Segun Ogunsanya Emerge Best Telecoms CEO in Africa [AITTA 2017]

Segun Ogunsanya, the Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, has been named Best Telecoms CEO in Africa by the Africa Information Technology & Telecom Awards 2017, a pan African platform that recognizes customer service, innovation and excellence in Africa Telecom and Information Technology Industry.

Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, who is currently leading Airtel’s operations in Nigeria and Ghana, with responsibility for accelerated growth and overall profitability across the two West Africa cluster countries, was honoured in Accra, Ghana.

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2017 Crans Montana Forum Of New Leaders Of Tomorrow Award

Esther Agbarakwe, Aminu Waziri Mohammed and Usman Muhammad have been honoured with Crans Montana Forum of New Leaders of Tomorrow award [2017] for their outstanding professional achievement.

The Forum, which is domiciled in Switzerland consists of a unique community of young leaders from Africa, the Arab World, far Eastern Europe, Central Asia, South-America and far East that were selected for their exceptional professional achievement and leadership experience in businesses and governments.

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GTBank Wins Double Honours At Euromoney Awards [2017]

Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (GTBank) has been awarded Nigeria’s Best Bank & Africa’s Best Bank for SMEs during the 2017 Euromoney Awards held in London.

According to Mr. Clive Horwood, Euromoney Magazine’s Editor:

“Nigeria went through a difficult year as low oil prices and capital flight continued to hurt the country’s economy. Many banks struggled as a result of this but GTBank remained strong, recording significant and enviable financial and non-financial performance. The bank’s digital transformation drive has been very successful, as it has enabled the bank to deepen financial inclusion across Africa with its array of tailor-made digital solutions that has made banking simpler and more accessible.”

On the award, Managing Director (MD)/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GTBank, Mr. Segun Agbaje, said:

“We are honoured to win the Best Bank in Nigeria award a record eight times and to be recognised as Africa’s Best Bank for SMEs. These awards reflect our progress in building strong, value-adding relationships with our customers whilst positioning the bank as the financial institution for Small and Medium Enterprises through our creation of free business platforms that are geared towards promoting enterprise in key economic sectors.We remain committed to maximising shareholders’ value and delivering superior and sustainable return, guided by our founding values of hardwork, discipline and integrity. GTBank has consistently played a leading role in Africa’s banking industry. The GTBank brand is regarded by industry watchers as one of the best-run financial institutions across its subsidiary countries and serves as a role model within the financial service industry due to its bias for world class corporate governance standards, excellent service quality and innovation.”

Now in its 26th year, the Euromoney Awards for Excellence covers more than 20 global product categories, best-in-class awards and the best banks in over 100 countries around the world by recognising institutions that have demonstrated leadership, innovation and momentum in the markets they operate.

In selecting its recipients, Euromoney combines quantitative and qualitative data to honour institutions that have brought the highest levels of service, innovation and expertise to their customers.

ABU (IAR) & IITA Develop 3 New Maize Varieties [2017]

The Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has secured approval to release three new high-yielding nutrient maize varieties for planting in Nigeria granted by the National Varietal Release Committee at the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology in Ibadan.

The maize varieties were developed by IAR in collaboration with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan.

The maize varieties tagged: SAMMAZ 52, SAMMAZ 53 and SAMMAZ 54 were offshoots of extensive “on-station, multi-locational and on-farm’’ evaluations with strong farmer participation.

According to IAR:

“SAMMAZ 52 is an improvement over previously released varieties as a result of bio- fortification with pro Vitamin A.

This Vitamin A bio-fortified maize variety has yield potential of 6.0 ton/ha, about 24 per cent higher than earlier release varieties in the same category.

It has medium maturing of between 110 and 120 days, tolerant to maize streak virus, rust, leaf blight and curvularia leaf spot.

The SAMMAZ 53 and SAMMAZ 54 varieties are bred for high grain yields up to 7.6 t/ha and 7.2 t/ha. Both varieties are extra early maturity (80-85 days) and resistant to maize streak virus, rust, leaf blight and curvularia leaf spot.

They perform very well in northern Guinea and Sudan savannah environments where climate changes are manifesting in the form of droughts, dry spells and in ecologies where parasitic Striga hermonthica attacks are severe owing to declining soil nitrogen.”

The varieties were produced to strengthen farmers’ resilience in coping with the changing production environments in which irrigation water and rainfall had become increasingly scarce.

The commercialisation and adoption of the varieties is expected to significantly improve food and nutrition security as well as the livelihood of actors along the maize value chain.

Sandra Musujusu Develops Treatment for Breast Cancer [2017]

Sandra Musujusu, a student of the African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja, has developed an alternative treatment for breast cancer.

AUST is hosting one of the Centres of Excellence, known as Pan African Material Institute (PAMI), with research focus: electrical power, disease detection and treatment.

Sandra Musujusu’s research, using macromolecular science is aimed at developing bio-degradable polymer material which could be used as alternative for the treatment of breast cancer in the near future.

Musujusu, a Sierra-Leonean national is conducting the research under the sponsorship of the Pan African Materials Institute (PAMI).

According to Sandra Musujusu:

“My research is actually centred on the development of bio-degradable polymers for treatment of breast cancer.

I will be focusing on triple negative breast cancer which is actually the aggressive sub-type of breast cancer that is common with women from African ancestry.

I believe there is a bright future for Africa, and as a woman there is much more we can do if we are empowered. This award given to me by PAMI has empowered me to face my studies with more confidence and actually contribute to the frontier of knowledge and move Africa forward.”

The World Bank Education Director, Dr. Jaime Saavedra Chanduvi with his team visited the University (AUST) as part of his assessment tour of the 10 African Centres of Excellence (ACE) centres.

The World Bank has committed about $10 billion for the ACE project in Nigeria, as part of efforts to encourage conduct of cutting-edge research and specialisation of the beneficiaries institutions in specific development problems faced in Nigeria and indeed the African continent.

Out of 19 African Centres of Excellence, 10 Nigerian tertiary institutions won slots to churn out special research works that could compete effectively with global standards.

The ACE universities include Redeemers University, Mowe; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; University of Jos, Jos; University of Benin and African University of Science and Technology, Abuja; University of Port-Harcourt; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife; Bayero University, Kano; Benue State University, Makurdi; and Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.

The impact of ACE is evident with Redeemers University, which served as the testing site during the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Nigeria in the year 2014, before it was brought under control.

 

Samiat Owo-Alade Emerges Rajiv Ghandi’s Best Graduating Student [2016/17]

Samiat Owo-Alade, has emerged the best-graduating pharmacy student with the highest score of 75.5 per cent at the Rajiv Ghandi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, India [2016/2017].

According to her:

“I waited for two years despite having my West African Examinations Council, National Examination Council and the General Certificate of Education results. I was so ashamed of myself after some of my mates had gained admission. Sometimes, I asked myself, ‘Why me?’ I tried all I could just to pass the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. I attended coaching classes, even when I knew I shouldn’t have been there. At a point, I had to learn a trade. It was a trying period for me as a young girl, yet I relied on God. Two years later, my prayer was answered. I gained admission to study in a university in India.

I intend to have an industry, with a standard research and development centre that will involve animals and human volunteers. I realise that Nigerians lack continuous research. Our government does not encourage research.”

Winners Of The 2017 PIN Poetry Competition

Poets in Nigeria (PIN) have announced the prize-winners for the 2017 edition of Nigerian Students PIN poetry Competition, which opened since February this year, and which received about 725 poems from students drawn from over 100 tertiary institutions in Nigeria and abroad.

Winners of the 2017 Poets in Nigeria (PIN) Competition

1st Prize

Bakre Fadil Adedamola, a 400-level student of Philosophy at the University of Ibadan, clinched the first prize with his poem ‘Mixed History’.

2nd Prize

Ajah Henry Ekene, a medical student of University of Benin, won second position with his poem ‘Song of Freedom’.

3rd Prize

Bona O. Solomon, a student of Guidance and Counselling, University of Ibadan, took the third prize with her poem ‘Beach Chronicles’.

The winners get 200,000 Naira and an exclusive feature in the seventh issue of PIN Quarterly Journal and NSPP’s anthology of top 100 poems to be released later in the year.
Professor Akachi Ezeigbo, chair of the judging panel appraised the winning poems. In his  statements: “I have chosen the winning poem ‘Mixed History’ and the two runners-up ‘Song of Freedoms and ‘Beach Chronicles’ not just because of the content, but more importantly, because they are virtually error-free and make judicious use of imagery, especially as seen in the skillful use of symbols and metaphors. They are charming poems in every sense of the word and explore serious themes and interesting ideas.”