Gabrielle Union's Second Marriage.

Actress Gabrielle Union has married her long-time boyfriend Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade, 32.  The pair wed in Miami in front of an intimate crowd of family and friends. Gabrielle accepted Dwayne’s proposal after the two broke up last year and news broke out that Dwayne had fathered a child with another woman. Wade’s two children from a previous marriage and a nephew he’s raising helped Wade propose back in December.  The couple made guests sign confidentiality agreements not to bring phones to the wedding so there are no pictures yet. John Legend performed at the ceremony, and the bride wore a romantic Dennis Basso gown. Wade wore customized Dsquared2, his personally designed Wedding Collection bowtie from The Tie Bar and a boutonniére by Floral Fix. This is the second marriage for both Wade and Union.  Meanwhile check out photos of the location below: 

Rita Dominic's Relationship Status Revealed.

Nollywood star Rita Dominic has revealed her relationship status. The actress said she is dating someone and she is happy that she is in the right place.The 39years old actress who stunned on the cover of Blanck Digital Magazine dishes on her love life. Speaking on her love life she said; “I feel grateful, thankful and excited as well. Not many have the opportunity to get to this number and for the most part, I have had a good life. Yes I am dating someone and I am in a happy place. I’m good”She also reveals that her man is not in the entertainment industry.

Nail Polish that can expose date rapists.

A new, innovative nail polish could introduce a new level of accountability in potential date rape crimes. The polish, called Undercover Colors, is still in development, but it can change color when it comes in contact with date rape drugs such as Rohypnol, Xanax, and GHB.

Undercover Colors is the brainchild of four male undergraduate students at North Carolina State University majoring in Materials Science & Engineering (MSE). “While date rape drugs are often used to facilitate sexual assault, very little science exists for their detection,” the creators said. “Our goal is to invent technologies that empower women to protect themselves from this heinous and quietly pervasive crime.” 

The team of four won the Lulu eGames student competition with Undercover Colors. The competition was sponsored by North Carolina State University’s Entrepreneurship Initiative to challenge students to design working solutions to real-world problems. 

“Through this nail polish and similar technologies, we hope to make potential perpetrators afraid to spike a woman’s drink because there’s now a risk that they can get caught,” the creators said.

Date rape drugs are slipped into a drink without the victim’s knowledge and are often odorless and tasteless. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 1 in 5 women experience rape at some point in their lives, with more than one-third of those rapes happening when women are of college age.

“With our nail polish, any woman will be empowered to discreetly ensure her safety by simply stirring her drink with her finger. If her nail polish changes color, she’ll know that something is wrong,” the creators explained. 

Undercover Colors is still in the early development stage, according to a statement on the company’s Facebook page. Donations to research and development can be made on their website.

But despite the overwhelming positive feedback that Undercover Colors has received, detractors say the polish simply will not work. One such detractor, known as Animal New York’s Backdoor Pharmacist, points out that already-existing “minilab” products designed to detect date rape drugs—from test strips in coasters, cups, straw, and stirrers—do not work, and a nail polish is no exception. This is mainly due to the impossible breadth of substances used to sedate date rape victims, among which GHB and Rohypnol were found to be relatively rare compared to other substances.

Study Says: Taking Alcohol with Energy Drinks could be harmful.

In a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, researchers at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan have concluded that mixing alcohol and energy drinks poses a serious public health risk, especially among college students. "We found that college students tended to drink more heavily, become more intoxicated, and have more negative drinking consequences on days they used both energy drinks and alcohol, compared to days they only used alcohol," said Megan Patrick, a research assistant professor and co-author of the study.

According to the study, students who either drank alcohol and energy drinks on the same day or who combined the two at the same time wound up spending more time drinking – thus consuming more alcohol – than they would have without the caffeinated drinks. The result of spending more hours drinking raised users' blood alcohol levels to higher peaks. But because of the stimulant effects of the energy drinks, the users reported that they felt less drunk than they actually were. "This can have serious potential health impacts, for example if people don't realize how intoxicated they actually are and decide to drive home," Patrick said.

But a similar study conducted by the Department of Community Health at the Boston University School of Public Health found that it wasn’t necessarily the combination of alcohol and caffeine that posed a risk, but the profile of the drinkers themselves that led to negative consequences. "It appears that the consumption of caffeinated alcoholic beverages has a direct effect on increasing risk by masking intoxication and making it easier for youth to consume more alcohol,” said Dr. Michael Siegel, one of the authors of the Boston University’s study. “It also appears that consumption of alcohol with caffeine may itself be a marker for youth who engage in riskier behavior.”

Boko Haram: More killings

KANO, Nigeria 2014 (AFP) - Boko Haram gunmen have killed scores of residents in a Nigerian town on the border with Cameroon that they captured in recent raids, witnesses told AFP on Saturday.

The militants seized Gamboru Ngala earlier this week after taking over military and police facilities in a fierce gun battle which forced thousands of residents across the border into Cameroon.

The residents fled to Fotokol for fear of attack by the Islamists, despite being told they were only after security personnel and local vigilantes.

"They are now killing people like chickens," said Sidi Kyarimi, a Gamboru resident who fled to Fotokol on Friday. "They started by selective killings and later went on a killing spree."

Among those killed included the town's highest Muslim cleric and the head of its traders' union, he said.

"They threaten to kill anybody who refuses to leave the town. They say we don't belong," he added.

The insurgents were roaming the streets of the town carrying guns and machetes, shooting and hacking to death residents, said Yusuf Sanda, who also fled to Fotokol.

"They have been breaking into homes and shops and looting them," he said.

"Initially they said we were free to stay or leave but now they are saying all residents should leave the town because it is now an Islamic Caliphate."

Sanda said he escaped to Fotokol by wading through the shallow river on the border because it was too dangerous to walk the streets with the insurgents on the prowl.

Boko Haram has in recent weeks seized territory in northern Borno state near the border with Cameroon in an apparent move to carve out a state for themselves.

In a video obtained by AFP last weekend, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau declared the town of Gwoza, which his men captured earlier this month, as part of an Islamic caliphate.

Boko Haram now controls at least three districts in Borno state and at least one each in Yobe and Adamawa states.

The military has maintained that Nigeria's sovereignty is intact and denied reports that soldiers fled the Boko Haram assault in Gamboru Ngala into Cameroon.

Borno, Yobe and Adamawa have been under a state of emergency since May last year but despite some initial gains, the military has been unable to stem increasing violence, particularly in remote regions.

Madagali, a predominantly Christian town in the north of Adamawa state, was the latest to fall in the hands of Boko Haram after they chased out troops.

Scores of Christians were killed in the town and many Christian women were allegedly forced to convert to Islam and marry insurgents, according to the spokesman for the Roman Catholic diocese of Maiduguri.

"Christian men were caught and beheaded, the women were forced to become Muslim and were taken as wives to the terrorists," Father Gideon Obasogie alleged.

"The houses of Christians that have fled are now occupied by the Haramists. Their cars are used by the terrorists. Strict Sharia law had been promulgated", he added in an emailed statement.

There was no independent confirmation of Obasogie's claims due to poor phone networks in the remote region and the mass exodus of residents.

Cristiano Ronaldo - UEFA Best Player 2013-14

In an interview released just a few hours before we knew Cristiano Ronaldo had won the UEFA's Best Player in Europe award for 2013-14, the Portuguese star talked about Real Madrid's journey to winning their 10th Champions League and how he overcame an injury that threatened wrecking his chances of still giving his contribute in the decisive stages of the season.

For the first time in his career, Cristiano Ronaldo won the UEFA Best Player award (2013-14), following his remarkable season last year where he scored 17 goals in 11 appearances in Real Madrid's successful journey in the Campions League. TheMerengues' campaign only ended with the club bringing home the 10th European champions trophy in their history and Ronaldo breaking the top scorer record that previously belonged to Barcelona's main man, Lionel Messi. This Thursday and before we got to know that Cristiano Ronaldo had won this individual award,Marca.com published an exclusive interview with CR7, in which the 29-year old discusses his rivalry with Messi, the struggle he had during the time he was injured last season and how he rates the current Real Madrid squad, after all the departures and signings in this transfer window.

Cristiano Ronaldo - UEFA Best Player 2013-14:

Journalist: "In 2006 [8 years ago], you said you were working hard every day in order to become the best player in the World. You've won the FIFA Ballon d'Or twice since then. What's your main goal now?"

CR7: "I want to keep being the best. I didn't change anything in regards to my work ethics. I approach everything in the exact same way and I want to be the best in every game and competition I'm in. In my head, I always think I'm the best player in the World", started by stating the Portuguese forward.

Journalist: "After a truly impressive series of games last season, you ended up getting injured in your knee in a delicate moment of the year. Do you think you forced too much in order to be able to play in the Champions League final in Lisbonand in the World Cup for Portugal?"

CR7: "Obviously, I did force a bit by playing injured in a few important games last season. If I had stopped and rested back then, I would probably be totally fit by now. It wasn't an easy decision, especially after such a great season we were having. I wasn't at my best, but I decided it was worth the risk and fortunately, it turned out well club-wise, since we won the Champions League and I still scored a goal in the final. Winning La Décima was special for everyone here at the club and I'm glad I did all I could to help us reaching that dream. As for the World Cup, it was a bit more complicated because things didn't exactly go our way right from the start and unfortunately, we can't always make a difference", commented Ronaldo, when reviewing a particularly difficult period from last season, for both Portugal and Real Madrid.

CR7: "Everything that happened before and after my injury has turned into a lesson to me. However, I don't regret having taken the risks I took to defend the colors ofReal Madrid, which is the club that pays my salary and that has always been there for me, and obviously Portugal, my nation..."

Journalist: "Did you feel during any point of last season that you could be risking you footballer career?"

CR7: "In some extent, yes, I did. But we can't go far in life unless we're willing to do sacrifices and take risks. Perhaps in different circumstances I would have played safer, but with a Champions League title and the World Cup on the line, I decided it was worth the gamble. Fortunately, it all went well for Real Madrid and I also managed to beat the goalscoring record in the competition. During these vacations, I did no other thing but to rest my body and treat it the best possible way", assured theUEFA's Best Player in Europe during the 2013-14 season.

CR7: "Sometimes it's true I do push my body to the limit, but that's what a top level athlete must do. I feel better now and I think I will improve my condition very soon. During this pre-season, I've been through a few highs and lows, which is perfectly normal with so many practices, trips and the jet-lag that comes with it. It's hard to prepare your body for a very demanding season in those conditions. Nevertheless, I believe that I'll be back to my best level in a matter of days..."

Journalist: "Ancelotti said that Real Madrid has a better team this year than last season. Having in mind the players who joined the club, Kroos, James, Navas, and the players who left, Diego López, Morata and Di María, what's your opinion?"

CR7: "The answer to that question will be given at the end of the season. You can buy the best 40 players in the World and still not be able to build the strongest team in the game. I'm not saying that the new signings aren't great. They are all terrific and I'm sure they'll do everything in their reach to help the club winning even more titles. However, we have to wait for the end of the season to judge if the team did better or worse than the previous year. I'm convinced that each one of the new players will do great individually and with that, the team can only benefit from their contributes."

Journalist: "After 5 years in Madrid, would you say you're tired of the comparisons between you and Barcelona's Lionel Messi?"

CR7: "It's already part of my life. It's normal that people insist on comparing us, just like in Formula 1 they compare Ferrari with Mercedes. It's part of the game and I'm more than used to it. This hasn't started only after I arrived to Madrid, since people already talked about the both of us before 2009, when I was still playing forManchester United."

Journalist: "Over the years, the idea that passed to the public was that you andMessi didn't get along very well. Is that true?"

CR7: "No, not at all. We're companions. We're professional colleagues, even though we don't exactly have any direct relationship outside the pitch, as I do have with my teammates. Messi tries to do the best he can for Barcelona and Argentina, just like I try to do for Real Madrid and Portugal. The only real rivalry between us that we can talk about has to do precisely with that: doing the best we can for the clubs we play for", stated the 29-year old.

Journalist: "Do you think that in the future, both you and Messi will look back and laugh about everything that happened?"

CR7: "I hope so! Football is just a game and it's indeed our passion. This is a beautiful sport and we're fortunate to be able to play it for so many people out there. We should embrace this rivalry with a positive mindset, because it's something that should simply be appreciated by everyone who loves this game", remarked the Real Madrid forward.

Cristiano Ronaldo next game for Real Madrid will be against Real Sociedad, in their second fixture in La Liga, on August 31. You can watch Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid, Villarreal vs Barcelona, Burnley vs Manchester United, Everton vs Chelsea, and Augsburg vs Borussia Dortmund, all matches provided from oursoccer live pages.

Real Madrid next game:
Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid kick-off time (31-08-2014):

Jakarta (Indonesia) | GMT+7: 02:00
Spain (Madrid) | GMT+2: 21:00
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | GMT+1: 20:00
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | GMT-3: 16:00
New York (United States) | GMT-4: 15:00
Los Angeles (United States) | GMT-7 12:00
Beijing (China) | GMT+8: 03:00

Source: ronaldo7.net

See Why Your NIMC Biometric Data Might Not Be Safe.

Pay Attention:

Master Card: MasterCard Incorporated or MasterCard Worldwide is an American multinational financial services corporation ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MasterCard

which is subject to The USA PATRIOT Act (Makes All American Companies submit all info to their Government)

was invited to partner with NIMC... read News Article below Source:  https://www.premiumtimesng.com

The new Nigerian National Identity Cards launched Thursday by President Goodluck Jonathan, with branded logo of the American firm, MasterCard, have sparked outrage across the country amid fears of serious security and economic breach, with many Nigerians calling for an immediate stoppage of the deal.

Nigerians expressed shock and fury Thursday at how the Nigerian Government, through the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, would surrender a symbol of national sovereignty and pride to a foreign commercial organisation by not only sharing the biometrics of 170 million Nigerian to the firm but by also allowing the firm to boldly engrave its insignia on the IDs.

Many Nigerians raised the alarm over the implications of the agreement in an age that has seen intense data surveillance by the National Security Agency of the United States of America, Mastercard’s home country.

One commentator said allowing MasterCard’s emblem on the Nigerian National ID Card could only compare to the trans-Atlantic slave trade abolished in the nineteenth century.

“The new ID card with a MasterCard logo does not represent an identity of a Nigerian. It simply represents a stamped ownership of a Nigerian by an American company,” said Shehu Sani of the Civil Rights Congress. “It is reminiscent of the logo pasted on the bodies of African salves transported across the Atlantic.”

At the launching Thursday, the Nigerian Identity Management Commission said the cards, designed to also allow handlers effect payments and other financial transactions, will be issued to 13 million Nigerians.

At the completion of the pilot phase of the program, 100 million cards would have been issued, the commission said, describing the move as the “broadest financial inclusion program in Africa”.

The cards will be issued to Nigerians, 16 years and older, and are expected to serve as voting cards in the 2019 elections.

President Jonathan, who flagged off the rollout, praised the outcome of a partnership between NIMC, MasterCard and Access Bank.

“The card is not only a means of certifying your identity, but also a personal database repository and payment card, all in your pocket,” Mr. Jonathan said.

Under the partnership, the NIMC is the project leader, MasterCard provides payments technology, while Unified Payment Services Limited is payments processor. Cryptovision is the Public Key Infrastructure and Trust Services Provider, and the pilot issuing bank is Access Bank Plc.

The Identity Management Commission said it was working with other government agencies to harmonize all identity databases including the Driver’s License, Voter Registration, Health Insurance, Tax, SIM and the National Pension Commission into a single, shared services platform.

For a National ID card project jinxed for decades due to corruption and mismanagement, Nigerians welcomed what seemed like a breakthrough this time, several years after the first attempt at a national Identity Card project ended in fiasco.

But the optimism waned after it became clear Thursday the new ID cards, a key instrument recognised by the federal constitution, will not only bear the Coat of Arms and the Nigerian colours of green white green, but also the logo of MasterCard, a profit-driven private entity.

“Nigeria’s colours and coast of arms is what should be there. It is not an opportunity for advert for promoting companies,” said Eze Onyekpere, Lead Director Centre for Social Justice. “As far as we are concerned it cannot stand. It is not worth it if that’s what they have done.”

Beyond national pride, many Nigerians spoke of the dire economic and security implications for Nigeria.

“Clearly, there are National Security implication,” said Nasir El-Rufai, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. “All these data go to the American payment platform.”

Mr. El-Rufai recalled that Malaysia was the first country to implement a general multipurpose ID card and that the country did so with its own resources and technology to protect its citizens.

Economically, analysts say, the deal also hands over all adult Nigerians as direct and compulsory customers of MasterCard.

The US-based firm appeared so elated at the outcome of the contract that by Thursday, it hired a media consultant, African Media Agency, to publicise the landmark deal all over the world.

MasterCard could not be reached immediately for comments.

Details of the partnership between the NIMC and MasterCard were unclear as of Friday.

A former senior government official, well briefed about the process, said the Nigerian government may have adopted the Public Private Partnership model for the project, with MasterCard underwriting part of the cost of the deal.

Still, the former official, who asked not to be named, said it was unbelievable that Nigeria could not insist on fully funding such a project at any cost, considering its strategic importance to its sovereignty.

“It’s so scandalous that there are countries you present this to and they will be confused,” the official said. “I have never seen this done anywhere in the world.”

The Nigerian Identity Management Commission, NIMC, refused to comment on the concerns.

When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES late Thursday, a spokesperson dismissed the concern raised by our reporter.

“What is wrong with that (displaying MasterCard’s logo on the IDs)?” asked Ben Alofoje, the Assistant Director/Head Research and Strategy, who is the designated media person for the project.

A PREMIUM TIMES reader,Ola Onanugaola, said of the project, “Good idea but bad implementation. Why do we have to brand the e-ID card? Are these people aware of the huge economic and security implications of the branding.

“Any country population database/information is too vital to attached to any non-governmental organisation.”

And Now The Big Question:

What stops Master Card from sharing the personal (Biometric Inclusive) and financial information of all Nigerian to the American Government? Are you not worry?

See What Happened to The Sacked Resident Doctors in Nigeria?

The Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, has announced the reinstatement of the over 16, 000 resident doctors sacked on August 13 .

The spokesperson to the Minister, Dan Nwomeh, in a tweet said the doctors reinstatement became effective yesterday (Thursday).

The resident doctors make up 70 per cent of the workforce in government’s hospitals.

The doctors were sacked after a month-long strike by the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, an association of all medical practitioners in Nigeria.

The doctors had been on indefinite strike following the non compliance of their “24 minimum demands ” by the Nigerian government.

However, the NMA strike was called off on Sunday.

The NMA on calling off the strike gave the government condition that all sack resident doctors must be reinstated without punitive measures.

Mr. Nwomeh said the Federal Government has lifed the suspension of the Residency Training Programme, RTP in all federal hospitals.

This programme sees the resident doctors through their career in becoming consultants.

Following the lift of the suspension of the RTP, all Chief Medical Directors, CMDs and Medical Directors, MDs of training centers have been directed to issue letters of reinstatement to the resident doctors.

Mr. Nwomeh said the letters will enable the doctors resume work.

He also quoted the government as urging the reinstated doctors to view the reinstatement as a sign of goodwill by the administration.

He asked them to put greater commitment and dedication to their duties.

Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com

A Doctor Dies of Ebola in Rivers State.

The Federal Government, Thursday, confirmed that the doctor that died in a hospital in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, died of the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD. 

The Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, told journalists in Abuja on Thursday that the doctor contacted the disease after treating a patient who came in contact with Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian-American who brought Ebola to Nigeria. According to the minister, the patient after experiencing some symptoms, went for treatment. 

“This primary contact of Mr. Sawyer’s evaded our surveillance team in the last week of July 2014 and traveled out of Lagos to Port Harcourt where, as we now understand, he consulted with a doctor and was apparently treated for some symptoms,” he said. “After four days, following a manhunt for him, he returned to Lagos by which time he was found to be without symptoms.” The same was, however, not the case for the doctor who treated him as he got infected and finally died on August 22.

“Following the report of this death by the doctor’s widow the next day, the case had been thoroughly investigated and laboratory analysis showed that this doctor died from EVD,” the minister said. “As a result, several contacts have now been traced, registered and placed under surveillance. However, because the widow is now symptomatic, she has been quarantined pending the outcome of laboratory tests on her.” Mr. Chukwu, a professor, did not mention the name of the doctor. He said the wife of the doctor has been quarantined and 70 other contacts have since been traced and placed under surveillance in Port Harcourt. The Minister appealed to residents under surveillance in Port Harcourt to abide by the advice given to them by health officials. He urged other residents not to panic, saying the Nigerian government is in full control of the situation.

The doctor’s death brings to six the number of people that have died of Ebola in Nigeria. The first five, including Mr. Sawyer, died in Lagos.

source: www.premiumtimesng.com

How to void ebola.

Personally i find the Ebola case a distraction. Though this virus is deadly, but you can stay safe by taking these few precaution according to BBC News Africa.

Ebola is one of the world's most deadly viruses but is not airborne, so cannot be caught like flu. Medics say avoiding it should be quite easy if you follow these top tips:

1. Soap and water

Wash your hands regularly with soap and clean water - and use clean towels to dry them. This can be difficult in slum and rural areas where there is not always direct access to clean water - but it is an effective way to kill the virus. Ordinary soap is all that's needed.

Shaking hands should also generally be avoided, Dr Unni Krishnan of Plan International told BBC Africa, because Ebola spreads quickly when people come into contact with an infected person's body fluids and symptoms take can take a while to show. Other forms of greeting are being encouraged, he says.

2. No touching

So if you suspect someone of having Ebola, do not touch them. This may seem cruel when you see a loved one in pain and you want to hug and nurse them, but body fluids - urine and stools, vomit, blood, nasal mucus, saliva, tears, sperm and vaginal secretion - can all pass on the virus.

An infected person's symptoms include fever, muscle and joint pain, sore throat, headache and fatigue - followed by nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, which may include blood.

Encourage them to seek help from a medical professional or health centre as soon as possible. It is also advisable not to touch the clothes or bedclothes of Ebola patients - and Medecins Sans Frontieres advises that such sheets and even mattresses be burnt.

3. Avoid dead bodies

If you think someone has died from Ebola, do not touch their body, even as part of a burial ceremony. When someone has died, you can still catch Ebola from their body as it ejects fluids that make it even more contagious than that of a sick person.

Organise for a specialised team to deal with the body as quickly as possible as it is risky to leave a dead body for any length of time in a cramped living area.

4. No bushmeat

Avoid hunting, touching and eating bushmeat such as bats, monkeys and chimpanzees, as scientists believe this is how the virus was first transmitted to humans.

Even if a certain wild animal is a delicacy in your region, avoid it as its meat or blood may be contaminated. Make sure all food is cooked properly.

5. Don't panic

Spreading rumours increases fear. Do not be scared of health workers - they are there to help and a clinic is the best place for a person to recover - they will be rehydrated and receive pain relief.

About half of the people infected in the current outbreak have died. There have been cases of medics being attacked and people being abandoned when they are suspected of having Ebola - even when they are suffering from something else.

A belief in irrational traditional remedies has also exacerbated the spread of the virus.

"Prevention is the best way to deal with Ebola, so stop rumours and do not panic; it is possible to reduce the suffering and save lives," Dr Krishnan says.

Ebola Virus Disease (EVD):

• Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage
• Fatality rate can reach 90% - but current outbreak has mortality rate of about 55%
• Incubation period is two to 21 days
• There is no vaccine or cure
• Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery
• Fruit bats, a delicacy for some West Africans, are considered to be virus's natural host

Nigerian Education System, Who is to blame?

I Agree with WALE SOKUNBI in his post in sunnewsonline.com, it reads: 

"It is yet another season of moaning and deploring the poor results of our secondary school students in the Senior School Certificate Examination  (SSCE) conducted by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).  As has been the situation in the past few years, results of the latest May/June 2014 examination have again left all concerned Nigerians wringing their hands in frustration.

This year, according to results declared by the Head of WAEC National Office in Lagos, Mr. Charles Eguridu, only 520,425 candidates out of the 1,692,435 who sat for the examination obtained credits in five subjects and above, including English Language and Mathematics, which is the minimum required for admission to most courses in many of the nation’s universities. This figure is 31.28 per cent of those who sat for the examination, which means that the higher percentage of 68.82 may not find it easy to get places in the universities.

This poor result is a decline from those of the past two years. In 2012,  only 38.81 per cent of those who sat for the examination obtained credit in five subjects and above, including Mathematics and English Language, while the figure for 2013 was 36.37 of those who took the examination, before this latest decline to 31.28.

Every instance of these poor results in recent years have led to renewed   focus on the rot in secondary education in the country for a few weeks, and we from there move on to other issues, only to return to the topic when another set of dismal results are released for the November/December examination for private candidates.

One thing is certain. Education in Nigeria is in a serious crisis and all hands are needed on board to address it. Any attempt to arrest the drift to disaster in secondary education must, however, from necessity start from the situation at the primary education level, where the use of unqualified teachers is quite rampant throughout the country. This, it must be said, is one of the major causes of life-long poor performance in education, because the primary education level is the one at which the foundation of sound educational performance is laid. It is the level at which students are expected to develop basic language and numerical skills on which other levels of education will be built.

A situation in which students pass through primary school, and even secondary school, in some instances without developing the ability to understand, read and write in English Language is disastrous because this is the skill that is needed before a child can understand all other subjects that will be taught at all other levels of education.

Apart from the qualifications of teachers is also their commitment to the profession. Many of those who take to the teaching profession in Nigeria mostly do so for want of better jobs. This is not because they do not really enjoy teaching or see any value in the profession. It is partly due to the scant regard and attention to school teachers in the country. Teachers are generally poorly paid. In some states, teachers in schools are paid lower salaries than those with similar qualifications in the ministries. This leaves the teachers poorly motivated and more interested in doing the very minimum that they can in the classrooms, while devoting most of their energy to their personal businesses.

Again, there is more often than not, inadequacy of teachers in most secondary schools. Many students pass through six years of secondary school education having teachers for critical subjects such as Mathematics for only two or three of the six grades of secondary school education. How, indeed, can such students hope to pass the subject? It goes without saying that such a subject will remain a mystery to the affected students for life.

There is also, of course, the problem of a dearth of teaching facilities such as laboratories. Where they exist, there are no chemicals and other materials that are needed for important experiments. The teachers, themselves, are distracted and have little faith or confidence in their ability to make a difference in the lives of their students.

And the parents? There is little time to supervise the work of their children in the rat race to make a living in the country. The levels of government that have the responsibility to make education available to the youths are more interested in politicking and sharing the national cake without as much as a thought for the coming generation  of our youths.

Our corporate bodies? Please, leave most of them out when talking about education. They are more interested in being mentioned when talking about dancing, acting, singing and film making. Not for most of them the boring grind of trying to contribute to the lives of youths. They will rather deal with the film stars who can help them to sell their goods. Yet, it is the products of our failed educational system that will not allow these corporate fatcats and the stars they are promoting to sleep with their two eyes closed.

What of the students themselves? They are too busy facebooking, twittering, yahooing and linking in to care about their studies and their future. Can you blame them? They are all living witnesses to the seeming worshipping of musicians and other entertainers in the country, and the millions of naira they are making from their craft, while holders of doctorate degrees are pounding the streets in search of non-existent jobs.

What  all these mean is that we are all to blame for the poor WAEC results. There appears to be a grand conspiracy against the youths and all stakeholders have to strategise on how to redress the situation.

If Nigerian students are to have a chance to compete and excel in our increasingly competitive world, all hands must be on deck to put education back on track.

Let the government lead the way while the core education professionals, parents, Corporate Nigeria and the students themselves follow with a firm commitment to ending the circle of embarrassingly poor results in the SSCE."

  

Source: sunnewsonline.com

However, i think he succeeded in stating the problems. Now how do we solve these problems?