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Embrace Artificial Intelligence with ethics, VC urges Nigerians
Embrace Artificial Intelligence with ethics, VC urges Nigerians
By:Michael Mike
The Vice-Chancellor of African School of Economics (The Pan African University of Excellence), Prof. Mahfouz Adedimeji, has urged Africans in general and Nigerians in particular to embrace Artificial Intelligence while cautioning that it is must be used ethically.
Prof. Adedimeji made this submission in his address, “The Past is Present, The Present is Now”, delivered at the maiden Public Lecture of the university held on Thursday, January 30, 2024. The theme of the lecture, delivered by the Managing Director and CEO of Galaxy Backbone Limited, an agency of the Federal Government, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, was “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Higher Education in Africa”.
According to the two-time Vice-Chancellor, humanity today stands precariously at the brink of a precipice with fascinating and disruptive technologies that can be used to make life easy and abused to commit atrocities. He described Artificial Intelligence, once a subject of science fiction, as a current reality that permeates various facets of our lives, with its potential in education being amazing, adding that it is part of the past that is still present and it is an innovation that will still shape the future and the future is here already.
“With AI, it is possible for each student to receive personalised instruction. We can also analyse vast amounts of data and gain insights into how each student learns best, meaning that a one-size-fits-all model of education may no longer be applicable or sustainable. AI opens new doors to customised learning experience that nurtures each student’s potential. With instructional tools, education can be more dynamic, engaging and interactive, sparking curiosity, igniting creative thinking and fostering a love for lifelong learning,” he said.
He also noted the indispensable roles of AI in facilitating access to education. “We know that AI can facilitate global access to quality education, the fourth Sustainable Development Goal, and bring world-class resources to remote and underserved areas, thereby breaking down geographical barriers and democratising access to knowledge. Students anywhere can also have access to the same cutting-edge materials and expert instruction available somewhere, leveling the playing field like never before. The opportunities are limitless,” he stressed.
Nevertheless, he warned against its abuse, arguing that while Africans embark on the exciting journey that AI offers, there is a need for protocol, policies and frameworks the safeguard those values that are dear to us from being eroded, so that technology one day does not become our master, controlling and misleading us. He added that the tail should not wag the dog and humans should always be in charge, not that we should allow technology to control us.
He illustrated the need for ethical use of AI with the situation encountered in the 2004 American film, “I, Robot”, which stars Will Smith. He said the film futuristically portrays intelligent robots filling up public service positions with a smart but technophobic cop investigating a crime that might have been perpetrated by a robot, which eventually constitutes a threat to humanity. He noted that there is ultimately a deadly class between smart robots and humans in the film portraying the threat to humans that created them.
Prof. Adedimeji further used the occasion to invite applicants to the University, which he described as a convention university that offers twenty academic programmes in Arts, Social Sciences, Science and Computing as well as Allied Health Sciences at the undergraduate level. He added that his university also runs approved postgraduate programmes in Economics, Public Administration, Business Administration as well as Finance and Management.
Embrace Artificial Intelligence with ethics, VC urges Nigerians
2026 teachers’ summit: Zulum stands in for NGF chair, commends FG for NELFUND
By: Michael Mike
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, on Monday, attended the National Teachers’ Summit held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he stood in for the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).
Governor Zulum commended the Federal Government for its strategic investments in education, citing the positive impact of Students Loan Scheme, the strengthening of key educational institutions, and the upward review of salaries for federal university teachers as evidence of a clear policy direction aimed at revitalising the sector.
The Governor reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to educational development and human capital advancement in Borno State.
The summit, convened by the Federal Ministry of Education, provided a strategic platform to review the state of Nigeria’s education sector, strengthen policy implementation, and formally launch “Edu Revamp”, a platform to enhance teacher capacity, utilise digital tools for 21st-century skills, and foster collaboration to improve learning outcomes.
About 12 exemplary teachers were honoured for their outstanding service to the nation. Six teachers—one from each of the six geopolitical zones—from the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB), alongside six secondary school teachers, received cash awards of ₦25 million each. The Overall Best Teacher award was presented to Mr Solanke Francis Taiwo, who received a cash prize of ₦50 million.
Governor Zulum commended the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for hosting the maiden National Teachers’ Summit at the Presidential Villa, describing the initiative as a clear demonstration of the Federal Government’s prioritisation of education.
He particularly applauded her sustained advocacy for girl-child education and her support through scholarships and grants that continue to reduce barriers to educational access for vulnerable Nigerians.
He also praised the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Olatunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, for their focused and reform-driven leadership.
2026 teachers’ summit: Zulum stands in for NGF chair, commends FG for NELFUND
News
Kyari Urges Fairer Global Trade Rules as Nigeria Participates in Cocoa Beyond Borders Conference in UK
Kyari Urges Fairer Global Trade Rules as Nigeria Participates in Cocoa Beyond Borders Conference in UK
By: Our Reporter
Nigeria is participating in the Cocoa Beyond Borders 2026 Conference in the United Kingdom, joining global policymakers, industry leaders, financiers, and farmer representatives to examine power imbalances and compliance challenges in the global cocoa sector.
Delivering a keynote address, Senator Abubakar Kyari, CON, Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security of Nigeria, challenged existing trade and compliance regimes, stating that cocoa-producing nations “must not remain rule-takers in a system where the rules are made without their meaningful input.”
Speaking within the conference theme, “Rules Without Recourse? Navigating Compliance, Power, and Trade Justice in the Cocoa Sector,” the Minister warned that sustainability frameworks would fail if they undermine farmer livelihoods and national sovereignty, stressing that “compliance cannot be just if it weakens producer economies while protecting markets elsewhere.”
Senator Kyari also cautioned against the weaponisation of ESG and environmental regulations as non-tariff barriers, noting that climate action must advance alongside fairness and equity in global trade.
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to reclaiming value across the cocoa supply chain, emphasising the need for producing countries to move beyond raw exports to processing, branding, and greater market influence, while calling for stronger producer-led alliances to reshape global cocoa governance.
The two-day conference is examining ESG compliance, digital traceability, climate finance, price volatility, and the future of cocoa innovation, positioning cocoa as a strategic asset in global trade justice.
Kyari Urges Fairer Global Trade Rules as Nigeria Participates in Cocoa Beyond Borders Conference in UK
Armed robbery foiled by Bauchi Police, three suspects arrested in Bauchi
By: Zagazola Makama
Three persons were arrested following a foiled armed robbery along the Bauchi–Gombe Federal Highway in Kirfi Local Government Area of Bauchi State on Jan. 26.
Sources said the incident occurred at about 12:16 a.m. when armed robbers blocked the road near Kalajanga Hamlet via Bara Village.
Officers on routine patrol responded promptly, engaging the hoodlums and forcing them to abandon their operation and flee into the surrounding bush.
The trail of the robbers led authorities to the house of one Nasiru Ibrahim of Saddiya Hamlet, where two of his children, Isya Nasiru, 20, and Umar Nasiru, 18, were also arrested in connection with the case.
Recovered items included two sticks, a touch light, three bags, a local bullet-proof shirt, face masks, two pairs of shoes, an Oppo android phone, and several local charms.
Sources say Investigations are ongoing.
Armed robbery foiled by Bauchi Police, three suspects arrested in Bauchi
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