Following their threat to continue protesting indefinitely, Nigeria’s minister of education, Adamu Adamu, on Monday night met with the protesting students and pledged the commitment of the government towards addressing their concerns.

The minister, who had earlier walked out on the students on Monday morning over what he reportedly described as rude conduct of the student leaders, later met the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) at the headquarters of the National Universities Commission (NUC).

He assured the protesters that the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will soon return to the classrooms.

In a terse statement issued late Monday night by the director of press at the ministry, Ben Goong, the minister said the ongoing negotiation process has been fruitful “and is expected to lead to a quick return of the striking lecturers back to classes.”

However, the director did not give the details of the meeting with the student leaders.

The minister was said to have expressed dissatisfaction with the way and manner he was spoken to by the NANS president, Sunday Asefon, who had reportedly accused the minister of feeling unconcerned about the plight of Nigerian students.

Apparently angered by the issues raised, the minister reportedly told the protesting students that the only thing worthy of note in the issues raised was the inclusion of students in the negotiation process.

With the minister at the meeting were the executive secretary of NUC, Abdulrasheed Abubakar, and the registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Ishaq Oloyede, among other officials of the agencies under the education ministry.

According to the NANS president, the decision to agree to meet the minister was to resolve the lingering crisis so that the students could go back to school.

He said the minister pleaded for understanding and that the conciliation meeting would continue today towards ending the strike.

The four-week warning strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on February 14 is already in its third week.

However, ASUU and the government delegation are scheduled to meet later today (Tuesday) to continue the conciliation meeting.

Parents of Nigerian students in Ukraine have protested at the Russian embassy in Abuja, calling for peace in the Slavic nations.

Monday’s protest was triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine where hundreds of people have fled the country since Vladimir Putin launched the attack on its neighbours.

The Nigerian government had in the wake of the invasion rolled out plans to evacuate its citizens from Ukraine, although many faulted their move for being belated.

In a statement on Sunday evening, the federal ministry of foreign affairs said 256 Nigerians have so far left Ukraine while assuring that arrangements are being put in place to effectively evacuate Nigerian citizens.

Earlier, the presidency had condemned reports of officials barring Nigerians from leaving the country to neighbouring nations. It described the development as “unfortunate”.

But Poland’s ambassador to Nigeria Joanna Tarnawska dismissed claims of unfair treatment stating that everybody receives equal treatment.

She added that Nigerians could stay for 15 days and also that invalid documents were being accepted to cross the border and Covid-19 restrictions were lifted.

Nigeria is not the only African country with evacuation plans for its citizens stranded in the conflict.  A group of South Africans, mostly students, have been stuck at the Ukrainian-Polish border, the country’s foreign ministry spokesman, Clayson Monyela, said on Twitter.

The South African ambassador to Warsaw was at the site trying to get them through, according to Monyela who on Sunday had said Africans were being “treated badly” at the Polish-Ukraine border.

Ghana’s government said it would meet with parents of students stuck in Ukraine on Tuesday and sent embassy officials to border points to help.

Ivory Coast, which according to state media has 500 nationals in Ukraine, said it was also making arrangements for their evacuation.

Kenya’s foreign affairs ministry said 201 citizens were in the country, most of them students. It said last week all Kenyans were safe and accounted for but that some were stuck at the Polish border because of visa restrictions.

The classic on mind management by the man of God, Reverend (Dr.) Chris Oyakhilome, titled ‘the Power of Your Mind’, has been adopted by the Delta State Government as curriculum material for all students in the state’s 7 tertiary institutions.

The vision to have this book as a material for all students in the state was championed by Christ Embassy Warri Zone, to expose students to the truth of how to use their minds to create an excellent future and life for themselves and shun evil.

A special meeting to introduce the book held at the Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro.

The new curriculum addition was approved by the National Board for Tertiary Education (NBTE) and the state Ministry for Higher Education.

The Educational Board expressed gratitude to the man of God, Reverend (Dr.) Chris Oyakhilome, for making such a pivotal book available to young adults across the state.

The Honorable Commissioner, Ministry for Higher Education, Engr. Jude E. Sinebe, while expressing gratitude, said there is no doubt that the book will contribute positively in molding the minds of the youths in the institutions thereby producing better thinking individuals for the larger society.

Over 6,500 copies of the book has been distributed across all tertiary institutions in the state by Christ Embassy Warri Zone.

The first student induction ceremony was conducted in the Ogwashi-Uku campus of the Delta state Polytechnic where thousands of copies of ‘the Power of Your Mind’ were distributed to all the students.

The induction ceremony, which included the review of a chapter in the book, as part of its activities, was chaired by the Deputy Rector, Dean and lecturers of the institution.

The team from Warri Zone also visited Delta State Polytechnic Ozoro, where thousands of copies were also distributed.

The Rector of Delta State Polytechnic Ozoro expressed gratitude to the BLW President for the opportunity granted to the tertiary institution.

The distribution of this remarkable literature is sure to lead to a re-culturing of the minds of the students for a brighter future.