King’s College: Alausa Pauses Implementation As Unions Suspend Strike

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, and labour unions in the Federal Ministry of Education have reached a two-week truce to end the immediate crisis over the proposed 35-year concession of King’s College, Lagos, and the disruption of activities in Federal Unity Colleges nationwide.

Under a five-point agreement reached at a meeting between the education ministers and representatives of the unions on Wednesday, the workers agreed to immediately suspend their industrial action, paving the way for the reopening and resumption of academic activities in more than 100 Federal Unity Colleges affected by the dispute.

The agreement also provides for a two-week pause in the implementation of the proposed takeover of the management of King’s College by its old students’ association.

Analysts say the ceasefire will give both sides time to review the contentious arrangement.

As part of the pact, the Federal Government also agreed that no worker would be victimised for participating in the industrial action, while policemen deployed to the premises of King’s College would be redeployed.

The meeting further resolved to constitute a seven-man committee to negotiate and critically examine the Federal Government’s agreement with the King’s College old students, with a view to addressing the concerns raised by the unions.

 

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The development effectively suspends the immediate confrontation between the ministry and the unions, while creating a two-week window for negotiations on the King’s College concession and other grievances raised by the workers.

Earlier in a press conference, Dr Alausa had declared that there was no going back on the Federal Government’s proposed concession despite mounting opposition from workers, parents and other stakeholders.

He stressed that the government had followed due process in arriving at the decision and remained committed to the concession as part of efforts to improve the school’s infrastructure, resources and overall management.

The minister maintained that the proposed concession was not an abandonment of the institution by the Federal Government, but a move intended to address infrastructure and management challenges and improve the quality of education at the college.

He, however, accused some directors in the Federal Ministry of Education of fuelling the controversy by mobilising workers against the government’s decision.

He alleged that misinformation about the concession was being deliberately circulated by some union members and what he described as “unscrupulous” staff of the ministry.

“Misinformation has been going around, perpetuated by union members and unscrupulous members of staff of the Federal Ministry of Education,” he said.

Alausa also took a swipe at the Parent-Teacher Association of King’s College, accusing it of turning admission into a lucrative enterprise and allegedly demanding as much as N20 million from prospective students.

“The PTA of King’s College has turned admission into King’s College into criminal enterprise,” he alleged.

His declaration came amid escalating opposition by workers in the ministry and other stakeholders, who have raised concerns over concession of the 117-year old institution to the King’s College Old Boys Association.

According to him, the alumni had spent over N2billion on the institution with nothing to show for it.

He explained that, contrary to reports circulated by the workers, the school was not for sale, stressing that the Federal Government would retain full ownership of the school despite the proposed management arrangement with the Old Boys Association. “We haven’t sold it to them. The property still remains Federal Government property,” Alausa said, insisting that the government retains 100 per cent ownership of the school.

Alausa also assured workers that the proposed management arrangement would not result in job losses or demotions, stressing that affected staff would retain their appointments and existing levels within the public service.

He said the government had considered the concerns of the workers and would ensure that their employment rights and benefits were protected throughout the process.

He explained that workers who might be affected by the arrangement would have the option of being redeployed to other federal institutions within the education sector where their services were needed.

According to him, teachers and non-academic staff could be posted to other Unity Colleges and federal institutions, with the government maintaining that no worker would be forced out of employment as a result of the proposed concession.

  

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The Battle For The Soul Of King’s College Lagos Gears Up As Parents, Teachers, Other Stakeholders Mobilize Against Secret Concession Of School

A couple of years ago, 12-year-old Tunde spent his evenings reading by the flickering light of a rechargeable lamp in a single room in Ajegunle. His father, a commercial bus driver, and his mother, a petty trader, could barely afford three meals a day. Yet, when the National Common Entrance Examination results were released, Tunde had achieved one of the highest scores in the state. His reward was a golden ticket: admission to King’s College, Lagos. For Tunde, the school was not just a campus of red brick and colonial history; it was a rescue boat. Because it was a federal institution, his tuition was free, allowing a boy from the slums to receive the same elite education as the sons of senators.

Today, that rescue boat is navigating turbulent waters as a recent federal concessioning agreement has handed over the management of Nigeria’s premier secondary school to the King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA) under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) that transfers all forms of funding from the federal government to KCOBA. While the decision aims to rescue the institution from decades of systemic decay and neglect from the government, it has ignited a fierce national debate over whether the country’s brightest, poorest children are about to be priced out of their future.

The concession of KCL is contained in a letter signed on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education  by the Director Overseeing Office of the Permanent Secretary, Dr. (Mrs.) Folake Olatunji-David. 

In  the letter dated September 4, made available to Lagos Today Extra!,  and addressed to the Principal of KCL, the ministry said all necessary processes leading to the signing of the concession agreement had been concluded and that the college had consequently been conceded to KCOBA. The ministry also stated that arrangements had been concluded to hand over the college to the association with immediate effect for the implementation of the agreement.

As part of the transition process, a transition committee is to be constituted to ensure a seamless transfer of the college’s management to KCOBA.

The  committee was given a six-month window within which to facilitate the transition, after which funding of the college from the Federation Account will cease. The principal was also directed to make available to the transition committee a list of staff members  willing to remain in the employment of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC).

Secret Concessioning Without Stakeholders Involvement

One of the big issues arising from the concessioning of the school is that the process was shrouded in secrecy as stakeholders were not carried along in the build up to the concessioning. Observers of the unfolding event say this is a huge drawback against a feasible and practicable implementation. The major question on their lips is: if the inputs of parents, teachers and other critical stakeholders are not considered before the concessioning, how can all interests be represented within the new management?

As expected, the announcement of the concession triggered an emergency meeting between the school’s management and staff union, after which the institution was shut down.

“Following the meetings with the school management and workers to notify everyone of the development, the staff union immediately announced a plan to shut down the college”, said the union in a statement on decisions reached at the meeting. The statement warned that neighbouring schools would start shutting down in solidarity with the union.

“This shutdown might spread nationwide if positive feedback is not received on time from the FME,” the union said.

With the college now shut indefinitely, the dispute could disrupt the academic calendar of the school; it has also renewed concerns about the future of Nigeria’s Federal Government Unity Colleges under concession arrangements.

Parent-Teacher Association Reacts

The secret concession of the College has been vehemently condemned by  the  National Parent- Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) and staff members of the 116-year-old institution. They questioned the rationale for relinquishing control of a premium unity school and demanded clarity on the real motive behind the concession.

 

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The staff members, under the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), had also protested shortly after the Federal Ministry of Education(FME) announced the transfer of the school to the old boys association.  

In rejecting the concession, NAPTAN, through its Board of Trustees  Chairman,   Adeolu Ogunbanjo, described it as worrisome. According to Ogunbanjo, the development could undermine access to the college, particularly if the new management substantially increases school fees.

“Affordability will become a major concern for parents, potentially denying many families access to King’s College if fees increase substantially,” he  said.

He questioned whether the Federal Government had decided it could no longer manage unity schools and demanded clarity on the reasons behind the decision.

The PTA of the college  is  demanding that, if the concession must proceed, existing students should be allowed to complete their education under the present arrangement, proposing a minimum six-year transition period before the new operators begin admitting students.

“If concession is going to take place, at least you should give it a period of a minimum of six years to consummate,”  said the association’s chairman, Peter Oluwaleye.

Oluwaleye also said the new operators could begin admitting their own students after the existing students  graduated. 

He  argued  that children already admitted into the school cannot be transferred from a government institution into a privately operated one midway through their education.

According to him, members of the association are  particularly worried that the concession would eventually trigger a sharp increase in school fees, potentially defeating the purpose of the Federal Government’s Unity School system.

“If we had wanted to put our children in private school, most of us are not capable of doing that,” Oluwaleye said.

Oluwaleye argued that many parents chose   King’s College because it provides quality education at a subsidised cost, adding that handing the institution to a private entity could make it inaccessible to families who cannot afford high private school fees.

School Fees To Rise Up to N5 Million Per Student

Unit Chairman of ASCSN,   Samuel Enang, also  argued  that fees could  rise to between N4 million and N5 million per student if the old boys association eventually took  over the school’s ownership.

“How many parents in this present economy of the country can afford such education for their children?” Enang asked.

 He  alleged that  the old boys association intends to commercialise portions of the college’s property, into hotels, shopping malls and car parks.

Even though this allegation has not been independently verified, observers who spoke with Lagos Today Extra! say those are measures usually put in place to ensure continued inflow of revenue to run the operations and also fulfil personal interests that might not be in favour of the students themselves.

Staff Of The College In A Dilemma

Apart from the fear that the new arrangement could trigger school fees out of the reach of students from poor homes, the teachers of King’s College have found themselves in a tight dilemma. The letter from the Federal Ministry of Education asked the teachers to indicate whether they want to remain with the federal civil service or move over to the new management, the KCOBA. One of the teachers who spoke with Lagos Today Extra! on the condition of anonymity said the choice is like choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea.

“if you decide to go with the KCOBA, you might lose the emoluments of unpaid salary and other promotional arrears which the federal government has been owing us for many years. What about gratuity, what about pension? And if you decide to stay with the federal civil service, you might be deployed to other locations where you will need to start hunting for a new accommodation at this time that rents have spiraled out of control for the ordinary people, including teachers. Don’t forget that the accommodations in the school you are redeployed to have been filled up with staff in that institution,” he said, adding that all these issues would have been adequately presented  and addressed if the concessioning was not secretly done, without inputs from critical stakeholders.

Another member of the college staff who spoke with our correspondent said the secret manner in which the process was carried out suggests there might be some hidden personal interests at the heart of the concession.

“I don’t know why they had to do everything in secrecy. What are they trying to hide? Is there some vested personal interests of the new owners they wanted to protect at all costs. Who are the big boys in KCOBA and what influence do they have in the present administration? Why the rush to concession the school before the 2027 general election? Questions upon questions without answers. All these issues would have been addressed if critical stakeholders were carried along in the process of the concession,” he told our correspondent.

We Still Own King’s College -  FG

Confronted with all the backlash, the Federal Government came out with a statement that King’s College, Lagos, has not been sold or privatised, saying it retains legal ownership of the institution.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Friday, to clarify the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) concession agreement with the King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA).

In the statement, signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, the minister explained that the concession only transferred responsibility for financing, rehabilitating, modernising, operating and maintaining the school to KCOBA.

He stressed that the Federal Government retained its statutory, regulatory, monitoring, inspection and enforcement powers over the institution.

“Let me assure Nigerians, particularly the King’s College community, that this concession is not a sale of King’s College. The government has retained legal title to the institution and will continue to exercise its oversight responsibilities.

Alausa also claimed that the agreement did not prescribe an automatic increase in school fees even though he did not say whether the agreement established a temporary or permanent fee freeze for students.

The Issues At Stake

While the Federal Ministry of Education maintains that the school remains public property, private administrative management requires financial sustainability. To maintain world-class facilities and recruit premium teaching talent, the baseline cost of attendance is expected to adjust. For families living on the economic margins, even a modest increase in utility, boarding, or developmental fees can transform an admission letter from a triumph into a heartbreak.

Education advocates warn that this shift could fundamentally distort the school's historic admission structure. If the financial threshold for enrollment rises, the entry system ceases to be purely about academic brilliance. Instead, the pool of candidates naturally narrows to those who can afford the premium, turning an institution founded to groom nation-builders into an exclusive enclave for the wealthy.

To preserve the soul of King’s College, stakeholders argue that the new management framework must treat accessibility not as an afterthought, but as a core metric of success. The KCOBA’s ambitious funding models will need to build robust, ironclad endowment funds specifically earmarked for full-ride scholarships, ensuring that no brilliant mind is turned away due to an empty pocket.

Analysts say the future of staff of the college who choose to go with the KCOBA should also be protected in terms of ensuring that salary and promotional arrears owed them are duly paid, while those who choose to remain with the federal civil service and are redeployed to other schools, should be adequately supported to a get a good accommodation wherever they are deployed to.

The walls of King’s College may desperately need a coat of paint and structural repair, but its true legacy lies in the diversity of its classrooms. As the concession takes effect, Nigeria watches closely to see if the institution can modernize its infrastructure without sacrificing the very egalitarian principles that gave boys like Tunde (earlier mentioned) a seat at the table.

  

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Lagos Trains Children On Environmental Sustainability

    The Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, has engaged children on environmental sustainability at the 2026 Eco Explorers Bootcamp.

The bootcamp, held on Saturday at Ndubuisi Kanu Park, Alausa, Ikeja, was organised by the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) in collaboration with the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency and other partners to promote climate action and environmental sustainability.

Rather than relying solely on classroom instructions, the programme exposed the children to hands-on activities, including gardening, upcycling and science experiments.

During the gardening session, the participants were taught how to identify different plants, including spider lily, aglaonema, also known as Chinese evergreen, and hibiscus. They were also shown practical steps involved in planting and caring for plants, including the use of compost manure, planting materials and watering cans.

 

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The children were encouraged to identify the benefits of tree planting and gardens, with participants highlighting beautification, sustainability, carbon absorption and noise reduction among the benefits.

A facilitator during the session explained that planting trees and maintaining gardens could contribute to environmental sustainability while encouraging the children to take responsibility for their surroundings.

The participants also took part in an upcycling session, where they learnt how waste materials could be converted into useful resources. They were taught that organic waste could be processed into resources for gardening, while plastic waste could also be transformed into useful materials.

Speaking on the initiative, Bola Adewunmi, Director, Circular Economy, Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), said the agency participated through LAWMA Academy and its Circular Economy Department to teach the children about waste management and resource recovery.

Adewunmi said the programme was aimed at helping children understand from an early age that waste could be converted into useful resources.

She said LAWMA’s approach was based on the belief that “waste is wealth,” adding that the children were being introduced to the concept through both lectures and practical sessions.

The science session also featured simple experiments aimed at helping the children understand environmental issues. One of the demonstrations involved food colouring, baking soda and bleach to show how chemical reactions could produce visible changes.

Mr. Elijah Adegoke of Kids Literary Circle (KLC), which participated in the programme, said the organisation was focused on making learning enjoyable for children.

Adegoke said the children were also taught about the impact of human activities on the environment, including the relationship between greenhouse gases, global warming and climate change.

He said practical demonstrations were used to make the concepts easier for the children to understand.

Also speaking, Mr. Ojo Oluwaseyi of the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency said the agency’s participation was aimed at encouraging eco-friendly activities, including tree planting and gardening

Oluwaseyi said tree planting was one of the ways of mitigating the effects of climate change, urging the children to establish small gardens and share the knowledge gained with others.

The programme also involved parents, who participated in games and recreational activities while the children attended their various practical sessions.

The facilitators encouraged the children to see themselves as eco heroes with a responsibility to make decisions that promote a cleaner and healthier environment.

The bootcamp combined environmental education with practical activities, giving the participants an opportunity to learn about sustainability while applying the lessons through gardening, waste management and science experiments.

  

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Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA TO Build Smart Classrooms For Primary School Pupils

The Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area of Lagos State has begun moves to address the shortage of public primary schools in the area with the construction of a 30-classroom smart primary school.

According to a statement issued on Friday, the Chairman of the LCDA, Olalekan Aroyewun, said the council recently flagged off the project at Zumratul Islamiyah Primary School, Igbogbo.

Aroyewun said the project followed an assessment of about 30 communities within the LCDA, which revealed that many lacked adequate public primary school facilities.

He said the council decided to build not just another conventional school but a modern smart school that would prepare pupils to compete globally.

 

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He said, “We discovered that there is no [adequate public primary school provision] in Igbogbo/Bayeku. We saw the need to provide one, but we are not building just a conventional primary school. We are constructing a 30-classroom smart school that is 21st-century compliant and will prepare our children to compete with their peers anywhere in the world.”

The chairman said the three-storey facility would comprise 30 classrooms equipped with modern learning facilities and digital technology.

He added that the two-year project was designed to blend technology, creativity and sustainability while equipping pupils with technological skills from an early age.

Aroyewun said the council was targeting completion of the project within 24 months.

The groundbreaking ceremony formed part of activities marking Aroyewun’s first year in office.

  

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Lagos Law Student Dies After Jumping From Four-Storey Building

The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed the death of a 23-year-old student of the Nigerian Law School, Faith Alayande, who reportedly died after allegedly jumping from the rooftop of a four-storey hostel building at the institution’s campus in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The state police PRO, Abimbola Adebisi, said the incident was reported to the police after the deceased was found unresponsive in the hostel premises on Friday.

Adebisi noted that the matron of the institution reported the matter and disclosed that another student and a relative reportedly found a suicide note written by the deceased student, prompting them to search for her.

She noted that before they could locate her, she had allegedly jumped from the rooftop of the four-storey hostel building.

 

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She said, “I can confirm the incident. The deceased reportedly wrote a suicide note and, before her hostel mate and a relative could locate her, she jumped from the rooftop of a four-storey building.

“The matron of the hostel reported the incident, prompting police operatives to visit the scene. Her body has been evacuated to a morgue for preservation.”

Also, a security analyst, Zagazola Makama, who shared details about the incident on X, disclosed that the deceased was found dead within the hostel premises on Friday by another student, who alerted the matron of the institution.

According to Makama, the Chief Matron of the Law School was said to have reported the incident at the Victoria Island Police Division at about 6:30am.

Makama noted that, upon receiving the report, the matron proceeded to the scene, where the deceased was found lying on the ground within the hostel premises.

Makama wrote, “A 23-year-old student of the Nigerian Law School has died in a suspected suicide incident at the school’s hostel in Victoria Island, Lagos.

“The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday, August 7, 2026, when the deceased, identified as Alayande Faith Ajoke, was found dead within the hostel premises.

“The Chief Matron of the Law School, Mrs Igbokwe Juliana, reported the incident at about 6:30am. Preliminary observations indicated that the deceased may have jumped from the rooftop of the four-storey hostel building.”

Meanwhile, the PPRO concluded that an investigation was ongoing into the incident.

This is not the first reported case of a Nigerian Law School student dying by suicide.

PUNCH Metro reported in December 2025 that a Nigerian Law School student, Ayomiposi Ojajuni, reportedly died by suicide after he was allegedly barred from writing the Bar Final examinations at the Yola campus in Adamawa State.

Ojajuni, a graduate of Olabisi Onabanjo University, was said to have received a series of queries from the school authorities and later discovered that he would not be allowed to sit for the professional examinations.

  

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Preserve Your School's Culture And Lead With Character, Queen’s College Outgoing Students Urged

The Proprietress of Femfield Nursery & Primary School, Isolo, Lagos, Mrs. Olubukola Adetoun Aribisala, has urged graduating students of Queen’s College, Yaba, to preserve Nigeria’s cultural heritage and remain guided by integrity and good character as they pursue their future ambitions.

Aribisala gave the charge while delivering the keynote address at the Cultural Programme of the Queen’s College 2025/2026 Valedictory and Graduation Ceremony, where she spoke on the theme, “Our Culture, Our Identity.”

Addressing the graduating students, she described identity as the invisible foundation upon which every successful life is built, stressing that it is shaped not by academic achievements or public recognition but by the values and character an individual upholds.

She challenged the graduates to reflect on how they would be remembered beyond their certificates and accomplishments.

According to her, Nigerian culture extends far beyond traditional attire, cuisine and dance, encompassing values such as respect, integrity, resilience, compassion, diligence and honesty.

 

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While acknowledging the opportunities presented by globalisation, she warned that many young people were becoming disconnected from their cultural roots in the pursuit of foreign influences.

“The danger is not learning from other cultures but forgetting your own because a tree without roots cannot survive the storm,” she said, urging the graduates to speak their indigenous languages with pride, honour their parents and teachers, and remain connected to the values that shaped them.

Aribisala reminded the students that, as graduates of Queen’s College, they carry the legacy and reputation of one of Nigeria’s foremost secondary schools, adding that society would expect them to demonstrate excellence, leadership, confidence and integrity wherever they find themselves.

She also cautioned them against yielding to social media pressure or compromising their values, noting that while technology and careers will continue to evolve, character remains one of humanity’s greatest competitive advantages.

Encouraging the graduates to pursue global opportunities without losing sight of their heritage, she urged them to become leaders who positively impact society through integrity, excellence and compassion.

“The world does not need copies but authentic individuals whose values distinguish them,” she said.

She concluded by reminding the graduating class that while certificates may age and technology may become obsolete, their character and identity would continue to define their legacy, urging them to preserve their culture and build a future that generations after them would be proud to inherit.

 

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Don't Glorify Ignorance, Sanwo-Olu Admonishes Proponents Of Olodo Uprising Debate

The Lagos state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has admonished Nigerian youths not to glorify ignorance no matter their position on the olodo uprising debate.

Delivering the lecture of the 2026 Undergraduate Convocation Ceremony of Babcock University themed, Breaking New Grounds, Sanwo-Olu said that there is nothing wrong with building an audience but let what you offer that audience be built on substance.

“Decide today that you will always be hungry for opportunity, hungry for learning, hungry for new challenges.”

“Let me offer this piece of advice, which speaks directly to your generation. The internet has recently been abuzz with debate about a so-called “Olodo Uprising” — the worry that our society is beginning to celebrate virality over value, popularity over proficiency, and entertainment over expertise. Whatever your opinion of that debate, make up your mind today that you will never glorify ignorance or a lack of curiosity. There is nothing wrong with building an audience — but let what you offer that audience be built on substance. Decide today that you will always be hungry for opportunity, hungry for learning, hungry for new challenges.

“There are many paths ahead — find your own. Do not try to copy and paste another person’s life. Some of you will pursue the creative industries, like Davido and BNXN, who walked this Babcock path before you. Some will follow the startup life, like Shola Akinlade and Ezra Olubi, who met here at Babcock and went on to co-found Paystack, one of Nigeria’s most beloved technology success stories. Some of you will build careers in medicine, law, public health, accountancy, nursing, music, ministry and public service.

 

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“Never forget that your real value does not lie in your social media following — important as that may be. Start before you feel ready. Build a track record of finishing small things. Treat your first job or venture as a training ground, not a destination. Seek mentors deliberately. Guard your integrity as your only non-renewable asset. Dig your well before you are thirsty. Under-promise and over-deliver — not the other way round. And in all of it, remain purposeful and godly in service: let the fear of God, and the love of neighbor, be the compass by which you break new ground.”
Going personal, Sanwo-Olu recalled that almost forty years ago, he took stood in the same existential spot at the University of Lagos, where he completed an undergraduate degree in Surveying, in 1988.

“It was a very different world back then. If any of you were taken from the present and dropped into 1988, you would find it near impossible to recognize. No internet, no mobile phones, no email. The digital screens we knew were mostly television sets and simple calculators — everything else was analogue: print newspapers, wooden billboards, paper posters, analogue clocks and watches.

“Unlike you, we did not have the world at our fingertips. Access to information was limited to physical libraries. There were no virtual meetings or remote work opportunities. If you were fortunate, you had access to a fax machine; otherwise, you sent a letter that travelled slowly through the post and demanded extreme patience of you.

“But it was the world we knew and accepted, and we tried our very best to make the most of it. The same challenge now confronts you all — to accept the world as it is and to make the most of it. Do not waste your time wishing it were a different world. Embrace it, and then work to shape it into what you would like it to be.

“Like many of you, I harbored some anxiety about what lay beyond the walls of the University of Lagos. I wasn’t absolutely sure I wanted to build a career in surveying, even though I had spent years studying it. More than anything, I did not want to limit myself early on.

“Therein lies an important lesson. You do not need absolute clarity or certainty to take the next step. More important is 

faith

 — a concept you will all be familiar with, as products of a Christian university. The Bible tells us that faith is the evidence of things not seen. New ground is broken by institutions and people willing to act without full knowledge or certainty, knowing that what matters most is a capacity and willingness to press forward, put the past behind, learn fast, and adapt nimbly.

“In the words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:13–14: “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Get used to trying and failing. Life rewards, most of all, the people who rise fastest after failing — not those who wallow in self-pity and a defeatist mindset.

“After graduating from university, I tried my hand at a string of businesses that failed. Sometimes the lesson is that you need to try again. Other times, the lesson is that this is not the line for you, and you need to try something else. The more you try and fail, the more you build the capacity to know exactly what lesson failure is teaching you, and how to use that lesson to propel yourself to the next level of your life.

“You may have heard the parable of the Chinese farmer. Once upon a time, there was a farmer in rural China whose horse ran away. It was his only horse, a prized possession, and now it was missing. Friends and fellow villagers flocked to his home to sympathize with him. “We are so sorry to hear this bad news,” they said. “It is so sad.”

  

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Lagos Junior Secondary Schoolgirls Develop AI-powered Platform That Converts Classroom Notes Into Sign Language Videos

Mende Junior High School has won the overall prize in Tech4Dev’s maiden AI Inter-District Secondary School Challenge. The girls won the competition with Learning Without Limits, an AI-powered platform that converts classroom notes into sign language videos, simplified visual explanations, subtitles and voice narration to improve learning for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

One hundred and thirty-five girls from 27 public secondary schools in Lagos were involved in the project that aimed to develop artificial intelligence-powered solutions addressing education, safety and bullying after participating in Tech4Dev’s maiden AI Inter-District Secondary School Challenge.

 

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The initiative, organised under the Tech Girls Drive Advocacy programme of the Women Techsters initiative, introduced participants from Lagos Education Districts II and IV to practical AI and problem-solving skills.

The challenge culminated in a grand finale where six finalist teams presented AI-driven projects designed to improve learning accessibility, student safety and school welfare.

Speaking at the event, Tech4Dev’s Country Manager for Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa, Abraham Akpan, said the programme was designed to prepare girls for opportunities in an AI-driven future.

“This challenge was about more than learning Artificial Intelligence. It was about helping young girls see themselves as creators, innovators, and problem-solvers. When girls are given access to the right skills and opportunities, they can build solutions that create real impact in their communities,” he said.

The programme began with advocacy sessions in 31 public secondary schools before 27 schools progressed to the competition. Each participating school nominated five girls from Junior Secondary School 1 to Senior Secondary School 3 to develop AI-powered solutions with support from teachers and volunteer mentors.

At the competition, Mende Junior High School won the overall prize with Learning Without Limits, an AI-powered platform that converts classroom notes into sign language videos, simplified visual explanations, subtitles and voice narration to improve learning for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

Onike Girls Junior High School finished second with Onike Girls Alarm Station, a personal safety application featuring a one-tap emergency alert and live GPS tracking to help girls seek assistance during emergencies, including in areas with poor network coverage.

Mende Senior High School secured third place with SpeakSafe, an anonymous AI-powered reporting platform designed to help students report bullying while enabling schools to identify patterns and respond promptly.

One of the participants said the challenge had changed her perception of artificial intelligence.

“Before this challenge, I never imagined I could use AI. Working with my team showed me that our ideas matter, and it has inspired me to keep learning and building solutions that can help others,” she said.

Beyond the winning entries, participating schools developed projects focusing on gender-based violence, adolescent health, environmental sustainability, financial literacy, unemployment, educational access and social inclusion.

Representing the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Mrs Oni commended the initiative for promoting digital skills among young girls.

“Education must continue to evolve to prepare young people for the reality of tomorrow. Initiatives like this provide students with opportunities to develop critical thinking, creativity, and digital skills. We commend Tech4Dev for creating this platform and investing in the future of our girls,” she said.

Tech4Dev said the challenge forms part of its broader effort to expand digital skills training for girls in underserved communities through the Women Techsters Programme, which operates in 30 African countries to prepare girls and women for careers in technology and innovation.

  

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107 Students Rescued As NSCDC Busts Fake Lagos Varsity

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has uncovered a fake university in the Imeke area of Olorunda Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, where operators allegedly admitted students into unaccredited programmes and compelled them to join a Ponzi scheme.

The NSCDC said six suspects were arrested during the operation, while 107 students were rescued from the illegal institution.

The Corps Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, Oluwaseun Abolurin, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

According to the statement, the fake institution was discovered during an operation carried out by NSCDC operatives on Monday.

 

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It read, “On Monday, July 20, 2026, at about 6:00 a.m., NSCDC operatives smashed a fake university (name withheld) located in Imeke village, Olorunda Local Council Development Area, suspected of operating illegal admissions and running unaccredited courses, including Nursing.

“The operatives arrested six suspects, aged between 24 and 31 years, in connection with the fake university uncovered in Imeke, Badagry.

“Unfortunately, about 107 unsuspecting students were lured into joining a Ponzi scheme after obtaining admission into the institution.”

The statement quoted the Lagos State Commandant of the NSCDC, Adedotun Keshinro, as directing that the suspects and exhibits recovered from the fake institution be handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission for further investigation and prosecution.

Keshinro warned prospective students to be wary of fraudulent admission offers, noting that desperate admission seekers often fall victim to criminal schemes.

“Students should be wary of desperate admissions, which may later turn into fraudulent schemes because of the desperation of some people to make money,” he said.

The command also announced the arrest of 12 other suspects in separate operations linked to illegal migration, human trafficking, Ponzi schemes, cross-border crimes and vandalism.

Among those arrested were a Cameroonian, a Nigerien and several Nigerians.

The operations also led to the rescue of 10 Cameroonian nationals allegedly trafficked into Nigeria.

According to the statement, the victims “have toiled and suffered for months in the hands of these evil doers, who are only interested in dehumanising their fellow human beings for profit.”

It added, “On Sunday, July 19, 2026, one Cameroonian suspect was arrested in connection with a Ponzi scheme and facilitating illegal entry into Nigeria.

“One more suspect was also arrested on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at Alafia Community, Itoga Road, Badagry, in connection with human trafficking and facilitating illegal entry into Nigeria.

“The operatives also arrested three foreign nationals, including one male from the Niger Republic, linked to Ponzi scheme operations, illegal migration and the subversion of extant laws and government policies in the Itoga and Imeke areas of Badagry.”

Abolurin said the suspects arrested over illegal migration and related offences would be handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further action.

The NSCDC also disclosed that seven suspects had been arrested and prosecuted for vandalising public school facilities in Ibereko, Badagry.

It noted that five of the suspects were between 12 and 16 years old.

The suspects allegedly vandalised school infrastructure, including desks, electrical cables and office facilities.

“On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at about 2:00 p.m., all seven suspects involved in the vandalism of public utilities and school infrastructure in Ibereko, Badagry, were arrested and prosecuted after investigations were concluded.

“Attacks on school infrastructure will not be tolerated in any form in the state,” the statement added.

Students of the fake Lagos University during the raid by NSCDC...Photo Credit: NSCDC

 

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