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Rumbles In The Academia

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Granted that many of our Public institutions have over the years been buffeted by fumbling and bungling through years of neglect, inadequate funding and administrative flip flop, issues which the Yar’Adua’s administration has been grappling with, but none has been so barraged to knuckle under as the academia due to many factors including the insensitivity of lecturers to, the plight of their students who bear the brunt of recurrent strikes. The result of this is the continued rail in the standard of education and any doubting ‘Thomas can apply any of the parameters to determine the level at which it has sunk and ten extrapolate dispassionate conclusion.

A few years before Chief Olusegun Obasanjo left Aso Rock he promised to give jobs to some graduates who performed creditably well in their degree examinations and as the ball was in the court of the Federal Civil Service Commission to conduct the recruitment exercise. it set a competitive examination, not just oral interview for the exercise, an examination which exposed the undies of our graduates. The performance or these graduates who was too appalling to be believable; some people who made first class and second class honours upper division scored 30 percent. Worse of it all is that even some mass communication graduates who scaled this examination hurdle and therefore adjudged to be intellectually sound can not write a publishable feature article after practicing for more that two years in media organizations.

Another invent that exposed the Achilles Heels of these graduates is a recent interactive session the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig. Gen. Maharazu Tsiga held with the media. Disappointed by lacluster performance of the corps members the Director General disclosed to his bewildered audience that some corps members were so educationally deficient that they could not appropriately fill the forms given to them. He said that in other to clear the doubt whether these people were not fake graduates he often enquired from relevant institutions whether the offending corps members were indeed their graduates. He said that the response was usually in the positive.

Some years ago when this writer was in the now defunct feature section of the ministry, he had a terrible experience with three of these semi-illiterate and half-baked graduates. The three of them were employed by the Federal Civil Service Commission which deployed them to the Ministry of Information. This was at a time the Government of the day was being lacerated unsparingly by the media for obnoxious policies and we needed more hands in the features section to be able to cope with the momentum of incessant media pillory. As a sequel the trio was posted to the section. The three were given a file containing news paper cuttings which were based on unfavourable comments on the government and we were faced with adverse press reports from six newspapers from where they should select for their rejoinders but after days of musing and sighing they admitted they could not react to the stories. They where bold to tell this writer that they were not mass communication majors for which I gave them topics which they should handle as term papers or projects. They fumbled and bungled the whole exercise for which they where sent packing from the section. This is the sorry state of education in spite of the fact that the universities subject ­candidates to pass the litmus test by going through a chain of examinations; the Post-UME Test after writing WAEC and NECO Examinations and above all the JAMB University matriculation examination.

Lecturers know the effect of long absence from the class room on their students yet at the slightest disagreement with the Federal Government they resort to strikes as a means of redressing their grievances and when invited to conference tables often prove intransigent thus prolonging the strike. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for the 14th time embarked on another indefinite strike which as usual paralyzed academic activities in the universities affiliated to the union. The union’s demand this time include adequate funding of the university, adequate remuneration, autonomy and extension or retirement age amongst others. Those who justify the strike on the ground that the universities are at the bottom of .both Africa and global ratings in terms of wages and fringe benefits should have a rethink when they find out that since 1993 ASUU has gone on strike for 14 times, one strike too many:-

I 993 Three months

1994 Six months

1995 Four months

1996 Seven months

1999 Five months

2000 Two months

200I Three months

2002 One week

2003 Two weeks

2005 One week

2006 Three months

2007 Two weeks

2009 Warning strike: two weeks

Present strike; since June 23rd.

To resolve the dispute a committee comprising representative or the Federal Government as well- as ASUU was set up. The federal government team comprised Deacon Gameliel Onosode, Six pro-Chancellors, Senator Abdalla Wali (a former pro-chancellor) and the Executive secretary of the educational tax fund, 11 Advisers made up of the education secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), three former Vice Chancellors, three Serving vice Chancellors, one former University registrar and one serving registrar. Government has 12 observers comprising two representatives of the Federal Ministry of Labour, one deputy executive secretary (NUCY one representative from special services in the presidency, one representative from the Federal Ministry of Education, two representatives from the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, two representatives of the Federal Ministry of Justice, one representative from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of  the Federation and two representatives of The Federal Ministry of Finance. ASUU has 28 representatives from both Federal and State Universities.

The committee was to reverse the decay in the university system …, reverse the brain drain not only by enhancing the remuneration of the academic staff … , to restore Nigeria Universities through immediate massive and sustained financial intervention and to ensure genuine University autonomy and academic freedom.

The high point of the debacle is the rejection by ASUU of the 40% salary increase accorded to it by the Federal Government. The Federal Government delegation led by Deacon Gamaliel Onosode urged the lecturers to return to the classroom before further negotiation could commence. Government insists that having met three of the four demands, ASUU should reciprocate the gesture by returning to classroom while ASUU on its own insists that the federal government should sign the agreement reached before they call off the strike.

ASUU should back pedal because it has lost the sympathy of all. The state governments support the government arguing that had the Federal Government signed the agreement it would have negated the principal of federalism. Further more both the Federal Ministry of Labour and Industrial Arbitration panel had asked ASUU to call off the strike and resume work in support of the Federal Government’s stand of no-work-no-pay. The Senate Committee on Education which was brokering a truce between the Federal Government and ASUU was not happy with the stand of ASUU as a result or which it cancelled the truce.

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Women

The Desire Of Every Woman In Marriage

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A woman needs a man that is honest,  trustworthy,  nice,  loving and financially stable.
There are no two ways about finance in marriage. No matter the level of love, If there is no money,  it is always difficult.


Referring to the Biblical belief in Genesis 3:Your desire  shall be unto you……..
That is one aspect  the woman expects her husband to take care of.
A woman wants a husband that is not lazy,  at least helping to do one or two things.   A man that is educated and intelligent.
She knows that there is a trait that her husband has.  Traits of taking care of people,  giving freely to people and caring for her family.
A woman wants to love a husband that has family interest at heart. A man that spends time with his family,  remembering his family even as he is away from home.
A woman should not antagonise her husband because of one error or the other. No matter the level of offence he may have committed, you still show some love.


According to the Scripture, it is with wisdom that the women builds her home.
It is not as if the woman will not monitor her husband, but to certain limit.  Don’t be a monitoring spirit.  Don’t allow anything to take your joy.
Don’t loose trust in your husband.
The idea of checking your husband’s phone should be discouraged. The more you check your husband and his phone, the more you loose your joy.


The home should not be a battle ground for a woman and man.  A woman should be able to ask herself if the check on her husband will pay her any good.
Draw a line to a point where you checkmate your husband’s activities.
A woman wants a man that will love her and telling her you love her will be all she desires.

Eunice Choko-Kayode

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Women

What Women Want In Yet-To -Be Husbands

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What women want in their yet-to- be husbands matters a lot as far as marriage is concerned.
A woman desires a good fnancial prospect. Interestingly, some modern women place a man’s financial potential as more desirable than they have in the past.
Many decades ago, women ranked it lower on the list. It still comes in after items like love and maturity, but perhaps today’s women realise that a good economic partner is good husband material.
Good health has been an important characteristic for women through the 20th century and remains so these days. One might argue that because we’re living even longer, health plays a huge role in the success of a marriage. Women are anxious to know that their partners are healthy to be able to run the family together.
You discover that in most faith based organisations, would- be couples are mandated to go for medical tests to ascertain their health status as it concerns HIV/AIDS, Genotype and other related ones. This according to stakeholders is to ensure that couples raise healthy families.
Ambition has become less important to women over time, though it still being considered even if women nowadays are thriving in the workforce competing with the male folk. It may be because more women are thriving in the workforce, they want a husband who has earning power but are not looking for him to be the sole provider.
More women want husbands with pleasing disposition. They may not want a man who is always moody. A man who is always cheerful is whom they desire.
Surprisingly, a man’s likes do not rank as high on women’s list of wants as it used to. Until recently, women are more willing to accept a man for who he his, despite the inevitable mood he may be.
Sociability from both men and women rank very high on their marriag material list. And for both sexes, it has been steadily moving up the list for many years. The rise of the “love marriage,” a partnership based on attraction rather than practicalities (like wealth or status) might mean that married couples are more likely to be friends and have mutual circles of friends.
A lot of couples want to associate with others and then socialise. Attending parties of other friends forms part of their marriage requirements.
Women have placed education and intelligence top making it one of their most desirable male traits for decades. This timeline coincides with more and more women receiving college education themselves. Once education becomes important in women’s lives, it is a more attractive trait in potential husbands.
Of course when a woman is educated, she is likely to go for an educated man. When they are gainfully employed, their income boost the family affairs faster.
Today, women are much more attracted to men who are interested in home and family than they ever have been. Men who have desire for their home and children is whom they desire.
After a days job, a man will come home to ensure that his children are comfortable. Because most women today are expecting to be in dual-earner relationships, they want husbands who will be happy and willing to contribute at home. More women today even report that they hope he will take the lead at home.
A woman wants a man who is emotionally stable and mature. Growing big physically is not the issue but maturity in the heart.
Men, too, place a heavy emphasis on a potential wife’s emotional maturity, signaling that it is a key quality for a stable partnership. Women seem to look past appearance to the heart of the matter.
A woman wants a man who is not easily provoked. Dependable character is what some women want in marriage.
Women want husbands that they can count on, and this has not changed in recent years. Yes, women look to their spouses to be lovers and friends, they also want them to be supportive and trustworthy. They want to know that their husbands will be there and remain loyal. Men, too, desire dependable character from their yet-to be wives.
Mutual attraction and love from the first appearance is what they want till they become old.
The highest-rated characteristic women seek from men is mutual attraction and love. Some no longer look for a man who will provide everything, afterall they are also educated and are gainfully employed, they want to be in love.
For some women, even when the man do not provide household needs, the love shown on her is enough. When women had no job prospects and needed to marry, they desired love . The women’s movement has not only helped women pursue careers, it has also given them more choice in love.

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Women

Echoes Of IWD : Need To Invest In Women

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As this year’s Internatinal Women’s Day (IWD) has come and gone, there are calls from different quarters on the need to invest in women so that we can achieve accelerated growth.
It was, indeed, a thing of joy when Rivers Women Unite For Sim, took delivery of large quantities of sanitary towels and some bags of rice provided them for this year’s celebration.
Many young women expressed joy that they got such gesture since some of them have financial problems getting sanitary towels whenever they are on.
Some secondary school students were also lucky to have a share of the benefits. They also got some sanitary towels.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Women Affairs organised a platform to celebrate and honour the women for the remarkable jobs they perform in their homes and society.
Addressing women on the occasion, the Hon. Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Roseline Apawari Uranta, noted that women from time immemorial have been great pillars in achieving remarkable heights and stressed that IWD across the globe is pivotal all women for the roles they play in bringing, nurturing and sustaining life.
Dr. Uranta said that IWD, which started in 1911 and celebrated annually on March 8, is a global day that provides women a platform to address economic inclusion, participation in political and public life.
She said the day was set aside to look into lack of access to education for the girl-child, gender-based violence, child marriage, child trafficking, harmful cultural practices as well as other challenges facing women around the globe.
The Hon. Commissioner, who described March 8 as a day to celebrate the socio-economic, cultural and political achievements of women, emphasised that it is a day that offers women the opportunity to reflect on progressive achievements.
Noting that it is an opportunity to call for change, she stressed that it is also an opportunity to celebrate acts of courage and every achievement made by ordinary women who did extraordinary things and are remembered in history.
She noted that the IWD2024 theme:”Invest In Women, Accelerate Progress”, is timely and apt because according to her, to achieve gender equality, we must ensure that the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women do not elude them.
Her words: ” We must see investing in women as a human right issue and consider investing in women as a social tool to eradicate poverty since women are helpmeet in the homes while a handful are breadwinners in their respective families”.
The commissioner urged women to uphold the deliberate act of investing in themselves, be it furthering formal education, developing a new skill as well as learning a trade.
“Shun idleness, always find something positive and productive to do, regardless of your age, social status and financial capabilities”, she said.
In a paper presentation, Dr. Dabota God’swill Jumbo, reiterated that investing in women would attract good and positive dividends to herself and the society at large and noted that it is essential in addressing poverty, hunger and climate change.
The guest speaker said women need more opportunities in elective and appointive positions, hence the need to encourage and support them in politics.
According to her, when you invest in women, they will be able to create safer environment devoid of gender-based violence.
In a goodwill message, the spokesperson, Rivers Women Unite For Sim, Mrs Charity Deemua appreciated the organisers for making it possible for women to gather and celebrate themselves.
She commended those who created a day like March 8 of every year to celebrate women and regretted that the girl-child was seen as a second-class person decades ago.
The former commissioner, Rivers State House of Assembly Commission, described those who taught it wise for women to celebrate as conquerors, tough and strong.
International Association of World Peace Advocates, a world-class organisation with the United Nations, honoured different categories of women.
In Cross River State, 150 women were empowered with about N15m to boost their small and medium scale businesses.
According to stakeholders, the women empowerment is vital in addressing social, economic and political challenges and will make them self-reliant.
An NGO, Association of Professional Women Engineering Technologists (APWET), said it’s aim is to promote professional excellence among engineering personnel, advocating for women and girl-child education.
With what we saw in terms of response to women’s call on issues affecting them from relevant authorities, we are optimistic that the women will do better whenever they are empowered.
If we must kick out cervical, breast and other forms of cancer in women, underage marriage, prostitution, we must invest in women.
There were goodwill messages from National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA), Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC, Nigeria Association of Female Journalists (NAWOJ), among others.

By: Eunice Choko-Kayode

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