Nation

THE STATES

Published

11 years ago

April 8, 2015

President Goodluck Jonathan (left), receiving Easter greeting card from sgf, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim (right), during Easter homage to the President in Abuja last Sunday. With them is the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Mr john Kennedy Opara. Photo: NAN

FCT
Nigeria’s in-coming First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, says
women would enjoy a better deal under the President-elect, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, as soon as he is inaugurated.
This is conveyed in an Easter message released in Abuja last Monday by Director, Media and Publicity, APC Presidential Campaign Organisation, Malam Garba Shehu.
According to the message, the wife of the president-elect assured Nigerian women that they would witness a better deal when her husband formally takes office on May 29.
It said, ‘’I wish Christian women the abundant blessings of the Easter celebration.
“Nigerian women are among the hardest working social groups, but have remained economically and politically marginalised.
“Under my husband’s government, honest labour and hard work would be adequately rewarded, while corruption would be fought aggressively.”

Kano

Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State has ap
plauded President Goodluck Jonathan for his magnanimity by conceding defeat to General Muhammadu Buhari in the March 28 presidential election.
The governor commended Jonathan last Sunday while briefing newsmen in Kano, on the outcome of the last Presidential and National Assembly Elections in the country.
“I want to commend the President’s action in conceding defeat. This shows that President Jonathan is a true statesman,” he said.
The governor, who also congratulated Buhari on his victory, attributed the success of the election to the determination of Nigerians to have a change in leadership.
Kwankwaso assured Nigerians that Buhari would run a transparent government.
He said the new administration would fight corruption and provide maximum security to citizens of the country.
Kwankwaso then urged the President-elect, to live up to his campaign promises to justify the confidence reposed in him.

Kogi

Pastor Dapo Afolabi of the Redeemed Christian Church
of God has urged Nigerians to remain calm and peaceful during the forthcoming Gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections on April 11.
Afolabi in his sermon titled, “God’s relationship’’ on Easter Sunday in Lokoja, said that it was the relationship we had with God that he used to manifest his wonders.
He urged Nigerians to build a new relationship with God so that he could always fight their battles, saying that if not for God those beating the drums of war would have prevailed.
He thanked God for the peaceful conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections and prayed to God to help Nigeria during and after the April elections.
Afolabi urged Nigerians to pray for the President-elected, Muhammadu Buhari, for God to assist him to pilot the affairs of the country.
Also, the Spiritual Head, Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, Olumba Olumba-Obu, has called for peace and tolerance among Nigerians.

Kwara

Eight political parties in Kwara State, under the aegis
of Congress of Nigeria’s Political Party (CNPP) have declared their support for the re-election of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.
CNPP Chairman in Kwara State, Alhaji Adebayo Lawal, told journalists at a news conference last Monday, in Ilorin, that the political parties had resolved to garner votes for Governor Ahmed.
Lawal listed the political parties as Action Alliance (AA), Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), United Progressives Party (UNPP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Others are United Democratic Party (UNP), Citizen Popular Party (CPP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and African Congress of Democrats (ACD).
Lawal, State Chairman of AA, was joined by the governorship candidates of the other political parties to declare their support for the APC in the forth-coming elections.

Nasarawa

The Catholic Bishop of Lafia Diocese, Dr Mathew Ishaya,
last Monday, urged Nigerian leaders to evolve strategies that would alleviate the suffering of the victims of terrorism and other evil acts.
Ishaya stated this when he spoke with newsmen in Lafia.
He said the call had become imperative in order to improve the standard of living of the victims of violence in the country. Ishaya said the nation should give those people a sense of belonging.
“The security challenge facing the state and some parts of the country such as terrorism, communal crisis, among other evil acts, have affected our lives and the socio-economic development of the country negatively.
“Our brothers and sisters have been displaced; they are homeless due to the activities of Boko Haram, communal crisis and other forms of violence in the society. There is need to assist in reducing their suffering.”

Niger

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State has
called on the state government to look for an alternative place for the relocation of the Madalla market along Abuja-Kaduna Road.
The call is contained in a statement issued last Monday by the party’s Publicity Secretary in the state, Mr Jonathan Vatsa.
The party noted that the present location of the market close to a highway, had led to loss of lives and property.
“We are worried that despite collecting N1.8 billion loan to build the ultra-modern market, the government of Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu in Niger State has refused to understand the danger of the market still being located along the high way.
“There is no gain saying that the market has witnessed fatal accidents, ranging from tankers veering into the market and most times, setting people and their wares ablaze,” it said.
The party then challenged the state development company to explain the delay in re-locating the market, in spite of the huge resources collected for the purpose.

Ondo

The Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has
appealed to the people of the state to vote en masse for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates in the forthcoming governorship and House of Assembly elections.
Mimiko made the appeal while speaking with newsmen in Akure last Sunday.
The governor said this was necessary to ensure further promotion of peace and effective governance in the state.
“Voting for our candidates will guarantee continuity of peace and prospects for the state.
“The people should demonstrate their desire to maintain and further promote peace and growth in the state by voting for the PDP candidates jostling for seats in the state’s legislative chamber,” he said.

Plateau
Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has said
the peaceful conduct of March 28 presidential poll won by Maj.-Gen Muhammadu Buhari, has shamed doomsayers that Nigeria would break up in 2015.
“No one will ever repeat that wild and arrogant prediction that Nigeria will go under; those doomsayers have been shamed and Nigeria will grow from strength to strength’’, Gowon told newmen in Jos.
While recalling the prediction that the country would disintegrate in 2015, Gowon declared that those that made the prediction did not reckon with Nigeria’s ability to solve its problems.
“The nation has always had the mechanism to tackle its concerns and this election and its peaceful outcome have proved that a united and focused nation would always survive and move toward greatness’’, he said.

Sokoto

Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State says the Presi
dent-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has urged APC supporters nationwide to shun violence and provocation while celebrating his victory.
Our correspondent reports that Wamakko passed down the message in Sokoto at the monthly stakeholders ‘ meeting of the All Progressives Congress.
‘’ I was with Buhari two days ago in Abuja and this was his main message to the members and supporters of the party in the country. “While celebrating, we should be cautious so as not to endanger the lives of others, cause violence or destruction of property, and or cause the killing or maiming of other Nigerians,’’ Wamakko, said.
According to the governor, without peace and unity, the much-needed change cannot be brought about successfully by the incoming APC-led administration.
He said that the meeting was to show appreciation to God for the “invaluable and epoch-making successes recorded by the APC during the landmark March 28 general elections.”

Yobe

The Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC)
in Yobe State, Alhaji Umar Kukuri, last Sunday, advised governorship candidates in Saturday’s election, to emulate the sportsmanship of President Goodluck Jonathan, by accepting defeat if they lost in a transparent election.
Kukuri, who made the call at a press conference in Damaturu, said Jonathan’s courageous action had opened a new chapter in Nigeria’s democracy .
“If the president can concede defeat, there is no candidate that is too big to concede defeat after losing election.
“Let us be reminded that in every election, there must be winners and losers; we should, in the spirit of sportsmanship as exemplified by President Jonathan, accept election results in good faith,” he said.

Nation

UNIZIK Honours Business Mogul, Ezekwe, For Philanthropism

Published

4 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

4 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

1 week 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.