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Technology Creating New Generations Of Illiterates In Nigeria – Wole Soyinka

Published

5 months ago

November 10, 2023

Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka said technology is creating new generations of illiterates in Nigerian society.

Soyinka stated this at the CANEX Live Theatre closing ceremony of the 3rd Intra-African Trade Fair, IATF 2023, in Cairo on Friday.

The fair was convened by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with the African Union and AfCFTA.

The Nobel laureate said, “Simultaneously, it’s a very large subject, and we can go on for the next seminars over the next few weeks over this issue. I want us to understand that, on the other hand, there’s a new culture taking place about which we have to be very careful; I call it the Internet culture.

“This is a marvelous technology; this is a liberating technology. The so-called Arab Spring, for instance, among many movements, was able to take life and be successful where they’ve been utilising that culture of instant communication; these are positive.

“However, as a new, tyrannical, insolent, and abusive culture, the culture of submental humanity in our midst, which you can give the rough name of the new Internet culture, in which real creativity is being downgraded, even despised for cheap, populist, nasty, subversive, humanly subversive culture.”

Soyinka further said, “It’s creating new generations of the illiterate, who believe it’s up to them that it’s sort of noble, progressive, and populist to despise what I call the real meaningful culture that improves the mind of humanity, expands our horizons, offers numerous alternatives or interpretations of phenomena, et cetera, and leads to a new construct of a genuine new being.

“Now we have to watch this network-facilitated abuse of culture. I speak very specifically to my society, especially the Nigerian society, the greatest abusers of that kind of culture, where you have the real degradation of the real meaning of culture, facilitated by Internet technology.

“So that’s why I said it’s a large subject, which we must not trivialise. We shouldn’t take the easy way out. We shouldn’t go on the axial, black and white, and so on. It’s a work in progress, but we must not let the barbarians get away with this new project,” he said.

News

PICTORIAL: Lagos Arrests 10 Fake Enforcement Officials

Published

2 mins ago

April 19, 2024

Editor

The Lagos State Government has arrested 10 individuals parading themselves as enforcement officials at the Cele/Itire axis of the state.

This was made known in an update shared by the state governor’s Special Assistant on New Media, Jubril Gawat, on his X account on Friday.

Sharing photos, Gawat wrote, “The Lagos State Government has apprehended 10 fake enforcement officials at Cele/Itire axis of the state.

“The apprehended persons; Ojo Oluwaseun, Rafiu Agbabiaka, Babatunde Ibrahim, Abiodun Olusegun, Daniel Olanrewaju, Aweda Kabiru, Olufowobi Michael, Olamilekan Olasupo, Bunmi James and Iyiola Shola (female) were caught carrying out unauthorised enforcement earlier today using different fake ID cards.

“The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Olawale Musa, while addressing the press, revealed that the arrest was made in response to complaints registered at the ministry by concerned citizens.”

News

Forgive Me, Purported Hausa Traditional Ruler Begs Benin Monarch

Published

26 mins ago

April 19, 2024

Editor

Following the reservation the Benin Traditional Council raised over the planned installation of Alhaji Danjuma Binkola as Hausa traditional ruler (Garkuwan Hausawan) in Benin, Edo State capital, the embattled Binkola has begged for forgiveness.

Binkola, who was to be installed on May 5, was seen in a viral video begging the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, for forgiveness.

Binkola, who spoke in Pidgin English in the video, pleaded ignorance of the magnitude of his purported installation as the Garkuwan Hausawan Benin.

He said, “I know the traditions and customs of the people of the state, having been born and raised in Edo State, the same way my father, Alhaji Garuba, was born and raised in Benin.

“I did not know the implications of my actions, as the person who was to confer the title on me only told me that my role was to assist him in overseeing the activities of the Hausa Community in Edo State while, in return, communicating to the palace.”

He, however, begged the monarch to forgive him, noting that Edo State had favoured him.

The Benin Traditional Council, had in a statement on Thursday, warned against the purported turbaning of anyone as Garkuwan Hausawan Benin in Edo State.

The statement read, “The BTC hereby inform the Nigerian Police Force and other security agencies as well as the general public, that this planned event is a violation of Benin Tradition and Customary Law applicable to chieftaincy matters and therefore must not hold under any circumstances.

“Consequently, BTC therefore warned the organisers of the installation against violating the sanctity of the Benin Traditional and Customary Law by cancelling the planned ceremony.”

News

FG, States, LGs Share N1.123tn In March

Published

1 hour ago

April 19, 2024

Editor

The Federation Account Allocation Committee has disbursed a total of N1.123tn to the federal, state, and local governments for March 2024.

The allocation, derived from a gross total of N1.867tn, marks a critical distribution of funds aimed at supporting various government tiers.

This was revealed in a statement signed by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Ministry of Finance, Mohammed Manga, on Friday.

FAAC has the duty of examining and approving the distribution of financial resources to the states and the Federal Government.

Monthly, this committee is tasked with the disbursement of funds across Nigeria’s 36 states and its 774 local government areas.

This allocation is anticipated to drive progress and support governmental bodies across various tiers in executing their duties.

The PUNCH reported that the FAAC shared N1.152.trn to the three tiers of government for February 2024 from a gross total of N2.326.14trn

Manga stated that the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Madein, chaired the meeting and highlighted the importance of the allocation.

“This distribution is pivotal in ensuring that all government levels have the necessary funds to continue their development projects and provide essential services to the citizens,” the statement read.

The statement noted that the Federal Government received N345.890bn, states, and local governments received N398.689bn and N288.688bn, respectively, while oil-producing states received N90.224bn as 13 per cent mineral revenue derivation.

The FAAC statement also noted an increase in the gross revenue from Value Added Tax for March 2024, amounting to N549.698bn—an N89.210bn rise from the previous month.

This increase reflects the country’s economic growth and improved tax compliance.

Despite the positive trend in VAT, the Gross Statutory Revenue of N1.017tn for March was lower than February’s N1.192tn by N175.212bn.

The decrease has been attributed to reductions in excise duty, oil royalty, petroleum profit tax, customs external tariff levies, and electronic money transfer levy.

The balance in the Excess Crude Account as of April 2024 stands at $473,754.57, indicating a reserve for future financial stability.

The statement noted that the FAAC’s decision to allocate these funds is expected to bolster economic activities across the nation and support the government’s efforts in improving infrastructure, healthcare, education, and other vital sectors.