Month: June 2024

The General Manager, National Arts Theatre, Tola Akerele, has called for more investment in cultural tourism, creative industries, and multicultural education to further leverage Nigeria’s diversity.

Akerele made the call on Tuesday in Lagos at a World Cultural Day celebration organised by the National Theatre in collaboration with the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP).

The theme of the programme is ‘Harnessing Cultural Diversity to foster Unity and drive Economic Growth in Nigeria’.

‘Cultural diversity is not a liability; it’s an asset waiting to be adequately harnessed.

‘By embracing our diversity, we position Nigeria as a global leader – a hub of creativity and ingenuity.’

She highlighted the creative industry’s significant contribution to Nigeria’s GDP, citing the sector’s impressive figures from 2023.

‘The creative industry, particularly motion picture and music recording, accounted for roughly N154 billion (approximately 197.6 million U.S. dollars) of Nigeria’s G
DP in 2023.

‘This figure demonstrates the sector’s vital role in Nigeria’s overall economic landscape,’ she said.

According to Akerele, Nigeria’s cultural wealth is a testament to the resilience, creativity, and ingenuity of its people.

‘We must recognise and celebrate our differences, rather than allowing them to divide us,’ she said.

She emphasised the importance of promoting intercultural dialogue, celebrating Nigeria’s cultural heritage, and exploring ways to harness diversity for economic growth.

Renowned Playwright and Theatre Director, Ben Tomoloju, highlighted the importance of multiculturalism in promoting entrepreneurship and innovation in Nigeria.

The playwright defined multiculturalism as ‘the state of a society or the world in which there exists numerous distinct ethnic and cultural groups seen to be politically relevant.’

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Tomoloju urged stakeholders in the cultural industry to explore the potential of Nigeria’s diverse cul
tural heritage and optimise its commercial benefits.

‘I encourage the community of culture producers to take stock of extant manifestations of the Nigerian cultural industry and assess their potential use-value.’

According to him, the democratisation of culture is essential for widening the space for participation of the people in organised cultural life.

Tomoloju emphasised Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, with over 370 ethnic groups, each with its own language and cultural peculiarities.

He acknowledged organisers of the event for their efforts in promoting Nigerian culture.

He also recognised the National Theatre as a legacy of Nigeria’s most ambitious and globally celebrated cultural event-FESTAC 77.

NAN reports that the event featured a vibrant celebration of Nigerian culture, with performances, exhibitions, and discussions showcasing the country’s rich cultural heritage.

Guests included dignitaries, cultural icons, and stakeholders from the creative industry.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

A political economist, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, says Nigeria must re-align its education curriculum in line with the rapidly-evolving global landscape.

Moghalu, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, also said that increasing importance of technology, science, entrepreneurship and teacher training in driving economic growth and innovation had also made the realignment compelling.

He spoke at the Fifth Arthur Mbanefo Lecture in Lagos on Tuesday.

The lecture was organised by the Arthur Mbanefo Digital Research Centre (AMDRC), University of Lagos.

It had the theme: ‘Education and National Development: Meeting Nigeria’s Challenge in the 21st Century’.

The lecture was part of activities to celebrate the 94th birthday anniversary of Chief Arthur Mbanefo, the donor of the centre.

According to Moghalu, Nigeria is urgently in need of educational policy that can enhance human capital development and bolster its standing within the global community.

Moghalu, also the President of the Institute fo
r Governance and Economic Transformation, said the realignment must prioritise access and quality education by emphasising literacy, skills and national values.

According to Moghalu, the strength or failure of any nation depends on the strength of its education system.

He added that education remained the only pathway to development.

‘This is the foundational truth. We must prioritise our education by allocating 70 per cent of the curriculum to technology, science, entrepreneurship and teacher training.

‘Nigeria can better equip its youth with the skills and knowledge needed to compete in the 21st Century economy, foster entrepreneurship and improve the quality of education across board.

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‘I also recommend that ethics becomes a compulsory subject in the education curriculum in Nigeria at both primary (in a simplified and elementary form) and secondary schools in a more comprehensive form.

‘This will help to achieve the educational objective of creat
ing good and responsible citizens,’ he said.

Moghalu also said that there was the need to shift the pedagogical practices of the Nigerian classroom from one that emphasised rote memorisation to a more intellectual engagement, creative thinking and experiential learning.

He said that it was imperative to foster a connection between the academia and industry to improve the socio-economic impact of education.

According to him, tertiary students require exposure to real-world challenges which their education is designed to help them to address.

‘A well-educated populace not only enhances personal fulfillment, but also addresses local challenges, elevates societal well-being and fosters social cohesion.

‘However, the current Nigerian education landscape grapples with many challenges, undermining the nation’s human capital potential.

‘As of 2020, Nigeria’s human capital index, as assessed by the World Bank, stood at 0.36, positioning it 168th out of 173 countries.

‘This is a marginal improvement from 0.34 in
2018, where it ranked 152nd out of 157 nations surveyed,’ he said.

The political economist said that the sluggish growth underscored the persistent obstacles hindering effective education of Nigeria’s populace.

‘For Nigeria to play a significant role on the global stage in the years ahead, it must effectively develop and deploy its human capital to propel national advancement.

‘Given its central role as the primary purveyor of human capital development, the education sector assumes heightened significance in Nigeria’s developmental agenda,’ he said.

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According to him, understanding the intricacies of Nigeria’s educational challenges is vital for devising effective solutions.

He listed the challenges to include hindrances to access to quality education, erosion of education quality and inadequate financing.

‘Investing in education, training, research and development. and supportive policies can help develop a skilled workforce equipped to drive in
novation and create value, while also providing adequate monitoring and evaluation.

‘ The National Education Policy suffers from implementation challenges. Innovative policy reforms are sometimes crippled at the implementation stages due to factors such as lack of adequate human capacity, inadequate funding, and corruption,’ he said.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Folasade Ogunshola, lauded Mbanefo, a former Pro-Chancellor of the university, for demonstrating love for advancement of education through support for the centre.

According to her, AMDRC which began full operations in 2018, is a digital research hub where students and relevant stakeholders can have access to digital resource learning to advance research and post-graduate studies.

She said that the centre had brought to fruition, Mbanefo’s dream.

The vice-chancellor said that the annual lecture series had since become the flagship event of the centre.

‘The university of Lagos has been in the forefront of Artificial Intel
ligence and digital learning.

‘We have over 23 research centres and four innovation and technology hubs,’ she said.

In his remarks, Mbanefo, who turned 94 on Tuesday, expressed satisfaction at the operations of the centre.

He urged the Federal Government to seek appropriate ways to encourage members of the academia.

‘There is the need to recognise the role that members of the academia play in nation building,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Nigeria’s afrobeats artiste and entrepreneur, Oluwatosin Ajibade, popularly known as Mr Eazi, has called for more collaborations in education and sports in Africa.

Mr Eazi said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.

‘As we grow in life, there’s this self awareness that drives us into new passion, education is the bedrock of any forward thinking nation, as Africans I believe we need to be more deliberate about creating the right environment for learning.

‘I recently visited Rwanda, engaging in

several significant events and meetings.

One of my highlight was attending the NBA Basketball Africa League (BAL) finals between the champions Petrol De Luanda and Al Ahly ly.

‘This event showcased the best of African

basketball talent, and undoubtedly my presence underscored support for the continent’s sports growth and development,’ he said.

Mr Eazi said he had also visited various Rwandan companies for his Choplife gaming company as he explores potential partnerships an
d collaborations to expand his entrepreneurial ventures.

‘This will increase my impact on African youths and the creative industry.

‘A key part of my visit involved meeting with the Ministry of sports.

‘This discussion focused on potential collaborations for sports development and creating more opportunities for young people.

‘I also engaged with the education sector to discuss potential collaborations with the Choplife Foundation.

‘These partnerships aim to leverage my commitment toward providing resources, opportunities, and platforms for deserving students in the region,’ he said.

He said he was seeking partnerships in Rwanda because the country needed more support in the education and sports sectors.

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Mr Eazi said he also had ongoing projects in Nigeria and Ghana.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The National Assembly members, Benue caucus has described President Bola Tinubu as one of the country’s living heroes of democracy and an exemplary leader committed to democratic values

Rep. Philip Agbese, spokesperson of the group praised Tinubu’s efforts in promoting economic growth, good governance and social justice, in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday to mark Democracy Day.

He said the president’s dedication to the nation’s progress is a testament to his statesmanship and vision.

He also commended the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, for his crucial role in supporting the president’s agenda and ensuring effective implementation of policies.

‘On this auspicious occasion of Democracy Day, the Benue caucus in the national assembly salutes and celebrates Tinubu, a shining exemplar of democratic values and a champion of the Nigerian people.

‘We are honoured to extol the virtues of the president, who has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the grow
th and development of our beloved country, Nigeria’, he said.

He said that Tinubu’s leadership and vision had rekindled hope and inspired a new generation of Nigerians to embrace democracy as a way of life.

‘We also commend the SGF for his love and dedication to the people of Benue and Nigeria at large.

‘His selfless service and contributions to our nation’s progress are duly acknowledged and appreciated.

‘We pledge our continued support, loyalty and collaboration with this administration to ensure the realisation of our shared vision for a prosperous and united Nigeria’, he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has called for concerted efforts by stakeholders to end child labour in the workplace and across the country.

NECA Director-General, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, made the call on Tuesday in commemoration of the World Day Against Child Labour marked on every June 12.

Oyerinde said that there was the need for concrete actions and collaboration to fulfill the country’s commitments.

‘As stakeholders, we must reflect on our progress on this important issue and identify areas where we can intensify our efforts,’ he said.

He said that child labour remained a pressing issue in the country which ‘affects millions of children denied of basic rights to education, health and a safe environment.

‘This day serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need to implement and strengthen policies.

‘These policies should be aimed at eradicating child labour in the workplace, particularly within business value chains and promoting overall child welfare’.

The NECA boss said t
hat the association had been pivotal in the fight against the worst forms of child labour.

He said that the association had developed a ‘code of conduct and guidance tool for businesses within the organised private sector.

‘This tool aims to guide companies toward the elimination of child labour, while the association has advocated for in creased allocation of corporate social responsibility resources toward initiatives aimed at eliminating child labour’.

Oyerinde urged the government at both national and sub-national levels to prioritise children’s welfare in their development agendas.

He said that government should ensure that policies and programmes were effectively implemented and adequately funded for maximum impact.

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He reiterated NECA’s and employers’ commitment to upholding and enforcing policies that would prohibit child labour in all forms across supply chains and operations.

‘The private sector is willing to continue
to invest in educational programmes and skill development initiatives that offer children and their families alternatives to child labour.

‘I commend the International Labour Organisation for working with the association and private sector employers for their various corporate social responsibilities, even in a challenging economic environment, toward the eradication of child labour in Nigeria,’ Oyerinde said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The National Democratic Front (NDF), has lauded the House of Representatives Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas for considering the Bill for an Act to amend the Nigeria Police Act 2020.

In a statement by its Secretary General, Dr Abdulkadir Musa in Abuja on Wednesday, the group also commended the Chairman, House Committee on Police Affairs, Rep. Abubakar Yalleman.

Yalleman was commended for his dedication to addressing security challenges in the country at all levels.

It would be recalled that the Police Act Amendment Bill recently passed second reading in the House of Representatives.

Among other things, the bill seeks to review the service years of police personnel to improve the experience and expertise of the police workforce.

It also seeks to improve morale performance and job satisfaction, and address the shortage of experienced police personnel in the country.

Musa described the legislation as timely in the quest for a more robust, responsive and people-friendly police.

He said the amendment would not only
improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Nigerian Police Force but would also lead to enhanced performance of personnel.

‘This amendment bill, which seeks to improve effectiveness and efficiency of the Nigerian Police Force, is a milestone in the quest for a more robust, responsive, and people-friendly policing system.

‘The bill’s provisions include extension of police officers’ retirement age and service years, will undoubtedly lead to improved morale, retention of experienced personnel, and enhanced overall performance of the force”, he said.

He urged the Senate to concur with the House and for President Bola Tinubu to assent to it without delay when passed by the two chambers of the National Assembly.

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‘We believe that this amendment will significantly contribute to the improvement of security and safety in Nigeria’, he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria