Newsscreen

Kwara  State Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Alhaji Saka Onimago, on Monday warned schools’ authorities to be vigilant about students who may be tempted to engage in examination malpractice during the 2013 West African Examination Council (WAEC) examinations.

The Commissioner gave the warning in Ilorin, the State capital while briefing schools’ principals on the 2013 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) organised by WAEC in Ilorin.

He tasked the stakeholders to be at alert of some candidates in all the examination centres already fine-tuning plans to perpetrate frauds.

“Not only have we put in place active measures to prevent and detect collusion among agents of irregularities, appropriate sanctions have been lined up to address any incidence of examination malpractice,” he said.

The commissioner also commended WAEC for collaborating with the State government in foisting a regime of sanity, discipline and fair play in the conduct of examinations.

He added that that the collaboration would serve to promote government’s vision and further enhance its concerted efforts on the mission of repositioning education in the state.

He promised that the government would continue to reward commitment and exemplary performance by the teachers.

The Police, Tuesday paraded the suspected killers of the four students of the University of Port Harcourt at Omuokiri-Aluu in Rivers state.

The Police Commissioner spoke Tuesday at the Police Headquarters in Port Harcourt, while parading the suspects. Three of the suspects, who were allowed to field questions from newsmen, confessed that policemen arrived Omuokiri-Aluu community before the four students were murdered.

One of the suspects, Mr David Ugbaje, said he saw two policemen when the four students were being beaten, adding that one of them pleaded that the boys should be set free.

He said the other policeman joined the mob in beating the students.

According to him, the four students were accused of robbery, adding that the mob marched the four students to a compound on Coca-Cola Street to confirm if they truly went there to see a tenant, Mr Bright, as they alleged.

Ugbaje, a cobbler, said he and other neighbours in the compound had to push the riotous mob out of the compound where Bright lived when it became obvious that the mob wanted to lynch them there.
He said the man they allegedly went to see was not at home.

When asked if he did not join in beating the students, he said he only hit the students twice.
Ikechuckwu Louis Amadi and Lawal Segun in their separate comments, also said they saw policemen at the scene of the sad incident.

Lawal, a taxi driver, said he was not part of the mob that murdered the students but claimed to have pleaded with the mob to release the students.

On his part, Amadi said he saw four police men while the students were being beaten, adding that the angry mob insisted they were not going to release the boys to the policemen.

Others paraded were Alhaji Hassan Welewa, 59; Lucky Orji, 43 ; Cynthia Chinwo (F), 24; Ekpe Daniel, 30; George Nwadei, 30; Gabriel Oche 33; Ozioma Abajuo, 23; Chigozie Samuel, 22; Endurance Edet, 27 and Uwem Akpabio, 30.

Times Higher Education (HTE) has released the university ranking for 2012/2012 academic year.

The London based outfit is adjudged the United Kingdom’s leading high education news publication.

According to THE, there are various parameters used by the magazine in conducting the ranking. “Our 13 performance indicators are grouped into five areas.  Teaching-the learning environment (worth 30% of the world ranking score); Research-volume, income and reputation (worth 30%); Citations-research influence (worth 30%); Industry income-innovation (worth 2.5%); International outlook-staff, students and Research work (worth 7.5%)”.

While no African university was listed among the first 300, the ranking revealed that the California Institute of Technology with 95.5 marks retained the number one position followed by Oxford University, United Kingdom, while Stanford University, USA came third, beating famous Harvard University to a distant fourth position.

American universities occupied seven out of the first 10 positions, Asian universities as well improved their rankings against last year’s ranking as no African university made the first 100.

The report continued that the first four African universities came from South Africa led by University of Cape Town ranking 113 globally with a total of 55.8 points.  Occupying the second position on the continent and 226 globally is the University of Witwatersrand, as Stellenbosch University and Kwazulu-Natal finished at 251stand 351stpositions respectively.

For Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, no university made it to the first 400 showing that higher education in the country is still far behind despite the resources being pumped annually into the education sector.

Respite again came the way of those against the renaming of University of Lagos (UNILAG) Wednesday as a Federal High Court, Ikeja repeated its earlier interim order restricting the Federal Government from changing the name of University to Moshood Abiola University.

President Goodluck Jonathan on May 29, 2012 in a broadcast renamed the university after the presumed winner of June 12 1993 Presidential election, Chief M.K.O. Abiola, the decision that immediately sparked off protests by the students of the ivory tower in Lagos. But Justice Stephen Adah restated that the court’s earlier order restricting the Federal Government would exist throughout the period of hearing and final determination of the suit.

The judge, Wednesday ruled that the order would “subsist throughout the hearing and final determination of the suit.”
Meanwhile, all the respondents’ counsel agreed that there was the need for consolidation since the two suits had the same facts.

The plaintiffs’ counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun, applying for extension of the order said the status quo which the court stated must be maintained in its June 25 ruling was the name which the university had been bearing for the past 50 years.

However, National President of the Alumni Association of the university, Prof. Olayide Abass and the Secretary, Femi Olatunji, speaking for the association, instituted the suit seeking nine reliefs as the ones sought by the students of the institution.

The suit which the plaintiffs and their 14 SANs has been adjourned till September 21 while the presiding judge directed the parties involved to file all necessary court processes before then.

After many pressures, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has reversed its earlier decision to post 14,850 corps members to the troubled States of northern Nigeria.

Corps members earlier posted to the affected States have been directed to report at the NYSC headquarters for redeployment to States considered safe.

Director-General of the NYSC, Brig.-General Nnamdi Okore-Affia, Wednesday had directed corps members posted to Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau, Kano and Kaduna States to immediately report to the NYSC headquarters for redeployment. He however stated that such youths must first report to camp before requests for redeployment could be considered.

A statement issued by the NYSC reads “this is to inform all prospective corps members deployed to Yobe and Borno states for the 2012 Batch ‘B’ Orientation Course to note the following:
“Yobe State prospective corps members will now hold their orientation course at the Nasarawa State NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Keffi, Keffi LGA, and not as stated on their call-up letters.

“Borno State prospective corps members will undertake their orientation programme at the Benue State NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp at Wanume, Tarka LGA, and not as stated on their call-up letters.

“In addition, all 2012 Batch ‘B’ prospective corps members deployed to Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau, Kano and Kaduna states who have collected their call-up letters but are yet to report in camp should immediately report at the NYSC Directorate Headquarters, Abuja for redeployment.”

Dare Adekoya is a three time scholar of Lagos State University and the Chairman, Award Committee, Public Relations and Advertising Department Students Association(PRADSA) of Lagos State School of Communication. The 400 level of students of Public Relations and Advertising speaks with Adenike Ashogbon

What is Public Relations and Advertising Students Association about ?

Public Relations and Advertising student Association(PRADSA), is the representative body of all students in the department of public relations and advertising of the prestigious Lagos State University ( LASU) School of Communication. PRADSA encapsulates all Full time and Part time students.

Why has the department decided to organize the award ceremony ?

We have decided to organise the award of excellence in a bid to celebrate young potentials who would emerge professionals in their endeavors. We are taking our time to choose carefully. We celebrate the right people.

What inspire your association to such initiative ?

Brilliant gems have flourished in the department, consequently, celebrating a young mind is a form of motivation so as to yearn to develop abilities to make such one a better functional youth. These resonates in our minds and in turn springs the desire to achieve excellence in our dear students.

How then do PRADSA tend to develop abilities to make the students a better functional youths ?

As part of d burning desire to achieve this ability. The association is working hand in hand with the department to usurp the PRAD studio and developing many campaigns to help develop a better future.

As the chairman Pradsa award committee, how would the award of excellence unfold ?

Its main objective is to develop talents and keep the burning zeal of young potentials. Hence, it is a project that is set to hold after 2nd semester exams nd its unique selling proposition is to appeal to all mass communication student. It preaches excellence

Since this award is first of its kind in the history of PRADSA, will it be an annual award ceremony ?

It is a seed sown in the minds of the coming excos, in the succeeding years to come…we would emerge alumni’s and we would do all we can to encourage our predecessors in achieving this excellent task., we set the pace, they must follow.

What would you like to be remember for, as the chairman of the award committee ?

I have always love to be remembered for excellence, credibility and a reputable image would readily be positioned in the minds of our audience

What is your advise to students ?

Out of the house of a carpenter the savior of the world came from, so God has plans for us all. Work what is good towards all, be the best you can be and get busy.

Students of the University of Lagos have staged demonstrations at different locations in Lagos against President Goodluck Jonathan’s Democracy Day speech.

The President in a nationwide address to commemorate 2012 Democracy Day renamed the University of Lagos after the presumed winner of June 12 1993 Presidential election, Bashorun Moshood Abiola.

The re-christening however did not go down well with students of the institution who have taken to the streets in response.

An eye witness report revealed that “students have been chanting songs and blocking various roads to show their anger against the renaming of their esteemed institution”.

According to a student of the institution, “the name UNILAG is the pride we have as students not Moshood Abiola and we disagree with the re-christening just like you have seen us demonstrating today, it is an unpopular decision and we are not hiding our grievances”.

Another eye witness confirmed that “even the school authority and the UNILAG branch of Academic Staff Union of University are not in agreement with the decision, this means the President did not carry
them along before making such pronouncement”.

Meanwhile security operatives have been dispatched to maintain law and order and to prevent hoodlums from hijacking the protests.

Barely two weeks after the Nigerian university community lost two top lecturers during the terrorist attack on Bayero University, Kano, the academic community again yesterday suffered another loss as Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos Professor Adetokunbo Shofoluwe died after a heart attack.

Sofoluwe, a Computer Scientist gave up at the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, (LUTH), Idi-Araba shortly after he was rushed for treatment.

The university don was said to have collapsed during a meeting on the campus after which he was taken for treatment.

Management of the university in a statement regretted the loss of the Vice Chancellor.  The statement reads: “The University of Lagos Management deeply regrets to announce the sudden death of the Vice Chancellor at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba in the early hours of Saturday 12^th May 2012.

The university community in particular staff and students are advised to pray along with faculty for the repose of his soul. Condolence register has been opened in the Senate House for messages to the amiable, accomplished scholar and astute administrator.

Further announcements will follow in due course.  May his soul rest in peace”

Lagos State governor Babatunde Fashola has expressed shock at the sudden death of Professor Shofoluwe.  On behalf of the government and people of Lagos State, the governor has commiserated with the academic community and the University of Lagos.  According to Fashola, Professor Shofoluwe was an amiable gentle man whose dedication to the University of Lagos was not in doubt.

Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, UNILAG chapter, Dr. Karo Ogbinnaka described the deceased Shofoluwe as a workaholic and friend of the Union.

Professor Shofoluwe was born 15^th April 1950.  He attended CMS Grammar School, Lagos and proceeded to study computer science at the University of Lagos and earned a first degree in 1973.  He also attended Edinburg University, Scotland for his masters and doctorate degrees.  Shofoluwe joined the teaching staff of UNILAG in 1976.

In January 2010, Shofoluwe took over from Professor Tolu Odugbemias Vice Chancellor of UNILAG.