CAN NAIJA HANDLE NUCLEAR POWER? - Nigeria Planning Country's First Nuclear Power Plant

Nigeria is the largest oil producer in Africa and is currently the world's 12th largest oil producer, pumping 2.25 million barrels per day. Nigeria in 2012 was also the world's fourth leading exporter of LNG.

According to the U.S. government's Energy Information Administration, "Nigeria has one of the lowest net electricity generation per capita rates in the world. Electricity generation falls short of demand, resulting in load shedding, blackouts and a reliance on private generators. Nigeria is in the process of privatizing the state-owned Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in hopes that it will lead to greater investment and increased power generation."

On 24 March Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan at the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague said that Nigeria will develop a nuclear energy industry. Most Nigerians see nuclear power as a means providing electricity. He also told the NSS audience that Nigeria is committed to negotiations on a "multi-lateral, internationally and effectively verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons."

While the Nigerian Nuclear Program was founded in 1976, Nigeria's civilian nuclear energy aspirations began in 2007, when then-President Umaru Yar'Adua said the country planned to add nuclear power to the national grid by 2017.

Ironically, Nigeria has benefited from Japan's March 2011 Fukushima Daiichi disaster, and increased its LNG exports to Japan.

Nigeria already has a nuclear research reactor Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Kaduna state. The Nigeria Research Reactor-1 is used for training purposes and is powered by enriched uranium. NIRR-1, which was built by the Chinese, was commissioned in 2004 during President Olusegun Obasanjo's administration, though the government of President General Sani Abacha subsequently awarded the contract.

Nigeria's first nuclear power plant is scheduled to come on stream in 2020 and generate about 1,200 megawatts, with NPPs projected to contribute at least 4,000 MW to the country's total national electricity supply by 2030, which in the next 16 years will effectively double Nigeria's electrical output.

The road to a comprehensive Nigerian nuclear energy program may encounter both specialist shortages and salary funding issues. Nigeria currently has three nuclear energy research centers in the University of Ibadan, Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria and University of Port Harcourt. In February the three centers graduated a total of six nuclear engineers. In late March, nuclear scientists working for Nigeria's Center for Energy Research and Development, Obafemi Awolowo University, the Center for Energy Research and Training and Ahmadu Bello University have threatened to picket the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), if nothing is done to settle their back unpaid salaries.

The poor pay and shortage of highly qualified personnel have led Professors and workers to warn of imminent and unprecedented brain drain in the Nigeria Nuclear Sector and possible extinction of Nuclear Research in Nigerian universities, if the current downward trend is not quickly checked. At the recent "Strangulation of the Nigerian Nuclear Energy Programme by Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission and the need for serious and urgent intervention" press conference held in Abuja CERD Professor Eusibus Obiajunwa warned, "If the trend is not checked now, Nigeria will be lagging behind in the next few years in nuclear program. The few professionals we have in the sector will migrate to other countries where they are already looking for them."

Last but not least, with the increasing activities of Islamic insurgents like Boko Haram and the vulnerability of the country's uranium stock, Nigeria must increase its security against possible nuclear terrorism. In 2013 in neighboring Niger, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb suicide bombers attacked a uranium mine owned by the French nuclear company Areva, killing 26 people and injuring 30. AQIM is known to have ties to Boko Haram.




Nigerian journalist Wole Olaoye, who has been covering Nigeria's nuclear aspirations for decades warned, "We have security problems in Nigeria right now. And I don't want to think of a situation where we will manage the fallout of a nuclear leakage. With the level of incompetence with which we have treated our hydro-power stations, I don't see us managing nuclear power competently and efficiently."

Given the shambolic nature and massive corruption of Nigeria's hydrocarbon sector, Olaoye's concerns carry considerable weight.

Source :

C.K Daly (Chief Analyst, Oil Price.com)

Huffington Post

A.B.U Alumnus made Executive Director, Enterprise Risk Management in Unity Bank

Unity Bank Plc has announced the appointment of Dahiru Chadi, as the Executive Director, Enterprise Risk Management of the Bank was born on January 2, 1962.

He had his early education in Jama’are and Misau in Bauchi State. He obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Textile Science and Technology from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1985 and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Banking and Finance – 1998.

Mr Chadi had his National Youth Service programme at Prospect Textile Mills Ltd, Ilorin between August 1985 and July 1986. He was retained at the company and was made Assistant Production Supervisor, a position he held between August 1986 and August 1988. He joined the Bank of Industry (formerly Nigerian Industrial Development Bank Limited – NIDB) as Industrial Engineer I (Sept 1989 – Feb 1992) and Industrial Engineer II Sept 1988 to August 1989.

He joined Afribank International Ltd (Merchant Bankers) as Assistant Manager (Credit Department) - Feb 1992 to June 1993, Deputy Manager (Credit Department) July 1993 – Dec 1995, and Manager & Head of Credit Department (Jan 1986 – Nov 1996).

Mr Chadi teamed up with United Bank for Africa Plc. as Senior Manager (Corporate Banking Sector) Nov 1996 – Aug 1997, Senior Manager (Loan Recovery) Aug. 1997 – Sept 1998, Senior Manager (Risk Management) Sep. 1998 – Feb 2000 and Principal Manager (Risk Management) March 2000 – Sep 2003.

In September 2003 he joined FBN (Merchant Bankers) Ltd as Assistant General Manager & Head, Enterprise Risk Management, a position he held till December 2005. From January 2006 to August 2009, he was Assistant General Manager & Head, Credit Analysis and Processing (CAP), First Bank of Nigeria Plc. and became a DGM from April 1, 2009. From April 2009 to date he has been the Deputy General Manager & Head, Specialised Lending.

Mr Chadi is widely travelled and has attended many courses and training programmes both within and outside the country.

TERRIBLE !!! ...5 University Boys Rape Another University Boy in Abuja

According to Leadership Newspaper Five male students of a Nigerian university gang raped another young boy who nearly bled to death from the injuries he sustained from the assault.


Leadership learnt that one of the students, a 2nd year student whose name was given as Friday Desmond, had been lovers with the raped boy who name was given as George. He had promised to marry George as soon as he graduated from university. Their illicit love affair had been going on smoothly with both of them meeting regularly at selected places


On that fateful day, however, Friday took four of his friends to Bwari Area Council where George lived with his parents and lured George to a hotel in the neighbourhood. LEADERSHIP learnt that the five students took turns to rape George.




After the incident George was allowed to go. At home, he discovered that he was bleeding from his anus. He quickly alerted his parents who tried every first aid measure to stop the bleeding to no avail. They quickly rushed George to a nearby medical centre where the health officials put him on intensive care.




Every attempt to stop the bleeding failed. The distraught parents enquired what happened to him and he told them how the five students gang raped him and left him with the injuries.




The parents immediately reported the matter in a police station in the area council and the operative swung into action and arrested Friday. LEADERSHIP learnt that the Police in Bwari later transferred the case to Kubwa where Friday is said to have remained in detention.




When LEADERSHIP contacted the FCT police command PRO, Altine Daniel, she said she was not aware of the case. She however demanded for the day the incident occurred so that she could find out from the station where the incident was reported.


Source : Leadership Newspaper

A.B.U V.C Visits Kongo Campus

The Vice Chancellor

After a very long while the vice chancellor of our beloved university paid a visit to Kongo campus to have an INTERACTIVE SESSION with the students. A meeting was organized by the S.R.C.
The meeting took place at the campus' multipurpose hall and the hall was packed out. Others @ the meeting were : the deputy v.c Admin, Dean of the faculty of Admin, the Dean of the faculty of Law and the S.R.C President.

The high table

Students where given the avenue of asking questions and presenting challenges they faced while on campus.
the V.C after presenting his speech wanted to hear from the students.
The issues facing them included basic social amenities like :constant supply of electricity, renovation of hostels (Sardauna and Bedde) and many more . the v.c promised that these issues would be looked at.

A cross section of students

The session came to a close when the questions of the students where exhausted, and the national anthem taken.

Jamila mohammed

Abigist Correspondent 

Kongo Campus

EX-jam/Ex-Jaw presents "SHAKE UP 2014"

Exjam shake-up (cross-country) 1st May 2014. ‪#‎ABU‬ Zaria by 4pm converging @bball coat

Download the animated image below

A.B.U PLEASE STOP CUTTING DOWN TREES!!!!!!

            
As if the heat is not enough already in northern nigeria, our dear university still permits the felling of our trees on campus, NA WA OOO, The tree above was a comfortable shade for students of engineering.

A.B.U is the only place that can boast of a large no of trees in the whole of zaria , its really amzing how the world and northern africa are thinking aforestation because of desert encroachment , our own university is inviting the desert.

The kind of heat that visits zaria, sometimes you would think the sun only directs all its energy to zaria alone, these trees go along way in cooling the atmosphere, making it even more  conducive for students to learn.

Waangari mathai a Kenyan nobel prize winner won her award for planting 30 MILLION TREES!!!!!!!!, 
Our dear  university  wants to win the award for exactly the opposite.
Our university is not a firewood production campany for the indigenes of samaru L.G.A, after dey don cut all the tree for samaru and zaria finish, dem still dey look for tree on top our beloved campus....Abeg A.B.U MAKE UNA PARK WELL FOR THIS MATTER, LEAVE OUR BELOVED TREES ALONE!!!

F.J TAKASHI

THE PUBLISHERS

ABUGIST BLOG

A Visit to the BethTorrey Home of the Deformed by STUDENTS OF BLW A.B.U

Late last month the members of blw fellowship a.b.u Zaria visited the home of the deformed in Tukur Tukur Zaria, our correspondent informed us that the students of the fellowship have adopted the home as their responsiblity, i.e ( they have made it their responsibility to take foodstuffs to the home every month ) . Wow, thats awesome, i couldnt hold back tears when i saw the pictures of these young people who came into this world like this...you'll really understand that the life God gave us was really priceless and should be used to improve the lives of others,....you may not be cool to view the pictures i warn you that they're not the prettiest ....much love

F.J . Takashi

 

Do you know where this lamp is located on campus??

lol , i just had to take a pix people, you go believe LAMP HOLDER NA. Can you guess where its located on main campus?

ABU builds another digital display board at north gate

Hello peeps , our beloved university have started again oo, they're building a new digital electronic board at north gate, toh madalla, think its cool, just wondering what they will be displaying this time, if yall rememba the display board at main gate came with much excitement , being that information would be displayed in a more attractive format,  and would definitely reduce the amount of posters terrorizing the university walls and sign boards. Well Sad to say till now, no important information has been displayed on that board and its over 1 year old now, if not 2.

its like the guys in charge of the board dont know what to do with it, these same boards in lagos, abuja and port harcourt are massive revenue generating facilities, generating millions in seconds. People are looking for how to disseminate information daily, it's sad whenever i see facilities like these underused by our university, pls drop ur comment let's know wat u think...peace

Another bomb explosion ....A stronger resolution...

 

 

Hello everyone woke up yesterday to the sad news of the bomb explosion in nyanya bus park Abuja. I was unable to make any post anymore, it may be easy for journals, newspapers and news channels to discuss about this on tv  (no reservations to them ) but it wasn’t news that i wanted to share with anyone??? Why you ask? Here :

I'm a student in one of the biggest universities in sub Saharan Africa, i travel home for the holidays and breaks like every other student, i take buses like any other person, and have loved ones like any other citizen. My point? YOU COULD HAVE BEEN ON THAT BUS, MAYBE NOT YOU, BUT SOMEONE U REALLY CARED FOR: A FRIEND , A COUSIN, A BROTHER, A SISTER AN UNCLE , AUNT ,...THE LIST GOES ON...

72 !!,OVER 72 people who were about their personal business,  a mom trying to raise fees for her dear son or daughter, a daughter who was going home for the mid semester break, a father trying to work things out for his family.............sad ,sad indeed. In a country where we believe in the existence of a creator, i can’t imagine an individual would consciously set up explosives in his car and go and detonate it in the midst of innocent people, who had nothing to do with his problems. Tag it Religious, Political or Ethnic, this act is EVIL, MALEVOLENT AND WICKED!!

You know what??  With every bomb explosion we as a people will become more resolute to forge ahead a great nation, a nation that will emerge 10 times better than where it was before the turmoil.  Another thing is the futility of these guys, be it BOKO HARAM or an underground group, i mean if you want to make a real impression, BLOW UP THE ENTIRE NIGERIA!!! Don’t blow up a part and feel good about it , u know why ? , the next day , like today, people are gonna wake up and go back to work , the government officials will go on doing what they do best.....you want to make a real impression? BLOW UP THE ENTIRE NATION, MAY BE INCLUDE AFRICA OR THE WHOLE WORLD, else you failed again , because people will wake up the next day forgetting you existed eating and going about that same thing you killed yourself and innocent people for.

Not up to a week when Nigeria, my own naija , a nation without 24hrs electricity, proper drainage systems, bad educational infrastructures, bad roads and high transport rates, we have been able to make the biggest GDP in AFRICA.....Can you beat that?  What will happen to us when light shows up? Nigeria will stand, Nigeria will thrive and Nigeria will overcome,  as i extend my condolence to the loved ones of those who lost relatives in the incident... i ask that they refuse to let those who have chosen to become monsters , make monsters out of them. Thank you so much….One love

F.J TAKASHI

The Publishers

Abugist Blog

Drama @ national conference as A.B.U Lecturer Rains Curses!!!

A lecturer at the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria and delegate at the ongoing National Conference, Dr. Haruna Yerima, caused a stir at plenary yesterday when he rained all manner of curses on corrupt public officials, who will not hearken to pleas to return their loots.

Haruna was speaking at the resumed debate on the presidential address of March 17, 2014 otherwise referred to as inaugural speech delivered by President Goodluck Jonathan. He also said the violence in Borno State was predetermined because of the bastardization of education in the state by the immediate past state government.

He further said that a certain public official in the state once boasted that he was happy that over 60% of Borno indigenes cannot read and write, adding that "somebody" today owns four private aircrafts.

"Finally, I just want to pray that God almighty, You know that some people have stolen our money in this country and have stashed them outside. Please touch their hearts, let them bring this money, if they failed, destroy these riches.

"Some people have bought houses all over the world, touch their hearts, let them bring this money, if they failed to bring this money, let fire, earthquake (and) landslide destroy these houses.

"For those who have stolen our nairas and dollars, touch their hearts, let them bring back these dollars and nairas, if they failed to do that, please God let fire visit them... ," Yerima prayed before the conference chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi, was able to stop him from raining more curses.

Earlier, a former governor of Imo State, Chief Achike Udenwa, had called for a holistic approach to eradicating the menace of corruption in the country. He said it was not enough to say there is corruption in the land when no one agrees that he or she is corrupt.

"I think what will help us in fighting corruption is to look back on the causes of corruption... There is no type of corruption that is permissible. There is no type of corruption that is justifiable but we must identify the causes," he said.

Udenwa mentioned insecurity, societal pressure and greed as the root causes of corruption in the country.

For her part, a PDP zonal women leader from Kebbi state, Hajiya Mariya Waziri, also spoke passionately about the oneness of Nigeria and why women education should be given a priority by government at all levels.

"We must give women more opportunities, collaborate with them and tap into their wonderful potentials. To do all these, women must be educated. There is, therefore, the need to do a revolution on the education of the girl-child, especially in the northern part of this country," she said.

Meanwhile, the debate on the inaugural speech has ended with majority of delegates commenting on the president's address and setting tones for further discussions. However, nine delegates shunned the debate without official reasons given save for NLC delegate and president, Abdulwaheed Omar, said to be unavoidable engaged elsewhere yesterday being the last day of the debate. 

Source : 

Amina Alhassan, Bode Gbadebo and Joe Dudun,

Allafrica.com

abu alumnus Clare Omatseye Managing Director, CHAN Medi-Pharm Limited, speaks - "Capacity Building Is a Critical Part of Our Success Story"

CLARE Omatseye is the Managing Director, CHAN Medi-Pharm Limited, and President, Healthcare Federation of Nigeria- HFN. Several years back she established JNC International Limited to stop the dilapidation of the infrastructure in Nigeria healthcare sector and improve the health status of Nigerians.

Claire is a Graduate of Pharmacy from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and holds an MBA from the University of Navarra -Barcelona Spain. She is an Alumnus of the Lagos Business School and has attended several professional trainings in her field.

A seasoned pharmacist with over 23 years of experience in hospital pharmacy, sales, marketing, regulatory affairs, distribution, business development and strategic management, she has worked in several blue chips pharmaceuticals. She currently sits on the board of other reputable organizations. In this interview, she talks about what inspired her into establishing a pharmaceutical equipment importation company amongst sundry issues. Enjoy!!!

SETTING up a pharmaceuticals equipment importation company

I have a career spanning about 23 years in the Nigeria health sector; I spent 14 years of my career in pharmaceutical sector. It was a bit of a shock when I became the Country Manager of Family Healthcare and I saw the total dilapidation of the infrastructure in the healthcare sector. It was a big eye opener. At that time it dawned on me that what we required as a country was not products. It was a solution that was required.

People required hand holding, a full garment, and not just a provision of equipments, but to make sure that such equipments are properly installed and operational, and full maintenance provided, so that people get a return of investment on their capital expenditure. So that is how JNC International Limited came into being. It has been nine years now, and we have staff strength of about seventy.

The journey so far

We wanted to provide a company that would provide full solutions for our clients and ensures that we can make an impact. And having said this we developed an in-house training institute. We developed our own local engineers; a team of 15 engineers headed by an expatriate. In the beginning we had expatriated install most of our equipment, but as we grew things changed.

Right now about 98% of our equipment that we install is done by Nigerians in this country. That is to show how much we have had to scale up.Bridging skill gap via providing quality healthcare

In doing this we also helped our client because, the quality of our education has actually dropped. You find out that there is a skill gap. So we had to bridge the skill gap by bringing quality healthcare. We do training sections and workshops.

Proudly Nigeria

Capacity building is an essential and critical part of what we do and our success story. We are proudly Nigeria. We want to make sure that we are not joining any of the other companies in dumping of unusable equipment in the country, or bringing in of substandard equipment, or third hand equipment or equipment that was meant only for Africa.

We sell the same equipment that we sell in Nigeria, exactly what is sold in the states or in Japan.

Considering our peculiar infrastructural challenges

Technology is important but we need the appropriate technology bearing in mind our infrastructural challenges that we have in the country.

For example with theatre lights we have made sure that there is always battery back-up. If you are doing a CT scan or an MRI you must have a robust UPS in place that protects the equipment from powers surges but also keeps it running in the event of power down.

Company's growth curve in the last five years

Initially we grew by words of mouth. We had no sales persons on the field; one satisfied client told another. People were happy and when people are happy they tell others. So, that was how we grew. But obviously people needed more attention, so, as we grew bigger, we deployed more people. Since then, we've recorded a minimum of 20% growth each year in areas such as human resource, finance, capacity and impact.

We have grown from being a Lagos based company to now having a national spread. Thereafter, we did full cardiac centre and it is the only full cardiac centre in the country. Presently, some of those patients that had to go to India are now being treated in Nigeria.

Five years into the future

One of the things that we are passionate about is for us to improve diagnostic and prevention. We provide just diagnostic equipments to help detect cases like cancers. Without providing intervention equipments for radiography, people will still be exported out of the country. So, we need to be able to curb medical tourism by not only doing the diagnostic side but also improving intervention.

What is the consultative forum about?

The Healthcare Federation of Nigeria is a non-profit organisation set up for advocacy, to make a change in private health care sector, to create enabling environment to redress some of the negative things going on in the health and private space. So, to be able to do this, we need to interact and engage all members of the health sector.




Source - allafrica.com

SAD STORY : Truck Kills Final Year Noun Student

Tragedy struck yesterday at the study centre of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Kanshio area of Makurdi, Benue State, when a final year student of the institution was knocked down and killed by a moving truck.
The main gate of the institution is situated opposite the mechanic village in Kanshio community, along the Makurdi-Otukpo-Enugu road while Kanshio village is about 5 kilometres from the capital city.
The 32-year-old-student, identified at Moses Nandeve was a student of the department of information and technology in the university.
Sources said the deceased on a motorcycle on his way to the centre for the on-going examination and it was when the motorcyclist attempted to make a turn into the school that the truck rammed into them, killing the student in the process.
Witnesses told LEADERSHIP that the truck driver who was heading towards Aliade, from Makurdi town, was speeding and may have lost control of the vehicle meandered severally before running into the victims.
The motorcyclist however survived the accident with injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Following the incident, aggrieved students of the institution barricaded the major highway in protest and attempted to set the truck ablaze before the police arrived and prevented it.
The ugly incident which occurred at noon caused serious traffic congestion on the busy road for several hours and disrupted academic activities at the institution which resulted to the suspension of the examination.
Efforts by the deployed policemen who shot sporadically to disperse the protesting students were hampered as the visibly angry students would throw stones at the security men, demanding that the driver of the truck who escaped into the Nigerian prisons office be provided.

SOURCE : ALLAFRICA.COM

Madame you are too fat to fly 1st class.........

At five feet nine inches and just over 400 pounds, Natasha Coleman was, amazingly, unconcerned about her weight. Overeating fattening fried foods and sugary desserts was just normal for her family; exercise was not. And this wasn’t so unusual—most everyone in Natasha’s tight-knit African American community in Panama City, Florida, was heavy.


Naturally competitive, Natasha outperformed her coworkers at her job in phone sales. She was so good at closing deals, her company regularly awarded her with luxury trips for being a top performer. It was on one of these trips, in 2010, that she had an experience so mortifying it changed her life.


"When I got to my seat in first class, I couldn’t maneuver my body into it. I was just too big.” As a flight attendant tried to help, the other passengers began to stare, and what she saw in their eyes cut her to the bone. “The looks these people were giving me were cruel and judgmental, as if they were saying, ‘How dare you be so fat that you hold up this plane?’”


Told she’d have to move to a special seat at the very back of coach, Natasha walked down the center aisle of that plane feeling huge and humiliated. To make matters worse, when she arrived at the extra wide seat, the seat belt wouldn’t fit around her middle, so she had to flag down the flight attendant again and ask for an extender.

Source : huffingtonpost

After 

ooo boy....all things are possible to the believer!!! see babe abeg

Natasha took inspiration from First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign. “I started getting mad at food, mad at being surrounded by unhealthy options, mad at my lifestyle.” Above, Natasha and her daughter fit into a pair of jeans that she wore at her heaviest.

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS WEDDING POSTER ON CAMPUS?

 MR AND M(R)ISS AFAS 2014

Dont ask me oooooo, i no attend the wedding --haha, i just see the poster for road (for sculpture garden).....lol ..much love people dont forget to drop a comment and like our page on fb

2 Days, 48 Aspiring Designers & Over 10,000 Guests! Attend the 2014 Nigerian Student Fashion & Design Week

Providing a platform for up-and-coming designers to showcase to showcase their talent, the Nigerian Student Fashion & Design Week (NSFDW) 2014 is one to definitely attend.

At their first edition, NSFDW worked closely with a large number of brands and partners and for season two, the organizers promise it will be even bigger and better. It will feature over 48 student/aspiring designers from across Nigeria over a two day period as well as over 30 exhibitors that would showcase their creativity and an expected guest attendance of over 10,000.

The NSFDW is aimed at helping emerging designers who don’t have a showcase platform present their talent and collections to a large audience.

Date: Thursday 5th & Friday 6th June 2014
For press enquiries, photography or if you would like to participate or require any other information please send an e-mail to info@nsfdw.com or call  07031607412.
Nigerian Student Fashion and Design Week is produced by BlackNBold Fashion House, Africa Fashion Week London & Mahogany Productions & Events.

Source : Bella naija.com

'Nigeria's Mark Zuckerberg' builds university

At 23, many people around the world are still at university -- at that age, Gossy Ukanwoke had already started one.

The young entrepreneur is the founder of Beni American University (BAU), Nigeria's first private online university. Launched in late 2012, the school allows students to access their classes at any time of the day with any internet-enabled device.

"We are providing executive programs for graduates who are looking for employment and want to build up their resumes, or managers who want to climb up the hierarchy of their companies," says Ukanwoke, now 25.

"We also have courses targeted at people who want to start their own business."

'Nigeria's Mark Zuckerberg'

Ukanwoke's idea to start BAU came from his previous online venture called Students Circle, an educational social networking site he'd launched while in university that allows learners to interact and access free resources from leading schools.

"When I created Students Circle in 2010," explains Ukanwoke, "I found out that ... many were looking for certificates, hoping that they could get something they could use to maybe find employment or get a promotion in the workplace.

"There was a need for a new institution to be created in Nigeria," adds Ukanwoke, who was once described by Forbes as "Nigeria's Mark Zuckerberg."

Now, some 18 months into his new business endeavor, Ukanwoke has hired 10 instructors and has about 200 students, with an average age of 26.

But the startup's journey so far has not been without challenges -- Nigerian laws require universities to have a physical campus so last year Ukanwoke went and bought land in the country's Benue State with the goal to build a private campus that could accommodate some 10,000 students.

The project is expected to launch next year, but in the meantime the web courses are up and running -- a 12 week online program can cost between $100 and $300. Among the courses offered are corporate diplomacy, global marketing, leadership and management, digital journalism, project management and entrepreneurship and innovation, which is the university's most popular class.

"It's good because I have four kids," says Chinenye Madukwe, one of BAU's students. "I have opportunity to work at the same time, because I have a small interior design outfit."

Oo Nwoye, another BAU student, says he enrolled "for the knowledge."

"It is just helpful for my business and that is the most important thing to me," he explains.

Education is key

A son of two teachers, Ukanwoke says he is driven by his passion to use technology to solve social problems.

"I grew up within the framework where education was put at a very high level of importance, and entrepreneurship is something that I always wanted to do," he says.

"Without education I don't think we can do any progress," he adds. "It's not just about getting a certificate -- education is about teaching people how to make a living and teaching people how to live; how to interact with others, how to lead their lives and make something out of themselves," continues Ukanwoke.

"With education comes discipline and we need a lot of discipline in Nigeria as well, so education is really important."

Ukanwoke relies mainly on social media to advertize but says that it's student referrals that are increasing BAU's enrollment.

"We still have a long way to go, we have a lot of work to do, a lot of policy wrangling too," he admits. "But it's a work in progress and we are quite happy with where we are."

Copyright 2014 by CNN NewSource. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source : By Teo Kermeliotis and Jessica Ellis CNN

Snake disrupts NYSC passing-out parade in Zamfara

A snake, on Tuesday, disrupted the passing-out parade of the National Youth service Corps (NYSC) Batch “A” at the orientation camp at Tsafe, in Zamfara.

The snake, according to eyewitnesses, might have come from one of the dilapidated structures at the camp and could have been in search of food.

The eyewitnesses said the snake tried to make its way to the platform where special guests on the occasion were seated during the ceremony.

Some of the corps members, as well as some of the special guests, took to their heels to avoid the reptile.

However, some of the corps members ran after the snake to kill it, using sticks and their boots. Earlier in her address to mark the end of the camp, the scheme’s Coordinator in the state,Mrs Ruth Bakka, urged the corps members to be of good behaviour.

She also urged them to be security-conscious during their 11-month primary assignment in the state.

The state coordinator commended the attitude displayed by the corps members while in camp,and advised them to remain disciplined wherever they found themselves in the future.

“The government is also committed to
completing the orientation camp and providing all necessary facilities for smooth operations,”the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Tijjani Kaura, said

Source : By hassan @ 247news.com.ng

A.B.U Lecturer speaks up @ the national conference

Dr Abubakar Siddique, a delegate representing Katsina State, on Sunday said that organising a referendum on the outcome of the ongoing national conference would cost not less than N22 billion.

Siddique told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the amount would have to be appropriated for by the National Assembly (NASS).

According to him, organising a referendum will also require an amendment to the 1999 Constitution as it did not foresee a referendum for such national discourse

Siddique, a lecturer at the Department of Political Science, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, explained that the President would have to go to NASS with a bill for appropriation before he could spend that kind of money.

He expressed the view that looking at the closeness of the 2015 general elections, organising a referendum after the conference would eat into the electoral calendar.

The don said that there were existing state institutions that could confer legitimacy on the outcome of the conference.

“The National Assembly is still there, they’ve also initiated the process of amending the constitution.

“What stops this conference at the end of it from going to the National Assembly to say that look, we feel that the Nigerian Constitution should include this or should be amended to take on board all that we’ve discussed?

“They would be able to harmonise that which they’ve arrived at on the basis of the discussions which they’ve had with Nigerians together with the discussions we would have here and the outcomes and then set in motion the process of amending the Nigerian constitution.”

Siddique said that the recommendations of the conference could be implemented without a referendum if there was political will and sense of purpose.

“What we wrote in our report is that at the end of this deliberation, this conference should advise the President, how best to integrate the outcomes into the Nigerian constitution.

“And this lies that this (1999 constitution) is the only constitution which states that `we the people’ without the people writing it is a bloody lie.

“The Nigerian people have never written any constitution, their elites sat down and wrote the constitution.

“So the first constitution was a lie when it said `we the people’, the second was a lie when it said `we the people’, the third was also a lie when it said `we the people’. (NAN)

Source : By Daily Post Staff on April 6, 2014

@dailypostngr

Corps Members’ Safety, Community Leaders ’Il be held responsible

                           

BAUCHI State governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda, has said that he would hold leaders of any community where the safety of any member of the National Youth Service corps (NYSC) is threatened responsible.

This is even as he urged community leaders across the state to be helpful to the corps members deployed in the state for their mandatory one year national service.

The governor stated this at the closing ceremony of the three-week orientation course for the 2014 Batch ‘A’ corps members held at the Institute of Adult and Non-Formal Education at Kangere, Bauchi Local Government Area of the state.

“Let me reiterate that government would hold leaders of our communities responsible where the security of corps members is threatened in any part of the state,” the governor added.

Represented on the occasion by the state Head of Civil Service, Mr Abdon Dala Gin, the governor declared that NYSC members had since the inception of the scheme been contributing immensely to the development of the society.

According to him, it was in view of this that there was the need for all people to show them care and affection while serving in their communities.

He, however, assured that the state government would collaborate with security agencies, traditional, community and religious leaders to ensure the safety of the corps members during their service year in the state.

Governor Yuguda then admonished the corps members not only to be vigilant so that they could detect the evil machinations of anti-social elements, but also be law-abiding and respect the culture and traditions of their host communities.

“My dear corps members, you are advised to be law-abiding, respect the traditions and culture of your host communities. Shun all attitudes and behaviours that run counter to the ideals of nationalism. Stay at your places of primary assignment and travel whenever necessary,” he said.

Source :   Saliu Gbadamosi -Bauchi

Nigerian tribune newspaper

Imagine If #Nigeria’s Footballers Had To Do NYSC

Imagine Stephen Keshi calling Mikel Obi after he just graduates from his youth soccer academy in London …

CALL STARTS

“Mikel, I think you should play for Nigeria. I mean the way you move with and without the ball is something that other players foreign and local could learn from. I know you already have a multi-million job offer with Chelsea, and we don’t want to disrupt that agreement, we just require that during the African cup of Nations you leave your club for about 2 months to represent your country and that you are available to train when called upon. Plus the government will pay you if you win…it might not be on time but they will pay up.”

“Ah Keshi…I would love to play for Nigeria. No need to ask me even. I love my country die! When and where do I sign” Mikel replies.

Then Keshi lowers his tone and says “There is one problem Mikel o…have you done your NYSC?” and Mikel is like “NYSC? No now I have been in the London youth academy training for the past 4 years. You recommended I come here to Europe to hone my skills.”

Keshi then replies “Ah…you know you cannot really play for Nigeria unless you have done your NYSC.” long silence…

Then Keshi is like “But it is not a problem…all you have to do is attend a 3 week orientation camp in Nigeria. I mean the camp is not the greatest, soldiers will scream at you almost everyday. And the toilets might not work all the time. In fact you might have to sling shit over the fence on some days. But you will survive”

Still silence…but Keshi continues “And then after you leave camp you have to play soccer for a rural football club in the village for 9 months…they really don’t have electricity or running water except for the occasional rain that brings falling water and electric thunder…but the government will pay you 30K a month.”

“30K dollars a month? I might be able to manage that.” Mikel finally replies, breaking the preceding silence.

“Actually Mikel its 30K Naira” Keshi replies. Silence…

“Hello…hello…Mikel are you there? Mikel. Mikel….” dial tone…CALL ENDS.

------------------------------------FOR THE FULL ARTICLE CHECKOUT THE SOURCE BELOW..............................................................

Source : ofilispeaks.com

Foodsteps Matric food Eating Competition 2014

It was all licking, drinking, chewing and swallows at the Foodsteps food eating competition on the fri the 4th of april 2014 , as girls and boys battled it out by taking down chunks of food down their throats with incredible speed and skill. Winners eventually emerged from both categories and your no 1 gist source was ever present to cover the event , here are a few pictures to give you a glimpse of the show and a short video of how the winning lady licked up an entire bucket of ice cream......it was legendary people :

BOYS ATTACK : As qualification , take down as much eva water as you can , then you qualify for spaghetti. haha (strictly for men)

THE PLEDGE : i pledge to nigeria my country , i can consume 1 carton of eva water in 3 mins and then move to sphagg......lol....

and it begins.............

1 BUCKECT OF ICECREAM????... SMALL THING JARE !!!!!!!

NO BOYFRIEND OF MINE MAY EVER BUY ME BUCKET OF ICECREAM EEEHH , I BETTER DONT MISS THIS OPPURTUNITY.......

FEMALE CONTESTANT WINNER : SEE HER SMILE .....CONGRATS 

Video 1- Female contestants in action

Video 2 - Winning Female Contestant

The Power of your dressing on campus

Why every Student Should Care About His Appearance

Before we get into the practical ways you can upgrade your style, let’s take a minute to discuss why you would even care about implementing these changes in the first place. After all, most of your peers are probably letting it all hang out (and to be fair, girls are just as bad offenders as guys are). Why not follow the crowd?

Well, at the outset it should be said that no one is recommending you dress like Don, and wear a sweater vest, tie, and suit to class. Times and standards have changed. But there are several reasons to consider simply taking your style and wardrobe up a notch or two:

Dressing Well Contributes to Your Frame of Mind

When you dress sharp, you think sharp. If you don’t believe me, try it out yourself. When you feel put together, you feel more alert, more confident, and more ready to tackle the day’s tasks. College used to be considered a serious business, the halls where learning took place, hallowed. If you think education is important, then dress to match that belief, and you’ll find you have an easier time getting into the learning frame of mind.

Dressing Well Shows Respect for the Lecturer and Will Create That Respect in Return

No matter how bright he is, a lecturer is going to have a tough time taking seriously the student in short s and slippers. Dressing a notch up from your peers will show the lecturer that you take his class seriously and that you respect him. This will help you stand out and make a good impression, which may help your grade (likability counts for more with teachers than most people know), and can help you down the line when you need a recommendation. When your old lecturer is sitting down to write that letter, what will he remember about you and how you presented yourself in class?

You Never Know Who You’re Going to Meet

the university is the best and easiest time to meet the woman who will become your wife–dating and meeting people gets a lot harder after you graduate. And you never know when you’re going to run into the future Mrs. Danladi on campus. When you catch a cute girl’s eye in social centre, will you feel confident walking over to chat with her?

When you dress like a man, you feel like a man.

life on campus is a time when young men are transitioning into grown men. While the path from boy to man involves the transformation of your inner values, how you dress on the outside symbolizes and reinforces how you feel on the inside. Changing your wardrobe helps you feel like you’re really beginning a new phase of your life.

watch out for tips on exactly what yyou should wear in my next post...

cheers

George

Founder – A Tailored Suit Custom Wardrobes

Grab his Free 47 Page Mens Style Ebook  

Art of Manlines Tips from  Antonio Centeno

What pisses lecturers off (Pt 1)

Part1 : ANGRY LECTURERS 101

hmmmmmnn....What pisses you lecturer off!!!

i cant tell you ohh...it a difficult thing to say...howevr, i can give you some tips on how to avoid pissing off ur lecturers here in Abuunivasity....hehehehheee...the truth is...most of the times ehnn,...they are already pissed...they probably jst off load it on you...if you fall victim..well guys...

first thing first ehn...dont't come for lectures late. try and come early enuf b4  the lecturer comes to class, submit their assignments on time..doi it wen they said you should do it...there is really no point begging or pleading...infact...if they give you one week, do it in 4 days and get it ready. then when you guys are in class, ask questions, but be polite in asking. don't try to act as though you are challenging mr. lecturer.. because human beings are always looking for avenues to express a feeling of importance...be smart...and if you notice he is angry at your question, you better sit down...and google it...he is mr. lecturer, not google..lol

Switch off your phone people (or put em on silent): i've heard of lecturers who strictly warned that if any phone where to ring while they where teaching, they would leave the class, and they actually did it....well who losses people ? yep, you the student. Mr lecturer will be paid whether he comes to class or not , so abeg if you they use smart phone, off am or put am for silent and if you dey use chinaaaaa... abeg REMOVE THE BATTERY!!!!!!!!!!!!

very soon sha...we would feature interviews with some lecturers to find out exactly what pisses them off but till then..just be your self, read wide , take a break once in a while...eat good food and get back to your studies.. hope you took time out to read the previous post on how to calculate your CGPA and why why you should look responsible.. watch out for AL 102...lol.....i'd talk to you guys later.....from your main guyy...

##cheers

George