Striking new MRI images show that for twins, sibling rivalry starts early even before birth. Researchers in London were trying to find out more about a rare blood disease that can complicate the pregnancies for women carrying twins, when they captured video of what appears to be two fetuses pushing each other as they try to make more room. Amazing!
Sunday, 2 December 2012
[Video] : Unborn twins fighting for space in the womb
Striking new MRI images show that for twins, sibling rivalry starts early even before birth. Researchers in London were trying to find out more about a rare blood disease that can complicate the pregnancies for women carrying twins, when they captured video of what appears to be two fetuses pushing each other as they try to make more room. Amazing!
Governor Okorocha’s ADC beats policeman to coma
The Aide-de-Camp to the Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, Mr. Omo Gabriel, and two other police officers on Saturday, allegedly beat up a policeman attached the state government house for delaying in opening the gate for the governor’s convoy.
The incident, which occurred around 12:30am, when the governor returned from his wife’s birthday party, left the victim unconscious.
The mobile policeman, Corporal Itere Ewedor, was said to have been on duty at the security post when the governor’s convoy drove in.
Efforts to speak to Ewedor on Saturday were not successful as he was said to be resting but his friend, Mr. David Edhie, confirmed the incident.
He told SUNDAY PUNCH that after hearing the hooting of the horn from the governor’s convoy, the policeman opened the gate only for the ADC, a superintendent of police, and two other senior police officers to descend on him.
He said, “When the governor’s convoy got to the gate, the men of the civil defence corps and members of the Imo orientation corps, who were supposed to open the gate, were not around. So, there was a delay. Then my friend went to open the gate.
“When the convoy drove in, the ADC and some other police officers came down and asked him why he delayed. They wanted to collect his gun, but he refused. So, they started beating him. They beat him until he became unconscious, with bruises all over his face and parts of his body.”
Edhie added that the ADC took Ewedor, in his unconscious state, to Shell Camp Police Station and requested that he be detained.
He said, “The police officers at the station refused. They said they could not detain someone that was dying. Then Gabriel made arrangements for Ewedor to be taken to the Federal Medical Centre Owerri, where he was admitted. After sometime, he regained consciousness.”
SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that Ewedor, was discharged from the hospital around 5pm on Saturday.
Edhie said the ADC had made frantic efforts to get Ewedor discharged from the hospital, because sympathisers, including journalists, were visiting the the place.
When contacted, the state Commissioner for Information and Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Mr. Chinedu Offor, refuted the report.
He said, “The ADC to Governor Okorocha is a true professional, there is no way he could have descended so low to physically assault somebody. In order not to scare people away, we use men of the civil defence corps at the gate. We don’t use policemen at the gates of the government house. So, if anybody says a policeman was beaten up for refusing to open the gate, it is false. I was at the government house around 12:30am. Such a thing never happened.”
Source: Punch
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar Bags 2012 African Leadership Magazine Man of the Year Award
Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has emerged the 2012 African Leadership Magazine Man of the year. The selection team which is made up of political leaders and leading African business moguls, arrived at the decision to confer the award on Atiku based on the former vice president’s contributions to the socio-economic growth of the nation as well as his reputation for jobs creation.
In a statement made available to THISDAY, the Turaki Adamawa will be decorated with this award during the forthcoming African Leadership Awards billed to hold on Wednesday, December 12, at the Al Falak ball room, situated on the 27th floor of the magnificent Burj Al Arab, Dubai, United Arab Emirate.
The statement noted that the former vice president had a distinguished career in public service, private business, and philanthropy – perhaps his most outstanding legacy was his founding and support of the American University of Nigeria, the outstanding private university in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“Mr. Abubakar has funded hundreds of scholarships for Nigerians to study at home and abroad,” it added.
He built hundreds of schools and health facilities and in 2004, he joined in partnership with the American University in Washington, DC to build the best private university in Africa – the American University of Nigeria.
“No private businessman in Africa has worked harder for democracy or contributed more to progress of higher education than Atiku Abubakar,’’ the statement read.
The selection team, THISDAY gathered took into consideration, Atiku’s overwhelming impact on the life and economy of Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria at large and indeed the rest of Africa, with the founding of Africa’s premier Development University, The American University of Nigeria; and the establishment of diverse range of manufacturing industries spanning publishing, media and communications, beverages, ICT and hospitality.
With this award, Mr. Atiku joins other past recipients of the Award like Dr. Mo Ibrahim, Founder Mo Ibrahim prize for leadership and founder Celtel; H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia; H.E. John Kuffour, former president of Ghana, and H.E. Xavier Luc-Duval, Vice Prime Minister of Mauritius. Other past African Leadership award recipients includes Dr. Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank Group and Sanusi Lamido Sanusi of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Burna Boy Covers The 2nd Issue of The Scene Magazine
Burna Boy graces the cover of the 2nd Edition of THE SCENE MAGAZINE. The rising afro-hiphop artiste is popularly known for his hit single ‘LIKE TO PARTY’ which has taken over radio and T.V stations across Nigeria. Also in the magazine are exclusive interviews with music stars Flowssick, Rilwan and Iyanya. The ‘BE INSPIRED’ column also features former Presidential candidate and Ovation magazine’s editor-in-chief, Chief Dele Momodu.
This edition also includes exclusive coverage of some of the hottest concerts and parties between September and November as well as interesting articles on Fashion, Style, Sports and Beauty while also managing to celebrate Nigeria’s 52nd birthday with an independence day theme added to the magazine. You surely don’t want to miss out on this edition. With the magazine now also available online it’s only a laptop or smartphone away.
Chris Brown & Big Sean COVER The December/January Issue Of “XXL” Magazine
Chris Brown and Big Sean grace separate covers of “XXL” Magazine as both artists reflect on their success in the music business. Find out what they shared inside and listen to Wiz Khalifa’s ”Rise Above” featuring Pharrell, Tuki Carter and Amber Rose.
On the dual cover of XXL, G.O.O.D. Music star Big Sean gears up for the release of his second album, Hall of Fame: Memoirs of a Detroit Player, due out in early 2013. He tells the mag about his upbringing and how it influenced him as an artist.
[NEW MUSIC] : Jesse Jagz – Murder Dem
After almost two years producing music and working on collaborations with some of the biggest Artists in the industry, Jesse Jagz is finally in the studio working on what is said to be his biggest release yet titled – “Jagz Nation Vol. 1“.
“Murder Dem” is the first single off this compilation and it is an early Christmas Present for Jesse Jagz’s fans.
The rapper, singer, producer and musician is taking the hip-hop rap scene to a different level experimenting with different sounds in what can be easily termed as an Alternative Hip-Hop Album.
From the “Jagz Nation“ compilation, fans can expect to hear everything from solid bars to some singing and dub music.
Nigeria’s Yahoo Yahoo image
Nigeria’s Yahoo Yahoo image is killing her economy. Things are spiralling out of control and sociological wreckage is being wrought. It has often been said that Nigerians are not loyal to their country and that they badmouth their nation. With this premise, the Department of National Orientation has run programmes to inculcate patriotism in citizens and direct the youths. The results are not empirical.
Nigeria has a very bad image abroad. When a nation has a bad reputation, there will be collateral damage and the first casualty is patriotism. Because a bad national image casts a dark halo on the citizens, they will not want to identify with their country. The image subtracts from their intrinsic worth. They are thus forced to rely on their personal equity in different situations and they soon begin to question the value of their country to them.
Our national identity cannot augment our valuation as Nigerians because of the negative reputation of our fatherland. This is because our primary output as a nation is apparently advance fee fraud, not oil; our systems and institutions are deemed malfunctioning and corrupt. Our passport is thus a liability at customs checkpoints and the innocent are banded with criminals.
This generalisation takes a toll on patriotic sentiments. Citizens don’t idolise a nation that subtracts from their worth, or shuts the door of opportunity against them, or makes them a pariah at international borders. And when a Nigerian succeeds, he feels he did it by himself and despite his country. Thus, he owes his nation no allegiance.
Are we by this article justifying lack of patriotism? Of course not! Nigeria suffers from four image afflictions (in my line of work we call them ‘brand eroders’). They are corruption, online credit card fraud (cybercrime), fundamentalist terrorism and kidnapping. These constitute the ordinance against the country.
The four can be broadly categorised into two classes — the violent class and the economic class. Kidnapping and fundamentalist terrorism belong to the violent class. They tend to play grandly on the national stage; but cybercrime is the most democratised of all. It is a huge retail enterprise, precisely because the barrier to entry is low. A cyber criminal can run his operations entirely from a business centre. Anyone with a modem and a computer, or smartphone can launch into business. And it has gone industrial. There are now cybercrime factories — rows and rows of young men and women in huge spaces, dedicated to online criminal pursuit on computer notebooks.
The damage to the nation has been incalculable. The problem with cybercrime is that while other crimes are domiciled within Nigerian borders, cybercrime is a global phenomenon. We are systematically being shut out of the global economic system because of the activities of these aberrant cyberpreneurs. Today, Nigeria is not listed on the drop down menu of Paypal, the global online payment platform. Neither can we shop on Macy’s, Target, J.C. Penney and Marks & Spencer, to name a few. We can’t even buy antivirus software for our computers. Kaspersky shut us out. We are suffering from economic blockade, not unlike Iran; it’s just that ours is the market-driven variety. If truth be told, a 419er is an economic terrorist. He is waging an economic war against his country.
Our young men and women cannot access cheap finance through credit cards for their business start-ups. Even our debit cards are not accepted by international merchants! Once the transaction originates from Nigeria, a virtual steel door clamps down. Those who take the risk of online transactions from Nigeria put us through such strenuous processes it defeats the very purpose of online purchase. And our internet transactions are being routed through South Africa, with the attendant consequences on national sovereignty.
The elites have found a way round the credit card blockade. They simply travel abroad and use a foreign merchant card. They take care of themselves, but how myopic!
For one, the youths will become more desperate and take ever more unwholesome routes in pursuit of opportunities; our negative image is thus reinforced by an army of disenfranchised youths. Two, they will hate those that are privileged and their sense of rage will morph into other criminal activities against the privileged. Three, they will lose faith in the maternal instincts of the nation, after all, the nation is not helping them. Four, as those who succeed by devious means flaunt their ill-gotten wealth and invariably take up the political positions they bought with their loot, a signal is sent into the generational pool that ‘making it’ through criminal device is the way to go. Five, the youths will become a dangerous arsenal in the hands of the wrong commander-in-chief. When you extinguish hope, there is nothing left. Six, crime becomes normative, expected and required. It becomes an affirmation of basic humanity.
What should be done? How can we redeem our image and remedy the situation?
We need a four-pronged strategy: eliminate, repair, discourage, prevent.
We must eliminate cybercrime factories. Government must erect an equivalent anti-cybercrime factory full of hackers, trackers and servers to fight online criminal pursuit. It is a national security risk. And by the way, setting up this factory will provide employment to many of our computer science graduates. If we are serious, we should see a major drop in cybercrime within nine months.
We must also activate a discouragement strategy. First we must pass the cybercrime bill before our legislators. We must prosecute criminals under the law and make an example of cyber criminals. With the passage of the law, we signal to the international community that we are serious about curtailing cybercrime.
Our repair strategy dictates that we mend our relationship with the international merchant community. We need to undertake economic diplomacy. The amount Nigerians spend abroad annually gives us economic clout. It can be leveraged.
But prevention is always cheaper than cure. We need to re-orientate our youths and create opportunities for them.
In addition, our school curricula must reflect our realities. We need to teach our kids to create jobs rather than waiting for jobs.
Religious organisations have a role to play too. Government must partner with them.
And parents have a role to play too. As do our teachers. We must be worthy examples to our children.
Society is dynamic. We will never reach a point in which cybercrime is non-existent. The image of nations is not defined by the absence of negatives. It is determined by the positive exertions of its government and citizens.
• Alder is a brand strategy consultant. He wrote vide leke@alder-consulting.com
Punch Nigeria
MONSTER TITANOBOA IN NEW YORK!
A monstrous sight: a 48-foot-long, 2,500-pound titanoboa snake is headed for Grand Central!
The good news: It’s not alive. Anymore. But the full-scale replica of the reptile — which will make its first appearance at the commuter hub on March 22 — is intended, as Smithsonan spokesperson Randall Kremer happily admitted, to “scare the daylights out of people” — actually has a higher calling: to “communicate science to a lot of people.” The scientifically scary-accurate model will go a long way toward that: If this snake slithered by you, it would be waist-high and measure the length of a school bus. Think of it as the T-Rex of snakes.
This newly discovered species, known as titanoboa (yes, the words “titan” and “boa” are in there), which lived 65 million years ago, is about to have its close-up. The New York City appearance is promoting an exhibit at the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of Natural History in D.C. opening on March 30, which ties in to a TV special on the Smithsonian Channel called, what else, ”Titanoboa: Monster Snake.” The two-hour program airs April 1.
Remains of the titanoboa were first discovered in a Colombian coal mine in 2005. One of the researchers specializing in the Palocene era, the time after the death of the dinosaurs, was Jonathan Bloch. A vertebrate paleontologist from University of Florida’s Museum of Natural History, the scientist led multiple expeditions, along with Carlos Jaramillo of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. The team collected remains from the mine, which resulted in the find. Together with ancient-snake expert Jason Head of the University of Nebraska, they named the world’s largest snake Titanoboa.
Speaking on the phone to Yahoo! News, Bloch admitted that when the team was first collecting the skeletons of Titanoboa, he didn’t immediately understand what he had found until he returned to the lab. With the help of his students, he was able to identify the fossils as snakes, just much, much bigger than the ones of today. He described the enormous vertebrae as “sort of like if you saw a mouse skull the size of rhino skull.”
The predator, which is related to a boa constrictor but actually behaved like an anaconda, lived in water and fed on fish, other titanoboas, and crocodiles (very, very large crocodiles).
If this sounds like Hollywood’s next blockbuster, Bloch noted that this time around, truth is actually bigger than fiction: The predator from the movie ” Anaconda,” for one, is not as big as titanoboa. “This is really an example where reality and the past have exceeded the imaginations of Hollywood.”
Home Editorials Music Online Music Store Events Fashion Movies Relationships Social Issues Burna Boy, Black Magic, Vina and Tosyn Bucknor On The 2nd Annual Sickle Cell WALK4LIFE By Progeny Foundation
Progeny Foundation presents The Second Annual Sickle Cell Awareness Walk tagged Walk4Life. Burnaboy, BlackMagic, Vina (Big Brother Africa) and Tosyn Bucknor all support the 2nd Annual Walk4Life.
Commencing at Yard 158 in Oregun, Lagos, Progeny Foundation and supporters will walk to The Banquet Hall on Kudirat Abiola Way in Agidingbi, Lagos on the 8th of December, 2012. All participants are expected to register at 7am at Yard 158, Oregun before the walk.
Progeny Foundation was founded by Sickle Cell activist Bukola Sogbuyi who also lives with Sickle Cell. When asked the motive for this initiative, she said “for those already living with Sickle Cell Disease, there is need for information about care, management and prevention of crisis and other health issues related to the disease” she then added that “there has been no meaningful or purposeful awareness for the disease in over three decades , it has not been prioritized by the Nigeria health sector despite its urgent need and that is what we hope to achieve with these events; the walk inclusive.”
The first Walk4Life was held on December 3rd, 2011 and it was well attended. With supporters from all over Lagos State and other parts of the country, the Progeny Team is positive that the Second time will be even better and will reach more people.
Nigeria currently has the highest population of people living with Sickle Cell Disease in the world. Members of Progeny Foundation urge other NGOs dedicated to this cause to join in actively prioritizing the need for awareness and get the attention of the government, health care providers and citizens to take a proactive stance on sickle cell.
[Review]: Frenzy Album by D’Prince
After a wide and deep tour into the music industry Charles Enebeli popularly known as D’Prince released a mind-blowing album on November 5th, 2012. The young artist-after several collaborations both on the pitch of the Mavin crew and beyond accompanied by few hit singles- ‘Omoba‘,‘Jonzing World‘, ‘I like what I See’,’Ooze‘ and ‘Give It To Me‘,replicates his popularity with his singles on the Solar Plexus album,‘Take Banana’, ‘Why You Over There’ and ‘Amarachi‘.
All these do not suspend the fact that the best of the days of the baby of the Mavin crew would till no one knows when, remain the 5th day of November 2012 when he dropped his 25-track album accompanied by a Promo Video titled ‘FRENZY‘.
Following is the one-after-the-other review of tracks therein;
‘Bad Girls‘ – the first of all track and the introduction into the world of extreme excitement and mental agitation. After thorough assessment of the artiste’s choice of words, there is a feeling that all track’s would be ‘crazily’ captivating. He uses ‘Don’t hold me…‘ first which in its own way means he wants to have fun to the fullest which is the exact definition of the album title.
The second track as well – ‘Journey of a Thousand Miles‘. This track has the best intro ever in the album,viewing from the aspect of how wonderfully and made-to-fit the beats were mixed. This track embodies very important theme which would work for the youths of this evil century who would because the journey seems long lose interest in taking bold steps in pursuit of success. This is where the theme of ‘Struggle’ comes in. ‘One Step at a Time…’,'…it’s never too late’, ‘Journey of a thousand Miles Start with a Step’ amongst others send pulses into ‘hustlers’. The song also features the President of the Mavin Records, Don Jazzy and Wande Coal also with the Mavin crew.
‘Goody Bag‘,falls into the category of songs that have ‘sweet’ beats but very shallow message passed across. For every effort put in by a musician to ensure the masses have fun, he should be wary of the main message. Fans would of course, get thrilled by the way the beat changes from being fast to being slow and then back to the fast.
It was a good concept. ‘Amina‘,just like the third track, has no meaning,from the perspective of a critic. Songs should not be released for the sake of money alone the theme is necessary. Aside this, the singer/songwriter used more of vulgar words. It should also be put into consideration that kids of 21st century now sing this songs unconsciously and their mentality must be kept virgin till they attain certain stages.
On to the next track, ‘Africa Zumba’. It is a good idea to want to unite africans via dance but since the ‘Zumba‘ is still very fresh and most people don’t know what it means, the songwriter has not succeeded in communicating. Speaking for Nigeria alone, we knew what ‘Azonto‘ meant way before the song was released. If ‘Africa Zumba‘ had gone this direction, it would have been the best. The song however, has good beats mixed accompanied by very ‘tight’ lyrics.
‘Painting the town’ which features Wizkid,explains the theme of ‘Good Life‘. The songwriter uses ‘Up there is where I Belong…‘ as a starter to explain how enjoyable his present lifestyle is. The tension remains flat though, until Wizkid also a fast rising superstar,steps in with the ‘Fuji’ accent which makes him unique. A ‘deaf’ man would place the young talent’s voice. The beat is fabulous.
The seventh track, ‘Carry it Up’ also explains the theme of ‘Good life’. This is deduced through the writer’s diction. ‘Having fun dancing and drinking…’ explains to much. This track despite the just-there beat remains the least message-conveying in the first half of the album. It features Timaya.
The eight track ‘Believe’ would have successfully conveyed the great message embedded in it but for the wrong positioning. This should have been the first or second track in this album as it sheds more light on the early life of the songwriter cum singer before cash flow got high. Speaking on the sound, the beat accompanied by the voice makes the whole track very touching and beautiful.
The beat on the ninth track ‘Call Police’ is the only thing that has been focused on obviously. Realists would never agree with the lyrics. He speaks of ‘Smoking Igbo…‘ which was rather to blunt. However, it has very cool acapella beat. Furthermore, if the lines had rhyme, there would have been additional beauty.
Behold the tenth track, ‘Real G’ Featuring MI, the initial part of this song carries the listener along until the commencement of the first rap where one has to strain his ear to get the words. One could give really cool rap sequence without using the American accent. It is not audible despite the cool beat and the legend featured therein.
‘Overdose and Jonzing’, the eleventh track though being Rap which features Young Breed, gives an indept analysis of the kind of Good Life the songwriter. To a lame man, D’prince has succeeded in speaking nothing though. His diction all through is ambiguous. He could have used the lame man terms to communicate with those in the average class. That would have given him an edge. The wonderful beat was ‘cooked‘ by Babyfresh of Mavin Records.
‘Shower’ also follows this format. It is a rap and just sheds more light on his transformed life. He speaks of large sums of money with Gold to buttress his theme though. It is indeed a good idea. The beat was also made by Babyfresh.
‘Ife’, simply a session of confessing true love. This track brings back the memory of Don Jazzy with Tiwa Savage on that thrilling track, ‘Without my Heart’. This track is rated the best in this album not just because it discusses ‘Love‘ but for the beats mixed accompanied with the lyrics in Yoruba dialect. It is lovely. This track is exclusively produced by Don Jazzy.
‘By Myself’, appears to be another very touching track which would have forced tears out of many’s eyes. The multi-talented singer carefully disseminates a great message to the masses saying whatever he is today,is as a result of his personal hard work – ‘I did it all by myself oo…’. The beat is slow which makes manifesting the mood of the track very easy. It’s really cool.
Many things have happened ‘Because of Love‘- the fifteenth track. It features Bracket who adds aesthetics to the songs with their voices. The track however, explains the ordeal of the singer while trying to ensure that the love between himself and the village brought-up does not fade up-‘I’ll do anything for you because of love…’. The theme was well stated and the beat made to fit in to the flow of lines. Beautiful!
The first point to be noted about the Sixteenth track ‘Get Some’ is that the singer appeared to be out of words which would have been obvious but for the bass-filled beat which covers the errors. Wande Coal features in ‘Ojoro‘. Ojoro gives a gradual year-by-year analysis of what the omoba’s life was like ranging from the 2005 till date. It is obvious that there is a focus for this track. Must commend ‘Spellz’ for the gentle beat which gives room for Wande Coal to speak audibly. It is a great track.
‘No More Sleeping On ‘Em‘ the voice of made men. The track which features the almighty Wizkid, brings back memories of when the struggle was fully activated and now when everything just seems easy people who rebelled want to come back. The beat adds aesthetics to the track rating it the second of the best after ‘Ife‘. Really great track.
The first obvious feature on the nineteenth track of the ‘Frenzy’ album-Chant- is the beat. Judging from the title, the first one minute of the track was lost. The Singer remained incommunicado. The beat was the only thing that was understood.
Right from the second after the first minute,the true lyrics evolves. He speaks about his ‘rise’ in the industry and generally about the ‘good life’ he is experiencing. He however towards the end of the track honors the Almighty with a few lines asking for forgiveness and all. It would have been closer to being the best but for the flaws stated above.
Finally unto the final track, ‘Thank You’ Moving and very touching it is his intro acknowledges in general those who showed and still shows him ‘love’ all around the country spreading a large ‘Thank You’ across to everyone fit to be appreciated.
This is further buttressed by where he says ‘For all the love that you showed me, just wanna say thank you‘(2ce). It is a common saying that Nigerian Musicians are whack and would always d short of what happens in the world beyond Nigeria. I must though commend D’Prince and his brother Don Jazzy for a job well done.
The album was well cooked. Don’t dull points could have been missing in this but ‘Nobody is above mistakes‘ said D’prince in that second track. Lol.
Conclusively, everyone should look out for this talented singer cum songwriter as well as this album FRENZY or you are really going to miss the star of all time.
LKT Confesses his Love for Nollywood Actress Rita Dominic
“I’ve been dating Rita in my dreams and I’ve always loved to see her movies. When I read her interview, something in me said I should voice out my admiration and affections for her.
If truly her heart desire is to have a set of twins, I can give her that. I have got twins in my genes. It might sound awkward or a joke, but I’m not kidding; nor am I looking for cheap publicity. I would have approached her a long time ago, but I thought she was already taken by another man. Even if it turns out that she is older than me, I can live with it. Age is nothing but a number.”
The quotation above is what the singer of the hit single ‘Alaye Mi’,Olalekan Tunde revealed to The Punch in an interview some days ago. His interview with Punch followed a statement by the nollywood actress in question-Rita Dominic. She stated that she would love to have a twin which as the fuji-like singer said, is in his gene. Fans look forward to witness what could happen between the duo.
Nigerian Students Spend N80b To Study In The UK
The Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, CVC, on Saturday said that Nigerians spend an average of $500 million annually as students of European and American universities.
Ike Onyechere, chairman Exam Ethics International had on November 12 said Nigerians spend N80 billion or $500m in the UK alone and N1.5 trillion globally.
A communiqué signed by Professor Michael Faborode at the end of a two-day Consultative Policy Dialogue on the Future and Relevance of the Nigerian Universities and other Tertiary Institutions, organised by CVC and Trust Africa, Dakar, simply parroted Onyechere, and broadened the expenditure to cover what Nigerians spend in the entire EU and America, Guardian news reports.
The vice chancellors added that the amount was about 70 per cent of the total allocation to all federal universities in 2008.
The communiqué said that this was an indication of the loss of faith in Nigerian universities as shown by the rush for foreign institutions, even to other African countries, adding that constant restiveness of students between host communities, school administration, weak governance structure and processes were some of the challenges facing the Nigerian Higher Education Sector.
The communiqué pointed out these have contributed to disruptions of the academic calendar, including the constant bickering between the academic staff union, other staff unions, university management and government.
The VCs said that this had thereby affected the culture of robust debate and collaborative engagement between government, university management and staff for a common vision and progress.
It noted that the global ranking of Nigerian universities had nose-dived considerably, adding that there had been growing concern over the quality of graduates from Nigerian universities.
The committee resolved to restore a culture of consultation, strategic productive engagement, and partnership, collaboration between management and staff of Nigerian higher education institutions.
It also resolved that the nature and dimension of the problems confronting higher education institutions in Nigeria would require a new approach to governance.
The communiqué also resolved that the appointment of vice chancellors must include respect for academic excellence, managerial and leadership capabilities, transparency and accountability.
It said the other problem plaguing university education was the negative application of the principle of federal character, which breeds sectional agitations and clamour for indigenes and other parochial interests.
The committee also resolved that as much as possible, “indigene-ship” should not be critical in the appointment of vice chancellors.
It resolved that government must invest in the future of the country by providing adequate resources to enable universities achieve their goals.
The VCs said that stakeholders and private sectors should be committed to investing in higher education through sponsoring of research.
The communiqué called for the setting up of an education, research innovation and development council to coordinate the synergy between knowledge, innovation and development in all the sectors of the economy.
It also resolved that government needed to be more cautious in the current trend of establishing and approving of new universities without commensurate increase in the number of teachers.
The VCs believed that the higher education sector had a critical role to play in forging a sense of nationhood, and nation building as well as citizenship.
It also recommended that regular consultative policy dialogue on Nigerian Universities and other tertiary institutions should be held biannually. [VN]
(NEW MUSIC) LUTHER - DOWN DIA ft. DIVINCCI (La LoLo) & E- Black(Prod by LMG)
Making his way back into the music industry after few months is a Lyricst/Rap artiste who goes by the name LUTHER but this time around he decides to hit us all
with something different and groovy ...a club banger titled "DOWN DIA featuring DIVINCCI(La LoLo) & E-Black , produced by LMG". This is one of those songs that
would surely be on your playlist for some time to come especially this festive period and don't forget that Luther is the CEO of konseptshowbiz Group
an entertainment outfit..Expect more form him in no distant time...enjoy and share...
DOWNLOAD
[MUSIC PREMIÈRE] BREEZY KOOL GO BEBE FT PSYCHO + ROCKAFELLA
Breezykool's highly anticipated new singles [GO BEBE FT PSYCHO & ROCKAFELLA] première on true talk naija...Nice tunes,you just gotta love them....#Truetalk!!!
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