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MoU: UNILAG set to teach Spanish language in 2023

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MoU: UNILAG set to teach Spanish language in 2023

MoU: UNILAG set to teach Spanish language in 2023

The University of Lagos says plans are at an advanced stage to begin the teaching of Spanish language in the institution in January 2023.

The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, gave the hint during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Juan Sell, on Friday in Lagos.

According to him, the MoU is the beginning of many more programmes that are springing up in the university.
He noted that with the development, the institution was moving to the space of ‘universities without borders’.

Ogundipe said that the move would also attract more foreign students and lecturers to the 60-year-old university.

He said that there were about 10 foreign students currently studying in the institution.

“As you know, presently, we teach various foreign languages in this university, such as Chinese, German, French and Russian, and now, we are introducing the study of Spanish.

“At the initial stage, it will be a short programme, but at the end of the day, we are going to run a degree programme on that. And that is why we remain the university of first choice and the nation’s pride.

“This is a cosmopolitan university and I am glad that today, we have three ambassadors who are part of the signing.

“By next yearJanuary, we shall be having voluntary lecturers from Spain, coming to Nigeria to teach our students in the area of Spanish language and I am very excited about this development.

“I also want to state that with this development, we are moving steadily to the space of universities without border,” the don said.

Ogundipe, the outgoing 12th vice chancellor of the university, said that with the development, lecturers from Mexico or Spain or any of the Spanish-speaking countries could also engage the students virtually.

He assured that the university’s virtual platform was in top shape for the purpose.

Ogundipe said that this would enable students from the university spending a year or two at the undergraduate level, to move to either Spain or Mexico, to round off the degree programme.

According to him, with this, such student will have two degree programmes or programmes in two courses.

“So, we are moving to an era where there will be no more boundaries between one university or the other, irrespective of their locations globally, and we run programmes together and even conduct examinations together.

“I believe strongly too that the number of foreign students will soon be on the increase.

I have this conviction because before now, accommodation has always been a great challenge in the institution in particular, and Lagos in general.

“This has constituted a lay back to these students, but with what is currently on ground, which in the next three months we are going to accomplish, it will change the story.

“We are about having a state -of -the -art international students’ hostel attracted to the university by Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“And by the time we open that up, definitely, it is going to attract more of these foreign students, at least in the next one year.

“They will know that this is already provided for and so, they will have nothing to fear,” Ogundipe stated.

The vice chancellor said that the university was also looking at the possibility of having discounted students’ fee for foreign students from West African countries.

On his part, Amb. Sell said that the country was already running some exchange programmes with Nigeria, basically those organised by the European Union, the Spanish Women for Africa Foundation and Learn Africa, among others.

He said that the MoU with the university would enable his country to send lecturers in Spanish language or a Chair in Spanish.

“We are first going to send a professor in Spanish that will work within the university, having signed an MoU on that in the Faculty of Arts, Department of Foreign Language and Integrated Studies.

“That will be the seed for the teaching of Spanish language here. Of course, he will start teaching that from the very moment he lands at the airport.

“This is going to bring the two countries closer together, as well as our universities. All we are striving to do is to bring people of the two nations very much closer together.

“And this is very important. Spanish is not only being owned by Spain and that is why we have the Amb. of Mexico and that of Equatorial Guinea here with me.

“Spanish is spoken all over the world by over 500 million people, across 20 nations. Some of them, just across the Atlantic, kind of your neighbours.

“And so, we want the language to be widely acceptable and learnt even here in Nigeria,” he said.

He said that the signing of the MoU coincided with the celebration of his country’s national day, which comes up on Oct. 15, noting that the two occasions were of great significance to him.
Alfredo Miranda, the Mexican Ambassador to Nigeria, expressed joy over the signing of the MoU with the university, noting that it was also his first visit to the institution.

“It is an important moment for us, I am glad to be here to be part of this auspicious occasion.

“I was invited by my colleague, the Ambassador of Spain, because as he said, Mexico has 120 million Spanish-speaking people, making it the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world.

“Having our lecturers here will open up possibilities to invite more people coming from different Latin American countries and, therefore, benefit from the various academic programmes that will be involved; not only the language, but also our culture and activities.

“It will also provide a platform that would enable them know what we are doing as a people, because the most important thing in the world right now is the fact that people across divides are now seeking to learn and benefit from each other in various aspects,” Miranda said.

MoU: UNILAG set to teach Spanish language in 2023

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2 DIVISION COMMAND SECONDARY SCHOOLS HOLD QUIZ, DEBATE COMPETITION 2024/2025 ACADEMIC SESSION

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2 DIVISION COMMAND SECONDARY SCHOOLS HOLD QUIZ, DEBATE COMPETITION 2024/2025 ACADEMIC SESSION

By: Polycarp Okoye

Headquarters (HQ), 2 Division Nigerian Army (NA), organised quiz and debate competition for Command Secondary Schools within 2 Division Area of Responsibility (AOR) for 2024/2025 academic session. The event was held at the Division’s Auditorium from, Monday 18 – Thursday 21 November, 2024. It afforded participating schools and students the opportunity to compete amongst themselves, featuring varied questions from different academic fields, including Information Communication Technology (ICT), current affairs and general Knowledge.

While declaring the one week event open, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division Nigerian Army (NA), Major General Obinna Onubogu, noted that exposing students to quiz and debate competitions amidst their academic activities, remains a major driving factor that challenges their thinking mechanism, while redoubling developmental processes with appropriate and effective career prospects for achieving desired result. He said that, quizzes and debates, are empirically proven to reinvigorate continuous and effective education system that give students a break from the normal traditional classroom learning, and prepare them to excell in practical and realistic circumstances. He added that the academic competitions would serve as strong interactive and motivational platform for students to imbibe team spirit, acquire knowledge, and embolden their speech and communication skills.

General Onubogu, further said, that the competition was aimed at exposing students to critical thinking, and make them appreciate the importance of extensive research for improved innovation and intelligence. “This event, is therefore another forum through which schools can expand their students’ frontier of knowledge; making them even famous amongst their peers”, he said. He implored all students to utilise the opportunity to develope themselves, and as well earn glory to their respective schools and families.

The GOC, expressed deep appreciation to the Acting Chief of Army Staff (Ag COAS) Lieutenant General Olufemi Oloyede, for his unwavering support towards the competition; while applauding the Director, 2 Division Education Services (DDES), Colonel AO Sofoluwe, as well as teachers and organisers of the event for their priceless contributions to human capacity development. He
urged the panel of judges to be fair and firm in order to ensure a balanced, honest and realistic result.

The participating students at the competition, represented Command Secondary Schools (CDSS) Odogbo, Mokola, Akure and Ijebu – Ode. Others were, CDSS Ede, Esan – Ekiti, Saki, and Ibadan. Students in the senior category, competed in English language, Mathematics, Phisics, Chemistry, Biology, General paper, and current affairs; while those in the junior category, slogged it out in English language, Mathematics, Basic Science, Basic Technology, Agricultural Science, General knowledge, and current affairs. After three days of intense intellectual battle, winners in the different categories emerged.

For the junior category, CDSS Akure and Ijebu – Ode came 3rd and 2nd runner ups with 139.95 and 141.1 points respectively; while CDSS Ede came first with 143.65 points. In the senior category, CDSS Mokola and Odogbo finished 3rd and 2nd positions, with 73.61 and 73.70 percentages respectively; while CDSS Saki, took the day with 77.50 percent. Winners in the two categories were duly rewarded with appropriate trophies, awards, and cash prices to motivate them, and increase commitment for improved future performances. Their teachers and organisers equally received cash gifts as appreciation for the efforts they invest in training the children.

The DDES, who delivered vote of thanks, appreciated God for sustaining the committee in its various engagements towards preparing for the event. He further thanked the GOC for his unwavering support; saying the competition was inspired by his (GOC’s) burning interest to ensure that NA schools across 2 Division AOR, and beyond, are well positioned to meet up global standards. Colonel Sofoluwe, also appreciated the Schools Commandants, organising committee members, panel of judges, and teachers for their contributions towards the success of the event. Principal Staff Officers, Units and Formations Commanders, as well as Officers and Soldiers of the Division’s HQ witnessed the competition.

2 DIVISION COMMAND SECONDARY SCHOOLS HOLD QUIZ, DEBATE COMPETITION 2024/2025 ACADEMIC SESSION

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Shettiman Fika establishes school for marriage education in Potiskum

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Shettiman Fika establishes school for marriage education in Potiskum

By: Yahaya Wakili

Abdurazak Abdullahi Usman. Shettiman Malamai Fika Emirate Council. A proprietor of Shettiman Malamai School for Marriage Education (SMSME), Potiskum, Yobe State. Abdurazak explains the aims and objectives of the establishment of this great school.

Alhamdulillah, the aims and objectives of this school can’t be overcounted, but I will shortlist at least five to six major and basic aims and objectives that I can list right now. As I always reason why our community settlers are so rop, we are very immoral in our businesses, labors, and public activities; even in our religious aspects, we are not morally sound. So where the problem is, I used to ask myself all the time where the problem is since we belong to the same and single homes, all of us. So my answer is that from that particular place we are missing morality, so we have to go back and settle that particular house that we come from; maybe, Insha Allah, after settling and addressing such cases, we would reproduce a moral community or moral citizens in our localities.

“As I am saying, when you look at our people around the nation, you will see widows, divorcees, and the young child moving around without a standard of living; this brings them to the hardship of living, and this pushes many people into immorality, so they may become something that is not good. So we intend to address such cases in our localities, calling the attention of our religious leaders, traditional rulers, the government itself, and other individuals to come and join our hands together to address these cases. When we address it, we would minimize the number of divorces and the problem of orphans and all the problems around us, this case of banditry, kidnappers, Boko Harams, thieves, and all the problems that we are encountering in this nation when we address the case of matrimonial cases and domestic problems. Insha Allah, by Allah’s will, all the things will be solved.

“Adding that, you will see a woman coming to you seeking assistance. She will say even if you will use her, just settle her problem; she will give you herself. This is very unfortunate. Our Prophet, Muhammadu Sallallahu Wa Sallam, said that when the issue of “Zina” becomes an unavoidable thing in society, wait for the Allah discipline and the consequences, so we are in the consequences now. So we have to come back and sit down and think twice about why these problems are increasing. Not even to stop at how they are, they are increasing, so we have to at least stop the problem even if we can’t declare all the problems we have to stop them as they are because we didn’t know the new generation would happen to them since we see what is going on right now.

So this and many reasons push us to the establishment of this school, to call it Shettiman Malamai School for Marriage Education at this Yobe, and even in Borno, Taraba, and Adamawa, there is no school like this one; this is the first one to be established in this 2024 year. We hear about Bauchi and Gombe; there was something like this some years back, but it did not even function well. We think and we are seeking Allah’s assistance to make this school stable, standard, long-lasting, and helpful to the community, to our government, to our nation, and even to the globe at large, Insha Allah.

About the challenges, As you already know, nothing is going without money. Our challenge is money; we have no huge amount to render all the services we intend or we want to deliver to the society. We have the “Zauren Sulhu, which is a guidance and counseling committee that will sit every week, twice a week, to settle the issues of couples or the issues of divorces, widows, orphans, and all the problems of matrimonial homes, so you have to give them something to ease their coming to the office and bring them back to the house, and this will not be without money.

Abdurazak maintained that, and after all, the school that we are going to give teaching and entrepreneurship skills to the women because we have many problems with the marriage is money, when the husband can’t afford his responsibility, so the more challenge will come from his wife:Give me, give me, you have not, you have not, so the shetan or devil gets the access to come and make problems in your matrimonial living, so the money is our more basic challenge to this education, but with Allah’s help, everything is possible, because we see the hands of our government come into these initiatives.

Shettiman Fika establishes school for marriage education in Potiskum

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Education

BOSU VC PROMISES TO PLACE ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES ON AUTO GOVERNANCE

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Acting VC Prof Dikwa during the handing over session

BOSU VC PROMISES TO PLACE ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES ON AUTO GOVERNANCE

By: Bodunrin Kayode

The second Vice Chancellor (VC)of the Borno state university (BOSU) Professor Babagana Gutti has said that he would hit the ground running by placing all academic activity in the University on auto governance.

Prof Gutti said during a recent briefing with newsmen that it was his desire for the University community and the general public to be able to see what their wards are doing on campus at each time.

“We shall work with partners and the media to achieve this because the media is part of the University and it is my intention to ensure that this University is one of the best in this country by the time my tenure ends.

“We will use the auto governance system to monitor what the students or members of the University community are doing at every time. I will ensure that technology, research and learning go together

” I expect students to register real time for their programs from any part of the country or the world. The truth is that most Universities do not have such facilities which makes the work very easy to handle for both management and the community.

“We shall present minute by minute development in the campus for the whole world to see.” Said Gutti shortly after taking over the reigns of activities from the acting VC Prof Haruna Dikwa.

Earlier acting Vice Chancellor Professor Haruna Dlakawa said he was excited and grateful to the visitor Prof Babagana Zulum for giving him the opportunity to have served the University in an acting capacity on the exit of the pioneer VC Professor Kyari Sandabe.

He asked the University community to forgive him wherever he had offended any of them during the period of acting capacity as the Vice Chancellor.

Unveiling his report card, the second VC noted that the young University which started with just 30 programs have graduated it’s first set of graduates cutting across all the facilities..

“As at today, we have 835 staff employed directly by BOSU while 270 were absorbed from the Kashim Ibrahim College of Education. And because of the memorandum of understanding we have with the University of Maiduguri 193 staff are on visiting appointment.

” Also, the University now has 19 Professors on sabbaticals while the student population has risen up to 7,398 in the campus.

” I want to report to you that 26 physical development project has been executed so far on campus while some of them have been stalled temporarily and I will be calling on the second Vice chancellor to look into these projects.”

BOSU VC PROMISES TO PLACE ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES ON AUTO GOVERNANCE

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