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UBA Foundation’s National Essay Competition(NEC) 2021 Ready to Receive Digital Applications.

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UBA Foundation’s National Essay Competition(NEC) 2021 Ready to Receive Digital Applications.

 

 

UBA– Opens Portal for NEC 2021;
Prizes increase in value by 33%
UBA Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has announced the commencement of the 2021 edition of its annual National Essay Competition (NEC) in Nigeria with a call for entries.

The National Essay Competition (NEC) is part of UBA Foundation’s education initiative which is aimed at promoting literacy and encouraging healthy and intellectual competition amongst senior secondary school students in Nigeria and across the African continent. Foundation

 

This year’s edition, which is its 11th, has been modified to ensure ease of access and the increased participation of students from Senior Secondary School across Nigeria, who can submit their entries from the comfort of their homes and schools through the UBAF NEC digital submission portal www.ubagroup.com/national-essay-competition.

 

Like the previous year, the prizes for the NEC 2021 winners have increased in value considerably by 33%. The first prize winner will receive an educational grant of N3 million to study at any African university of their choice, up from the N2.5 million in 2020. The second and third prizes now stand at N2.5 million and N2 million educational grants respectively. Winners of the 12 best essays will also go home with state-of-the-art Laptops to help them with their tertiary research work and other studies.

 

The Chief Executive Officer, UBA Foundation, Mrs. Bola Atta, said that the Foundation scaled up the prizes for the second year in a row in order to accommodate the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and also the fluctuation in the currency levels.
She explained that with the digital submission portal, more students in secondary schools across the country will have the opportunity to scan and send in their entries and compete to win educational grants for study at any university of their choice on the African continent.

 

“At UBA Foundation, it is imperative that our programmes continue to impact lives in meaningful ways. We realise that the use of technologically driven initiatives is part of the modern day. We want to be able to reach the students where they are and this is mostly online. The digital portal for online submission has made it more comfortable for students to send in their applications and compete with ease. For those who do not have access to computers or data, we are going to make this competition inclusive by allowing them access to any UBA branch near them to submit their entries digitally. Every student who wishes to, will be able to enter for the NEC 2021 and stand a chance to win a fully funded University education through the UBA Foundation’ said Atta.

 

The essay topic for this year is: “What is the role of technology in educating the African Youth?” All essays must be handwritten and students have up until October 29, 2021 to upload the scanned copies of their handwritten entries as well as their IDs on the digital portal at www.ubagroup.com/national-essay-competition. No physical copies will be accepted this year.

 

The submissions will be evaluated by judges who are professors from reputable Nigerian Universities. These judges select the top 12 finalists who will take home consolation prizes including personal computers. The 12 finalists will write another supervised essay where the top three winners will be announced at the grand finale to be held on November 30th at UBA’s head office in Lagos, Nigeria.

 

The UBA Foundation’s National Essay Competition has been rolled out in 4 other countries where UBA operates, with plans in place to cover 19 African countries in the next couple of years.

 

UBA Foundation embodies the UBA Group’s CSR objectives and seeks to impact positively on societies through several laudable projects and initiatives. The Foundation through its Education pillar, has donated hundreds of thousands of books to students across Africa under the ‘Read Africa’ initiative aimed at encouraging and promoting the reading culture in African youths.

 

Students can apply for the National Essay Competition 2021 at: www.ubagroup.com/national-essay-competition

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Deconstructing and appreciating the prowess of General Tukur Buratai

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Deconstructing and appreciating the prowess of General Tukur Buratai

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sahara Weekly Reports That In what looked like a coincidence, it was while I was going through some security tips as contained in the great principles established by Joseph Ferdinando that the documentary: “General Buratai: Africa’s Living Legend” a part of the Great African Military Leaders’ Series produced by Lawrence Audu, one of the few excellent journalists who have dared to cover important and dangerous moments of the Nigerian Army’s fight against insurgency popped up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deconstructing and appreciating the prowess of General Tukur Buratai

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joseph Ferdinando is the founder of Building Security Services, a company that provides security solutions to businesses and organizations. He has more than 40 years of experience in the security industry, and he is a recognized expert in the field.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From what I read about Joseph Fernando’s security tips along with Lawrence’s documentary, I can comfortably describe the person and character of the Buratai-born General Tukur Buratai (Rtd). He is a man who is always in good physical shape with sharp motivation and self-determination.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

General Tukur Buratai is vigilant, always on the lookout for any possible incident. When it comes to punctuality, he is always on time. As a soldier, his duties are handled dispassionately without fear or favour. It is worthy of note that in line of duty, he always reacts with kindness, no matter the circumstances. Even in war front, it is not difficult to see in Buratai a General who is calm, calculated and focus without losing his temper. Always alert and active, the former Chief of Army Staff acts with professionalism because he is a man blessed with positive and friendly attitude. His great communication skills endear him to both his contemporaries and his younger colleagues in the Army.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What struck me about Lawrence’s documentary is that it is about Tukur Buratai. The documentary highlighted a no nonsense general who dispassionately handled insurgency like a seasoned professor of research methodology. Of course, the former Chief of Army Staff succeeded in taking war to the enclaves of the dreaded Boko Haram and he decimated them, reducing them to mere opportunists who go about attacking soft targets and vulnerable people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In my candid opinion, there would not be a better person to be called upon to consolidate what Tukur Buratai has done not only in the North East but also all over the country. Buratai knows the theory and practice of how to manage and reinforce the fragile peace of this biggest black nation of Africa. A country of more than 200 million people should have her security handled by an astute and dogged soldier who has selflessly and relentlessly fought for the peace we enjoy today.

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Infrastructure Projects: Ogun is losing it completely — Segun Showunmi

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Infrastructure Projects: Ogun is losing it completely — Segun Showunmi

 

 

 

Ogun is losing it. Period!!!
Lagos, Oyo and Ogun States are the only ones of the 6 states of the southwest completing the first term in a few days.

Lagos is commissioning projects to round off! I have lost count of both private-sector projects and government-inspired ones.

Oyo has done an investment summit in London and has commissioned an ultra-modern Lodge in Abuja.

Pray what is my beloved Ogun doing to round off the first term, nothing absolutely nothing.
Time was when the story was different, I have no recollection of any time in this democracy where Ogun was so uninspiring.

It is sobering and required all true-born, indigenes, residents, friends and lovers of Ogun State to not slip into indolence, to do so is to be guilty of aiding and supporting what will make the present handlers fall asleep on duty, I hate leaders who play to the gallery, and it seems that is what has become of us, there is no point crying over spilt milk, what we must plead is that we rededicate and refocus our priorities towards making Ogun State the shining light and the oasis of all things edifying.

A new cabinet will soon be put in place, if it is not too much to ask, please get a fit-for-purpose team, the type of all-comers job for the boys and girls we paraded between 2019-2023 must yield to a far better team.

I will also recommend that the helmsman be more accessible and open to ideas, looking to blame everyone else but oneself is surely not worthy of an often touted private sector experience.

Vision, Focus, Passion and Implementation will need to be scaled up.

Ogun must be re-marketed, A comprehensive reorientation program would be highly useful for we can see the social ills that have become prevalent, and must redirect ourselves in line with our pedigree, efficiency in resources utilization has become Germane as we are well aware of the state of the national debt which will certainly impact Ogun.

Governance is a serious business and must be given the seriousness it deserves.

May Ogun State Succeed.

Otunba Segun Showunmi
Ogun Governorship Aspirant

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Swearing-in: Why Supreme Court dismissed PDP’s suit against Tinubu, Shettima’s candidature

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Why Tinubu Picked Dele Alake As Spokesperson 

Swearing-in: Why Supreme Court dismissed PDP’s suit against Tinubu, Shettima’s candidature

 

The Supreme Court has dismissed the suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party seeking the disqualification of Bola Tinubu as a candidate in the last presidential election.

 

 

Swearing-in: Why Supreme Court dismissed PDP’s suit against Tinubu, Shettima’s candidature

 

The suit, which alleged the inappropriate nomination of Mr Tinubu’s running mate for the February 2023 presidential election, Kashim Shettima, impliedly sought to stop the president-elect from being sworn in as president on 29 May.

 

 

 

 

Swearing-in: Why Supreme Court dismissed PDP’s suit against Tinubu, Shettima’s candidature

 

 

A five-person panel led by Inyang Okoro dismissed the suit unanimously on Friday.

Adamu Jauro, a member of the panel who delivered the lead judgement, held that the PDP lacked the legal right to file a suit on an internal affair of APC.

 

 

 

“It should be noted that no political party can challenge the nomination of another political party.

 

“A political party lacks the right to challenge the activities of INEC on account of the nomination of another political party’s candidate.

“No court has the jurisdiction to entertain such a suit by another party,” the court held.

The court said PDP failed to show any harm it suffered because of Mr Shettima’s alleged double nomination

 

Agreeing with the Court of Appeal’s earlier judgement dismissing the suit, Mr Jauro said, “I am in complete agreement with the Appeal Court that the PDP lacks the right to file this suit.

 

The appellant was unable to point to where the lower court determined the substantive issues on its merit.

 

“It is clear that the suit is statute-barred. Hence this court has no power to delve into the merit of the merit of the suit.”

The judge added: “It is frivolous and bound to fail fraught with manifest malady. It has been a waste of precious time and judicial energy.

 

“Counsel should do better to advise their clients to desist from suit frivolous matters.

“The appeal is grossly lacking in merit and it is hereby dismissed.”

The court awarded the cost of N2 million against PDP and in favour of the respondents

 

The judgement came three days ahead of the inauguration of Mr Tinubu as Nigeria’s president.

Outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari had on Thursday conferred Nigeria’s highest national honour, GCFR, on Mr Tinubu preparatory to the president-elect’s inauguration on 29 May. The second highest national honour, GCON, was also conferred on Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima.

 

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