FG Declares Monday May 2nd A Public Holiday

The Federal Government has declared Monday, May 2, 2016 as public holiday to commemorate the 2016 Workers’ Day Celebration.

This was announced by the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahaman Dambazau (retd.), in a statement on Thursday.

He called on Nigerian workers to continue supporting the president on his fight against corruption and ensuring the security of lives and property, stabilize the economy through creation of jobs as well as the diversification of the economy.

While wishing them a joyful and peaceful celebration he equally urged them to re-dedicate themselves to the service of the nation and remain productive for the growth and development of the country.

Growing Old In First Bank - Pope Jay

Do you live in Ikorodu, Lagos? If you ever have to withdraw money from First Bank and deposit it in Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), I would advise you go to the bank with your three square meal.

I have often heard from many different people that First Bank is a bank for old people and the reason for this is not far-fetched; the name First Bank clearly gives an insight into this. And it is obvious, even to the blind, that they have a very large customer base. Perhaps this is why the halls of FirstBank are almost always crowded. GTB however is not as old as First Bank but it is indubitable that they too enjoy a massive customer base making thus making their halls never scanty. As is expected, the consequence of a large customer base with unmatching human and capital resources to attend to them can be quite "unhealthy": Yes... Unending and Annoying Long Queues!


In as much have authored this article with a little frustration and it may affect my cohesiveness a bit, I don't believe it has influenced my objectivity. I understand that commercial banks and even the Central Bank from time to time continue to profer new ways and methods to improve their services but then again there is obviously still a lot of work to be done; especially considering the fact that most of these commercial banks still continue to send their rather desperate marketers into the streets to bring in more customers. Certainly, if the number of customers continue to increase and the number of cashiers and ATM machines remain constant, the queues in the banks would only get longer and more legs would ache at the end of the day. I once saw a man want to go back to the wooden safe box " kolo" method of saving money all from the frustration of standing in one spot for hours. In his words; "At least I can take my money from the Kolo when I need it". Obviously, things need to get better.

But then again, like First Bank, perhaps the banks just want us to grow old in their halls.

Pope Jay

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: