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 The Nigeria Union of Teachers(NUT) in Oyo state has commended teachers in Oyo state for their commitment, perseverance and dedication in the face of the present social and economic realities in Nigeria.

The NUT chairman in the state, Comrade Raji Oladimeji gave this commendation on behalf of the union.

''We appreciate teachers for their commitment, perseverance and dedication. We also need to admonish them not to relent on their efforts. We are also aware of the challenge the shortage of teachers has brought about. It is not only in this state, but everywhere. We appeal to them to continue to go about their daily tasks with the zeal they have always exhibited. Teachers will soon be recruited,'' Comrade Oladimeji.

The NUT chairman disclosed that the majority of the teachers had registered with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria(TRCN), saying, ''to the best of my knowledge, I don't believe that we still have some teachers who have not registered. 99 percent of teachers in the state have registered with TRCN. The issue is with the private schools.''

Comrade Oladimeji insisted that a number of factors were responsible for the failure of students in external examinations, adding,''the blame for the failure of students in external examinations should not be put on teachers alone.  There are other factors we have to consider, such as the examination centers.''

Similarly, Dr. Francis Amenaghwon of the Department of Communication and Language Arts, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan attributed the massive failure of candidates in the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination(UTME) to inadequate funding practices by the government,  the reluctance of students to learn, the prevalence of unqualified teachers in public and private schools and sharp pracitces by some examination officials.

 Girls in Nigeria have numerous challenges to contend with.

 Poverty, peer pressure, early marriage, unwanted pregnancy, negligence, rape, ignorance, lack of parental care. The list is endless.

Even though leaders at all levels have made noticeable efforts to give girls a future, a lot still has to be done, in terms of guidance, legislation, interventions, funding and monitoring.

For parents and guardians-''Ensure you groom your children and wards in the proper way, so that they will not soil your name.

For society-''Do not cover up wrong deeds, rather expose the same for the uplifting of society

For the Places of Worship-'' Preach and teach the girls all that will mold them to be God-fearing, responsible, reliable and dependable.

Mrs Mujakperuo holds a master's degree in Security Studies and is also a doctoral student.

As primary and secondary schools in Nigeria prepare to resume for the third term, the Chief Executive Officer of KEAABS Oil and Gas Limited, Port-Harcourt, Rivers state, Mrs. Hannah Adefunke Mujakperuo, a master’s degree holder and doctoral student, in this interview, advised the government at all levels to do all that is necessary for girls to accomplish.

Excerpts:

Schools are about to resume for the third term. What is your advice to the government?

 Girls do not deserve to be exploited, but rather protected and nurtured. 

The social, economic and political situation in Nigeria has impacted negatively on girls.

However, it is disturbing to note that parents and guardians are now openly supporting female children to embrace prostitution as a means to an end. This is dangerous for society.

The government at all levels should do all that is possible to ensure that girls have unhindered access to quality education by making provision for the needed facilities, addressing the issue of shortage of teachers and renovating dilapidated infrastructure in schools.

It is also very important that counselors are functional in the schools to guide girls on career choices. Girls have a role to play in the future of the nation. Everything must be done for the girls to acquire a quality education.

The management of the University College Hospital(UCH) Ibadan, Nigeria has appealed to patients to bear with the hospital as it makes efforts to address the present electricity challenge.

This appeal was made by the management through the Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Obafunmilayo Adetuyibi in a chat with New Federation.

''Patients in the wards of the hospital should bear with us,the hospital is making efforts to address the electricity challenge. Our internally Generated Revenue(IGR) has gone low, several letters have been written to friends of the hospital in both the public and private sectors, we are hopeful that they will help us out.'' Mrs. Adetuyibi stated.

The Public Relations Officer explained that on assumption of duty on the 1st of March 2019, the Chief Medical Director(CMD), Prof. Jesse Otegbayo met an accumulated bill of over 200 million Naira, adding,'' the bill is not for UCH alone, the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan has its own bill, one for UCH and one for the College of Medicine. As at January this year, we paid 50 million Naira and for February, we paid 55 million Naira and for March, we paid 45 million Naira. All these we have paid, even though electricity is not available for 24 hours.''

Mrs Adetuyibi also noted that health workers in the hospital had the right to protect themselves, while stressing that there were Public Service Rules that guide the policy thrust of the hospital.

''JOHESU wrote a letter to the management intimating the management of a 14 day ultimatum to restore electricity. The management will still get back to them. They should wait for a management decision.''

The PRO maintained that services have not been disrupted by the power outage saying,''our laboratories and the Universal Laboratory are functioning. Patients go to the laboratories to pick up their results, we are working round the clock to restore electricity supply, they should bear with us.''

Christians have been charged with guarding against six hindrances to prayers in their lives.

This charge was given on Sunday by Pastor Kayode Oladeji of the Peculiar People International Christian Center, Mokola, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Pastor Oladimeji listed the six hindrances to include-1)Lack of knowledge(Ignorance). 2)Wrong motives and intentions. 3)Worries and Anxieties. 4)Deliberate sin and Disobedience. 5) Offenses and the absence of forgiveness.  6) Lack of Gratitude.

''You need adequate knowledge to pray effectively. Knowledge is very important. In addition, secondly, you must have the right motive for God to answer your prayers. God looks at our motives. God does not grant prayer hinged on wrong motives. When your motive is wrong, it becomes a barrier, it becomes a hindrance. Nothing will hinder your prayers from today, God will answer your prayers,'' he prayed.

The Igbo community in Ibadan and Oyo state state has condoled with the family, indigenes of Ibadan and the government and people of Oyo state on the death of The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun.

The Balogun Ndigbo of Ibadanland, Chief Alloy Obi, on behalf of Ndigbo in the state gave the condolence in a chat,

Chief Obi described the late first class monarch's death as shocking.

''Well I heard of the sad news this morning, I was shocked. My relationship with the late Olubadan dates back to before he became an Oba. I am also a member of the family. But we cannot query God, it is God that called him. Just two years on the throne, God's decision is final. The entire Igbos in Ibadan and Oyo state and the Ohaneze Ndibog condole with the family, the people of Ibadan and Oyo state and the Oyo state Governor on the great loss. I pray that God will give the family the fortitude to bear the great loss,'' Chief Obi stated.

The decision of the Federal Government to pay four months out of eight months in held salaries of university workers to only the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) is an invitation to confusion and labor unrest.

This assertion was made by a former Vice President of the Senior Staff Association of Universities(SSANU), Comrade Alfred Jimoh.

''The Federal government has not been sincere, it appears the government wants to create confusion and encourage labor unrest. I don't see any reason why four unions will go on a justifiable strike and, after suspension and signing of the agreement with no victimization clause, the government held the salaries and the president gave a waiver to only one union, as if the other members of the remaining unions are not Nigerians. Nobody has come out to give us the rationality behind the discriminatory approach.  It is very unfortunate and an open provocation and invitation to labor unrest in the Nigerian university system,'' Comrade Jimoh warned.

 The two day protests called by the Nigeria Labor Congress(NLC) that was abruptly suspended only attracted the attention of the Federal government.

This assertion was made by Dr. Francis Amenaghawon of the Department of Communication and Language Arts of the Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

''For me, the suspended protests called by the Nigeria Labor Congress had no impact on the daily lives of Nigerians because it did not change anything, but it has only drawn the attention of the Federal government to the worsening social, economic and security situation in the country,'' Dr. Amnenaghawon stated