Education
Prophet Song by Irish Author Paul Lynch Wins 2023 Booker Prize
By Adedapo Adesanya
Irish author Paul Lynch won the 2023 Booker Prize for fiction for his novel Prophet Song, a dystopian work about an Ireland that descends into tyranny.
The 46-year-old beat five other shortlisted novelists to the prestigious award at a ceremony in London.
He becomes the fifth Irish writer to win the high-profile literary prize, which has propelled to fame countless household names, including past winners Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood and Hilary Mantel.
“This was not an easy book to write,” Mr Lynch said after collecting his award, which comes with £50,000 (around $63,000) and a huge boost to his profile.
“The rational part of me believed I was dooming my career by writing this novel. Though I had to write the book anyway. We do not have a choice in such matters,” he added.
Mr Lynch’s book is set in Dublin in a near future version of Ireland. It follows the struggles of a mother of four as she tries to save her family from totalitarianism, as detailed on https://my-passion.com/. There are no paragraph breaks in the novel.
Canadian novelist, Ms Esi Edugyan, who chaired the five-person judging panel, called the story “a triumph of emotional storytelling, bracing and brave”.
“With great vividness, Prophet Song captures the social and political anxieties of our current moment,” she said.
“Readers will find it soul-shattering and true, and will not soon forget its warnings.”
The Booker is open to works of fiction by writers of any nationality, written in English and published in the UK or Ireland between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 2023.
None of this year’s six finalists — which included two Americans, a Canadian, a Kenyan and another Irish author — had been shortlisted before and only one had previously been longlisted.
The shortlisted novels, announced in September, were chosen from a 13-strong longlist that had been whittled down from an initial 158 works.
Among them was Irish author Paul Murray’s “The Bee Sting”, a tragicomic saga which looks at the role of fate in the travails of one family. Mr Murray was previously longlisted in 2010.
Kenyan writer Chetna Maroo’s moving debut novel “Western Lane” about grief and sisterhood follows the story of a teenage girl for whom squash is life.
The judges also selected “If I Survive You” by US writer Jonathan Escoffery, which follows a Jamaican family and their chaotic new life in Miami.
He was joined by fellow American author, Paul Harding, whose “This Other Eden” — inspired by historical events — tells the story of Apple Island, an enclave off the US coast where society’s misfits flock and build a new home.
Canada was represented on the shortlist in the shape of “Study for Obedience” by Sarah Bernstein. The unsettling novel explores the themes of prejudice and guilt through a suspicious narrator.
The Booker was first awarded in 1969. Last year’s winner was Sri Lankan writer Shehan Karunatilaka for “The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida”.
This is the second year in a row that a novel about political conflict has won the prize. In 2022, Mr Karunatilaka’s The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida was set during the Sri Lankan civil war.
The previous Irish winners are Iris Murdoch, John Banville, Roddy Doyle and Anne Enright.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has announced the reopening of the 47 unity schools earlier shut down due to security concerns on November 21.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Federal Ministry of Education on Thursday.
It said that the decision to reopen the affected colleges across the country reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to safeguarding students and ensuring the continuity of education.
On November 18, 2025, over 20 schoolgirls were kidnapped by unidentified armed men from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi state.
Just three days later, on November 21, about 303 students and 12 teachers were kidnapped at St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Niger state.
In response, the federal government shut down 47 Federal Unity Colleges, and some states including Katsina, Taraba, and Niger also closed schools or restricted school activities, particularly boarding institutions.
Rights group including Human Rights Watch lamented that while these measures were aimed at protecting students, they disrupted learning for thousands of children, denied them access to education, and the social and psychological support schools provide.
FULL LIST OF AFFECTED UNITY COLLEGES
North-West:
FGGC Minjibir, FTC Ganduje, FGGC Zaria, FTC Kafanchan, FGGC Bakori, FTC Dayi, FGC Daura, FGGC Tambuwal, FSC Sokoto, FTC Wurno, FGC Gusau, FGC Anka, FGGC Gwandu, FGC Birnin Yauri, FTC Zuru, FGGC Kazaure, FGC Kiyawa, FTC Hadejia.
North-East:
FGGC Potiskum, FGC Buni Yadi, FTC Gashua, FTC Michika, FGC Ganye, FGC Azare, FTC Misau, FGGC Bajoga, FGC Billiri, FTC Zambuk.
North-Central:
FGGC Bida, FGC New-Bussa, FTC Kuta-Shiroro, FGA Suleja, FGC Ilorin, FGGC Omu-Aran, FTC Gwanara, FGC Ugwolawo, FGGC Kabba, FGGC Bwari, FGC Rubochi, FGGC Abaji.
South-West:
FTC Ikare Akoko, FTC Ijebu-Imusin, FTC Ushi-Ekiti, FTC Ogugu.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Online learning platforms, Coursera and Udemy, have reached an agreement to merge in an all-stock transaction, with the combined company’s implied equity value estimated at approximately $2.5 billion.
The agreement, unanimously approved by both companies’ boards of directors, stipulates that Udemy shareholders will receive 0.8 shares of Coursera common stock for each Udemy share held.
Upon completion of the merger, Coursera shareholders are expected to own about 59 per cent and Udemy shareholders approximately 41 per cent of the new entity on a fully diluted basis.
The combined company will continue under the Coursera name, and maintain its headquarters in Mountain View, California.
Coursera, founded in 2012 by Mr Andrew Ng and Ms Daphne Koller, is an online learning platform with 191 million registered users as of September 30, 2025. It collaborates with over 375 universities and industry partners to offer courses, specialisations, professional certificates, and degrees.
The platform includes features such as generative AI (gen AI) tools (Coach, Role Play, Course Builder) and role-based solutions (Skills Tracks) to support scalable and personalised learning. Coursera is used by institutions for workforce development in fields such as gen AI, data science, technology, and business.
Udemy is a platform that provides on-demand, multi-language courses to help companies and individuals develop technical, business, and soft skills. It uses AI to offer personalised learning experiences and supports workforce development in a changing workplace.
Mr Greg Hart, currently CEO of Coursera, is set to lead the enlarged organisation as CEO after the merger.
The board will consist of nine members. Six from Coursera’s board, including chairman Mr Ng and CEO Mr Hart, and three from Udemy’s board.
“We’re at a pivotal moment in which AI is rapidly redefining the skills required for every job across every industry.
“Organisations and individuals around the world need a platform that is as agile as the new and emerging skills learners must master,” Mr Hart said.
The combination is said to create a complete ecosystem of top instructors supported by AI tools, data-driven insights, and broader distribution, enabling more engaging, personalised, and dynamic learning at scale.
Projected operational efficiencies include anticipated annual run-rate cost synergies of $115m within two years after closing.
Udemy CEO, Mr Hugo Sarrazin said: “For more than 15 years, Udemy has helped millions of people master in-demand skills at the speed of innovation.
“Through this combination with Coursera, we will create meaningful benefits for our learners, enterprise customers, and instructors, while delivering significant value to our shareholders, who will participate in the substantial upside potential of the combined company.”
The merger is anticipated to close in the second half of 2026, pending regulatory clearances, approval by both companies’ shareholders, and other customary closing conditions.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Global cryptocurrency platform, Luno and AltSchool Africa, an accredited online learning platform, have announced a strategic partnership aimed at demystifiing crypto to 15,000 Nigerians.
The initiative at that scale makes it Africa’s largest crypto education programme.
According to a joint statement on Wednesday, this is a significant step in Luno’s continued efforts to strengthen trust in digital assets and support safer participation in the digital economy.
This is hinged on Africa’s fast-growing digital finance landscape where 33 per cent of the country’s population already engage with digital assets, and a rapidly growing youth population are eager to participate in the digital economy.
According to the statement, the partnership aims to bridge the knowledge gap by providing structured, practical, and safe crypto education.
This will be done by combining Luno’s experience in promoting safe crypto participation with AltSchool Africa’s capability in delivering accessible digital skills training.
“The course directly addresses the misinformation and financial risks associated with unregulated digital assets, while demonstrating real-world applications tailored to African contexts,” the joint statement added.
The initiative will be implemented in three cohorts of 5,000 learners each. Applications for Cohort 1 will be open from January to February 2026, with the course commencing in March 2026. Cohort 2 participants will gain access to the course in July 2026, while Cohort 3 participants will begin the programme in November 2026.
The programme will be led by Web3 expert Mr Abdulsamad Tiamiyu, who will provide a practical, Africa-focused introduction to cryptocurrency, showing how it can be used for saving, remittances, global trading, and entrepreneurship.
The curriculum consists of five core modules and is designed to be completed within three to four weeks.
Learners benefit from up to one year of access to all course materials, including online, self-paced video lessons, slides, quizzes, and case studies. The course combines theory with hands-on experience, where learners interact with wallets, exchanges, stablecoins, and research tools like CoinGecko and Etherscan.
According to the organisers, this approach gives learners the tools to confidently use digital currencies in everyday financial activities. Successful learners, upon passing the assessments, earn an AltSchool Africa Certificate of Completion.
Speaking on the partnership, Mr Ayotunde Alabi, CEO of Luno Nigeria, said: “This initiative is a crucial intervention in Africa’s digital ecosystem. As crypto adoption accelerates, formal literacy must grow alongside it, so individuals can benefit safely and meaningfully,”
“Our partnership with AltSchool Africa is a deliberate step toward that goal and a foundational investment in the integrity of the industry. By delivering structured, high-quality education, Luno is helping ensure that Africans can participate confidently, securely, and sustainably – turning what is often seen as risk into real economic opportunity,” he added.
Adding his input, Mr Adewale Yusuf, Co-founder and CEO of AltSchool Africa, said “This partnership between AltSchool and Luno is a major step toward financial education that truly serves Africans and helps people gain the knowledge and tools they need to understand crypto with confidence and use it in practical, life-changing ways.”
The programme is open to Nigerian residents aged 18 and above who are able to commit to completing it within four weeks. Applicants must have a Luno account or create one before enrolling.
Starting January, Interested participants are encouraged to submit application through the AltSchool Africa portal, with scholarship decisions communicated within one week.
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