Rivers
IAUE Makes Case For Food Sustainability, Security
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Rivers State, Professor Okechuku Onuchuku, has emphasised on the need to ensure food sustainability and security in the State and the society at large.
Prof. Onuckuku made the remarks at the 5th International Conference of the Society for Agriculture, Environmental Resources and Management (SAEREM) held at the postgraduate hall of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) Rumuolumeni, Port-Harcourt.
Declaring the conference open, the Acting VC described the theme of the conference, “Impact of Climate Change and Oil Pollution on Environmental Resources, Food Production, Biodiversity and Economic Growth”, as timely, given that the basic needs of man are far from him as a result of negative activities practiced.
Represented by the Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Professor Kingdom Eke Orji, Onuckuku emphasised that food sustainability is critical.
“Lack of productivity in the agricultural sector should be food for thought and a major area of concern for all, especially with the vast array of virgin lands at our disposal”, he stated.
The Acting VC enjoined all to make food sustainability and security a reality “by engaging in small and medium scale farming in our little corners and make availability of food production a thing of the past”.
Professor Onuchuku also stressed the need to bridge the gap between policy formulation and implementation, and to have an action plan that can be translated into meaning in the next ten years.
He welcomed participants to the University and wished them fruitful deliberations.
Speaking, the Chairman in Council of SAEREM, Professor Austin Otegbulu, noted that Agriculture and environment are interesting areas.
He assured that the Association would be one that everybody would look up to, to solve environmental and agricultural problems in the nearest future.
While wishing them well in their discussions, he urged participants to use the knowledge that would be acquired to enhance and better their lot.
In his speech, the National President of SAEREM, Professor E. M. Agu, represented by the National Secretary, Dr. Eteyen Nyong, stated that “SAEREM is a peer reviewed open access interdisciplinary research-based organisation that provides a wide view on topical issues as addressed by the central theme of the conference”.
He added that the association is also a non conventional society but with a clear cut paradigm shift in line with global best practices.
The President explained that their core mandate is to encourage interdisciplinary peer reviewed research base, provide welfare package to deserving members, and organize essay competitions for undergraduates in Nigeria.
He continued that if Nigeria is to effectively tackle the enormous challenges of food security presented by climate change, then “innovations and awareness of climate change impacts should be cultivated in all parts of the agricultural ecosystem”.
Food security, according to him, “is a significant step in ensuring a life of dignity for every citizen, especially as Nigeria has the opportunity of becoming a global leader in building a productive and resilient agricultural system for the 21st century”.
Professor Agu observed that the major threat to the agricultural sector is not just the insecurity from both the Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen, but oil pollution, gas flaring, flooding etc.
He expressed optimism that this year’s conference would provide good road map to address these challenges as well as come out with holistic results for policy formulation and workable recommendations.
In his address, the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, Professor Godfrey Adokiye Kalio, noted that the theme of the conference is apt due to the catastrophic consequences of global climate change caused by some avoidable human activities.
Such activities, he explained, emit large amounts of green house gases through the burning of fossil fuels, gas flaring and local crude refining (kpo fire) into the atmosphere that depletes the ozone layer.
“This results to global warming, increased rainfall, increase in sea levels, desertification, drought, flooding, population displacement, famine, spread of infectious diseases, threat to food production and safety, loss in biodiversity, death and economic losses”, he said.
He stated that the aim of the conference was to provide a veritable platform for the academia and captains of industries for the cross fertilization of ideas on the means of combating these situations in Nigeria and the globe.
Professor Kalio welcomed participants to what he called “the serene ambience, environment of IAUE, the fastest growing university in the South-South geopolitical zone in Nigeria and the West African subregion”.
He wished them “a blissful moment of brainstorming and fruitful deliberations in the various technical and scientific sessions”.
The event featured presentation of awards to some personalities.
The Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board (RSPHCMB) says it will commence Supplemental Immunization activities on Saturday, May 3, 2025, to vaccinate children from 0-5 years across the State.
The State Health Educator, Dr. Diana Babbo, who stated this during a sensitisation meeting with Media Advocate for Health, Rivers State, on the update of immunization exercise in Rivers State, said the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) is a re-enforcement of the routine immunization at the health facilities.
According to her, it is aimed at boosting polio immunisation against the circulating variance of polio virus currently threatening the total eradication of polio in the country.
She further stated that there are four pillars of polio eradication, namely routine immunization (administered on babies in the health centre), supplemental immunization activity (supplements to boost the babies), surveillance (searching for children that have weakness in their legs or some oart of their bodies), and outbreak response.
The Health Educator noted that the Novel Oral Polio Vaccination Type 2 (NOPV 2) will be administered to children under the age of 0-5 years, which targets a specific polio still in existence in communities and capable of causing paralysis among the stated categories of children, despite the country being certified a polio-free nation.
Dr. Babbo further stated that this year’s NIPDs will address the high number of unresolved non-compliance cases in the State.
She debunked what she tagged a false rumour by mischief makers which claimed that the vaccines are responsible for the development of autism in children.
She said, “vaccines are not known to be responsible for the development of autism. We’re just hearing that. The truth is that one cannot know everything.
“That aspect that has been found, have we looked into other aspects, such as genetically modified foods, drinks, and milks that our children are taking?
“Have we also looked at genetic compatibility between couples before we now say vaccines are causing x, y, z things?
“Are we looking at the environment where these things are happening, what they are peculiar to?
“It must not be peculiar to all the families, there could be something also that’s happening around that we have not known. Research is evolving, let us not accuse our precious vaccines that have succeeded so far in my knowledge, to keep as many sicknesses at bay.
“The reason we do not have small pox in our world today, apart from the lab (a bio-lab) is because we vaccinated to the point where we were able to move small pox totally out of existence from human beings. We can succeed with that same pattern with all kinds of viruses”.
She stated that the connection between autism and vaccination could merely be coincidence.
Babbo, therefore, urged all parents, churches, and school owners to avail their children/wards the opportunity to be vaccinated against polio the stated exercise.
Sogbeba Dokubo
Engr Obi Fortune, a renowned philanthropist, has donated 80 desks to four secondary schools in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State. The donation is part of his commitment to advancing education in the area.
The schools that benefited from the gesture includes- Community Secondary School Umuoye.
Community Secondary School Akwa- Government Secondary School Ozuzu and Community Primary School Okehi 2 and all the schools got 20 units each of the desks.
Speaking during the brief handing-over ceremony held recently in okehi recently, Engr Obi stated that the donation fulfills his promise to use proceeds from his book sales to procure desks for schools in the LGA.
He disclosed that more desks will arrive soon and expressed his continued commitment to supporting education in the area.
Obi urged the schools to make good use of the desks and called on other individuals to contribute to the educational needs in the area.
This gesture demonstrates Engr Obi’s dedication to improving education in Etche LGA.
A professor of social and political philosophy at Rivers State University (RSU ) Nkpolu Oroworukwu port Harcourt, Prof Agha Eresia _Eke has emphasized that citizenship participation is crucial for achieving true democratic government. He stressed that citizens’ involvement in exercising their basic rights, such as freedom of speech, assembly, and religion, is essential for a democratic institution to thrive.
Eresia _Eke stated this while presenting his inaugural lecture at the 111 university’s inaugural lecture series with the topic “Nigeria Democratic practices:a contextual paradox”held at the university senate auditorium in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
According to him, core democratic values which include:,- Respect for individual rights and freedoms, Protection of human rights and fundamental freedom, Equality before the law, Freedom of speech, assembly, and association, Protection of privacy and personal autonomy.
“Through out history, the problem that has agitated social and political philosophers has been to work _out a model for the realization of the common good of man.
Man has always sought and developed methods and systems of organising himself according to his true nature as a rational being.”he stated.
Eresia-Eke notes that Nigeria is not practicing a true federalism and highlights the importance of a pragmatic approach to democracy, where ideas and solutions are tested and refined in real-world environments.
He emphasized that citizens must hold their leaders accountable and demand respect for human rights, stressing that by doing so, citizens can undertake their civic obligations and responsibilities, strengthening society as a whole.
Earlier in his address, the Vice chancellor of the university, Prof Zeb _Obipi commended the lecturer for his brilliant performance, adding that he has justified and proven that he is a professor in his area of specialization.
The VC averred that the university has been consistent in the inaugural lecture monthly and assured that his administration will continue to continue to keep the trend.