CSO’s Launch Online Portal to Track Police Abuse [2016]

A coalition of 49 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has launched an online portal to document and track human rights abuses by the Nigerian police.

The coalition Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN) and Connected Development [CODE], a non government organization whose mission is to empower marginalized communities, said unlawful police detentions are escalating and police extortion of citizens had become alarming.

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Ijodo

Nigerian engineer Timothy Addigi Terfa designs and builds a tractor he named ‘Ijodo’, which is 100% Nigerian, with a team of skilled individuals.

He has called the tractor Ijodo, meaning labour in the Tiv language.

The tractor is designed with different attachments to cover a variety of farm jobs.

For many, agriculture is still manual in Nigeria because of the high cost of farm machinery.

Some Ijodo tractors have been sold, but the engineer is looking for more investment.

Mr Terfa wants to inspire others:

“My greatest desire is that someone out there will be encouraged and motivated to do something with the ideas they have to make Nigeria better.”

Ayokunle Adeniran Invents Iron Rhino

Ayokunle Adeniran, a US-based Nigerian mechanical engineer, invented an iron called Iron Rhino that works without electricity or coal.

The Iron Rhino as it is formally called is a gas-powered iron which does not need electricity to work. It makes use of little gas canisters.
Ayokunle Adeniran, a graduate of Covenant University said it was disappointment that inspired him to invent the iron.

He said:

My inspiration came from disappointment. One day, I needed to meet up with my dad at the airport, and the clothing I wanted to wear was rumpled, I was unhappy and had to wear something else. This disappointment brought about the spark of creativity in my head so I decided to proceed with the idea of having an alternative source of powering clothes iron.

The Iron Rhino is a product I designed in response to the inability of people to iron their clothes due to electrical power outages. It is a butane gas powered pressing iron, meaning it does not require electricity to function. It looks very similar to and functions like existing electric irons. The butane comes in canisters that retail for about 120 Naira and can last for 1 week usage at 20 minutes daily ironing.”

Though gas is not a renewable source of energy, it is healthier and cleaner than oil or burning coal. When gas is burned, it only releases carbon dioxide and water vapor (which are the exact same gases that we breathe out when we exhale).

The Iron Rhino is very reliable as it functions at most habitable environmental conditions. It is also said to be user friendly.

This makes it easy for Nigerians to press their clothes without having to wait for NEPA, PHCN or DISCO.

Umar Ahmad 4.00

Malaysian Research University, the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) has awarded Umar Ahmad, Certificate of Merit for being the best student to graduate with Outstanding Distinction with a CGPA of 4.00 in his Master of Science by Research in area of Medical Anatomy.

In addition, Umar Ahmad has published 5 papers from his Master Thesis in a peer review, high impact scientific journals. He participated in about 30 different professional certification workshops and attended many international seminars, conferences, and scientific gathering during his master studies.

His major research activities in basic and translational research focus on developing targeted therapies for human cancer and he is currently interested in the targeting and identification of genes involved in breast cancer metastasis, neuroblastoma prognosis, anti-angiogenic factors relates to NDV virus and apoptotic pathways in cancer such as how the virus stimulates DNA fragmentation, which will of course be relevant in drug development and initiate virotherapy application for cancer patients. In recognition of his accomplishment, he was offered to service Malaysian Journal of Microscopy (MJM) as their Sub-editor.

Umar Ahmad was among the best students in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, where he had his undergraduate degree at Medical Faculty of the University and graduated in 2010.

Njideka Akunyili Crosby Wins 2016 Prix Canson Prize for Art

The sixth edition of the Prix Canson Prize, which recognizes achievements of international artists who work with paper as their principal medium, was awarded to Nigerian artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby.

Los Angeles–based Njideka Akunyili Crosby makes intimate paintings on paper by intricately collaging together photographs transferred to paper with patches acrylic, charcoal, and other materials.

As winner of the Prix Canson Prize, Njideka Akunyili Crosby will receive a solo show and €10,000 (about $11,300) worth of Canson paper, and the Fonds Canson will purchase one of her pieces. In addition, she will take part in a residency program at the home of the late artist Tunga, who was a member of the jury and who died earlier this month.

The other finalists for this year’s prize were Ruby Onyinyechi Amanze, Bethany Collins, David Shrigley, and Lucy Skaer.

The jury was made up of Brett Littman, the director of the Drawing Center in New York, where a show of the finalist’s work is on view through July 1; Ian Alteveer, associate curator of modern and contemporary art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art; Bice Curiger, the artistic director of the Fondation Vincent van Gogh in Arles, France, and editor in chief of Parkett; Amanda Hunt, assistant curator at the Studio Museum in Harlem; Helen Molesworth, the chief curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles; Frédéric Paul, curator at the Centre Pompidou; Katherine Stout, curator and head of program at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London; and Michael Woolworth, an editor and print master in Paris.