Headline

Obaseki Inaugurates 1000-member Parent’s Council

Published

1 year ago

June 12, 2024

… tasks parents, traditional rulers to insist on sustaining reforms

… Cardinal Onaiyekan commends Obaseki for creating new era of excellence in education

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has tasked parents and traditional rulers in communities across the State to get involved in ensuring gains recorded by his administration are sustained.

The governor gave the charge during the inauguration of a 1000-members Parents’ Council at the Parent’s Summit held as part of activities to mark the Education Week in Benin City, the State capital.

He said sustainability is only possible when the citizens insist that things should be done properly and done right.

In a keynote address, titled: “Parents, School and Education”, the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan commended Governor Obaseki for creating a new era of excellence in education in the State and for inaugurating the Parent’s Council.

Obaseki who said Edo children are the future of Nigeria, noted: “Our children are our greatest assets. Human capital development begins with them as they are the future of Edo State and Nigeria. That is why it is very important that we spare no resources in building critical institutions and structures to ensure that systems required are put in place to secure a better future for them.”

He said, “This Parents’ Summit is important and can’t be over emphasized because the actions, decisions and choices which we make today will greatly impact the lives and shape the future of our children.

“This gathering will provide a perfect umbrella for bringing parents, guardians, educators, policy makers, leaders and other stakeholders in the education ecosystem together to discuss various challenges and opportunities related to parenting and the development of our children not only for today but also in the future.”

Obaseki continued: “When we began the reforms in education, we knew the challenges were enormous. We decided to start with the foundation – the basic education level. As we thought through the reform process, we looked at five pillars. The most important element in the reform process are the teachers. We had to focus on them and make sure teachers are supported and encouraged to teach the child properly so that they can learn.

“One key pillar we introduced is the communities in the governance of our school system. That pillar led to setting up of the school-based management committee, the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), alumni association for various schools as well as the Parents’ Summit, which is holding today.

“As a government, we have moved from a situation where the government feels arrogantly that it knows everything and owns everything to a situation where we know that our citizens know more than us. That is why we rely on our people to make the decisions we have implemented.

“The input of the community is key in terms of the educational outcomes we seek for our children. Education is not only a responsibility of the government but a shared responsibility. Parents have a larger share of that responsibility.”

Obaseki further stated, “In the last few years, one thing stands out for us in Edo State, which is the Edo Basic Education Section Transformation (EdoBEST) programme. Edo is now the best in Nigeria. For Edo to become the best, we must focus on the next generation. We must move from schooling to learning.

“We have over 400,000 children in our basic school system learning today. They are going to be our stars tomorrow and form the bulk of human capital for Nigeria. This has been made possible because of the cooperation of communities and parents.

“Sustaining the progress of eight years is possible if only parents and traditional rulers in our communities get involved. Sustainability is only possible when the citizens insist that things should be done properly and done right.

“For sustainability of what we have created, we want to establish the right structures. That’s why I am here today to formally inaugurate the Parents’ Councils of schools in Edo State to further emphasize the role of parents and parents’ participation in our educational system.”

He added, “I congratulate the 1,000 parents who are representatives of the Parents’ Council. As we inaugurate this Parents’ Council today, I believe these parents will lead and advocate for quality education and should be champions of their welfare and ambassadors of good parenting.”

On his part, Cardinal John Onaiyekan noted that governor Obaseki has been able to raise the standard of public schools in the State to compete with private schools, saying that achievement is good news for all.

Onaiyekan noted, “Every Nigerian child’s education deserves to be funded by the State. There should be a forum where leaders and education stakeholders will gather to discuss the funding of Nigeria’s educational system. I congratulate Edo State Governor for his contributions to improve education in the State.”

In her welcome address, a primary 3 pupil of Obaseki Primary School, Osaigbovo Melody, thanked the governor for the reforms in the education sector, noting that the EdoBEST Programme has improved the learning and reading ability of Edo children.

Headline

US To Revoke Student Visas For Those Who Skip Classes, Programmes

Published

15 hours ago

August 4, 2025

Editor

The United States has issued a warning to international students regarding the consequences of violating student visa regulations.

In a message shared via its official X handle on Monday, the US Mission in Nigeria stressed that students who drop out, skip classes, or leave their academic programmes without notifying their schools risk having their US student visas revoked.

Such actions could also lead to disqualification from obtaining future US visas, it stated.

The mission advised all student visa holders to strictly adhere to the terms of their visas and maintain their academic status to avoid any immigration issues.

“If you drop out, skip classes, or leave your programmes of study without informing your school, your student visa may be revoked, and you may lose eligibility for future US visas.

“Always adhere to the terms of your visa and maintain your student status to avoid any issues,” the mission noted.

Headline

Fake Labubu Dolls Worth Millions Seized In London Raid Amid Growing Safety Fears

Published

2 days ago

August 3, 2025

Editor

Thousands of fake Labubu dolls believed to be worth millions of pounds have been seized at an industrial estate on the outskirts of London following a major crackdown led by Trading Standards and law enforcement agencies.

The operation, which followed weeks of investigation, traced the fake merchandise from a corner shop in Swansea, south Wales, to a warehouse complex in London.

Officers discovered rooms stacked floor-to-ceiling with fake goods, but it was the imitation Labubu dolls at the centre of a viral TikTok craze that drew the most concern.

The dolls, produced by popular toy company Pop Mart, have surged in global demand, with some genuine pieces retailing for up to £80. The popularity of the brand helped the company double its revenue to £1.33 billion last year, according to Forbes. However, authorities say the boom has also attracted criminal enterprises looking to profit from the trend through counterfeit production.

“The head comes off. The feet pull off. The eyes aren’t glued in,” said Rhys Harries, a Trading Standards officer, while examining one of the seized dolls. “These are clear choking hazards.”

Using a plastic tool modelled after a child’s throat, Harries demonstrated how easily parts of the fake dolls could become life-threatening. “These parts would get stuck and potentially cause choking,” he warned.

The scale of the operation was alarming. Border Force officials say they have intercepted hundreds of thousands of fake Labubu dolls at UK ports in recent months, with many traced back to manufacturers in China, Hong Kong, and Turkey.

In one case, a mother from Caerphilly, Jade, recounted how fake Labubu dolls she bought for her six-year-old son Harri’s birthday began falling apart within hours. “The hook came off and ended up in his mouth,” she said. “Luckily he was old enough to spit it out and tell me.”

Despite knowing the dolls were fakes, Jade said she bought them due to the high cost of the original ones and peer pressure from other children. She got the knock-offs for just over £10 each.

Authorities say the rush to cash in on the craze has led to the use of substandard and potentially dangerous materials, including toxic plastics. Kate Caffery, deputy director of intelligence and law enforcement at the UK’s Intellectual Property Office, said counterfeiting is the second most lucrative source of criminal income worldwide, after drug trafficking.

“There’s a complete disregard for safety,” Caffery said. “They’re made from anything from the inferior to the outright dangerous.”

TikTok collector and plush toy enthusiast Meg Goldberger, 27, said she struggled to find genuine dolls due to scalpers bulk-buying authentic stock and reselling them at inflated prices. “They sell out in seconds,” she said. “Some resellers are using bots to buy hundreds at once.”

Investigators found invoice books showing the dolls were destined for locations across the UK. Some of the seized dolls will be used as evidence, while the rest will be stored in a secure location before being recycled or destroyed.

Pop Mart has been contacted for comment on the counterfeit issue, which authorities say is now a national concern.

Headline

Young Catholics Converge On Rome For Pope Leo’s Vigil

Published

2 days ago

August 2, 2025

Editor

Thousands of young Catholics began assembling Saturday for an evening prayer vigil led by Pope Leo XIV, the culmination of a week-long pilgrimage and a key event in the Jubilee holy year that is expected to draw up to a million people.

The “Jubilee of Youth” — when the Vatican invites Catholics aged 18 to 35 to the seat of the global Church’s power — has seen young pilgrims from around the world flood Rome, waving flags, singing or praying in groups.

It comes nearly three months after Leo, 69, the first American pontiff, began his papacy, and 25 years after the last such massive youth gathering in Rome under Poland’s Pope John Paul II.

On Saturday morning, thousands of young pilgrims had already gathered at the vast open space in Rome’s eastern Tor Vergata neighbourhood where the pope will lead the vigil, the ground already dotted with blankets and mattresses.

Elsewhere in the Eternal City, numerous groups of young people were seen preparing to set off for the venue.

On the plaza outside the Basilica of St John Lateran, they filled water bottles, applied suncream and checked bags of food and snacks — ready to spend the next 24 hours surrounded by a swarm of people and then sleep under the stars.

Victoria Perez, who carried a Spanish flag, could not contain her excitement at seeing “the Pope up close.

“It’s the first time I’m going to see him, and I can’t wait,” the 21-year-old told AFP, excited to experience the “night of prayers under the stars”.

French pilgrim, Quentin Remaury, 26, said he had been inspired by the late Pope Francis’s rousing message to youth during a 2016 visit to Krakow, Poland.

“Pope Francis told us to ‘get off your couches,’ and that really gave me a boost,” he said.

– ‘What is his message?’ –

Since the youth jubilee began on Monday, attendees have participated in various Church-planned events throughout the city.

On Friday, approximately 1,000 priests were on hand to take confession at Circus Maximus, one of Rome’s top tourist spots.

Some 200 white gazebos lined the hippodrome where chariot races were once held, and youths lined up to speak to priests in 10 different languages.

Of the many languages heard on the streets of the Italian capital this week, Spanish seemed to dominate. The Vatican has said that more than 146 countries were represented, and it expects up to a million people to attend the vigil.

The pilgrimage is taking place as economic uncertainty and anxiety over climate change rise among the under-30s, with many saying they were curious to hear the Church’s position on global warming, wars and economic inequalities.

Samarei Semos, 29, said she had travelled three days from her native Belize to get to Rome.

“We are still trying to understand his leadership,” she said of the new pope, adding she hoped he would have a strong say about “third world countries”.

As Parisian student Alice Berry exclaimed, “What does he have to say to us? What is his message for young people?”

– Raising voices –

The youth pilgrimage also comes amid global alarm over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and more than three years of war in Ukraine.

The Vatican has praised young Catholics who managed to travel to Rome from war-scarred countries, with Pope Leo saying the voices of the world’s youth “will be heard to the end of the earth”.

In an unprecedented move, Leo hosted a mass on Tuesday for Catholic social media influencers, signalling the Vatican’s openness to supporting the Internet-savvy youth.

More than 4,300 volunteers will be working the event to welcome the young pilgrims, along with over 1,000 police, according to organisers.

Roman authorities have tightened security in the city — which has seen an unprecedented number of people, with both tourists and pilgrims inundating the city.

AFP