Nation

THE STATES

Published

16 years ago

June 1, 2010

Bornu

Participants at a workshop on Sunday in Maidiuguri, called on media owners to expose journalists to training on conflict reporting.

A communique issued at the end of a workshop in Maiduguri on Reporting Conflict, also called on media owners to provide capacity building and exposure particularly in the area of conflict and violence reporting.

They also called on journalists to strive hard to ensure that they discharge their duties in professional manner.

The participants called on regulatory agencies, like the Nigeria Press Council (NPC) and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), to be more proactive to ensure adherence to best practices.

They called for the immediate passage of the Freedom of Information Bill by the National Assembly.

“The National Assembly should expedite action in the review of the NPC and the enhancement of Journalism Practice Bills.

“We also call on employers to ensure that only professionals are employed in media related agencies and departments,” the participants said.

They urged the NUJ to be more proactive in the defence and protection of its members.

“Journalists should be in the vanguard for the promotion of peace.

“Women should be encouraged to develop more interest in the practice of journalism,” the participants added.

They also advised journalists to give more prominence to issues related to women and children in their stories.

They commended the Justice Development and Peace Commission Ibadan, the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation Abuja for organising the event.

Ekiti

Governor Segun Oni of Ekiti on Sunday donated N1.5 million to some farmers who engaged in FADAMA farming at the Hausa settlement along Ado-IjesaIsu road, Ado-Ekiti.

The 30 farmers received the sum of N50,000 each.

Oni, who was impressed by their farming methods, said the donation was aimed to help them boost their business.

“The state government has approved the disbursement of the sum of N50,000 each to all the 30 farmers in this settlement.

“The amount is to be disbursed immediately by the commissioner of Agriculture.

“Please do not use it for frivolities but make sure it is used to boost your financial base,” the governor charged them.

He assured them of adequate government support and protection at all times.

“If anybody is disturbing your farming activities make sure you inform the government on time for us to take appropriate actions”, Oni stated.

The desire of government, Oni said, was to ensure that the settlement served as a centre where fresh farm produce could be bought all year round.

Responding, the Leader of the farmers, Malam Ahmed Adamu, who said that they have been farming in the area for the past 17 years, promised proper utilisation of the money.

Adamu while commending the governor for the gesture, assured that the farmers would always cooperate with the state government in all its policies and programmes.

Jigawa

The Federal Government is to begin discussions with its development partners in the Education sector, for financial assistance.

Education Minister Ruqayyatu Rufai told newsmen in Dutse on Sunday that this became necessary because the government could not depend solely on what was budgeted for the sector alone.

The issue of funding for the education sector, she said was a major challenge confronting the sector.

Rufai, however, said that the problem would be addressed through collaboration and partnership.

She also said that the ministry would embark on the recruitment of more qualified teachers and training of some others within the next few months.

“A good teacher can teach even under a tree and student will comprehend. But if we provide infrastructure and instructional materials alone without training, we have not changed anything.

“In this regards, improvement of technical education would also receive government’s attention to address problem of unemployment,” she said.

Kaduna

The Nigeria Union of journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council, has set up a contact committee in Zaria axis to sanitise the profession.

The Tide’s source reports that the committee was set up to promote ethical conduct among members as well as protect and promote the interest and welfare of members.

The committee has Alhaji Aminu Ishaq-Abbas of Nigeria Television Authority as chairman while Bello Habib of Leadership Newspapers is Secretary.

Other members are Mohammed Lawal of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and Abubakar Danyaro of KSMC.

Speaking at a meeting in Zaria, the state’s NUJ Chairman, Alhaji Yusuf Idris, said the committee would liaise with the state council.

“The committee will remain the eyes of the state council to bridge the communication gap,” he said.

While appealing to members to be just and transparent, he advised journalists to be diligent, disciplined and humble in discharging their responsibilities.

In his acceptance speech, Ishaq-Abbass promised to carry the members along by seeking their advice.

Katsina

The Katsina state command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has prosecuted 63 persons, including a married woman, for various drug-related offences in five months.

The NDLEA commander in Katsina, Alhaji Ahmadu Garba disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Katsina on Sunday.

He said that the 63 persons have since been convicted and sentenced by the Federal High Court Katsina.

Garba said that among those convicted by the court, was a married woman, Abu Sale, who was arrested in possession of Indian hemp in Katsina metropolis and was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.

He disclosed that the command had during the period, arrested 154 suspects including the convicts for possession of various illicit drugs.

According to him, the command had seized a total of 63.1 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs such as Indian hemp and other psychotropic substances from the suspects.

He also said under the Drug Demand Reduction (DDR) activities, a total of 124 clients were counseled and rehabilitated, while aggressive campaigns against drug abuse were conducted during the period.

Kebbi

The Emir of Yauri in Kebbi, Prof. Muhammad Zayyanu, has called on Governor Saidu Dakingari to provide amenities in Yauri Emirate.

Zayyanu, who led a delegation of title holders and top government functionaries from the area on a visit to the governor on Friday in Birnin Kebbi, said his domain lacked roads and a comprehensive water supply system.

He called for an immediate rehabilitation of the only dam in considering the relevance of water to human beings and animals.

The Emir lamented that in spite of the passage of the River Niger through his domain, water had not been adequately provided for the people.

Zayyanu prayed for the repose of the soul of late President Umaru Yar’Adua, who was father-In-law to the governor, who also lost a senior brother recently.

The governor assured the people of the emirate that amenities would be provided, stressing that he would personally monitor and ensure that the area got the amenities on time.

He commended the role played by traditional rulers in the protection of lives and property in the state.

According to him, the role played by the emirate in ensuring security in the area is worthy of emulation.

Lagos

The Aholu of Kweme Kingdom in Badagry, Sejiro James, said on Friday that the rate of unemployment in Nigeria was responsible for the involvement of youths of the area in smuggling.

James, who was speaking on his third anniversary, told newsmen that there was the need for the Federal Government to empower youths, especially in Badagry and other border areas.

“We are not known to be smugglers in my kingdom, but unemployment has forced my people into the business.

“But if the government gives our people job opportunities and a sense of belonging, they will not go into this vice and they would be contributing more meaningfully to the national project,” he said.

James called on banks, corporate bodies and licensed agents within the kingdom to employ indigenes as part of their social responsibility.

The monarch pledged the support and corporation of his people to the Federal Government.

Osun

The Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates Association (UNIFEMGA) has awarded scholarships to 26 students of the institution.

Alhaji Ahmed Popoola, National President of the association said this at a public lecture and presentation of scholarships at the University of Ile-Ife on Sunday.

The association released N1.4 million to the beneficiaries.

The award is under the UNIFEMGA Scholarship and Indigent Endowment Fund instituted in 2009.

Popoola said 10 of the awards were based purely on merit while 16 others were for those in need of financial support.

He said that the association had given 35 scholarships awards in the last two years as well as paid the tuition fees of five students in the 2008/09 academic session.

According to him, this brings the total sum spent by the association to date to over N1. 8 million.

According to him, the objective of the association is to raise the fund to at least N20 million.

Alhaji Femi Abass, a veteran journalist, who delivered a lecture on “Nigeria at 50: Confronting the Realities”, called on Muslims to embrace western education to complement Islamic knowledge.

He urged governments in the country to place emphasis on education to boost mass literacy and the economy.

Nation

UNIZIK Honours Business Mogul, Ezekwe, For Philanthropism

Published

3 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) has conferred the Award of Digital Academic Promoter on the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Arrowconn Group, High Chief (Dr.) Emeka Ezekwe, for his philanthropic gestures.

Chief Ezekwe received the philanthropist award during a landmark technical workshop organised by the Department of Business Education, Faculty of Technology and Vocational Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, recently.

Making the presentation, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Ugochukwu Stanley Anyaehie, said the award was in recognition of Ezekwe’s philanthropic contributions, academic support, and dedication to human capital development, hailing his commitment to bridging industry and academia.

Ezekwe who is also the Chairman of Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce Professional Services and Consultancy Trade Group, delivered a keynote address at the event with a theme: “Technicalities and Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Business and Education.”

In his address, Ezekwe described the current AI surge as a civilizational shift rather than a mere technological upgrade.

He compared AI’s rapid trajectory to past innovations like electricity, computers, the Internet, and mobile phones, which he said, progressed from luxuries to necessities.

“AI is reshaping value creation, knowledge sharing, and decision-making at unprecedented speed. It has moved from experimentation to execution, powering business forecasting, academic research, digital learning, and strategic decisions,” he said.

The business mogul, however, warned that in business, delays lead to losses, while in education, irrelevance spells failure.

“AI is no longer optional, it is a necessity,” he declared.

Ezekwe highlighted the critical AI skill gap, driven by curriculum lags, limited training, and fear of the unknown, but stressed the bigger danger which is exclusion.

“Those who master AI will shape markets, education, and policy; those who lag will be shaped by others,” he said.

The Arrowconn Group boss also outlined AI’s practical advantages for businesses —including data-driven strategies, smarter investments, scalable customer insights, and competitive edges for SMEs.

In education, he clarified that AI empowers rather than replaces teachers, enabling personalized learning, efficient lesson planning, assessment support, and accelerated research.

He advocated a shift from rote memorization to critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving, while preserving human strengths in engagement, judgment, and collaboration.

Ezekwe urged ethical AI development, warning that “technology without values is dangerous,” and called on institutions like UNIZIK to update curricula, train educators, promote interdisciplinary work, forge industry partnerships, and produce graduates who are solution providers in an AI-driven world.

The workshop also marked the unveiling of the maiden edition of the UNIZIK Journal of Business Education and Entrepreneurship, reinforcing the department’s push for scholarly innovation in AI applications.

Nation

Don Calls For National Forensic Data Bank To Combat Rising Crime

Published

3 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Head of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Port Harcourt’s College of Health Sciences, Prof Gabriel Sunday Oladipo, has underscored the urgent need for Nigeria to develop a comprehensive forensic science infrastructure, warning that the nation’s ability to investigate and solve crime is being hampered by lack of scientific data and systems.

In his inaugural lecture titled, “Man: Fearfully Different, Wonderfully Made,” delivered as part of the 207th Inaugural Lecture Series of the university, Prof Oladipo highlighted that while no two individuals are exactly the same, the country currently lacks the robust systems needed to collect and manage biological and anthropometric data that could support criminal investigations.

He explained that the natural variations among humans — from fingerprints to physical measurements — form the foundation of personal identification in forensic work. These biological differences, he said, are essential for distinguishing one person from another, especially in the context of criminal investigations where clarity of identity can mean the difference between justice and impunity. Without this scientific foundation, he argued, law enforcement agencies lack a critical tool in the fight against crime.

Experts have noted that Nigeria’s forensic science capacity has historically lagged behind needs, with only a few forensic facilities available and many law enforcement agencies struggling to access or use scientific evidence effectively. One review of the state of forensic investigation in Nigeria found that outdated facilities and limited adoption of modern forensic methods have left many cases unsolved or poorly investigated, even as crime rates rise across the country.

In Lagos, efforts to improve forensic capabilities have focused on DNA analysis, with the Lagos State DNA Forensic Centre — the first of its kind in West Africa — providing critical support for criminal investigations and helping to identify human remains, link related cases, and assist with paternity testing. However, such initiatives are yet to be replicated at a national scale, leaving many regions without access to these vital scientific tools.

Prof Oladipo’s lecture went beyond academic theory to propose concrete actions. He called for the establishment of a National Institute of Forensic Science responsible for creating and managing a nationwide anthropometric and forensic data bank. This repository, he stressed, would significantly enhance Nigeria’s capacity to track crime, assist law enforcement agencies, and improve the administration of justice by providing reliable scientific evidence for investigative and legal processes.

He also highlighted the importance of strengthening research and training in forensic science. Many Nigerian universities currently lack the funding and infrastructure to offer complete undergraduate or postgraduate programs in areas such as forensic anthropology, DNA analysis, and crime scene investigation, a gap that forces aspiring experts to rely on collaborations with institutions abroad. By fostering a research-friendly environment and securing greater support from both government and private sectors, Nigerian institutions could produce homegrown experts capable of advancing forensic science in the country.

Awareness of forensic science’s role in criminal justice remains low among the general public and even among some security professionals. Studies have shown that a significant portion of Nigerians are unfamiliar with basic forensic concepts or the existence of tools such as DNA profiling and national forensic databases — tools that are common features of criminal justice systems in countries like South Africa and the United Kingdom.

Prof Oladipo also urged regular training and retraining programs to keep forensic practitioners updated with evolving scientific methods. According to him, continuous professional development is critical in a field where technological advances — from biometric databases to digital forensic tools — are transforming how crimes are investigated and solved.

The lecture was attended by academics, students, and professionals drawn to the intersection of science, identity, and justice, all of whom heard the professor make a compelling case for scientific innovation and institutional reform as central to Nigeria’s effort to contain crime and strengthen its justice system.

The event not only showcased Prof Oladipo’s expertise in human anatomy and forensic psychology but also positioned forensic science as a strategic national priority — one that could bring clarity to investigations, support victims and their families, and ultimately enhance public safety across Nigeria.

Nation

UPWA Hosts Colourful Inter-House Sports Fiesta

Published

6 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

The University of Port Harcourt Women Association (UPWA) on Thursday staged a vibrant and memorable edition of its Annual Inter-House Sports Competition at the University of Port Harcourt Sports Village, drawing an impressive turnout of pupils, parents, staff and invited guests.

The event, organised by the UPWA International Group of Schools, brought together children from the pre-nursery, nursery and secondary sections in a colourful celebration of youth athleticism, discipline and teamwork. The arena came alive with cheers and excitement as pupils, clad in their various house colours, marched in a ceremonial parade before proceeding to compete in a wide range of track and field events, relays, novelty races and other team-based activities designed to promote physical fitness and healthy competition.

Declaring the competition open, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Owunari Georgewill, commended UPWA for sustaining a tradition that continues to nurture young talents beyond the classroom. He noted that sports remain a critical component of holistic education, helping to build resilience, confidence, leadership skills and social interaction among children.

In her remarks, the President of UPWA, Professor Udeme Georgewill, expressed appreciation to parents, teachers and members of the organising committee for their dedication and sacrifice in ensuring the success of the programme despite prevailing economic challenges. She described the event as a reflection of unity and collective effort within the school community.

“This is the first time White House is emerging overall winner, and that shows remarkable improvement and great sportsmanship,” she said. “We all had fun. It is not easy putting an event like this together considering the economic situation, but we are grateful to the parents for being part of this journey. The excitement everywhere is truly heartwarming.”

The competition featured spirited participation from the various houses, including Purple House, San Chicago Red House and White House, with pupils demonstrating strength, speed, coordination and teamwork. Parents and supporters filled the stands, cheering enthusiastically and adding colour to the spectacle, while teachers ensured orderliness and safety throughout the proceedings.

Professor Georgewill emphasized that the true essence of sports lies not merely in winning trophies but in participation and personal growth. “Sports is not just about winning. It is an avenue for growth, discipline and opportunity. The fact that a child is able to participate is already a win. Losing this year does not mean you cannot win next year. Keep trying,” she encouraged, urging pupils to see both victory and defeat as stepping stones to greater achievements.

She further observed that while there are many competing interests in the Nigerian sports sector, consistent grassroots investment remains essential for discovering and nurturing future champions.

The colourful ceremony culminated in medal presentations, trophy awards and group photographs, with UPWA executives, including Vice President I, Professor Adedamola Onyeaso, joining the participating teams to celebrate the day’s achievements.

The annual inter-house sports competition continues to stand as one of UPWA’s flagship events, reinforcing its commitment to balanced education, character formation and the promotion of healthy lifestyles among its pupils.