Anchor varsity makes case for ICT, internationalisation of research

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ICT

We ’ll be among top five in 10 years, says VC

Anchor University, one of the private sector-promoted universities recently approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), is pushing for internationalisation of research and ICT-based learning.

Its Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Afolayan, says the new ‘philosophy’ will add value to higher education and put the university on the positive map for higher education on the continent.

In an exclusive interview with The Guardian at the weekend, Afolayan, a professor of civil engineering and former dean of the faculty at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria and later vice chancellor of Landmark University, disclosed that the institution would leverage global resources and goodwill to make clear difference in character and learning as it looks to rank among top five universities in the country in the next 10 years.

He said: “The school was recently granted provisional licence by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and it is already partnering world-class universities through linkages and exchange programmes to rightly position the institution on the path of greatness,

“By the grace of God, within the next 10 years, when universities are being counted in Nigeria, Anchor would be among the top five. It is a matter of principle, knowing where you are going. To be among the first five institutions in Nigeria is our goal and we would work towards it. We are ready to take up the challenge. We stand on the foundation of faith and we believe within the next 10 years of the existence of Anchor, it would be among the top five in the country.”

While stressing the importance of information technology in developing institutions, the vice chancellor said the faith-based university would interact with other notable schools “by bringing some of our colleagues who have the experience from outside the country to lecture without necessarily coming down to the university.”

“We can do it through Skype and some other means; these are the things we have in mind. Our members of staff and students would be aggressively involved in research activities because it is through this that universities project what they can do or sell to the community within their environment and the larger society.

“We have ICT units in the university but because of our focus and what we have in mind, we would collaborate with other institutions to put the university in global perspective,” he stressed.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mh6IBy

PDP peace deal, no conditions attached, says Jonathan (Read full details)

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Goodluck Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan declared yesterday that his ongoing effort at restoring peace in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through genuine reconciliation is completely devoid of any precondition.

A statement issued on his behalf by his Media Adviser, Mr. Ikechukwu Eze, also said that ex-President urged them to ignore rumours and false information being passed off as the outcome of the continuing dialogue.

The former President commended members and leaders of the PDP for their unreserved support for the ongoing efforts towards resolving the differences in the party.

The statement stressed that the former President would address the public on the positive outcome of the consultations at the
appropriate time.

The statement reads: “We have observed that since the meeting between former President and the governors of the PDP last Tuesday, in continuation of the mediation efforts embarked upon by the ex-President, the media space has been inundated with clearly off-the-mark speculations, presenting often contradictory perspectives on the ongoing consultations towards resolving the issues in the PDP.

“We wish to urge the public and well-meaning PDP members to ignore such misleading conjectures, as they are obviously the handiwork of those who do not wish the party well and are, therefore, not happy with the current reconciliation efforts.

“The fact that the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum and Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, promptly addressed journalists at the end of the meeting, to the effect that an agreement was reached on seeking a political solution in resolving the differences in the party, clearly showed that there was no ambiguity in messaging.

“It is obvious that those behind the misleading publications have failed to achieve their aim, as the former President has seamlessly continued with the consultations and reconciliatory meetings.

“It is instructive to note that since the meeting of last Tuesday with the governors, the ex-President has also met with many other key leaders of the party, including the Chairman, Board of Trustee (BOT) Senator Walid Jibrin, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Senator Ahmed Makarfi, in line with his resolve to carry all the organs of the party along.”

According to the statement: “There is no doubt that the statesmanship evident in the former President’s reconciliation efforts precludes his laying preconditions, as is deliberately being misrepresented by a section of the media.

“We hereby reiterate that the former President is determined to continue on this path of inclusive dialogue by working with the governors, the BoT, members of the National Assembly and other key stakeholders until the internal dispute is finally resolved.

“Again, we urge the public and loyal party members to continue to support the peace process and not to listen to rumours, as the ex-President will address them on the positive outcome of the consultations at the appropriate time.”

Vía Uzomedia http://ift.tt/2mlCKPU

We will tackle illegal aliens, says Amosun (Read full details)

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Ibikunle Amosun

Ogun state governor, Ibikunle Amosun yesterday pledged his unwavering assistance to the State Command of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) in tackling the menace of illegal aliens in the state.

Amosun spoke when he played host to the new Comptroller of Immigration Service, Ogun State Command, Mr. Oluwatoba Bayeroju, at his Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta office. He promised that he would assist the Service in establishing offices in all the Local Council and Local Development Council Areas (LCDAs) in the State.

He pointed out that as the most industrialised State in Nigeria, it is prone to infiltration by illegal aliens. He advised the Immigration boss to provide data, showing the number of Nigerians applying for their travel passports at the state command of the NIS, adding that this would help in making the case for an expansion of the passport issuing process and facilities in the State.

The governor who stated that he was not unaware of the challenges facing the Service, assuring that he would continue to support them. Bayeroju commended Amosun for transforming the state, but mentioned some of the challenges facing them, some of which include influx of illegal aliens, need for offices in all LGs and LCDAs as well as shortage of booklets for the production of passports.

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How not to love Nigeria

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Nigeria Flag

Sir: The last time I checked, countless Nigerians claimed to be patriotic citizens. But when closely examined, you would observe that they actually meant something to the contrary. Sure, anyone can put up a claim as it pleases him or her, but representing the true meaning of the claim is a totally different ballgame.

The truth is, life is controlled or governed by a four-letter word known as ‘Love’. This is why the Holy writ stipulates that it (love) is the rudiment of every commandment provided by the Creator; because if you really love someone or vice-versa, any rule binding the relationship can easily be adhered to with ease. If you love someone with your whole heart, you can sacrifice anything whatsoever towards ensuring that he/she does not lack happiness regardless of the circumstance.

At the moment in Nigeria, particularly in the socio-political domain, several citizens tend to showcase a façade that they truly care about the country but, unknowingly to their followers or the onlookers, they are only interested in personal aggrandizement.

A true lover of any country should be concerned about the upliftment of the country, and not the other way round. In politics, the reverse is often the case; people claim to love the country but mean otherwise. If you are a leader of a country and its development matters much to your person, you would willingly wish to carry out projects as well as initiate policies that would see to the betterment of the state, and so does a good follower.

A good and genuine follower or stakeholder, as might be the case, is always interested in a way forward at all cost; he is tirelessly involved in issues of general interest rather than the personal; he is invariably ready to sacrifice something toward ensuring that the concerned society becomes a better place to live in; he is prepared at all times to compromise some attitudes for the sole interest of the society; above all, he always thinks of other members of the society in all his actions as well as concerned about what their reactions would be as regards any criticism he intends to come up with.

Nigeria is not interested in those who claim to love her; but those who genuinely strive relentlessly to ensure that her wellbeing is not tampered. Nigeria is only pleased with Nigerians who experience sleepless nights while thinking of how to help the government usher in sound governance, interested in seeing people who wish to ‘die’ for her good.

To this end, it’s needless to reiterate that anyone who keenly loves his/her country must be involved in activities that would assist the government to succeed. Indulging yourself in actions or causes that are aimed at generating societal upheaval is obviously how not to love a country.

Comrade Fred Nwaozor.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mgNM9d

Who’s fooling who?

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Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mgxDQS

NCC puts consumers first in new campaign

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Telecoms

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said that it will flag off a strategic campaign soon, aimed at empowering and protecting the consumers of telecommunications services in Nigeria.

This is coming one month after the Commission declared 2017 the Year of the Consumer, meaning that throughout the year; improving the experience of the consumer will be the major focus of the Commission working with other key stakeholders vital to the success of the campaign.

Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, executive vice chairman of the Commission, said in Abuja that consumer protection and empowerment is one of the eight pillars of the 8- Point Agenda of his administration, revealed that the Commission is dedicating the year to the welfare of telecom consumers.

The flag off for the year round programme, which will hold at the NCC headquarters in Abuja, is expected to attract consumers across the country, top government officials and key stakeholders in the industry.

The Abuja event coincides with the commemoration of the World Consumer Rights Day, WCRD, 2017, whose theme is ‘Building a Digital World Consumers Can Trust’.

Key components of the Year of the Consumer include creation of greater awareness on Quality of Service, Electromagnetic Fields (EMF), Do Not Disturb (DND), and NCCs 622 complaint line.

The campaign hopes to secure the support of network operators towards meeting set targets and key performance indicators, KPIs on quality of services especially as it affects drop calls.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lzQfHH

Regional economic corridor and fiscal federalism

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Dr. Olaopa is executive vice-chairman, Ibadan School of Government & Public Policy (ISGPP).

In recent times, the vocal vote in support of national restructuring has gained momentum. And the support has not come from any mean sources. No less a statesman than Chief Emeka Anyaoku, at the inaugural Conference of the Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy (ISGPP) led the recent vociferous call for restructuring. The central question around which the Conference revolved was simple but fundamental: What are the fundamental structures, institutional deficits, issues, processes and dynamics of government that have made attainment of all-inclusive development in governance, economy and democracy difficult in a manner conducive to peace and social justice in Nigeria? In his keynote remark, Chief Anyaoku asserted categorically that “the burden of my remarks is that if the country is to tackle more effectively the challenges confronting it, it would need to restructure its present governance architecture.”

The call for restructuring is not just one of those Nigerian national fads that the government of the day should ever hope would fade away when the agitators grow hoarse from shouting. On the contrary, it has a valid historical premise.And this derived from the tragic amalgamation of the Nigerian political spaces by the colonialists. Amalgamation was a really complex calculation involving geography, politics and economics that goes beyond merely bringing together the Northern and Southern Protectorates. Its complexity involves some high-level disarticulation of internal dynamics and trajectories in ways that already compromised the postcolonial governance architecture. The burden of that historical disequilibrium stayed with Nigerian, even till today. And the mistakes keep multiplying. Only one critical instance suffices: in 1966, the military administration of General Johnson Thomas Umunakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi imposed a unitary structure on the federal dynamics of Nigeria. The country has not stopped reeling from the effect of that historical blunder. As a consequence, the Constitution became complicit in an unfortunate legal narrative that invested the President of Nigeria with a surfeit of power. The federal-state-local government responsibility ratio, as mediated by the executive-concurrent and residual list truly made the local government the meager residue of power, even in a democracy where grassroots remains the focus of democratic mobilization and empowerment.

Restructuring is therefore a serious national business. In fact, the future survival of Nigeria as one political entity depends on it. That is a fact. But there is another fact. And this is that restructuring requires a balanced blend of cautiousness and urgency that will ensure that we do not place the wrong foot ahead of the right one. Nigeria is too plural, and hence delicate, for any rushed process of restructuring. In this sense, one can understand government’s reluctance about attending the multiple concerns about restructuring Nigeria. But what we cannot understand or even excuse is government’s lackadaisical reluctance to undertake significant reform and follow it to its logical conclusion. One such fundamental commitment would be the joint issues that concern both the federal and state governments. In the initial key drivers of change series, I tackle the issue of land reform. This is one critical dynamics that impinges on national development, and touches on the executive/concurrent list, especially with regard to the land use act of 1978. While that issue in itself is volatile, its volatility cannot be compared with the possible gains that will accrue to the Nigerian government if some initial reform steps could be taken. For instance, cadastral mapping of all lands gives the government at both levels a huge statistical and data advantage that impacts directly on economic matters.

Nigeria is a joint responsibility between the three tiers of government. Without mincing words, the local government areas are mere democratic decoration in a federal structure. They amount to nothing except allocation sharing points. On the other hand, the federal government is a complex amalgam of several interests, negative and positive. It is therefore immune to almost all sincere reform efforts, except those that seem important but cosmetic. However, it is the state that straddles both the federal and local governments. Why is this significant as a template for national development? The idea of fiscal federalism makes the state a significant reform juncture which the federal government could count on for an all-encompassing transformation. The current economic situation in Nigeria, founded on the mono-cultural fixation on crude oil, makes both the state federal and state governments captive to a poor ad crippling fiscal framework that generates immense crisis. On the one hand, the crisis for the federal government comes from the fluctuation in the global oil market. On the other hand, the state governments are thrown into crisis when global oil fluctuations affect monthly allocation of oil revenues.

The fiscal crisis is therefore driven by the bail-out mentality whereby state governments expect allocation at the end of each month. This expectedly undermines the fiscal discipline that comes from the responsibility of generating IGR.

The federal and the state governments however have one reform stone that could kill two births, and form the foundation of a new fiscal federalism in Nigeria. That reform stone is regionalism. While fiscal federalism is based on the assumption that it will create the incentive for both governments to achieve concrete performance in terms of service delivery to the citizens, it is regionalism that facilitates such an efficient and effective performance. On one side, regionalism gives the federal government the much-needed breather to concentrate on core federal legislations and policies. On the other side, it enables the state government become the engine of national development. Regionalism is not a new idea.

While it is fast becoming the considered development strategy across the globe and especially in plural states, it has serious historical antecedent in Nigeria. The Republican Constitution of 1963 was founded on a regional structure for Nigeria. This is very sound because the regional structure is the best that could backstop Nigeria’s federalism. That constitutional provision instigated a regional economic competitiveness around cocoa (southwest), coal (southeast) and groundnut (north). Chief Anyaoku, as well as other well-meaning Nigerians, has seen the significance of this early regional arrangement.

A good example that will never cease to be exemplary is the South West. Through a delicate but articulated relationship between the politicians and the civil servants, the South West became a significant example in innovation and service delivery. The old Western region was noted not only for its political notoriety, but also for its administrative acumen. We celebrate today in the public administration literature in Nigeria the Awolowo-Adebo model of governance collaboration that transformed the Western Region into a noted hub for technological and economic development, especially in terms of infrastructural abundance. Agriculture was booming and cocoa was its mainstay. The story that has not been unraveled is the extent to which these regional arrangements in the 60s factored into the economic prosperity and strengthening of the newly independent Nigerian state. We can begin to factor that story into the new regional arrangement that can become the new economic strategy for rescuing Nigeria from its current economic impasse.

Regionalism in Nigeria will be based on two correlated reforms, political and economic. On the one hand, the political dimension will involve translating the six geo-political zones into regions comprising the states in each zone. Thus, there will now be six regions replacing the three in the 60s. The second interesting reform, the economic, will involve establishing a regional economic corridor around which a sound economic reform would be initiated. The economic corridor reform will be founded on the principle of comparative advantage of the states that make up a particular region. For instance, while agricultural can be leveraged across the regions as a common denominator (and of course with regional difference like the savanna factor in the north), each region can then be allowed to develop its regional advantage. Apart from agriculture, each region will extensively leverage its strength in terms of the economic exploitation and development of its mineral resources. It is clear today that the mining of mineral resources is one significant aspect of Nigeria’s economy that has been seriously neglected. There are still countless minerals in the ground left unattended to. The idea of comparative advantage is sufficient enough to instigate other regions to develop their corridor when the others are amassing wealth through conscientious exploitation. This already happened in the 60s.

The third dimension of the regional economic corridor principle is very critical. It involves a distinct regional public service architecture that is professionally capacitated and functional in achieving an enviable productivity level that will overflow into the national productivity profile. The infrastructural achievements of the old Western region would have been impossible, I dare say, without the professionalism and patriotic commitment of the public service institutions. It is a sufficiently capacitated public service that is institutionally mandated to deliver the goods and services. Thus, while the politicians in the regions will be committed to generating sound policy agenda that would not be undermined by politics, the civil service will be properly instigated to interpret and implement the agenda with professional vigour. I have written so many things about the reform of the public service that cannot be repeated here, but suffice is to say that the most critical reform is anchored on capacitating the institution through professionalisation. The sum of it is simple: You cannot be a public servant if you are not competent.

The economic corridor principle is advantageous first as a viable means of restoring Nigeria’s federalism through a solid fiscal arrangement. This becomes a story of the economy rescuing politics so that the political can find a back door to achieve what seems difficult. Nigeria is a federal state because federalism is the only constitutional answer to our diversity as a nation. The strange unitary federalism we imported into our constitution has debilitated our progress for too long. It is time to expunge it economically. On the other hand, the idea of regionalism and the regional economic corridor is urgent because it restores to each region a significant measure of fiscal buffer and discipline that will undermine the helplessness that comes from the beggar mentality fostered by running to Abuja every month end for allocations that barely suffices even for recurrent expenditures. Why is this significant? In democratic terms, the “federal” is too abstract for the people to relate with in economic terms. The state, as an intermediate political and economic unit, becomes a feeder point that devolves into the grassroots where the people are. Thus, when the states morph into regions and the regions transform into fiscally significant economic centers, then Nigeria achieves a legitimate profile in the eyes of Nigerians by the logic of the whole being the sum of its parts.

Regionalism cannot be wished away. If it has worked before and within our home historical antecedents, then it becomes a cruel political insensitivity not to at least give it a trial.

Dr. Olaopa is executive vice-chairman, Ibadan School of Government & Public Policy (ISGPP).

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mgM33A

Stakeholders identify awareness, security standard to fight cybercrimes

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Cyber attack

Cybersecurity stakeholders have urged relevant organisations to ensure that the cybersecurity framework, focuses on the global security standards to ensure that the country earns global trust.

This came as the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) recently inaugurated the Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT 5) National Implementation Committee at the NITDA headquarters in Abuja.

Against this backdrop that Ahmed Adesanya, IT Security and Connectivity consultant, said that now that the country has adopted and also in the process of implementing a cybersecurity framework, emphasizes should be led on ensuring that the framework harmonizes with global information security standards such as payment system security PCI DSS and ISO 27001 certification which banks and other organizations have attained.

“If COBiT 5 framework focuses on global security standards it will give Nigeria the needed global trust and collaboration especially on our indigenous products now that the government is encouraging local content to boost the economy,” he said.

He also stressed the need for capacity building as part of efforts to sustain the initiative. For Oluseyi Akindeinde, cybersecurity expert and chief technical officer, Digital Encode, there is need to intensify effort in educating customers as well as subscribers on the antics of electronic fraudsters as part of war against cybercrimes.

“A lot of the challenges faced by banks in fraud are still largely people related. The banks have pretty much taken care of the processes and technology. Bank’s information systems monitoring is at an all-time high now. Phishing however, is still prevalent in the financial industry as it targets the customers of these banks. As financial inclusion takes off, the fraudsters have also upped their game in this regard targeting unsuspecting customers.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lzVVRZ

Huawei to launch P10 devices in Africa by April

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Retail prices for this latest version of Huawei’s flagship smartphone series will start at US$686 for the P10, while the P10+ (64GB + 4GB) will retail for €738 and the P10+ (128GB + 6GB) for US$844.

Huawei Consumer Business Group has scheduled the Africa launch of its newest devices in the P series, the P10 and P10+, within the next ten weeks.
Global sales of the new devices, unveiled at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 over the past twenty-four hours, will begin in China and Europe in March before being made available for purchase in South Africa and other parts of Africa by the end of April 2017.

Launches for Russia, other parts of Asia as well as Latin America are also set for April, according to Huawei. Richard Yu, CEO of the Huawei Consumer Business Group detailed the features of the P10 and P10+ late on Sunday afternoon in Barcelona a day ahead of the official start of the 2017 leg of MWC.

“With Huawei P10 and P10+ we have created a smartphone that revolutionises and redefines portrait photography. Thanks to the evolution of our partnership with Leica Camera, users now have an incredible Leica front camera on their Huawei device in addition to the rear. To match this innovation inside, Huawei’s partnership with Pantone Color Institute ensures that the devices are equally as beautiful on the outside.”

Yu emphasised the photographic features of the P10 and P10+ which include 3D facial detection technology as well as enhanced lighting effects that can be used to make subjects stand out in different lighting conditions.

Retail prices for this latest version of Huawei’s flagship smartphone series will start at US$686 for the P10, while the P10+ (64GB + 4GB) will retail for €738 and the P10+ (128GB + 6GB) for US$844.

Xu Wenwei, Chief Strategy Marketing Officer at Huawei acknowledged that many may regard the cost of the new devices as prohibitive for customers in emerging markets such as Africa. “The real challenge is how to offer smartphones with a reasonable cost and at a reasonable price.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mgAPfg

Obasanjo and the first built presidential library in Africa

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Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library

Franklin D. Roosevelt, former President of America, was first to propose the idea of creating a Presidential Library where the Presidential papers, transpirations of significant events and gifts accumulated during his administration could be housed and preserved.

As the world war threatened democracy in Europe, on June 30th, 1941, President Roosevelt dedicated his Presidential Library (American first) at Hyde Park to the benefits of “future generations” who will use the records of his presidency. At the dedication, Roosevelt had this to say:

“To bring together the records of the past and to house them in buildings where they will be preserved for the use of men and women in the future, a nation must believe in three things:  It must believe in the past; It must believe in the future; It must believe in the capacity of its own people so as to learn from the past that they can gain judgment in creating their own future.”

Seventy-six years later,  President Olusegun Obasanjo, has done exactly what President Roosevelt did by bequeathing to Nigeria and indeed the entire Africa, a complex, costing well over  $150 million which in President Obasanjo’s words is : “an effort in pioneering and developing a legacy that can stand the test of time, to preserve the past for posterity, capture the present  and let it be known today and tomorrow, to inspire the best to make the future great, project our culture and other cultures, to appreciate the beauty of diversity of cultures and to promote local, domestic and international tourism.”

While all well-meaning Nigerians and Africans and indeed the world would be heading to Abeokuta to wish this great African leader well with all manners of birthday gifts, typical of Baba, as he is reverently and fondly called, has asked us all, by implication, to hold all our birthday gifts in abeyance and accept first his own gift to Africa – Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), the first of its kind in Africa.  For those of us who have taken time to seriously study this man, his leadership style and approach, his broad view of Nigeria and passion for Africa democracy sustainability, his commitment to African peace  and security, from Congo to  South Sudan to Liberia, Sierra lone, Ivory Coast  to Angola,   his believe that no section of Nigeria must have a monopoly of power at the highest level of government to the exclusion of other minorities, and his philosophy of speaking out at any time wrongs, injustice and leadership failures are taking place, I have come to the conclusion that any country that does not have an OBASANJO, must try and invent one.

What constitutes the major part of OOPL is the impressive museum, conspicuously located on two exhibition floors, while the Archival and the Information and Resource Centers are located on other floors.  The museum showcases the life and times of President Obasanjo from his birth to date. The interesting thing is active structure of the exhibitions with interactive games, visuals and words of the man Obasanjo himself. The exhibitions also showcase Nigeria from amalgamation in 1914 and indeed Africa from independence days.  In the section housing the huge conference hall, a bookshop, souvenir shop, has an area devoted to his late wife Mrs Stella Obasanjo. Here, information about former first lady Stella Obasanjo are displayed.  The Arrival Pavilion is the reception place for the museum and archival floors, connected over a dam with a two lane bridge.

I am of the opinion that the reason(s) we are recording this huge African leadership failures is in large part due to accidental emergence and lack of preparations of these leaders. It’s no wonder therefore that the intellectual brain box of OOPL dwells in the Centre for Human Leadership and Security. Here you will be confronted with the “rich vista of the meanings and thrusts of the concept of human security”. The centre is involved with issues ranging from environment to security threats posed by globalization and technological advances and the response capabilities of most of the countries within the African region. The Centre vigorously embarks on HIV/AIDS education and enlightenment. Incidentally, this OOPL human security center was one of the earliest whistleblowers to the Ebola crisis. Food security, international terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering, illegal arms dealings, institutional corruptions etc., are among the areas of intellectual interest for the Centre for Human Leadership and Security of the OOPL. The centre does not only preoccupy itself with problem analysis, but provides recommendations for action-plan to local, state, national, regional and global levels.

Let me make haste to mention here that OOPL is playing host to a UNESCO Category II Institute for African Culture and International Understanding, and it’s the first UNESCO institute on culture in Africa with a mandate to increase intercultural dialogue and international understanding between Africa and other civilizations. The OOPL being acutely aware of the huge revenue involved in servicing and maintaining such a gigantic venture decided to infuse revenue generating enterprises like the Green Legacy Resort to serve visitors to OOPL for seminars, workshops, conferences; the Adire and African Fabric Centre for skill acquisition and sustenance of the old aged industry. In the same vicinity with the guest house, is the first state of the art auditorium, with inherent facilities like conference hall, theatre, reception hall and cinema; there are adult and children swimming pools, a 2,500 persons capacity  marquee banquet, a fitness centre, a lawn tennis court and a first class squash court.  The squash court didn’t come as a surprise to those of us who know Baba to be an ardent squash sportsman.

May I quickly mention at this juncture that OOPL has a board of trustees (BOT) of carefully chosen global eminent personalities. The BOT members are: Dr. Christopher Kolade (Co- chair); Ambassador Carl Masters (Co-chair);  Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (Chief Promoter); Prof. Akin Mabogunje (Member); Chief Olatunde Abudu (Member); Chief Oloye Obafemi Olopade (Member); Chief Onaolapo Soleye (Member); Mrs. Nike Akande (Member); Prof. Peter Okebukola (Member);  Dr. Eke Agbai (Member); Alhaji Ahmed Joda (Member); Prof. Joy Ogwu (Member);  Gen. Martin Agwai (Member);  Chief Bayo Ojo ( Member). These men and women have tirelessly worked so hard for the past ten years towards the realization of this project. I strongly believe, I speak the mind of Obasanjo if I use this opportunity to thank these BOT members for their sacrifice, hard work and dedication.

The OOPL has other outdoor recreational facilities like the Amphitheatre, the bamboo park, the wildlife park, associated with the children’s Amusement Centre, a dam for boating, rowing, fishing and a picnic area.

To friends and critics alike, one can’t but salute the vision in creating this first-class architectural edifice where Africa’s first Presidential library is housed.

By all accounts, President Olusegun Obasanjo is indeed an African Legend. Happy birthday Baba.  Nigeria, the region, Africa and indeed the world rejoice with you on this occasion of your birthday and the inauguration of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, the first of its kind in Africa.

Dr. Agbai, executive vice-president, Center for Policy and Foreign Engagement USA is a BOT member of OOPL.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lAbRU9

Aig-Imoukhuede traces Nigeria’s problems to failed public sector (Read full details)

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AigbojeAig-Imoukhuede. PHOTO: alchetron.com

Chairman, Africa Initiative for Governance, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede,‎ has attributed Nigeria’s problems ‎to a failed public service sector, characterised by poor performance and self-interest.

In a goodwill message on Tuesday at the quarterly civil service lecture series, with the theme, “Civil Service in a Change Environment: The Change is Now” at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, he noted: “At the root of so many of our nation’s problems ‎are public servants who are unable to impact and transform the lives of Nigerians despite the immense power of public policy within their grasp.”

Aig-Imoukhuede said the civil service ought to be the nation’s first line of defence against most of the challenges that had held it back over the years.

“If our first line of defence is weak, we will constantly fight losing battles,”‎ he added.

The former Access Bank Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer particularly wondered why “we produce crude oil yet we import refined products. We spend tens of billions of U.S. dollars on power yet we struggle to produce 3,000 megawatts of electricity.”

He continued: “The Head of Service, along with the Federal Government of Nigeria’s Executive arm represented at the very top by the Acting-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, is leading a call for change – where our public service moves from mediocre to exceptional performance.”

This paradigm shift, he explained, could only occur with transformation at the top, taking a collective decision, today, to draw a line in the sand and say “it is time for a new Nigeria where petrol is pumped out of local refineries and the barber in Obalende does not need to invest in a generator before he can earn his livelihood.”

Osinbajo also lamented the level of development in the land, saying despite modest gains recorded by it, the civil service had remained at its lowest ebb owing to corruption.

According to the Acting President, the system, which in the past firmly stood against injustice and high-handedness among others during the military era, suddenly came crashing when civil servants began to see their functions as means to achieving personal aggrandisement at the expense of the public good.

His words: “It was the judiciary that told the military then that while it may make laws, those laws should still respect the inalienable rights of the people as enshrined in international human right conventions to which the country had voluntarily acceded.

“These were individuals without guns, just sitting down on platforms up there in the court to hold the military responsible.

“Despite the criticisms that civil servants are subjected to, I am sure that you know that sometimes civil servants are described as ‘evil servants’ but you must take heart, the best profession are usually the most criticised, but I must say that the wholesome privilege of public service is very easily abused or taken for granted. The public service elite represent as we have seen the most important factor in mass development.

“The power to do great good or evil lies with a few people who form what we refer to as our civil service. When some in such an elite see the opportunity as one for self-enrichment by corrupt practices, then the nation faces a monumental tragedy.”

The Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oya-Ita, berated the media, saying they only project the shortcomings of the service and downplay its modest achievements.

She said the service had been in the vanguard of national cohesion and smooth transition of power from one government to another government, be it military or civilian administration.

According to Oyo-Ita, the service, under her leadership, would chart a new course driven by efficiency, productivity, transparency and interest of citizens.

Vía Uzomedia http://ift.tt/2mN94bc

Nine major meteor showers to grace Nigerian skies in 2017

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PHOTO: redOrbit

Be the ZHR as it may, meteor shower ratings can be very helpful guides, especially if you are planning a community, classroom or club outing.

Another conceptual asset is the “radiant”. This is the direction, in the sky, from which most of the apparitions appear to emanate.

“Because… shower particles are… traveling in parallel paths, at the same velocity,” AMS explains, “they will…appear to radiate from a single point… [due to] the effect of perspective”.

Almost all meteor showers get their names from the constellation of stars their radiant is focused on—which serves as a reference point for observing the display.

Accordingly, the International Astronomical Union attaches “id” or “ids” (meaning “derived from”) to the names of background constellations, as designations for meteor showers.

Thus the “Taurids” appear to originate in the constellation Taurus the Bull, the “Orionids” in Orion the Hunter and so on.

Not incidentally, the closer the radiant is to overhead, the more meteors you’ll see. Keep in mind though, that the meteors are flashing in our atmosphere, rather than among the stars.

With that caveat, I now begin a composite review of the meteor showers, visible from Nigeria’s very privileged vantage point, at Earth’s equator.

My selections are based largely on publications of the American Meteor Society and the International Meteor Organization, along with supplementary sources, which I will cite.

AMS has compiled a diversified list that includes nine major meteor showers (ZHR of 10 or above) and 17 minor displays (ZHR below 10).

The review emphasizes showers with an equatorial radiant—i.e., whose meteors appear to come from constellations on the celestial equator. These displays are visually accessible to us.

Wikipedia lists 15 such background constellations: Pisces; Cetus; Taurus; Eridanus; Orion; Monoceros; Canis Minor; Hydra; Sextans; Leo; Virgo; Serpens; Ophiuchus; Aquila and Aquarius.

We’ll start with the Quadrantids shower, which commenced December 28 and closed out January 12th (nine days after its peak output).

At ZHR 120, this major will open the main viewing season next year. But remember: ZHR is an abstraction. In IMO’s estimate, one can only expect to see around 25 meteors per hour.

Still, that qualifies the Quadrantids for elite status, as one of the “Big Three”—along with the highly productive Perseids and Geminids exhibitions.

This light-heavy-weight stands out in other ways, as well. It has an asteroid and a comet as parents, for instance, and a name that is not derived from an existing constellation!

There is an interlude, after late-February, during which two minor showers—the Alpha Centaurids and Gamma Normids—reportedly dominate the cosmic stage.

Like the Quadrantids, Centaurids has already bowed out—peaking at an hourly rate of 3-5 meteors February 8th, then leaving Gamma Normids to carry on, in March (11th thru 21st).

Comet watcher Gary W. Kronk, counsels that both are Southern Hemisphere displays. Even so, a few equatorial strays from Gamma Normids’ 3-5 meteor spike may be visible on the 16th.

“Only the weakest minor meteor showers,” Kronk adds, “are active…April through June. But late July and early August is “one of the best times of the year to observe meteors”.

He notes further, that several minor meteor showers emanate from the neighbouring constellations of Capricornus and Aquarius—four of which peak July 28 to August 13.

But, as Lunsford points out, “all of these sources produce low activity and rarely exceeds 5 meteors per hour to the unaided eye”.

Yet there are exceptions. Some minor showers can produce pleasant surprises; and the Lyrids, a middle-weight major, are usually reliable.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mHDuMN

Army rescues 7,898 people, arrests 14 terrorists in Borno (Read full details)

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Nigerian troops

Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole of the Nigerian Army have rescued 7,898 hostages held by Boko Haram insurgents before arresting 14 other terrorist suspects during the military clearance and rescue operations last month.

This was disclosed yesterday by the Theatre Commander, Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, while briefing reporters at the Maimalari Military Cantonment in Maiduguri.

He said out of the rescued hostages, 914 are male adults, 2,388 adult females, while 4,596 comprise children between the ages of two and 12.

He added that all the rescues and arrests were made by troops between February 1 and March 1 this year in the North-East sub-region of the country.

The military chief said several arms and ammunition were also recovered during the period under review just as 301 motorcycles allegedly used by insurgents were destroyed in the state.

Vía Uzomedia http://ift.tt/2mNsJrD

Army rescues 7,898 people, arrests 14 terrorists in Borno

http://ift.tt/2mgqUqx

Nigerian troops

Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole of the Nigerian Army have rescued 7,898 hostages held by Boko Haram insurgents before arresting 14 other terrorist suspects during the military clearance and rescue operations last month.

This was disclosed yesterday by the Theatre Commander, Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, while briefing reporters at the Maimalari Military Cantonment in Maiduguri.

He said out of the rescued hostages, 914 are male adults, 2,388 adult females, while 4,596 comprise children between the ages of two and 12.

He added that all the rescues and arrests were made by troops between February 1 and March 1 this year in the North-East sub-region of the country.

The military chief said several arms and ammunition were also recovered during the period under review just as 301 motorcycles allegedly used by insurgents were destroyed in the state.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2mgv9CG