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Why Parents must safeguard their wards against ‘poisonous’ online menu

When Mr. Omolaja Adebukola and his wife decided to buy Bimbo, their 14-year-old-daughter an Internet-enabled mobile smartphone, it was to enable her to communicate seamlessly with other members of the family, whenever the need arose.

 

According to Bimbo’s mother, the mobile phone was also to enable them (parents) to keep track of, or keep abreast of the movement of Bimbo and their other young daughters, as well as aid Bimbo in solving school assignments that required her going online for confirmations and verifications.

While all these purposes were well served, the teenager decided to deploy the gadget for other spine-chilling purposes. With the help of her like-minded classmates, she downloaded a decoy “calculator” app, which served as a “warehouse” for hordes of x-rated content that she downloaded from the Internet.

In her spare time, and when the coast was clear, she devoured the pornographic materials with gusto. This went on for a long while before an eye-eyed married woman in her residence spotted her during one of her binging sessions.

Upon threats of being reported to her father, Bimbo swiftly opened the pass-worded “calculator” to reveal a strong cache of x-rated movies and other creeping contents that were far from being age-appropriate.

Disturbed by the revelation, the neighbour reported Bimbo to her mother, who nearly jumped out of her skin over the shocking revelation. A further scrutiny of Bimbo’s browsing history revealed that she picked up the ugly pastime shortly after she was gifted the mobile handset.
Promptly, all the videos were deleted from her mobile phone, which was also seized from her as a punishment.

It was not the intent of Bimbo’s parents to damage their daughter’s innocence or expose her to an entire digital landscape where the good, the bad, and the ugly go on pari passu, but that was exactly what inadvertently happened.

Like the Adebukolas, a mother of three teenagers, who prefers to be identified as Mrs. Angela E.D. suffered the same fate after her 15-year-old daughter strayed into the arms of perverts online, who caused the young girl to go berserk and throw caution to the wind.

Angela, a businesswoman and an avid Internet user is deeply bothered by the epidemic that allowing children unfettered access to the Internet, by many parents has become, stressing that many of them may not be as lucky as she was in arresting the situation before it totally got out of hand.

 

“I know the value of Internet connectivity to both business and scholarship, so it was not a difficult thing to equip my children’s rooms with television and Internet-enabled computer sets to enhance their learning. Of course, I never suspected that things could go the way that they did until one of my daughters’ teachers started complaining that my eldest daughter was sleeping off during classes. The first thing that I did was to remove the television set from the room so that she could sleep well, but the problem persisted.

“Bent on getting to the root of the matter, I mounted a secret camera in the room. It was then that I found out that my daughter spends two to three hours averagely on the Internet, at night, chatting with her friends, young boys and men across the world. Upon tracing her digital footprints, I further found out that she was also watching x-rated clips daily. But the one that shocked me to the marrow was her sending her almost nude photos to at least one schoolmate, and two older fellows living abroad.”

According to her: “I nearly ran mad that my 15-year-old daughter could get so low. I immediately enlisted her for a therapy, where she was thoroughly debriefed. At home, she was dispossessed of digital devices and barred access to the Internet completely for a long while before being granted limited time under watchful eyes. I consider myself lucky that she was found out before she went completely haywire.”

Across the country, the growing incidents of young persons falling victim to trending cybercrimes, including online identity theft, cyberbullying, cyber-stalking, phishing, and even paedophiles and sex predators is reflective of parents’ increasing lack of awareness regarding the proliferation of these online crimes, which may not abate any time soon.

Burgeoning clan of children online
Eleven years after it passed seven million, the world population climbed to eight million on November 15, 2022. As of Friday, August 25, 2023, it officially stood at 8,056,340,308 according to the most recent United Nations estimates elaborated by Worldometer. Of this number, around 6.3 billion of people have an online presence, a sizable number being children.

According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), well over one billion children attended online classes during the outbreak of the dreaded Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), which occasioned lockdowns of schools, and most cities across the globe.

Since coming online, a good number of these schoolchildren and sundry young persons have not gone off cyberspace, nor do they intend to beat a retreat anytime soon principally because of the exciting features that cyberspace harbours.

While they savour the many benefits offered by the Internet because of their sheer exuberance and spirit of adventure, a sizeable part of them is not able to differentiate between what is beneficial, and what is harmful to them until it is sometimes a bit too late.

Matters are not helped by the fact that many Nigerian parents, guardians, caregivers, and teachers are bereft of appropriate skills and competencies to either shepherd their children effectively in the digital environment when they carry out their schoolwork or adequately support their digital practices and opportunities. Expectedly, the absence of appropriate checks, experts maintain, exposes them to risks like access to pornography, online grooming, and identity issues.

In a research work titled, “A Child-centered Study Of Teens’ Digital Life Worlds From a Nigerian Perspective,” Chikezie Uzuegbunam, explained: “Young people attach great relevance to digital technologies for schoolwork and quick access to general and specialised information and news – much more than they do with the old or legacy media and books. Digital technologies such as mobile phones are appropriated in the domestic setting as tools for childminding, child monitoring, and emergency control between and amongst Nigerian teens and their parents, guardians, and older relatives.

“Digital technologies such as mobile phones and the Internet support Nigerian teens in self-learning or informal learning. However, teens’ appropriation of technology for personal development and self-learning seems gendered and classed, as the use of digital technologies for this purpose is mainly by privileged male children in urban cities, much more than females and those who live in rural or even peri-urban areas.

“Nigerian teens’ social connectivity indicated that they rely extensively on the mobile phone and the mobile Internet to communicate, stay connected, share, and feel a part of a social group. Mobile phones provide a dependable means for seamless communication and accomplishment of communicative goals like making plans, asking for and offering help, and reducing the cost and stress of friendship. Furthermore, young people’s social connectivity is enhanced through social networks, mainly Facebook, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram. The importance of social connection is such that social media is a decisive factor for children’s happiness, relief from stress and boredom, and for managing their mental health,” he submitted.

Uzuegbunam findings were corroborated by the 2020 Child Online Safety Index report, which noted that Nigerian children were on the verge of addiction disorder as their screen time rose to 10 hours, and that most of them are active on WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

The safety index report further revealed that Nigerian children spend an unduly long time engaged in digital technology daily through watching television, playing video games, or surfing the Internet. The Nigerian child on average can amass screen time for lengths of up to three hours per day. In extreme cases, some of them clock up to 10 hours or more screen time per day indicating higher levels of disordered use of technology among them.

That report placed the country sixth from the bottom of the list of 30 peer countries.
The rating is based on four indices – the severity of gaming disorder symptoms; the percentage of children at risk of gaming disorder; the severity of social media disorder symptoms, and the percentage of children at risk for social media disorder.

Embrace benefits of technology, protect children’s innocence.
Senior lecturer, and educational psychologist at the University of Calabar, Dr. Achi Ndifon Bekomson, is worried by the addictive nature of smartphones and the negative impact of excessive screen time on physical health and academic performance of children. She, therefore, says that while there is a need to embrace technology, children’s innocence must also be preserved.

According to her: “As a parent, my primary concern is the safety, and well-being of my children. In today’s digital age, I believe it’s crucial to strike a balance between providing access to technology and protecting the innocence of our children. While smartphones and Internet-enabled devices offer numerous benefits, such as access to information and improved communication, they also come with significant risks. I’ve chosen not to provide my 10-year-old child with an Android phone for several reasons. First and foremost, I’m concerned about the potential dangers associated with unrestricted access to the Internet. The online world contains a vast array of content, some of which may not be suitable for a teenager’s age and maturity level. I want to shield my child from exposure to explicit or harmful material that he might stumble upon unintentionally. So, I provided a landline for communication and a laptop that I control for his academic work. By limiting their access to a laptop for specific purposes, I can encourage a healthier balance between screen time and other activities.

“Another concern is the prevalence of social media and the risk of cyber-bullying. Social platforms can be breeding grounds for negativity and harmful behaviours, and I want to protect my children from such experiences until they are better equipped to handle them emotionally. Privacy is also a significant concern. Adolescents may not fully grasp the importance of safeguarding personal information online, potentially putting themselves at risk. By providing a landline for calls and a laptop for reading and research, I can monitor and guide their online activities more effectively,” she said.

Bekomson

Harping on the dangers of leaving children unchecked on the Internet, Bekomson, a psychological counselor said such a decision is fraught with a high dose of danger, including exposing them to risky and harmful content and information or discussions around drugs, self-harm, promiscuity, and other sensitive topics. “The degree of risk can vary based on the child’s age, maturity, and the specific websites or platforms that they access. An overview of the risks includes access to harmful content on sites that promote or glamorise harmful behaviours, including drug use, self-harm, or risky sexual activities.

Exposure to such content may normalize these behaviors in a child’s mind, leading to potential experimentation or misunderstanding of real-world consequences. Content related to self-harm or suicide can be distressing and may negatively affect a child’s mental health, potentially leading to harmful thoughts or actions. Additionally, children left unchecked on the internet can share personal information that could put them at risk of being targeted by online predators or cyberbullies. They may be coerced or pressured into sending nude photos or explicit messages, leading them to engage in “sexting,” a vice they wouldn’t otherwise participate in. Another thing that may happen is that these bullies may share children’s private sexual content online, leading to public humiliation that could negatively impact their self-esteem, and cause them to seek validation through risky sexual behaviours, or turn to online relationships for companionship, that may further expose them to potentially harmful situations or individuals.”

Bekomson also pointed out that since the Internet is full of misinformation, children may not have the critical thinking skills to discern fact from fiction, leading to misconceptions about sensitive topics, just as they may not also understand the importance of safeguarding personal information, making them vulnerable to identity theft or scams.

To address these risks, therefore, “parents and caregivers must monitor what children do online. Parental control software could be employed, setting age-appropriate restrictions, educating them about responsible Internet use, and maintaining open and non-judgmental communication that can make them feel comfortable discussing what they encounter online. Additionally, teaching critical thinking and media literacy skills can help children safely use the internet.

Government efforts geared towards digital safety
Apart from the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) regularly urging parents and guardians to monitor and manage their children and wards’ engagements on the Internet, the establishment of the Internet Industry Code of Practice (ICP) in 2019, designed to secure the country’s cyberspace against imminent threats from cyber attackers and addressing issues such as online child protection, privacy and data protection, among others, and last year’s Federal Executive Council’s approval of the National Child Online Protection Policy and Strategy, a lot still needs to be done to preserve the innocence of young persons, and their mental health.

At the maiden Web Ranger Summit, which was anchored by the Public and Private Development Center (PPDC) through the Digital Inclusion and Safer Internet (DISI) programme, further efforts to protect children online were also revealed.

For instance, as an organisation, the PPDC has successfully pioneered safer Internet and digital inclusion practices and activities in some schools and among many stakeholders in the country. Some of these initiatives are the development of the Online Safety Curriculum, the Web Rangers Clubs, online safety training for staff and students of schools, and the annual celebration of Safer Internet Day in collaboration with the Nigerian Education Research and Development Council (NERDC).

Awe

As much as the Internet is seen as a helping hand to students given its massive reservoir of academic resources, it is also extremely risky in equal measure. For the naïve, “lesson” can be taken on diverse issues from doing drugs to committing suicide, and having sex with multiple sex partners. In also explaining how risky to allow teens unfettered access to the Internet, Jide Awe, Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) policy advisor and Founder, Jidaw.com emphasized that since children are particularly vulnerable to negative online risks due to their naivety, informed and educated adults should be involved in their online sojourn. “They should actively participate through supervision, education, communication, monitoring, and the implementation of necessary controls. Furthermore, it is essential to prioritise online safety and cyber security in children’s computer education and indeed in all forms of digital literacy from a very early age. Promoting awareness of the threats and consequences among children, parents, and teachers is crucial. Technology providers, social media networks, and online communities should also implement effective child online safety measures for their platforms and facilities.

“Enforcing provisions of laws, such as cyber security and data protection laws that protect children online, especially those related to age-appropriate contents and online privacy, is paramount. In this regard, security agencies, the legal profession, and the technology industry all need to be involved in the detection, protection, enforcement aspects, and prosecution of online offenders,” Awe stated, adding that parents must be well-informed and skilled in educating, communicating, and teaching their children about online risks and how to respond to threats. They should also actively monitor and use available tools to secure devices and accounts, in addition to practicing other safety measures. Furthermore, parents should ensure that learning platforms, classes, and sessions are safe, have established guidelines, and create an environment that fosters responsible online behaviour and encourages reporting concerns whenever children access the Internet, whether it’s at home, school, or other public places.

“Importantly, the government should also work with stakeholders in security, technology, law/legal, and education to enact and enforce child online protection regulations and laws, closing the gaps in existing legislation. It should invest in education and awareness through a multi-stakeholder approach that actively involves relevant stakeholders and communities. Children, parents, teachers, legal professionals, security agents, and technology professionals all have a role to play.

“For instance, the government can fund research into child online safety and finance awareness and advocacy campaigns. It can also encourage technology providers and stakeholders to implement safety measures and fund the development of necessary tools. The government can also provide support for children, parents, teachers, legal professionals, and technology stakeholders involved in online child protection through training, response activities, and the provision of resources. Furthermore, it should encourage responsible and ethical online behaviour from all parties, especially online service providers, innovators, advertisers, and platform providers.

Reforming Children Exposed To Inappropriate Online Content
Weaning a child who has been exposed to pornography or sundry harmful sites can be quite a Herculean task, but Bekomson, a mental health advocate said that with the right approach, a lot can be achieved. “Each child is different, and the approach may need to be tailored to their age and emotional maturity. The goal is to provide guidance, support, and a safe environment for the child to learn and grow. Helping a child who has been exposed to inappropriate content online is a delicate process. Here are some steps to consider: “Emphasise online safety, ensure open communication, monitor and keep an eye on their online activities, encourage healthy alternatives, and, depending on the age, use simple language to explain what they saw in an age-appropriate manner. Use simple language and be honest. Ensure they understand that it was not suitable for them to see, pointing out the dangers. Overall, seek professional help and stay involved.”

Since contemporary learning is increasingly leaning towards online activities, Dr. Bekomson a public speaker is of the view that parents must maintain open communication with their children about their online activities, and encourage them to share their experiences and concerns with them. Establish clear rules about screen time, when and where devices can be used, and what websites or apps they should not access. Utilise parental control tools and software to monitor and restrict access to age-appropriate content. Many devices and platforms offer built-in parental control settings. Parents should teach their children about responsible online behaviour, including the importance of not sharing personal information, being cautious with social media, and avoiding cyberbullying. Kids should also be taught to use strong passwords always and never to share their passwords with anyone except trusted adults. Additionally, review and adjust privacy settings on social media accounts and apps to limit the amount of personal information that anyone can access.

“While children should be taught to report inappropriate online behaviour to their parents, or a trusted adult, their online activities and devices should be regularly checked to ensure that they abide by the rules and keep safe. Parents must also be informed about the latest online trends, apps, and games that their children might be interested in, as this may help them to understand potential risks,” Bekomson added.

Application Of Data Protection And Cyber Security Acts To Improve Education, Entertainment Content For Children

Also giving his perspectives on how to keep children safe in an era of increasing online educational engagements, the Chairman of Mobile Software Nigeria, Chris Uwaje, said: “First, all educational institutions should be mandated to enter into a compulsory data protection undertaking on any, and or all digital education content that they produce and provide to the children, including online material content recommended by them. It is also recommended that parents should take an interest and pay more attention to the online and hard copy content of their children’s school work.

“Finally, Women groups should be encouraged to form advocacy groups to support and demand that regulators make more effort to apply Data Protection and Cyber Security Acts to improve education and entertainment content for children under the age of 15. The advocacy should also involve lawyers – especially women lawyers in the struggle to protect the children from cyber-bullying and cyber terrorism.”

Uwaje cautioned against indiscriminate use of digital devices without supervision saying: “Children ownership and use of digital gadgets should be moderated, but not denied. There are many navigational settings on mobile devices to limit access of our children to harmful sites and content. However, parents must constantly monitor the time usage allowed for children, which is about two hours daily. Furthermore, they should buy more LEGO Knowledge Building Blocks to consume their time and improve their practical mindset to appreciate the need to stay safe online.

On the availability of sufficient laws to punish those who ensnare innocent children online, Uwaje said that “laws are as good as those who made them, and the institutions that uphold and translate them with trustworthiness and integrity. To arrive at the centre of equity and empathy for national development, we must prioritise education, and good remuneration for teachers and uphold merit first philosophy in the arena of leadership and governance. That is the panacea for the effectiveness of the rule of law.”

[Guardian]

 
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Kogi Guber: We expect 99 percent support, victory for APC – Ganduje

As the electorate in Kogi State prepares to file out for the governorship election on November 11, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, has said he expects 99 percent support and victory.

Ganduje spoke while addressing APC members and supporters at the official inauguration of the party’s National and State Campaign Councils for the Nov. 11 governorship election.

He expressed hope that the people of the state would massively vote for the ruling party because the state is a traditional APC state, NAN reports.

 

“Today we are officially inaugurating the state campaign committee that will join hands with the national campaign committee and the LGAs campaign committees to ensure victory at the polls.

“You have tested good governance from Governor Yahaya Bello’s administration and as a party, we hope to do more with our flagbearer, Usman Ododo, once elected into office.

“Ododo is your son, whom you know very well as a very loyal and hardworking person who is ready to serve you and the state in the capacity of governor.

“We are expecting nothing less than 99 percent victory votes from the people of Kogi in this forthcoming Nov. 11 governorship election, ”he said.

He told residents that President Bola Tinubu had promised to provide an enabling environment required for peaceful and credible conduct of the governorship election.

Also, Yahaya Bello gave assurance that the citizens of Kogi were all ready to cast their votes for APC, given the choice of a credible and articulate candidate.

“The APC Governorship flagbearer, is politically well groomed, with the needed experience and competence, to lead Kogi to the next level of its development.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that both the Kogi and the national gubernatorial campaign councils were inaugurated by the APC national chairman.

While Dapo Abiodun, Governor of Ogun State, heads the national campaign Council, Yahaya Bello, Kogi Governor, heads the state campaign council.

In his acceptance speech, Abiodun pledged his council’s commitment and resilience to work with Gov Yahaya Bello’s led state campaign council to conduct a vigorous and peaceful campaign that would attract opposition into supporting APC and its flag bearer for outright victory.

[DailyPost]

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Public school enrolment surges as private schools owners increase tuition fees

There are indications that many parents whose children were in private schools in the just-concluded 2022/2023 academic session have withdrawn their wards to public schools, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.

This is coming on the heels of the resumption of the 2023/2024 academic session billed to begin across states on Monday.

Several states’ commissioners of education, who spoke to our correspondents, stated that enrollments into public schools have drastically increased for the new academic year.

This may not be unconnected to the hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy by the President, Bola Tinubu administration, causing the prices of goods and services to skyrocket. 

 

Many private schools were forced to increase school fees to be able to keep up with the operating costs.

Saturday PUNCH reported that the Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, said the Federal Government would set up a formal negotiation team between the Parent-Teacher Association and other relevant stakeholders to meet on the recent increase in tuition fees for schools across the country.

In Lagos State, for instance, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mr Ganiyu Lawal, told Sunday PUNCH that the ministry had recorded an increase in the transfer applications of students into various public secondary schools across the state compared to  what it used to have in previous years. 

Although he could not ascertain the number of applications at the moment, he, however, noted that there was a likelihood that it was as a result of the hike in tuition fees in private schools.

Lawal said, “There has been an upsurge in the applications but the figures cannot be given out. The process is still on.”

Speaking further, he noted that the transfer window just closed on August 31, adding that the process of enrolment was still on.

Ekiti

The Chairman, Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board, Prof Femi Akinwumi, said the state was witnessing an increase in enrolments into public schools already.

He added that the government was battle-ready for the increase in enrolment and transfers to public primary and secondary schools in the state.

Akinwumi said, “We are already witnessing an increase as parents are already bringing their wards to public schools.

 

“In fact, in Ikere Ekiti alone, we want to add to the existing primary schools in the town. We are thinking of three or four new primary schools because of the demands.

“There are some newly established schools already in some localities.

“In the junior secondary schools, the information I am getting is that there are a lot of candidates, especially for JSS1 as well as those coming through transfers.

Kwara

In Kwara, pupils’ enrollment into primary and secondary schools in the state has increased tremendously, following the removal of petrol subsidy by the Federal Government, an official of the state Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, told Sunday PUNCH.

The official, who did not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the press on the matter, stated that the ministry noticed an upsurge in pupil enrollment in both primary and secondary schools across the state.

“Though the schools are yet to resume for the new session, I can tell you authoritatively that with the record we have, our school enrolment has increased tremendously because the government operates free education in the state,” the official said. 

Katsina

In Katsina, as public schools in the state resume the new academic year, there are indications that many parents in the state may withdraw their pupils from private schools and enrol them into public ones due to a hike in private school fees.

Investigation by one of our correspondents revealed that private schools in the state increased their fees by as much as 50 per cent during the vacation and had consequently informed parents of the development.

Bills for the new school fees sent to some parents by one of the private schools in Katsina showed that the school fees for primary school pupils had been increased to N41,000.00 as against the N30,000  being charged before the fuel subsidy removal.

 

A father of one of the pupils at a private school in the state, Mallam Ahmad Abdulganiy, said he had met with the school administrator to negotiate part payment of the fees as he could not afford to pay in full.

But, he said he was sent back and told to try to get the money in full.

Abdulganiy said he had decided to withdraw his wards from the private school to a public one so he would meet up with the demands of their education.

 
 
 

Abia

However, the Abia State Government has said it is expecting that many parents and guardians will enrol their wards in public schools in the state following the hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy.

Although the Commissioner for Education, Prof Eme Uche, could not be reached for a comment, the Chief Press Secretary to the state Governor, Kazie Uko, said an increase was expected.

Ogun

A commissioner-designate and immediate past Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, in Ogun State, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu, said he might not be able to say if there had been any significant increase in the enrolment of students  linked to parents withdrawing their children from private schools to public ones.

Efforts to however speak with the Chairman of Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr Femi Majekodunmi, were not successful as calls put through to his mobile numbers were not answered and text messages were yet to be responded to as of press time.

Gombe 

The Information Officer, Gombe State Ministry of Education, Saidu Malala, said the fuel subsidy must have had an impact on school attendance, adding that the statistics unit would clarify the actual number two weeks from school resumption.

Meanwhile, a parent, Mr Dangombe Iliya, said he had withdrawn his children from a private school in Akko Local Government Area, stressing that it was taking a toll on him.

Another parent, Dogo Gombe, said, “I had to contemplate the possibility of withdrawing my children, and I had no better option than to change their school to another private school in the metropolis because of the cost of Keke Napep (Tricycle).”

Borno

PUNCH has gathered that some schools in Borno State may be hit by rampant absenteeism and substantial dropout by pupils due to the persistent hardship suffered by parents following the removal of fuel subsidy.

 

NAPTAN reacts

 

The President, National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria, Haruna Danjuma, said the body was aware that following the increment of school fees in most private schools, parents were withdrawing their children from private schools to public schools.

“I am aware of that and it is true that there are social and financial constraints on the parents and when we spoke to some private school owners and proprietors, they also said and explained to us that the increase in fees in some of the schools is as a result of the financial constraints that we are faced with due to the removal of fuel subsidy and it is expected that the increase in cost of transportation, teaching and learning materials, the cost of running the school itself is something that involves money.

“The problem some private schools are making is that they took it upon themselves to increase the fees without consulting the Parent-Teacher Association of their schools. It has come to our knowledge that some secondary schools don’t even have existing Parents and Teachers Association. There is a need to bring together the parents and teachers of the school, with the principal, to discuss the way forward concerning the running of the school and then to find a solution or a way out.

“If the owner of the school or the proprietor had tabled the problems before the PTA concerning the running of the school, it is now the full responsibility of the body to discuss with the management and see the way forward, even if it will lead to an increase in school fees, they will discuss to a reasonable or acceptable fee for both the parents and the management of that school,” he said.

Educationists

A professor of Demography in the Faculty of Social Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Prof Ogunjuyibge Peter, reacting on the matter, said the increase in school fees will force parents who cannot afford it to withdraw their children from schools which would increase the rate of out-of-school Children.

On his part, a professor of Educational Management at the Ekiti State University, Ekiti State, Joseph Ayodele, said the consequence of the situation would be an increase in the number of enrolments into public schools, adding that the government should ensure adequate facilities are provided in those public schools to complement the available ones. 

Another educationist, Dele Olateju, told Sunday PUNCH that it was time for the masses to adjust to the current realities of life as parents’ withdrawal of their children from private to public schools would translate to an opportunity for public schools to improve on their delivery of quality educational services to the masses.

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I never authorised Agunloye to award $6bn Mambilla contract to Sunrise, says Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has challenged Olu Agunloye, the former minister of power and steel, to tell Nigerians where he derived the authority to award a $6 billion contract to Sunrise Power and Transmission Ltd in respect of the Mambilla Hydropower Project in 2003.

Sunrise Power is currently in arbitration with Nigeria at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Paris, France, over an alleged breach of contract by the federal government.

In the first arbitration, Sunrise is asking for a compensation of $2.3 billion, claiming it had spent millions of dollars on financial and legal consultants before the contract was jettisoned.

In the second one, the company is asking for a $400 million settlement being the terms of the agreement it entered with the federal government in 2020 to end the arbitration.

 

Nigeria is fighting the claims on the grounds that Agunloye, who suspiciously awarded the contract one week to the end of his tenure as power minister in 2003, acted illegally.

TheCable understands that Agunloye and some officials of the ministry of justice have been quizzed over the Sunrise affair and may soon be charged to court.

In an interview with TheCable at the weekend, Obasanjo stringently denied authorising Agunloye to commit Nigeria to the $6 billion “build, operate and transfer” contract.

 

“When I was president, no minister had the power to approve more than N25 million without express presidential consent. It was impossible for Agunloye to commit my government to a $6 billion project without my permission and I did not give him any permission,” Obasanjo told TheCable.

The former president challenged Agunloye to explain where he got the power and authority.

“If a commission of inquiry is set up today to investigate the matter, I am ready to testify. I do not even need to testify because all the records are there. I never approved it,” Obasanjo said.

“When he presented his memo to the federal executive council (on May 21, 2003), I was surprised because he had previously discussed it with me and I had told him to jettison the idea, that I had other ideas on how the power sector would be restructured and funded.

 

“I told him as much at the council meeting and directed him to step down the memo. I find it surprising that Agunloye is now claiming he acted on behalf of Nigeria. If I knew he issued such a letter to Sunrise, I would have sacked him as minister during my second term. He would not have spent a day longer in office.”

Obasanjo also said Leno Adesanya, the promoter of Sunrise Power, ran away from Nigeria when he was president.

“I would have jailed him if he was in the country because of the things I knew about him. After I left office, he returned and I saw him. I told him that he was lucky I was no longer president. Otherwise, I would have jailed him,” Obasanjo told TheCable.

THE MAMBILLA DISPUTE

 

Sunrise had on October 10, 2017 taken Nigeria to arbitration for “breach of contract” in relation to the agreement to construct the 3,050MW plant in Mambilla, Taraba state.

Nigerian authorities insist that the contract award was irregular and did not pass through due process.

 

Agunloye issued a letter awarding the contract a day after the federal cabinet reportedly told him to step down his request for approval and explore other sources of funding for the project.

In his letter to Sunrise, Agunloye also listed pre-conditions for the contract to be consummated and none was met by the firm.

 

But Sunrise initiated legal action when a bid process for the civil works was announced by the federal government in 2007 and a series of litigation has since stalled the project.

To get the project off the ground, the federal government had attempted to settle the arbitration in 2020 with a compensation offer of $200 million but a lack of funds is believed to have truncated it.

 
 
[TheCable]
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I get intimate with my clients to save their marriage – Therapist

A sex therapist, Olivia Bentley, says getting intimate with her clients is an effective way to help them address the issues they may be facing in their marriage.

“I’ve saved marriages,” the Boise, Idaho, native told Kennedy News, calling her work “life-changing.”

“I get physically involved with the majority of the people I see, I think that’s part of the appeal.”

The “veteran” sex worker, who has spent 15 years in the industry, claims that women have asked her to “demo sex acts” on their husbands, while some wives grant their eager hubbies a “hall pass” to pay Bentley a visit.

Many feared dead as multi-storey building collapses amidst heavy downpour in Abuja
“Some ladies say, ‘I don’t always want to be involved in this but I want to know who you are, I want to approve of you and I’m going to let him come and see you,’” said the 46-year-old intimacy educator, who earns a whopping $500,000 per year for her services.


Outside the bedroom, Bentley, who sees up to 10 clients per week, supports her customers emotionally and gives them tips for maintaining a healthy sex life, and, consequently, their marriage.

“People are usually nervous so I have to do my job at making them feel very comfortable and easing them into it, I’m kind of like the guide,” she said, noting that she wants the women to “feel very confident and comfortable.”

“I’m very affectionate physically and emotionally towards the wife always. If she’s feeling very good, then the mood is elevated and we have a really good time and the husband is very grateful for the experience.”

While Bentley lacks official “counseling qualifications,” she has a master’s degree in education and obtained much of her X-rated tricks while working at Nevada’s Moonlite BunnyRanch, a legal brothel.

The self-proclaimed sex therapist denounced “unfair” women who refuse to fulfill their partner’s sexual desires.


“I know there are a lot of sexless relationships out there and there are a lot of unhappy men,” she said, explaining that male clients will express their relationship discontent.

After a “few years” with their wives, Bentley’s male clients have said their “sex life goes out the door.” This, she said, is when the so-called “hall pass” is played, adding that their needs are “met elsewhere” if not by their wives.

“It’s not an option to get married to a man and then turn around and say, ‘Oh, sorry, I’m not into sex anymore, too bad for you,’” she said.

“It’s not fair but I see it all the time. There’s tons of that out there and then they’re not really happy. I don’t shame them if they’re going to go to a provider.”

But steamy sex lives are also fostered outside the sheets — Bentley advises her clients to keep up their physique, which she claims can increase libido.

“The more athletic you are, the more sex you want to have — you feel more confident and aroused,” explained Bentley, a fitness fanatic herself.

While she recommends men practicing sit-ups to shrink their “big gut” — which she claims restricts blood flow — she also advises that both parties stretch and do yoga, regardless of who puts in more work in the bedroom.

Bentley applauds her brave clients for working toward a healthier relationship.
“Couples who have sessions with me are the coolest in the world because they understand the importance of sexuality in their relationship as a part of maintaining a healthy marriage,” she said

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Nigerians Lament As Price Of Cooking Gas Rises By 8.8%

Nigerians are dissatisfied with the 8.8 per cent increase in the prices of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

The prices of LPG gas surged from N680 per kilogram to N740 per kilogram within 24 hours, THE WHISTLER can confirm.

THE WHISTLER visited gas stations in Abuja where the operators said the prices were reviewed across gas stations on 1 September 2023.

The President of the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGM), Olatunbosun Oladapo, had hinted that Nigerians will pay more for cooking gas from mid-August 2023.

Oladapo blamed the increase on rising international prices of gas and crude oil, high prices of cylinders, foreign exchange scarcity, and naira devaluation.

THE WHISTLER found that the new prices are: 50kg N37,000; 25kg N18,500; 20kg, N14,800; 15kg, N11,100; 12.5kg, N9,250; 10kg, N7,400; 6kg, N4,450; 5kg, N3,700 and 3kg for N2,250

Before the hike, the product was sold at 50kg, N34,000; 25kg N17,000; 20kg, N13,600; 15kg, N10,300; 12.5kg, N8,500; 10kg, N6,800; 6kg, N4,080; 5kg, N3,400 and 3kg for N2,040.

Reacting to the price increase, Ugonna Anita, a fashion designer who queued at A. A. Rano petrol station in Abuja told THE WHISTLER the new price has become frustrating.

Anita said, “Just Tuesday this week, I bought 12.5kg for N8,500, now I’m buying it for N9,250, an extra charge of N750, so what is the difference between the price of 1kg gas and the price of 1 liter of fuel?”

Since the removal of fuel subsidy which dragged prices of PMS to N613-N620 per litre, many Nigerians have found ways to power their generators sets with LPG.

Eric Akpan told THE WHISTLER that the new price has altered his budget. He said the LPG which has become an alternative to fuel is gradually becoming out of his reach.

“Last month I bought 6kg for N4,080, today it’s N4,450. Who knows what the next price will be? In Nigeria, when it seems there’s an alternative to a problem, the government will strike” He decried.

A staff of the A. A Rano who pleaded anonymity said, “On Thursday night we were instructed to review our prices.

“No further information was given, although before now we knew that the price would increase and the increase will be persistent although gradually.”

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Gunmen invade El-Rufai Estate in Abuja, abduct resident

Gunmen alleged to be bandits invaded El-Rufai Estate in the Kuchiko Resettlement Development Area (KRDA) in the Bwari area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Saturday and kidnapped a resident.

It was gathered that the criminals invaded the estate in the early hours of Saturday and kidnapped a resident of the area identified as Chinedu.

Chairman of the Kuchiko Resettlement Development Area, Mai Baba Bego, confirmed the sad incident to newsmen.

He disclosed that the latest incident has brought to five, the number of kidnapping cases that have occurred in the area in the last couple of months.

“We now live in fear as nobody knows who the next victim would be,” he said.

Bego called for the deployment of security personnel to the area to avert further incidents.

According to the victim’s wife, the kidnappers forcefully took away her husband after breaking through the fence to gain entrance into their compound.

She added that: “They shot sporadically in the air to scare our family members and neighbours before taking my husband away, ” she said.

As at the time of filing the report, efforts to reach the FCT Police Public Relations, SP Josephine Adeh, for clarification on the matter proved abortive, since she did not reply to messages sent to her nor pick up calls placed to her.

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RCCG pastor Ghandi Laoye emerges as new king of Ogbomoso

A Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) pastor, Prince Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye has been selected as the new Soun of Ogbomosoland in Oyo state.

This was confirmed by the the state’s Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Hon. Olusegun Olayiwola in a statement issued on Saturday, September 2, 2023.

According to him, the announcement followed the long-drawn processes specified under the law.

“His Excellency congratulates the new Soun-elect on his ascension to the throne of his forebears,” the statement said.

The Commissioner said the exalted position has placed the monarch-elect in the position to facilitate harmony, understanding and tolerance amongst his people.

The Commissioner also urged all sons and daughters of the ancient city of Ogbomoso to work with the monarch to consolidate the successes of his forefathers.

Prince Afolabi Ghandi was born to the royal family of Olaoye, one of the 5 royal families alongside the Oyewunmis and Ajagunlades in Ogbomoso.

Ghandi Olaoye also called “pastor G” has been pastoring for about 30 years; starting from 1992 when he began his pastoral duties at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG.

Prince Pastor Ghandi had pastored 3 RCCG churches in Nigeria before migrating to Germany where he oversaw another RCCG Parish in Bonn.

He currently pastors the RCCG, Jesus House in Washington DC, United States. He is also the coordinator in charge of Convention and Special Projects for RCCG, North America

He held B.A in English and MSc in Industrial and Labour Relations.

The Soun of Ogbomoso-designate, Pastor Ghandi Olaoye studied the English Language in Nigeria before moving abroad for postgraduates study in Industrial and Labour Relations.

Until 1992 when he became a pastor under the denomination of the Redeemed Christian Church, Nigeria, he was an accomplished entrepreneur cum motivational speaker.

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USA: Yoruba, others included for learner’s permit test in Maryland

The US State of Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) has officially added the Yoruba Language for Drivers’ Permit Tests, Vehicle Registration and Study Materials.

The Yoruba language was added based on the latest data from the United States census data which shows that Yorùbá was one of the largest non-English languages spoken in the state.

MVA Administrator, Chrissy Nizer said in a statement, “Improving accessibility for the driver’s knowledge test and study materials is critical to serve Maryland’s linguistically diverse population.

“We are committed to the safety of all our new drivers and we want all our applicants to understand the materials clearly and have a positive testing experience.”

This means that starting this September, Maryland residents will be able to take their learner’s permit in the Yoruba language.

The announcement is part of several new initiatives around the state to reflect its growing and diverse population.

Other languages added are Tagalog, Amharic, Arabic, Russian, Urdu, Hindi, Farsi, Portuguese and American Sign Language.

Getting a learner’s permit is the first step to getting a driver’s license in the state, according to MVA.


The new language joins English, Spanish, French, Nepali, Korean, traditional Chinese and Vietnamese.

The Motor Vehicle Administration uses U.S. Census data to determine language availability. The new languages join the current languages being offered, including English, Spanish, French, Nepali, Korean, traditional Chinese and Vietnamese.

To apply for a learner’s permit, an applicant must pass the permit driver’s knowledge test on The Law Test System, and to pass the exam, the applicant must finish the test within the allotted time of 20 minutes and achieve a test score of 88% percent or better.

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Job Racketeering: NUC, Vice Chancellors again Dismiss Bribery Allegation

The Committee of Vice Chancellors of Federal Universities in the country yesterday denied allegations of offering bribe to members of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating job racketeering in federal agencies to obtain favour. 

The Vice Chancellors said they were eagerly awaiting the conclusion of the work of the committee as they have confidence that it will help them address the issue of manpower shortage in the universities. 

Vice Chancellor, University of Jos, Prof. Ishaya Tanko, while speaking on behalf of the Vice Chancellors at the committee hearing, said to his best of knowledge, monies that were sent by some Vice Chancellors were meant for a foreign exchange for them to attend international workshop organised for them in Birmingham, the United Kingdom, beginning from Tuesday, September 5, adding that the publisher did not get his facts correct.

According to Tanko, “During our last meeting, we requested for two weeks because some of the universities did not come with some of the documents required from them. But we read the very disturbing media publication and I can say that the Vice Chancellors are not part of that.  The Vice Chancellors have not provided any bribe to anybody. What I recalled happened was that the next day, there was a workshop for the Vice Chancellors and because there is another international workshop organised for CVCNU, I recalled that a number of people were looking for estacode in form of foreign exchange that will enable them travel.

“I also remember that a number of Vice Chancellors were looking for where to get foreign exchange that is reasonable considering the fact that it is difficult to get DTA to travel.  I can confirm that majority of the Vice Chancellors are going to travel between Saturday and Monday because the training is commencing on Tuesday in Birmingham. Somebody suggested that Vice Chancellors who wish to source foreign exchange from him can transfer some money to him to get foreign exchange to travel.”

He further said, “To say that Vice Chancellors are transferring money for bribe is completely out of context and not true. Whoever made the publication refused to find out the fact before going to press. They should have contacted some of the Vice Chancellors to find out the purpose for which they made those transfers. I want to assure the committee that we have hope and confidence in this committee because as we speak, I can tell you that more than five programmes of the University of Jos are in danger of not receiving accreditation because of this issue of employment.

“So, we are looking forward to this committee concluding its work so that the challenges relating to employment in Nigeria universities are addressed so that we can continue to provide the quality manpower we need for the development of this country. The university system in the country is in major crisis as a result of lack of employment, but expressed their commitment to working together to ensure that the university system continues to stand on the integrity and mandate for which it was created.

“When this committee invited us to a meeting with regard to issues of employment, and other issues, we as Vice Chancellors were very happy that we were invited to offer our perspective because the public university sector is actually in crisis with respect to employment as we speak. In fact, majority of public universities have bad the opportunity to replace some of the professors that we have lost, especially before the period that this committee is investigating. We felt that is a great opportunity for the university sector to address some of the challenges that we are having in getting the required manpower for the running of our universities.”

Acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), John Maiyaki, also said that the publication on the bribery allegations was regrettable noting that the NUC has confidence in the mandate given to the committee to help in resolving some crisis in the education sector regarding job racketeering.

Maiyaki stressed that “Chair, Honourable members, the online social media publication is regrettable, whatever the substance is we do not in any way wish that this will impede on the excellent ties and relationship between this vital arm of government and the Nigerian university system. This is one system that holds a lot of promise for the Nigerian university system. In every country university system occupy a special place in the life of a nation and we believe the task is too herculean for one sub sector alone to handle and that’s why we look up to the National Assembly, we also look up to the future so that we can together create that game changing opportunity for the country.

“The University community will not allow the publication to affect what he described as strategic relationship and partnership existing between them and the National Assembly. 

Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee, Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, said the committee has resolved that it will not be distracted from the central issue they are put in place to address.

He said the publication was aimed at diverting the attention of the committee, saying “as far as we are concerned, we maintained our stand that it is a sponsored publication so that this committee will lose focus from what it is supposed to do.”

Gadji said it was not the mandate of the committee to investigate the allegations but to investigate the selling of slots, employment imbalance, job racketeering and many other fraudulent activities that are being done in our public service. 

“The committee has written to anti-corruption agencies and the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) to investigate the link between the account and any member of the committee.”

He however revealed that members of the committee have resolved to take legal action if investigation by the anti-graft agencies failed to link the account number to any member of the committee. 

[ThisDay]

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