Education
IIM-Africa Calls for Speedy Passage of Data Protection Law


Institute of Information Management- Africa (IIM-Africa) has called on the National Assembly to speedily pass the data protection law, if the country will truly make any meaningful progress.
Amb. Oyedokun Oyewole, President / Chairman Governing Council of the Institute said this at the weekend as part of activities to commemorate the International Archives Day 2018 Celebration, in Lagos.
He noted that the country lacked enabling laws that will ensure proper management of information and records,
“In Nigeria today, we don’t have data protection laws, just last week i was in the UK for Institute of Information Management Induction and a day before our induction in the UK, the UK government, reintroduce their data protection regulation, that is , the general data protection regulation.


Participants at RIMA Foundation quarterly meeting.
“It came into force on May 25th, these are some of the things we as Africans should imbibe. There is need for the national assembly to speedily pass the data protection law in Nigeria”, he said.
Oyewole, decried the production and issuance of National Identity cards by the federal government without adequate laws to ensure that data captured were used for the purpose for which they are being captured,
In his words, “Over the years we have been hearing about the national identity card project, how on earth would you have such sensitive project without having enabling laws that will ensure that data, that are being captured are used for the purpose for which they said they are capturing them.
“And the usage of those data, how are they being governed, are there rules, are there specifications, are there processes, are there procedures that will ensure that your information, your data, my information , my data that are being collected are being used appropriately.
“So these are some of the several issues that are on ground that the institute is actually out to resolve because there is no government anywhere in the world that can move any country forward without recourse to quality information.
“If quality and correct information is not available, it would be difficult for government to know the number of unemployed citizen.
“It will be difficult for them to know those that are aged, it will be difficult for them to know the number of graduates we are churning out, so as to be able to adequately provide employment opportunity for them.
“It will also be difficult for government to know the infant mortality rate, health care requirements and so on and so forth.
“All of these things grossly depend on quality of information and that is why we are out, that is why we are trying to create awareness today,” he stated.


Rally.
He added that, their aim is to let people know the importance of records and archives management, “because in this part of the world, people only see tangible things as physical assets , like building, vehicles , equipment and so on but information is another assets government should take seriously, they should pass all the necessary laws and make sure that people do the right things at the right time and also ensure that only trained and qualify personnel are saddle with the responsibilities of managing personal information, government information and corporate information”.
Oyewole, further explained that in a bid to sensitize citizens on the importance of proper information and record management, the institute has embarked on certification courses for citizens and professionals alike.
He said, “We offer certification courses for core information management professionals and general certification for all citizens, even the house help, the security people etc., are required to come for this program.
“It’s called General Information Management and Competence Certification (GIMC), which we developed by what we have observed in the society because information just gets to the public domain haphazardly and in order for us to nib that to ensure that people are at best in their roles and responsibilities, we decided to come up with that and it’s just a one day certification program.
“Also there are roles and responsibilities when it comes to managing the dynamics of information and also making sure that organisations, government and individuals imbibe certain standards when it comes to managing records and information,” he added.
Jummy Adetoyese Olagunju, Director Awards, Institute of Information Management (IIM) Africa, said that their aim is to change people’s orientation to have the right approach to things and enable them leverage on information record management and archiving to make the country better and the world at large.
He said, “Today is international archive day and it is also a day when the IIM organise free quarterly training.
“It’s free because it’s not something you have to pay for; members come in, even people from outside come in as well and they are imparted with knowledge for free, which a lot of people pay for outside.
“So there are two things in one, first is marking the international archive day and having the quarterly training as well.
“What we are doing today will help in steering Nigeria in the right direction, because where we are presently, we are not yet there.
“That’s why in most situations, we are reactive, we react to issues, we react to national disaster, and we react to very important things.
Olagunju identified ignorance as the greatest challenge facing management of records and information in Nigeria.
“If we can take ignorance out and bring the right education for people, the challenge that was imposed years back about storage, archiving will no longer be there.
“We now have storage that can be contained in a very small midget, that could house the entire information but not many people even understand or even have the knowledge of such existence”
The Institute also said that they have come up with Miss Archive beauty pageant in order to encourage young female folks to become members of the institute.
Chidinma Mbagwu, Project Manager, Beauty Pageant, Institute of Information Management, said that the aim of Miss Archive beauty pageant is solely to create awareness in the minds of our youths about the importance of information and record management.
She said, “Miss Archive beauty pageant is another way of attracting interest from young people and creating awareness in information and record management.
“A beauty pageant will arouse young people’s interest in becoming aware of the importance of information and record management.


Rally.
Education
How Sujimoto CEO, Ogundele, Defrauded Enugu State Government of N5.7bn – Official
… Accuses him of ‘premeditated fraud’ | Accused says, “I’m Not a Thief or Fugitive” | Report by ORJI ISRAEL


The Enugu State Government has accused the Olasijibomi “Sujimoto” Ogundele, CEO of Sujimoto Luxury Construction, of defrauding the state of nearly N6bn, noting that Ogundele vanished into thin air after he was paid the said sum for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools in different parts of the state.
The government also accused Ogundele of premeditated fraud, explaining that while he presented a bond issued by Jaiz Bank to secure the contract, he used the company’s Zenith Bank account registered with the state’s Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to receive the said payment, making it impossible for the state to hold Jaiz Bank liable.
The clarifications were contained in a statement issued by the Enugu State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Malachy Agbo, on Friday.
The statement said, “For the avoidance of doubt, on July 2, 2024, the Enugu State Government awarded a contract in the sum of N11,457,930,950.52 to Sujimoto Luxury Construction Ltd for the construction of 22 Smart Schools (buildings only) in six months starting from the date of the acceptance of the award.
“The Enugu State Government paid the sum of N5,762,565,475.25, representing 50 per cent of the contract sum, in order to fast-track the projects at all the sites.
“Rather than play to the rules of the contract to deliver quality projects for furnishing and equipping ahead of September 2025 school resumption, in line with the priority placed on the Smart Green Schools initiative by the government, Mr. Ogundele resorted to shoddy jobs and the use of inexperienced workers and quack engineers. None of his sites met the structural integrity of the projects as specified in the structural drawing.
“Worse still, he vanished into thin air with the money. All efforts made by the government to get him to a roundtable to discuss the quality and progress of work proved abortive. He equally refused to attend the periodic projects briefing organised by the state government for all contractors or take numerous calls and messages put across to him. In fact, he practically abandoned the sites, leaving the Enugu State Government with no other choice than to petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to recover the funds paid to him.
“A joint team of officers of the Enugu State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and the EFCC visited the 22 sites to evaluate the progress of work on May 8 and 9, 2025, where it was clearly established that there had been minimal to no significant work done at the said sites one year after the contract award. In some cases, he fraudulently did not do excavation for all the blocks in site.
“It is also on record that he has not shown up at the sites or made himself available to either the state government or the law enforcement agencies even after those site visits.
“It is also pertinent to state that it was discovered in the course of investigation that whereas he presented a bond from Jaiz Bank, he used Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited’s Zenith Bank account number 1312731196
to receive the said payment and draw down the fund without deploying it to the projects. This clearly shows a premeditated intent to defraud the state ab initio.
“The government has since retaken and handed over the sites to new firms, who has no choice than to start the construction afresh. Tremendous progress has been made to keep the determination of the Mbah Administration to migrate Enugu children to Smart Green Schools by September on track.
“Nigerians should therefore disregard his theatrics and crocodile tears, as Enugu State Government is determined to and will surely recover every penny of Ndi Enugu fraudulently obtained by Mr. Olasijibomi Ogundele (Sujimoto).”
The Enugu State Government’s statement was accompanied with pictures of the project sites as abandoned by Sujimoto, which were taken by the joint team of officials of the state and operatives of the EFCC during the May 8 and 9 site visits.
The pictures clearly showed that the project sites were mostly at the levels of foundation and DPC, with a few at the stage of block work.










However, the Sujimoto CEO has broken his silence following a wanted notice issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In an emotional video shared on social media, he dismissed allegations of money laundering and fund diversion, pledging to personally report to the anti-graft agency to defend his reputation.
In the video, Ogundele insisted, “I’m not a thief; I’m not a fugitive.” He described the controversy as a fallout from a disputed contract with the Enugu State Government, initially meant for state infrastructure and later transformed into an ambitious “city” project including Nigeria’s tallest building.
He added that both parties took the matter to court but that he had attempted an amicable resolution.
However, EFCC’s announcement, made official on its X handle and signed by spokesperson Dele Oyewale, marked the collapse of that relationship.
Highlighting the volatile economic environment, Ogundele stressed that inflation and supply chain disruptions severely impacted project delivery.
He cited rising material costs, cement rising from ₦7,000 to ₦10,000 per bag, and even alleged that in some rural areas, his team faced security threats, including gunfire.
He lamented, “In the last five years prices have gone crazy; something I could have done in two years was delayed.” Despite these challenges, he claimed he stayed committed to the project until its collapse.
Despite the public backlash, Ogundele reiterated his willingness to face the EFCC directly to “clear my name.” He insisted that the controversies stem from economic and contractual misunderstandings, not criminal intent, and asserted that the accusations have damaged both him and his company.
Notably, this is not Ogundele’s first brush with legal scrutiny. In October 2024, he was detained by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) over an alleged $325,000 fraud involving a property transaction. He was detained following a petition lodged by human rights lawyer Pelumi Olajengbesi but was subsequently released.


Call them President Bola Tinubu’s kids; then Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s children. You won’t be wrong.
For in reality, that sums up the story of five young Deltans who left Nigeria as national champions to compete in Qatar and returned to the country as global champions.
They brought honour and fame to Nigeria, to Delta state and to their respective schools and families.
Take a bow: Wisdom Chukwuma of Government College, Ughelli; Otorvo Uyoyou of Alegbo Secondary School, Effurun; Abraham Honour of Okpaka Secondary School, Okpaka; Ekhamateh Splendour of Government Model Secondary School, Asaba; and Alika Daniel of Utagba-Ogbe Grammar School, Kwale. They are all students of public schools in Delta.
Ahead of their stellar performance in Qatar, they had emerged champions at the 2025 President’s National Basic Education Debate Championship, which earned them the ticket to represent Nigeria at the World Schools Debate Championship in Doha, Qatar.
To emerge champions in the national President’s schools debate, they out-performed other young debaters from 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory. They showed oratory, lexical elegance, critical thinking, linguistic sophistry, stage craft, teamwork and typical Delta spirit of self-confidence and charisma.
The Delta quintet showed no butterflies. They were assertive and compelling in their arguments, persuasive with a splash of eloquence. They were not fazed by the audience.
They possessed every stage of the national competition, wowing the audience with raw intelligence, logicality and an uncanny ability to verbalise their thoughts at the speed of light.
Besides, they evinced a firm grasp of contemporary issues in a manner that truly set them apart from their competitors.
The Delta-Five simply owned the national debate championship. They made it their show with a dash of distinction. That was the badge of honour they took to the 2025 World Basic Schools Debate Championship held in Doha, Qatar.
And they excelled against competition from United States of America and host nation, Qatar, debating on climate change, youth empowerment and responsible technology use.
It was a triumph of ‘the spirit of Delta’ and a testament to the strategic investment in education by Oborevwori; an investment that spans teachers recruitment, capacity building, infrastructure addition and upgrade, welfare of education personnel across the value chain, all of which have created the conducive ergonomics for experiential learning.
One common feature in Delta public education is funding. Oborevwori, himself a product of public-school system, believes that with the right tools, upskilled personnel, and good funding, Nigeria public schools can rival any in the world.
He was the first governor to pay the 2025 counterpart funding for UBEC-SUBEB projects. His unrelenting push for quality academic and technical education has manifested in more school enrolments, improved performance in external examinations and enhanced technical competencies among youths in the state. It is a template worthy of national implementation.
A strong advocate of performance-based reward, the governor gifted each of the five students and their handlers with a goodly N20 million. Oborevwori is an ideal intentional leader whose predilection to welfare has been legendary all through his public life.
He believes that governments at all levels must be people-centric. It was the same spirit of people-centred leadership that made him launch the Widows Welfare Scheme, which seeks to empower 10,000 widows through direct financial aid and access to free healthcare as well as the release of N10 billion to clear outstanding pension arrears owed to retirees in the state.
This bucks the trend whereby retirees wait on end before receiving their deserved entitlements. Nigeria has had a poor sense of welfare for pensioners with hundreds dropping dead while waiting to be paid or while protesting non-payment of their pensions and gratuities.
In a particular south-west state in 2015, 236 pensioners reportedly died in seven months as a result of the inability of the state government to pay their pension and gratuity, according to a Radio Nigeria report at that time.
Even at the federal level, the issue of delayed payment and in some cases non-payment of pension has caused strains and deaths of retires in a manner that is not only shameful but affronts the fundamental rights of the retirees.
There has been a toxic pattern of owing retirees across the country. But not so with Oborevwori. He believes that while governance focuses on building infrastructure across all spectrum of endeavour, the human element in society must never be neglected.
He sees this as a duty, an undeniable obligation to humanity. And he has kept his word. So far, a total of N36.4 billion had been paid in pensions, and N1.4 billion is being released for payment of pensions monthly since he assumed office.
“Our retirees are men and women who gave their best years in service to the state. It is only just that they receive what is duly owed to them, and under my watch, their welfare will remain top priority,” he said recently during a meeting with the state’s Pension Board.
Leadership in emerging economies like Nigeria must be deliberate in visioning, and purposeful in implementation.
This was the model of Lee Kuan Yew, the architect of modern Singapore. He was devoted to quality education of Singaporeans and the enthronement of merit over sundry mundane considerations.
He enforced the learning of English language making Singaporeans bilingual and becoming globally competitive.
This deliberateness in leadership led to the emergence of Singapore from the ruins of war into a frontline global economy.
Indeed, success is neither an accident nor a happenstance. It comes from a premeditated visioning of a desired destination and calculated implementation of the critical processes that will lead to that destination.
Oborevwori from the outset promised to deliver a MORE agenda of Meaningful Development, Opportunities for All, Realistic Reforms, and Enhanced Peace and Security.
The rash of reforms he has wrought in the education sector alone underscores the competitive edge of Delta students both locally and globally.
It is a rebirth of the good old days when Delta, even as a component of the defunct Bendel state, was the exemplar for youth development, academic and sporting excellence in the country.
From law, medicine and engineering to liberal arts and social sciences, Delta colleges and universities have continued to excel in major competitions thus cementing the state’s position not only as a benchmark in education but also a model in youth development and upskilling for global competitiveness.
This is not a by-product of ad hoc and episodic leadership. Such landmarks are achieved with conscious leadership, the type epitomised by Oborevwori.
The fact that the fantastic Delta-Five are all students of public schools in the state speaks volumes of the governor’s determination to make Delta education sector the archetypal 21st century standard in the country.
· Umukoro, a public policy analyst, writes from Warri
Education
NELFUND Disburses ₦86.3 Billion to Students


In a sweeping act of educational support, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has channelled a staggering ₦86.3 billion into the hands of 450,000 students, marking a defining moment in the nation’s push for accessible higher education .
From Promise to Reality
When President Tinubu signed the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act in April 2024, few could have fully predicted the scale of impact it would soon generate . Today’s announcement brings that law to vivid life, converting legislative intent into tangible aid for nearly half a million students across Nigeria.
Stories Behind the Numbers
Imagine a first-year engineering student in Onitsha, Onitsha—previously faced with the real possibility of abandoning school mid-semester—now able to pay her tuition and housing bills, thanks to her NELFUND loan. Across the country, hopeful minds in remote communities, technical colleges, and vocational training centres are likewise experiencing a renewed sense of possibility.
Systemic Reach, Individual Impact
This isn’t a one-off dispersal—rather, it’s part of a growing continuum. Just back in February, NELFUND had already extended institutional loan support amounting to ₦22.7 billion for 215,514 students for the 2023/2024 academic year . The latest disbursement now significantly broadens that scope, both in scale and inclusivity.
What This Means for Nigeria’s Future
Amplified Access: Undeniably, ₦86.3 billion rightfully earned the label “transformative.” By bringing nearly half a million students into the fold, NELFUND is widening higher-education access in a way previously unthought-of.
Economic Ripple Effect: Beyond tuition, these loans buffer expenses for books, living costs, and skill development—fueling markets and nurturing local economies across urban and rural areas alike.
Hope Becomes Tangible: For parents, caretakers, and students, financial obstacles no longer have to determine academic fate. This funding turns distant aspirations into concrete realities.
Looking Ahead
As Nigeria’s youth press forward, armed with education and determination, the question turns to sustainability. Will NELFUND maintain this momentum? How will the repayment plans and administrative systems evolve to ensure long-term viability?
Still, for now, the spotlight is rightly on the students—those who can now look toward graduation with renewed hope and purpose.
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