Covenant University Tops Elsevier SciVal Research Endeavours [2017]

Covenant University (CU) has been ranked Number One (1) globally in some research endeavours and rated among the top 10 in others, based on the latest computations by Elsevier SciVal, the world acclaimed ready-to-use solution that offers easy access to the research performance of 8,500 research institutions and 220 countries worldwide.

This latest rating is a huge boost to the University’s vision of being one of the top 10 universities in the world by the year 2022.

Over 13 million publications for the period 2011-2015 were extracted from the Scopus database, to form 168,092 clusters. SciVal subsequently identified 53 publication clusters in which Covenant University has a significant presence. The 53 publication clusters were grouped into 16 Competencies for Covenant University.

SciVal classified 4 of the 16 Competencies as Distinctive Competencies of Covenant University because they are significantly large fields, and the institution is leading these fields in terms of publications, highly cited publications, and/or innovation.

Indeed, Covenant University, looking at the data from 2011 to 2015 as calculated by Elsevier, was rated World Number One (1) in research endeavours such as (Wind Power, Wind and Turbine) and (Corrosion, Corrosion Inhibitors, Carbon Steel). World Number Two (2) in (Trade, Remittance, Effect) and (Housing; Residential Satisfaction, Satisfaction).

Twelve other areas of emerging competencies were identified.

Professor Tijjani Bande Appointed Acting President UN General Assembly [2017]

Nigeria’s Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the UN, Professor Tijjani Bande emerged as the Acting President to preside over the 81st Plenary Meeting of UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters following the absence of the President of the Assembly, Peter Thomson, who was on an official travel to the Central African Republic.

Professor Bande’s presidency at the Plenary Meeting happened just nine days after he presented his credentials to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

Nigeria was appointed one of the 21 Vice Presidents of the General Assembly on June 13, 2016 at the 71st session of the General Assembly.

Amina Mohammed Is New York Academy of Sciences Honorary Member [2017]

The United Nations (UN) Deputy General and Nigeria’s former Minister of Environment, Mrs Amina J Mohammed has been appointed as honorary member of the New York Academy of Sciences [2017].

The New York Academy of Sciences honors distinguished individuals through Honorary Memberships, and through the Academy Fellows program, which existed from 1976 through 2006. These awards are highly regarded in the international science community and reflect the Academy’s commitment to excellence, its heritage, and serving its worldwide Membership.

Dr. Olusegun Fagbohun & Lois Sanni win AFSCAN Awards 2017

The African Small Companion Animal Network (AFSCAN) has announced the recipients of its 2017 Research and Studentship Awards, which encourage small animal clinical research relevant to Africa and help train and develop veterinary students and academics working in Africa.

This marks the second year for the awards.

2017 Research Awards:
  • Dr. Olusegun A. Fagbohun from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, received funding for a two-year project entitled: “Molecular Epidemiology of Rabies Virus in Dogs in Nigeria.”  This award is supported by the Swiss Association for Small Animal Medicine. 
  • Dr. Hezron Nonga from the College of Veterinary and Medical Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture in Morogoro, Tanzania, will be funded for two years in a project studying how to better protect people by curbing zoonotic parasites in dogs. Dr. Nonga’s award is supported by Zoetis and the Petplan Charitable Trust.
2017 Studentship Awards:
  • Lois Sanni from the Federal University of Agriculture, Ogun State, Nigeria, will participate in evaluating lipid peroxidation and plasma antioxidant in arthritic and in nonarthritic dogs.
  • Esther Ombura from the University of Nairobi, Kenya, to devote time to looking at antimicrobial resistance in dogs.
  • Victor Ishengoma from the Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania, will use his award to collaborate on the project “Canine Transmissible Venereal Tumor in Tanzania: People’s Awareness and Disease Occurrence in Selected Villages in Morogoro.”

The Studentship Awards give fourth- or fifth-year African undergraduate veterinary students the opportunity to spend six to eight weeks participating in a research project related to disease or the welfare of companion animals of relevance to African society.

The AFSCAN project was launched in 2014 by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association Charitable Foundation in Dundas, Ontario, and is supported by Zoetis, a global animal health company headquartered in Parsippany, N.J., and Kruuse, a Danish veterinary equipment manufacturer, and other organizations that together form the AFSCAN Consortium.

 

Justice Ayotunde Phillips Is Elected Into FIFA’s Ethics Committee Adjudicatory Chamber [2017]

Justice Ayotunde Phillips has been elected into FIFA’s Ethics Committee Adjudicatory Chamber as Africa’s representative prior to the 67th FIFA Congress in Bahrain.

The Committee in full:

Chairman: Vassilios Skouris (Greece)

Deputy chair: Fiti Sunia (American Samoa)

Members:

Asia: Mohammad Ali Al Kamali (United Arab Emirates)

Africa: Justice Ayotunde Philips (Nigeria)

Europe: Aivar Pohlak (Estonia)

North Central America and Caribbean: Margarita Echeverria (Costa Rica)

Oceania: Jack Kariko (Papua New Guinea)

South America: Flavio Zveiter (Brazil)

Diane Isibor

Twenty year-old Nigerian-born Diane Isibor, stars with two prestigious awards during the 223rd convocation ceremony of Valdosta State University, United States.

They are the Spring 2017 President’s/Vice Chancellor’s Award for Academic Excellence (for the Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration) and Annie Power Hopper Award.

Diane Isibor graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance with a first class and Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4 over 4, not dropping a point from her first to final year.

The President’s Award for Academic Excellence is presented to the graduating student with the highest grade point average in each of VSU’s five Colleges – College of Arts and Sciences, College of the Arts, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration, and James L. and Dorothy H. Dewar College of Education and Human Services.

According to the Institution, Isibor’s commitment to academic and service excellence, resulted in her earning many laurels, including the 2016 VSU President’s Choice Scholarship, 2016 Georgia Gulf Sulfur Scholarship and 2016 Institute of Management Accountants Memorial Education Fund Award.

Amaju Pinnick Emerges President of AFCON & CAF Media Committees

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick has been appointed president of AFCON – Africa Cup of Nations, and Media Committees of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Amaju Pinnick’s appointment was made at the first Executive Committee meeting of the CAF, which took place at the Sheraton Hotel in Manama, Bahrain.