Nigeria's first online university gets licence to start operations
A report by the Guardian Nigeria in 2018 revealed that more than 190,000 qualified candidates were denied admission to seven Nigerian public universities. All of these challenges prevent qualified students from getting an education and make it difficult for universities to function effectively. In a pioneering move, the Nigerian higher education regulator, the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) has granted approval to Miva Open University, owned by uLesson, to launch Nigeria's first fully online university. With this license in hand, MIVA Open University can provide full bachelor's degree programs through Online Distance e-Learning (ODeL) mode. The launch of Miva Open University is a positive step towards addressing the problem of access to higher education in Nigeria.
Source:The Guardian
May 24, 2023 15:26 UTC
Three Northern Courts turned down Apapa’s plots against LP — Party Chieftain
Three courts have turned down petitions by the Lamidi Apapa-led faction shopping for injunctions against the Labour Party (LP), the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Pastor Obiora Ifoh claimed. “They have visited three judges in the North who have all turned down their requests. “We therefore commend the judges who have refused their offers, and who are insisting that justice can not be bought. “Notwithstanding, the unfortunate incident in Kano Federal High court last week where they deceived the judge to enter a judgement against Labour Party. Labour Party has also swiftly applied for notice of appeal.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
May 24, 2023 04:51 UTC
Abia: Group protests Kano court ruling disqualifying Otti’s candidature
Some indigenes of Abia State, under the aegis of United Abia Artistes and Patriots, have protested against a ruling by a Federal High Court in Kano State that purportedly nullified the election of Abia State Governor-elect, Dr Alex Otti of the Labour Party. The organisation said the judgement should be regarded as a joke that would not stand the test of time. The Convener and Secretary of UAPP, Osita Offor, and Legal Adviser, Chuks Akamadu, said that the Federal High Court did not issue an order on Otti because the court was “somewhat conscious of its powers and artfully played around the booby trap” set for it by the Peoples Democratic Party and Abia state government. Akamadu said that the case brought by the petitioners was a pre-election matter and under Section 285(14)(a) of the Electoral Act, the Kano meddlesome interloper who initiated the suit had no locus standi as he was not an aspirant in LP. “We demand an immediate end to mischief-making and all acts that are capable of hurting Abia’s democratic journey by the soon-to-expire gang of political profiteers, else they would have the full wrath of highly inflammable Abia masses to contend with.”
Source:Punch
May 24, 2023 04:28 UTC
OPPO launches 2023 Inspiration Challenge, invests $440,000 in technical solutions
OPPO Research Institute, together with global partners Qualcomm Technologies, GSMA 5G IN, Amazon Web Services and LinkedIn, have announced the launch of 2023 OPPO Inspiration Challenge on the World Smile Day. OPPO and partners pledge funding and technical support for innovative proposals“OPPO believes deeply in the idea of ‘Virtuous Innovation. Finalists from each regional demo event will be invited to join the Inspiration Challenge Acceleration Camp and meet with OPPO executives and technical experts to revise their proposals before the global final demo event at the end of August. All the proposals for OPPO Inspiration Challenge this year will be evaluated based on the four criteria of Feasibility, Technological Innovation, Long-term Potential, and Social Values. Further partnership opportunities are open to the top 45 proposals worldwide – made up of the top 15 proposals in each regional challenge.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
May 24, 2023 04:17 UTC
Dangote refinery should meet local demands before export
A business analyst, Michael Olajuwon, has said there is a need for the newly commissioned Dangote refinery to meet local demands before any other consideration. The chairman of Dangote Refinery, Aliko Dangote, said on Monday that once the plant is fully commissioned, it is expected that at least 40 per cent of the capacity will be available for export. According to him, the new refinery would, to a greater extent, eliminate the dollar content of the cost implications in the value chain of oil production, consequently impacting the selling price. He said, “Dangote refinery should bring reprieve to the country and the continent by fundamentally tackling the earlier enumerated challenges, which hitherto had proven unassailable. “The single fact that we will now refine the oil locally has, to a greater extent, eliminated the dollar content of the cost implications in the value chain of oil production, consequently impacting on the selling price.
Source:Punch
May 24, 2023 01:49 UTC
UK special forces operated secretly in Nigeria
The British Special Air Service and the European country’s other special forces have operated clandestinely in Nigeria and 18 other nations over the past 12 years, research has revealed. In Mail, UK Special Forces provided non-combat support during French military action against jihadi groups in Mali. Although Britain is not an official participant in the conflict, 50 members of the UK special forces were named as being present in Ukraine earlier this year in leaked Pentagon documents. Special forces routinely take part in both exfiltrations and hostage rescues. A couple detained in the Philippines was successfully released in 2019 in a mission that UK special forces assisted in preparing and for which it trained the country’s military.
Source:Punch
May 24, 2023 00:43 UTC
VIDEO: Seun Kuti released after meeting bail conditions
Afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti has been released from police custody after meeting bail conditions on Tuesday. The development was confirmed by his attorney, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Tuesday night. “Yes, Ṣeun Kuti was released minutes ago,” he said.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
May 23, 2023 22:11 UTC
4 easy steps to edit sent messages on WhatsApp
For the moments when you make a mistake, or simply change your mind, you can now edit your sent messages, according to WhatsApp new update. From correcting a simple misspelling to adding extra context to a message, WhatsApp is working on bringing users more control over their chats. Follow these easy steps to edit sent messages on WhatsApp:1. Edited messages will display ‘edited’ alongside them, so those you’re messaging are aware of the correction without showing edit history. As with all personal messages, media and calls, your messages and the edits you make are protected by end-to-end encryption.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
May 23, 2023 15:46 UTC
Why bulletproof charm I prepared failed to protect deceased cultist —Native doctor
The native doctor said that the mixture probably caused the failure of the bulletproof charm he made for the deceased. It also led to the arrest of the native doctor, Shodimu, and Oluwaseun Adebowale a.k.a Eko. I started the work of a native doctor two years ago.”On the killed cultist“The deceased lived in the same community with other cultists. We also named others belonging to the cult group and we took the police to the native doctor that fortified us traditionally. He came to our native doctor for charms and notification but he was cornered there.”Why our rival was killed“I didn’t know what the two sides were quarreling over.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
May 23, 2023 15:13 UTC
Tribunal: APM to call one witness to prove petition
The Allied Peoples Movement has said that it will call one witness to testify in its petition at the Presidential Election Petition Court. The party said that it would call only one witness and would need three days for the witness to testify. He said that the commission had only one witness for this petition and would need one day to prove its case. The APC said that it agreed substantially with the report of the petitioner adding that it would need five days to call one witness for this petition. In terms of cross-examination of the star witness, he said that he would need 25 minutes to do so.
Source:Punch
May 23, 2023 11:21 UTC
Dangote has paid 70% loan taken to build refinery- Emefiele
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele has revealed that the Dangote Group has remitted 70 percent of the loans it obtained from the apex bank to build its oil refinery. He said, “We have it on good authority that the Dangote Group has paid off some portion of these commercial loans even before this commissioning today,” Emefiele said. “Today, total loans outstanding have dropped from over $9 billion when this project started to N2.7 billion. This reflects the astute credit worthiness and commercial capability of the group and its chairman, Alhaji Dangote. “They provided immense support and exceptional understanding, even when interest payments and principal repayment had fallen due.”
Source:Punch
May 23, 2023 09:59 UTC
Supreme Court to deliver judgment in PDP’s case against Shettima’s double nomination Friday
The Supreme Court, on Monday, fixed May 26, 2023 to deliver judgment in an appeal brought before it by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against Bola Tinubu and Alhaji Kashim Shettima of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He said the apex court would determine whether there was double nomination and whether they had locus standi (legal right) to do so. The three-member panel of Justices of the Court of Appeal held in the unanimous judgment that the PDP failed to establish its locus standi to institute the legal action. “The appellant, having failed to disclose its locus standi, this appeal fails and it is hereby dismissed,” the appellate court held and proceeded to affirm the judgment of the Federal High Court. The party claimed that Shettima had double nominations and argued that Shettima’s nomination as a vice-presidential candidate as well as the candidate for the Borno Central Senatorial seat was in contravention of the law.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
May 23, 2023 06:31 UTC
Nigeria needs N3.4tn to tackle flood disasters – Presidential council
The Presidential Flood Committee, on Monday, announced that Nigeria would need about N3.4tn to tackle flood disasters across the country, particularly during the rainy season. ), also recommended the establishment of an 18-man National Flood Management Council, to be chaired by the Vice President of Nigeria. He said the council was necessary because there had not been any one that was set up to address the flood disasters across the country. He said the proposed 18-man National Flood Management Council would also deal with any other matter that would be directed by the President. The committee, however, pointed out that the federal, state and Local Governments had not invested adequately in flood management infrastructure, but had been investing on post-disaster projects.
Source:Punch
May 23, 2023 03:20 UTC
Malaysia-born comedian 'Uncle Roger' banned from Weibo after poking fun at Chinese government
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia-born stand-up comedian Nigel Ng has been suspended from Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter, after posting a clip poking fun at the Chinese government. According to The Guardian, the comedian - better known as Uncle Roger - published a clip from an undated stand-up show on Twitter last Tuesday (May 16) with the caption “Uncle Roger about to get cancelled”. In the video clip, Ng is seen lightheartedly teasing China in his stand-up routine. In one interaction with an audience member, Ng asks a man where he comes from. When the member of the audience says that he was from Guangzhou in China, Ng responds with “China, good country, good country” which elicits laughter from those present.
Source:The Guardian
May 23, 2023 02:26 UTC
Dangote Refinery opening: Presidency, police working to avert insecurity, says Lagos PPRO
The Lagos State Police Command has said a team delegated by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd. ), has been working with the command to ensure adequate protection of dignitaries and invited guests during the official opening of the Dangote Refinery on Monday. The advance team of Mr President arrived a few days ago and has been working with us and other sister security agencies. We are confident everything will be fine,” Hundeyin said in reaction to a question on the command’s readiness for the official opening of the Dangote Refinery in the state. As the Dangote Refinery begins operations today, the 650,000 barrels per day oil processing facility was designed to process crude oil grades from the three continents of Africa, Asia and America.
Source:Punch
May 22, 2023 21:18 UTC