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Tag: UNILAG

  • Tech experts to empower young Nigerians at TechMoney Africa

    Tech experts to empower young Nigerians at TechMoney Africa

    Unicorn Group, a pan-African investment company targeting innovative ideas in collaboration with the University of Lagos, is set to empower young Nigerians via their ‘TechMoney Africa’ summit .

    The tech summit will bring together the leading minds in technology, innovation and finance across public and private sector in Africa, to include: Clen Cook, Executive, RIIS, South Africa; Dr Wuraola Abiola, Management Transformation; Dr. Akintoye Akindele, Partner, Synergy Capital Managers; Dr. PonmileOsibo, Chief Investor Relations Officer, Unicorn; Heiner Fees, Founder Managing Director, Tiveni; among others.

    Chief Programme & Business Development Officer, Unicorn Group, Mrs. Olatorera Abiola, said that the business matchmaking event will bring together leading minds in technology, innovation and finance across Africa to understand how technology can change lives; support tech talent and start-ups to secure investment.

    According to her:” The biggest companies in the world don’t even have any assets. There is a new dynamics and paradigm shift. Africa is not part of itThis event is about creating opportunities for Africans to give them acesss to capital , acess to people , access to knowledge

    “Techmoney and innovation summit will ensure that technology, innovation and strategy leaders across major organisations and enterprises in Africa engage with the next generation of disruptive and exponential technology and opportunity, so that they can continue to drive value for internal and external stakeholders by being at the heart of the technology and innovation that is changing the world and providing real opportunity to change lives for the better”.

    In addition, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Development Services, Unilag, Prof. Folashade Ogunsade, said that the institution had in the last 10 years worked with NGO’s, international institutions, among others to organise summits such as this to help the student to better apply themselves. Ogunsade, said: “Our area of innovation is not just on computer but helping the minds of our student to think critically and creatively up to the point of developmental issues in Nigeria. Technology, like a pen is a tool, it goes down to the mind of the student and the character, one of the things we build in Unilag student is character, our goal is to build people who are not just smart, but have character and integrity.”

    No fewer than 3,000 attendees are expected and about 70 exhibitors have indicated interest in the summit that would hold from June 10 to 11 at the University of Lagos

     

  • International Sisi Eko is a good lens to look at the Lagos experience-Prof Eghagha

    International Sisi Eko is a good lens to look at the Lagos experience-Prof Eghagha

    Prominent Nigerians including literary luminaries, journalists, academics and students assembled at the Board room, Faculty of Arts University of Lagos on the 28th of March 2019 for the launch of a book: International Sisi Eko, a collection of short stories put together by staff and students of English Department, University of Lagos.

    Prof. Hope Eghagha, HOD, English Department who alongside Prof Karen King-Aribisala edited the book stated the dire need for us as Africans to tell our stories, stating that it is wrong to enter your house through another man’s door. The book published by Kachifo Limited, under its Prestige Imprint is a collection of Lagos themed stories

    Odia Ofeimun, Nigerian poet and polemicist who was a guest at the launch, praised the students and women who contributed to the literary work. According to him, “the women who managed to contribute are in the first class, they managed to sit down to write despite the distractions. They should be celebrated.”

    Odia who cautioned them not to let their efforts be a one off thing but a life time enterprise stated that what the English department is doing is filling the gap that some publishing organizations are not filling. “Maybe we are not writing enough. We have a culture to enjoy something and not pay for it. A contributor to a book is entitled to an honorarium” he added.

    The book comprises of sixteen stories which includes:I fixed it by Lola Akande; The Long Night by Paschal Nwankwo; Lucky by Chris Anyoku; Gabriel in Egbeda by Sola Ogunbayo; Mamman the Party Man by Hope Eghagha; The Thin Line Between by Bosede Afolayan; Two face by Tope Larayetan; and Two-Way Streets by Abayomi Folaranmi and others.

     

     

    Pro Eghagha (1),Sam Omatseye, Odia Ofeimun, Jewell Dafinone ,Reuben Abati and others

    Eghagha who was once the former Delta State former Commissioner for Education said:”The truth is that we believe that Africans must tell their stories, don’t let another man tell your story. Don’t enter your house through another man’s door. When you tell your story you are going to convey your pains, joys and celebrations. You are not just going to communicate your weaknesses, you are going to communicate your strengths. What we have done is to tell the story of Lagos as we have experienced Lagos. Lagos has a spirit that seizes you when you come into this place. We have looked at Lagos from different perspectives. Having students and staff collaborate to write this way is an excellent thing and a thing of joy”.

    Speaking further, he stated the inspiration behind the title of the book.

    “There is a story with that title submitted by one of the contributors, ‘International Sisi Eko’. For those of us who were not born In Lagos, Lagos was the epitome of civilization.

    “International Sisi Eko as a title is very good lens with which you can look at the Lagos Experience”.

    Among the crème la de crème who graced the occasion were Reuben Abati, Odia Ofemun, Jewell Dafinone, Group Managing Editor of TheNewsGuru , Sam Omatseye and others.

     

     

  • #Unilag2018Convocation: 77-Year-old woman graduates

    A 77-year-old female retired worker was among the 1,008 students of the Faculty of Education, University of Lagos (UNILAG), who were awarded first degree on Tuesday at the institution’s 2017/2018 Convocation Ceremonies.

    The retiree, who did not want to mention her name to journalists, says the achievement was her dream come true.

    “I studied guidance and counselling and I am most grateful to God Almighty who made me see this day.

    ”I won’t want to mention my name. I know where I am coming from and what I am protecting.

    “I am a retired officer. I have worked in a lot of countries around the world and also in Nigeria, where I finally retired,’’ she says

    She adds that she went for the degree programme because she did not want to sit at home after retirement.

    “You know when you retire like that, you will not want to stay at home and be dying slowly, she says.

    According to the retiree, no one should feel too old to go to school as learning remains a life-long adventure.

    “Education has no limit. It is from cradle to death in order for one to add value to the society,’’ she says.

    She advises parents to do their best to give their children the best education.

    “Every woman who has an opportunity of having a child must strive to bring that child up properly through education so that he or she does not become a problem to the society in future,’’ she urges.

    Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, told the congregation that a total of 3,795 students from the Faculties of Arts, Education and Environmental Sciences would be conferred with first degree on Tuesday.

    He says students from the Faculties of Science and Social Sciences would also be awarded first degree on Tuesday – the first day of three-day convocation ceremonies.

    According to him, the university will graduate a total of 12,843 students at the ceremonies.

    Ogundipe says 7,438 would be awarded first degree and 5,405, postgraduate degrees.

    “This year, the trio of Adeniyi Adeyeye (B.Sc. Insurance), Chinaedum Ogbechi (B.Sc. Business Administration) both of Management Sciences, and Joedicta Ekeh (B.Sc. Pharmacy) have emerged best graduating students with a cumulative grade point average of 4.96,’’ he says.

    Ogundipe says that the Faculty of Arts, Education and Environmental Sciences would graduate 603, 1008 and 382 students, respectively, on Tuesday.

    He adds that the Faculty of Science would graduate 964 while Faculty of Social Sciences would graduate 838.

    According to him, out of the 3,795 students who would graduate on Tuesday, 104 of them finished in the first class category, including four from the Faculty of Arts, 12 from the Faculty of Education and 22 from the Faculty of Environmental Sciences.

    According to him, the others are 48 from the Faculty of Science and 18 from the Faculty of Social Sciences.

    “We also have a total of 1,320 graduating students with second class upper division and 1,609 with a second class lower division.

    “We are also graduating a total of 615 students in the third class category, while 99 others will be graduating with pass grade,’’ Ogundipe, the university’s 12th Vice Chancellor, says.

    He says the university’s management had pursued uncompromising academic standards, local and global networks and innovative fundraising mechanism in an effort to make the institution better.

    He says that transformational and transnational leadership and accountability in all the institution’s processes were part of the giant strides it attained recently.

    Furthermore, the vice chancellor states that the institution’s microfinance bank would soon begin operation as an additional source of revenue for the university.

    According to him, the bank when fully operational will also assist the university community to access loans to meet financial needs toward house ownership, small scale enterprises, school fees, car purchase and others.

    “A site has been earmarked, and remodelling of the building would commence soon.

    “As part of our community service also, the university involved itself in impacting the society by empowering young female students with coding application skills, via a three- month programme tagged, “Young Coders Application Development’’.

    “The programme was successfully demonstrated with 50 girls from International School, University of Lagos.

    “A hundred schoolgirls from Abule-Oja, Bariga, Iwaya and Makoko will also get a chance to benefit from the programme this year,” Ogundipe promises.

    The vice chancellor advises the graduating students to be good ambassadors of the university and contribute their quotas to the progress of the institution.

  • Court remands 5 Unilag students over alleged defilement, gang rape

    An Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court on Tuesday remanded five students of the University of Lagos (Unilag) for allegedly defiling a minor.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the students are- Moboluwaji Omowole, 19, Chuka Chukwu, 19, Peace Nwankama, 19, James Aguedu, 20 and Osemeka Josephine, 20.

    They plead not guilty to a three-count charge of defilement of a child, permitting the defilement of a child in a premises and procuration.

    The lead state prosecutor, Mrs K.A Momoh-Ayokambi, said the defendants alongside others who are at large, committed the offence in January 2017 at the premises of Unilag, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos.

    “Omowole and another individual who is now at large defiled the complainant (name withheld).

    “Chukwu, at his premises located at No. 25, Shobande St., Akoka, Yaba, Lagos knowingly allowed Omowole and the other individual who is still at large to defile the complainant.

    “Nwankama, Aguedo and Osemeka between January 2017 to March 2017 were into procuration of underage girls for the purpose of defilement,” Momoh-Ayokambi said.

    According to her, the offence contravened the provisions of sections 137, 138 and 140(1)(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2015.

    NAN reports that the arraignment of the students which was to initially hold on Sep. 24, 2018 was stalled on two occasions, due to the absence of Daniel Ugochukwu, a unilag student who was to be charged alongside the others.

    On Jan. 30, Mr Chukwudi Nneke, the counsel to Ugochukwu told the court that the student was absent due to ill health and was receiving treatment in the eastern part of the country.

    Mrs Fehinti Igbemudia, the lead state prosecutor had disputed Nneke’s claims stating that the defendant was fleeing from justice as there was no proof of Ugochukwu’s ill health.

    However, during Tuesday’s proceedings, Nneke presented before the court, a medical report dated Feb. 22 from the Imo State General Hospital as proof of Ugochukwu’s ill health.

    Responding Momoh-Ayokambi said “We were to request for a bench warrant for the third defendant (Ugochukwu) but on the face of the medical report, we have an amended charge dated Feb. 20 and we will like the defendants to take their plea.”

    Following the plea of the defendants, Justice Sururat Soladoye ordered that they be remanded in the Kirikiri Medium Prisons.

    She adjourned the case until March 18 for hearing of the bail application.

  • NITDA partners UNILAG to boost ICT lawyers

    The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to increase the number of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) lawyers in the country.

    Speaking during the signing on Thursday in Lagos, the Director-General of NITDA, Dr Ali Pantami said that the partnership was to ensure the implementation and enforcement of ICT policies and laws in Nigeria.

    Pantami said that with the policies on ICT on ground since 2006, there were no enforcement, due to insufficiency of ICT lawyers.

    He said that if the country focused on producing ICT lawyers, policies will be implemented easier.

    “What we are targeting is to get substantial number of ICT lawyers that can understand and regulate the ICT sector.

    “We are looking for people who will enforce our policies and laws.

    “We are agitating for local content, and the patronage of local content cannot be enforced without ICT laws and ICT lawyers.

    “NITDA has the mandate to regulate IT and develop IT; and one of the ways to implement this is by sponsoring students in the area of IT,’’ the director-general said.

    The Vice Chancellor of UNILAG, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, said that the partnership was a landmark step for the country.

    Ogundipe called on other agencies to partner with the institution to ensure the development of the economy.

    He said that the university would do everything possible to ensure that the ICT Law programme was known, not only locally but internationally.

     

  • Unilag student shines in maths competition, emerge overall best

    Mr Daniel Itsuokor, a 400 level student of mathematics, University of Lagos (Unilag) has emerged overall best out of 56 participants in mathematics competition organised by National Mathematical Centre (NMC).

    Unilag also triumphed over 14 other universities that participated in the competition.

    Prof. Stephen Onah, the Director/Chief Executive of NMC disclosed this during the closing ceremony of the competition on Friday in Sheda.

    Represented by Prof. Peter Onumaiye, the Coordinator, Mathematical Sciences Programme of the NMC, Onah said five participants won gold medals, nine got silver medals, while 14 went home with bronze medals out of the 56 participants.

    The director congratulated the participants for the performance and urged them to remain focused and be good ambassadors of mathematics.

    He advised the participants not to look at what they would benefit from working hard, rather, they should have goal or target and work hard to achieve it.

    Itsuokor, who spoke on behalf of other participants, expressed gratitude to the centre for the opportunity given them to exercise their capabilities in the knowledge of mathematics.

    The overall best attributed his success to hard work and determination and encouraged other students to embrace mathematics, saying studying the course was not so difficult as presumed by some students.

    Prof. Benjamin Oyelami, the Coordinator, Academic Planning, NMC, said the essence of the competition was to encourage students of mathematics to study hard and be ambassadors of the subject in the world.

    He said “Nigeria needs to be developed and to develop a nation, you need trained minds; minds that are innovative.

    “And that is the reason why your parents sent you to the university to develop your minds.”

    According to him, mathematics is the only science course that develops minds of people to be able to reason and develop things.

    “So, you have been trained and I believe that after your graduation as you go into the world, you will make Nigeria proud,” Oyelami said.

    He advised the medalists to continue to work hard “as to whom much is given, much is expected”.

    He encouraged other participants who could not win any medal not to loss hope, but have confidence in themselves.

    A total of 14 Nigerian universities took part in the 2018 National Mathematics Competition for university students which started on April 17.

    At institutional stage, Unilag came first, followed by Federal University of Technology Akure in second place, while University of Nigeria Nsukka claimed the third position.

    NAN

  • UNILAG holds convocation May 8

    The postponed convocation ceremony of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) will now take place from May 8 to May 11, the Registrar, Dr Taiwo Ipaye, has said.

    Ipaye made the disclosure in an interview with our correspondent on Sunday in Lagos.

    A week-long convocation ceremony for the 2016/2017 academic session was earlier scheduled to begin on Feb. 19 but postponed as a result of strike by non academic workers.

    “The university management is happy to announce a new date for the convocation ceremony.

    “The schedule for the ceremony remains the same. The only additional thing is reception for retired professors, directors and registrars; it will take place on the last day, Friday, May 11, after Jumat prayers,” she said.

    According to the registrar, Gov. Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State will deliver the convocation lecture on May 8.

    “The lecture, with the theme: “Inclusion: The Path to a New Nation’’, previously scheduled for Feb. 19, would kick-start activities lined up for the ceremony,’’ she said.

    Ipaye said that an opening exhibition and the inauguration of the 12th Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, would, however, precede the lecture.

    According to her, the main convocation ceremony will be held in two sessions (morning and afternoon) each day from May 9 to May 11.

    The registrar said that award of first degrees, diplomas, certificates and the announcement of prize winners for graduating students of Faculties of Education and Social Sciences would take place in the morning of May 9.

    She said graduating students for the Faculties of Arts, Environmental Sciences and Sciences would be attended to in the afternoon of the same day.

    According to Ipaye, on May 10, award of first degrees, diplomas, certificates and announcement of prize winners for graduating students of the Faculties of Engineering, Law and Management Sciences will hold in the morning.

    She said that graduating students of the Faculties of Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Dental Sciences, Pharmacy and the Distance Learning Institute would be awarded first degrees, diplomas and certificates in the afternoon of the same day.

    Ipaye said that the ceremony would end on May 11 with congregation for the award of higher degrees of the School of Postgraduate Studies.

    She said that on the same day, the Best Researcher Award and conferment of the Distinguished and Emeritus Professors would also hold.

  • UNILAG matriculates 9,204 for 2017/2018 academic session

    A total of 9,204 students, who had been screened, were formally admitted into various academic disciplines of the University of Lagos for the 2017/2018 academic session on Friday.

    Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Vice-Chancellor of the institution administered the oath of allegiance to the new students.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ceremony was held amidst tight security as armed personnel were seen at strategic places around the venue.

    The tight security might not be unconnected with a threat by the non-teaching staff of labour unions of the institution that are currently on indefinite strike.

    In his brief address, Ogundipe congratulated the students for their success in enrolling into the university.

    He urged them to stay off drugs, robbery and any other vices capable of compromising their stay in the institution and ruining their future career.

    “I want to admonish you all to stay focused; take your academics seriously in order to graduate peacefully as and when due.

    “You must all carry yourselves well; eschew all forms of violence by staying away from bad gangs.

    “Always be of good behaviour so as to prove a worthy ambassador of this great university and a pride to your parents and the society in general,’’ he said.

  • UNILAG lauds Buhari for approving TV station

    The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for approving a TV licence for the institution, UNILAG TV.

    The vice chancellor of the university, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, made the commendation at a meeting with the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, and the Senior Special Assistant, Garba Shehu, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.

    Mr. Ogundipe expressed optimism that the TV station would enhance research-oriented education and ease communication within and outside the university campus.

    He said the TV station would completely alter the communication style in the university, and enhance its visibility across the continent.

    The vice chancellor, who was accompanied by the Chair and Head of UNILAG Mass Communication Department, Ralph Akinfeleye, said the approval of the TV station further confirmed the president’s position on promoting free press and unhindered access to information that promotes development.

    “It is now on record that the present administration signed the first campus TV licence and we remain deeply grateful to the president.

    “The university is a brand. We want the university to be the research hub in Africa, and we are working towards being among the best three in the entire continent,’’ the vice chancellor added.

    Apart from the TV station, Mr. Ogundipe noted that the Federal Government’s Independent Power Plant to improve electricity was already ongoing, while the NEEDS assessment fund for training of academic staff had already been received.

    Mr. Akinfeleye said it took the university 25 years to get the first campus Radio station licence, but the TV station licence was processed in three years.

    “It is interesting that President Buhari signed the first TV station licence for a university. We will use the TV station for pedagogical purity of education,’’ he said.

    Mr. Adesina, who congratulated the vice chancellor on his appointment, said Mr. Buhari was fully committed to improving the standard of education in the country.

    He urged the management team to take the university to higher heights.

    On his part, Mr. Garba reiterated that President Buhari would always work towards creating an enabling environment for purposeful and visionary projects.

    “It’s a signal of the president’s clear thinking. He will never put an obstacle on the path of progress.

    “If you are ready with a project that will bring good to society, the president will instantly approve and support you to do it,’’ he said.

  • Unilag VC set to re-brand, re-position the institution

    Unilag VC set to re-brand, re-position the institution

    Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, the Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos (Unilag), says his projection for the institution in 2018 is to reposition and rebrand it.

    Ogundipe gave the position in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.

    According to him, the move is to further sustain and improve on the institution’s mandate of teaching, learning, research, and community development.

    “We intend to make the university to continuously live up to its name as the `University First Choice and the nation’s pride.

    “We will commence by rebranding the brand name unilag and then move on to raise friends before raising funds.

    “We are planning to bring together, friends of the university of Lagos to see what we have done so far in the past years, what we intend doing and where we want them to play or come in,’’ Ogundipe said.

    The vice-chancellor also said that there was going to be some structural changes in the university to further boost efforts in moving the institution to the next level.

    “We want the university to be greater than the best. As you may know, university of Lagos is a cosmopolitan and unique institution and we want people to know that it is still the best in the country research wise,’’ he said.

    He explained that the management of the university would be focusing more on research that would be relevant to the institution’s community in the New Year.

    According to him, management will also ensure that the university goes into innovation that will be readily useful to the country at large, as well as delve into and encourage incubation.

    “This is an area where we are going to develop our students to meet the national needs.

    “We will also in this 2018, go into entrepreneurship, where our students would be able to stand on their own,’’ Ogundipe said.