Dowen College: Lagos shuts Lekki school indefinitely over pupil’s death

Dowen College Lekki Phase 1 was on Friday, December 3, shut down indefinitely over the rather controversial death of one of its students, Sylvester Oromoni Jnr.

The decision was contained in a statement released by the Lagos state ministry of education.

The school has been shut down indefinitely (Photo: Punch) Source: UGC

The move came after the commissioner for education in the state, Folasade Adefisayo, and other officials of the ministry visited the school on Friday.

According to the ministry, Dowen College will remain shut down until the outcome of the ongoing investigation on Sylvester's demise.

The ministry's assistant director of public affairs, Ganiu Lawal, in the statement said:

“The Lagos state government has ordered the indefinite closure of Dowen College, Lekki, pending the outcome of an investigation into the death of Sylvester Oromoni Jnr, a student of the school."

Sylvester's family had claimed his death was due to injuries he got from being beaten by his schoolmates who were forcing him to join a cult.

ECOWAS Commission not doing enough to hold member states to obligations – Prof. Nwoke

A professor of law, Chijioke Nwoke has faulted the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for not doing enough to hold member states to their obligations to the bloc.

With specific reference to the ECOWAS Commission, Nwoke said that the flagrant disregard for community court ruling as well as the lackluster attitude to other obligations, was due to the fact that ECOWAS was doing little to compel adherence.

Nwoke told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that there were certain sanctions that could be meted to erring member states, and that such sanctions must be triggered by the ECOWAS Commission.

The don was speaking on the heels of the International Conference to mark the 20th anniversary of the ECOWAS Court.

The conference sought to appraise the court’s performance and seek solutions to the non-implementation of its rulings by member states, among other things.

He said although the Authority of Heads of State was the highest decision making body, issues of adherence to the court’s rulings and other obligations could only be decided on when triggered by the commission.

Nwoke, a former Justice of the Community Court, said, “It is the responsibility of the Heads of States as the highest authority of the community to take that decisions, but of course, it is the political arms of the institution of the community, the commission.

“In this case, the commission is the political arm and it is the Commission that triggers the imposition of political sanctions on erring member states of the community.

“Without a trigger, there can be no process to facilitate the imposition of sanctions, because the Heads of states themselves are not generally part of the day to day running of the community.

“So it is the president of the Commission, who is like the Secretary General of the United Nations that oversees and report to the Security Council,” he said.

He said that the ECOWAS protocol also makes provision for judicial sanctions, which he said comes from the court, but cannot be implemented by the court.

He said that the power to implement the judicial sanctions also resides with the ECOWAS Commission headed by a president.

According to Nwoke, it is the commission that writes the authority for the imposition of such sanctions which he said could vary from suspension, denial of certain rights and sometimes entire withdrawal of membership for a certain period of time.

“So the bottom line is that the bulk ends at the table of the Authority of Heads of States on application of the Commission.

“So that even if a state has violated, or is in violation or it is in continuous violation of its obligations, nothing can be done unless the process of sanctions is triggered by the political arm of the community – which is the Commission,” he said.

Recalling actions of previous leaderships of the commission, Nwoke said the actions of the commission depended on the person occupying the leadership position.

“When we had an executive that was headed by Ibn Chambers, it was his force, a strong force to reckon with, and he sits one on one with the Heads of State and speak to them in the eyes.

“Even though then the community was not as organised as it is in the present time, disobedience then was an exception rather than the rule.

“That was the time those decisions, intervention in Liberia, interventions in Sierra Leone was concretely undertaken.

“If it was this time it will be politically destroyed, nothing will be done, and the state will begin to politicize it.

“So we need a strong political force as the head of the commission,” he said.

While taking cognisance of the fact that the President of the Commission is appointed by the Authority of Heads of State, Nwoke pointed out that the office enjoyed administrative independence.

He therefore stressed that the president of the Commission had the power to drive the community forward. (NAN)

FG to launch Virtual Court Sitting facilities – Malami

Abubakar Malami, SAN.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, says all is set to launch the pilot nationwide deployment and use of Virtual Court Proceedings in Nigeria’s Correctional Centres.

Malami said this in a statement by Dr Umar Gwandu, his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, on Friday in Abuja.

He said the pilot project facilities will commence with the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, on December 6.

“Expected at the occasion are the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Halilu Nababa, as well as members of the Presidential Committee on Correctional Reforms and Decongestion.

“The Secretary of the Presidential Committee on Correctional Reforms and Decongestion, Leticia Ayoola-Daniels, working with the representative of the supporting organization, Mrs. Oyinye Ndubuisi of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), are working assiduously to ensure achievement of the laudable project.

“The initiative is one of the strategic interventions by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and indeed the Federal Government towards engendering lasting reforms in the Criminal Justice Sector in Nigeria”.

He said the ministry, in collaboration with the Presidential Committee on Correctional Reforms and Decongestion, are expediting engagement with the Nigerian Correctional Centres to make it possible for evidence of suspects in custody to be taken without their physical presence in court to avoid disruptions.

“The development is part of the process to implement the Post-COVID-19 Justice Sector Plan, marshaled out by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation in April 2020. 

Discrimination of people with disability: Envoy calls for policy review

 

Principal of FCT School for the Blind, Mrs Rose Ngunan, receives education materials from the Founder of IA-Foundation, Mrs Ibironke Adeagbo, in Abuja on 3/12/2021

A Nigerian Health and Safety Envoy, Mrs Ibironke Adeagbo, has called on the Federal Government to show resolve in implementing the policy on discrimination of persons with disabilities.

Adeagbo made the call in a solidarity message to the government and people of Nigeria, to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which is celebrated worldwide every Dec. 3.

She said that Nigeria had not recorded significant progress in making its citizens with disabilities to have a sense of belonging to society.

Records show that up to 27 million Nigerians are living with one form of disability or the other with visual impairment, hearing impairment, intellectual impairment and communication impairment being dominant.

Speaking with reporters after donating learning materials to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) School for Blind Children, Adeagbo argued that Nigeria needed to do more to assist persons with disabilities.

She advised government to make extra-budgetary allocations to provide the needs of students in schools catering for people with special needs.

“There’s absolute need for government to make huge investments in e-learning devices for schools with disabled students, to make teaching and learning enjoyable for students and teachers.’’

The envoy, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of UK charity, IA-Foundation, expressed her unwavering determination to join hands with the Nigerian Government to promote education access for people with disabilities.

Earlier, while receiving the education materials donated by IA-Foundation, the Principal of the FCT School for the Blind Children, Mrs Rose Ngunan, thanked the foundation for “visiting the school all the way from London, England.

“Thank you so much for remembering disabled students on this special day and donating learning materials to us. God will reward you,’’ Ngunan said. (NAN)

Court dismisses CAN’s suit against CAC, Minister of Trade

A Federal High Court, Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) against the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment, dismissed the suit over the failure of the plaintiff to comply with the law in the name used in filing the originating summons.

“Therefore, this application lacks merit and ought to be dismissed and I hereby make an order dismissing same,” he declared.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while the Incorporated Trustees of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is the plaintiff in the suit, the CAC and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment are 1st and 2nd defendants respectively.

The plaintiff, in an originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/244/2021, had prayed the court to determine “whether Section 839, subsections (1), (7) (a) and (10) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020, is inconsistent with Sections 4(8), 6(6)(b) and 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN) (as amended) which guarantees the plaintiff’s right to freedom of association and the right to seek redress in court.

“Whether the provision of Section 854 of the CAMA is inconsistent with Section 39 of the CFRN which guarantees the right to freedom of expression,” among others.

Part of the reliefs sought by the plaintiff include “a declaration that Section 839(1), (7) (a) and (10) of the CAMA are inconsistent with Section 40 of the CFRN and thus unconstitutional, null and void.

“A declaration that Section 839(1), (7) (a) and (10) of the CAMA are inconsistent with Section 4(8) of the CFRN and thus unconstitutional, null and void.

“A declaration that Section 839(1) and (7) (a) of the CAMA are inconsistent with Section 36(1) of the CFRN and thus unconstitutional, null and void.

“A declaration that Section 839(1) and (7) (a) of the CAMA has a direct effect on the judicial power of the court under Section 6(6) (b) of the CFRN, and Is therefore void.

“An order striking down Sections 839(1), (7) (a) & (10), 842(1) and (2), 843, 851 and 854 of the CAMA for being unconstitutional.

“A declaration that Section 17(2) (a) & (d) of the CAMA demand an impossible and impracticable action; thus, void.

“An Order striking down Section 17 (2) (a) & (d) of the CAMA for being impracticable and unknown to Law.”

However, in the course of the proceedings, CAN brought an application, praying for an order to amend the originating summons and accompanying processes by replacing the word, “INCORPORATED” with “REGISTERED” in the name of the plaintiff in the suit such that it would read, “The Registered Trustees of the Christian Association of Nigeria.”

The application was filed on the grounds that the name expressed in its certificate of incorporation is the “Registered Trustees of the Christian Association of Nigeria” and not “Incorporated Trustees of Christian Association of Nigeria.”

 It stated further that in the originating summons, the plaintiff’s name was inadvertently expressed as “Incorporated Trustees of the Christian Association of Nigeria.”

“This error in the plaintiff’s name was as a result of the inadvertence of counsel.

“The error in the plaintiff’s name is what we seek by this application to rectify,” it added.

The plaintiff argued that it was an oversight on the part of the counsel who prepared the draft of the processes.

In its counter affidavit, the CAC had opposed the plaintiff’s suit, challenging the propriety of the constitution of the parties and competence of the plaintiff.

It argued that “The Incorporated Trustees of the Christian Association of Nigeria;” as a non-juristic person, was unknown to law to institute and maintain the action.

“The plaintiff is not an entity registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Act and not one otherwise recognised as being vested with statutory rights of incorporation and bereft of the requisite locus standi, legal capacity or competence to sue and maintain this action eo nomine against the 1st defendant.

“The certificate of incorporation, Exh. P1, is a certificate of Christian Association of Nigeria and not the plaintiff.

“The plaintiff being the party invoking the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court is not a juristic person and incompetent to do so.

“The amendment which the plaintiff seeks is not one to cure a mere misnomer but an amendment to give life to the originating processes by substituting a non-juristic person with a juristic person.

“The originating process of the plaintiff is incurably defective and cannot be cured by an amendment.

“This court cannot by an order, breathe life on an otherwise lifeless and/or non-existent entity.”

The CAC insisted that granting the application would change the character of the case and would be prejudicial to it.

Delivering judgment, Justice Ekwo said he had taken a look at the certificate of incorporation of the plaintiff attached to the origination summons as Exh. P1 and found that the name on the certificate is ‘The Registered Trustees of Christian Association of Nigeria.”

“Further peruse shows that the certificate was issued under the regime of the Land (Perpetual Succession) Act, Cap. 98 of the 1958 LFN on 19th December, 1986.

“This means that the plaintiff was registered before CAMA first came into effect in 1990.

“With this evidence, it means the plaintiff can only sue and be sued in the name on the certificate issued to it on 19th December, 1986,” he said.

He cited a previous case to back his stand.

“There must be consequential order in the circumstance of this case.

“The originating processes in the name of ‘The Registered Trustees of Christian Association of Nigeria’ cannot stand.

“Similarly, it is my opinion that this ruling has therefore also resolved the issue in the preliminary objection of the 1st defendant too.

“I find that the plaintiff did not comply with the law in the name used in filing its originating summons.

“Therefore, this application lacks merit and ought to be dismissed and I hereby make an order dismissing same,” he ruled.

The judge added that the ruling affected the foundation of the case going by the defect in the name by which the plaintiff commenced the matter.

“I therefore make an order striking out the entire case. This is the order of this court,” Ekwo held.(NAN)

Tallen hails gender mainstreaming in military, others security services

The Minister Of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, has commended the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), Police and other security agencies for their commitment to gender mainstreaming in defence and security sector.

Tallen gave the commendation at the 2nd Annual Security Sector Forum on Women, Peace and Security in Nigeria, organised in collaboration with Defence Headquarters  recently changed in Abuja.

The theme of the event: “Mainstreaming Gender in National Early Warning Systems and Security Challenge”.

She said the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security Agenda and similar conventions championed by the UN, African Union, ECOWAS Commission and Nigerian government had recorded successes.

According to her, the UNSCR 1325 was unanimously passed by the Security Council on Oct. 31, 2000 as the first of several Resolutions on “Women, Peace and Security” (WPS).

The minister said the resolution, with its four pillars of prevention, participation, protection and peace building and recovery, had become the focal point for galvanizing worldwide efforts to deal with the many challenges that women faced in situations of conflict.

She said the first forum led to the launch of the gender policy for the Armed Forces of Nigeria and upgrading the position of the Gender Advisor to a Directorate cadre in the military.

“We were hoping that the Chief of Defence Staff as our true He or S he Champion would have elevated the present senior officer occupying that office to a Major General as an icing on the cake for Nigerian women.

“At least, this will leave a legacy for this administration and encourage more women in the military to aspire, knowing fully well that such a seat is the exclusive preserve of the women.

“I am confident that even before the end of this event; the CDS can still raise the bar for women in the military,” she said.

According to her, the contributions of the Nigeria Army, the Navy and the Air-Force through the concerted efforts of all the Security Chiefs in ending insurgency and emerging crimes across the country cannot be over emphasised.

“In the same vein, the Nigeria Police Force has also shown commitment more than ever before in the appointment of a Gender Advisor and is concluding the process of reviewing the Nigeria Police Gender Policy.

“It would be recalled that the Nigeria Policy was the first to develop its Gender Policy in 2012,” she said.

Tallen also commended DSS for the pro-women policies it embarked upon such as training and deployment of an all-female squad in the fight against insurgency and other surveillance and information gathering operation to tackle crimes.

She said that NSCDC had also introduced of gender sensitive programmes to provide targeted protection services for women, children and girls who are victims of human trafficking and Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV).

“We are also happy to note that the NDLEA has also joined in the campaign to mainstream women in the core decision making positions and appointing them as zonal leaders of the agency.

“Across other Paramilitary services, we have witnessed the setting up of Gender Desks,” she added.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, said the event was germane to ensuring that the Nigeria security sector remained at the forefront of gender mainstreaming among comity of nations.

Irabor, who was represented by the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans, AVM Dahiru Sanda, said that women had contributed significantly to the development of the nation’s armed forces.

He said that women had innate capabilities that when harnessed would contribute immensely to conflict resolution and improve security towards enhancing national development.

“Today, we in the armed forces now have female combatant officers in all services with one of the best fighter pilots.

“There are more of these talents among us we will stop at nothing to give them platform to continue to thrive.

“Accordingly, the AFN has embraced gender mainstreaming as a national affirmative action of 35 per cent involvement of women in all our engagement and activities.

“The gender policy for the armed forces is a testimony in this regard,” he said.

The Gender Adviser to the Chief of Defence Staff, Brig.-Gen. Christiana Thomas, said the event was to ensure gender sensitivity to disaster early warning.

Thomas said that gender policy for the armed forces was designed to reduce gender inequality and ensuring mainstreaming in the armed forces.

She commended the government for its commitment to gender mainstreaming in the security sector.

A resource person at the event, Dr Elizabeth Bature of Nigerian Defence Academy, delivered a paper titled, “Enhancing Women’s Leadership and Participation in Nigeria’s Security: Key Considerations for the Development of Nigeria’s 3rd National Action Plan on Women Peace and Security”.

Bature said that women have historically been underrepresented in leadership positions across private and public organisations around the globe.

According to her, gender inequality and gender discrimination remains very real challenges for women workers in general and especially so for women striving for leadership positions.

“Yet organisational research suggests that female leaders may bring a unique constellation of leadership-related traits, attributes, and behaviours to the workplace that may provide advantages to their organisations,” she said.

Also, Director of Policy, Defence Headquarters, Maj.-Gen. Usman Yusuf, said the changing nature of conflict had placed numerous demands on peace operations, giving more emphasis to multidimensionality and the need to increase women participation as well as mainstream gender issues in a mission environment.

Yusuf said the patriarchal system found mainly in the security sectors in Africa which had worsened disparities between men and women in the mediation or peace negotiation process in post-conflict reconstruction.

He delivered a paper titled, “Mainstreaming in ECOWAS Sub-Region Peace and Security Architecture; a case study of Nigeria”. (NAN)

I built schools for Almajirai but some governors were not happy - GEJ

 

Nigeria's former President Goodluck Jonathan confirmed that some governors in the country were not exactly thrilled when he built Almajiri schools

 According to him, the state leaders didn't mention anything to him unti he left office after losing the election to President Buhari.

Goodluck Jonathan . Photo credit: Goodluck Jonathan

The former president went on to note that in a bid to solve a wide range of security challenges facing the country, he asked governors of the 19 northern states to modify the Almajiri system of education

He said:

“When I was in office, I had to step in at a time, to even attempt to build Almajiri schools. I know that some of the governors probably were not happy but then, they didn’t tell me they were not happy, it was when I left office they said they weren’t happy.

“We used the federal government’s money from Universal Basic Education. It was just to partner with the State governments to create these learning environments, and I did that because of my knowledge about the ethno-religious crisis.”

According to him, Nigerian doesn’t spend money in developing the youths in order to give them functional education.

In a related news. Goodluck Jonathan confessed that he shouldn’t have been in politics, and gives reasons

According to the Nigeria former president, Jonathan has described himself as an introvert, who should not be deeply involved in partisan politics.

He made this known at the gala night to round off the three-day programme of the Unique University of Port Harcourt Class ‘81 Reunion, which recently ended in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

He said he was trying to figure out if he was an accidental politician.

Buhari mourns late Senate president, Joseph Wayas

 

President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the family of former Senate President, Joseph Wayas, who passed on at the age of 80.

The passing of the legislator, whose influence and contributions to Nigeria’s democracy remain indelible.

The Buhari’s condolence message was contained in a statement by his special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, titled ‘President Buhari mourns former Senate President, Joseph Wayas.’

Dr Joseph Wayas served as the third President of the Senate from 1979 to 1983. Photo credit: Femi Adesina, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila Source: Facebook

According to Adesina, the president notes the sacrifices of Wayas, who started taking up leadership responsibilities at an early age, turning a Senate President at 38, and remaining vibrant and dynamic in mentoring leaders long after he retired from politics.

Buhari, therefore, joined the National Assembly, government and people of Cross River state, his friends and associates in mourning the loss, believing his legacies will be approximated for posterity.

It will be recalled  that. Governor of Cross River state, Ben Ayade, made the news of the death of the former senate president known via a Facebook post on Thursday, December 2. 

In his reaction, governor Ayade described Wayas' death as "a monumental loss" to Cross River state and Nigeria.

Ayade also noted that the late former Senate president had been playing a fatherly role and helping in stabilising the political affairs of the state.

According to Christian Ita, Governor Ayade's special adviser on media and publicity. Wayas died in the early hours of Tuesday, November 30, in a London hospital.

Wayas, born May 21, 1941, served as Nigeria’s senate president between 1979 and 1983.

Appeal court upholds withdrawal of Orji Kalu’s university certificate

Senator Orji Uzo Kalu has again lost the bid to get his Bachelors’ degree certificate from Abia State University restored.

 The appeal court in Owerri nullified the judgement on the ground that the lower court lacked jurisdiction over the matter.

Though Kalu got a favourable judgment at a high court, the appeal court nullified the judgement on the ground that the lower court lacked jurisdiction.

 Senator Orji Uzo Kalu. Photo credit: Senator Orji Uzor Kalu Source: Facebook

The state university had in 2013 withdrawn Kalu’s certificate over allegations of fraud and breach of admission regulations concerning his graduation.

However, the former governor who is now a serving senator later approached a state high court in Isikuato in Abia state to challenge the allegations and the subsequent withdrawal of his degree by the university.

Ruling in favour of the Abia State University, the appeal court held that the state high court in Isikwuato lacked jurisdiction over the matter.

Justice Adefope Okojie in her verdict said that the Isikwuato high court had no jurisdiction to preside over the certificate issue.

The appellate court held that Senator Kalu ought to have exhausted all the remedies available to him before approaching the court to challenge the decision of the Senate of Abia State University that strip him off the degree certificate.

 

Group says Osinbajo is a leading light for other vice presidents in Africa

Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN has been described as the pride of the nation, who has become a leading light for his contemporaries across Africa and beyond.

This was the view of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry delivered by its deputy president, Dr. Michael Olawale Cole, while delivering a vote of thanks for the participation of the vice president at the 2021 LCCI Presidential Policy Dialogue held on Friday, November 26 in Lagos.

VP Osinbajo. Photo credit: Sodiq Adelakun/AFP Source: Getty Images

The vice president who was featured at the event had spoken about Nigeria’s economic trajectory, detailing the efforts by the federal government to sustain the positive momentum with two consecutive quarters of growth despite challenges. 

The presentation by Professor Osinbajo had elicited a standing ovation from guests at the event in acknowledgment of the efforts of the government and the VP’s detailed presentation.

The presentation was followed by a dialogue session with business leaders and investors at the event.

Acknowledging the VP’s clarity of thoughts and ideas in the management of the economy, Dr Cole said:

“You are a worthy vice president of our country and a fantastic leader of this nation and we are very glad to have you in our midst today.

“We are glad that you have shown yourself to be a leading light for other vice presidents in Africa. Your expertise, foresight, and prudence have been very evident in the results of the good works that are spread across this nation. You are a pride of this nation, pride of Africa.”

Commending the VP’s leadership of the Economic Sustainability Programmes and other interventions that mitigated the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, Dr Cole said:

“We are indebted to God for your dynamic strategy and dexterity in effectively managing the hydra-headed COVID-19 pandemic and the post-COVID Nigerian economy.

“Having known you for over 35 years as I said earlier, you are doing exemplary work, your integrity remains untainted, and your impact and service to humanity transcends Nigeria to the continent of Africa and beyond.”

Dr Cole then recalled a comment made about the VP’s leadership qualities in 2018, saying:

“When we had a programme like this, the fellow that came from the US who later became our president was so impressed by the quality of the delivery by this our fine vice president.

“He said that is a vice president that any country should look for, and also a president that any country should look for.”