THERE is a paradox governments have  built around education — they are spending billions of Naira on education, yet the financial issues around education are not being resolved. The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, strike is only one of many matters that are dogging education.

Government’s supposed interests in negotiating with ASUU, the speed being applied, and the uttermost neglect of other aspects of education confirm the diminishing importance that governments attach to…

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By Is'haq Modibbo Kawu

Many different thoughts came to my mind last week, when news of Festus Iyayi’s tragic death broke.

The pain was deep and the anger and confusion were overwhelming. In that tragic accident, Nigeria lost one of its finest patriots; a Marxist revolutionary whose dedication to the liberation of our country and the enthronement of a society of social justice for the working people, were the defining motifs of his work as well as his life. …

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WE are once again gathered in this magnificent edifice for yet another Ojude Oba Festival. Ojude Oba Festival as you are all aware, is an important event in our community as a people, being the only festival of its type celebrated in South-West, Nigeria by all and sundry without religious barrier and bequeathed to us by our forefathers centuries ago.



While congratulating and thanking the chief host, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, FCA, Governor of Ogun State and his amiable wife, Mrs…

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By Olasunkanmi Akoni



All things being equal, the prevailing ordeal of motorists and other road users in the Mile Two and Marina  parts of Lagos should be over in 18 months if the assurance recently given to that effect by the  Managing Director Lagos Metropolitan Transport Management Authority, LAMATA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, is anything to go by.

The LAMATA boss  had anchored the promise on the expectation that the Mile 2-Marina blue line rail project would be ready…

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By Ochereome Nanna

The decision by the Abia State Government to to recall the non-indigenes discharged from the state’s civil service and throw the doors open for an all-inclusive hiring of new staff comes as a big relief. It was certainly not the easiest or best decision to take, even by those who initiated it.



The policy put Abia and Lagos states on the spotlight as states that took discrimination towards non-indigenes to a new level. While Abia was seen to have sacked…

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Some organisations, public and private, are hanging perilously in the air, waiting to drop dead, and die they will, except urgent steps are taken. The idea we have here will benefit from predictions:



There are some media outfits in Nigeria. Some day, soon, their General Manager will be picked form among the casual workers. The Editor-in-Chief will be a youth corps member, and down the line, every worker in the establishment will be a contract staff or temporary employee, by…

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By AMAKA ABAYOMI & LAJU ARENYEKA



Nigerian students planning to write qualifying examinations into colleges and universities in the United States have begun to make plans to travel outside the country to write the(TOEFL).



In a recent statement published on its website, ETS said both examinations have been suspended indefinitely in Nigeria. It read: “Due to security concerns in Nigeria, GRE® and TOEFL® testing in the country has been suspended for an indefinite…

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By Dele Sobowale

“When about 50 higher institutions were approved to take off within six years, where were the faculties expected to come from? In 2004, when I was a PGD student of the School of Mass Communication of the Lagos State University, LASU, we had a prominent lecturer who also lectured at Babcock University, Ilisan, Remo.

I think he spends every Wednesday there. He was simultaneously running his doctorate too somewhere. He was always looking harassed. We had a…

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By Ishola Balogun



Residents and landlord associations in Amuwo Odofin local government area under the aegis of Amuwo-Odofin New Town Movement have protested against incessant robbery attacks in the area just as they seek total ban of commercial motorcycle operators, popularly known as Okada, in the area.  



The Vice Chairman, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area, Alhaja Kudirat Omolara Dada, who led other residents to erect caution signs in strategic positions restricting…

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By Gabriel Osoba

There are many varieties of English, and British and American English are two varieties that are taught in most English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language programmes.



British English is more popular in Nigeria because of our colonial heritage. There are some differences between Standard British English and Standard American English in spelling, vocabulary and pronunciation.



British versus American spelling …

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THe late Professor Festus Iyayi simply called Festus by  his contemporaries was killed by

a car in the convoy of the Kogi state government last week.  Across the labour movement, news of his death spread like wild fire: Iyayi, who was president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities  in1986 is no more. For those of us who reported his activities as ASUU president, we knew that the labour movement has lost a committed comrade.  He led ASUU to…

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AFTER waiting fruitlessly fora response to several petitions to the office of the Minister of Defence urging him to compel the Nigerian Army to return an un-utilised 160 acres of their land acquired by the then Federal Military Government in 1974, for the purpose of building the Ojo Military Cantonment, the family of the late Alhaji Abdul Azeez Ojikutu, has taken the battle to reclaim the land to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN.



In a strongly…

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By DAYO ADESULU



Seven Nigerian universities have successfully emerged among the 15 African universities selected for the World Bank-sponsored  project by African Centres of Excellence (ACE).



The selection has indicated that some Nigerian universities are competitive in their tripartite functions of teaching, research and community service.



The benefiting universities were selected after their proposals were evaluated and considered to have met the requirements…

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Ibadan - An Oyo State High Court on Wednesday adjourned indefinitely  the N11.5 billion contract award case against a former governor of the state, Adebayo Alao-Akala, pending hearing of an appeal.



Justice Bayo Taiwo adjourned the case after Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Counsel to Alao-Akala and Babalola told the court that his clients appeal was still pending before the Court of Appeal.



Taiwo said that hearing notices would be issued informing all parties and their counsel on…

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In French, “Assizes” means lawyers having sittings to decide cases. When cases are decided on material benefits to members of the assizes as against duty to a nation then Nigeria is about to be conquered by materialism and in turn headed to breakdown of the system of trust.

Ojo experience as it affected me really proved that even if the magistrate remained the presiding officer, the feeling of some lawyers who constitute his “gang” matter. And when you hear the lawyers…

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With Ayo Onikoyi

As we come to the next phase in our search for the Sexiest Woman in Nollywood we count down to the surviving 25 contestants who made it through to the next phase of the last 25 standing. From the start-off list of 39 actresses we are now left with 25 which must also run through reshuffling until the final 15 that will go the very last distance.



Monalida Chinda, Nkiru Sylvanus, Biodun Okeowo Ijeoma Imoh, Alex Lopez, Chioma Okoye, Bukky Wright, Fathia Balogun,… Continue

By Kingsley Omonobi, Tordue Salem & Laide Akinboade

ABUJA —INDICATIONS emerged, yesterday, that former Attorney General and Minister of Justice and current Special Duties Minister, Michael Aondoakaa, has apologized to Information and Communications Minister, Prof. Dora Akunyili over a statement he allegedly made that “Akunyili …. go confront herself with what happened in NAFDAC.” Following the alleged statement, the Information minister had issued Aondoakaa a seven-day ultimatum to… Continue

By Emmanuel Aziken & Inalegwu Shaibu

ABUJA—THE British Government and the African Union, yesterday, commended Nigeria for resolving the power logjam that resulted from absence of President Umaru Yar’Adua, currently receiving medical treatment in Saudi Arabia, by installing Vice President Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President, even as the Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, admitted that the absence of President Yar’Adua has impaired Nigeria’s diplomatic… Continue

ABUJA—ACTING President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, assumed responsibility of the new office, when he approved a mini-cabinet reshuffle which led to the immediate swapping of portfolios by three ministers including the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Michael… Continue

The Senate Tuesday resolved to have Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President until President Umar Musa Yar'Adua returns from his medical trip abroad and is fit to return to his position.



The senate resolution Tuesday was the climax of intensive lobbying by both Pro-Jonathan Senators and the Pro-Yar'Adua group in the upper legislative House.



It would be recalled that the Governors Forum, the Arewa Consultative Forum and even the Information Minister Prof. Dora… Continue