UNIBEN wins Africa outstanding varsity award in Rwanda

The University of Benin has won the Africa Outstanding University Award of the Year for 2023 in Rwanda.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Lilian Salami, was also honoured as Africa Pillar of Education for her impact in education development on the continent.

According to a statement by the institution’s Public Relations Officer,

Dr. Benedicta Ehanire on Saturday in Benin, the awards were presented at the 1st Africa Education Summit, held at the University of Rwanda in Kigali. Ehanire said besides her leadership role in the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Federal Universities, Prof. Salami was also the Vice President of the Association of African Universities with headquarters in Ghana.

This position, the public relations officer said, the vicechancellor had utilised to project and promote the achievements of many African universities, including the University of Benin. (NAN)

Firm highlights benefits of Canadian Start-Up Visa programme for Nigeria entrepreneurs

Mobility Options, a global immigration consultancy firm, has urged Nigerian entrepreneurs to take advantage of the Canadian Start-Up Visa programme to improve their businesses.

President, Mobility Options, Mrs Ebi Obaro, said this in a statement signed by Mrs Tukeni Obasi, Vice President, Diaspora, Mobility Options, on Saturday in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Canadian Government’s StartUp Visa Programme offers a unique opportunity for talented entrepreneurs around the world to establish their innovative businesses in Canada.

According to Obaro, the programme presents a lifeline for entrepreneurs seeking to establish their innovative startups on the stable foundation presented by Canada.

She stated that Canada’s economy experienced one of the fastest recoveries among advanced economies after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She added that the country, in a bid to address a major labour shortage, announced intentions to drastically expand the number of immigrants with a goal of 500,000 arriving each year by 2025.

“The programme presents a lifeline for Nigerian entrepreneurs seeking to build their companies on a stable and welcoming foundation given the current political climate in Nigeria.

“Only 46 countries currently grant Nigerian citizens visafree or visa-on-arrival access, as opposed to 188 countries, including the Schengen and EU nations, the United States, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, and Hong Kong, for holders of Canadian passports.

“The Canadian StartUp Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs to create innovative businesses in Canada and apply for permanent residency.

“With its leading trade market, the programme aims to provide permanent residence to entrepreneurs, active company investors, and expanding businesses that seek to establish a presence in Canada.

Obaro added that Mobility Options would continue to provide services for high-networth individuals who desired speedy travel processes for trade, business and personal needs without the laborious processes of travelling.

Obasi, Mobility Options VP, added that the programme aimed to provide permanent residence to entrepreneurs, active company investors, and expanding businesses that sought to establish a presence in Canada. She said that to get permanent residency in Canada, foreign entrepreneurs must submit an innovative, scaling start-up business that had been accepted by one of the specified organisations – business incubators, angel investors, or venture capitalists.

“Once approved, the client receives a letter of support, allowing them and their family to apply for permanent residency.

“Canadian citizens enjoy a high standard of living in multicultural, easy-going, and vibrant cities.

“It is an excellent place to do business, with access to the entire North American market.

“To learn more about mobility options and its citizenship by investment programs, please visit https://www.moptions.org/,” she said. (NAN)

Yoruba, Igbo leader graduate from Open University

By Usman Shuaibu

The Otunba (Yoruba leader) of Yoruba Community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Dr Wasiu Tunwase as well as the Igbo traditional title holder (Aguiyi Jesu Na Nanka), Chief Chima Francis Umeh have graduated from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

Both Otunba and Chief Chima Francis Umeh read Entrepreneurship and Business Management in the Faculty of Management Science.

In an interview after the graduation ceremony at the

Headquarters of the University, Jabi, Abuja on Saturday, Otunba said he was delighted being among the students who graduated from the University today.

He commended the staff and the Management of the University for encouraging the students in their studies, pointing out that the staffers were disciplined in terms of time frame.

He also hailed the management of the University for putting in place infrastructural facilities to enhance learning, lamenting that Open University was one of the best universities in the world. Otunba, therefore, thanked the Almighty God who provided everything for him to overcome his studies in the University, while advising the students to always obey the laid down rules and regulations guiding the University.

On his part, Chief Chima Francis Umeh in an interview, appealed to the Federal Government to deem it necessary to take Open University to the grassroots so as to enable the less privileged to have access to education there.

He said the National Open University of Nigeria was not an institution for lazy students, pointing out he learnt a lot from the University.

He described the Open University as a Centre for academic excellence, saying that the students must read before passing their examinations.

Umeh, however, disclosed that there was no room for examination malpractice in the University.

Speaking earlier, the ViceChancellor, Prof. Olufemi A. Peters, revealed that a total number of 28,675 students graduated from the institution this year.

Peters advised the outgoing students to be good ambassadors of the University anywhere they found themselves.

AHF urges world leaders to focus on TB prevention to save lives

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to mark World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on March 24, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), has called on world leaders to focus on prevention so as to save lives.

AHF said the day is about honoring the millions of lives lost to TB while renewing the urgency around prevention, treatment, and research for the world’s deadliest infectious disease, which has been a crisis for many decades.

It urged stakeholders to join the NGO in its “Yes! We Can End TB” events globally on World TB Day to support everyone affected by TB and encourage world leaders to do their part in ending this disease that is 100% preventable and treatable.

AHF said in 2021, TB claimed 1.6 million lives, and over 10 million people acquired TB, yet it remained woefully neglected and underfunded in many countries.

“Even though tuberculosis is a global epidemic, over 95% of TB deaths occur in lower-income countries. The World Health Organization currently estimates that finances were less than 40% of what was needed to prevent and treat TB in 2022.”

It said the time is now for heads of state to urgently focus efforts on TB prevention and mitigate millions of avoidable deaths.

“AHF has made TB a top priority with efforts focused on educating our staff and clients, screening for TB in our clinics, and prioritizing, preventing, and treating HIV/TB co-infection, the number one cause of death for people living with HIV. As a preventable and treatable disease, world leaders must do more to end TB, and we’re calling on them to do just that on World TB

Day and beyond,” said Terri Ford, AHF Chief of Global Advocacy and Policy. “With our World TB Day theme ‘Yes! We Can End TB,’ AHF urges all governments and public health institutions to do their part to ensure TB research, prevention, and treatment programs are fully funded and supported. We all must do more to finally stop TB worldwide, particularly in lowerincome countries.”

AHF country teams are using World TB Day to send letters to their respective heads of state, calling on them to attend the United Nations High-Level Meeting on TB this September to show their commitment to ending tuberculosis in their countries.

AHF will also host a “Reviving TB Advocacy Worldwide” panel discussion with public health thought leaders and TB experts at the Consortium of Universities for Global Health conference on April

13.

“Ending TB for us in Nigeria must come with intensified level of case finding and for patients who show up in hospitals to embrace treatment, which is free across health facilities in the country.

“Importantly, we must increase the funding available to TB, improve the level of education and awareness about TB, as well as engage pointedly, the rising incidences of stigma related to TB while not forgetting that TB is curable’’ said Dr. Echey Ijezie, Country Program Director, AHF Nigeria.

He further stated, ‘‘Nigeria’s situation deserves urgent attention as the World Health Organization (WHO) lists the nation among the ten countries accounting for 64% of the global gap in TB case finding, with India, Indonesia and Nigeria accounting for almost half of the total gap’’.