FUTO POLARIZED OVER THE APPOINTMENT OF NEW VC

OWERRI—The Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO, has been polarized as the institution shops for a new Vice Chancellor, VC, that will take over from the incumbent, Professor Chigozie C. Asiabaka, in the next five months.

Strong feelers from the FUTO community revealed that there were serious plans to significantly alter the content of the advertisement already published by the institution.

Confirming the fear during a check yesterday, a senior FUTO staff alleged that “while the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the institution’s Governing Council appears favourably disposed to a particular contestant, others believe that the VC has his own candidate.”

The same senior staff not only told Vanguard that “an extra-ordinary meeting of the Senate is scheduled to hold today (Tuesday), in the  Senate Council Chamber”, but also alleged that the Governing Council would also meet  January 28, 2016, to also deliberate on the same issue.

The staff equally showed Vanguard the copy of a memorandum, REG/SEN/COM.3/XIV, dated January 21, 2016, and signed by the Registrar and Secretary to the Senate, Mr. Orje Ishegh-Nor.

According to the memorandum, the “appointment of Senate Representative in the Search Team for the appointment of the seventh substantive Vice Chancellor”, is top on the  agenda.

As at the last count, about seven professors from Owerri senatorial zone have applied for the post, while a few others from Orlu senatorial zone and Anambra State, have equally sent in their applications.

Meanwhile, Professor Asiabaka has stoutly denied the allegation that he is grooming one of the contestants to take his place.

Asiabaka, who made the denial when he fielded questions from journalists in Owerri, also said that he never contemplated doing such a thing.

“I am not grooming anybody. Such a thing is not in my agenda. God gives power to whoever he likes. He also takes it when he like. Those who want the office should apply and wait for the outcome of their application”, Asiabaka said.

PSQUARE'S PETER PLANNING FOOTBALL AGENCY

One-half of music-singing duo P-Square and twin brother of Paul Okoye, Peter Okoye, has revealed plans to set up a football management agency to promote grassroots football.

Peter, who made the announcement on his Instagram page, said: “Now, I have decided to take it up big time and setup a football management agency as a platform to help grassroots football. Welcome to my world of football. P-Classic Football Management.

“I decided to sponsor a football club in Omole, where we reside. I have already sponsored two players from the team to Europe in 2015, while more of them are scheduled to travel abroad for trials this year,” wrote Peter, who had always wanted to play football.

SARAKI DONATES N2.9M TO ILORIN MARKET'S FIRE VICTIMS

The Senate President,   Dr Bukola Saraki yesterday donated N2.9 million for the reconstruction of the shops that got burnt at Oja Tuntun Market,Baboko, Ilorin, Kwara State about a fortnight ago.

He made the donation during   unscheduled visit to the market to commiserate with the victims.

Speaking at the site of the burnt shops, Saraki lamented that the incident had caused dislocation to the economic wellbeing of the people.

He urged the marketers to take greater caution to ensure that all objects that could ignite fire and all electrical appliances were switched off at the close of business. To bring immediate succour to the victims he also made a cash donation of N500,000 to enable them meet immediate exigencies of their daily life.Earlier, the chairman of Oja Tuntun Market men and women, Alhaji Razaq Lasoju who was flanked by Alhaja Adama said that the incident had caused untold hardship to the victims. He noted that most of them sponsor their family from the sales they make on daily basis.  Lasoju expressed appreciation to the President of the Senate for the on-the-spot visit to assess the damage for himself.

and the big relief he has brought with the donation.

He assured Saraki that the visit was a demonstration of his leadership quality of attending to the needs of his people at all times.

He prayed God to continue to help him in his assignments.

A STATESMAN TRADITIONAL RULER DEPART ( OBA SAMUEL ODULANA ODUGADE 1914-2016 )

At the ripe age of 101, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade, the 38th Olubadan of Ibadanland, Africa’s third largest city, breathed his last at his Monatan palace in the ancient town last Tuesday. He was a devout Christian, humanist and respected traditional ruler. Odugade’s exemplary leadership can be gleaned from his life dedicated to the service of God and humanity.

Crowned on August 11 2007, the late royal father ascended the throne after waltzing through the labyrinth of the hierarchical system and unusual succession principle in Ibadanland, which is quite different from other traditional Yoruba rulers. It usually takes decades to groom an Olubadan for the stool through stages of chieftaincy promotion. Any male born title-holder of the metropolitan centre is a potential king. For him, the journey started when he joined the Royal chieftaincy line 44 years ago as the Mogaji of Ladunni Compound in Ibadan.

Imbued with wits and uncommon intelligence, Odugade introduced a number of reforms to Ibadan chieftaincy system to see younger people on the saddle. He started the building of a palace, which the town never had in his life time. Unfortunately, he will not be the first Olubadan to occupy it.

The monarch was an exemplary person. He served the country in various capacities. He was a clerk, became a teacher, soldier, politician, educationist, parliamentarian, philanthropist and a first-class traditional ruler. A seasoned civil servant and a thoroughbred politician, Oba Odugade was a veteran of the World War II, where he was in charge of the demobilisation of returning soldiers in Lagos.

After the War, he worked with United Africa Company (UAC) as a produce clerk before commencing an eventful teaching career at the Church Missionary Society (CMS) Elementary School, Jago in 1938 before veering into politics in 1959 and got elected as a Member of the House of Representatives. He was parliamentary secretary to First Republic’s Prime Minister, Tafawa Balewa. As Minster of State for Labour in 1964, he led the Nigerian Parliamentary delegation to the London Constitution Conference to restructure the former British colonies of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (now Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia).

His contributions towards the establishment of both primary and secondary schools in various parts of the old Western Region of Nigeria cannot be forgotten, even as it is on record that he was a self-made man who lived a worthy and exemplary life of grass to grace. At the twilight of his mortal existence, he was unwavering in principles and spoke truth to power. He would be remembered for his peaceful reign, gentlemanly conduct and vast contributions to nation-building as a parliamentarian and an incorruptible, fearless and revered traditional ruler.

Born on April 14, 1914, at Fadina Village in Lagelu Local Government area of Ibadanland, which was called Igbo Elerin area of the city, Oba Odugade began his elementary education at Saint Andrew’s School, Bamigbola, Ibadan in January 1922 and transferred to St. Peter’s School, Aremo in 1929. He completed his middle school education at Mapo Central School in 1936. An indefatigable grassroots mobiliser, Odugade was a co-founder of several organisations, like the Ibadan Economic Foundation and the Ibadan Progressive Union. He was Conferred with the honorary degree of Doctor of Management Technology by the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, in December 2005. Kabiyesi was survived by wives and many children.

WHEN GOOD GOVERNANCE COUNTERS PROPAGANDA- Bature Sani Malumfashi

If you want to have a reality check on the veracity of widespread reports of the Shema administration’s under-performance in Katsina State, look no further than the list of some of the on-going projects undertaken by Governor Masari in fulfillment of his campaign pledges: settlement of pension and gratuity, rehabilitation and expansion of the three referral hospitals, rehabilitation and expansion of primary and secondary schools, rehabilitation of all the 15 basic apprentice training centres (batc), revival of the three moribund farm training centres and rehabilitation of the water works.







One appalling fact emerging from this list of work in progress in Katsina State is the prolonged neglect of critical development institutions of government to the pitiful point of dilapidation, decay and ultimately denial of their benefits to the masses. Revival, rehabilitation and expansion projects such as these were top priorities pledged during the electioneering campaigns by Governor Masari because the immediate past administration in the state chose to embark on new self-promoting grandiose projects of lesser relevance to the pressing development needs of the people of the state. This is a callous betrayal of the trust reposed in leaders by their people whose interest should always be uppermost in their hearts.

Once he was sitting pretty on the coveted seat of governor, Shehu Shema got so carried away by the paraphernalia of ostentatious governance that he paid little or no attention to the principle of continuity that is crucial for progressive development and good governance as well as meeting the ever-increasing needs of the people. No wonder existing institutions and infrastructure were left to decay and collapse and many meaningful policies and projects of previous administrations abandoned during his era.

In a radical, selfless and progressive departure from such governance, Governor Aminu Masari as a seasoned and versatile public servant and political leader is commited to pursuing many innovative policies and programmes of his own. He has also accorded commensurate attention to reversing the neglect of important state institutions and infrastructure put in place by previous administrations.

Among ongoing projects to ensure continuity of government and maximise the benefits from existing institutions and infrastructure include the rehabilitation and expansion of 15 primary and secondary schools each in Katsina, Daura and Funtua senatorial zones. It is expected that by the end of 2016, 40% of primary and secondary schools would have been fully rehabilitated, thereby expanding the frontiers of foundation education in the state.

The Masari administration is also rehabilitating water works in Ajiwa, Funtua, Dutsinma and Malumfashi in addition to rehabilitation and expansion of the three referral hospitals in Katsina, Daura and Funtua towns respectively and has embarked on massive purchase and distribution of drugs to health facilities in the state. All 15 basic apprentice training centres (BATC) in the state are undergoing rehabilitation while the three moribund farm training centres in the state are being revived.

At another level, the Masari administration has set a record in budgeting for education in the history of Katsina State with a hefty N22 billion or 20% of this year’s N111.2 billion budget going to the education sector. It has also picked up the piles of pensioners outstanding pension and gratuity payments amounting to N11.1billion at state and local government levels whereby so far, over 1400 pensioners have received their entitlements. Governor Masari is also taking bold measures towards checkmating the activities of criminals, notably cattle rustlers while commencing unprecedented clearance of refuse in all the urban areas of the state.

Purposeful leadership anchored on people-oriented good governance principles will always outshine the dimming details of a faded past that no sane Katsina State indigene wants to remember.

–Malumfashi sent in from Katsina.



Source : Leadership Newspaper