Education

Ajimobi Denies Ownership of Tech-U, Say Belongs to Oyo Govt

Published

7 years ago

20/05/2019

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has put to rest the controversy surrounding the ownership of the First Technical University, Ibadan, saying that the institution belongs to the state government wholly and not any individual, including himself.

The governor made the clarification while receiving the state’s traditional rulers in the state, led by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who were on a courtesy visit to his office, on Monday.

Among the royal fathers on the entourage, drawn from the six zones of the state, were Eleruwa of Eruwa, Oba Samuel Adegbola; Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Abdul-Ganiy Salawudeen; Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Olusola; and Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin.

Mr Ajimobi also used the occasion to avail the royal fathers of his administration’s achievements in education, agriculture, peace, security and infrastructure, among others in the last eight years.

He said the state government had not expended any fund on the establishment of the university till date, as all the structures in the institution’s premises were built by foreign donors and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“Let me use this opportunity to dispel the rumour going around that I am the owner of The First Technical University, Ibadan. People are expected to talk, especially when they lack proper information, but if we fail to dispel the rumour, it may stick and become the truth.

“I want to say without any equivocation that I do not own the Technical University, Ibadan. It belongs to Oyo State Government wholly. It is easy for people to come up with such rumour because of the successful establishment of the university.

“It is the first of its kind in Nigeria, and we are happy that we succeeded in achieving this in our time. Nobody believed we could achieve it, especially during a period the country was grappling with economic challenges.

“Oyo State has had no financial input in the establishment of the university till date. All what you see there were done by lovers of the state, indigenes living abroad, international institutions and the CBN,” Mr Ajimobi said.

He urged other well-meaning individuals and corporate bodies to also support the university through construction of structures like students’ hostels, halls, block of classrooms, amphitheatre and sports complex, all of which he said could be named after the donors.

The governor expressed appreciation to the traditional rulers for their unflinching support for his administration in the last eight years, which he said had contributed to the success so far recorded.

The governor said, “I give gratitude to the Almighty Allah for giving me the opportunity, in spite of my natural deficiencies as a human being.

“To serve humanity through the governance of Oyo State, which is unarguably the intellectual capital of Nigeria with highly politically-sophisticated people, is a rare privilege.

“I appreciate you all our royal fathers and indeed, the entire people of the state immensely, because you made it possible for us to govern the state with uncommon success in the last eight years.”

Speaking earlier, Oba Adeyemi said there was no institution that could correctly appraise the achievements of any administration in any state than traditional rulers.

He said the election of Ajimobi for two consecutive terms was a testimony of people’s love and support for him and their acknowledgement of his administration’s success in some critical areas like education, health and infrastructure.

Oba Adeyemi said: “I believe very much that if there is any agency that can make a correct appraisal of any government’s performance in any state, no agency is better placed than the traditional rulers in such a state.

“The reason is not far-fetched. Among the traditional rulers, there are those who have experienced some administrations, which qualifies them to make fair assessment of all.

“In my own case, and with gratitude to God for my longevity and the good people of Oyo for their support and cooperation at all times, I have experienced many administrations, both military and civilian.

“Let me start from a noncontroversial statement of fact as far as Governor Ajimobi is concerned. It is that till date, he is the longest serving governor to occupy the Agodi Government House since the Western Region days. There can be no better empirical testimony of his acceptability by the people of the State than that.

“I doubt if anybody can deny the fact that the last eight years have been marked by peace in the state. He is always in constant touch with all security agencies, with his ears literally on the ground for vital information.”

Oba Adeyemi wished the governor success in his future endeavous, stressing that the traditional rulers were proud of him and would continue to pray for him and his family.

Education

45 Student-Led Startups Win N2.2bn from FG Ventures Initiative

Published

4 days ago

31/03/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

Forty-five student-led ventures emerged as beneficiaries of a total pool of N2.2 billion in grants at the 2026 Student Venture Capital Grant (S-VCG) Finalist Bootcamp.

The programme of the federal government marks a significant boost to youth innovation under its entrepreneurship drive, announced earlier this year.

At the bootcamp’s closing ceremony and awards presentation held at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in Ikoyi, Lagos, the winners emerged after a rigorous selection process involving 65 finalists and assessment by a 12-member expert panel.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Education, Mr Tunji Alausa, said the initiative underscores the government’s commitment to transforming tertiary institutions into centres of innovation, entrepreneurship and practical problem-solving.

He described the S-VCG programme as a key pillar of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at enabling students to convert ideas into viable businesses.

Mr Alausa noted that each beneficiary can access up to N50 million in equity-free funding, alongside mentorship, incubation support and digital tools.

He added that the programme attracted more than 30,000 applications from 404 tertiary institutions nationwide, reflecting the growing culture of innovation among Nigerian youth.

Also speaking, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Mr Bosun Tijani, commended participants for leveraging technology to develop solutions to real-world challenges.

He urged them to build scalable, tech-driven ventures capable of contributing to national development.

Also speaking, Minister of State for Education, Mrs Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, praised the finalists’ resilience and creativity, noting that initiatives like S-VCG are critical to nurturing problem-solving skills and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset among students.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFund, Mr Muntari Dandutse, called for sustained investment in youth innovation to strengthen Nigeria’s knowledge-based economy.

On his part, the National Project Coordinator of the Special Programmes Operations and Implementation Unit, Mr Adebayo Onigbanjo, outlined the structure and long-term objectives of the programme, stating that it is designed to equip students with the resources and confidence needed to build sustainable ventures.

Education

UniJos Suspends Exams Over Deadly Jos Attack

Published

5 days ago

30/03/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The University of Jos has suspended all examinations scheduled for Monday and Tuesday following growing tension in Jos, after a deadly attack in Anguwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The management of the institution also advised students and staff to remain indoors and stay vigilant.

According to reports, the attackers, who rode on motorcycles, stormed the community at about 7:30 pm while residents were going about their normal activities, firing indiscriminately and causing panic.

Many people were killed, while several others sustained injuries in the attack.

“The attackers just rode past and started shooting sporadically. People were running in different directions,” a source told Channels Television.

The broadcaster also reported that in the aftermath of the attack, angry youths reportedly blocked major roads within the community, raising fears of escalating tension.

UniJos, in a statement issued on Sunday by the Deputy Registrar, Information and Public Relations, Mr Emmanuel Madugu, said the incident had heightened tension, necessitating the decision.

“In view of the late evening fatal attacks by unknown gunmen on residents of Angwan Rukuba (an area that hosts many staff and students of the University), and the consequential tensions it has generated in and around the area and environs.

“The Vice Chancellor has directed that all examinations scheduled to hold on Monday, March 30, and Tuesday, March 31, 2026, are postponed, and will be rescheduled accordingly. That members of the University community be advised to be very vigilant and extra careful with their movements (On and off Campus) with IMMEDIATE EFFECT.

“For emphasis, members are strongly advised to AVOID COMING OUT VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING, and should REPORT IMMEDIATELY any sign or shadow of breach of the public peace to the University Security Division on 08035895323.

“University Management is actively liaising with the relevant Security agencies and monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of the lives of members of the University community. Further relevant updates will be communicated in due course,” the deputy registrar added.

Education

8 Best Editing and Proofreading Services in 2026 for Academic Researchers

Published

1 week ago

27/03/2026

Dipo Olowookere

The top editing services for academic researchers in 2026 include Editage, Wiley Editing Services, Taylor & Francis Editing Services, Sage Author Services, and Scribbr. In this article, we’ll look at the key features of each of these, and some others, to help you choose the best proofreading service for your own research paper. We’ll also share the 4 key aspects you must consider when choosing a proofreading service.

Top 8 Editing & Proofreading Services for Academic Researchers

1. Editage

With over 23 years of experience in academic publishing, Editage has edited over 2 million research papers and is trusted by 40+ publishers, 500+ universities, and 1000+ research societies. Editage employs over 3,000 subject matter experts as editors. It offers comprehensive publication support, including services such as journal selection, statistical review, and figure preparation. Most service packages include free journal formatting. Editage also provides a specialized service designed to help prevent the desk rejection of your paper.

2. Wiley Editing Services

Wiley Editing Services has edited over 25,000 manuscripts in the past 3 years, with an acceptance rate of 62% (the acceptance rate of Wiley journals in general is around 28%). Wiley Editing Services offers authors slab-based pricing with clear turnaround times. Another feature of their editing service is free word count reduction by 10-20% depending on service package. It has a specialized academic translation team and offers authors design support in creating graphical abstracts and infographics.

3. Taylor & Francis Editing Services

Designed to support Taylor & Francis authors, Taylor & Francis Editing Services has a no-questions-asked quality guarantee and commits to re-working your manuscript until you are satisfied. Clients can choose from three levels of English language editing, and the company also offers you a free language scorer tool to help you choose the right level of editing for your manuscript. After your paper is accepted for publication, you can also avail of services to help you create lay summaries, video abstracts, etc. to promote it. Taylor & Francis also offers a range of live webinars for researchers to acquire new skills.

4. Sage Author Services

Realizing that 76% of authors find writing a paper for publication most difficult of all the research stages, Sage Author Services offers clients a range of editing services with easy tools to compare them and select the one suited for your paper. There is also a combination translation + editing service geared towards ESL authors, and a plagiarism check support service. You can get unlimited Q&A with your editor after your paper is edited. Their website also has an easy-to-use calculator for you to choose pricing and delivery speed.

5. Cambridge University Press Author Services

Cambridge University Press, a part of Cambridge University, has a long-standing commitment to advancing research and human knowledge. Their author services offers 24/7 support and a certificate guaranteeing the quality of English in the edited manuscript. Besides offering three levels of editing service, Cambridge University Press also has translation support available for Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. There is a separate manuscript formatting service and a specialized “video shorts” service to make your published paper easy to share on social media.

6. Scribbr

Scribbr, a trusted brand in edtech, has a network of over 700 editors and writing coaches for students. All editors have passed through an in-house training program called Scribbr Academy. Scribbr offers clients access to free AI-powered tools and an extensive Knowledge Base for university students (especially undergraduates). Scribber also has a rapid turnaround time of just 5 minutes for AI-powered proofreading. The company offers specialized proofreading services for capstone projects and essays.

7. Scribendi

Established in 1997, Scribendi has processed over 800,000 manuscripts and has a team of over 400 native English-speaking freelance editors. The company is highly rated on Google Reviews and offers specialized services for ESL students, including dissertation proofreading with a 10% student discount. Another specialty of Scribbr is field-aware editing for humanities and social sciences researchers.

8. PaperTrue

PaperTrue works with students, authors, and businesses around the world to create error-free documents. New customers get a free 300-word sample. The company follows a rigorous 3-step checking process for every assignment. PaperTrue is rated 4.6 on Reviews.io and offers specialized editing services for college assignments, admissions essays, and personal statements. The company also has a large bouquet of solutions for book authors: typesetting, cover page design, etc.

How to Choose a Proofreading Service for Your Research Paper

Here are 4 things that you need to consider when you are choosing a proofreading service:

Quality:

Everyone will claim to be the best. How can you tell which proofreading services are really good? Look for services that have many subject matter experts, those backed by scholarly publishers, and those that transparently disclose whether their services are powered by AI or not.

Turnaround time:

A rapid-fire editing service isn’t always better. You need to budget time even after your paper is edited to check the editor’s changes and respond to any queries. Look for a service provider with a reasonable turnaround time, and one that is flexible with turnaround time if you have budget constraints.

Price:

Instead of thinking that cheap equals good, look for proofreading services that have transparent pricing that is easy to follow. Check what is included in your service package, especially re-editing support and manuscript formatting.

Additional support:

Look for a provider who can assist you at every stage of your publication journey and even with post-publication promotion. Such providers will care more deeply about your article and your publication success. Also, such providers will likely have editors who are experienced in academic research and who understand the challenges authors face during the publication process.