NEWS
We now Disseminate Research Findings through Youtube — Institute
The Institute of African and Diaspora Studies (IADS) University of Lagos, says it has broken new grounds with its ability to disseminate research findings by adopting documentary making,
It says it has dymistified the traditional academic method of publishing such findings in journals.
The Director of the centre, Prof.
Muyiwa Falaiye, said these in an interview with the newsmen in Lagos, on Wednesday.He spoke on the sidelines of the fifth anniversary celebration of the centre.
According to him, as the foremost institute of African and Diaspora Studies in Africa, the centre has in the past five years, also recorded other giant strides.
He said it had done so in human capacity building, attracting commendation to the university and Nigeria at large.
“Today, we are celebrating our fifth anniversary as an institute.
“The IADS is five years and we decided that we should mark it, not in a very big way, but just to remind ourselves of the task ahead and to look back to see some of the things we have done and what we can do better in the next five years.
“This institute is the foremost in African Studies, in the continent today. we have been able to do research that have real cutting edge innovations for Africa and Nigeria, and as I speak, there are 30 ongoing research activities here in this institute.
“It may please you to also know that in the five years of existence as an institute, we have come up with innovations that are far from the way things used to be done, especially in the area of research, learning and advocacy.
“One of such ground-breaking innovation is the fact that we have created a new channel of disseminating research findings.
“We have now demystified that by making our research findings available on You tube, through documentary.
“This is nouveau and this is being copied by several other institutes globally, and we have also been able to find the right mix between research, teaching and advocacy.
“In five years, we merged the PhD programme, which is also unprecedented, and a few other things that we have done.
“We are one of the first institutes in the world to adopt documentary making as an avenue to disseminate research findings, which was not the case before,” he stated.
Falaiye noted that the development was contrary to most traditional academic methods, which was to publish research findings in journals that many people do not have access to.
The director stated that starting fellowship programmes, as well as attracting several research grants and creating an opportunity to bring in foreign scholars, had further put the centre on the right track.
He added that the institute had also brought in researchers, both old and young, to advance its course.
According to him, the pot pourri of activities and events going on in the last five years in the institute spanning areas of research, teaching and advocacy, have also seen it mentor young researchers across the country.
The director noted that the entire achievements had impacted the image of both the university, scholarship and the country at large.
“You will be surprised that several visiting scholars have now found home here.
“Those who otherwise, will not like to come to Nigerian universities, now struggle to get access to our institute here, as either visiting fellows, visiting researchers or visiting young scholars.
“This again is nouveau and unprecedented in the history of this country,” he stated.
He, however, said the institute had had its fair share of challenges, especially in the area of funding.
“Our mantra here is, no research without funding. Sometimes, we do not get the kind of funding we need.
“Sometimes too, the challenges confronting Nigeria affect us, we still have issues of power sometimes too, internet connectivity, and issues of the general image or perception of our country out there.
“Few scholars will not want to come this way because of the image of our country outside, thinking it is not a safe place to come to and more.
” All of these sometimes, affect our perception out there, but luckily, those of them who had managed to come here and have been with us for a while, had gone back with beautiful stories to tell.
“They have been able to carry encouraging message about what we do here,” he said.
Speaking further on funding, he said research funding should be left to those outside government, which cannot do everything.
He emphasised the need for institutions to look outside for funding of research, from the industries and from individuals who believed such research could change the perspectives or direction of the industries.
According to him, relying on government for funding of research will not serve anyone any good.
Also speaking, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe expressed satisfaction about the achievements recorded so far by the institute, in its five years of existence.
He told reporters that attracting research grants both locally and internationally was a key achievement that had engendered the much needed focus of the centre.
“I want to say that I am highly impressed with what they have done so far within the last five years.
“Attracting research grants both at the local and international levels, as well as bringing in scholars from outside the country and even within, is to say the least, heartwarming and worth commending.
“The centre has always been able to sponsor research, PhD research works and you cannot believe it that even someone from outside the university once got research grant support for the PhD students.
“We have their postgraduate students that are ongoing. So, they have done excellently well but I know we can still do better. In the next five years.
“I want to see a centre that will bring in more scholars from outside the country to come and interact and learn about our culture.
“I want them to also interact and learn in the area of migration. It is not only about physical migration, we also have the social migration, as well as economic migration, that will lead to development,” Ogundipe stated.
Prof. Rahmon Bello, immediate past vice chancellor of the university, on his part, said that the centre project came up during his tenure in the institution.
“I am happy with what I have seen within its five years of existence. We came up with the theme of the concept at the time, with the University of West Indies, after a lecture here in Lagos.
“It came up with this idea and I am happy today that this centre has transformed to reality and it is doing very well.
” What it has been doing in the past years, I want to give kudos to the director and members of the centre and to the current management of the university of Lagos, for keeping the idea afloat and to ensure that they support the centre to make it viral.
” The centre is making waves and I believe in the next five years, it will reach the top of its pinnacle in Africa, and I want to say congratulations to the centre,” Bello said.(NAN)
By David Torough, Abuja
The West African Health Organization (WAHO) has commenced a regional workshop in Abuja to finalize procedural manuals for health professionals across the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in a move aimed at standardising professional practice, strengthening healthcare delivery and improving patient safety across the sub-region.
The workshop, which opened on Thursday, brought together health experts and stakeholders from across the ECOWAS region to review and finalize the manuals designed to provide common standards for the training, professional conduct and clinical practice of different categories of health professionals.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, represented by Dr. Dakum Londji, described the initiative as a timely and strategic intervention towards strengthening health systems and harmonising the education and practice of health professionals in West Africa.
He commended WAHO for its leadership in advancing regional health cooperation, stressing that the effectiveness of any health system depends largely on the competence and professionalism of its workforce.
According to him, the procedural manuals will standardise knowledge, strengthen training, promote best practices and improve the quality of healthcare delivery across the region.
He explained that the manuals would provide clear, step-by-step guidance on what health professionals should be taught, how they should be trained and assessed, as well as standards for safe, ethical and evidence-based clinical practice.
The Minister further noted that the documents would address professional ethics, discipline, patient safety and continuous professional development.
He emphasised that regional harmonisation should not undermine the peculiarities of individual countries but rather establish a common foundation of excellence while respecting national contexts.
Pate urged participants to ensure that the manuals are evidence-based, practical and responsive to emerging healthcare needs, including digital health, emergency preparedness, patient safety and professional ethics.
He also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to developing a competent, compassionate, ethical and innovative health workforce, describing human resources for health as a key pillar of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He challenged participants to ensure that the value of the manuals would be measured not by their production but by their adoption, implementation and eventual impact on healthcare practices and health outcomes.
The Minister formally declared the workshop open, assuring WAHO, ECOWAS member states, regulatory bodies, training institutions and development partners of Nigeria’s continued collaboration in advancing the regional initiative.
In his address, the Director-General of WAHO, represented by the organisation’s Head of Training and Human Resources for Health, Professor Joseph Olorunda, described procedural manuals as essential instruments for improving consistency, accuracy and compliance with professional standards in healthcare facilities and communities.
Delivering the Director-General’s message, Olorunda said the manuals would provide a central reference point for healthcare workers, improve communication among staff and minimise errors, misunderstandings and inconsistencies in service delivery.
He added that clearly defined procedures would also make it easier for newly recruited health professionals to understand their responsibilities and adapt quickly to workplace expectations.
The WAHO Director-General stressed that the development of competency-based procedural manuals for every category of health professional was critical to addressing the region’s healthcare priorities.
He noted that the documents would streamline processes, reduce unnecessary duplication, enhance productivity and improve patient outcomes while ensuring that healthcare practices remain aligned with evolving medical technologies and global best practices.
Olorunda urged participants to demonstrate commitment and teamwork in completing the exercise, noting that the harmonised manuals would strengthen service delivery, expand access to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and facilitate the free movement of health professionals across ECOWAS member states.
He further explained that the initiative would promote stronger networking among health facilities, including hospitals, teaching hospitals, laboratories, training institutions and research centres.
He expressed appreciation to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Minister of Health for their continued support to WAHO and regional health development.
Also speaking, the President of the Regional Council of Health Professionals, Professor Koffi Balogou, welcomed participants and expressed confidence in their ability to deliver quality work within the three-day workshop.
Balogou pledged that the experts would work collectively to produce well-developed procedural manuals, assuring the Minister, through his representative, of their commitment to completing the assignment successfully.
He called for cooperation, mutual respect, peace and reconciliation among participants, emphasising the importance of teamwork in achieving the objectives of the workshop.
The Abuja meeting represents an important step in WAHO’s efforts to strengthen regional health integration through common professional standards, improved workforce competencies and more effective healthcare systems.
Upon completion and adoption, the procedural manuals are expected to serve as a shared framework for improving the quality, safety and consistency of healthcare services across the ECOWAS region.
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Wednesday, disassociate itself from Archbishop Chivir Chianson and the group he represents, following attempts to present himself as the General Secretary of the Association and associate CAN with a purported church mobilisation in support of a political candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
This was contained in a statement issued by the CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh in Abuja.
Okoh insisted that Archbishop Chivir Chianson is not the General Secretary of CAN and has no authority or mandate to speak or act on its behalf.
According to the CAN boss, “Furthermore, the group he represents has no official affiliation, working relationship or institutional connection with CAN.
“CAN has not authorised, endorsed or mandated the individual or his group to organise, promote or undertake any political mobilisation in its name. Any political position, endorsement or activity attributed to them must not be mistaken for the position or activities of the Association.
“As the umbrella body representing Christians across Nigeria, CAN has a responsibility to defend the interests of the Christian community and contribute to national development. It will not allow individuals or groups with no official relationship with the Association to appropriate its identity or exploit its name to advance political or personal interests”.
Okoh therefore reiterated the commitment of CAN, “The Association wishes to reaffirm its commitment to political neutrality as the country approaches the 2027 general elections. CAN will continue to engage national issues objectively and hold political leaders accountable, irrespective of party affiliation, without endorsing or mobilising support for any political party or candidate”.
He also urged the members of the public, particularly Christians, as well as media organisations, to disregard any claim of official representation of CAN by the individual or his group.
“We also call on TVC News and other media organisations to exercise due diligence in verifying the credentials and institutional affiliations of individuals presented as representatives of the Association.
“CAN will take all appropriate steps to protect its name, identity and institutional integrity against unauthorised representation and misrepresentation”.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), arrested 1,200 suspects and seized more than 30 tonnes of illicit substances in Edo in 2025, according to its Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa.
Marwa disclosed this on Wednesday in Benin during a visit to the palace of the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II.
Marwa, who was accompanied by senior agency officials, including NDLEA commandants in Edo and Delta, sought the traditional ruler’s support in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking.
He said that more than 15 million Nigerians were abusing drugs, representing about three times the global average, with devastating consequences for young people, families and communities.
“The drug scourge has continued to devastate our youth, our families and our communities,” he fumed.
Marwa said the problem affected all communities, including the Benin Kingdom, and required a collective response involving traditional institutions, religious organisations, civil society groups, government and the media.
“But most importantly, the traditional institution, which is arguably the most respected institution in Nigeria today,” he said.
He explained that the NDLEA’s responsibilities included enforcing drug laws and providing counselling, treatment and rehabilitation for people struggling with drug dependence.
Marwa also highlighted alternative development as a new pillar of the agency’s drug control strategy aimed at encouraging cannabis farmers to cultivate legal crops such as cassava, yam and maize.
He said cannabis accounted for 75 per cent of the 16 million kilogrammes of illicit substances seized by the agency nationwide in the past six years.
According to him, the initiative seeks to help farmers abandon illicit cultivation for legitimate livelihoods, with government support for infrastructure, including roads, schools, clinics and water supply.
Marwa said the programme had commenced as a pilot project in three communities in Ondo State, with the possibility of extending it to Edo.
He added that he had presented the proposal to the Edo governor, who welcomed the initiative.
The NDLEA chairman sought the Oba’s blessing and support in encouraging communities across the kingdom to shun drug abuse and trafficking.
Responding, Oba Ewuare II commended Marwa for his efforts against drug abuse and other social problems.
The traditional ruler said he had a suggestion for improving the agency’s operations and would communicate it privately to Marwa.
“I have a suggestion I will make in writing that I will not want to say here in public to NDLEA, as my own thinking on how to improve the work of NDLEA,” he said.
The Oba also acknowledged the importance of collective efforts in addressing societal challenges and wished Marwa and his delegation well.(NAN)
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