Rivers
Students Praise Old Boys/Girls 83 Set Over African Child Day Celebration
Students of Government Comprehensive Secondary, Borikiri, in Port Harcourt, have lauded members of the Rivers Secondary Schools Old Boys and Girls 1983 Set Association for organising the International Day of the African Child at the school.
The commendation came as the body feted the students with talk shows, drama, and other entertainment to mark the day commemorated by UNICEF and celebrated worldwide.
One of the students, Lawson Inye Jackson, said he felt joy and motivated by the event.
“It taught me a moral lesson. I need to be studious and stop bullying younger students”, he said.
Another student, Wisdom George, said, “I learnt a lot today. This will make me focus on my career because I want to be a doctor”.
In his remarks, President of the body, Barrister Tubokomba Harry, said the day of the African Child is commemorated to highlight challenges facing children in the continent and to find solutions to them.
Harry, who is also an Old Boy of Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Port Harcourt, stated that the association has taken it as a challenge for the second year running to mark the day in order to encourage young students on the need to focus on their studies and motivate them for future career.
He assured that the African Child has great future and prospects, once they are prepared to lead.
On his part, former Chairman of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Port Harcourt Branch, Barrister Sylvester Adaka, enjoined the students to be obedient and focused on their studies.
Barrister Adaka, who is also an Old Boy of the school, while highlighting the importance of the day, recalled that the event of June 16th in Soweto, South Africa, gave birth to the day.
Due to the plight of children who suffered during the uprising, the United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) had to fix that day to showcase the world on why the African Child should be given a pride of place.
He reminded them that early career choice will help them to be greater leaders and people of influence in the future.
on his part, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Association, Chief Hope Kuku, emphasized that success stems from curiosity and creativity.
Kuku, also an Old Boy of the school, urged the students to “read books to become better persons, and not just to pass exams.”
Another member of the association, Barrister Ngozi Ajayi, in her speech reminded the students that they are leaders of tomorrow, who should be focused and committed to improving their society.
She said the day afforded them time to reflect while harping on the need for them to be self-confident and obedient to their parents and teachers.
Secretary-General of the Association, Dr. Ibinabo Ogolo, in an interview with journalists, outlined that the programme is one of the key projects of the association aimed at socialising with the various Alma Maters.
She said the annual celebration will be expanded in the future with the engagement of both government and private sectors to improve the plight of the children.
The event witnessed the presentation of cash gifts to best students in Mathematics and English in the Senior and Junior sections, and also donation of educational materials to the school by the Association.
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Members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, have been urged to work hard towards contributing to national development. This call was made at the recent induction of new members by the Port Harcourt branch of the Society. The induction ceremony was used to formally welcome new members and celebrate its elevated new fellows.
Speaking during the ceremony held a in Port Harcourt, the Branch Chairman, Engr. Idaeresoari Ateke Harriet, FNSE, called on members of the NSE to actively participate in the Society’s professional and technical activities in order to contribute meaningfully to national development. He congratulated the new inductees, describing their admission as a testament to their hard work and resilience.
Engr. Ateke also commended the new Fellows for their immense contributions to the engineering profession, reminding them that their elevation is a call to greater responsibility as mentors and role models.
The event featured a lecture by Engr. Prof. Steve Odi-Owei, FNSE, on “Opportunities and Challenges in Nigeria’s Blue Economy.” The Chairman noted that Nigeria’s maritime and aquatic resources remain largely untapped, adding that engineers have a crucial role to play in harnessing these resources for economic growth and environmental sustainability.
He thanked the first female President of NSE, Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala, FNSE, other dignitaries, sponsors, and families of inductees for gracing the occasion.
Also, engineers, especially those in Rivers State have been advised to adhere strictly to the core ethics of the profession and to always uphold the professional ethics of the body.
This advice was given by an engineering expert, Basoene Benibo, in an interview with at the sidelines of the induction ceremony and Fellowship celebration of the Port Harcourt Branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
Benibo stressed the need for young engineers in the state to learn and improve on their skills by tapping from the wealth of experience of older professionals in the field to enable them excel.
Benibo, who is a one-time Chairman of the Port Harcourt Chapter of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, also noted and hailed the efforts of the society in eliminating quackery in the engineering profession.
Some of the new fellows include Prof Jackson Akpa, Pereowei Jose’s and Telema Osima, while the inductees, Engr Mrs Lizzy Onwuso, Engr David Jonathan jnr and Worlu Emmanuel expressed joy in being found worthy to become full NSE members, believing that it would enable them have access to more knowledge, practice rightly and impact the society positively.
The President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Library Association (NLA), Dr. Dominic Amenaghawon Omokaro, has expressed deep commitment to the advancement of education and literacy in Nigeria through the library system.
Speaking through his state Chairman Dr. Chidara Okachukwu Nyemezu, at the formal Launching/inauguration of the Vanguard for Library Visibility And Advocacy (VALVA) at Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Port Harcourt recently, Omokaro discribed the inauguration of the new body as a significant and passionate movement aimed at shining the spotlight on one of the underappreciated yet critical institution in Nigeria’s educational system and national development.
“We are gathered here not just to launch a group, but to launch a vision and ignite a movement to reinforce a mission to make libraries visible and valuable again for our people”, he said.
Dr. Omokaro stated that the birth of VALVA is based of the recognition that libraries, particularly school libraries, are the bedrock of promoting a reading and research culture that includes innovation and lifelong learning in the society, though the system is grossly underfunded and poorly equipped in many cases.
He recalled the theme of its first week under his watch, “Library System for National Development in 2022”, which he hinted was driven by the state chapters.
He explained that the inauguration of VALVA shows an important mission to promote the visibility and development with impact on schools and other libraries through strategic advocacy that will advance quality education and foster lifelong learning culture in Nigeria.
“The vision is clear to promote the visibility where every school and indeed every community will have access to a functional library managed by a professional Liberian”, he said.
Speaking with journalists at the sideline of the event, the founder of the VALVA, Dr. Juliet C. Akex-Nmec, stressed that no society can grow without a functional and effective library.
She urged government at all levels to ensure the establishment of effective and functional libraries across the country.
Dr. Alex-Nmec, who is also an Associate Professor of Library and Information Science, Rivers State University, called for the appointment of a Special Adviser on Library matters by the state government in order to assist the government on Library matters.
High point of the event was the formal inaugural of the new body and oath of offices to the new executive.
Akujobi Amadi
The Rivers State Judiciary has denied a media report claiming that Justice Frank Onyiri of the State High Court issued an injunction order restraining the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), from inaugurating the newly appointed members of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission (RSCSC).
In a statement issued by the Deputy Chief Registrar in charge of litigation at the High Court, Menenen Poromon (Esq), the state Judiciary disassociated itself from the report, describing it as malicious and fabricated.
The statement emphasized that the report was a falsehood and a misrepresentation of what transpeared in the court.
Poromon clarified that no such order was issued by Justice Onyiri or any other judge of the High Court of the state and urged the public to disregard the information, as it lacked any iota of truth.
The statement however advised the public to verify any information concerning the state Judiciary directly from the office of the Chief Registrar, High Court of the State, to avoid spreading of misinformation.