Nigerian Writer, Adichie Receives Harvard’s Highest Honour

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October 7, 2022

Globally-renowned Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has received the highest honour of Harvard University, the W. E. B. Du Bois Medal.

She received the medal at a ceremony on Thursday.

The W. E. B. Du Bois Medal is Harvard’s highest honour in the field of African and African American studies. It is awarded to individuals in the United States and across the globe in recognition of their contributions to African and African American culture and the life of the mind.

The Hutchins Center for African and African American Research had stated that the medal was for people “who embody the values of commitment and resolve that are fundamental to the Black experience in America”.

Other recipients include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Laverne Cox, Agnes Guns, Raymond J McGuire, Deval Patrick and Betye Saar.

Director of the Hutchins Center, Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., in an official statement, had said that the 2022 honourees represent “unyielding commitment to pushing the boundaries of representation and creating opportunities for advancement and participation for people who have been too often shut out from the great promise of our times.”

Dubois was the first African-American to earn a Harvard Ph.D. in 1895. Past recipients of the medal have included scholars, artists, writers, journalists, philanthropists, and public servants.

Once Upon A Time – October 7 – 1919 – KLM, Royal Dutch Airlines, Established (Oldest Existing Airline)

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Angel Gimalo

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October 7, 2022

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1571 Battle of Lepanto: Holy League of southern European nations destroy Ottoman fleet in significant loss off Western Greece

1737 A cyclone causes 40 foot waves that are believed to have killed 300,000 in Calcutta, India

1763 George III of Great Britain issues Proclamation of 1763, closing lands in North America north and west of Alleghenies to white settlement

1919 KLM, Royal Dutch Airlines, established (oldest existing airline)

2001 U.S. invasion of Afghanistan starts with an air assault and covert operations on the ground

HISTORICAL EVENTS TODAY

TODAY IN FILM & TV

1971 “The French Connection” directed by William Friedkin and starring Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider and Fernando Rey premieres in the US (Academy Awards Best Picture 1972)

TODAY IN MUSIC

1982 Musical “Cats” opens at Winter Garden Theater on Broadway, NYC; runs for nearly 18 years before closing on September 10, 2000, wins 7 Tony and 1 Grammy Award

TODAY IN SPORT

2000 Last ever competitive soccer match at Wembley Stadium, England defeated 1-0 by Germany, last goal scored by Liverpool’s Dietmar Hammann. Match is Tony Adams’ 60th at Wembley, the record for most appearances at the stadium.

1959 Far side of Moon seen for the 1st time, courtesy of USSR’s Luna 3 space probe

1916 Georgia Tech, coached by John Heisman, defeats Cumberland, 222-0; most lopsided score in the history of US college football

FAMOUS WEDDINGS

1649 Philip IV, King of Spain (44) marries his niece Mariana of Austria (14) in Navalcarnero, Spain

1776 Crown Prince Paul of Russia marries Sophie Marie Dorothea of Württemberg.

1914 Businessman Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. (26) weds John F. Fitzgerald’s daughter, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy (24)

ASUU Strike: We Can’t Sign Non-Achievable Agreement- Pres. Buhari

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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October 7, 2022

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As the Academic Staff Union of Universities’ strike enters its eighth month, the President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, said the Federal Government would not sign any agreement it could not fulfill.

“We will not sign any agreement we cannot implement,” Buhari said while presenting the 2023 appropriation bill to a joint session of the National Assembly in Abuja.

He said although the 2023 budget proposal made adequate provision for the education sector, the FG alone could not shoulder the burden of education financing.

Buhari, therefore, said other means of financing education must be explored.

Appeal Court Orders ASUU To Go Back to Classrooms Immediately

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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October 7, 2022

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The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has ordered the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities to resume work immediately.

The appellate court gave the order today while granting leave to ASUU to appeal the interlocutory injunction of Justice Polycarp Hamman of the Abuja Division of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria on September 21, 2022, asking members of the union to resume work.

The court presided over by Justice Hamma Barka, warned that if ASUU failed to comply with the court order, it automatically lost the right to appeal against the ruling of the lower court.

It, however, struck out the application by ASUU for a stay of execution of the order of the Industrial Court, based on the motion by the applicant’s counsel, Femi Falana (SAN) for the withdrawal of the application.

Reading the lead ruling, the Chairman of the three-man panel, Justice Hamma Barka, ordered ASUU to file its notice of appeal of the ruling of the lower court within seven days.

Details later…

Dementia ranks Seventh leading cause of Death – WHO

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Cleopatra Okohai

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October 7, 2022

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The World Health Organisation on has said dementia is now the seventh leading cause of death globally.

The WHO, however, said dementia research accounts for less than 1.5 per cent of total health research output.

Dementia is a syndrome in which there is deterioration in cognitive function beyond what might be expected from the usual consequences of biological ageing.

According to WHO, there are currently more than 55 million people who live with dementia worldwide, and there are nearly 10 million new cases every year.

In a press statement made available to our correspondent, WHO said strategies are needed to better understand, prevent, and treat the underlying diseases that cause dementia and, at the same time, provide care and support for people with dementia and their carers.

“Although dementia is the 7th leading cause of death globally, dementia research accounts for less than 1.5% of total health research output,” said WHO’s Chief Scientist, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan.

“Sadly, we are falling behind implementing the Global action plan on the public health response to dementia 2017-25. Addressing dementia comprehensively requires research and innovation to be an integral part of the response.”

Adding, the WHO said “Moreover, dementia research needs to be conducted within an enabling environment, where collaborations are fostered, and equitable and sustained investment is realized.

“With these objectives, WHO developed a blueprint for dementia research, the first WHO initiative of its kind for noncommunicable diseases. The blueprint is designed to provide guidance to policymakers, funders, and the research community on dementia research, making it more efficient, equitable, and impactful.”

On his part, the WHO’s Assistant Director-General UHC/Communicable & Noncommunicable Diseases, Dr. Ren Minghui said “We can achieve progress in dementia research by strengthening and monitoring the drivers of research highlighted in the Blueprint so that they become the norm for good research practice.”

WHO encourages national and international research agencies, together with other funding bodies, to use this blueprint to inform upcoming funding streams and operationalize the drivers of research.

“Civil society can ensure that advocacy efforts are likewise aligned, supporting the drive for a more equitable, efficient, and collaborative research landscape. Additionally, researchers can support the achievement of milestones and strategic goals of this blueprint by addressing the research gaps identified.

“WHO will work with all stakeholders across relevant sectors to ensure that the actions outlined in the blueprint are implemented, milestones are achieved, and strategic goals are realized, with the ultimate aim of improving the quality of life of and support offered to people living with dementia, their carers, and families,” it said.

Nasarawa Varsity Defy ASUU Strike, Resume Academic Activities

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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October 6, 2022

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Some lecturers of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK) have commenced academic activities despite the ongoing strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

ASUU NSUK branch Chairman, Dr Samuel Alu, Information and Protocol Officer of the institution, Abraham Ekpo, and President, NSUK Students Union Government (SUG) Najeem Gbefwi, confirmed the development to newsmen at the institution in Keffi local government area of the state on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Correspondent who monitored the situation also went round the lecture halls and confirmed that lectures took place at the Faculty of Law, Faculty of Social Sciences among others.

The resumption of academic activities is in line with the directive of the institution via a statement issued recently calling on students to return back to school for academic activities but ASUU NSUK branch condemned the move.

The union in the institution vowed to continue with the ongoing strike by the national body till the Federal Government and the national body reach an agreement on its demands.

Speaking on the development, Ekpo described it as a win for all and a return to normalcy for the school, especially students who had been patiently waiting for a resolution to the crises.

“The information we have is that lectures have started across board but you know this thing is gradual. We have departments that just released their timetable yesterday.

“So it’s natural for attendance during the first week of resumption to be low. I am sure by next week, you will see a large turnout and academic activities will become more regular,” he said.

Also speaking, Gbefwi, the SUG President, also confirmed the resumption of academic activities adding that lectures had commenced in some departments but with low attendance.

“Lectures have been holding. Students in some departments were even given assignments and they are working on it. So academic activities have commenced and we pray to have a smooth semester.

“Even in the midst of the ASUU strike, a lot of lecturers have shown willingness to teach and to make that sacrifice,” he said.

He, however, affirmed that there was still low turnout of students hence the call for a general congress to be held on Friday to further inform students on the need to resume.

However, ASUU NSUK branch Chairman, Alu expressed disappointment over the development, saying that the union would not be deterred by the actions of the lecturers who had chosen to resume.

Alu said the Union would continue with the strike till a logical conclusion was arrived at by the federal government and the national body of the ASUU.

“We met just one person in one of the faculty violating what we had agreed on. So we went further to take note of the strike violator and we are processing his query.

“We are hoping he will get the query before the end of today. We expect him to reply before we process further. That is not to say much is happening.

“I was thinking by today the institution would have been flooded with students and academic activities would have overtaken the whole system but the campus is still a shadow of itself,” he said.

He reassured that no amount of threat will force members of the union to jettison their resolution and resolve to execute the national strike to a logical conclusion.

“For those who are already lecturing, I understand there were some inducements here and there. I wouldn’t know why any member of the union would want to break the strike.

“However we are calling on our members to remain resolute.”

New Zealand: Missing Snow Puts Famed Ski Areas In Dangerous Situation

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Angel Gimalo

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October 6, 2022

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New Zealand’s Tūroa ski area is usually a white wonderland at this time of year, its deep snowpack supporting its famed spring skiing.

This season, it’s largely a barren moonscape, with tiny patches of snow poking out between vast fields of jagged volcanic boulders.

The ski area was forced to close for the season this week, three weeks earlier than planned.

Rain repeatedly washed away the snow, and the ski area’s 50 snowmaking machines proved no match against balmy temperatures.

The two ski areas, which are among New Zealand’s largest, are owned by the same company and located on opposite sides of Mount Ruapehu. Should they be forced to close permanently, it would leave North Island, where more than three-quarters of the nation’s 5 million people live, without any major ski areas.

The sports have long been important for attracting foreign tourist dollars to New Zealand and form part of the nation’s identity as an outdoor adventure destination.

At Tūroa this season, workers in snow-grooming machines spent thousands of hours pushing what snow there was onto trails, allowing expert skiers and snowboarders to take the chairlifts to the top of the ski area for limited runs.

Covid Entry Restrictions: Asia Pacific To Lose Title As World’s Largest Travel Region

By

Angel Gimalo

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October 6, 2022

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Asia Pacific is home to some of the world’s most beloved travel destinations, from the natural beauty of Bali to the urban buzz of Singapore. These dreamy vacation hotspots — teamed with the region’s business power — secured Asia Pacific the title of world’s largest travel region for much of the past decade.

But with destinations like China and Japan comparatively slow to drop Covid entry restrictions, air travel in Asia Pacific remains low compared to the region’s pre-pandemic levels.

And a new report from international travel industry analysts the Centre for Aviation (CAPA) predicts Asia Pacific will no longer be the world’s largest travel region by the end of 2022, ceding the title to Europe.

Where once Asian Pacific air traffic accounted for more than a third of all global passenger journeys, aviation in the region remains down by 45% compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to CAPA.

Meanwhile, CAPA suggests European air travel has recovered to roughly 85% of pre-pandemic levels, even accounting for the continued impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In 2019, 3.38 billion passengers transited through Asia Pacific airports. In contrast, CAPA reports that current predictions from ACI Asia-Pacific — an industry organization that represents airports in the region — suggest 1.84 billion passengers will have passed through Asia Pacific travel hubs by the end of 2022.

A key factor in this slow recovery is China’s “zero-Covid” border policy and Japan’s slow relaxation of travel restrictions, at least according to ACI Asia-Pacific and CAPA. Japan is set to officially reopen to tourists on October 11.

“What happens there has an outsized impact on the rest of the region,” says CAPA of China and Japan, pointing out they’re two of the region’s top travel markets.

CAPA reports that most travel in Asia Pacific destinations remains at 50% or more below 2019 levels, with only a couple of exceptions, such as India, which is only 11% below its 2019 figure.

Domestic travel in Asia Pacific is recovering faster than international travel, notes CAPA — domestic travel within China, for example, is only down 5.4% compared to 2019 levels.

All in all, CAPA predicts Asia Pacific won’t see a full return to pre-pandemic travel figures until the end of 2023 or early 2024.

“Even then, recovery is dependent on countries opening their borders and ending lingering travel restrictions, as well as the wider economic and epidemiological situations,” reads the report.

CAPA is arguing for “harmonization of international travel rules” and “political commitments towards openness and freedom of movement” as well as a continued vaccination drive, to aid travel recovery.

OOU Name Prof. Ayodeji Agboola 11th Vice- Chancellor

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

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October 6, 2022

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The Governing Council of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye has approved the appointment of Professor Agboola, Ayodeji Johnson as the 11th Vice-Chancellor of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye.

The appointment was ratified at its 206th Special Meeting held on Wednesday, 5th October, 2022.

Professor Ayodeji Olayinka Johnson Agboola, a Professor of Cancer Pathology was born on 4th July, 1970.

He was admitted into Ogun State University (now Olabisi Onabanjo University) Ago-Iwoye, where he obtained his M.B. Ch. B. degree in 2001.

Thereafter, he had his mandatory Housemanship at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu between 2001 and 2002 and got fully registered with the Medical and Dental Council of

Nigeria (MDCN) He joined the services of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye as Lecturer II, in May 2002. He was at the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom where he bagged his Master and Doctorate degrees in 2007 and 2012 respectively.

He rose through the ranks and became a Professor of Cancer Pathology in 2016.

Apart from teaching various courses in his area of specialization, Prof. Ayodeji Olayinka Johnson Agboola has to his credit over 50 publications in peer-reviewed Journals locally and internationally.

He has attended several Professional Conferences and successfully supervised Ph.D theses in Cancer Pathology.

Apart from being the first to conceptualise racial difference in Breast Cancer biology in Nigeria compared to British women, Prof. Ayodeji Olayinka Johnson Agboola won the University of Nottingham Developing Solution award in 2006, and the British Council Linkages Award in 2012 among others in recognition of his cutting edge researches in his area of specialisation. His ingenuity also earned him the global recognition of being part of the International Consortium for Advancing Research on Triple Negative Breast Cancer (CART) with the goal of reducing global cancer health disparity.

Prof. Agboola, currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of the University, has served the institution meritoriously in different capacities.

He was the Acting Head, Department of Morbid Anatomy and Histopathology between 2005 and 2006, 2008 and 2009, and 2012-2017; Cognate Representative on the Board of Faculties of Pharmacy and Clinical Sciences (2014-2017), Director of Research, Linkages and Advancements, and Chairman, Research, Linkages and Advancements Committee (2017 – 2018). Prof. Agboola had earlier served as the Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences (BMS) in June, 2018; Member, Editorial Board of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Sciences (2012-2017); Member, Research Committee (2010-2016); Member, Linkages and Advancement Committee (2015-2017) and Convener, University Cancer Research Committee (2012).

Professor Agboola was at a time, the Ogun State Facilitator, National Programme on Immunisation (2005-2006), Member, Visitation Panel, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (2018) and has served as an External Examiner to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the University of Ibadan for -PhD examinations in 2019 and 2021 respectively.

He is currently, Member, OOUTH Management Board. He also belongs to many Professional Bodies including the Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland (2008 to date), European Pathological Society (2008 to date), Nigerian Medical Association (2001 to date), International Consortium for Advancing Research on Triple Negative Breast Cancer (2016 to date); and International Academy of Pathology, West Africa Chapter (2018 to date).

The appointment takes effect from Thursday, 13 October, 2022, and it is for a period of five years.

NANS Declares Factional President Lawal, Missing

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

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October 6, 2022

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The factional president of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Comrade Faruk Lawal, has been declared missing.

The Senate of the Nigerian student’s body, which declared him missing, in an open Letter to security agencies and Nigerians, Thursday, said Faruk was last seen on Tuesday, October 4, 2022.

The letter, titled:” Open Letter to all Security Agencies and Well-meaning Nigerians on the Missing of Comrade Faruk Lawal, the President of NANS”, signed by NANS Senate President, Comrade Ismail Adediwura Adeshina, called on the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police and all relevant security agencies to activate their search buttons, to rescue the missing student leader.

The letter by Comrade Adeshina, read in full:” I am using this medium to inform security operatives and well meaning Nigerians of the missing of Comrade Faruk Lawal, the President of the National Association of Nigerian students, since Tuesday, 4th of October, 2022.

“Comrade Faruk Lawal was last seen around Mararaba/Nyanya axis.

“Different information is flying around in the student’s community that he was kidnapped why some said he was picked up by the security operatives in connection to the crisis within the students’ association.

“This has generated a lot of tension within the students’ leadership rank. Therefore, in the interest of peace and security, I call on the Department of Security Services, Nigeria Police Force and all Security apparatus, students community, and well-meaning Nigerians to come to our aid in finding our highly revered comrade and leader, to douse the already heated tension.

“We believe in your capacity and commitment to ensure that Nigeria is safe for all and sundry.”