The Secretary-General of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU), Professor Yakubu Ochefu has submitted that Nigeria’s economy can develop fast only if the elite in the country are in consensus and are unanimous about the fundamentals of the economy, including the norms of the social system.
Professor Ochefu made it clear that the current state of the economy need to follow the universal phenomenon which most developed social formations have in common.
He spoke as a panelist at the 7th annual conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), in Abuja, during the week.
The Prof stressed the need to address the issue of elite consensus if the country must talk about economic growth and sustainable development.
According to Professor Ochefu, the character and lifestyle of the elites play significant role in shaping the country’s development trajectory.
The panelist further advised the government to improve it investment in education noting that Nigeria is currently doing 9% in terms of space for higher education as “over 200 Universities we have are not enough to cater for large number of Nigerians seeking tertiary education.”
He decried a situation where those in position of leadership amass wealth more than they need to the detriment of the economy and the Nigerian people.

Other panelist include Hajiya Hadiza Bala Usman, with the keynote address on ‘Nigeria: Roadmap for Socio-Economic Recovery and Sustainability’ delivered by Professor Uche Uwaleke, a professor of capital market and the Special Adviser to the Senate Committee Chairman on Capital Market.
The president of GOCOP, Maureen Chigbo, had stressed the importance of security for investment to flourish, even as she underscored the purposeof the conference theme.
“There is a new administration in town, so there is need to assist them with professional information to build sound roadmap.”

Maureen Chigbo, who is the publisher of RealNews online, said the Guild is made up of mediapreneurs who are seasoned journalists.
According to the GOCOP President, the body has created mechanisms to control and discipline any erring members to ensure credibility in online journalism.
The 2023 conference was chaired by the chief executive officer and Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, whereas the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris led the Federal Government delegation to the annual conference.

The Lagos State Police Command has revealed how “multiple and highly potent” injections administered on late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad, by an auxiliary nurse, Ms. Feyisayo Ogedengbe, led to his death.
The state Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa made this revelation yesterday, October 6, while addressing the media on update into the ongoing investigation of the late singer’s death.
He said that the injections, consisting of Tetanus Toxoid, paracetamol and Cetrazone, an antibiotic, were administered on Mobad at his residence on September 12.
He said that the medications by the nurse triggered an immediate reaction, including vomiting, goosebumps and convulsion, adding that the nurse was not even qualified to perform the role of a home nurse.
According to the Police boss, the nurse conducted the medication on Mohbad in a non-clinical environment and professionally negligent manner.
Meanwhile, the police announced that four other suspects have been interrogated over the late singer’s death. The suspects include, Naira Marley, Sam Larry,
Ibrahim Oluwatosin Owodunni aka Primeboy
“Five suspects have so far been identified, arrested, detained, and interrogated on their alleged roles in the sequence of events that led to the death of the singer,” the Commissioner of Police said.
Primeboy is said to be childhood friend of late Mohbad.
The police commissioner said that Primeboy attended a show with Mohbad on September 10, which culminated in a physical fight between the two that led to the late singer’s injury.
“The management of the injury subsequently resulted in his death,” Owohunwa said.
Samson Balogun, nicknamed Sam Larry was arrested and remains in detention for being complicit in the Afrobeats star’s death and in relation to viral videos by the deceased about bullying and assault, the police commissioner said.
Also, Abdul-Aziz Fashola, also known as Naira Marley, was arrested and is still in detention over similar allegations, Owohunwa said.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is set to embark on aggressive internally revenue with an annual target of over N250 Billion.
The Mandate Secretary, Economic Planning, Revenue Generation and Public Private Partnership Secretariat (EPRGPPPS), Charles Chinedum Elechi, in an interactive session on revenue generation, monitoring and tracking exercise in Abuja, today , October 6, charged all heads and officers of revenue-generating Secretariats, Departments and Agencies (SDAs) to redouble their efforts in revenue generation drive to boost the financial profile of the Administration.
Elechi lamented the dwindling revenue profile of the FCT Administration, reminding the officers that the days of oil boom revenue was over, giving way to the generation of IGR to drive the machinery of governance.
“The days of oil boom revenue have gone. What is in vogue is the generation of IGR to drive the machinery of governance in the FCT. A good IGR can do a lot of magic.
“As you are aware, revenue generation is critical to the development and sustenance of every economy and infrastructural development. In this regard, it is very important to inform you that the FCT Administration is saddled with the responsibility of providing many basic infrastructural facilities for FCT residents.”
The Secretary said: “without revenue, government cannot provide public infrastructure such as good roads, hospitals, schools and other welfare services. Improved IGR is paramount to the funding of the Administration to augment the dwindling Federal Government’s Monthly Statutory Allocations for accelerated infrastructural development in the FCT. Therefore, there is a strong need for all us to redouble our efforts to attain our IGR targets and deliver on these enormous responsibilities.”
Elechi therefore advised all heads of revenue-generating SDAs to work in synergy with other stakeholders for effective revenue generation and tracking. He charged every SDA to identify all revenue-yielding sources, pursue their revenue targets and block all loopholes and revenue leakages.
“From all indications, part of the major challenges we face in revenue generation and collection is the problem of revenue leakage and inefficient harmonization of taxes and levies. “However, I learnt that Management had made serious efforts in this direction through the creation of a tax and revenue harmonization committee to address the challenges.”
He said that the committee is responsible for harmonizing all taxes, levies and revenues collectibles in the FCT, while rationalizing the tax system to reduce the incidence of multiple taxation and unnecessary conflicts that may arise from revenue collection in line with global best practices.
The Mandate Secretary stressed the need for the officers to build their capacity for optimum performance in revenue generation and management as well as achieving the mandate and target set for them.
“Beyond that, we need to explore ways of building the capacity of our revenue officers to improve their skills and knowledge in revenue collection and administration. This is very critical if we must achieve the mandate and target set for us.”

The Commissioner for information in Yobe State, Alhaji Abdullahi Bego has painted the devastation Insurgency, including Boko Haram and Bandits have caused the internet connection system in the state.
The Commissioner, who delivered a good-will message of the state governor, Mai Mala Buni, at the National Conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) today, October 5, in Abuja, said that the insurgents have pulled down most of the facilities for internet reception.
Bego said that because of the destruction by the insurgents, the state has been virtually thrown into darkness in terms of communication and information exchange with other parts of the country.
The Commissioner said that because of such situation, the achievements of the state government in many sectors have been less reported in the Nigerian media.
He said that despite the negative implications of the insurgence, Buni administration has built many first class structures which the Commissioner promised to soon invite journalists to see for themselves.
Bego was once a journalist and correspondent of Daily Trust newspaper in the Northeast.