Vice chancellor, Lead City University, Ibadan, Prof. Kabiru Adeyemo, has urged youths and graduates to use their creativity for national development, noting that attainment of university degree is not the ultimate.

Adeyemi, who stated this at the 14th convocation ceremony of the university in Ibadan, urged the graduating students to be good ambassadors of the school.

The private university had a total of 1,040 bagged first degrees, while 281 awarded higher degrees.

Of the figure, 107 students made first class, with Kehinde Abioye Moses of the Department of Computer and Information Science emerging best graduating student with a cumulative grade point average of 4.94.

In his speech, The VC said, “The years of labour, hardwork, persistence, endurance and determination have resulted in bountiful dividends. It is worth celebrating because despite all odds, our teeming graduating students have emerged successfully outstanding.

“The attainment of a university degree is not the end of life, but be the beginning of a new life of service to your country and to humanity. Having obtained your degree, you are properly positioned and equipped to face the challenges of transforming the society through acquired knowledge, learning and competencies.  I enjoin you all to be good ambassadors of this university in whatever capacities or positions you may find yourselves while making positive contributions to the aspirations, growth and development of the Nigerian State.”

On the achievements of the university, the VC said 10 courses were fully accredited, a total of 68 new teaching staff joined the university, Among them were four full professors, five associate professors and seven senior lecturers.”

On his part, the Chancellor of the university, Prof. Gabriel Ogunmola, urged the students to take complete ownership of their continued growth process and use their talents for the development of the country.

Ogunmola added:” Now that you have completed your formal education with us,  you must take complete ownership of your continued growth process, learn to listen and listen to learn with wisdom from the crucible laboratory of life.”

An expert, Moshood Olaniyan, has tasked government to motivate Nigerian-owned shipping companies to train young marine engineers for effective service delivery.

Speaking at the orientation programme for fresh students of the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine College, Lagos, Olaniyan noted that the major challenge facing marine engineers locally is lack of training opportunities for fresh graduates.

In his lecture titled: ‘Career prospects, opportunities and challenges for the marine engineer in 21st century maritime industry, Olaniyan, a marine engineer, also expressed concern over poor technological advancement in the sector.

He noted that most companies prefer people with experience, depriving fresh graduates’ opportunity for training and learning on the job.

Olaniyan lamented that most of the ships currently operating in the country are owned by foreigners.

In his words, “In this industry, government needs to ensure that we give training opportunities to young graduates for effective service delivery, while motivating Nigerian-owned shipping companies to train young marine engineers”.

While expressing concern over the Nation’s poor technology advancement, Olaniyan said marine engineers must study more and learn new things.

The deputy provost, administration, Dr. Muhammad Enaikele, said the college is a foremost institute that runs an integrated programme of fisheries and maritime courses.

Enaikele said the college was set up in 1969 with a mandate to train students in core courses related to fisheries and maritime disciplines.

“Since its establishment, the college has grown over time and today, we can beat our chest that we have over 75 per cent of our products in the Nigeria territorial water,” he said.

Enaikele noted that the orientation is a programme to formally sensitise students on the activities of the college and what is expected of them.

“The orientation is like a formal induction into the college. We have a lot of problems such as cultism, drug abuse and sexual harassment plaguing our campuses, so the programme was aimed at educating them on the need to abstain from such,” Enaikele added.

A former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, has said Nigeria doesn’t need new universities, urging the Federal Government to stop approving new tertiary institutions.

He asked the Federal Government to rather focus on rehabilitating the existing ones so that they can deliver quality education to the citizens.

Ogunyemi said this on Wednesday, during a symposium to celebrate a former President of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, Sam Akindele, in Abuja.

Lamenting the deterioration in the country’s education sector, the university teacher urged the government to focus on making the existing institutions work.

Ogunyemi, who spoke during the panel discussion argued that, “Nigeria doesn’t need new universities.  The structures we are operating, how well are they positioned to deliver? We are talking of establishing more institutions whereas they are not catering for the existing ones. Who is deceiving who?

“Go to the National Assembly now; you can be sure they have nothing less than 30 bills proposing new colleges of education; not less than 50 bills proposing new universities, polytechnics and so on. Is that what we need?

“How well are the existing institutions delivering? It means those who are there are not connected with the system.” He cries.

Rochas Foundation has kick started the establishment of schools in Cross River state with a view to providing free and quality education to less privileged children.

The move was in order to help less privileged children to secure a better future for themselves and their immediate society.

This was disclosed by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Rochas Foundation, Uloma Nwosu, at the ‘Mentors Interactive Cocktail’ held at the Transcorp Hotel, in Calabar.

Nwosu in her address, said the Foundation which was established in 1998 has so far trained 25,000 children, produced 6,000 graduates, some of who are now in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Google.

She said the setting up of Rochas Foundation school in Calabar was part of the organization’s plan to take free education to the south south region and to also cater for the educational needs of street children.

She also revealed that the school which is sited at Ikot Ansa, would commence academic activities in January 2022, adding about 300 students would be enrolled for the second term.

In her words: “Rochas Foundation is a non governmental organization with 24 years of providing free quality education to the less privileged children in our society. Rochas Foundation believes every child counts and every child deserves an opportunity to have at least basic education.

“By God’s grace we’ve been able to have schools across 11 states in Nigeria – Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto, Oyo, Plateau, Adamawa, to mention but a few.

“We also have the Rochas Foundation College of Africa. Like my President (of Rochas Foundation), Owelle Rochas Okorocha would always say: ‘If there’s anything we can do in our time to help humanity let us do it now for we might not pass through this way again’, and that’s why we are in a hurry to change the course of our generation.

“We are in a hurry to make sure that every child is not left behind, and that every child has access to education; hence, with excitement we are announcing to you officially that Rochas Foundation is coming to the south south for the first time.

“In the south south, Cross River State is taking the lead and we are here in Calabar. I will also like to announce to you that Rochas Foundation School Cross River is built and ready to take off in January for the second term.

University of Benin Alumni Association (UBAA), Lagos branch, is set to holds its award of excellence and dinner on Sunday, December 5.

A statement by the branch chairman and secretary, Stephen Onojomete and David Osiezagha, respectively, said the event would be chaired by Managing Director of Point Engineering limited, George Okoyo, while keynote address would be delivered by Lagos State commissioner for budget and economic planning, Sam Egube.

The university’s vice chancellor, Prof. Lilian Salami, is the special guest of honour while Managing Director, Northwest Petroleum, Winifred Akpani, is mother of the day.

Other patrons expected include, Chief Paul Osogbe Enebeli, Oma Richard Ahonaruogho (SAN) and Senator Matthew Urhogide, while some ex-students who have excelled in their professions and contributed to national development will be honoured at the event.

Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, has announced plans by the Federal Government to reposition the 110 unity colleges across the country for optimum performance.

Nwajiuba, who stated this while declaring open the 2021 annual general meeting of Principals of Unity Colleges in Gombe, said the Federal Government is determined to bring back quality and standard to the colleges.

In his opening speech titled: “Repositioning federal unity colleges” the minister said President Muhammadu Buhari has set the ball rolling through a bumper welfare package for teachers, which he approved last year.

The package, the minister said, include, extension of length of service, new salary structure, automatic employment to deserving graduates, a new housing programme and pension scheme among others.

Nwajiuba said government is committed to restoring the past glory of the colleges through adequate funding, strict supervision and re-evaluation of the entire system.

Sounding a note of caution, the minister said government would not spare any officer found wanting under the new dispensation, as such officers would be shown the way out of service, adding that change has come into the education sector for good.

He also stressed the need for training and retraining to prepare teachers for the unfolding dispensation, which is fast ushering in new developments that will contribute to the evolution of a strong and sovereign nation.

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, said the meeting is an avenue to address issues of crucial importance to the growth and development of quality education in federal unity colleges.

Echono said with quality education, deviant behaviours caused by complex interactions can be effectively tackled.