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Buhari Pays Tribute To Nimi Briggs
President Muhammadu Buhari, has described late Prof. Nimi Briggs, as a man with indelible blueprint who brought peace to the university system.
Buhari, represented by his Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, made this known at the Official Memorial Ceremony for Briggs, in Abuja, yesterday.
He praised the deceased for bringing his unparalleled activities, commitment and passion to instill industrial peace in the university system.
“ In honour of the late Prof. Briggs, I join others to console with the wife, family, academia and other person’s from other areas. This is a reality of existence that we have to contend with.
“We cannot question the will and wisdom of the Almighty God.
“At times like these, we need to look back and thank God for the gift of life of Prof. Briggs, our gathering is not to mourn.
“This journey of life cut almost all part of our national existence and also transverse great service in various landmarks in our country.
“ In his two main major areas of expertise -academic and medical, he stands out. He has brought his unparalleled life abilities on the scene of academic positions.
“It will be deserving of mention his gratitude for leading the Federal Government team of negotiations with our academic labour unions on improving our university system in the country,” he said
The president also described him as a man of humility, God-fearing, devoted and a perfect gentleman who had left a mark to be filled by others.
The President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said the death of Briggs was not just shocking but disheartening to say the least.
Osodeke, represented by the Investment Secretary of the union, Mr Austin Sado, said Briggs was a distinguished leader empowered by the Federal Government to renegotiate the 2009 FG/ASUU agreement.
He praised the deceased for approaching the role with unequalled dedication and faithfulness.
“We commend the late Briggs as he earned the respect for the honest commitment to this assignment. His contribution sets him apart for honour and will forever be missed,” he said
He said that the late Briggs through his works, immortalise his name and would never be forgotten.
Also, speaking, Sen. Andrew Uchendu, Pro-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt said the best way to mourn the late Briggs was for the academy community to play their roles for the overall development of the country.
Responding, the son of the late Briggs, Nina thanked the academy community for standing strong for the Briggs family throughout the demise of their father.
He called on the community to stand up for the good part of his father’s life as to recede the darkness in the society.
“ My father is a human being, though we have private loss but now I can see that his loss is a communal loss to Nigeria, medical community and academy community.
“He touched lives in one way or the other within a little or wide window.
“ I will want us to find the element Nimi Briggs drop in you and amplify it. Let us stand up to something good so that the darkness in the society will recede.
“ That is the best legacy you can all give to him,” he said.
The Tide source reports that tributes were rolled in for the deceased from the Academy of Science, Academy of Medicine, College of Medicine and University of Lagos.
Other tributes were delivered from the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of Federal and State universities.
Until his death on April 10, Briggs was the Pro-Chancellor, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndifu Alike, the 5th Vice-Chancellor, University of Port-Harcourt and Chairman, Committee of Pro-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new members to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement yesterday, said the appointment is to fill existing vacancies and strengthen the board’s capacity.
The statement said the approved nominees are Mr. Olusegun Omosehin of the National Insurance Commission and Engr. Wole Ogunsanya of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria.
Tinubu also endorsed the nomination of Sam Onyechi, who represents the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum and Barrister Owei Oyanbo from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The President encouraged the new members to leverage their expertise and dedication to enhance local content development within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It added, “The nominations arose from the exit of previous institutional representatives from the Governing Council.
“The NCDMB Governing Council, established under Section 69 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, comprises representatives from key institutions.
“These include the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, and the National Insurance Commission.”
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to construct additional hostels, rehabilitate roads, and enhance power supply in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).
NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday by a delegation from the UNIPORT’s Governing Council.
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had committed to upgrading facilities at UNIPORT as part of efforts to foster partnership with educational institutions across the Niger Delta.
According to him, the implementation of additional projects at the university forms part of a broader strategy to improve education standards in the region.
“Aside from the construction of new hostel blocks and installation of a 300 KVA solar inverter system, the NDDC will also facilitate more projects in the university.
“The commission will also deploy its engineers to assess the condition of UNIPORT’s roads and hostels for potential rehabilitation,” he said.
Ogbuku noted that upon completion, the projects would add to various initiatives previously undertaken by the commission at the university.
“These and other projects reflect our commitment to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta region,” he added.
He reaffirmed the NDDC’s dedication to fostering development and strengthening partnerships across the region.
Earlier, Sen. Mao Ohuanbunwa, Chairman of UNIPORT’s Governing Council, who led the delegation commended the current leadership of the NDDC for its achievements in accelerating development in the Niger Delta.
He highlighted the university’s infrastructural challenges, noting that it lacked adequate facilities to accommodate its growing student population, and appealed for the NDDC’s support in addressing the shortfall.
“Currently, UNIPORT has a total student population of about 50,000, while its hostel accommodation capacity can only cater for 5,000 students.
“We therefore urge the NDDC to assist in the construction of additional hostels, improve transportation facilities, and facilitate the acquisition of gas turbines to enhance power supply for our students,” Ohuanbunwa pleaded.
The Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, commended NDDC for its impactful projects across the Niger Delta and extended an invitation to the commission to participate in the institution’s forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.
The Senate has rejected a motion to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.
Nwosu presided over the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was truncated by the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).
The election which was won by the late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola, was adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the electoral history of Nigeria.
The motion to rename INEC after Nwosu was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe yesterday after lawmakers threw it out last Wednesday.
Abaribe called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
However, the proposal sparked a heated debate once again, with lawmakers deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy.
Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results.
He argued that “there was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero.”
Senator Austin Akobundu, however, described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.
On the other hand, several senators like Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea outright, questioning why the Senate should honour someone who failed to announce the results insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results.
“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.
Also, Senator Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election.
“Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he tendered.
After intense deliberation, most senators rejected the motion through a voice vote.
They, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu.