New Unilag VC Resumes
January 30, 2010 by mtick
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The new Vice-Chancellor of University of Lagos , Prof. Tokunbo Sofoluwe will on Monday formally resume office as the Chief Executive of the institution.
Speaking with newsmen after a five-hour council meeting in Lagos yesterday, the Prof-Chancellor of the School, Deacon Gamaliel Onosode said the council’s decision was subjected to the provision of the relevant laws of the land .
He said: "Council subject to the provision of the relevant law has approved that Prof. Sofoluwe should take over tomorrow (Saturday) as the new Vice-Chancellor as Prof. Tolu Odugbemi clocks 65 years tomorrow (today).
Onosode explained that Prof. Odugbemi has graciously accepted the status of the law. "He has no reservation and he has graciously and honourably bowed out."
The Pro-chancellor added that the agreement that the federal government reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities was to procure the amendment of the law that will allow professors to retire from service when they reach 70 years, adding that, "until the law has been amended you must retire at 65 years.”
Prof Sofoluwe emerged as the new Vice-Chancellor of the institution following last fortnight’s Joint Council and the Senate selection Board’s interview.
Three candidates were shortlisted by the Deacon Onosode-led Joint Council-Senate board. According to a reliable source close to the board, 21 applicants applied for the post vacated by Prof. Odugbemi.
Nine candidates were interviewed including two external candidates among whom were professors Friday Okonofor of the at the end of this month College of Medicine, University of Benin and Babajide Alo of Chemistry Department, Unilag and Sofoluwe were shortlisted by the selection board.
A source who spoke to THISDAY on the condition of anonymity, anybody up and above 60-year-old was not considered so as to prevent a repeat of what happened to Odugbemi who is going because of the mandatory 65-year-old limit inspite of the fact that he came on board in 2007. The source added that no candidate who is less than ten year-old, as a professor was not considered.
Members of the selection board included Deacon Onosode, Mrs. Evelyn Rewane-Fabian, Mr. Gbadebo Dallas, Prof. Rahim Bello and Prof. Dele Olowokudejo the former Dean, Students’ Affairs of the University.
Sofoluwe began his teaching career as Graduate Assistant at Unilag in 1976 and rose steadily to become a Professor of Computer Science in October, 1996.
An urbane scholar-researcher, Prof. Sofoluwe was Head, Department of Computer Science 1989-1991, and 1994-1996, Dean, Faculty of Science, 1998-2002 and member of the Governing Council of the University from 2000.
Prof. Sofoluwe was born on April 15, 1950 and he attended University of Lagos where he graduated with a Second Class Upper Division with honours in Special Mathematics in June, 1973.
The don received the prestigious German scholarship award for academic brilliance during his undergraduate days. Sofoluwe also won the Dean’s prize in 1971/72 session. He was a pioneer Youth Corps member in the defunct South-Eastern State of Nigeria.
Prof. Sofoluwe won a Commonwealth Scholarship to study at Edinburgh University where he obtained his Master’s and Doctorate degrees in 1975 and 1981 respectively.
via Thisday
Chelsea facing legal threat over signing boy of 11
September 5, 2009 by mtick
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Following Fifa's imposition of a transfer ban until January 2011 over Chelsea's illegal recruitment of the teenage forward Gaël Kakuta from Lens, ASPTT Marseille will take legal advice on Tuesday to discuss the case of Boga, who had spent five years with the amateur team.
Robert Caturégli, the chairman of the Marseille club's football division, claims Chelsea pushed through the transfer by arranging accommodation and a car for the player's parents.
Caturégli alleges that Lyon, Marseille and Bordeaux took an interest in Boga's development but that the youngster's father, who had previously split from his wife and moved to London, made contact with English clubs about the possible transfer.
Chelsea are understood to have been told that the child already intended to move to London to live with his father, who was said to be living within Chelsea's catchment area. The club do not consider they have broken any rules over the move. Since Boga was under the age of 12 there was no requirement for the club to seek international clearance.
"The player is so gifted the three biggest clubs in France wanted him," said Caturégli. "But Chelsea found a solution of taking the whole family: the mum, the two brothers and to keep them in a house in Wimbledon. The mum has a car to take the kids to school and to training or whatever. He was in our Under-12s team and we're just a youth development club. He didn't have a contract so we felt we couldn't go to Fifa.
"But if the family were getting back together they could have done so at Marseille and the boy has been taken to England at a very young age. It's sure that Chelsea didn't reunite the family for sentimental reasons. We're prisoners of these big clubs who purloin our players. Chelsea did not give us even one single football."
ASPTT will ask lawyers whether the circumstances of the move are in contravention of Fifa's Article 19, governing international transfers involving minors. That states: "International transfers of players are only permitted if the player is over the age of 18," adding that a child may only register with a foreign club if "the player's parents move to the country in which the new club is located for reasons not linked to football".
Chelsea, who are appealing against Fifa's Kakuta ruling, refused to comment. However, if Caturégli's claims are true, he would have the sympathy of Uefa's president, Michel Platini, who is a Fifa vice-president. "When you uproot [a child] from their home environment, when you make them emotionally disorientated, I call that child trafficking," said Platini in a speech to the European parliament in February.
Chelsea have long insisted that their policy for youth player recruitment is based around London, in accordance with Football Association regulations. Setting out his role as "a headhunter around the world" at a Leaders in Football conference last year, Chelsea's head of player recruitment, Frank Arnesen, explained self-imposed age limits on overseas acquisitions.
"London is our first aim for seven to 12-year-olds," said Arnesen. "At 12-14 we go a little bit further but still London, for 14-16 it's around the UK and at 16-18 it's the European Union. At 18-plus, it's the rest of the world."
Chelsea's captain, John Terry, yesterday spoke of his "shock" at the Fifa decision over Kakuta. "It was a big shock to me," said the England captain. "But the club have reiterated that I can't speak about it as they are appealing very strongly."
Source : Guardian.co.uk
EFCC begins arrest of bank loan defaulters today
August 26, 2009 by mtick
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Following the expiration of the deadline given to debtors of the embattled five banks to pay up, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will today commence arrest of defaulters. Consequently, the commission, which has classified them as economic saboteurs, implored all Nigerians to cooperate with the commission to effect their arrest.
Speaking at media briefing yesterday in Lagos, Farida Waziri, the commission’s chairperson, insisted that no extension will be entertained, adding that the seven-day ultimatum given to all individuals and corporate entities was enough to settle their indebtedness and as such defaulters will face the consequences of their action.
On why the incarcerated chief executives are still with the commission, she said that the commission wants to ascertain the identities of debtors and fish out conspirators, adding “in a few fours from now some of the suspects would have their day in court.”
Waziri could neither provide the names of defaulters nor the amount collected to date as, according to her, the commission has to be sure of figures before presenting them to the public.
However, analysts said yesterday that her action may not be unconnected with the controversies which the published list of debtors has generated.
Consequently, Waziri, who had a meeting with the managing directors of the embattled banks may have opted to tread the path of caution in order not to generate another controversy from the list being compiled by the managing directors.
According to a source, Waziri told them to “cross check and ensure any likelihood of mistakes of either omission or commission.”
The EFCC boss who said that the loans were fraudulently given said the debtors and the dismissed management of the banks would be prosecuted for conspiracy. “We can arraign them [debtors] for conspiracy together with the managing directors. Some loans were given without collateral; some loans were given under fictitious conditions.” She explained.
Waziri disclosed that about 15 bank executives are in EFCC custody while two - Erastus Akingola, former managing director of Intercontinental Bank plc and Cecelia Ibru, former managing director of Oceanic Bank plc - are at large.
Waziri said the commission is aware that many of the embattled bank debtors have been holding secret meetings and strategising to escape arrest and prosecution, while some have allegedly perfected plans to frustrate the commission with legal hurdles.
“Some are said to be preparing to go to court to seek protection against arrest and prosecution. While it is within the right of every Nigerian to seek legal redress against perceived wrong, we would crave the indulgence of the respected members of the Nigerian bench not to consider any frivolous interlocutory application from bank debtors at this particular point in time. Some of us may not know it but these are very critical times for the banking sector and our beloved nation,” she said.
She likened the debtors’ action as pure economic sabotage, advising that “we should not allow them to escape with their loot. We, therefore, appeal to all stakeholders to cooperate with the commission as we go all out after these defaulters tomorrow.” (today). According to Waziri, EFCC has compiled a comprehensive list of all the defaulters.