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THE STATES

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Benue

The Benue House of Assembly, has directed the state government to establish functional fire service stations in its three senatorial zones.

This followed a motion by Mr Baba Odeh of Otukpo/Akpa constituency which urged the government to embark on the project to save lives and property.

Odeh said the stations should be located in Gboko, Katsina-Ala and Otukpo local government areas.

He said the motion was necessary because the main station located in Makurdi with two sub-stations were inadequate to cater for the state.

 

Ekiti

The Ekiti State Government last Thursday disbursed N18.9 million to 126 law students.

The students received N150,000 each as their 2012 bursary allowance.

At a ceremony in Ado-Ekiti, the state’s Commissioner for Education, Dr Eniola Ajayi, said that the gesture was in line with the eight-point agenda of the present administration in the state.

The commissioner, who presented cheques to the beneficiaries, advised them to be prudent in the use of the allowance.

 

FCT

An Information Technology expert, Mr Kio Bestman,  last Thursday in Abuja advised computer training institutes in the country to run certification programmes.

Bestman in an interview with newsmen said that was the only way the Nigerian IT training centres could remain relevant in the global IT market.

“Our computer schools should run certification programme. Whether you have a B.SC or not, certification mean you are competent enough to use that platform.

“If it is website design, you have a certification programme. If it is Microsoft office, you have Micro-office specialist certification. If it is networking you also have networking certification.

 

Gombe

The Chairman of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Gombe State chapter, Dr Raymond Dankoli, last Thursday in Gombe called on members of the public to take precautionary measures to curtail the effects of harmattan on their health.

Dankoli, who stated this in an interview with newsmen in Gombe, noted that the harmattan period comes with several health challenges, especially respiratory tract infections because of the dust .

“The risk of respiratory tract infection is higher during the period, hence the need for precaution.

“Children are more vulnerable; therefore parent should make sure that they take precautionary measures.”

 

Jigawa

The Jigawa Executive Council has approved N186 million for the procurement of laboratory equipment and the execution of other school development projects in the state.

The Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Banbandi Ibrahim, disclosed this last Thursday in Dutse while briefing newsmen on the outcome of Wednesday’s meeting of the State Executive Council.

Ibrahim said of the N186 million, N110 million would go to the procurement of laboratory equipment for distribution to all senior science secondary schools across the state.

He said that N33 million was earmarked for the rehabilitation of hostels at the College of Remedial and Advance Studies, Kafin-Hausa.

 

Kaduna          

A Kaduna Sharia Court has sentenced one Babangida Ibrahim, 33, to six months imprisonment for stealing a motorcycle at a mosque in Kaduna,

Ibrahim had stolen the motorcycle on November 20, removed its number plate but was arrested at a police check- point in the city for riding without number plate.

According to Police Prosecutor, Cpl Bitrus Kwaji, subsequent investigation revealed that Ibrahim had stolen the motorcycle.

 

Katsina

The Joint Consultative Forum (JCF) of the three tertiary institutions in Katsina State, has given three weeks ultimatum to the government to meet its demands or its members will embark on strike.

The three state-owned tertiary institutions are Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, Katsina, Isah Kaita College of Education, Dutsinma and Yusuf Bala Usman College of Legal and General Studies, Daura.

The forum comprised of both academic and non-academic staff of the institutions.

The Chairman of the forum, Malam Tukur Dahiru, and the Secretary Malam Muttaka Mamman, gave the warning last Thursday in Katsina in a statement they signed and issued to newsmen.

 

Kwara

The Kwara House of Assembly has passed the Asset Management Bill 2012.

The Clerk of the House, Mr Oyetunde Oyeniyi, announced the passage of the bill after reading it for the third time on the floor of the Assembly.

The bill seeks to protect the state government’s asset and liabilities in ministries and parastatal agencies against theft and vandalism.

It also spells out penalties for anybody or group of persons who damages or steals government property.

 

Lagos

Assistant Director, Lagos Zonal Inspector, Directorate of Police Education, Mrs Esther Gbadegesin,  last Thursday said that affordable and qualitative education would make the nation develop faster.

Gbadegesin made the observation in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

She explained that making school fees affordable would give the children more opportunities to acquire education.

“When more children are given the opportunity to be educated as a result of affordable school fees, our society would develop faster,” she said.

 

Ogun

A Mathematician, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, has called on all levels of government to declare a ‘State of emergency‘ on the teaching and learning of Mathematics in the country.

Arigbabu, Dean of College of Science and Information Technology, Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), ljebu-Ode, Ogun, made the call while delivering the 2nd Inaugural lecture of the University.

The dean, who is also a Professor of Mathematics, spoke on the Topic: “Beyond The Cuboid: lmperatives For An Aids-Free, Mathematically Literate Society”.

 

Osun

A Climatologist, Prof Temi Ologunorisa, has identified ICT as a useful tool in the management and mitigation of the effects of climate change in communities.

Ologunorisa said at an International Conference on “Climate Change and ICT”, held at the Osun State University, Osogbo, that ICT development would help in reducing hazards associated with climate change.

The conference was jointly organised by the Xavier University, USA, International Centre for IT Development, USA, and Osun State University’s Centre For Climate Change and Environmental Research, to showcase the importance of ICT in disaster management.

“Climate change and its associated problems, such as sea level rise, flooding, erosion, desertification and heat, are gradually becoming issues of concern to us all.

 

Plateau

The Plateau Government said it would set up family courts in order to protect the right of children in the state

Plateau Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Mr Edward Pwajok, told newsmen in Jos last Thursday that the court would assist in curtailing many injustices against children.

“The protection of rights of children in our society today is very vital, and should not be neglected because they are the leaders of tomorrow.

“This suggests why we in Plateau will not be left behind in struggling to give our children a better future,” he said.

 

Zamfara

The National Council for Women Societies (NCWS) in Zamfara has urged women in the state to participate actively in political activities and other developmental programmes.

President of the society, Hajiya Larai Ibrahim, made the plea last Thursday in Gusau at a sensitisation programme organised for women activists in the state.

It was jointly organised by the Gender Awareness Trust and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Ibrahim said that traditional and religious impediments had hindered women’s participation in politics and governance, adding that it was responsible for gross gender inequality in the state.

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Rivers Commissioner Commends WAEC Conduct, Vows Sanctions for Malpractice

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The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, has commended the orderly conduct of the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination in the state and urged schools to sustain the standard.

Dr. Nwagor gave the commendation on Tuesday during a monitoring tour of selected secondary schools in Port Harcourt and environs where the WAEC exam is ongoing.

The commissioner, who was accompanied by directors and monitors from the Ministry of Education, said he was impressed with the peaceful atmosphere at the centres visited.

“The students conducted themselves properly and wrote their papers under conducive conditions. Invigilators and supervisors also performed their duties professionally,” he stated.

Nwagor noted that the Rivers State Government had invested heavily to ensure the smooth and credible conduct of the examination across the state

He urged candidates to reciprocate government’s effort by shunning all forms of examination malpractice and focusing on their studies.

“Government has done so much to ensure successful examinations in our schools. Students should take advantage of it by remaining focused,” the commissioner said.

While no case of malpractice was recorded in the centres inspected, Dr. Nwagor warned that any principal, teacher, invigilator, or official caught aiding malpractice would face strict sanctions in line with regulations.

He also commended school administrators, teachers, WAEC officials, and security personnel for upholding the integrity of the process.

Centres visited included County Grammar School, Ikwerre/Etche; Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borokiri; Government Secondary School, Borokiri; and Pabod Model Secondary School.

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THE LAPSES OF THE MEDIA IN ELECTIONS

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The media is supposed to be a platform through which people express their thoughts, beliefs, and opinions on issues of public interest. Unfortunately, it has often failed to live up to its role as the fourth estate of the realm.During the 2023 elections, the media recorded several lapses that deserve critical examination in academic and professional spaces. Before discussing these failures in detail, it is important to briefly explain the meaning, role, and duties of the media. In simple terms, the media refers to the main channels of mass communication, including broadcasting, print publishing, and the internet.
It is a collective term for all means through which information reaches the public. The media is often called the fourth tier of government because of the popular saying, “No media, no society.” This is not an exaggeration. Scholars have shown that the media plays an integral role in society, since political, economic, religious, and academic activities all depend on information flow through the media.
The word MEDIA can be broken down to reflect its core functions:  M – Meeting the People  E – Educating the People  D – Discussing with the People  I – Involving the People  A – Accessing the PeopleSpecifically during elections, the media is expected to provide accurate and timely information to the public by reporting and updating citizens on government and electoral activities. This responsibility is central to keeping the electorate informed.The media also strengthens democracy by engaging citizens on critical issues affecting the electoral process. When the media effectively disseminates relevant information, the public can see through the failures of government, hold leaders accountable, and propose solutions that serve the common good.
Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram play a vital role in democratic societies because they allow mass participation. Unlike radio and television, social media is accessible to anyone with a smartphone and data bundle, making it the most inclusive platform for political discourse. Despite these roles, the media must not abandon its ethics or promote partisan agendas that mislead the public. In many schools of thought, the media is described as closely related to the judiciary.
People often see the media as a place to voice grievances and seek justice.However, it is fair to say that the media has lost ground by failing to fulfill its duties during elections. Below are ten key lapses observed in the February 2023 elections.Lack of coordination among journalists. Many press personnel who covered different polling units were poorly equipped and unprepared. Some lacked functional cameras and modern technology needed to carry out professional reporting.
Partisanship and breach of ethics. Media personnel, who are supposed to remain non-partisan, openly violated professional ethics by taking political sides and favoring certain candidates in their reporting.Commercialization of coverage. Some journalists prioritized money over news. It was disappointing to see professionals from reputable stations engaging in what I call “Oga, find me something syndrome” begging politicians for money in exchange for favorable coverage or interviews.Loss of independence and self-censorship. On election day, some journalists took instructions from politicians on what to report and what to suppress. This compromised the independence of the media and reduced public trust.
Poor post-election reporting. Few media outlets reported what actually happened at the polling units. Incidents of violence, voter intimidation, and irregularities were either underreported or ignored entirely, while praise was lavished on politicians instead of amplifying the voices of the people.Spread of misinformation and unverified claims. In the rush to be first, some media houses published unverified results and rumors from social media without fact-checking. This fueled confusion and tension among the electorate.Inadequate coverage of rural and marginalized areas. Media attention was concentrated in urban centers, leaving rural polling units underreported. The experiences and challenges of rural voters were largely absent from mainstream coverage.
Sensationalism over substance. Some outlets prioritized sensational headlines and conflict-driven stories over factual analysis of policies and candidate manifestos, leaving voters uninformed about real issues. Failure to hold INEC accountable in real time. While INEC faced logistical failures and delays, many media houses were slow to question officials or demand explanations on air, missing opportunities for live accountability.
Neglect of voter education. Beyond reporting results, the media did little to educate voters on procedures, rights, and what to do in case of irregularities. This left many citizens uninformed and vulnerable on election day.These lapses weaken public trust and undermine the credibility of the electoral process. For the media to regain its role as a watchdog of democracy, it must return to the principles of accuracy, impartiality, and public service.
The media must be informed to follow its ethics as the 2027 elections approaches. This is encourage electorates rely on the authenticity and objectivity of media practice.Failure to uphold media standards will further make the country plunge into political apathy, electoral violence and disgust for those in the media practice.
By KRUKRUBO, NYE TAMUNODIKI.
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RSU, Otonti Nduka Foundation Holds Centenary Conference, Unveil Book on Values in Nigeria

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Rivers State University and the Otonti Nduka Foundation for Values Education jointly hosted a two-day National Conference on 8 and 9 May 2026 to examine the state of values in Nigeria.

The two days conference held at Rivers State University convocation arena brought together academics, policymakers, legal experts and education leaders under the theme _“Trends and Challenges in Upholding Values in Nigeria.”_

The gathering focused on policy gaps, curriculum reform, and the role of ethics in public service and education.

The event opened on Friday with remarks from Vice Chancellor Prof. Chief Isaac Zeb-Obipi, who stressed the need to address declining moral and civic values across Nigeria’s education and public sectors. A book of abstracts for the plenary sessions was also presented to participants.

Key speakers included former Attorney General Chief Dr Kanu Agabi, SAN; NERDC Executive Secretary Prof. Shehu Salisu; Prof. Hauwa Imam, FNAE, of the University of Abuja; former Rivers SUBEB Chairman Ven Dr Fyneface Akah, ; former NIMASA DG Dr Hon. Dakuku Adol-Peterside; and RSU Director of ICT Prof. Sunny Orike.

Discussions centered on integrating values education into schools, tertiary institutions and public institutions, alongside the impact of technology on moral development among young Nigerians. Panel and plenary sessions produced practical recommendations for curriculum and policy reform.

On Saturday, the foundation marked its centenary with the unveiling of the book _Otonti Nduka in History_, launched by Chief Engr. Grant Offor, FNSE. The Nigerian Academy of Education held a ceremonial procession led by its President Prof. Olu Jegede and the Ikwerre Professors Forum.

In a communiqué, participants called for stronger collaboration between government, civil society and academia to mainstream values education nationwide. They recommended reviewing teacher training curricula and expanding digital platforms to promote ethical civic engagement, with the foundation pledging to share the outcomes with education authorities for implementation.

Dignitaries present included Ogbakor Ikwerre Worldwide as Chief Host, Prof. Emeritus Chief T. Uzodimma Nwala, the Ikenga 1 of Mbaise and first philosophy student of Prof. Otonti Nduka, alongside scholars and community leaders.

 

Amadi Akujobi

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