₦airaland Forum

Beaf:
Dude, seriously it is better to get your state producing more than to continue making insulting claims about Delta state people. Leave our Ilaje's and Itsekiri's out of any oil inspired love, afterall it is obvious how the Ilaje's outside of Delta state are forced to live like animals. Today in Delta, we have an Itsekiri man as governor even though they are a small minority; if they were to be outside of Delta, they would be banished to bestial slums like the Ilaje's.

Please bruv, keep your tall tails about oil production and bullshiit out of Delta state. We have already had a referendym in 1963 and 99% of Deltans (including Itsekiri's and Ilaje's) opted out of the Western region, because of the exact attitude you are displaying here.

Mind your state, while we mind ours. Thank you.

Beaf:
Imagine producing 91% of the nations wealth only to be called fishermen and yamirin by ingrates.

TRUTHTELA:
Nigeria, is a LIE and will continue to be a LIE. meaning, its a British experiment and will continue to be so.

House Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal yesterday lamented the loss of $10 billion revenue from gas sub-sector following poor infrastructure.

Tambuwal, who spoke while receiving Mr Babs Omotowa, the Managing Director of Nigeria Liquefied and Natural Gas (NLNG), said there is need for Nigerians at various exalted positions to contribute meaningfully to human capital development in the country.

The Speaker noted that non-development of the human capacity in the country will eventually translate to denying the country more share of the world market in the gas sub-sector.

His words: “I learnt that if we don’t do something quickly, this will further shrink to less than five per cent in the next few years. This is bad news. Because at that time, the US which is still mainly a net importer would have concluded current plans and become a major exporter, thus denying us even more share of the world market.“

By Amaka Abayomi & Dayo Adesulu

Professor John Oladapo Obafunwa is an expert in Pathology and Forensic Medicine. He was first appointed a professor in 2001. He was a two-time Provost of Lagos State University College of Medicine, 2006-2010. In May 2008, he was appointed the First Chief Medical Examiner for Lagos State based on the new Coroner’s Systems Law of 2007.

Upon completion of his undergraduate medical studies from the University of Lagos, Obafunwa obtained his qualifications from National Postgraduate Medical College, Nigeria (1987) and the Forensic Medicine Unit, Department of Pathology, University Medical School, Edinburgh, Scotland (1992). In 2004, he obtained a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Northumbria, United Kingdom.

In this interview, Professor Obafunwa, who was appointed Vice-Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), in September 2011, speaks on solutions to the falling standard of education, why LASU didn’t admit students into its satellite campuses, the need for varsities to review the award of honorary degrees and how government can strengthen the varsity system.

Could government officials and some educationists, including VCs, who send their wards abroad for studies be responsible for the neglect of the education sector?

People send their children abroad to study for various reasons. Some do so because they are working abroad and there are some affluent Nigerians who feel the best way to show off is to send their children abroad for studies. I frown at some civil servants and educationists who choose to send their children abroad because they feel there are some inadequacies in Nigeria’s education system because they should be using their positions to improve the standard of education.

The system is overloaded with students who want to be admitted and some have to go abroad because they can afford it. There is no problem if parents can afford to send their children abroad, but it becomes a problem if they are in positions where they are required to provide sound education at home and they fail to do so. They can improve the quality of education by ensuring that government does what it is supposed to do.

As a renowned educationist, what solutions are there to the falling standard of education in Nigeria?
Today’s education standard is different from what I went through. Though there are the aspects of students, parents and teachers, and we know that education starts from the home so parents shouldn’t say that all necessary corrective measures have to be limited to the school.

We all have the ability to guide our children to see that they are studious, do their homework and score good grades. Parents are not expected to interfere with what goes on in schools, and I’m sad when I come across situations where a teacher disciplines a student and the parents react negatively.

Government, on its part, needs to create the needed learning environment and take care of teachers through proper remunerations, but the teachers need to put in their best. We can’t be saying government is not doing what it is supposed to do while the teachers are busy selling handbags and the likes in schools. All hands must be on deck if we are to improve on our education standards.

*Prof. Obafunwa, VC, LASU

It is true that UNESCO recommends that member-states should allocate 26 per cent of their budget to education but we all know that that is not achievable in reality because the problems faced in Nigeria are different from those of other nations. I’m not saying we can’t improve on what we currently expend but I know that the state governors have a lot on their plates.

The Federal Government recently granted licenses to five new private varsities. Is this move necessary considering the number of private varsities existing?

There is no sense in approving licenses for the establishment of more private universities. The question we should ask is even if they have the infrastructure, do they have the personnel to manage these schools? Assuming they have the administrative staff, many of whom would probably be coming into the varsity system for the first time, do they have the teaching staff, else, they will end up with half-baked teachers who lack the prerequisite qualifications.

Rather than setting up more varsities, the solution to the predicament in the education system is for government to implement the FG/ASUU agreement, expand the existing ones by distributing the human resources among them, and get them to strengthen their Departments of Distance Learning so as to enable those who can’t come inside the four walls of varsities to still acquire same knowledge.

If China were to set up varsities based on its population, it would have more than 18,000 varsities, which doesn’t make sense because a solid varsity with good distance learning programmes can cater for between 500,000 to one million students.

Are there plans by your administration to reduce the number of LASU’s satellite campuses as critics say such have done more harm than good to the school’s quality of education?

That is the reason why we didn’t admit students into satellite campuses this year because we have been instructed by the state governor to start winding down. This is a policy I support because apart from government’s directive, it is in line with the expectations of the National Universities Commission (NUC).

Besides, we want a situation where we can accurately state the number of students we have and our products so as to be able to give maximum attention to the students. We hope to see those currently in the satellite campuses to graduation before we finally shut them down and focus more on distance learning.

How workable is the recent introduction of free education at all levels for its indigenes by Imo State Government and can such be replicated in other states?

Personally, I don’t believe in freebies because someone will have to pay for them. It is okay if it is a federal policy and government is ready to put all the required resources to make sure it works because this would reduce the amount of money they embezzle.

Prof Obafunwa

Free education for all Imo State indigenes in the state-owned institutions implies that indigenes outside the state would not benefit from it. One question we should ask is: are the state-owned institutions well-funded because there is no point offering free education in these institutions when the staff are disgruntled and students lack the necessary ambience that encourages studying. If the state government can fund such a project, it is all good and well, but I still believe something is wrong with it.

Whether the project can be replicated in other states should be a question of how many states are viable, the population of those viable states and what the governors are spending money on. The realities or specifics for each state may differ and it might be a bit difficult to invest in such a project.

A state like Lagos that expends more on students’ fees would first determine its population; how much comes in by way of federal allocation when compared to states like Bayelsa, Kano or Cross River; how many local government areas are officially in the state, among others. The bottom-line is if any state can afford it, they should go ahead because it means there would be lesser money for them to embezzle.

Are you in agreement with the Minister of Education who stated that award of honorary degrees to individuals have been abused?

That was a very interesting comment which my colleagues and I recently discussed. Without getting into the specifics, my opinion and those of my colleagues is: do we really need to give honorary degree and if we do, how often should it be; has it lost its meaning; and do we have to give it to some money bags? It doesn’t have to be given to one Alhaji or Chief, but academics that have distinguished themselves in certain disciplines and have contributed so much to humanities, sciences or law, can be acknowledged by being given honorary awards.

I’m not drawing conclusions here but it is a fact that some people are doing this for social, political or economic reasons. It was a debate recently and the generality concluded that perhaps we shouldn’t lay too much emphasis on that and I share the Minister’s view.

What led to the upward review of scholarships to students from 4.0 GPA to 4.5 PA?
It goes back to the question of standard because the state government is footing the bills of so many students. I don’t want to comment on the GPAs but we reviewed the scholarship to separate the boys from the men by making it more competitive for students to be more studious. Students who want to benefit from the scholarship would have to put in more efforts to qualify.

In a related development, the Proprietor of Mandate Private Schools, Dr. Sunny Attah supported the position taken by Professor Obafunwa saying that the establishment of new universities by government and licensing of private ones, “is not the solution neither can it serve as a replacement for qualitative education, but rather, equip the existing ones with infrastructure and sound human capital.”

Attah stated that many of our best brains who would have been useful in our universities have relocated abroad where their services are appreciated. According to him, since the NUC came up with a standard that the minimum qualification for university teachers is doctorate degree, he asked, “ how many Ph.D holders do our universities produce yearly?” adding, “Where are they going to get the human resources that will impart knowledge to students?”

Lamenting the scenario, the educationist said, “If I am in the position of decision-making today, I will eradicate mushroom schools. Many school owners established it solely for profit- making and not to set an education standard that will better the sector.”

He urged the FG to set a standard for establishing schools, arguing that there should be a minimum qualification for would-be proprietors of nursery, primary, secondary and tertiary institutions and not just for any person. “If you are not learned, you cannot give what you don’t have,” he said.

“No education, no national growth. For us to have economic growth that we will be proud of in this country, government and individuals who have the passion must invest heavily in education. Nigerian leaders are less concerned about tomorrow, stressing that we have good policies but no human capital to implement them.

Speaking at the 2012 Mandate Private Schools’ Inter-house sports competition held at Lagos State University (LASU) sports complex, where various schools in Lagos State participated, Attah suggested that government should make sport a course in our curriculum.

By BEN AGANDE & EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

ABUJA-The relative peace enjoyed by the House of Representatives since its inauguration last year was threatened yesterday as some members from Kano State staged a walk-out, following the adoption of a motion inviting Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, to explain where the apex bank derived its powers to make monetary donations for infrastructural projects, emergency reliefs and other philanthropic gestures.

The timely intervention of the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, and the intervention of the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, however, saved what would have been a clear division of the House along regional/religious lines.

Sanusi Lamido

A few members of the Kano Caucus, led by Aminu Suleiman, had staged a walk-out to protest what he described as the speaker’s unfair allocation of time to proponents of the anti-Sanusi motion without commensurate time to those opposed to the motion.

Trouble started when Uzo Azubuike, (PDP Abia), in a motion, titled ‘Misuse of Public Funds by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Need to urgently establish a pool of fund for the provision of Relief to Victims of Natural Disaster and some unspecified crimes,” accused the CBN governor of misusing public funds by embarking on functions clearly outside its mandate.

According to him, the CBN recently released N100 million donations for the building of a bridge in University of Benin as well as N200 million to victims of bomb attacks at Madalla and Kano, in addition to the release of N650 billion from public funds to distressed banks.

He noted that the practice of the Central Bank of Nigeria of diverting and misusing public funds did not only constitute usurpation of the functions of other agencies of government, but was also inherently unlawful.

He added that if not called to order, the Central Bank governor would in future lose focus in the actualisation of the mandate of the bank.

Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, also warned that the excesses and runaway funding of projects by CBN would have to determine whether the bank was greater than the Federal Government.

As the motion enjoyed more support, a member of the House from Kano State, Bashir Babale, was seen moving from one seat to another, apparently to mobilise members against the passage of the motion.

But as the speaker put the question and the motion was overwhelmingly adopted, one of those opposed to it, Aminu Suleiman, raising a point of order, noted that the speaker did not allow those who were opposed to the motion enough time to air their views.

“When proponents of the motion spoke, we should have been allowed to speak, even if we are in the minority,” he told the speaker angrily.

But Tambuwal, who appeared to be taken aback by the insinuation of bias, told Suleiman that he could not have been opposed to the motion when he stridently raised his hand to indicate a willingness to speak for the motion while the debate lasted.

He told those who were dissatisfied with his ruling to explore the house rule for it to revisit the motion.
Not satisfied with the speaker’s explanation, Bashir Babale, who had threatened to slap one of the supporters of the motion, led other members from Kano State to stage a walk out.

chosen04:
For your info this is not niGERia army fighting in one ECOMOG war or the other. . . . . .

Are you still mourning the JTF that will go on killing innocent people and turn blind eyes to fighting the real battle READY MEND?

By Emma Amaize

WARRI -  EX-MILITANTS and sea pirates operating on Nembe and Ogbia waterways in Southern Ijaw area of Bayelsa state have fled their camps following a crackdown on  them by the Joint Military Task Force, JTF, codenamed “Operation Pulo Shield”.

One of the fleeing ex-militants, who was among those agitating for inclusion in the post-amnesty programme told Vanguard in Warri, Wednesday,  “Many of us have fled from Bayelsa state because JTF is ransacking everywhere after the killing of four military men and four policemen , last week”.

Spokesman of the JTF, Lt. Col Timothy Antigha confirmed on Sunday that the remains of a Lieutenant Colonel and three naval ratings killed in a gun fight with sea pirates, led by one Shedrack Itokofuwei, alias Mammy Water had been recovered.

He, however, disclosed that Mammy Water, who the task force described as a sea pirate was later shot dead in a gun battle with a Naval patrol team after three speed boats in his convoy were sunk.

Vanguard gathered that apart from ex-militants and suspected sea pirates, a lot of youths in most of the riverside communities in Southern Ijaw local government area had fled their communities as a result of the siege to the waterways by the task force.

An ex-militant leader, identified as “General” Victor Gbekegbeke spoke to Vanguard on phone, Friday, March 2, claiming to be the leader of a 200-man strong band that killed the military men.

He said they would continue with their renewed attacks on the waterways until the Federal Government incorporates them into the post-amnesty programme.

He spoke very confidently, claiming, he was fortified in his mission by Egbesu, the Ijaw god of war because he was fighting a just battle.

An informant who linked Vanguard with the ex-militant leader confirmed when contacted, Monday morning, “I am hearing that Victor is dead, that he was killed by the JTF in a gun battle after he spoke to you (Vanguard).

Asked if “General” Victor Gbekegbeke also bear the sobriquet, Mammy Water, the informant said, “They interchange their names to deceive people, but I can tell you that what I am hearing is that he is dead”.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta, MEND, however, insisted, that the attack and killing of soldiers were carried out by its fighters and not sea pirates.  It denied that any of its fighters were killed by JTF and challenged it to produce the remains, if any.

Baawaa:
Dont worry military will soon take over ;DThey will waste anything called MEND

DaLover:
Since I was born, Mobil, chevron and SPDC main offices have been in Lagos, I don't know what you mean by this, napim, the National Investment management company is watching the investments in the oil industry from lagos, this has been since the 1970's, so the excuse of militant activites that started in the 2006 is really a poor excuse,
Yoruba people should own up to this very crazy thing happening in this country