YOUTHVILLE ISSUE #181
Friday, May 4, 2018
08078068532
youthville@dailytrust.com
Profit is what happens when you do everything else right. - Yvon Chouinard
...young at heart
How we’re changing misconceptions about science, says Maina Mahmoud Bukar Maina is the Outreach Coordinator TReND in Africa. Armed with a doctorate degree in Neuroscience from the University of Sussex where he is also a research fellow, Maina is pushing the boundary of science in Nigeria. He speaks about this project so far.
By Bamas Victoria @BamasVictoria
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hat stirred your interest in science and the Science Fair in Northeast? My interest in science could be traced back to my dad’s science book called “simple Science”, which we used to read and try the experiments therein, with my siblings. However, growing up, many wanted me to study Medicine and become a medical doctor, for which I used to be called “Doctor Mahmoud. I ended up studying Human Anatomy, not Medicine. The journey, however, revealed the need for visible science mentors to guide students on their career choices. Moreover, many of us grew amidst a high level of cultural and religious misconceptions about science in Nigeria, especially northern Nigeria. These reasons partly influenced me to join TReND in Africa, where I founded the Outreach Programme in 2013 to inspire a future generation of scientists and make the public appreciate the importance of science and the soc role of scientists in the society. yo How do you get funding for the project? fun Getting funding is always a cha challenge, and I won won’t say I have always suc been successful. From exp experience with science communication s that grants, I would say funders look for many a things, such as the person skills relevance of person’s p and experience to project, whether the project proj is c needed and its chances a short of success at long-t or long-term. It often helps o if one has a pilot da data to
demonstrate the likelihood of the project to succeed. For two years when we started science communication, we had no funding. I made funding applications but never got funded. So for that period, we used our money to fund our activities in northern Nigeria. What can authorities do to improve the acceptance of science in Nigeria? To make science part of our society, many players have a role to play. First of all There is a need for our school curricula to focus more on practical rather than theory. There should be practical-based competitions across schools, such as science fair projects that would stimulate innovation at an early stage. Secondly, more scientists need to get into science communication not just to inspire students but engage the public and policymakers about the importance of their research and why it matters and requires funding Furthermore, Universities are the custodians of scholarship; if they make science fair a tradition, it would facilitate our society’s attitude toward science and stimulate the rise of many innovators. Journalists have an important role to play; by promoting the reporting of scientific activities and bringing into spotlight local innovators and local research of high importance to the public. What key programmes have you held to promote science? I have organised events in Uganda and Nigeria and presently coordinate other activities across Africa. In Nigeria, I have organised activities in Lagos, Borno, Yobe and Gombe States. Among these were teachers’ workshops and two science festivals in Gombe and Yobe States during which students, teachers, journalists, members of the public and state officials interacted with science. Members of the outreach programme have also organised events in parts of the south-east, north and south-west. I have also started science communication hub Nigeria to maximise the impact of our TReND activities in Nigeria (www. scicomnigeria.org). Has there been any international recognition of these activities? My involvement in the outreach projects in Africa has led me to be invited to give talks about inspiring the future generation of African scientists in many meetings. It has also resulted in my winning Science Communication Award by Royal Society of Biology in 2017 and admission as a Fellow of Royal Society of Arts in 2018, a British society founded in 1754 to find practical solutions to social challenges.
NYSC dissuades Corpers from using friends as NOK From Jude Aguguo Owuamanam, Awka
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he Director General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig. Gen. Sule Kazaure has cautioned corps members to be thorough and careful while filling anything during their service year especially against using their friends as Next-of-Kin (NOK). Kazaure who gave the advice during a visit to the Anambra state orientation camp in Umunya, Oyi local government area, frowned at those who use their friends as next of kin while filling their insurance covers’ forms, insisting that the next of kin must be their parents or siblings. Represented by the Director, Corps Welfare and Inspectorate in the Scheme, Mrs. Josephine Okonghe, the DG explained that it would be easier to get back to those whose next of kin were their close relation than those with friends in case of any eventuality. He also urged them to always be security conscious throughout their service year, just as he advised them to curtail their journeys and expenses. “You must be security conscious at all times, particularly the female folk among you who are always the prime target. You must be careful with the kinds of friends you keep,” he stressed. While enjoining the corps members to take their service year seriously, the DG further challenged them to impact their host communities through embarking on projects, promising of the Scheme’s support.
3 pupils win Hasal MfB scholarship in Abuja By Latifat Opoola @LatifatOpoola
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hree primary school pupils have won school fees scholarship from Hasal Microfinance Bank in Abuja. The students emerged the best three students at the spelling bee competition organized to mark the bank’s 10thyear anniversary in Abuja. First position won by Amah
Onyinyechi from Bethel International School, Nyanya won a one year school fees, scholarship, while Jaiyeola Abimbola who emerged second also from the same school won two terms school fees scholarship. The third position, Yakubu Joseph of LEA Nyanya won a term fees scholarship from the bank. The bank also presented tablets to the best 5 students while all the
participants at the competition were offered a back to school backpack with books and mathematics sets. Chief Operating officer of the bank, Joyce Rogers during her welcome address said the essence of the competition is to provide a platform for the continuous growth of the youths. “We try to take children that are in the interiors and help them in every way we can and this is one aspect
where we give back. We also want our customers in that part to grow in their businesses” she said. Mrs Rogers who noted that education is very paramount to the bank, as its the gateway for youth development also said the bank tries its best to support schools in the interiors without infrastructural facilities adding that “a child going to school should have an environment where they are able to learn”.