News

Reactions As Fubara Nullifies Wike’s Recruitment Into Rivers Varsity

Published

2 years ago

July 22, 2023

Governor Siminialayi Fubara cancellation of recent recruitment concluded by his predecessor, Chief Nyesom Wike, into Rivers state owned Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Port Harcourt, has thrown over 1700 affected staff in disarray and stakeholders are reacting to it.

Fubara’s administration in a statement by the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Prince Chinedu Mmom announced the cancellation, citing irregularities and disobedience to directives by management of the varsity.

The statement read, “The Government of Rivers State has observed with dismay, the inconsistencies/irregularities and flagrant disobedience to the directives concerning just concluded recruitment exercise at the IAUE, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt.

“Therefore, the recent employment exercise conducted by the management of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt is hereby cancelled.

“All appointment letters issued and received are hereby nullified and affected persons directed to return the letters to office of the Registrar of the institution, other employment related properties such as ID Cards in their possession to office of the Head of Service, Rivers State immediately.

“A proper and credible recruitment exercise shall be conducted in due course.”

Stakeholders react

Enerfaa Georgewill, Chairman, Rivers Civil Society Organisations, RIVSCO, said, “For us in the civil society space, we are vindicated to the extent of the irregularities cited by the government. We agree with those who say the process should be reviewed.

“The incumbent governor merely echoed what we said at the time of the exercise. Rivers people cannot forget we raised the red flag promptly enough over the impunity of nepotism, favouritism and the flawed processes on the employment at the time.

“It happened first at the Rivers State University (RSU) and government kept deaf ears to the alarm raised before same happened at the IAUE. Nothing to cheer about the government just waking up from her slumber now.

“We are however opposed to sweeping termination of appointments by fiat. We believe a committee of competent persons should be empaneled to review the process. Those with genuine qualifications should have their employment ratified and those who fall short done away with.”

Darlington Nwauju, Spokesman, All Progressives Congress in Rivers said, “The cancellation of the recruitment at IAUE is a confirmation of the deceit we have always warned Rivers people about.

“Now, in one breath, you claim to be consolidating and in another breath, you choose to discontinue and discredit, meaning consolidation was trumpeted in order to hoodwink Rivers people.

“In a state where the unemployment rate is high up there, one can only imagine what becomes of those who got these jobs on merit outside of political or ethnic considerations.”

Zik Gbemre, Coordinator, Niger Delta Peace Coalition, said, “It’s a bold move. However, aside the impunity in unilaterally nullifying the entire process at the detriment of those who may have earned their employment genuinely, why punish the innocent and turn blind eye on the real offender?

“The school management which the state government accused of irregularities and disobedience to directives is the real offender here. They should be the first to be sanctioned and we didn’t find that in the government statement.

“Besides, even Wike should have questions to answer. If there were irregularities, the former governor, authorised it, because he approved the recruitment in defiance of alarm raised by stakeholders over the irregularities.

“We hope he (Fubara) reviews the process in fairness to those who may have merited their employment. We are talking about throwing persons already engaged for months back into joblessness.”

One issue, the government fiat is coming with a new Vice Chancellor (VC), Okechukwu Onuchukwu, at the helms of the IAUE. Prof Ozo-Mekuri Ndimele under whose administration the recruitment was done had exited office after serving out his tenure.

The development has seen the incumbent VC come under heavy knocks for allegedly instigating the said nullification of the employment.

“He had followed up the government’s directive last swiftly with sack of Deputy Registrar, Establishment of the institution, Emmanuel Kalagbor and Deputy Director, ICT, Emmanuel Aburutou.”

But this disposition has seemed ironical because one of the major talking points on this saga has been that some of the irregularities cited by government happened under the current VC.

Dismissing some of these claims in a statement signed by the Deputy Registrar/Public Relations, Ngozi Okiridu, the IAUE said, “It is not true staff hired by the immediate past VC Prof Ozo-Mekuri Ndimele were fired as soon as Prof Onuchuku came on board.

“Over 85% of those employed by Prof Ozo-Mekuri Ndimele are still at the university. Universities like any other institutions, organizations, agencies are guided by laws, rules and regulations and IAUE is not an exception.”

The affected, working without pay for the past eight months, were about being paid the backlog of salaries when the government announced the cancellation of their appointment.

News

FG Selects 12 Varsities For Electric Vehicle Production

Published

8 hours ago

June 7, 2025

Editor

As part of the First Nigeria Policy of the President Bola Tinubu administration, the Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mr Oluwemimo Osanipin, has disclosed that twelve universities have been selected for electric car manufacturing.

The twelve universities, comprising two from each geopolitical zone of the country, according to the DG, will be financed by the Bank of Industry and other key financial institutions.

Mr Osanipin made the disclosure in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, during a stakeholders’ engagement with the Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria (AMDON) and the Nigeria Automotive Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (NAMA).

The theme of the engagement was “Import of Used Cars and Dealership Regulation in Nigeria.”

He stated that Nigeria was also committed to component and parts manufacturing as part of its preparation for the production of Made-in-Nigeria vehicles and in fulfilment of the First Nigeria Policy.

According to him, the country is on its way to achieving 100% locally made electric vehicles, adding that the federal government has already built stations in ten of the universities in readiness for the project’s takeoff.

He said, “When I came in, one of the major initiatives I pushed for was component development, but let me state here that no country, no company, no OEM manufactures its own vehicle entirely.

For example, the company that manufactures Mercedes has suppliers who produce engines for them, but they handle the design and interior. Other suppliers produce bulbs and braking systems. No OEM manufactures all the components, but we are conscious of what happens after sales.

Apart from producing parts to service vehicle production, you produce more parts to service after-sales because, let’s say annual production is 500,000, but the vehicles you service on the road amount to about 18 million. What this means is that we need to produce more parts.

That’s why we are pushing for components and parts production. As of today, we are expanding. We have identified the components that we can manufacture with comparative advantage and lower cost, such as plastic parts, which can be derived from petroleum by-products.

There are many things that we can produce here in Nigeria. We are working with major assemblers. In terms of design, we have initiated a programme involving twelve universities, two from each geopolitical zone, to design what we call the University Shuttle Bus, which will be 100% electric.

It will be designed in Nigeria, and most of the parts will be sourced locally. We are working on it. When the universities complete the design, we will collaborate with assemblers and vehicle manufacturers and seek financial support from institutions such as the Bank of Industry and other financial entities to enable production.

Gradually, we are progressing towards fully designed and manufactured electric vehicles in Nigeria. In preparation for this, we have started building charging stations in several universities, and in the next few months, we will cover no fewer than ten universities.

By the time we complete this, we will have built some foundational infrastructure. Gradually, we are shaping the future and advancing component parts production.”

News

Why I’m Yet To Visit Ooni Of Ife — Alaafin Of Oyo

Published

8 hours ago

June 7, 2025

Editor

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, has explained why he has not yet visited the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, clarifying that the delay is due to scheduling and not any disagreement between them.

Oba Owoade’s recent visit to the Oluwo of Iwo sparked widespread speculation on social media, with many interpreting the gesture as a snub to the Ooni of Ife.

The speculation intensified following comments from the Oluwo, who asserted that the Alaafin holds superiority over all traditional rulers in Yorubaland, sparking talk of tension between the two monarchs.

In a viral video circulating online, the Alaafin addressed the matter directly, clarifying that there was no conflict between him and the Ooni. He explained that a visit to the Ooni had been planned but had to be postponed.

Speaking in Yoruba language, he said, “It is not something you hide. Before we made all preparations for this journey, one of the kings I intended to visit was the Ooni of Ife.

“I informed my PA and Chief of Staff earlier to know when we would visit him, and his PAs were also contacted before we were informed he went to Kazakhstan.”

“People who do not know about this are the ones spreading rumours on the internet. I have no rift with the Ooni. There was even a time I was with the Soun (of Ogbomoso), and we both spoke with the Ooni on the phone.”

The monarch, however, called on the public to ignore the unfounded rumours, describing them as baseless and the work of mischief makers.

This is coming few weeks after Oba Owoade addressed controversy sparked by a viral video showing him seated while greeting the Ooni at a public event hosted by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in Ibadan.

Tribune Online reports that the footage captured the moment the Ooni arrived, prompting other monarchs to rise and exchange greetings, while the Alaafin remained seated.

Responding through a statement issued by his Personal Assistant, Kolade Oladele, the Alaafin dismissed the online reactions as a deliberate attempt by bloggers and commentators to sow discord between Yoruba traditional rulers.

He described the controversy as a distraction from pressing issues such as insecurity, economic hardship, and youth development.

He also reaffirmed his deep respect for the Ooni of Ife and all custodians of Yoruba tradition, stressing his commitment to inter-royal collaboration as a foundation for peace, unity, and progress in Yorubaland.

News

8 Phones With The Best Batteries In 2025

Published

9 hours ago

June 7, 2025

Editor

Finding a smartphone that can truly last all day and beyond remains a top priority for many consumers in 2025.

According to Phone Arena and GSMArena, here are some smartphones that offer exceptional battery life, ensuring you stay connected longer without frequent charging.

Contents
1. Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro
2. OnePlus 13
3. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
4. iPhone 16 Pro Max
5. Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra
6. Samsung Galaxy S25+
7. Apple iPhone 16 Plus
8. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

1. Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro

The Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro is a powerhouse designed for gamers and heavy users. It features a massive 5,800mAh battery. Based on standardised tests, it can last around 18 hours 25 minutes of web browsing, 12 hours 41 minutes of video streaming, and 13 hours 41 minutes of gaming. This phone ensures you can game, stream, and browse without worrying about running out of power.

2. OnePlus 13

OnePlus 13 features a 6,000mAh silicon carbide battery, providing a remarkable battery life. Based on standardized tests, it can last around 21 hours 34 minutes of web browsing, 9 hours 12 minutes of video streaming, and 8 hours 12 minutes of gaming. Its efficient Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and fast charging capabilities (80W wired and 50W wireless) make it a top choice for users seeking longevity and performance.

3. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with a 5,000mAh battery, offering up to 20 hours 49 minutes for browsing, and 8 hours 54 minutes for streaming videos and 14 hours 21 minutes. It charges to 100% in about 59 minutes with its 45W wired charger.

4. iPhone 16 Pro Max

Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro Max features a 4,685mAh battery, offering up to 22 hours 39 minutes for browsing, 10 hours 24 minutes for videos, and 12 hours 4 minutes for gaming. Its A18 Bionic chip and iOS optimization contribute to its impressive battery efficiency.

5. Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra

The Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra features a 5,500 mAh battery, delivering exceptional longevity. In battery endurance tests, it achieved an impressive 16 hours 16 minutes for browsing, 12 hours 30 minutes for videos, and 14 hours 18 minutes for gaming, placing it among the top performers in battery life. Additionally, it supports 65W wired charging, allowing for rapid recharging.

6. Samsung Galaxy S25+

Equipped with a 4,900 mAh battery, the Samsung Galaxy S25+ offers commendable battery performance. In testing, it provided 19 hours and 4 minutes of web browsing, 8 hours, 15 minutes of video playback and 13 hours and 31 minutes of gaming. The device also supports 45W wired charging, enabling a 70% charge in just 30 minutes.

7. Apple iPhone 16 Plus

The iPhone 16 Plus is renowned for its outstanding battery life. It features a 4,674 mAh battery, making it one of the best-performing iPhones in terms of battery endurance. Users can expect over 18 hours 5 minutes of video playback, 18 hours 5 minutes of web browsing, and 10 hours 32 minutes. It supports fast charging, reaching 50% in 30 minutes with a compatible 20W charger.

8. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is the only Google Pixel phone on this list of phones with exceptional batteries. It features a 5,060 mAh battery. In battery tests, it achieved 18 hours 52 minutes of web browsing, 9 hours 24 minutes of video playback, and 10 hours 4 minutes of gaming. The device also supports 37W wired charging, reaching 63% in 30 minutes, and 15W wireless charging, ensuring users spend less time tethered to a charger.

When selecting a smartphone, battery life is a key consideration. These phones are leading the way in 2025 with exceptional battery performance to keep you connected throughout the day.