Team OAU Wins Microsoft Imagine Cup Final

The students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile- Ife have emerged winners of this year’s edition of Microsoft Nigeria Imagine Cup competition.

They defeated students from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Ogbomosho and Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, who was first and second runners-up respectively. And by the achievement, the students would represent Nigeria in the Middle East and Africa semi-finals to produce a champion for the world finals scheduled to hold in Seattle, Washington in July this year. The competition however is one of the youth development initiatives of Microsoft Nigeria to give student technologists, developers and aspiring entrepreneurs from academic circle opportunity to collaborate and develop a technology-based applications for future development .

Held in Lagos, this year’s event has 11 teams from various campuses nationwide. In the champion Humane Team were Otaru Babatunde, Oyatope Blessing, Shoaga Victor and Ayodele Obasegun. The team designed project that enable the visually impaired persons to interact and navigate freely among themselves on their mobile phones. The project according to the team comes with a hardware labeled humane handle and interacts with applications installed on a device using Bluetooth.

The leader of the team, Ayodele Obasegun disclosed that they embarked on the project to impact lives of the visually impaired in the society.

While expressing happiness that the team took the first position, he pointed out that it took them great commitment and dedication to come top after appearing in the 2014 edition. Speaking at the event, Director, Developer Evangelism, Microsoft Nigeria, Shina Oyetosho explained that the competition was designed to empower students to become the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs and developers.



Source 

Public Service Announcement

This is to inform the general Public that Mr Abioye Segun who uses the pen name Segabio is no longer a member of OAU Peeps News Agency.

Mr Abioye's exit however is not birthed from any precedential discord or reprimanding dismissal and is fully consented by the Leadership of the Agency. We hereby use this medium to wish him the best in his future endeavours.

Farombi Oluwaseun
Public Relations Officer/Social Media Manager
OAU Peeps News Agency.

OAU Student Bags WUP Prize 2016

Mr Abegunde Sunday "Speaking Pen"

On the 25th April, 2016, a student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Abegunde Sunday Olaoluwa with the pen name 'Speaking Pen' was announced winner of the "WORLD UNION OF POETS PRIZE 2016":

The President of the Jury, Dr. Jernail Singh Anand, (W.U.P. Ambassador to the world – W.U.P. General manager and President of jury) in agreement with all the Members of the jury, undersigned Knight Silvano Bortolazzi Founding President and World President of the World Union of Poets announced Abegunde Sunday Olaoluwa as the winner of the WORLD UNION OF POETS PRIZE 2016 with Reena Prasad and Maribella coming in Second and Third place respectively.

Mr Sunday, a 300L student of the Department of Estate Management, Obafemi Awolowo University, was said to have dedicated this international poetry Prize to his father who passed on the 1st March, 2016.

As a poet, this would not be the first award of the Speaking Pen as he was said to have received;

- FPASU as Most Inspiring Writer of the Year 2013/14
- ACJ prestigious Writers' Award as Outstanding Young Achiever 2014
- Creative Writers Association of Nigeria Award as Literary Emperor Award 2014
- Outstanding Young African Kindle Author 2014 and was also listed in EGC Top 50 Poets That Rocked Nigeria in 2014.

He is also the author of the book; "Unleash Your Potential: Beyond Just Motivation" and a poetry book, "In His Realm".

OAU Fresh Students To Begin Accommodation Request Today

Fresh students of Obafemi Awolowo University will today, Wednesday by 12:00non start to request for accommodation space by logging in to their portal page on the school website.

The initial date set for the newly admitted students of Obafemi Awolowo University to request for bedspace (acconmodation) was postponed. The new date is now Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at 12:00noon.

Gully Erosion: Ibore Community Begs For Urgent Intervention

By: Adetula David

The dwellers of the Ibore community in Esan Central Local Government, Edo State have raised their voices begging the Nigerian governments at all levels and the international community to come to their rescue over the continued dilapidations of the town owning to gully erosion hitting it.

In an exclusive visit by the OAU Peeps News Agency alongside students from the Department of Botany, Obafemi Awolowo University who embarked on a field trip to the gully erosion sites, the deep gully sites were seen and the inhabitants of the community expressed the daily fear of extinction they live with.

The state of Ibore community which has over 10,000 residents is a pitiful and painful one as most parts of town now sit on a time-bomb of been cut out from the rest of the state. The rate at which the soil is been washed away and the continuing deepening of the gully erosion sites present there is quite alarming and deadly. Some parts of the community rely on a wooden dangling bridge to cross over deep gullies to the other sides of the town.

According to a resident of the community who spoke with our correspondents, Iyile Nigeria, he said all the pleas and cries of the residents over time for intervention in the town have fallen to the deaf ears of the governments and that has left the situation to worsen. He went further to say the gully sites were not as deep as they are now some years back but because nothing was done about them, they are getting worse day after day. As a result of the state of the community, many persons have been displaced and rendered homeless and some have even been carried away by erosion in the gully during rainy season, a resident told OAU Peeps News Agency.

The dwellers of this community having been failed by their governments several times despite their outcry continue to plead for urgent and practical intervention from all over the world.

See pictures of some portions of the community below:

To Newly Admitted Students & MTH 201 Students: Prepare For Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics With Lecturers During This Break

• Seasoned Lecturers Proffer Solutions To White & Yellow House Courses’ Failure

Do you know that the most failed courses on Obafemi Awolowo University are arguably courses from White House and Yellow House; Departments of Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics?

Do you know these courses are foundational courses taken by newly admitted students? Courses include MTH 101, PHY 101, CHM 101, MTH 105, PHY 105, SSC 105, ZOO 101, BOT 101.

It is a known fact among the students that white house and yellow house courses are the most dreaded courses on OAU campus. Why?

Speaking with Dr Fadodun Ayo a.k.a AY and Mr Olokuntoye Bola a.k.a Uncle Bola who are lecturers in the Department of Mathematics, they are strongly of the opinion that students fail these courses due to lack of basic concepts on which the topics in these courses are built.

OAU Peeps can confirm to you that these lecturers are willing to use this break to furnish you with these concepts so as to overcome the challenges these courses pose. To this effect, there will be a six (6) weeks comprehensive summer classes on MTH 201, MTH 101, MTH 105, PHY 101, PHY 105, CHM 101 and SSC 105.

Lecture commences Tuesday, May 3rd, 2016
Venue: MBB 209 and MBB 210 (Yellow House).

Charges:
Newly Admitted Students (MTH 101, PHY 101, CHM 101, MTH 105, PHY 105 & SSC 105) - 6 Weeks - N10,000
Returning Students (MTH 201) - 6 Weeks - N5,000

There are limited slots available for this offer. Interested persons should call the lecturers below to reserve their slot.

This is also to inform students who are yet to do their online screening that they can get it done during the summer classes with the tutors.

Fadodun (AY MATHS) – 08034060158
Olokuntoye (Bola MATHS) – 08032073336

From World 3rd Fastest Growing Economy, Nigeria Drops Out Of Top 15 In Africa

Having enjoyed blissful growth over the past decade, Nigeria was one of the fastest growing economies in the world, but it is not one of the 15 fastest growing economies in Africa for 2016.

In 2014 and early 2015, Nigeria was named the third fastest growing economy in the world by CNNMoney, with China and Qatar, taking the lead at 7.3 percent, 7.1 percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

For 2016, however, the coast is cloudy, and Nigeria is nowhere near the fastest growing economies in Africa.

According to the International Monetary Funds (IMF) World Economic Outlook for 2016, as revised in April, the fastest growing economy in Africa for 2016 is Cote d’Ivoire and the slowest is Chad, which is expected to record negative growth.

Cote d’Ivoire is expected to experience an 8.5 percent rise in GDP, while Nigeria’s neighbour, Chad, would see a -0.4 percent growth.

Cote D’Ivoire (8.5%), Tanzania (6.9%), Senegal (6.6%), Djibouti (6.5%), Rwanda (6.3%), Kenya (6.0%), Mozambique (6.0%), Central African Republic (5.7%), Sierra Leone (5.3%) Uganda (5.3%).

Madagascar, Zambia and Chad are expected to see a growth of 4.1 percent, 3.4 percent, 3.2 percent respectively.

The fastest growing economies in Africa by GDP growth rate, as projected by IMF for 2016, are: Cote D’Ivoire (8.5%), Tanzania (6.9%), Senegal (6.6%), Djibouti (6.5%), Rwanda (6.3%), Kenya (6.0%), Mozambique (6.0%), Central African Republic (5.7%), Sierra Leone (5.3%) and Uganda (5.3%).

DR Congo expects a GDP growth of 4.9 percent, Cameroon; 4.9 percent, Ethiopia; 4.5 percent, Ghana; 4.5 percent and Republic of Congo; 4.4 percent.

Madagascar, Zambia and Chad are expected to see a growth of 4.1 percent, 3.4 percent, 3.2 percent respectively.

Major oil exporters, Angola and Nigeria, hard hit by the slump in crude oil prices, are projected to see a growth 2.5 and 2.3 percent.

At 2.3 percent, Nigeria is expected to see its poorest GDP growth since the return of Democracy in 1999.

This development has become a point of concern for the IMF, and the World Economic Forum (WEF), which would be having its meeting on Africa later in May.

According to the World Economic Forum, Africa’s positive economic outlook is under pressure with the growth rate expected to remain just under 5 per cent. Foreign direct investment flows are expected to continue to grow, although at a slower pace.

Rwanda has transformed dramatically since the 1994 genocide and is now placed 5th in the fastest growing African economies. The country is one of the continent’s most competitive economies and a top reformer in improving the business environment.

Ahead of the World Economic Forum on Africa in May, it is important to recognise the major challenges that many African economies face. Some of the major threats include commodities slump, currency devaluations and geo-security risks.

“It is important to recognize the challenges that many African economies face – the commodities slump, currency devaluations and geo-security risks all threaten growth,” WEF explained.

The Forum says its May meeting will highlight the need for diversification in order to ensure inclusive economic growth, tapping into the fourth industrial revolution’s potential to create new industries and help reduce inequality across the continent.

The World Economic Forum on Africa 2016 will take place in Kigali, Rwanda from 11-13 May.

Source: Vanguard