AMERICA embassy in Nigeria is really becoming quite involved in the education sector in the country. A number of its agencies and activities geared to enhance education or awareness are either being funded or due for commission before the end of the year.

PROJECT director of the Community Resource Centre of the United States Education for Development and Democracy Initiative (EDDI) in Nigeria, Renee Yanssanah, has ruled out the siting of more resource centres aside from the existing ones located in the six geopolitical zone of the country.

Explaining the activities of the centres to bridge the digital gap in Nigeria at the public affairs section of the of the consulate-general in Lagos on Tuesday the activities and support given so far by the state governments in the selected zones to facilitate education development through information technology.

The CRC zones in the country are Abuja (North Central), Bauchi (North East), Kaduna (North West), Enugu (South East), Calabar (South South) and Abeokuta (South West).

According to Yanssanah, Lagos was not selected despite the population because of its access already to many resource centres.

She said the Abuja and Bauchi centres are already opened to the public and the remaining four due for commission before the end of the year for public use would soon have separate Boards to ensure their viability and durability.

Noting that the method of staff selection is open and highly competitive with series of tests including the use of computers, Yanssanah said more resource centres would not be opened in the country except government decides to replicate their activities in other parts of the states.

"EDDI is an African-led development programme (with emphasis on girls and women) concentrating on improving the quality of and access to education, enhancing the availability of technology, and increasing citizen participation in government to accelerate Africa's integration into the world community of free-market democracies," she said.

According to her, the centres are opened to all able and disabled citizen to avail themselves the opportunities abound in IT education.

EDDI was launched in 1998 as a U.S. commitment to strengthen African educational systems, to provide access to education and technology, to promote greater citizen involvement in governance, and to facilitate Africa's integration into the world community of free market democracies.

It operates through an U.S. Government inter-agency working group that includes the state departments, departments of education and agricultural, the agency for international development (USAID) and Peace Corps. It reports directly to the National Security Council.

In 1999, the U.S. Designated Nigeria as one of the four focus countries in the world and funds were provided to support several programmes in the country which are supervised by the U.S. mission.

Already EDDI mission is being accomplished through partnerships in 38 countries throughout Africa."

Over $9 million has been allocated for the CRC (housing $4.5 million and the rest amount for the ambassador's girls Scholarship Programme (AGSP), Literary Enhancement Assistance Programme (LEAP), Fund for Civic Education FCEN, Nigerian -American Information Initiative (NAII), University Innovation Initiative Fund (UIIF), Industrial Relations Partnership Initiative, School-to-School Partnership and Book donations.

The CRC according to Yanssanah in each geo-political zone of the country was built into existing institutions "to facilitate access to information technology and educational services and skills training to communities."

It works in partnership with host state to provide the following services:

• Renovation of the building

• Making building wheelchair accessible

• Upgrading electrical wiring

• Installation of new/rebuilt generator

• Installation of air conditioners

• Ensuring adequate water supply

• Landscape grounds

  Explaining the activities of EDDI, she said the CRC's features comprise computer workstations, high speed Internet access, video conferencing, business centre, classrooms, conference room and reference library. They multi-purpose CRCs help bring the benefits of modern information technologies to a broad spectrum of educational activities. They provide the surrounding communities with access to education, training, skills development and technology. They can also serve as focal points for community-sponsored activities in such vital areas as HIV/AIDS education, adult literacy programmes, business development, local governance and civic education and women's advocacy programmes.

  In addition, Yanssanah said all of the CRCs have special facilities for the physically disabled.

  On the ambassadors girls scholarship programme she said EDDI fund assists the most disadvantage of girls, particularly those who are handicapped or orphaned by HIVAIDS. The scholarships pay schools fees and other costs related to the education of the recipients and are being complemented by a monitoring programme to provide encouragement and life skills training to the girls. The scholarship programmes presently are being launched in 12 of the 36 states in the country.

  The public affairs section of the embassy manage four grant programmes which complement their core activities. The find for civic education in Nigeria (FCEN) provides grants to develop civic education curriculum. The Nigerian-American Information Initiative (NAII) assists the government and non-governmental organisation, the National Assembly, and the universities to develop information and Internet models. The University Innovation Initiative Fund (UIIF) provides grants on a matching-find basis to universities to undertake administrative or curricular reform while the Industrial Relations Partnership Initiative Supports exchange and partnership between Nigerian and American education institutions based on industrial relations.

  EDDI according to Yanssanah equally assists the LEAP (Implemented by USAID) in in-service training of teachers in literary and using interactive radio instruction. Quranic girl's schools are a specially focused to avail moslem girls access to quality education. LEAP she noted engages community groups in order to increase their participation in primary education.

  On school to school partnership the CRC co-ordinator said the partnership "supports and exchanges between students and educators in Africa and the U.S." According to her, a secondary school in Borno State and another in the Washington are exploring these partnerships as they share information as variety of subjects including classroom instruction, curriculum reform and the role of technology in the learning process.

100 JAILED FOR FORGING NIGERIAN PASSPORTS

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12 VICE-CHANCELLORS TO UNDERSTUDY U.S. VARSITY SYSTEM

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Date Added: Tuesday, September 16th, 2003
Contributed by: RCN Administrator

12 vice-chancellors to understudy U.S. varsity system
From Mohammed Abubakar, Abuja

SOME key players in Nigeria's university system are to visit the United States (U.S.) next week to understudy the country's university management pattern.

The 13-member team will be led by the National Universities Commission (NUC), Executive Secretary, Prof. Peter Okebukola and comprises of 12 vice-chancellors from some Federal universities.

Most of the vice-chancellors in the team are those recently appointed by the Federal Government.

Under the name Voluntary Visitor Programme, the 14-day trip is one of the U.S. State Department's diplomatic tools to enhance other countries' understanding of its current and future policies.

Each year, more than 4,400 visitors around the world participate in the programme. Some undertake individual programmes while others come under the single-country, regional or multi regional group projects.

This year's programme has as its theme: "University planning, administration and management."

The Nigerian team will visit three key institutions in three cities and is expected to gain insight into the overall administration and management practices of higher institutions in the U.S. The officials will also meet senior U.S. officials and individuals directly involved in the running of university education in the country.

The Guardian at the weekend learnt that the trip had been endorsed by the Presidency, which reportedly directed the team to woo Nigerian academia back home to contribute to the country's educational development.

The Presidency is said to be encouraged by the on-going moves by Nigerian health professionals abroad to return home and establish first class health institutions.

The objectives of the trip as outlined by the State Department are to:

• examine the U.S. system of higher education, its structure, administration and support services;

• explore the needs and responsibilities of higher education and its changing relationship with industry and other elements of society; and

• study the financial challenges confronting institutions, faculty and students as well as the support provided by the alumni associations, corporate organisations and government.

  The programme will take the team to regions of U.S. cultural and social diversity and hospitality will be on display.

  From September 20 to 25, the team will visit Washington DC where it will look at the sub-theme "Examining the U.S. System of Higher Education".

  Between September 25 and 30, it will be at Salt Lake City, Utah where it will study "University funding and budget accountability".

  At Baton Ronge, Louisana, the university administrators will examine the "Strategic Planning and Management" from September 30 to October 3.

  A Presidency source said that the Ministry of Education had been directed to do everything possible to attract both expatriate and Nigerian professionals through the officials to the country.

  Okebukola, who confirmed the directive, said that the NUC would ensure its full implementation. He added that before the order, the commission had in place an expatriate quota to attract foreigners into various Nigeria universities.

  "We are not strong in terms of quality and quantity in academic staffers, so we believe that the scheme would attract academics who are Nigerians in other parts of the world."

  The vice-chancellors are Prof. Israel Adu, (University of Agriculture, Abeokuta); Prof. James Ayatse, (University of Agriculture, Makurdi); Prof. Hamman Tukur Sa'ad, (Federal University of Technology, Minna); Prof. Ivara Esu (University of Calabar); Prof. Peter O. Adeniyi (Federal University of Technology, Akure).

  Others are Prof. Shamsudeen Amali, (University of Ilorin); O.O. Onwudike, (Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike); Oye Ibidapo Obe (University of Lagos); J.E. Njoku (Federal University of Technology, Owerri); Akpan Ekpo, (University of Uyo); Monday Mangvwat, (University of Jos) and Nimi Briggs (University of Port Harcourt).

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LIVE TV COVERAGE FOR NIGERIA SATELLITE LAUNCH

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Date Added: Tuesday, September 16th, 2003
Contributed by: RCN Administrator

Live TV Coverage for Nigeria Satellite Launch
By Ndubuisi Francis

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The Nigerian Television Authority(NTA) is to give live coverage to the launch of Nigeria's first earth observation satellite, otherwise known as "NigeriaSat-1" which is billed for September 26 in Russia.

The satellite project started in November 2001 through a collaborative approach between the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) and the Surrey Space Centre in England.

A statement issued weekend by the Managing Director of Steve Rachael & Associates, Mr. Kayode Olaniyan on behalf of the project managers, said his company would in collaboratoin with NTA televised live the launching of the satellite.

The project involves indepth know-how technology transfer training to Nigeria through the design, construction, test, launch and orbital operation of Nigeria's advanced microsatellite(NigeriaSat-1) by a joint team of engineers and scientists from Nigeria and Surrey.

The Nigerian team, THISDAY gathered, has already acquired the necessary know-how, skills and experience to design and build future microsatellites in Nigeria for the nation's social and economic development, as well as the enhancement of national security and leadership role in Africa.

The satellite project was initiated in 1999 as a low earth orbit microsatellite for disaster monitoring and was built by 15 Nigerian engineers with technical input from the University of Surrey(Surrey Satellite Technology).

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GAY BISHOP CONTROVERSY, AKINOLA MAY BE BARRED FROM BRITAIN

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Date Added: Monday, September 15th, 2003
Contributed by: RCN Administrator

Gay Bishop Controversy, Akinola May Be Barred From Britain
BY DICKSON ADEYANJU

THE Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement in Britain may have commenced a campaign aimed at banning Most Rev. Peter Jasper Akinola, the Primate of All Nigeria Anglican Communion, from entering Britain.

Specifically, the group wants to stop him from participating at next month's meeting of the Anglican Primates called by the Archbishop of Canterbury and head of the estimated 70 million Anglicans worldwide, Most Rev. Rowan Williams, at the Lambeth Palace, to discuss the gay crisis, which has divided the Church.

The move to ban Akinola, according to sources, is as a result of his open criticism and condemnation of the ordination of gays as priests and a bishop of the Anglican Communion.

The gay movement has sent a letter to Britain's Home Secretary, Mr. David Blunkett, asking that Primate Akinola be stopped from coming to Britain because he might incite hatred towards homosexual people.

Akinola, who is leading the most populous Anglican population in the world with membership close to 18 million, has been one of the strongest voices against the liberal tide, opposing the blessing of same sex unions in Canada and the appointment of a practicing homosexual as a bishop in America.

The secretary of the gay movement, Rev. Richard Kirker believed that there are many examples of language used by Archbishop Akinola that could be viewed as promoting hatred towards homosexuals.

The office of Primate Akinola confirmed the development at the weekend, saying that the group hoped to be successful in their campaign.

"The fundamentalist movement has a number of backers within the Labour Party and Kirker remains hopeful that he will be successful in his bid to stop the Primate from going to Britain. Last year, in a high profile case, the Nation of Islam leader Loius Farrakhan was barred from Britain," Akinola's office said.

It however, added that a Home Office spokesman said that they were inundated with people trying to block others from access to Britain.

Homosexuals have been upset by the traditional stance taken by Akinola over the appointment of gays as priests. It will be a significant breakthrough for them if they are able to prevent one of the leading critics of the new development from attending the October submit.

In August, a Ugandan priest was rough-handled and almost beaten in a street in Britain by those who were sympathetic to the gay movement and who regard any priest from Africa as against them.

Meanwhile, a group called 'Anglican Evangelicals,' the biggest gathering of British religious movement, is to meet in Blackpool this month, to discuss strategy in dealing with the Church of England's crisis.

Hard-line evangelicals including Wallance Benn, Bishop of Lewes and Peter Jensen, Bishop of Sydney, who have been outspoken in opposition to the appointment of gay bishops, will be among high profile participants at the meeting.

The meeting will come up three weeks before the October summit where all the 38 Primates of the Anglican Communion worldwide, will gather to respond to the 'homosexual crisis.'

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TIDJANI, CROSS BORDER, KINGPIN ARRIVES IN ABUJA

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Date Added: Monday, September 15th, 2003
Contributed by: RCN Administrator

Tidjani, Cross Border, Kingpin Arrives In Abuja
BY TUNDE FATUNDE (COTONOU) AND EMMA EKE (LAGOS)

NIGERIAN security operatives, led by the Inspector General of Police Tafa Balogun, officially took over the custody of Hammani Tidjani, the notorious crime kingpin whose cross border robbery spans Nigeria, Benin Republic and Burkina Faso.

Hammani arrived Abuja for further questioning Friday night. He was arrested in his hotel hideout in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso capital, with three other suspected members of his gang, according to a police source.

"It was a commitment made by the security operatives of the three affected countries after the closure of the Nigeria-Benin Republic border last month and the surveillance team recorded success on Thursday," the source said.

An aide to Mr. Chris Olakpe, the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) told The Guardian that because of finishing touches to the hand over ceremony, the FPRO could not answer telephone interviews.

But he said that the officers of Interpol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were involved in the meeting.

Mr. Young Arebamen, Lagos State Police Commissioner, in a phone interview, confirmed that the party that went to Benin Republic to receive the notorious robber "arrived in Abuja last night (Friday night) but the case is being handled at the Force Headquarters."

To him, with such breakthrough, Nigerians can now breath a sigh of relief, as the police no longer have to contend with internationally induced armed robberies.

The team arrived in Abuja very late in the night, citing security reasons for such. It was learnt that not less than 15 assorted luxury cars, ranging from Jeep to Mercedes convertibles, were found within the operational base of Tidjani.

The news of his arrest reportedly threw Cotonou and other major cities in Benin Republic and Burkina Faso into instant jubilation as residents who had been weary of the heartless robber and his gang danced openly in the streets.

To avoid his men being put at alert, police officials said that the convoy that conveyed him to Benin Republic and finally to Abuja adopted security measures, including avoiding the use of siren.

The Federal Government was said to have volunteered to sponsor the cost of tracking down the kingpin, which was said to have run into millions of dollars, after the meeting between Kerekou, the Beninois President and President Olusegun Obasanjo.

But a presidency source said that given the loss of lives and materials incurred by the country through armed robbery incidents carried out by Tidjani and his men across West Africa, no amount would be too much to be spent so long as there is a positive result.

The 32-year-old Tidjani took off from Benin Republic last month when that country's government set up a team of military detectives to track him and another notorious armed robber from Niger, said to be his partner in crime.

From the surveillance report, Tidjani, who controlled not less than 15 armed robbery gangs, hails from Niger Republic, though unconfirmed reports said he had spent some years in Nigeria before relocating to Cotonou.

Also, 80 per cent of the cars allegedly found with foreign numberplates, some with diplomatic numbers, were snatched from major Nigerian cities, including Lagos and its environs.

Meanwhile, Beninois detectives led by a military intelligence officers, had undertaken searches of the residence of top government functionaries in order to recover expensive flashy cars snatched at gun points in various cities of Nigeria by Tidjani's gang and sold to them at give away prices.

Some of the searches had yielded positive results. According to the latest edition of L'INDEPENDENT, a weekly magazine, published in Cotonou, Benin's economic capital, some of the stolen cars had been retrieved from some of these officials.

Two stolen luxury cars were recovered from the residence of Pierre Osho, the Deputy Defence Minister and another vehicle from Herve Kerekou, son of President Mathieu Kerekou.

This weekly magazine further stated that Tidjani sold stolen cars from Nigeria to Eustache Akpovi, a legislator, Desire Vodonou, member, National House of Assembly and Lambert Dagba, a businessman.

Diplomatic sources revealed that many more of these cars had been retrieved from some top security and civilian officials in Cotonou, Parakou and Porto-.

These startling discoveries by the military detectives have profoundly shocked Kerekou, who reportedly wondered privately the extent to which some of his close aides are associated with Hammani Tidjani.

"It was the catalogues of crimes committed by Hammani Tidjani and presented to General Mathieu Kerekou by President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria that opened the eyes of Kerekou to the level of corruption within the country's security apparatus.

"This mainly explains why for so many years Tidjani was treated with kid gloves and given red carpet treatment in highly influential social circles. I am very confident that Kerekou will get to the bottom of this Mafia controlled crime", declared an African diplomat, who pleaded for anonymity.

Reliable sources indicate that these military detectives had commenced investigations into the sources of some of the luxury cars with diplomatic plate numbers from Niger Embassy in Cotonou.

Tidjani, who is from Niger Republic allegedly "sold" stolen cars to embassy officials only to later retrieve and sell them off to "unsuspected and gullible buyers" in retrun for a handsome handshake to these embassy officials from maestro Hammani Tidjani.

The search for this international car snatcher has, so far not yielded the expected results. Unconfirmed reports earlier indicated that he might have fled, with the complicity of some security officials, to either Togo or Burkina Faso.

And President Mathieu Kerekou had reportedly sent special envoys to his Togolese and Burkina Faso counterparts, urging them to apprehend and extradite Hammani Tidjani whenever he set his feet on their territories.

In Cotonou, there are unconfirmed reports that Kerekou is in the process of reorganising the country's security apparatus with a view to removing corrupt elements who had soiled the name of the country, that was recently reported to be one of the few non-corruptible security organisations in West Africa.

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NIGERIA BARS MUGABE FROM C’WEALTH SUMMIT

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Date Added: Tuesday, September 9th, 2003
Contributed by: RCN Administrator

Daily Independent Online.        * Tuesday, September 9, 2003.

Nigeria bars Mugabe from C'Wealth summit

By Onyekachi Eze, Abuja

Nigeria, host of the December Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), has told fellow commonwealth country, Zimbabwe, to stay away from the meeting to avoid a boycott by other member states.

The declaration came after feelers that the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II, who is the Head of the Commonwealth and Great Britain, and who, by tradition, officially opens all Commonwealth of nations' summits, threatened to boycott Abuja Commonwealth summit if Zimbabwe is in attendance. Diplomatic sources have it that the summit may not hold if the Queen fails to attend. Indications are that the permanent head of the organisation of former British colonies worldwide may not come to Abuja if President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe attends.

Zimbabwe was suspended during the Canbera meeting in 2001 from the Commonwealth as a result of Mugabe's forcible seizure of white farmlands and property in his country without due compensation.

Zimbabwe gained independence from Britain in 1980.

President Obasanjo of Nigeria, Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, and the Australian Prime Minister, Mr John Howard were mandated to look into the matter.

The Head of Media and Publicity Sub-Committee of the National Task Force of Abuja CHOGM, Otunba Segun Runsewe, told reporters in Abuja yesterday that Nigeria is not ready to compromise the successful hosting of the summit and will not allow Mugabe's presence to open the floodgates of boycotts by members.

"Nigeria cannot be greater than the rest of the Commonwealth. Nigeria had the same problem Zimbabwe now contends with in the past. Zimbabwe can therefore wait until it complies with the conditions," Runsewe stated.

He disclosed that delegates from Commonwealth member countries on advance visit to inspect facilities on the ground for the meeting have given Nigeria a pass mark for the preparations.

He said the media centre, equipped with state-of-the-art gadgets, would be ready in early November. The centre, Runsewe said, would have 250 internet points with three internet back up vehicles and three live interview rooms.

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50 WHITE ZIMBABWEAN FARMERS ARRIVE KWARA TODAY

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Date Added: Tuesday, September 9th, 2003
Contributed by: RCN Administrator

50 white Zimbabwean farmers arrive Kwara today
From Abiodun Fagbemi, Ilorin

ABOUT 50 white Zimbabwean farmers are expected today in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, with a view to finding a new haven for their occupation following disagreement with their country's president, Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe confiscated the white farmers' land believed to have been wrongly acquired in pre-independent Zimbabwe.

Kwara State Information and Home Affairs Commissioner, Mr. Raheem Adedoyin, disclosed at the weekend in Ilorin that the farmers would hold talks with top government officials in the state, including Governor Bukola Saraki.

The one-week visit will afford the farmers the opportunities of visiting farm sites in all the three senatorial districts of the state.

According to Adedoyin, Saraki is delighted at the farmers' visit, stressing that the state would benefit from the huge resources, international finance and high-tech equipment available to the displaced farmers.

Adedoyin added: "The Zimbabwean farmers' visit to Kwara State is consolidating the programmes of Saraki's administration of strategic investment in the key sectors of the economy.

While lauding the government's back-to-land programme, designed for food security, employment opportunities and provision of raw materials for agro-allied industries, the commissioner said that the programme had led to the empowerment of 1,000 farmers.

The programme has led to the cultivation of 1,000 hectares of farmland planted with maize, cassava and rice.