Nigerian Newspapers
Summer school of academic rebirth
The maiden edition of the Ikogosi Graduate Summer School (IGSS) organised by the Ekiti State Government ends tomorrow. For the 50 pioneer graduate students, it has been a rich experience.They came hungry for knowledge; they are leaving charged to face the rigours of researches they must undertake to become successful scholars. KOFOWOROLA BELO-OSAGIE reviews the two-week programme.
They came hungry for knowledge. Many had questions about how to navigate the fast flowing and deep river of scholarly research – questions that had plagued their theses, stalling their completion; questions their supervisors and teachers back in their schools neither had the time nor patience to answer.
Many of their questions were answered during the two-week Ikogosi Graduate Summer School (IGSS), which ends tomorrow at the Ikogosi Warm Spring Resort, in Ekiti State.
The IGSS was initiated by Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi in collaboration with two Nigerian-born scholars, Dr Wale Adebanwi of the University of California, and Dr Ebenezer Obadare of the University of Kansas, both in the United States, to expose young scholars to the nitty-gritty of conducting and reporting research; publishing in reputable international journals and writing to attract funding.They also learnt about gender issues, literature, society and culture, political economy, globalisation and international finance and other areas of interest in the arts, social sciences and humanities.The uniqueness of the programme was the use of seasoned Nigerian scholars teaching abroad as facilitators. They worked with some of their counterparts at home. Wife of Ekiti State governor Mrs Bisi Fayemi, also took part in the exercise. She spoke on the “Theory and Practice of Feminism in Africa.” The Chief Consultant to the United Nations Economic Commission on Methodology in Afirca, Prof Oka Obono, handled how to determine the right methods to use to research social problems.
One of the government’s objectives in floating the programme is to reverse the brain drain syndrome by leveraging on the expertise of the scholars, particularly those whose talents have only benefited foreign students in the past because they do not work in Nigeria.
The 50 participants, who are Masters and PhD students of Ekiti origin, were selected from various universities, notably the University of Ibadan, which had 17 participants. Others came from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State (8); Ekiti State University (7) University of Lagos (6); National Open University of Nigeria (3) University of Benin, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State (2), and University of Jos (1) to name a few. They won a place on the programme based on their ability to convince the organisers of their quest for knowledge and its applications.
The programme gave them the platform to rethink their research proposals, fine-tune their ideas, learn how to source data, adopt the right methodology, and present their research in a logical format.
Mrs Modupe Ala was excited when she learnt of the IGSS. After many years of doubts, she believed, attending the programme would help her face her PhD in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Ibadan with confidence.
“I have been seeking such opportunity for a long time. That is why I refused to start my PhD. I have seen supervisors rubbish the presentations by PhD students who were unable to do good work and I did not want to experience the same. I actually prayed to God for this kind of opportunity. So, when it came, I grabbed it,” she said.
The school, she said, demystified postgraduate research, adding that the programme was an answer to her prayers for divine guidance in her academic pursuit.
“My experience is like that of Elijah who after the destruction of Baal on Mount Carmel became afraid of another battle at the sight of Jezebel. But thank God for the Juniper tree and the divine intervention that saved Elijah with food for the journey for many days. Sincerely, IGSS has fed us with what is adequate for postgraduate studies. It has demystified postgraduate studies,” she said.
In future, Olalekan Ayooade, a Mass Communication graduate of Redeemers University would like to learn how to help youths forced into the wrong careers by their families to regain lost ground through his research work. Ayooade, who is pursuing a Masters in Mass Communication at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), came to the school seeking to learn about the theoretical aspects of his research that were giving him hitches.
“My major experience here has been good. I have gained a lot in respect of my research work as it relates to my field. I have noticed certain areas that I am having issues. This programme has opened up my ideas and knowledge in many areas and widened my horizon in such a way to help other people get back into their lost areas of education or profession, especially undergraduates in Nigerian universities.
“I have benefited so many ideas which will add to my knowledge for my Masters and PhD in the nearest future,” he said.
Before Abiodun Ajibola applied for the IGSS, he had completed the course work for his Masters programme in Geography at the University of Lagos. But it remained his thesis.
“I am at the stage of writing my project; I am through with my course work. I believe that at the end of this programme, it will help me come up with quality research for my thesis,” Ajibola said.
Now, he is raring to go after days at the summer school.
“When I get back to school, I am loaded. I will have little stress in dealing with my thesis. I have learnt about research methodology, how to consult literature, how to assess other research works and others,” he said.
For Mrs Folashade Ifelogun, a PhD student at the Lead City University, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the programme exposed a lot of mistakes many postgraduate students make in conducting research, starting from the choice of topic. She praises the state government for mobilising the class of scholars who served as facilitators, agreeing with Governor Fayemi’s speech at the beginning that the programme paraded a calibre of academic that would make other institutions green with envy.
“This is a very good programme. Where else will you get the likes of Adebanwi, Obadare, Dr Adetayo Alabi, Prof Oka Obono in the same place at the same time? I have benefited a lot about choosing research topics. I just discovered that most topics in the university are not actually worth writing on. When you want to write a research there are some basic things you need to know. Some people start and later get hooked because of such mistakes,” she said.
Mr Folu Ibirinde, a PhD student at the University of Ibadan, said the aim of initiating the programme has been fulfilled as the participants are now better informed.
“I think the programme has actually achieved the purpose for which it was organised. The programme has taken us from the local level we were in terms of global discourse. Apart from what we have learnt, the programme has provided a platform for mentoring. Any of us doing Masters or PhD can reach out to the scholars and seek clarifications about our work, how to attract grants and publish in journals,” he said.
At the opening on June 17, Governor Fayemi asked for feedback from participants and suggestions on how to make future editions better.
While scoring the government on organisation, including the quality of scholars, logistics and lodging, participants noted that subsequent editions can be better with slight modifications.
Ibirinde said the programme should be expanded to take more participants and called for a legislation that would ensure its survival beyond the present administration.
“Government should legislate on it so that successive governments can also continue the summer school. We are just 50 people from Ekiti participating this year but there are thousands of others out there that need this kind of exposure. The programme should be included in the annual budget so that it does not suffer from lack of funding,” he said.
Mrs Ifelogun thinks future editions should be opened to academic from a wide variety of disciplines considering the knowledge gap needed to be filled.
She said: “I suggest that more scholars should be brought in. The scholars here are fantastic, but there are a lot of areas to be covered in other disciplines,” she said.
Mrs Jumoke Owoola, who is studying for a Masters in Indigenous Communication and Development at the University of Ibadan, thanked the government for implementing the programme free. She is seeking participation of more women in future editions.
“I want more women to be involved. We have about 10 women compared to 40 men. It is not the government’s fault per se but lack of information on the part of women. After this programme, I will sensitize women on the importance of participating in this kind of programme,” she said.
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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. A DisNaija.Com network.
Source: The Nation Newspaper
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
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Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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