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Town and Gown in Sync: Transforming the Nation!

Speech by Babs Omotowa at Rivers State University on Friday, 8th November 2024 -------------------------------- Salutation The Executive Governor of River State, HE Sir Siminlayi Fubara, GSSRS Deputy Governor, River State, Prof Ngozi Odu, DSSRS Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, RSU, Hon Justice Mary Ukaego Peter Odilli, CFR, DSSRS, JSC (Rtd) The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nlerum Sunday Okogbule, DSSRS, FCIArb The Special Guest of Honour, HRM Dr Edmund Dakoru, King of Nembe Kingdom Principal Staff Officers of the University Distinguished ladies and Gentlemen, Please permit me to follow the established protocol. It is an honor and a privilege to be a Special Guest Speaker today. This is my first visit to Rivers State University (RSU), and I want to commend the State Government and the university staff for their dedication since the institution's founding in 1980, recognizing that its origins trace back to the Rivers State College of Technology, established i
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Thirsty in a River!

Nigeria's debt stood at $91.46bn in Q1 2024. This includes $42.12bn external debts of $15.12bn Eurobond; $15.10bn World Bank, $5.05bn China Exim Bank; $2.03bn IMF, $1.63bn AfDB; $0.993bn African Development Fund; $0.65m France AFD, and $1.55bn International Bank for Reconstruction. Islamic Development Bank, etc. Whilst most of the debts have accumulated since 2006 Paris Club $30bn debt relief, the House of Reps recently reported that the government has borrowed $6.45bn in the last year, mainly from the World Bank. In addition, Afreximbank disbursed a $3.175 bn loan by June 2024 under an NNPC syndicated $3.3bn crude repayment facility. Yet during the last year, crude oil prices have averaged $76pb, Henry Hub gas prices at $3/MMBtu, and Asia LNG prices above $10/MMBtu since January 2021. They peak at $54/MMBtu in August 2022, well above the previous historical peak of $19/MMBtu in May 2012. In the same year, Nigeria's crude oil production averaged 1.5mbopd against a capacit
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Empowering Africa’s Future through Quality Education

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On September 6th, the Nigerian University of Technology and Management hosted its inaugural TEDx event (TEDxNUTM), a significant milestone for the institution. As the Founding President, I was filled with immense pride. The event's success was thanks to our brilliant alumni, who were led by Stanley Udeh. Empowered, they executed this momentous event, demonstrating the power of vision, excellence, and collaboration.  I delivered a talk titled Unleashing Africa's Youth: The Power of Quality Education at the event.  You see, by 2050, Africa’s youth population is projected to reach a staggering 850 million. To put this in perspective, this will represent 40% of the world’s youth population. This demographic boom is not just an African phenomenon but a global opportunity. Imagine 850 million young, vibrant minds capable of reshaping economies, industries, and societies. But whether these young Africans become trailblazers like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the current Director-General of the
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