Young Nigerian Becomes US Scholar Member

By

-

July 7, 2023

The National Society of High School Scholars, Atlanta, United States, has selected a 15-year-old Nigerian, Oyinkansola Ewedemi, as a member.

In a statement, the co-founder and President, NSHSS, James Lewis, said Ewedemi consistently had high-Grade Point Average throughout her high school.

She is a Freshman in the STEM programme of James Martin High School in Arlington, Texas, United States.

Lewis noted that NSHSS recognised top scholars who had demonstrated outstanding leadership, scholarship, and community commitment.

He said on behalf of NSHSS and co-founder, Claes Nobel, a member of the family that established the Nobel Prizes, he is honoured to recognise the hard work, passion, and commitment that Oyinkansola has demonstrated to achieve this exceptional level of academic excellence.

Lewis added that NSHSS members automatically become lifetime member at the time of their initial membership.

He said each step along the way, from high school to college career, NSHSS connects outstanding young scholars with the resources they need to develop their strengths and pursue their passions.

Kogi Poly Withdraws Students Over Poor Academic Performance

By

Nzubechukwu Anodo

-

July 7, 2023

0

The Academic Board of Kogi State Polytechnic has approved the withdrawal of 313 students due to poor academic performance in the first semester of the 2022/2023 academic session.

This decision was made after reviewing the report of the Academic Board Central Result Verification Committee during a meeting held on June 22, 2023, at the 200 Twin Lecture Theater, Main Campus, Lokoja.

The Rector of the Polytechnic, Salisu Ogbo Usman, who chaired the meeting, said that the withdrawal was necessary to maintain high academic standards and cultivate exceptional academic representatives.

He expressed his gratitude to the Chairman and members of the Central Result Verification Committee, as well as the entire Academic Board, for their ongoing support and dedication to upholding academic excellence.

He urged the Deans of Schools, Heads of Departments and Units to provide reliable leadership at all times.

He advised the students to utilize the available learning facilities effectively.

He also encouraged them to abide by the law and refrain from engaging in any social vices both on and off campus.

FUNAAB Emerges 2nd Best Varsity in Nigeria

By

Nzubechukwu Anodo

-

July 7, 2023

0

Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has emerged second best among Nigeria’s 258 universities and 26th best in sub-Saharan Africa in the recently-released 2023 inaugural Times Higher Education’s (THE), sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings.

The ranking highlighted the strongest universities in Africa across a comprehensive range of performance indicators covering five pillars, namely access and fairness; Africa impact’; teaching skills; students’ engagement as well as resources and finance.

The Sub-Saharan Africa university rankings were officially announced on Monday, June 26, 2023 at the organisation’s first forum, which took place in partnership with Ashesi University, Ghana.

The rankings, produced in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, ranks 88 universities from 17 countries in the region.

FUNAAB’s Vice-chancellor, Prof Olusola Babatunde Kehinde, in a press statement, congratulated all members of the university community for the great feat, expressing the hope that it will serve as catalyst for more dedication to duty.

Edo Poly Gets Accreditation For Mass Comm, Pharm Tech, Others

By

Nzubechukwu Anodo

-

July 7, 2023

0

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has granted full accreditation to the Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, to run the National Diploma in Mass Communication, Pharmaceutical Technology and two other academic programmes.

The Rector of the Polytechnic, Omoruyi Sylvester, who disclosed this to journalists, said the board granted the full accreditation status after a quality assurance visitation exercise to the school recently.

The two other programmes include National Diploma in Science Laboratory Technology and Higher National Diploma (HND) in Public Administration.

He said the outcome of the accreditation was contained in a letter by the NBTE’s Director, Polytechnic Programmes, Ngbede Ogoh, on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the board, Prof. Idris Bugage, addressed to the Polytechnic management.

The rector expressed appreciation to Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, for his commitment to the development of tertiary education in the state and support to the school.

He lauded the government for ensuring that the Polytechnic delivers qualitative education, while improving research and development.

Sylvester disclosed that through the governor’s support, more programmes would be presented to the NBTE for accreditation to ensure that they meet the minimum requirements and deliver value to students.

Omoruyi said the polytechnic prides itself as a leading centre of academic excellence and will continue to encourage groundbreaking research to solve societal problems.

The rector commended the NBTE, the Polytechnic staff and management for their support and cooperation in ensuring that the school delivers quality education.

Students loan: Reps Warn Tertiary Institutions Against Tuition hike

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

-

July 6, 2023

0

The House of Representatives has warned public tertiary institutions in the country not to take advantage of the Student Loan Policy of the Federal Government to increase tuition fees.

This followed the adoption of a motion by Terseer Ugbor (APC-Benue) at plenary on Thursday in Abuja.

The House also resolved to convene a Legislative Summit on student loans and access to higher education with all stakeholders in the education sector.

According to him, the use of Students Loans and Educational Credit Schemes in most countries of the world is often justified because it guarantees greater access to higher education for less privileged citizens.

He said it was further predicated on the notion that education remained an investment in human capital which in turn would promote individual development, economic growth, and national productivity.

He said, “After several years of unsuccessful attempts by successive administrations to introduce students loans, scholarships, and other educational credit schemes, the 9th National Assembly passed the Students Loans Bill.”

He noted that the objective of the Students Loans Bill was to improve access to education in Nigeria, especially among underprivileged citizens.

He, however, said that are identifiable bottlenecks that could frustrate the successful implementation of the Act.

This, according to him, is if immediate further

He, therefore called for legislative action to ensure the efficient implementation of the Act.

He said there was an urgent need to convene a legislative summit with all key stakeholders to develop a strategy to ensure the smooth implementation of the Act for the benefit of indigent Nigerian students.

INEC Files 6-count Charge Against Suspended Adamawa REC

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

-

July 6, 2023

0

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has filed a six-count charge against Prof. Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the suspended Adamawa Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC).

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said the charges relate to alleged electoral violations committed during the state’s governorship election in April.

Okoye said in an Abuja statement on Thursday that the lawsuit filed at the Yola High Court would be heard on July 12.

He stated that INEC considered the prosecution of electoral criminals at its normal weekly meeting on Thursday.

Suspended Adamawa INEC REC Granted Bail

According to him, the commission met with RECs on Tuesday and confirmed receipt of case files from the Nigeria Police following the conclusion of an investigation into alleged electoral offences committed during the 2023 general elections.

“One of the cases was the one involving the REC deployed to Adamawa; INEC had assured Nigerians of immediate action on that matter.

“As provided by Section 145(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, an offence committed under the Act shall be triable in a Magistrate’s or High Court of the State in which the offence was committed, or the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

“Furthermore, Section 145(2) of the Act provides that a prosecution under the Act shall be undertaken by legal officers of the Commission, or any legal practitioner appointed by it.

“Having reviewed the case file from the Police which established a prima facie case against Yunusa-Ari, INEC has filed a six-count charge against him at the Adamawa State High Court sitting in Yola.

“Consequently, the Court has fixed Wednesday, July 12, for commencement of trial.”

He added that the commission was working with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for the diligent prosecution of other cases.

Gov Sanwo-Olu Fulfil N10m Prize To LASU’s All-time Best Student

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

-

July 6, 2023

0

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has fulfilled his pledge by given N10 million to LASU’s all-time best graduating student, Miss. Yusuf Aminat Imoitesemeh.

Sanwo-Olu hosted the valedictorian at the State House, Marina.

Aminat came in the company of her parents, Ibrahim and Halimah Yusuf.

In the Governor’s cozy living room on Thursday, the 23-year-old graduate of Law, who finished with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 5.0 on a scale of 5.0, had a relaxed chat with Sanwo-Olu.

At the meeting, the Lagos-born Edo State indigene received the N10 million cash prize pledged by the Governor and the State Government.

The interaction between Sanwo-Olu and Aminat focused on her background and how she rose to prominence through her brilliance and academic feat.

Her “disciplined” parents, Aminat told the Governor, played a significant role in her personal development and the feat attained.

In her words: “Since my primary school days, my parents have shown unrelenting commitment to my personal development and that of my siblings. They trained us to always aim for the best, while they did their best to provide everything we need. They are involved at every level of my academic journey; making them proud is my way of paying back the support they have given me.”

Beyond the prominence, Sanwo-Olu told Aminat that the academic feat had thrusted the responsibility of a role model on her, charging the valedictorian to use her voice and fame to promote scholarship among young people in vulnerable communities.

The Governor said Aminat’s academic achievement had further validated Lagos’ profile as the Centre of Excellence, stressing that his administration would continue to do its best in preserving quality education in the State-owned universities.

Sanwo-Olu charged the valedictorian to sustain her brilliance and aim for excellence in her future endeavour.

When the Governor asked if she had the plan to repeat the feat at the Law School, “I will do my best,” Aminat assured.

Twitter Threatens to Sue Meta Over Threads App

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

-

July 6, 2023

0

Illustration shows Meta's Threads app and Twitter logos — Meta's Threads app and Twitter logos are seen in this illustration taken July 4, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

The microblogging site, Twitter has written to Meta threatening to take legal action over its new app, Threads.

The app went live on Apple and Android app stores in 100 countries at 23:00 GMT on Wednesday and will run with no ads for now, but its release in Europe has been delayed over data privacy concerns.

Twitter Limits Users to Number of Tweets to Read Per Day

In a letter signed by Alex Spiro and addressed to Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter said the company “has serious concerns that Meta Platforms (Meta) has engaged in systematic, willful, and unlawful misappropriation of Twitter’s trade secrets and other intellectual property.”

“Twitter intends to strictly enforce its intellectual property rights, and demands that Meta take immediate steps to stop using any Twitter trade secrets or other highly confidential information,” Alex Spiro wrote in the letter.

NURTW Chairman Probe Over N5m Health Insurance Fund

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

-

July 6, 2023

0

The House of Representatives on Thursday unveiled plans to investigate the activities of the National Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Tajudeen Baruwa, over the collection of the sum of N5 million for the facilitation of a Memorandum of Understanding for the health insurance scheme for members of the Union.

The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a petition titled: Public Petition against the National Chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers, Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa’ laid by Hon. Bamidele Salam (PDP-Osun).

While seeking the House intervention, the Petitioner – Pastor Samuel Oyeterun, alleged that the NURTW National Chairman collected the sum of N5 million for the facilitation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a health insurance scheme for members of the Union.

“I am highly delighted to present my heartfelt compliments to you, Sir. My name is Pastor Samuel Oluwafemi Oyeterun, the Chief Executive Officer of Divine Tonical Medicare Ltd.

“I am writing to request your kind intervention in the matter between myself and The National Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa concerning a proposal to handle a health insurance scheme for members of his union.

“Upon agreement, I effected two tranches of payment of the sum of Five million Naira (N5,000,000:00) based on a request from him to facilitate the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

“However, since the payment of the money on 4th, August 2022 and 30th September 2022 respectively, (transaction receipts attached) he has neither signed the MOU nor given me any opportunity to meet with him on the proposal.”

The petition added, “Your Excellency, I have made several attempts to get a refund of this money which was a bank loan which was obtained for this failed transaction.

“Most unfortunately, despite my phone calls to him, the National Secretary and Legal Officer as well as several visits to his office, the National Chairman is yet to make the refunds.

“More importantly, Rep. Bamidele Salam made frantic efforts to bring us to a roundtable to ensure that my money is refunded to me but all his attempts were frustrated by the National Chairman and his handlers.

“I am therefore left with no option than to appeal to Your Excellency to use your good office to prevail on him to do the needful as quickly as possible since my creditors are on my neck.

“Your Excellency, while anticipating your help in this regard, please accept the assurances of my best wishes.”

In line with extant legislative rules, the motion was referred to the House Committee on Public Petitions for further legislative action.

Section 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provided that: “For the purposes of any investigation under section 88 of this Constitutional and subject to the provisions thereof, the Senate or the House of Representatives or a committee appointed in accordance with section 62 of this Constitution shall have power to – (a) procure all such evidence, written or oral, direct or circumstantial, as it may think necessary or desirable, and examine all persons as witnesses whose evidence may be material or relevant to the subject matter.

“require such evidence to be given on oath;

“summon any person in Nigeria to give evidence at any place or produce any document or other thing in his possession or under his control, and examine him as a witness and require him to produce any document or other thing in his possession or under his control, subject to all just exceptions; and

“issue a warrant to compel the attendance of any person who, after having been summoned to attend, fails, refuses or neglects to do so and does not excuse such failure, refusal or neglect to the satisfaction of the House or the committee in question, and order him to pay all costs which may have been occasioned in compelling his attendance or by reason of his failure, refusal or neglect to obey the summons, and also to impose such fine as may be prescribed for any such failure, refused or neglect; and any fine so imposed shall be recoverable in the same manner as a fine imposed by a court of law.

“A summons or warrant issued under this section may be served or executed by any member of the Nigeria Police Force or by any person authorized on that behalf by the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as the case may require.”

Abba Kyari Get Bail After 18 months In Prison

By

Rhoda Onuzulike

-

July 6, 2023

0

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari.

Kyari was on Thursday granted bail by Justice James Omotosho in a charge in which he and two of his siblings – Baba Kyari and Ali Kyari are accused of failing to declare assets to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

Ruling in an application filed by the defendant, Justice James Omotosho granted conditional bail to Kyari at the sum of N50m with two sureties in like sum.

Justice Omotosho added that the sureties must have property worth N25m within the jurisdiction.

Other conditions include that Kyari and his sureties are to deposit their international passport, their statement of accounts, the title deed of the sureties’ property and recent passport photographs with the court registrar.

Besides, the judge further subjected the endorsement of his release warrant to the developments in another case pending before Justice Emeka Nwite wherein he is being tried with four others on drug-related offences.

In granting his application, the judge held that there was no evidence that he was a flight risk and that he would not attend his trial.

Court Hears Abba Kyari’s Case Behind Closed Doors

The Justice pointed out that the NDLEA did not deny Kyari’s claim that he was in Kuje prison during the last prison break, but did not escape even when he had the opportunity.

“On the possibility of the 1st defendant attending his trial, it is pertinent to state that, according to the affidavits in support of the application, the applicant stated that he was in detention at the Kuje prisons when the jailbreak of 5th July 2022 occurred and he stayed put, even though he had the opportunity of escaping.

“This deposition was not challenged by the complainant/respondent which means it is admitted. This shows that the applicant is unwilling to run away from his trial and has shown a willingness to attend court when required.

“This piece of fact will work in favour of the applicant, in that, it is proof to the court that the applicant would not jump bail if granted the same. I note that there have been rulings denying the 1st defendant/applicant bail.

More so, he held that the offences with which Kyari and his co-defendants were charged are bailable.

“He has not committed a capital offence nor has it been proved that he is a flight risk. I, therefore, exercise my discretion in favour of the defendant/applicant.”

The court adjourned further hearing in the case to October 18.