Education
“Enough is enough,” Buhari tells striking varsity teachers
“Enough is enough,” Buhari tells striking varsity teachers
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday called on ASUU members to reconsider their position on the ongoing strike, saying “enough is enough.’’
The union began the strike on Feb. 14.
The president expressed worry that the strike would have generational consequences on families, the educational system and the future development of the country.
Malam Garba Shehu, his media aide, stated that Buhari made the call when he received some governors, legislators and political leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at his residence in Daura, Katsina State.
The visitors were in Daura to pay Sallah homage to the president.
Buhari noted that the strike had already taken a toll on the psychology of parents, students and other stakeholders, throwing up many moral issues begging for attention.
He noted also that Nigeria’s future rested on the quality of education.
He assured also that the government understood the union’s position, but that negotiation should continue with students in lecture halls.
“We hope that ASUU will sympathise with the people on the prolonged strike. Truly, enough is enough for keeping students at home. Don’t hurt the next generation for goodness sake,’’ he said.
The president called on all well-meaning Nigerians, particularly those close to ASUU leaders and members to persuade the lecturers to reconsider their position and its effect on an entire generation and the nation.
According to Buhari, Nigerian students will be faced with the challenge of competing with others in technology-driven workspaces.
Keeping them at home, he argued, only deprived them of time, skill and opportunities to be relevant on the global stage.
“Colonial type education was geared towards producing workers in government. Those jobs are no longer there.
“Our young people should get an education to prepare them for self-employment. Now education is for the sake of education.
“Through technology, we are much more efficient. We should encourage our children to get an education not only to look for government jobs,’’ he stressed.
Buhari said resources should be channelled more into building infrastructure and operations of the health and educational sectors, not to expand the bureaucracy to create job opportunities.
“By this time next year, I would have made the most out of the two terms, and in the remaining months I will do my best,’’ the President assured.
He urged those in political positions and places of privilege to be mindful in helping the many Nigerians that were looking for opportunities.
“If you are greedy, you won’t look around to see what is happening with those who are less-endowed,’’ Buhari noted.
The president told his guests that he had not been to his house in Daura for close to a year because of the demands of the office.
“The observation that I abandoned my base was made by the Emir of Daura, Dr Faruk Umar Faruk, at the Eid prayer ground.
“He held the microphone and told everyone that the last time I was in Daura was during the Eid-el-Kabir of 2021,’’ he mused.
President Buhari said he would retire to Daura and not Kaduna, where he has a better house.
“In 10 to 11 months; time, I will come here (Daura). I have a better house in Kaduna, but it is too close to Abuja,’’ he said.
The president explained that his work schedule was so heavy that he sympathised with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, who had to be away from his family most of the time.
He urged the APC stalwarts to keep working for the good of the people and that of the country.
“ We are lucky people. We need to reflect more on where we are coming from,’’ h said.
The president said relative to the resources available, and compared to the preceding administration, the government had done well in many areas, particularly in infrastructure.
“I wish the person who is coming after me the very best,” he said.
On security, the president said the Northwest had posed more challenges, while some success had been recorded in other regions; the Northeast and South-South.
Buhari also admonished agitators in the South-South to stop vandalising national assets, an action which, he said, also affected their livelihoods.
“I am eager to go. I can tell you it has been tough. I am grateful to God that people appreciate the personal sacrifices we have been making,’’ he said.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Kebbi’s Gov. Abubakar Bagudu, thanked the president for his leadership role in improving the nation’s economy and the many successes recorded by the APC.
According to him, such successes include two conventions to produce the party leadership and the presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We will work hard to ensure the success of our party. We have reasons to work very hard,’’ he stressed.
He noted that favourable weather conditions supported the vision of ensuring food production and making agriculture a priority with clear results in rice pyramids in various states.
“In spite of attacks by renegades, our country remains self-sufficient in food production. We have seen investments that were not there before you (Buhari) came into power.
“Not less than 20 states now have agriculture processing zones. We have rice pyramids in Ekiti, Gombe and Niger state, while maize pyramids were revived in Katsina and Kano states,’’ he said.
He added that more than 54 rice meals were inaugurated in various states, and 57 fertiliser plants were revived or built afresh.
“All these were achieved because of your commitment and patriotism,’’ the governor told Buhari.
Bagudu also appreciated the president for providing ease of access to governors and political leaders, noting that the opening of the National Economic Council for a more fluid exchange of ideas greatly helped in improving the economy.
APC governors at the lunch were Aminu Masari of Katsina State; Malam Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, Hope Uzodinma of Imo, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa and Abubakar Bello of Niger.
Others were Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Simon Lalong of Plateau and Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi.
“Enough is enough,” Buhari tells striking varsity teachers
Borno State University admits first set of medical students
By: Bodunrin Kayode
Borno State University has matriculated its first set of medical students in its five years of academic history.
Making his remarks during the fifth matriculation of the institution recently, the Vice Chancellor (VC) Professor Umar Sandabe stated that during the 2022/2023 academic session, the University applied to the National Universities Commission (NUC) to establish Bachelor of Medicine and surgery (MBBS).
The fifth matriculation also had an array of students for the course of Doctor of Physiotherapy, Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of medical laboratory Science (BMLS), Bachelor of Radiography and Bachelor of health information management systems (BHIMS).
Other courses approved by the Senate included, Bachelor of Arts in history and Bachelor of Arts in Arabic, the Bachelor of science Biochemistry and the institution of Education.
The VC said that 2,400 students were admitted with 174 coming in through direct entry while jamb admitted 2226 from Borno and all the states of the Federation.
A break down of those who matriculated include 88 with the faculty of Agriculture, 774 in science, 631 Arts and education 527 with management science and 380 in the College of health sciences.
The outgoing VC used the occasion to announce that the institution has graduated its first set of 510 graduates who are already collecting their statement of results pending departure to the national youth service Corp (nysc).
Sandabe said that the University has completed and commissioned the mass communication studio which would give rise to the launch of its radio station soonest.
Other structures completed are the College of Health sciences and its being furnished and some lecture halls which will soon be commissioned.
On accommodations, he said that a new female hostel is been built to complement the existing one in a bid to accommodate more students on campus to ease their burdens on where to stay during sessions.
“At the temporary library site, we started with zero book and the library is now boasting with about 18,000 books with 700 volumes of journals with a very robust e-library with six data bases” said Sandabe.
Borno State University admits first set of medical students
ECOWAS Insists Women, Children Need to be Involved in Peace Building in West Africa
By: Michael Mike
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has insisted that women, children and youth must be involved in the search of peace and security in the West African region.
The Director Humanitarian and Social Affairs, ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Sintiki Tarfa-Ugbe, said it would be difficult to address the challenges of insecurity and violence in the region without these set of people because they are mostly affected.
Tarfa-Ugbe spoke in Abuja at the 2024 First Annual meeting of the ECOWAS Women Peace and Security Regional Steering Group with the theme: “Sustaining the momentum towards monitoring and reporting on women, peace, and security agenda using the continental results framework (CRF).”
She decried that for long the issue of security and peace have been left in the hands of other people while the women, children and youth have been silent, insisting that “it is time for their voices to be heard.”
Tarfa-Ugbe said: “For us as ECOWAS Commission, peace and security is an important pillar of development. And we can’t talk about peace and security without women and children and the youth.
“Part of our work as ECOWAS Commission is to continue to promote the inclusivity of women, children and youth in the peace and security and stability agender of the region.
“We are here with representatives of the 15 members state to report to us on what they are doing and what are the challenges and how we can consolidate on addressing the peace and security issues.
“We don’t want the agenda to be dominated by people who are not affected by the issues.
“Women and children are the ones who are affected by the issue, we want their voices to be heard on the table.
She claimed that the various representations shows how important the meeting was.
The Director said: “Today you can see that the Commissioner Human Development and Social Affairs, Prof. Sarr, as the representative of the ECOWAS President is here and also the Minister for Women Affairs and Social Development, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye representing the Nigerian government.
“And you know Nigeria is the Chair of ECOWAS and she has demonstrated that she’s ready to push the agenda but not push the agenda as policy talk but an action talk and we will continue that engagement with the members state and Nigeria moving forwar.
On her part, Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr, Commissioner, Human Development and Social Affairs said the meeting is of critical importance as women play fundamental role in ensuring the sustainability of peace processes and resolutions of conflict.
She said that the meeting is meant to help restrategise and plan for the future
Sarr said: “As we gather here, we are reminded of the critical importance of advancing the women, peace and security agenda in our region, with the understanding that peace and security are fundamental pillar for development and prosperity, and women play an indispensable role in ensuring the sustainability of peace processes and resolutions of conflict.
“In this workshop, we aim not only to exchange knowledge and experience but also to strategize and plan for the future. The continental results framework provide us with a roadmap, a guiding light towards achieving our collective goals in advancing the agenda by aligning our efforts with this framework, we can enhance coordination, cooperation and accountability across Ecowas member states in implementing the WPS agenda
“We must recognize that achieving meaningful progress requires concerted action at all levels from grass roots communities to regional and continental institutions as such, today we have the opportunity to dialogue share knowledge and further build our capacity to overcome challenges and capitalize on opportunities in advancing the women peace and security agenda.
“Ladies and gentlemen you will all agree that together we represent a diverse array of backgrounds expertise and perspective, it is this diversity that will enrich our discussion and enable us to explore innovative approach to strategies and address the challenges ahead as we embark on this journey together let us remain mindful of the significance of our task and reaffirm our commitment to promoting the meaningful participation of women in decisions Glenda perspective into all aspects of peace and security initiatives
“The stakes are high but so is our determination let us harness the collective energy and commitment in this room to drive real tangible progress towards a more peaceful inclusive and equitable region for all.”
Nigeria’s Minister for Women Affairs and Social Development, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, on her part, said the present government is ready to work on past policies to improve women situation in the country.
She lamented what women and children are made to face in the country especially in the way their issues are treated by the police, adding that the time has come to change the narrative.
ECOWAS Insists Women, Children Need to be Involved in Peace Building in West Africa
France Expresses Willingness to Collaborate in Developing Art in Nigeria
By: Michael Mike
French Government has shown interest in the Nigerian art industry, expressing it willingness to collaborate with Nigeria in all areas of art.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Nike Art Gallery exhibition, titled “Harmony in Diversity,” at the Lycée Français Marcel Pagnol (French School) in Abuja at the weekend, the Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of France to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Jean Francois Hasperue said Nigeria has great potentials in all fields of art and was already a force to recognize with globally.
He said: “We have already a lot of collaboration between artists. Nigerian artists and the French embassy. We are supporting and promoting artists in Lagos through different programmes.”
Hasperue noted the French government was willing to assist in nurturing young artists in Nigerian in order to help them to start their activities and to be well known .
He said the French Embassy in Nigeria has been connecting French artists and their Nigerian counterparts by inviting them to France to some festivals in very different kind of a field of art be it cinema, animation, e-sports as well paintings.
He disclosed that France has different range of activities and partnership with Nigeria in art.
The envoy stated that Nigeria has no limitation in art, insisting that: “Nigerians are great artists to be honest and they have proven it in the art market world wide. They are quite at a high level.”
He commended the Lycée Français Marcel Pagnol (French School) in Abuja for its collaboration with the Nike Art Gallery, noting that this signifies all that France stands for in the area of art, developing young talents.
In his opening speech, the school principal, Mr. Alain Chassard eloquently underscored the significance of the exhibition in fostering cultural exchange and collaboration between the French school and Nike Art Gallery.
He commended the tireless efforts undertaken to familiarize students with Nigerian art, including immersive guided tours of the Abuja gallery, and expressed heartfelt gratitude to all who contributed to the realization of the cultural extravaganza.
France Expresses Willingness to Collaborate in Developing Art in Nigeria
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