University of Abuja Protest - ASUU Criticises Use of Soldiers to Eject Students

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Abuja (Uniabuja) chapter, yesterday criticised the use of armed soldiers to eject students from hostels, following a protest that led to the closure of the institution. Dr Clement Chup, the Chair-man, Uniabuja branch of ASUU, made the criticism in Gwagwalada, FCT, at a news conference. He expressed dismay over the manner the crisis was handled by the university management. He said the use of armed sol-diers to eject students from the hostels within few hours of the announcement of the closure of the university had instilled unnecessary fear on the university community. Chup, therefore, called on the Chief of Army Staff to exercise restraint in future operations, adding that the country was under a democratic dispensation where people should be free to air their views. The union had called for the release of the White Paper on the report of the last Special Visitation Panel to the university without further delay. He added that "it is our convic-tion that the White Paper, if promptly released and implemented, will proffer solution to our challenges in the university." NAN Source www.allafrica.com

Girls develop urine-powered generator

Four girls at a Nigerian school have developed an electricity generator powered by urine in response to the country's energy problems. The girls, students at the Doregos Private Academy School in Lagos, said they developed the urine-powered generator due to the difficulty in finding fuel to power the generators many people in the country rely on due to the country's frequent outages, Radio France Internationale reported Monday. "We noticed that many Nigerians, [those whose] businesses depend on a power supply have virtually been put out of business because of the high cost of power, so we decided to make a device that will reduce this problem. We noticed that waste products can be used to generate energy that is why we decided to experiment on urine," said Eniola Bello, one of the students. The girls said the generator is powered by the hydrogen and oxygen released by the urine. Adebola Duro-Aina, another student on the team, said about 1 1/2 gallons of urine can power the generator for about 36 hours. "This urine is being electrolyzed, releasing hydrogen and oxygen gas, and this then goes into our gas tank. Our gas tank here stores the gases, and anytime we need the gas we can open up the gas tank and release the gas and our generator is powered," she said. Source http://www.upi.com/

T.B Joshua Pays N26m Tuition Fees For Nigerian Student To Study In Oxford

Nigerian pastors have been in the news recently for almost all the wrong reasons but today, one man is diverting all that negative publicity away by showing that not all ‘men of God’ are the same. Yesterday, Sunday 18th November 2012 at the Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN), prophet T.B. Joshua announced that he had taken up the responsibility of sponsoring a Nigerian student to complete her PhD programme at the University of Oxford to the tune of £100,000, approximately N26 million. According to T.B Joshua’s Facebook page, the beneficiary, Yinka Oduwole, has been a youth worker in the church for many years. She is a first-class graduate from the University of Lagos and was sponsored by Prophet T.B. Joshua for her Masters Degree in Broadband Communications at The University College London. She recently graduated with a distinction and was the best graduating student in her class. Yinka explained that after gaining admission to Oxford University, her tuition fees are 100,000 British pounds, which is an equivalent to N26 million. Prophet T.B. Joshua said that he is ready to sponsor her for her PhD in Engineering Science knowing that he is sponsoring a leader of tomorrow. The young lady who has been a youth worker for many years at the church said “My advice to youth all over the world is that they should pray as if everything depends on God and work as if everything depends on them.” She also urged them to study hard and also rest in the precious arms of God and God would mark their work. Source www.informationnigeria.org

University of Abuja shut down

Abuja - The University of Abuja has been ordered shut down by its authorities following students’ unrest. Students of University of Abuja on Monday protested the failure of the university management to meet up with the six months period given it to accredit some of its courses. The courses are engineering, medicine and veterinary medicine. Some of the protesting students, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gwagwalada, blamed the university management for the delay in the accreditation process. The protesters, who are mainly students of engineering, claimed that other faculties were ahead of the Engineering Faculty in the accreditation process. A 400-level male engineering student, who pleaded anonymity, said that the protest followed the failure of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. James Adelabu, to keep his word over the accreditation of some faculties. ``It will be wrong for the university management to say that the students are not patient enough, considering the fact that the promise was given since April by the vice chancellor. ``As I speak to you, there are no equipment in our laboratory and the facilities are not enough to even invite the relevant authorities to commence the accreditation process,” he said. He said the patience of the students had run thin considering the implication of the actions of the university management on the future of the students. A 300-level female student called on the university management to expedite action to ensure that the faculties, particularly engineering, were accredited as promised by the vice chancellor. She said the delay in the accreditation process was not in the interest of the students. In his reaction, Mr Waziri Garba, the Information Officer of the university, said efforts were being intensified by the university management to ensure the accreditation of all the faculties as promised by the vice Chancellor. He said the accreditation of the Faculty of Engineering was capital intensive, adding that the protest followed a claim by the students that other faculties were ahead of engineering. According to him, the process of inviting the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) for resource verification had been concluded and the commission was being awaited for the exercise. The information officer, who confirmed that examinations could not hold in the university following the protest, dismissed reports that the university had been closed down. ``It is true that the students could not write their examinations today following the protest but as I speak to you, there is no official statement on the closure of the university,” he said. Garba appealed to the students to be calm, saying efforts were being made to facilitate the accreditation of the faculties. NAN Source http://nigeria.news24.com

Nigerian student wins Cessna 182T airplane in MTN promo

Lagos - A Nigerian student, Ebube Essien-Garricks, of the College of Health Science and Technology, Rivers State, is the winner of a Cessna 182T aircraft, in the "MTN Ultimate Wonder promo." South Africa-based MTN is one of Nigeria's leading mobile telephone network operators. Business Day Online reports Ebube Essien-Garricks, a 27-year-old student of College of Health Science and Technology, Rivers State, emerged the winner of a Cessna 182T aircraft in the "MTN Ultimate Wonder promo" after a draw held at the Golden plaza, Ikoyi office of MTN in the presence of reporters, representatives of the Nigerian Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The Nigerian Punch reports that the Chief Marketing Officer, MTN, Mr. Larry Annetts, described the draw as "interesting, credible and transparent." Business Day Online reports that Annetts told reporters in Lagos: “When we came out with the promo, many doubted us but today we have an ultimate winner who will go home with the promised Cessna 182T aeroplane. The take-home for us here is that MTN is committed towards enriching the lives of its consumers. “When we say we will do something, you can be sure that we don’t renege on our promises. The can-do-spirit is forever guiding our paths in offering utmost satisfaction to our consumers and we are glad that today a Nigerian has been enriched and empowered with an aeroplane.” According to The Punch, Essien-Garricks opted for the cash value of the airplane, N64 million ($390,000), when she was notified by a phone call that she had won the star prize. AllAfrica.com reports she was writing an examination paper in her school in Port Harcourt when her name was announced in Lagos as winner of the plane. But her cellphone was switched off in the examination hall and she did not know that MTN officials were trying to contact her to break the good news. After several unsuccessful attempts, MTN officials decided to get in touch with her through family and friends listed in her Facebook page. According to AllAFrica.com, when MTN officials finally contacted her, she broke out in shouts of joy that drew the attention of people around her. Friends and acquaintances joined her in celebration when they learned what the excitement was about. The Punch reports that Essien-Garricks, overwhelmed with emotionsdescribed the prize as "a true wonder" and best "Christmas gift ever." She said: “I am short of words, there is no word to describe what I feel right now, it is almost as if it is a dream but I know that nothing can be more real than what I am feeling right now. This must be the best Christmas gift ever. It is truly wonderful." The assistant Director, Lagos zone of the NLRC, Mr Obi Iriegbu, said the process that led to the selection of winners was transparent and credible. He said: “We started this journey together, ensuring that the consumers’ interests are protected and that the brand fulfills its promises. So far so good, it has been a credible and transparent process leading to the Ultimate winner of the aeroplane promised, from the beginning of the promo." AllAfrica.com reports the "MTN Ultimate Wonder promo" started in August. MTN has given 1,200 people N150, 000 each. A total of 12 winners recieved N2 million each at the regional cash prize presentations in Lagos, Ibadan, Onitsha, Abuja and Port Harcourt. The formal presentation of the N64 million cash value of the airplane will come later. Last year, at the celebration of MTN's 10 years anniversary in Nigeria, 90 MTN service users won cash prizes of N10 million each. In another promotional campaign early this year, the company gave out 100 xi35 SUVs. Source: http://www.digitaljournal.com