the Joint Initiative on the Morocco –Nigeria Gas Regional Pipeline. This deal christened “The Wonder of Africa” will have direct impact on 300 million people.

    The MoU signed by the NNPC and the Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM), covers a feasibility study and a Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) study on a gas pipeline from Nigeria to Morocco and ultimately Europe.

    The MoU shows that both countries have equal stakes in management and financing of the studies, which are expected to be completed in two years.

    The second agreement is on the second phase of the Fertiliser Initiative started after last December official visit of the King of Morocco to President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja. The first phase has seen the supply of a cargo of phosphate from Morocco to Nigeria. Through this, 11 blending plants have been resuscitated and about 1.3 million tonnes of fertiliser have been produced. 50,000 direct jobs and 150,000 indirect jobs have been created and fertiliser’s price has crashed to N5,500.

    The new fertiliser deal will see to the maximisation of local fertiliser production through the creation of platform for basic chemical products and reinforcement of distribution channels.

    Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said President Buhari and King Mohammed VI have a shared vision for a sustainable, active and solidarity-based joint development for Africa.

    Onyeama thanked King Mohammed VI for his partnership with Nigeria and his belief in President Buhari.

    The minister said: “During His Royal Majesty’s State visit to Nigeria on December 3, 2016, our two countries entered into commitment to work in mutually beneficial ways to strengthen our bilateral co-operation in various areas, including agriculture, infrastructure and gas development. Who would have imagined that eight weeks after that commitment was signed, phosphates produced here in Morocco was already being blended into fertlisers for agriculture 2000 miles away in Nigeria under the programme known as the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative. The programme has revived several moribund fertiliser blending plants in Nigeria. It has so far created thousands of direct and indirect jobs, ensure that our farmers have access to good quality fertiliser at an affordable price and all these before the planting season. The remarkable success of this programme thus far can only be attributed to the strength of the personal relationship as well as the commitment, vision and leadership shown by both your royal majesty, King Mohammed 6 and Hs Excellency President Buhari.

    “These achievements are also testaments to the commitment of our chief executives and institutions that have worked tirelessly to implement what the two heads of states have directed. Without the focus and the drive of the government of the Kingdom of Morocco, the federal and state governments of Nigeria, OCP, the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)   and the Fertilisers Producers and Suppliers Associations of Nigeria, this idea could have remained just that, a good idea.”

    Onyeama went on: “This strong bilateral relationship is not limited to the fertiliser industry alone, the vision your royal majesty shared with His Excellency President Buhari to enhance our natural resources for economic growth has crystalised into extensive discussions on the decision taken in Abuja to start the proposed regional gas pipeline to connect Nigeria’s gas resources, those of other West African countries and Morocco. This initiative would also promote regional economic integration as well as accelerate electrification and industrialisation in mining, petrochemical, light manufacturing, agro-processing and fertiliser sectors.”

    Bourita traced the deals to six months ago when King Mohammed VI was on official visit to Abuja.

    “Six months ago, your majesty and your brother, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, announced the initiative of the gas pipeline, which connects Morocco to Nigeria and beyond to Europe. Today, a significant step of this initiative is reached, the signing of the cooperation agreement on the technical and financial feasibility study of this very important project,” he said.

    He added: “The Morocco/Nigeria gas pipeline project has a major historical significance that underpins the royal vision of an African continent that is master its own destiny. This project is a convergence of the vision of your majesty and President Buhari for the development of the continent, a vision founded on afro-optimism.”

    On the gas project’s feasibility, he said: “This project is feasible in many ways. First, the project arises from strong will. It is designed by Africans and for Africans aiming for a sustainable development and truthful and solidarity-based south-south co-operation as well as enhance regional co-operation.  Second, the vision has the capability, the high expertise and know how, relevant qualifications, adequate engineering and the right men and women to meet the challenge. The vision also has a number of previous success stories. Nigeria has a strong economy with the highest African GDP and enjoys the confidence of investors. Morocco, under your majesty’s leadership, has implemented world-class challenging projects. The project is also viable because it meets concrete needs relying on the potential of African gas resources on the one hand and the crucial role that energy can play to foster African development on the other hand. West Africa has a significant energy potential with 31 per cent of global reserves of natural gas resources. However, 200 million people don’t have access to electricity in West Africa, nearly two-third of the population. Only 45 per cent of energy needs are met. There are huge disparity in terms of energy among West African countries and for industries energy in West Africa is still very costly.”

    Bourita said the project would help integrate countries which the pipelines would pass through and create jobs and opportunities for their people.

    The Moroccan foreign minister said: “The viability of the project relies also on its integration effect. Gas pipeline will be an opportunity for all the countries that it will pass through, from the gas’s origin to the final destination and even for the midstream countries. ECOWAS producers as well as consumers can plug into the project to supply or be supplied. The project will have a real impact on the population of West African countries by directly benefitting 300 million people. It will enable West African countries to access a more reliable source of energy, which is considered among the cleanest and least expensive for power generation. Several sectors will derive considerable benefits from the pipeline in terms of employment as well as industrial development. The sectors concerned include agriculture, power generation, health, tourism and others. This Atlantic pipeline offers unprecedented opportunity for the region, for the transfer of technology, industrial and energy platforms that will accompany this project will enable the population of the region and more particularly the youths to benefit from its economic impact in terms of employment and investment. The Atlantic pipeline will have also stabilising effect. History has demonstrated that regional integration is synonymous with peace.

    “In the long run, the project will create an economically viable West African space connected to Europe. This project will simply change the face of West Africa. The project is also profitable. All these preliminary elements show the prospects for a profitable project, especially with its positioning as the gateway to Europe.”

    Speaking on the fertiliser pact,  Etuh emphasised the importance of food in development and enumerated the challenges faced in the first phase of the initiative and what are being done to tackle them.

    His words: “It was not an accident that you and your senior brother, President Muhammadu Buhari, decided to start this initiative with fertiliser. Why? Today we are talking about gas pipeline from Nigeria to Morocco to terminate in Europe. Can you do that project on empty stomach? No. And that is why the two brothers, His Majesty the King of Morocco and President Muhammadu Buhari, decided to start with an input so that we can feed ourselves, we can have the energy to think to do this ambitious project that we have started. In Nigeria, we have a potential one 8 million tonnes of fertiliser and we just started with a million tonnes this year and we are going to double it next year. We have a development programme to take this initiative to 6 million tonnes by 2020.

    “When we started there was a lot of logistics challenge which we never envisaged. Today it has been called the Wonder of Africa. The fertiliser is affordable and it is delivered to the farmer. How do we make it more affordable to the farmer? Today we have reached an agreement with OCP on how to solve the logistics problem. Both countries will be investing in the logistics. Storage facilities in those plants were also challenging. We have designed clusters. We are going to create inland logistics storage in the port and in the factory zone. This storage facility is not only for distributing fertiliser and for distributing the raw materials, but  it is also going to be a one-stop shop where the farmer can also bring its produce and sell.  We are guaranteeing the farmers cost plus profit.”

    Instructively, on March 14, when Etuh paid the chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fertiliser Initiative a courtesy visit during the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative tour in Dutse, Abubakar said both deals were independent of each other.

    He said: “The Sahara gas pipeline is a project we are planning to transport gas from here down to Morocco, then passing through so many countries and opening up use of gas in those countries across sub-Sahara. The supply of phosphate for fertiliser blending is a different agreement and the trans-Sahara pipeline is another project. We will do whatever agreement expected of us according to the Nigerian law? and the government of Morocco will do theirs. The countries that our pipelines will pass across, we will also use our gas and agree with us according to their rule.”

    The initiatives are no doubt laudable. But, being long term deals, it is hoped that the enthusiasm, with which the drivers have started, will be sustained till the end.

  • Afe Babalola University: Wonder in Ekiti land

    Afe Babalola University: Wonder in Ekiti land

    AfeBabalola is wearing two caps viz, as a highly successful legal luminary for which he is famous and well known for decades as a celebrated Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and as a great educationist which was perfectly demonstrated first as thefirst and pioneerChairman of Counciland builder of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti,during the Shagari administration in the early 80’s.This had happened decades before his well-rememberedachievement as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) from 2001 to 2008, during which time he raised the University to an enviable position by a dint of hard work, transparency, discipline and integrity. So good was he on this job that he was ably rewarded with the award of “The best Pro-Chancellor of all the Nigerian Universities” back to backin 2005 and 2006. During his stewardship, UNILAG was also adjudged as the “best university in Nigeria”. As the White Paper issued by the Federal Government on the Visitation Panel rightly observed, “The leadership style of Aare AfeBabalola was exemplary. He acted commendably by paying his bills anytime he chose to stay in an hotel as well as by donating his sitting allowances to the University endowment fund”. This report did not include a lecture theatre he built for the University in a conspicuous location on UNILAG campus and named after him.
    AfeBabalola knew that the best Universities in the world were not established by governments but by individuals, giving examples like the University of Bologna in Northern Italy, established by a missionary in 1088 AD. There is also the University of Paris and other great Universities like the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England, Harvard, Stanford and Yale in the United States of America, for example, which are not government Universities but remain the best in the world. For him, it is one thing for government to fund a University, but it is another thing to know how the money given is spent. According to AfeBabalola, “until we adopt the philosophy behind private business and success, I don’t think anything government does can ever succeed”. He supervises all projects in his University at reduced costs without the rituals of inflated contracts where the government says “it spends x amount of money, but the value of what is on ground is less than half of xgiven. So, even when government pours in a lot of money into the system, there is no guarantee that the money is well spent or will not be diverted into private pockets”.
    All along,AfeBabalola loved a man called John Harvard, the founder of Harvard University and, for him, that is the kind of man he wants to copy in his own University. Thus, the founder of ABUAD said categorically that the standard of Harvard University is what he emulates in his University. And you can see this in the judicious utilization of space from the kind of imposing structures of tall buildings which constitute a citadel of architectural masterpieces, beautiful to behold, all over the place. All of this is designed to make ABUAD a home of academic excellence. In this respect, I think AfeBabalola should forge a strong linkage with Harvard for him to accomplish his life time and future objectives for ABUAD.
    The background to the story of ABUAD, located in his home town, Ado-Ekiti, can be traced to AareAfeBabalola’stenure and experience as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of UNILAG. According to him, “the decision to establish the university (ABUAD) arose because of the rot I saw in UNILAG”. For him, his University is “designed to right the wrongs in tertiary education in Nigeria and set a pace for a model University”. What is more, AfeBabalola’s University is “a result oriented institution for producing highly skilled and socially relevant graduates, capable of applying scientific knowledge for the resolution of social and technological problems”. Thus, after months of the conception and registration process, ABUAD threw open its doors to students on January 4, 2010, with five Colleges – Science, Engineering, Law, Medicine and Health Sciences, Social and Management Sciences.
    The infrastructural development of ABUAD as a private University is second to none, from the administrative buildings to the five colleges, hostels for male and female students and staff quarters. There exist expansive buildings for International School consisting of Kindergarten, Nursery, Basic Junior Secondary School and Senior Secondary School, as well as remedial classes for WAEC and JAMB. The International School, according to its coordinator, Mrs. OlubukolaAjisafe, “is to produce future leaders”. Apart from well-equipped laboratories, there isan imposing library, printing press and many other business venturesand amenities that bring comfort to the University community. ABUAD is self-sufficient in food production for its staff and students while, in addition, it exports its agricultural products including fish, swine, chickens, turkeys, beef and fruits of various kinds, from pawpaw to mangoes, pineapples, etc.while it also has bread (bakery) and pure water factories.Of special interest is the newly constructed Teaching Hospital complex. The massive structure of The Teaching hospital complex consists of several buildings of architectural beauty whichinclude hostels for medical students, interns, house officers and special staff quarters for nurses and consultants. According to the Provost, Prof OlurotimiSanya, “The Teaching Hospital will close door against medical tourism”.
    Aare AfeBabalola has a large plantation of teak trees for which he has a factory where woods are produced for his building structures as well as for export. He even has a farm for moringa which he refines for sale in his supermarket near his big gym and multipurposecentre. Interestingly, most of his agricultural products, including poultry, fish (fresh and dried) and many others are exported beyond the State. Perhaps the greatest beneficiaries of his agricultural products are the staff and students of the University who do not go outside the campus to look for food items,as both staff and students live in staff quarters and hostels (male and female) respectively.I believe the same is true for people of Ado-Ekiti and its environs. To staff and students of ABUAD, feeding is not their problem. It is pertinent to point out what the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Michael Ajisafe, said about ABUAD’s special interest in agriculture. Hear him: “Everybody is thinking of petroleum, but we want to go into agriculture. We feel very strongly that it is time we asked so many students to come back and specialize in agriculture. We graduated a few this last convocation ceremonies and Aare AfeBabalola gave each of them half a million naira to set up their agricultural practice. Anybody who specializes in agriculture here or wants to study agriculture is given 50% tuition free to encourage agriculture”.
    From all the above, there is little wonder that, recently, the University carried the news on 19 October, 2016,of the special approvalby the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB Group)of US 40-million dollars corporate loan for AfeBabalola University (ABUAD) “to finance part of the University’s expansion plan”. The project “will make ABUAD a Centre of excellence for tertiary education in Africa, expand access to high quality education to over 10,000 students per year”. The expansion plan consists of construction of new facilities – including a 400- bed Teaching hospital, an industrial research park and a small hydro power (SHP) installation (1.1mw). The project, approved by AfDB Board of Directors on October 19, 2016, is the Bank’s first private-sector transaction in the education sector and a pioneering project on the African continent. To single out ABUAD for this whooping corporate loan even amongst the first generation Universities in Nigeria owned by the Federal Governmentshould make ABUAD an envy of other Nigerian Universities.
    As it would be expected, Aare AfeBabalola has been showered with encomiums all the way. Notable among them are those from two former Presidents and Former Military Head of State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Hear them: “AfeBabalola’s University is a model to emulate” (former President Olusegun Obasanjo). “Notably one of the most outstanding individual contributors towards government educational project”(former president Goodluck Jonathan) and “The setting (of the university) is superlative and impressive with nothing of its kind that I have seen so far in this country or anywhere” (General Gowon, former Military Head of State). AndProf M.F. Useh, Dept of Medical Lab Science, UNICAL, Calabar wrote: “Chief AfeBabalola has established a landmark through ABUAD on how public and private universities should be planned, built, and run”.For Hon JusticeYinkaAyoola, “This is an institution which can stand side by side with any educational institution in the world. It raises the benchmark for quality education in Nigeria… There is no doubt that the shaping of the direction of education in Nigeria has started”, and for the late Hon. Justice KayodeEsho, Jsc retired,”It compares with great Universities such as Harvard, Yale and Oxford. AfeBabalola deserves the highest honour of the country”. And from far away Europe, “It is an outstanding University without comparison” (Prof WilGoodhear, President, European Business Assembly and President, Rectors of Europe).
    Lastly, a most dedicated honour was done to Aare AfeBabalola as the pioneering Chairman of Council and builder of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti whose massive infrastructures he singularly put up and supervised during the administration of former President ShehuShagariin the early 80’s. A special honour was also donetoAfeBabalola by Mr. Sunday Akinwamideon the ground of his immense contributions to education in Nigeria”. Incidentally, Mr. Akinwamide is currentlya lecturer in the Department of Computer Scienceat the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti. While commending AfeBabalola for his unquantifiable interest in, and contribution, to the Nigerian education, Mr. Akinwamide has released a DVD titled “E-LearningMathematics” where a brief mathematical lecture and past questions for Common Entrance Examination in Mathematics were solved. The DVD is adorned with Aare’s ceremonial photograph as ABUAD President conspicuously displayed,dedicated to, and in recognition of his “unquantifiable interest in,and contributions to, education in Nigeria”.
    To this great Nigerian, a most celebrated icon of the law profession (SAN), a great achiever in the Nigerian educational sector, and an outstanding philanthropist we say,”more grease to your elbow”, as your place in Nigerian history of educationis eternally secured. In the future, we wouldsurely talk of AfeBabalola University as we now talk of Harvard, Yale, Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
    •Professor Makinde is DG/CEO, Awolowo Centre for Philosophy, Ideology and Good Governance, Osogbo, The State of Osun.

  • Nigeria’s boy wonder

    Nigeria’s boy wonder

    A Nigerian, Ifesinachi Nelson Ezeh, has won international acclaim for finishing his Master’s degree at Saint Petersburg Agrarian University in Russia with distinction and for his edge-cutting research in Agronomy. His feat earned him a Ph.D scholarship. HANNAH OJO writes on the exploits of the youngster whose aim is to tackle the food crisis in his fatherland.

    Ifesinachi Nelson Ezeh, a 26-year-old Nigerian, has dazzled Russia with his brilliance. The Nsukka, Enugu State-born student finished his Master’s degree in Agronomy at Saint Petersburg State Agrarian University, graduating with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 5.0 – the highest Russia has ever recorded.

    Ifesinachi’s feat was celebrated by Russians during the university’s graduation. Russia’s Ministry of Agriculture and the school leadership showered encomiums on him, praising his dedication to quality research and academic excellence.

    His journey to success started from a newspaper in 2008, when he read about a scholarship scheme to study in Russia. Then, he had just enrolled at the Nigerian College of Aviation Studies in Zaria, Kaduna State. But, Ifesinachi forfeited the admission for the scholarship.

    According to him, his father got the information about the scholarship and encouraged him to apply. The scholarship is a bilateral agreement between Nigeria and other  countries, including Russia, Cuba, China and Libya.

    He said: “I was among the top five students selected at the College of Aviation after the scholarship examination. This got my dad excited. I was waiting to resume at the college when I received a call from Abuja, inviting me to come for the scholarship interview. The urgency of the information gave me no room for preparation. But, I went for the interview and travelled to Russia for study.”

    In November 2008, Ifesinachi arrived in Russia with 40 other students from Nigeria for his Bachelor’s degree. Since Russian language is a prerequisite for study in the country, he enrolled at Don State Technical University, where he learnt the language for one year. Afterwards, he was transferred to Saint Petersburg State Agrarian University to study Agronomy.

    Ifesinachi’s brilliance was discovered in his sophomore year when he was assigned to Prof Lev Gennadievich Tyryshkin as his thesis supervisor. Also a researcher at the Russia Institute of Plant Industry, Prof Tyryshkin exposed Ifesinachi to academic and industrial research methodologies.

    “That was when my journey in scientific research started,” Ifesinachi said, adding: “The professor is an atheist and for the time I spent with him in the laboratory, I literally became an atheist too, because my mind was preoccupied with research work.”

    Ifesinachi’s research on species of Aegilops won him recognition from the Science Community in the Europe.

    The research, he said, was to re-study six species of Aegilops (a wheat variety) and bread wheat that were said to have effective LR23 gene for resistance at juvenile stage. In the course of the study, Ifesinachi discovered inadequacies in the previous researches carried out by scholars in the field.

    He said: “It was during the comparison of results of the DNA markers and phytopathological tests that I discovered there were possible errors in the previous studies. After that, we reset the conditions that were recommended nationally for phytopathological study. Our results were narrowed down to the large collection of specimens that have been approved for hybridisation with bread-wheat nationally from 15 specimens (six species of Aegilops) with effective LR23 gene for resistance at the juvenile stage.”

    After his research, it was discovered that previous researchers falsified records and gave the Russian government wrong information about the Aegilops species. Ifesinachi’s results enabled the Russian government to update plant bank gene collections with effective genes.

    The student said his closeness to Prof Tyryshkin contributed to his success, because he had access to Plant Bank Collection in Saint Petersburg, which he said houses several collections of genes and known species and varieties of plant.

    It was not smoothsailing all the way. In 2012, his first research was rejected when it was published. Ifesinachi blamed it on his  level of fluency in Russian language then. The rejection, he said, made him to develop more interest in research work.

    He said: “In 2013, I got more results and I presented them to the university leadership. Two of us were selected to represent the university at a regional level. We presented our research results to the jury of the regional contest. We won and moved to the national level. My research was adjudged third best work at the national level and I am the only African student among the best student-researchers. I was recognised by the Russian Ministry of Agriculture. My university gave me an honorary degree in recognition of my feat.”

    Ifesinachi’s feat improved the ratings of Saint Petersburg State Agrarian University and fetched him a scholarship for his Master’s degree. He completed his undergraduate degree with a CGPA of 4.92 and finished his Master’s degree with a CGPA of 5.0 – a distinction.

    He got a scholarship for his doctoral degree during the university’s convocation.

    While his academic feat was being celebrated by the Russians, he was unsung by his country

    Ifesinachi said he did not get any commendation from the Nigerian Embassy in Moscow.

    He said: “The only reward I got came from the Saint Petersburg State Agrarian University. I never got a call from the Nigerian Embassy in Moscow. I felt I should pass the information through the scholarship board, but it appeared nobody showed interest.”

    On the challenges he faced while in Russia, Ifesinachi said the greatest was being alone in the midst of Russians speaking their language fluently. “I always felt lonely in their midst,” he said.

    Ifesinachi suspended his doctoral programme and returned to Nigeria last month for the National Youth Service. Against the expectation of his supervisor, Ifesinachi said he decided to return home and serve Nigeria in field research before going back for his Ph.D.

    “The Dean of my faculty was worried when I told him I would be in Nigeria for a year before resuming my Ph.D. I think it is justified to impart the knowledge I garnered in Russia to my countrymen. I was on scholarship for seven years. I also need to serve my country, which gave me the opportunity.”

    Ifesinachi is also a budding writer. He has published a fiction work titled: Sister Kingdom. He said the motivation came from his family.

    According to him, he wants to use his innovative research expertise to solve the country’s food crisis  through plant breeding. This, he said, would enable him fulfil the purpose of his scholarship.

  • Agatha, the wonder woman!

    Agatha, the wonder woman!

    There are some stories we hear that need to be retold over and over again so that we can have hope.   Agatha Ibeazor’s story is like that.  The 25-year old life’s story embodies hope or how else can we describe someone whose father’s death meant she could not attend private school and forced her to forfeit an admission to study Law at the Anambra State University yet went on to get two scholarships?

    There are many things I appreciate about Agatha’s story.  First is that she never let anything get in the way of her dreams.  Her mother told her that she sang before she talked as a toddler, and even sang the lyrics of songs correctly before she could read.  She was so impatient to join the choir that she was admitted into the youth group at age seven.  I smiled as I imagined her dragging the oversized choir robe, sometimes stumbling as she made her way from the dressing room to the choir stand.  I thought of the bullying she may have endured – how many in the group would have wondered why the choir authorities allowed a puckish underage girl to join them.  But for a girl as determined as Agatha, no amount of teasing would have had any effect on her.

    I wonder how Agatha felt when she had to forego her admission at Anambra State University because her mother just could not afford to pay the fees.  But she embraced the other alternative – MUSON School of Music gracefully.  In our certificate-crazy society, she deserves commendation for accepting to study for an Associate Diploma in Music instead of sulking about her situation.  The good thing was that she loved music and decided to stick with it.  Not many parents would appreciate their wards going to school to study music.

    The MUSON scholarship sponsored by the MTN Foundation definitely moved her closer to her dream.  But she did not stop there, which is another thing I really love about the young woman.  She sought for her scholarship to Truman State University in the United States in a most unconventional way.  Instead of collecting money for performing at an event, she asked that her admission letter be read out to the audience.  And someone in that audience, the late Levi Ajuonuma, was persuaded to sponsor her.  It simply shows that sometimes your dreams and techniques to reach your goal might seem foolish.  But they may just work, so if you have not tried them you should not just give them up because of what others think about them.

    Agatha’s Truman education suffered a setback when Ajuonuma died two years into the programme.  There was no freebie anymore.  She had to work hard and long to make up the shortfall that was left after her school gave her a partial scholarship (she must have been promising for the school to help out).  Again, Agatha did not let that hard work bother her.  She successfully combined it with her work and her studies and made the honours roll – repeating a feat she achieved at the MUSON School of Music – this time competing against people who had had more privileged musical training earlier in life.  We cannot downplay her achievement at all, especially considering that the curriculum was not only about music.  She had to learn a whole lot of other subjects as well namely: Maths, sciences, writing classes, geography, philosophy, literature, and religion.

    Agatha’s story just tells us that, like the Yorubas say, it is not only one road that leads to the market.  This is a lesson for young people to learn.  If the normal route everyone takes seems impossible for you, try another route. And that route does not have to be illegal.  Like Agatha, you can come out victorious.

    Now, Agatha wants to study for her master’s and doctoral degrees at the same time.  I do not know how she intends to achieve the feat but she has already being offered admission for the two programmes at the Crane School of Music, State University of New York, and the Butler School of Music, University of Texas.  She needs sponsorship for these programmes.  If anyone deserves to get such support, it is Agatha.

     

  • Agatha, the wonder woman!

    There are some stories we hear that need to be retold over and over again so that we can have hope.   Agatha Ibeazor’s story is like that.  The 25-year old life’s story embodies hope or how else can we describe someone whose father’s death meant she could not attend private school and forced her to forfeit an admission to study Law at the Anambra State University yet went on to get two scholarships?

    There are many things I appreciate about Agatha’s story.  First is that she never let anything get in the way of her dreams.  Her mother told her that she sang before she talked as a toddler, and even sang the lyrics of songs correctly before she could read.  She was so impatient to join the choir that she was admitted into the youth group at age seven.  I smiled as I imagined her dragging the oversized choir robe, sometimes stumbling as she made her way from the dressing room to the choir stand.  I thought of the bullying she may have endured – how many in the group would have wondered why the choir authorities allowed a puckish underage girl to join them.  But for a girl as determined as Agatha, no amount of teasing would have had any effect on her.

    I wonder how Agatha felt when she had to forego her admission at Anambra State University because her mother just could not afford to pay the fees.  But she embraced the other alternative – MUSON School of Music gracefully.  In our certificate-crazy society, she deserves commendation for accepting to study for an Associate Diploma in Music instead of sulking about her situation.  The good thing was that she loved music and decided to stick with it.  Not many parents would appreciate their wards going to school to study music.

    The MUSON scholarship sponsored by the MTN Foundation definitely moved her closer to her dream.  But she did not stop there, which is another thing I really love about the young woman.  She sought for her scholarship to Truman State University in the United States in a most unconventional way.  Instead of collecting money for performing at an event, she asked that her admission letter be read out to the audience.  And someone in that audience, the late Levi Ajuonuma, was persuaded to sponsor her.  It simply shows that sometimes your dreams and techniques to reach your goal might seem foolish.  But they may just work, so if you have not tried them you should not just give them up because of what others think about them.

    Agatha’s Truman education suffered a setback when Ajuonuma died two years into the programme.  There was no freebie anymore.  She had to work hard and long to make up the shortfall that was left after her school gave her a partial scholarship (she must have been promising for the school to help out).  Again, Agatha did not let that hard work bother her.  She successfully combined it with her work and her studies and made the honours roll – repeating a feat she achieved at the MUSON School of Music – this time competing against people who had had more privileged musical training earlier in life.  We cannot downplay her achievement at all, especially considering that the curriculum was not only about music.  She had to learn a whole lot of other subjects as well namely: Maths, sciences, writing classes, geography, philosophy, literature, and religion.

    Agatha’s story just tells us that, like the Yorubas say, it is not only one road that leads to the market.  This is a lesson for young people to learn.  If the normal route everyone takes seems impossible for you, try another route. And that route does not have to be illegal.  Like Agatha, you can come out victorious.

    Now, Agatha wants to study for her master’s and doctoral degrees at the same time.  I do not know how she intends to achieve the feat but she has already being offered admission for the two programmes at the Crane School of Music, State University of New York, and the Butler School of Music, University of Texas.  She needs sponsorship for these programmes.  If anyone deserves to get such support, it is Agatha.

     

  • Igboananike scores ‘wonder strike’ for AIK

    Igboananike scores ‘wonder strike’ for AIK

    Kennedy Igboananike scored for AIK Solna as they recorded a 2-0 win over Linfield on Thursday to advance to the third qualifying round of the Europa League.

    After a goalless first-half and with his side already trailing 1-0 on aggregate, Igboananike opened scoring for AIK in the 56th minute of the game.

    The forward ran into a through ball and dashed towards Linfield’s vital area where he floored a defender, rounded a goalkeeper, before slotting the ball home with a left footed strike.

    Henok Goitom scored in the 72nd minute with a ferocious left footed drive from the front of the box to seal AIK’s passage to the third qualifying round of the Europa League with a 2-1 aggregate win.