Education
NIGERIA WILL REMAIN POOR IF WE CONTINUE TO CONSUME MORE THAN WE PRODUCE — Chief Afe Babalola
IduwiniVoice
NIGERIA WILL REMAIN POOR IF WE CONTINUE TO CONSUME MORE THAN WE PRODUCE — Chief Afe Babalola
Afe Babalola
By Tobouke JEMINE
Chief Afe Babalola, a distinguished legal luminary and elder statesman, has cautioned that Nigeria will remain poor if it continues to consume more than it produces. He stated this point while inaugurating the maiden edition of the Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) Industrial Park Trade Fair in Ado-Ekiti, and later, when receiving the Icon Award for Excellence from the Akure Branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA).
The elder statesman criticized the prevailing attitudes of indiscipline, poor work ethic, and lack of vision and patriotism, warning that these weaknesses could cause the country to stagnate. He urged both the citizens and leaders of Nigeria to genuinely commit to changing the current situation for the nation’s growth.
Describing the ABUAD Industrial Park as a technology hub, Chief Babalola highlighted its potential to bridge the gap between research and industry and to provide employment opportunities for many jobless graduates and youths. Additionally, he expressed concern over the increasing number of courts delivering contradictory judgments on the same subject matter, urging the NBA to address this issue to prevent further damage to the legal profession’s reputation.
In his words:”It is true Nigeria today, is in the doldrums. That however does not mean we should throw patriotism and national interest into the mud. This is because to me, Nigeria can still become like USA of this world, or other great countries alike.
“But the bitter truth is that Nigeria can not suddenly become a USA with the way we do things continually and still expect different results. Nigeria is such a rich country, blessed with resources, good weather, friendly climate and money.
“Unfortunately however, aside many other obvious factors, the very point where we began to get things wrong is that Nigeria is a nation that consume more than it produces, and the bitter truth here is that, any country that does that, will remain perpetually poor.
“As a leader by example, even at my age, I abhor laziness and complacency. I do work for 18 hours daily. I do not buy food, I grow them in the farm, I do not buy pepper, tomatoes, chicken or fish, I produce them. How many Nigerians does that?
“As a result, ABUAD was conceived by me, not only as an innovative institution to change things for the better, but also as a deliberate way of giving back to the society, what I did not get, on a platter of gold.
“Even though I did not have the opportunity of going beyond conventional primary School, neither did I have opportunity of conventional, class studies of secondary or university education, I struggled on my own, out of strong determination to succeed, coupled with uncommon commitment, to get myself educated at both secondary level, and later university of London, all through correspondence studies.
“But I thank God today that in all, God has rewarded my dedication, and endowed me with something extra: the ability to work hard, to achieve desired results.
He therefore urged Nigerians to embrace hard work, honesty and faith in the country, to achieve greatness.
He expressed confidence that the country would be great again, only if leaders and the citizens can start emulating some of the principles that ABUAD had imbibed over the few years of it’s establishment.
“I make bold to say that our performance gives us the hope in this country that Nigeria can achieve what we have achieved, if we all agree to change the old ways of doing things.
“Nigeria can be greater. With hard work, the way we are doing things here, with hard work, honesty and faith, Nigeria can be better and get out of doldrums. I believe that hardship breeds determination, determination breeds faith, and faith never fails.” he said.
In his remarks, Banjo Ayenakin, the Chairman of the NBA Akure, Ondo State Branch, described Babalola as a trailblazer and exceptional icon, said : “If we have a few more of your type in this country, the story will change for the better. If we all work and lift individuals and groups, the way Baba Afe Babalola is doing on regular basis, across tribes, cultures and political divide, even at his age, and at the expense of his hard earned resources, there will be no much problems of any sort for anyone in this country.”
Also speaking at the maiden trade fair of the industrial park, the Chairman of the Ekiti chapter of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Prof. Oluwasegun Aluko, expressed gratitude to Babalola for establishing the park, which is designed to accommodate 124 cottage industries. This initiative aims to boost the use of locally sourced raw materials.
In her welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, praised Babalola for investing his resources in revolutionizing the education sector by establishing both the university and the industrial park.
She highlighted ABUAD’s recent achievements, noting that it was ranked the best Nigerian university for the third consecutive time, 4th in Africa, and 142nd in the world according to the 2024 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.
Additionally, ABUAD ranked first globally for SDG 7 on Affordable and Clean Energy, scoring 98% in Outreach Programmes and 98.2% in Stewardship Programmes. Despite being only about 15 years old, ABUAD’s accomplishments in Law, Medicine, Engineering, the Sciences, and Social and Management Sciences have positioned it as a world-class institution
© Source: Vanguard News
My Study and Reading Strategies
By Lady Ejiro Umukoro
STUDYING is often a strenuous activity for many individuals; it is considered tasking, difficult to keep up to, time consuming, and sometimes, unproductive. This article is targeted at helping you create an effective study technique that transcends those feelings.
To study effectively and meet your desired goal, you need focus. One effective technique that can greatly help you is setting a clear goal of what you plan to achieve at the end of a stipulated timeframe. While keeping the goal behind your studying in mind, create a smaller and achievable goal that brings you nearer to your overall focus and examine them after each study session to help you track your progress.
A well-known but disregarded technique is creating a study schedule that aligns with your goal. Often, it is easier to create a study schedule than to follow it. So, you must tell yourself it is worth it.
Developing a consistent study schedule ensures regular and manageable study periods to prevent last-minute cramming. Discipline is mostly needed for you to create a study schedule and achieve its intended purpose. To remain on track, visualise the poor outcome that can emanate from not being disciplined and the disappointment that it could bring. Create a study schedule that aligns you with your goal and be intentional about the discipline necessary for its success.
Active listening is an effective study technique you must embrace. A firm starting step that could immensely aid your retention and studying is the stage of active listening. As earlier mentioned, some people find studying time consuming or even unproductive; this may have emanated from not paying enough attention when the subject matter was being taught. Active listening reduces the struggle of having to study for a long time, forgetting information easily, and feelings of low productivity. Active listening will also help you incorporate learning strategies, such as summarising information, teaching others, or discussing topics with peers, enhancing your comprehension and retention.
Employ the Pomodoro technique in effectively aiding your studying. The Pomodoro technique involves incorporating a five-minute break after every 25 minutes study session. To maximise the Pomodoro technique, create a to-do list and a timer, and assign 25 minutes to each task on the list. When the timer rings, take an immediate break, and go on a longer 15-30 minutes break after four Pomodoro sessions. Do this to reduce burn out, build consistency and establish routines, enhance productivity, and boost concentration.
Take notes while studying. Although writing may not be considered a preferential activity for you, it is of prime importance in measuring what you really know and can remember. Explore taking effective notes through methods such as Cornell or mind mapping. They enable you to identify and link similar concepts that could aid in understanding and remembering areas of emphasis or importance. If you do not like to write, consider drawing different structures or illustrations close to you and mindfully link them to what you study about. This can help you recollect information faster and effectively.
Always engage with, practise, and test your knowledge. Regularly create quizzes or activities to test the knowledge you have gained after every study session. Practising tests or quizzes helps you to solidify your knowledge, see areas where improvements are necessary, and equip you with the format and pressure of actual exams. As you study, list out questions or quizzes to go over, always practise after every study session, and stop at your exact timer for honest assessment or evaluations.
Eliminate distractions while reading. Create an environment for yourself that is free from distracting activities, sounds, gadgets, or occasions. Consider using noise-cancelling headphones or a quiet study area in maintaining concentration and interest. Rather than allowing distractions to be a setback, you can incorporate these distractions – if they include some activities you like or gadgets you enjoy – in your short breaks for more rejuvenation or morale boost. Some, however, say they enjoy reading with some noise around them.”
Do what works from you. To achieve that, learn more about how you enjoy studying and reading.
©LADY EJIRO UMULORO IS A MEDIA PERSONALITY (LIGHTRAY MEDIA), POLICY ADVOCATE, KEYNOTE SPEAKER, AND AUTHOR.
#GoDoYou! #DISTORTIONbyEjiroUmukoro #unlearning
My Study and Reading Strategies
By Lady Ejiro Umukoro
STUDYING is often a strenuous activity for many individuals; it is considered tasking, difficult to keep up to, time consuming, and sometimes, unproductive. This article is targeted at helping you create an effective study technique that transcends those feelings.
To study effectively and meet your desired goal, you need focus. One effective technique that can greatly help you is setting a clear goal of what you plan to achieve at the end of a stipulated timeframe. While keeping the goal behind your studying in mind, create a smaller and achievable goal that brings you nearer to your overall focus and examine them after each study session to help you track your progress.
A well-known but disregarded technique is creating a study schedule that aligns with your goal. Often, it is easier to create a study schedule than to follow it. So, you must tell yourself it is worth it.
Developing a consistent study schedule ensures regular and manageable study periods to prevent last-minute cramming. Discipline is mostly needed for you to create a study schedule and achieve its intended purpose. To remain on track, visualise the poor outcome that can emanate from not being disciplined and the disappointment that it could bring. Create a study schedule that aligns you with your goal and be intentional about the discipline necessary for its success.
Active listening is an effective study technique you must embrace. A firm starting step that could immensely aid your retention and studying is the stage of active listening. As earlier mentioned, some people find studying time consuming or even unproductive; this may have emanated from not paying enough attention when the subject matter was being taught. Active listening reduces the struggle of having to study for a long time, forgetting information easily, and feelings of low productivity. Active listening will also help you incorporate learning strategies, such as summarising information, teaching others, or discussing topics with peers, enhancing your comprehension and retention.
Employ the Pomodoro technique in effectively aiding your studying. The Pomodoro technique involves incorporating a five-minute break after every 25 minutes study session. To maximise the Pomodoro technique, create a to-do list and a timer, and assign 25 minutes to each task on the list. When the timer rings, take an immediate break, and go on a longer 15-30 minutes break after four Pomodoro sessions. Do this to reduce burn out, build consistency and establish routines, enhance productivity, and boost concentration.
Take notes while studying. Although writing may not be considered a preferential activity for you, it is of prime importance in measuring what you really know and can remember. Explore taking effective notes through methods such as Cornell or mind mapping. They enable you to identify and link similar concepts that could aid in understanding and remembering areas of emphasis or importance. If you do not like to write, consider drawing different structures or illustrations close to you and mindfully link them to what you study about. This can help you recollect information faster and effectively.
Always engage with, practise, and test your knowledge. Regularly create quizzes or activities to test the knowledge you have gained after every study session. Practising tests or quizzes helps you to solidify your knowledge, see areas where improvements are necessary, and equip you with the format and pressure of actual exams. As you study, list out questions or quizzes to go over, always practise after every study session, and stop at your exact timer for honest assessment or evaluations.
Eliminate distractions while reading. Create an environment for yourself that is free from distracting activities, sounds, gadgets, or occasions. Consider using noise-cancelling headphones or a quiet study area in maintaining concentration and interest. Rather than allowing distractions to be a setback, you can incorporate these distractions – if they include some activities you like or gadgets you enjoy – in your short breaks for more rejuvenation or morale boost. Some, however, say they enjoy reading with some noise around them.”
Do what works from you. To achieve that, learn more about how you enjoy studying and reading.
©LADY EJIRO UMUKORO IS A MEDIA PERSONALITY (LIGHTRAY MEDIA), POLICY ADVOCATE, KEYNOTE SPEAKER, AND AUTHOR.
#GoDoYou! #DISTORTIONbyEjiroUmukoro #unlearning
IduwiniVoice
FG Re-adjust Minimum Age for JAMB, Tertiary Institution Admission
By Tobouke JEMINE
The Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, has revised his earlier directive regarding the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions.
The Minister on Thursday, in the ongoing policy meeting organized by JAMB, in Abuja, announced that only applicants who were 18 years and above were eligible for admission.
However, following feedback from stakeholders at the JAMB policy meeting in Abuja, the minimum age has been adjusted to 16 years for the current year, with the 18-year rule to be enforced from next year.
Additionally, JAMB has set the cut-off marks for 2024 admissions: 140 for universities and 100 for polytechnics and colleges of education.
This decision was made during the annual policy meeting on admissions, which followed the successful conduct of the 2024 UTME, where 1,904,189 candidates out of 1,989,668 registered sat for the exam.