2023: God has not ordained Tinubu for Presidency, says Primate Ayodele …Tips Fashola as one of Buhari’s choices

Success Damian:

Servant of the Most High God and Founder of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Babatunde Elijah Ayodele (JP), has made it clear that God has not ordained the former Governor of Lagos State and Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju of Yoruba land, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be the president of Nigeria.

Primate Ayodele made the disclosure at a Press Briefing to unveil His 2022 and Beyond Divine Revelation and Prophecies which took place at the International Headquarters of the church in Oke-Afa Ejigbo, Lagos on Wednesday, December 22, 2021.

Ayodele therefore begged the APC leader to come out and contest the 2023 Presidential Election so as to receive the defeat of his life. “He will not only lose the election, he stands the risk of losing his control over Lagos “Tinubu should come out and contest the presidency and he will lose in Nigeria and lose Lagos. Let Tinubu come out in 2023. God has not ordained Tinubu for the Presidency.” He added that Nigeria will be worse under Tinubu administration.

“In APC I tell you Tinubu is just jumping up and down, if he gets the presidency, Nigeria will not move forward, so Tinubu as a matter of fact is not in the picture.”

He also advised the incumbent Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu to up his game by embarking on policies aimed at improving the lives of Lagosians, as he stands the risk of losing his second term bid. “They will battle Sanwo-Olu for Second Term, so he should do more things for Lagos.”

The Servant of the Most High God also made revelations about those who stand a chance to make the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) proud in 2023. He said “In PDP I have people who can become the President, I will start mentioning names, let me put it this way, people that can become President and Vice President in PDP: Bukola Saraki, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, these are the people that can fly the flag in PDP. If Atiku comes out in PDP, it is going to be a mirage.

“In APC Tinubu as a matter of fact is not in the picture. Now the people in APC who can make it, not even Osinbajo, there are a lot of blackmail surrounding him, not even El Rufai. Buhari will surprise a lot of people. Look at Abubakar Malami, people should start looking at him, look at Babatunde Raji Fashola, the current minister of Works and Housing, these are people that are in Buhari’s agenda, these are the people Buhari wanted to give. Kayode Fayemi, Boss Mustapha i.e. Secretary to the Government (SG), the person that is going to take it is within Buhari hand, so don’t look at Tinubu.

“The young man from Kogi State Yahaya Adoza Bello is just trying to be relevant, they will not pick him; his state will not even support him. So he is trying to be a Cowboy, he is not in the picture, he is not there. I am not trying to run down anybody, I am not pulling down anybody. Mai Mala Buni from Yobe, I am talking about president and vice president, Rotimi Amaechi, Godsill Akpabio, among others, these are people that are likely to be president and vice president.”

Speaking on Security issues in Lagos, Primate Ayodele said that the government must make the right choices to ensure security of lives and properties. “There will be new CP in Lagos State next year in January of February or thereabout, and if they don’t bring in a right person, Lagos insecurity will be alarming.”

On security in the nation, he said “Soldiers fighting Boko Haram will go on strike, our police will protest, so what are we talking about insecurity now when the security is not even secured? So the point is that the government has to do the rightful things to put the security in order. As it is now these present service chiefs cannot give it all to what Nigeria needs, because in 2023 insecurity will be so alarming than what we are seeing now,” he revealed.

On Christian Association Nigeria (CAN) and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) he said they are only there for their own pockets, “They are in the payroll of the state and federal government, and that is why they are not talking.”

Addressing the journalist, Ayodele who has made a vow and has been giving out two Jeeps to two lucky Journalists every year, disclosed that he will be adding to his generosity and philanthropy towards journalists in 2023 by giving out three plots of land to three lucky journalists in appreciation of what they are doing for the country.

Recall that Ayodele gives out two jeeps to journalists every year, aside other empowerment efforts for the Nigeria media. He said journalists in Nigeria are the ones that fight tooth and nail to make Nigerians not to be corrupt and prayed God that the media will not be contaminated with corruption.

 

Lagos is blessed with quality leaders, says Umenzekwe, commends Sanwo-Olu for excellent performance

Hon (Chief) Modestus Umenzekwe (Onwa Achina) is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC); in this interview with SUCCESS DAMIAN in Lagos, he spoke extensively on Sanwo-Olu’s Administration, and passed a verdict that the development in Lagos State is as a result of quality leadership. Excerpts:   

Can we meet you?

I remain Hon (Chief) Modestus Umenzekwe, my political inclination is the All Progressives Congress (APC); I am a core Igbo man based in Lagos.

In one sentence, how can you describe Lagos for your reading public?

Lagos is centre of excellence, Lagos is mini Nigeria; then Lagos is prime example of peace, opportunities and symbol of Nigerian unity, let me stop there.

You are a chieftain of APC and a prominent one at that, now Sanwo-Olu has been Governor of the state since 2019, do you think he is performing according to your party’s manifesto and programmes?

He is even performing beyond that, he is performing according to our party manifesto and he has even added his own God given natural wisdom, to improve on whatever his predecessors have done. He is doing well and I congratulate him.

Can you point out one or two achievements of the Governor?

You took me by surprise, if I have prepared very well, I would have given you a lot but all I know is that Lagos is very peaceful, businesses are going very well, potholes are being patched up. You have noticed that Lagos is noted for traffic lock jam, new roads are being opened up, then there is incentive for workers, salaries are being paid. And when he came in, he improved the welfare of LASTMA, if I am not mistaking, he doubled their pay.

Then infrastructure is going on, he is cooperating with the federal government; structures are springing up here and there. Security equally improved greatly, people can sleep with their two eyes closed, not that there are not pockets of crimes, but relatively, Lagos has security and that is most important, because if you have security, you can plan, if you have security you can sleep, if you have security you can move, if you have security, all things would come up. He has done very well, and Lagos is always blessed with good and quality governors, all these are coming up as a result of critical thinking by the governor and his team. He has also ensured continuity of projects which were started by his predecessors, go to Agege and see what he did, the light rail project, the Badagry Road project, the lit up Lagos, the Eko Atlantic City project, none was abandoned.

Can you compare Sanwo-Olu and other Lagos State Governors; and what do you think are some of their similarities?

You see in Lagos you don’t compare them, because it is like they have a sort of governance plan that is being followed and let me congratulate the Lagos State governance advisory council, they are doing very well. You see Lagos is very unique; where this person stops the other person continues. And the advisory council is always there monitoring, advising, so it is not a question of comparing, I am saying that they keep improving by the day. In short it even started from the military era, yes when Commodore Ukiwe was Military Administrator of Lagos State when he moved the Government House to Alausa, and from then, I think Commander Ndubisi Kanu was Governor, and the rest of them, then came Marwa when he handled Lagos security wise, then Tinubu came in. After Tinubu then Fashola came in and blossomed everything, because it was during Fashola that an implosive device was first used to bring down a building; that was in Marina. Also bridges were repaired, roads were opened, holdups were taken away, he cleared Oshodi, the Lagos Badagry Express Road started, when he left Ambode came and continued, when Ambode left, Sanwo-Olu came in and continued, so I think it is not a question of comparing them, but congratulating them for continuity, and congratulating APC for holding APC very firm.

I am quite aware that you are a member of the Board of Federal Housing Authority, what advice would you proffer to Lagos State Government, in view of the incessant building collapse in the state?

Well, Proper regulation and close monitoring, recruiting qualified Engineers to handle various building projects, most especially the skyscrapers. Stoppage of changing the building plan half way. I am not saying that is what is happening, but I suspect that such a thing might be a factor. Now when you have a plan for a two storey building, you have a foundation for two storey building, then along the line due to one advice or the other, the developer might say, let’s make it five storey, without going to the structure, the foundation to fortify it, it is likely to collapse. Then monitoring the loads being heaped on any building, the materials used too, not fake materials, when you use sub-standard materials the building is bound to collapse, so everything borders on regulation, monitoring, adequate supervision, then punishing the offenders where necessary, with that the issue of building collapse will be a thing of the past.

Do you think the relationship between the Igbos and the present administration under Governor Sanwo-Olu is as cordial as it should be?

Thank you. You know or you can bear witness, at least in Lagos Markets where Igbos dominate, at least 90% Igbos, there has not been any harassment of any sort, what we do is we pay our statutory fees and all that, trade permits, tax and rest of them, and there is no harassment, nothing. And you can see that during weekends, so to say, Lagos is always filled up. Here in Lagos we have skyscrapers, shopping malls. If the relationship is not cordial, we would not be buying land, building houses, so the relationship has kept improving every day. You see people migrating from Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi, Delta, Enugu, Abia, even parts of Rivers that are Igbo speaking, you see them migrating to Lagos. I think Lagos has done very well with the Igbos, the relationship is cordial and strong. Not that at times, there may be sort of what I may call little disagreement between the state government and some market areas, there is no doubt about that, but it is normal in any situation, even in your household, you can disagree with your brother, wife or even with your housemaid, so I don’t see that as a problem, there is 90% good relationship, because nothing is 100%, 90% good relationship among the Yoruba, the state government and the Igbo nation.

Do you think the internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the Lagos State under Sanwo-Olu has improved in anyway?

Yes, when he was submitting the 2022 budget, he made mention that the IGR improved, and that is why the budget improved. It has improved and it has been so by each successive government in the state. I don’t know how they do the magic but they try a lot, and it will continue to improve the way I see things. In 2019 when he came in Lagos had N398.73billion in terms of IGR, by 2020 it hit N418.99billion still the highest in the country, by the end of  year 2021 the picture of IGR leading states will emerge, but trust me Lagos is already in the lead in the first half of this year according to report with N267. 2billion, representing 31% out the total IGR in the first half of 2021 throughout the federation, remotely followed by FCT with N69 billion.  

How can you rate Sanwo-Olu’s strategy in fighting the covid-19 pandemic, is there anything you feel he should have done differently to further curtail the spread?

You will equally ask me how I will rate Fashola in containing Ebola. You see my son was admitted in one of the Lagos State colleges, one of the best Lagos State colleges, during Ebola, while he is coming out, there is covid, so that gave me a very good experience to analyse the two governors. Just like what Fashola did in Ebola is what Sanwo-Olu did to covid. I think he tried his best to contain it, despite the population of Lagos, despite the fact that the way covid infect people was so mysterious, but you see isolation centres were erected within few weeks, he started looking for funds, the federal government supported, everybody complied with the lockdown and all that, despite the fact that people still believe that there was no covid, that it is all politics, but when it now down on them that people are dying they agreed, despite the fact that people neglected professional advice, flouted the state government order and guidelines, but still he was very calm enough to handle it , to regulate it, and I want to thank the commissioner for Health, Lagos State. Then EndSARS came in again, and he was able to contain those things. So I give him, you know in university when you get 80% or 90% it is A, so I give him A, he did well. And I want him to step up, despite some people are not heeding to his advice but let him step up. Issue of nose mask, there should be more enlightenment, people should be encouraged to take the vaccine, and go for the test, and find a more subtle way of enforcing it without necessarily inflicting hardship on people, because we have learnt to live with covid, but we must continue to educate people.

I will not subscribe to lockdown but we continue to regulate, you might say without nose mask you cannot enter the bank, without vaccine you can’t do this, those things are polices that would come up to make people to comply because it is a policy aimed at saving life and not to destroy life. Then this issue of campaigning against the vaccine should stop, it is all propaganda, to the best of my knowledge. I have asked some friends who are the best brains in medicine and they confirmed that the vaccines are okay so people should be encouraged to take it in market places, churches, clubs, hotels should be made centres for the vaccine not necessarily hospitals, every nook and cranny of the state, people should be there administering the vaccine, free of charge, but then they must monitor fake, because people will capitalise on that, bring whatever chemical they want, inject on people, when people start dying they will say, government has killed people, so they should decentralize this issue of vaccination all over Lagos, in fact in every street there should be a vaccination centre.

The traffic menace in Lagos is not abetting in anyway, what do you think Lagos State can do to ameliorate it?

Inasmuch as the government is trying, one thing is that potholes on all the roads have been filled up, now new ways must be opened up. Then, there are vehicles, stagnant vehicles all over the streets in Lagos, abandoned vehicles, here and there. The owners must be encouraged to remove them, you are passing a street and you see vehicles packed both sides; there is no way you can maneuver. So streets must be free from stagnant vehicles if we are going to get it right. Then, this issue of taking one way, I am surprised that even commercial vehicles are taking one way and nobody is even talking about it, but when private people like us take one way LASTMA will arrest them, and it is causing a lot of traffic lock jam and even accident. So I begin to ask, these commercial vehicles, do they have something special, so that all of us can go and get it and equally keep taking one way? Again regulation is very important, people must obey traffic rules, people must be made to obey traffic rules.

You see, when Fashiola was here, he stood his ground, that was why Oshodi was cleared, Amuwo-Odofi was cleared and so many areas. And I want the present governor to review that strategy and make sure, in as much as he is opening up areas, let him go back and review it and review it very well, this issue of one-way in Lagos, if it is not stopped we are in trouble. Okada must not take one-way, the same as Danfo, nobody should take one-way, it is really terrible, then all road constructions must be given timeline, and if I may recommend, let all road constructions go on much later in the night so that people can move.

Many people complain that their votes don’t count during elections in Lagos; do you agree or disagree with this claim?

You see, people can come up with all sorts of stories and all that, to the best of my knowledge since I have been voting in Lagos, I am always there to see that my vote would count, I don’t agree, votes in Lagos count, otherwise if it doesn’t count, at times you see in a particular election a particular candidate winning the other with just a slight margin, if it doesn’t count how does it happen that way, I have forgotten the year, APC won PDP or another party with a slight margin, so for somebody to say vote in Lagos doesn’t count, that person is economical with truth.

2023 is fast approaching; do you think Sanwo-Olu deserves second tenure as governor of Lagos?

You know Lagos as a cosmopolitan city, as a mini Nigeria, as centre of excellence, they have a specialised way of handling their own things, which I don’t, I don’t know the arrangement, but I believe that Sanwo-Olu deserves a second term; I don’t know their arrangement but because of his excellent performance, he deserves it.

There have been several calls for Lagos to be given special status given the volume of residents and visitors, infrastructural demand and maintenance, how do you think the state can mount pressure on the FG to realize this special status demand?

That is a very good question. In one of my publications on May 12, 2018, page 12, The Authority Newspaper, I made advocacy for Lagos to be given special status position in Nigeria. Lagos deserves special status. I am not from, Lagos, I am an Anambra man, but taking into consideration the factors we have talked about, with a population of about 20 to 25 million, there is no way we can deny them such, then again on September 11, 2018, the same Authority Newspaper, page 21, I said ‘National Assembly should revisit Lagos State Special Status Bill, and I am using this opportunity to tell the 9^th Assembly led by our revered Senator Ahmed Lawal to, please, reconsider giving Lagos Special status, they deserve it.

All those people in Abuja, you see them weekend, they are all in Lagos. On Monday they are back to Abuja, so the population of Lagos deserves that Lagos should be given special status. Most of the lawmakers sprang up from Lagos, they were in Lagos before they relocated to Abuja no matter their states, as a result of their recent political status; some of them have their families here, so it is the right thing to do.

Do you think Lagos deserve more Local government to be recognized by the constitution?

My own state Anambra deserves more local government and you are talking about Lagos. It is a very clear issue, my own state Anambra we deserve more local governments. Even the one that was given to my area was abolished for reasons I cannot explain now, and then Lagos, the population of Lagos is more, so they deserve to be given more local governments. My advocacy is that the 37 local council development areas, LCDAs should be recognized by the constitution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You’ve demonstrated virtue of service, dedication in patriotism, Nurses Across Borders tells Gambari on his birthday

Success Damian:

Nurses Across the Borders Humanitarian Initiative Nigeria & USA has disclosed that His Excellency, Ambassador (Professor) Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, Chief of Staff, Office of the President, has demonstrated the virtue of service and dedication in patriotism and humility.

This was contained in a congratulatory message dedicated to Gambari as he marks his birthday November 24, 2021.

In a press statement released to the media by Pastor Peters Osawaru Omoragbon, Executive President/CEO of the Nurses Across the Borders, part of the message read “From the pinnacle of the United Nations to Motherland, you have demonstrated the virtue of service and dedication in patriotism and humility.”

Quoting the statement “On behalf of the leadership and entire members of Nurses Across the Borders Worldwide, do accept our well wishes, prayers and God’s protection and guidance as you celebrate another developmental milestone-your birthday today.

“For you to have lived this long, still waxing strong and impacting humanity in service is a testimonial of what God is yet to do with you. Eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, neither has it come into the imagination of the hearts of men what God will still do with you. You were created for greater achievements, which is why your life has been a life of service,” the statement read.

The group also made it clear that as their Grand Patron, they are proud of him “Your Excellency, as our Grand Patron, we cannot be prouder that today, you serve as the Chief of Staff, to the Leader of the greatest African Nation, Nigeria.”

They also prayed for him saying “The Lord will keep you and uphold you in health and longer life to fulfil destiny and help with building our nation to that enviable height worthy of emulation within the comity of nations.”

 

 

My aim of seeking elective position is to serve the masses, humanity, says Hon Jude Uchenna Obiekwe

Success Damian: 

Hon Jude Uchenna Obiekwe, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Mushin-Lagos Federal Constituency in the 2019 General Election has made it unambiguously clear that his aim of contesting elective position is to serve the masses and humanity. 

Obiekwe made the disclosure at Lilygate Hotel, Lekki, Lagos State on Wednesday. 

He said, “It is for the people, when you are going for such elective position, it is all about the masses, service to humanity, service to the masses, service to the people. It is all about the people, I am very comfortable, but you know, people that are there are not doing the right thing as they supposed to do, it is about making sure that the people, the masses get the dividend of democracy.” 

Obiekwe who contested for the position of the House of Representative but narrowly missed it said ”It was my first attempt, though I lost in that election, it was a wonderful experience and no retreat, no surrender, we are most definitely going back there again, and we hope this time around we will win.” 

On his plans for the 2023 election, he maintained that a politician will not disclose all his plans, but assured his constituents that he will definitely make it, “We are working towards making it this time around. 2019 was my first time, and it was as if I have been contesting because the whole Nigeria knew that somebody contested in the election.”

Obiekwe who is a businessman joined politics for the love of his people, to liberate the people, “Like I keep saying, those that are there are not doing what they are supposed to do.” 

He acknowledged Chief Bode George as his mentor “Chief Chief Bode George, I started with him and am still with him, he is our Royal Father in PDP.” 

Speaking on what transpired in 2019 when he lost the election and what gave him hope that he will win in 2023, he said “Politics evolves, as it is, everybody has tested All Progressives Congress (APC) and has seen the difference between APC and PDP, the sufferings of the masses alone will tell. It is telling on the people, that the present government has not in any way helped the masses. So the trend is that the people will massively want to vote APC out in the next coming election, and that is why we in the PDP have hope of clinching the seats.” 

Responding to claims that PDP remains unconcerned when it is obvious they were rigged out in many areas in Lagos he said “No, no, Like in my own case, I understand what you are saying, we do go to court, but it still depends, the government of the day, in my own case, I won, I took them to tribunal, up to Appeal. I am the only candidate that has done that in Mushin. We were very few in Lagos, PDP candidates that did that. But at the end of the day you still see that, especially in Lagos, they are biased when it comes to election. It was a clear victory, you know, it is like an environment where we have 70% Igbos.

“It is exactly what happened to Rita, in Ajeromi/Ifelodun, Rita is also my mentor as well; you see that there was clear winning but they will upturn it, my brother, this is Nigeria. The best place to go to is the tribunal but at the end of the day you will not get justice.” 

On his confidence for wanting to contest again despite alleged obvious abnormalities in the election process in Lagos, he said “I am hopeful because people have basically tested APC, they said change, now the people have seen the change they can offer, now, I think they know better, and I believe 2023 will be better when these new etransmission of result they are talking about which they just passed so it won’t be business as usual for them. In actual sense if the electronic transmission of result is implemented as they have just signed the bill just passed, then we have high hope of winning.” 

Speaking on the suggestion that he should go and contest in the eastern Nigeria, his origin, where he has better chances, he said, “I believe everywhere you dwell is your home, like I was born and bred in Lagos here, so I don’t really see any, anywhere I am, to me, is home. And I believe it is one Nigeria we are, except if we start dividing and say Biafra, Oduduwa or whatever.” 

 He spoke on going back home to invest and boost the economy of eastern Nigeria “I believe in investing at home, that is what is called akuruo ulo, investing at home; it is a very very good thing. I am highly impressed and I am highly in support of investing at home.”

Philanthropist, Odii speaks on his Foundation, calls for restraint in Biafra land

Success Damian: 

A Philanthropist and Co-Founder of Ebele & Anyi Chuks Foundation, Dr Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii (Anyi Chuks) has said that his foundation is doing a lot in the empowerment and support for the elderly and the less privileged in the society. 

Odii who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Orient Group and President, Ultimus Holdings, also called on the youths in the eastern part of the country to sheath their swords in order not to destroy their own people and economy. 

Odii who spoke to Journalists at Lilygate Hotel in Lekki, Lagos on Wednesday, disclosed that the Ebele & Anyi Chuks Foundation was established by him and his wife to take care of the have not in the society. He said “Ebele and Anyi Chuks Foundation was founded by myself and my dear wife 16 years ago. We are humanitarians, we didn’t want to open church to begin to look for tithing; we decided to do it with what God gave to us without bothering any person or being a burden to society. And it has been growing, blossoming and God has been helping us to drive the foundation to use it to touch lives in different ways, to provide shelter to people, help to take care of the needy and the older people, to give empowerment in the areas of education, financial empowerment, and skill acquisition empowerment.”

Responding to question on how many lives the foundation has touched, the philanthropist who is known to have built over 120 houses for people free of charge said, “We have lost counting.” 

Odii also spoke on the restiveness by south eastern youths, saying “There is never any conflict that is resolved by the hand of gun, it is never done, our fathers fought Biafra War, we lost over 3 million persons, young children, young women, older women, and while we are trying to recover again, we began to drift into the same methodology we used to embark on the same war we fought before. In as much as they are agitating, it is good to agitate, but then you should know that when you agitate, you draw a strategy that will make you not to be so violent. But what we are witnessing today in the southeast is not encouraging.” 

He said it is not known that an Igbo man can take up arms against his own brother, he then called for caution “It is not known for an Igbo man to take up arms against his brother, even if we are fighting an enemy, why must we be enemy within, we shouldn’t allow it because doing that is like trying to destroy our own plan by ourselves and we will become a laughing stock to others.” 

Odii also advised the youth on the sit-at-home order by the indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) saying it is an attraction to economic war. “I think that what has happened to us is that many of us are not well informed, you should know that there are two types of war, one is the war you fight with missiles, bullets which is the conventional war, but the worst war now is the one they call the economic war. It is the same kind of war that was practised during the Biafra war, whereby kwashiorkor killed over 1.2 million children. “So if you say that you don’t want your economy to grow, that means you want to go hungry, hunger will come and attack you, that is the worst war and that is where we are going now, no one is fighting us, we are now creating hunger war against our people, which is not good for us,” Odii maintained.

EKOUNIMED announces accreditation of institution by two regulating agencies, medical education in Nigeria ...As Founder, Dr. Ibraheem Hameed marks birthday

Success Damian:

Eko University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ijanikin, Lagos has announced the accreditation of the University by the two statutory regulating agencies of university and medical education in Nigeria. 

The Vice-Chancellor of the Citadel of Excellence and Compassion, Prof O. A. Sofola made the disclosure at a zoomed press conference on Monday, 25th October, 2021. 

The regulating agencies of university and medical education in Nigeria are National Universities Commission (NUC) giving full accreditation and Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) giving accreditation for First Professional Examination. 

 He also used the opportunity to announce the Birth date of the founder of the University, Chief (Dr.) Hammed Ayodele Ibraheem, (MD) on October 25, 2021. 

Speaking on the accreditation, Sofola said “We received full-fledged operational licence on April 15, 2021 and full accreditation from NUC, June 2021 and the MDCN approval to conduct the First professional examination, on October 20, 2021.” 

According to Sofola, EKOUNIMED is the premier specialised, privately owned, medical, non-sectarian, and co-educational institution which got approval of the Federal Executive Council on 6th December 2017. “The three-year provisional licence was formally presented to the founder by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar A. Rasheed on Tuesday 19th December 2017. The University successfully matriculated its first three sets of students on December 13, 2018, March 6th, 2020, and March 11, 2021” 

 Speaking on collaborations with other institutions to offer optimal service to students he added “We have memoranda of understanding (MOU) with State General Hospital systems of Lagos Sate Government as our Teaching hospitals We also have MOU with Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos as well as a 3–year mentoring arrangement with the University of Lagos. In addition, there is a subsisting working agreement with Ibile Diagnostics and Medicals with Centres in New York, the city of Phoenix, Arizona, Geneva, Switzerland and in Lima, the Capital city of Peru,” he added. 

With the Vision of the University to be a world-class institution for the medical and other health professions in terms of learning, research, character building and service to humanity, the institution also has the Mission of providing an all-embracing health education and services through the production of world class, resourceful and competent physicians, dentists, nursing, pharmacists and other healthcare providers, who will be equipped to deliver the cutting edge promotive, preventive and specialized medical and other health-related education and practices. 

Speaking on the institution’s bouquet of approved programmes, he said “We are in the Areas of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences. Presently we are running the full programme in Medicine and Surgery. We intend to add other programmes soon, in Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences.” 

Justifying the establishment of the institution he added “With 34 medical schools in the country there is inadequate opportunity for access by many qualified students, in addition to our country not being able to meet the WHO doctor: patient ratio. The country needs more than 303, 000 doctors to meet the WHO standard, and at least 10,605 new doctors annually to join the workforce (NOIPolls). 

“It is partly to bridge this gap and frustration of Nigerian youths, who though qualified, could not get admission, that the Founder of EKOUNIMED, Dr. Ibraheem Hameed established this University. Indeed, more of such bold interventions are required in the field of higher education. Other motivations are the need for quality modern medical delivery,” he stated. 

Also speaking on the background of the Founder who was celebrating his birthday he said, “Today’s birthday celebrant, the founder Chief (Dr.) Hammed Ayodele Ibraheem, (MD) is from the Ibraheem royal lineage of the Bashua Chieftaincy family of Lagos. He had his medical education and practice in the United States of America for over fifty years, presently with head office in New York.

“He established the Ibile Diagnostic Centre in 1974 in the city of Phoenix, Arizona and has extended his medical expertise to other nations of the earth, such as in the city of Geneva, Switzerland and the Red Cross operations in Lima, the Capital city of Peru and served as a Colonel in the US Marine Medical Corp. 

“He is a holder of Chieftaincy of Asojuoba of Ijanikin, Lagos. Having served globally he considered it the highest legacy to bequeath to his people and humankind the best of medical and health science education and practice.” 

Sofola then added that the achievement so far was enabled as a result of joint dogged efforts of the following groups and people: The NUC, MDCN and their very diligent and meticulous accrediting teams; the Governing Council and its members, ably led by Prof. Kamil Olaonipekun Alausa; the Principal Officers who tirelessly worked round the clock to meet the stringent conditions of our regulating bodies NUC and MDCN, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adedayo Ejiwunmi, Registrar Lateef O .Animashaun, Bursar Mrs OlapejuAwoliyi and University Librarian Dr Jasiliu Kadiri. 

Others include the Deans, Prof S. O Giwa, Dr C.A Diya and Dr M Ajala; the Director of Planning and Development Mrs R.O. Ibraheem, Director for Works and Services, Engr H.A Kuku, the Advisory Consultant Prof Odewumi S.G and the entire staff.

JA Africa signs partnership with The Richer TM Media to produce Junior Billionaires Club TV series

Success Damian: 

Junior Achievement (JA) Africa and The Richer TM Media Limited (The Richer TM Media) have signed a partnership to produce The Junior Billionaires Club TM (JBC), an animated TV series designed to teach children across Africa about financial literacy and wealth principles. 

The animated series is developed jointly based on The Richer TM Kids Club, an affiliate of The Richer TM Media, and JA’s financial literacy, entrepreneurship and wealth education curricula which give young people the knowledge and skills to make informed financial, business, career and life decisions. 

It will feature Lola & Kweku-Sika, two young Africans who go on different adventures to learn key financial and wealth concepts as well as African history and other social studies/economics topics on Africa. 

The series will air in English, French and eventually Portuguese across different African countries on traditional and digital media. 

At a press conference for the signing of the partnership[at the JA Nigeria Office at Lekki Lagos, Simi Nwogugu, CEO of JA Africa said, “Expanding financial literacy across the continent is a key area of focus for us at JA Africa. This animated series gives us the opportunity to reach and educate millions of African children and young adults, especially those in hard to reach communities who may not have access to our classroom programs or digital activities. We will also spotlight inspiring African leaders, not only to celebrate them, but also to show young Africans that the continent has role models they can aspire to be like. It is our hope that it will encourage schools across Africa to set up Junior Billionaires Clubs to inspire their students.” 

Omi Oshikoya, Chief Media Officer of The Richer TM Media, speaking about the partnership said “This partnership gives us the opportunity to inspire a new generation of Africans that are creating wealth and are successful in all areas of their lives which is our mission.” 

According to Omi “Africa has a high poverty rate, and this can be traced to the lack of financial literacy; to reduce the financial literacy gap, it is important to note that in every African country two-fifths of the population is younger than 15 years old, therefore, to foster economic development, the focus should be on children who are the future leaders.” 

She also said “The curriculum has been created to include financial literacy, business as well as life and wealth principles to ensure the children are well equipped to thrive in the world we live in today. The COVID-19 global pandemic has made it imperative for children to be financially educated and to learn how to invest in their physical, emotional and mental health and other areas of their lives.” 

The Junior Billionaires Club curriculum has been created to include financial literacy, business as well life coaching and wealth principles to ensure that children are well equipped to be successful in every area of their lives. 

The animated series will educate children in a fun and interactive way to prepare them for life as adults as well as to learn good values and life skills such as leadership and public service. Junior Billionaires Club will contribute towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty, and Goal 4: Quality Education. 

Junior Achievement (JA) Africa prepares youth for the future of jobs by bridging the gap between school and the world of work. Through the delivery of financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship training and in collaboration with schools, technical/vocational centers and other partners, JA Africa works in 13 countries reaching 250,000 youth each year. 

While The Richer TM Media Limited is a media production company focused on using media and technology to produce content that inspires, informs, empowers and educates a new generation of Africans that are creating wealth and successful in all areas of their lives, thereby contributing towards achieving at least 5 of the United Nations General Assembly Sustainable Development Goals, most importantly Goal 1: No Poverty.

NCC, NITDA throw weight behind NITRA ICT Growth Conference/Awards 2021

Success Damian:

As the industry media body, the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), prepares for its stakeholders engagement event, NITRA ICT Growth Conference 2021, two industry regulators have indicated interest in supporting the event scheduled to hold on November 11, 2021 in Lagos, Nigeria. 

The event has received the backing of the telecoms regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the nation’s information technology regulator, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). 

The event targets to bring stakeholders in the ICT industry, both from the public and private sectors, to discuss and find ways of accelerating growth in the industry as a means of achieving laudable federal government set targets and policies, including those recorded in policy documents by the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the NCC and NITDA. 

These documents include NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2021-2024); The Nigerian Cybercrime Act of 2015; the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content (NPPIC); The National Telecommunications Policy; the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025; National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) among others. 

While looking at policies and regulation around the sub-sectors, the event will further look into challenges such as multiple taxation and regulations, high cost of Right of Way (RoW), theft of telecoms facilities, Policy issues, Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) Bill and cybersecurity issues; and ways of tackling these challenges effectively. 

Under its “NITRA ICT Growth Conference”, which seeks to bring a multi-sectoral development agenda, NITRA is organising a multi-panel interactive conference that will look at the theme: “Harmonising ICT Sub-Sectors Towards A Digitised Nigeria.” 

NITRA Chairman, Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, while commending the regulators for their support of the event and passion for the growth of technology in Nigeria, noted that the growth in the ICT industry will impact all other sectors of the economy positively. “Specifically, the Forum will offer stakeholders the opportunities of reassessing and reinvigorating some policies to make maximum impact in the growth of ICT in Nigeria. This is a growth conference, and stakeholders will be allowed to speak out on what the growth indices should be.” he said. 

Expected to be at the event include the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami; the EVC of the NCC, Prof Umar Garba Danbatta; the DG of NITDA, Mallam Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi, CEOs of other government and private ICT companies, the Media including the full membership of NITRA and other stakeholders in the industry, including COOs, CIOs, CFOs, CROs and CCOs. 

As part of the event, special recognition awards will be given to some industry players that have played strong roles in the growth of ICT in Nigeria, and still contributing to the development of the industry. 

The Awards will also be for those companies and individuals, who through their innovativeness have revolutionised the ecosystem they play in.

Professor Olugbenga calls for procurement of facilities to monitor immunological parameters in women

Success Damian: 

Professor Oladimeji Samuel Olugbenga, a Professor of Biochemistry (Endocrinology Immunology), in the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Lagos State University has called on relevant bodies to procure the facility that will enable gynecological hospitals to monitor the immunological parameters of those who seek assistance. 

Professor Olugbenga made the call while delivering the 81st Inaugural Lecture of the Lagos State University at the Buba Marwa Auditorium of the Campus in Ojo on Monday, October 25, 2021. 

He said “The way our human body is made, it has its own self mechanism, self correcting and so if we can have facility to monitor the immunological parameters it will aid a great deal what the medical people are doing in the various gynecological hospitals so that they will be able to assist the women the more because they can know that it is an immune problem that is affecting the hormone imbalance because you cannot just be treating the symptoms without looking at the root causes,” he said. 

The Inaugural Lecture was titled: ‘A Delicate Romance of Macromolecules of Immune Moiety, Biochemical Factors and Hormonal Indices That Guarantee Posterity’ 

Speaking on what necessitated his research into the topic of the lecture, he said “The academic world that we were introduced to is both administrative, academic and community service, so as part of our community service; we have seen the tremendous pressure women are put under. Some people don’t go into marriage until they see the pregnancy, they go from one man to another and from one woman to another woman, not actually interrogating what is the source of their problem and promiscuity has been the order of the day.

“So to have a scientific outline model by which you can check your status and know if you are reproductively sound, then you don’t have to subject yourself to bed to bed in search of pregnancy. So we saw that as a need and when we visited the hospitals we saw it as a challenge, because in the various gynecological hospitals women are there, sometimes the men are sleeping at home not really knowing that they have a contributing factor to what is the problem in the homes. But the attention is usually on the women because they are the ones who present themselves eventually for check-ups.” 

His solution to the problem of infertility “So we see that continuing with affordable search becomes something that can be more encouraging to the average Nigerian women, because many people don’t even think that some medicals are affordable to them, so they don’t even go near the hospital, so establishing this medicinal remedies and which can be properly interrogated and recommended, it becomes a reachable area for women to treat themselves of any form of discrepancy that is happening with their hormonal imbalance or happening with their immunology. You know the immunology is given by God to defend us from unwanted substances influences, but they turn against us when those substances that are negative to the body are not treated, that is why we call it auto-antibody, auto-immunity, so they turn against us because they keep defending themselves even in negative manner. I think this has been the story so far."

On his advice to medical practitioners in tackling the problem of infertility, he said “My advice is that medical practitioners should include checking on auto-antibody level along side, not just the hormonal profile, because what they do is do the hormonal profile, do the physical examination and at the end of the day a great number of them are tagged unexplained infertility and doctors are not God, they will just leave it at that, and said it is unexplained.

“But the way our human body is made, it has its own self mechanism, self correcting and so if we can have facility to monitor the immunological parameters it will aid a great deal what the medical people are doing in the various gynecological hospitals, so that they will be able to assist the women the more because they can know that, okay, it is an immune problem that is affecting the hormone imbalance because you cannot just be treating the symptoms without looking at the root causes.”

LASU matriculates 6,648 students, adopts 50% fee refund to students with 4.5 CGPA

Success Damian: 

Lagos Lagos State University (LASU) has matriculated 6,648 students even as the institution has also adopted a policy that guarantees 50% refund of school fees to students who consistently maintain a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.5 every session. 

The Vice Chancellor of LASU Prof. Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji- Bello made the disclosures at the 2020/2021 Matriculation ceremony of the institution which took place at the Buba Marwa Auditorium in Ojo, Lagos on Monday, October 25, 2021. 

Olatunji- Bello who was superintending over a matriculation ceremony of the institution for the first time as the 9th Substantive Vice Chancellor of LASU while congratulating the fresh students, said that the Lagos State University over the years has remained on the part of academic excellence and distinguished herself among comity of universities in Nigeria. 

Speaking on what the university will do to ensure welfare of the students she said, “The Lagos State University has what it takes to make you (the students) to succeed in your respective courses of study. Your welfare is top on our priority as we will ensure that learning environment remains conducive for learning. Your security in and around the university is paramount. This is why we have put in place adequate security measures. We have a well equipped university library for your use. 

"We will ensure steady power supply to enable those who wish to study at night to do so comfortably. In order to promote healthy competition, we have put in place a policy that guarantees fifty (50%) refund of school fees to university scholars. This is the category of students who consistently maintain a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.5 every session,” she added. 

Also speaking on the vision of the university to take the institution to another level she disclosed that she has concluded plans to make LASU the best university in West Africa and to establish micro factories where interested students can work and earn stipends “Our vision is to make the Lagos State University the best in West Africa, right now it is one of the universities in Ghana that is the best, but we are planning, by the grace of God by the year 2025 when I will be rounding off, Lagos State University will be the first in West Africa. “And we also have this policy of studentship employment for our students, to help with their welfare, because I have a plan to have some micro factories where the students can work and they will get stipend monthly,” Bello said. 

She assured the new and old students of the readiness of the academic and non-academic staff to mentor and assist them. “Our resourceful and diligent academic and non-teaching staff are always available and willing to mentor and assist you in becoming the best in your chosen careers. We have a Guidance and Counselling Unit where you can obtain professional advice on making the best out of life. We also have the Career Development Centre (LCDC) where you can be professionally advised on your career path and Directorate of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship where you can acquire new skills and enhance those you already possess,” she stated.

19th World Day Against Death Penalty: LEDAP, HURILAWS call for review of use of death penalty against Nigerian women

Cyriacus Nnaji

As the world marks the 19th Anniversary Against Death Penalty; the Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP) and Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS) have called for a review of the use of capital punishment in Nigeria, particularly against women.

In a press statement jointly signed by Pamela Okoroigwe for Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP) and Collins Okeke for Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS) the review has become necessary pending a wholesome reform of the nation’s criminal justice system to foster arrival at guilty verdicts devoid of reasonable doubts.

October 10 is the day set aside globally to advocate for the abolition of the death penalty. The theme for this year’s anniversary is “Women and the Death Penalty; an Invisible Reality”. This year’s event focuses on women who have been executed, sentenced to death, or have had their death sentences commuted, exonerated, or pardoned, while still drawing attention to the peculiarities and factors that predispose women to alleged crimes and weigh on their sentencing.

Gender based discrimination often coupled with other factors such as age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, and culture expose women to intersecting forms of structural inequalities and such prejudices can weigh heavily on sentencing. This discrimination can also lead to inadequate consideration of critical mitigating factors during arrest and trial, including the specific vulnerabilities of women and likely patterns of abuse and gender-based violence that could have been triggers. While working towards the complete abolition of the death penalty worldwide for all crimes and for all genders, it is crucial to caution against the discrimination women in Nigeria face and the impact of such discrimination on women in conflict with the law within our criminal justice system.

We reckon that in July 2021, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola issued a call on state governors to consider signing warrants of death row inmates in states across Nigeria as a way of decongesting the correctional facilities. LEDAP had in an earlier statement recommended that the country should rather focus on reducing the 74% of awaiting trial inmates in our correctional facilities than executing death row inmates as a decongestion measure.

 

LEDAP on behalf of all death row inmates in Nigeria filed a suit at the Federal High sitting in Abuja in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1169/2020 Nnenna Obi & Godwin Pius v Comptroller General of Prisons & 36 Governors seeking a declaration that the imposition of capital punishment infringes the right to dignity of human person and seeks a restraining order against the Comptroller General of Prisons and the 36 State Governors of Nigeria from executing death row inmates.

 

Marking the 19th World Day Against Death Penalty, HURILAWS and LEDAP organized a media parley soliciting support from media practitioners to advocate for the abolition of death penalty. The meeting enlightened participants on Nigeria’s domestic, regional, and international obligations regarding right to life and mobilized support against the use of death penalty in Nigeria.

Finally, we call on Federal and State Governments to announce an official moratorium on all executions in Nigeria until all inadequacies in our criminal justice system are addressed and to amend our laws that provide for death sentence and replace same with life imprisonment or a term of years.

 

Experts decry corruption, instability in West Africa, plots way out through language, literature

Success Damian: Language and linguistics experts have agreed that corruption and instability are twin evils winding backward the clock of socio-politico-economic development of West African Sub Region. This disclosure was made at the 2021 Conference of the West African Languages Congress (WALC) and the Linguistic Association of Nigeria (LAN) which took place at the Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos State, Nigeria on Monday, August 16, 2021. Speaking at the event, the Dean, Faculty of Arts, LASU, Prof. Tayo Ajayi referring to the theme of the event ‘Languages, Literatures and the challenges of instability and corruption in West Africa’ said corruption represents a threat ‘…to the stability and security of societies, undermining the institutions of democracy, ethical values and justice and jeopardizing sustainable development and rule of law’. He said politically, corruption undermines democracy and good governance and at the legislative level it reduces accountability and distorts representation in policymaking. Corruption in the judiciary, he said, compromises the rule of law and in the public service; it results in unequal distribution of resources. Ajayi continued “Corruption or perception of it destroys the legitimacy of government in the eyes of the public and this has contributed to instability. This is why corruption and embezzlement have always have been cited as reasons for military takeovers.” In his Presidential address, Professor Harrison Adeniyi, President, the Linguistics Association of Nigeria, maintained that the theme of the conference could not have come at a better time considering the myriads of challenges in the history of the sub-region. “The sub region has become a laughing stock in the comity of nations when it is very difficult for it to manage both its resources and differences reasonably well.” Adeniyi said despite the calamities that leaders have subjected the citizens to; the insatiable quest to remain in power without effective and efficient leadership still persisted. He continued “Not only that; the commonwealth of these nations are only in the hands of a few of the citizens. We have cases where some individuals are now richer that the state, while facilities and social amenities have depreciated. Leaders make deliberate efforts to cause disaffection among different communities in their countries. Thus members of each group have tended to identify themselves more with their ethnic group rather than with their country and loyalty to the ethnic group is often more important than loyalty to the state.” He said political parties formed in these countries have compounded their woes and misfortune, adding that whatever party that is in power tends to allocate huge resources to their strongholds and appoint people from their regions to strategic position to the detriment and annoyance of people from other regions, which undermines the unity and stability of these states and is sometimes the primary cause of internal conflicts. He maintained that it was against the above background that the linguistic and language experts both within and outside West African countries felt language has very crucial role to play in the stability and economic development of these nations thereby minimizing corruption. “Since language is central to all human activities, I therefore urge my colleagues to bring up solutions through their presentations on the theme and various subthemes that we have for this year’s conference to resolving the various crises of confidence and reducing the corruption levels that we have in West Africa.” Earlier, the Chief Host and Acting Vice Chancellor, LASU, Professor Oyedamola Oke, in his welcome address, stated that the 2021 WALC/LAN Conference provided a very unique opportunity for delegates who have come from across West Africa, to not only network, but also to proffer solutions to the twin problems of instability and corruption, with which the west African sub region has had to grapple with in the recent times. Oke asserted that the colonial language legacy inherited by West African countries have been largely responsible for a worldview that make the sub region more aware of the cultures, lifestyles, customs and beliefs of other people, particularly today among the youth population. “In a way, we are in the throes of an identity problem, and reminiscent of the Tower of Babel scenario, language, expected to bring us closer together, has fueled the growing dissonance between social groups, thus leaving behind rivalry and hate which are often exploited by certain interests to tear society apart. “Consequently any conversation on language and literature, therefore, must take cognizance of the fact that language and literature are social practices which provide insights into the socio-historical, political and economic conditions that produce them. In order words, in language is encoded the strategies that members of any society use to regulate and reproduce that society, to order and control it and transmit it to the next generation. Whatever culture, history, or legacy this generation wishes to bequeath to the next generation resides in our language.” He said the task before the august conference therefore must be seeking ways to change the language of instability and corruption in order to prevent the continued reproduction and perpetuation of its associated social practices. He continued, “As you actively interrogate the theme of this conference, it is expected that you will come up with a framework for a language policy that will not only guarantee free movement and peaceful coexistence in the West African sub region, but will also encourage the socio-economic, political and religious development of member countries.” Oke implored those visiting Lagos for the first time to take time to look around and enjoy the beauty of the aquatic city and the hospitality of the people of Lagos. Also present at the event was Prof Firmin Ahoua, President, WALC, among other eminent academic gurus in Language and Linguistic sphere, while the Keynote Speaker was Prof. Adams Bodomo, from University of Vienna, Austria.

Experts decry corruption, instability in West Africa, plots way out through language, literature

Success Damian:

Language and linguistics experts have agreed that corruption and instability are twin evils winding backward the clock of socio-politico-economic development of West African Sub Region. This disclosure was made at the 2021 Conference of the West African Languages Congress (WALC) and the Linguistic Association of Nigeria (LAN) which took place at the Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos State, Nigeria on Monday, August 16, 2021. Speaking at the event, the Dean, Faculty of Arts, LASU, Prof. Tayo Ajayi referring to the theme of the event ‘Languages, Literatures and the challenges of instability and corruption in West Africa’ said corruption represents a threat ‘…to the stability and security of societies, undermining the institutions of democracy, ethical values and justice and jeopardizing sustainable development and rule of law’. He said politically, corruption undermines democracy and good governance and at the legislative level it reduces accountability and distorts representation in policymaking. Corruption in the judiciary, he said, compromises the rule of law and in the public service; it results in unequal distribution of resources. Ajayi continued “Corruption or perception of it destroys the legitimacy of government in the eyes of the public and this has contributed to instability. This is why corruption and embezzlement have always have been cited as reasons for military takeovers.” In his Presidential address, Professor Harrison Adeniyi, President, the Linguistics Association of Nigeria, maintained that the theme of the conference could not have come at a better time considering the myriads of challenges in the history of the sub-region. “The sub region has become a laughing stock in the comity of nations when it is very difficult for it to manage both its resources and differences reasonably well.” Adeniyi said despite the calamities that leaders have subjected the citizens to; the insatiable quest to remain in power without effective and efficient leadership still persisted. He continued “Not only that; the commonwealth of these nations are only in the hands of a few of the citizens. We have cases where some individuals are now richer that the state, while facilities and social amenities have depreciated. Leaders make deliberate efforts to cause disaffection among different communities in their countries. Thus members of each group have tended to identify themselves more with their ethnic group rather than with their country and loyalty to the ethnic group is often more important than loyalty to the state.” He said political parties formed in these countries have compounded their woes and misfortune, adding that whatever party that is in power tends to allocate huge resources to their strongholds and appoint people from their regions to strategic position to the detriment and annoyance of people from other regions, which undermines the unity and stability of these states and is sometimes the primary cause of internal conflicts. He maintained that it was against the above background that the linguistic and language experts both within and outside West African countries felt language has very crucial role to play in the stability and economic development of these nations thereby minimizing corruption. “Since language is central to all human activities, I therefore urge my colleagues to bring up solutions through their presentations on the theme and various subthemes that we have for this year’s conference to resolving the various crises of confidence and reducing the corruption levels that we have in West Africa.” Earlier, the Chief Host and Acting Vice Chancellor, LASU, Professor Oyedamola Oke, in his welcome address, stated that the 2021 WALC/LAN Conference provided a very unique opportunity for delegates who have come from across West Africa, to not only network, but also to proffer solutions to the twin problems of instability and corruption, with which the west African sub region has had to grapple with in the recent times. Oke asserted that the colonial language legacy inherited by West African countries have been largely responsible for a worldview that make the sub region more aware of the cultures, lifestyles, customs and beliefs of other people, particularly today among the youth population. “In a way, we are in the throes of an identity problem, and reminiscent of the Tower of Babel scenario, language, expected to bring us closer together, has fueled the growing dissonance between social groups, thus leaving behind rivalry and hate which are often exploited by certain interests to tear society apart. “Consequently any conversation on language and literature, therefore, must take cognizance of the fact that language and literature are social practices which provide insights into the socio-historical, political and economic conditions that produce them. In order words, in language is encoded the strategies that members of any society use to regulate and reproduce that society, to order and control it and transmit it to the next generation. Whatever culture, history, or legacy this generation wishes to bequeath to the next generation resides in our language.” He said the task before the august conference therefore must be seeking ways to change the language of instability and corruption in order to prevent the continued reproduction and perpetuation of its associated social practices. He continued, “As you actively interrogate the theme of this conference, it is expected that you will come up with a framework for a language policy that will not only guarantee free movement and peaceful coexistence in the West African sub region, but will also encourage the socio-economic, political and religious development of member countries.” Oke implored those visiting Lagos for the first time to take time to look around and enjoy the beauty of the aquatic city and the hospitality of the people of Lagos. Also present at the event was Prof Firmin Ahoua, President, WALC, among other eminent academic gurus in Language and Linguistic sphere, while the Keynote Speaker was Prof. Adams Bodomo, from University of Vienna, Austria.

LASU wins again as Court rules in favour of university's decision

Success Damian:

The National Industrial Court has ruled in favour of the Lagos State University in a case involving the institution and Dr. Udegbe Scholastica Ebarefimia, a former Lecturer in the Department of Business Administration and Management Technology, Faculty of Management Sciences.

Dr. Udegbe was dismissed in 2017 from the service of the Lagos State University by the University Governing Council for alteration of marks.

In a virtual delivery of judgement on the case referenced SUIT NO: NICN/LA/596/17: Dr. Udegbe Scholastica Ebarefimia vs Lagos State University & ANOR, Honourable Justice Ogbuanya noted that the defendant - Lagos State University (LASU) followed due process in all the steps taken leading to the dismissal of Dr. Udegbe Scholastica Ebarefimia.

Further, that the University's decision to dismiss the claimant (Dr. Udegbe) is also upheld by the Court; that there was NO MERIT in the claims of Dr. Udegbe (the Claimant) made against the University.

The Court also directed that the University should carry out some directives without further delay. 

 

 

 

 

Professor Okwa tasks government on effective control of parasites, malaria

Cyriacus Nnaji

Adequate funding, provision of cost effective drugs have been advocated as parts of measures government must take to ensure the successful control of parasites and malaria in the country.

Professor Omolade Olayinka Okwa, Professor of Parasitology, Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Science, made this known as the 79th Inaugural Lecturer of the Lagos State University (LASU). She spoke on the topic ‘Parasites: The Unwelcomed and Ungrateful Stranger; the Battle Line’

While delivering her lecture on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at Buba Marwa Auditorium, Ojo Campus, Professor Okwa said “To facilitate research in malaria and NTDs along with the WHO/NTDS road map, adequate funds should be provided in the health sector. There are basic and fundamental research problems requiring little funds and gadgetry which are crying out to be solved. Health funds must be continually increased and funds from international donor agencies should be properly monitored, follow up, accounted for and not diverted.”

She also maintained that cost effective drugs is one sure way of combating parasites ‘It is the government’s responsibility to execute mass drug administration to endemic areas and this should be carried out efficiently. The rural populace in remote endemic rural areas should be of top priority.  Antiparasitic drugs such as anti-protozoa (e.g. Metronidazole (Flagyl), Tinidazole), anti-helminthic (e.g. Ivermectin, albendazole, thiabendazole, Pyrantel pamoate) should be at the reach of the poor. Fortunately, most of these drugs are broad spectrum drugs and their use appears as the most cost-effective means of treating and controlling many parasitic infections.” 

She further tasked government on clear cut health policies and interventions, saying that it is compulsory for the government to be aware of the relevance of parasitology to man and his health.  She said that the same energy used to create awareness for COVID-19 will come a long way in curbing malaria and NTDs. The social media, radio, television should also incorporate information about parasitic diseases in their information and news schedules

Okwa added that environmental sanitation should be everybody’s business as it will go a long way to control parasites. “The monthly environmental sanitation and market sanitation should be sustained and monitored.  There should be efforts to stop open defecation, water control from feacal contamination and improved conditions of living.” 

 Still on what government should do to control malaria, Okwa made some other recommendations saying “In malaria control, mosquitoes are the weak link in the chain so the destruction of their larvae habitats, improved drainage systems, clearing out water ways, proper sewage systems should be of high priority.  Education of the populace on mosquito breeding and habitats should include clearing bushes, cleaning drainages and open gutters, destruction and removal of containers, plants, tires, sachets, and anything that can hold water. 

“It is important for the Nigerian government to key into the W.H.O goals and other malaria control agencies such as Roll back malaria (RBM), Action and investment to defeat malaria (AIM), Malaria No More (MNM) and CDC.  There is a need to meet up with neglected interruptions associated with malaria in this COVID-19 era.

“The most effective way to prevent a disease is by vaccination which stimulates the host protective immune response. A malaria vaccine produced by the University of Oxford team has proved to be 78% effective in early trials and could be a major breakthrough against malaria. This R21 vaccine is the first to reach the W.H. O’s goal of at least 75% efficacy. When trialed among 450 children in Burkina Faso, the vaccine was found to be safe, and showed "high-level efficacy" over 12 months of follow-up. The trials of this malaria vaccine started in 2019, long before coronavirus appeared - and the Oxford team developed its COVID vaccine (with AstraZeneca) on the strength of its research into malaria vaccines,” she stated.

She maintained that the R21 vaccine should be welcomed in Nigeria. Then, the government can create awareness on the need for children as a vulnerable group to be vaccinated against malaria just as the interventions and awareness made for COVID-19.
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Her recommendations to individuals on Malaria prevention include avoiding malariogenic activities.  She encouraged sleeping  in well ventilated rooms or under insecticide treated mosquito nets and wearing of protective clothing. “Screen your doors and windows and use safe insecticides or mosquito repellants. Objects, excavations, plants, empty soft drink bottles and anything that can hold water must be eliminated in homes. Water storage containers in homes should always be covered and dispose unused ones. Place useful containers upside down under a roof or seal with a tight cover. Change frequently water troughs of domestic animals and garden flower pots in homes. Keep trash cans tightly sealed and drill a hole at the bottom in order not to retain water that may serve as breeding sites. 

“Tree hole-fillings must be carried out regularly and fill up eroded soils, natural depressions, excavations and empty rain-filled receptacles around the home. Swimming pools in homes should not be left unused and untreated. Drainage systems, ditches, and gutters must not be dumped with waste to avoid clogging, thereby making them stagnant for mosquitoes to breed. Outdoor pyrethrum spraying of domestic animal shelters, garages, and outdoor latrines is essential and spraying oil on stagnant pools to kill mosquito aquatic stages. The use of larvicides such as Paris green, application of petroleum oils on surfaces of stagnant water is recommended because it asphyxiates the larvae stages of mosquitoes.

Earlier defined two major terms which threw more light on the topic of the day and consequently ensure that her audience understood the topic better.                                          

The first was to define a Zoologist. She said “I am a proud Zoologist with specialization in Parasitology. Zoology is the branch of biology that deals with the study of animals in all aspects of life. Zoologists are lovers of animals and so a Zoologist is a person that studies animals in all ramifications and in relation to their environment.

Quoting Otubanjo (2007) she defined Parasitology as an aspect of symbiology, which deals with the study of parasites. It is the study of the biology of parasites and their interactions with their hosts (Cox, 2004). “Parasitology is synonymous with Medical Zoology or Sanitary Zoology and combines medical and ecological science which encompasses the study of parasites and the diseases they cause. It emphasizes classification of parasites, identification and elucidation of their life cycles and factors affecting their distribution thus gaining insights into their prevention and control.”