Nation's Report Report by NNEWS Correspondent	Some educationists have urged the Federal Government to make Yoruba language one of the compulsory subjects required for admission into tertiary institutions by students from Yoruba speaking areas of the country.
NNEWS Around the Nation - Jonathan seeks Senate’s permission to borrow $7.9 billion for pipeline projects
President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday in Abuja wrote a letter to the Senate President requesting approval to borrow about $7.9 billion for pipeline projects. The President said the request was coming under the medium term (2012-2014) external borrowing plan for these projects which were at various stages of finalisation. ``I present herewith a total external pipeline borrowing in the amount of $7. 9 billion or $2.4 billion a year. ``This being cumulative facilities offered by the World Bank, African Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, Exim Bank of China and Indian lines of credit.’’ The President asked the Senate President to note that the objectives of the projects conformed to the transformation agenda of the current administration and cuts across various sectors of the economy. According to the President, the initiatives are meant to put the economy on tract through growth and employment. He urged the Senate President to approve the list of pipeline projects for inclusion in the Medium Term (2012-2014) external borrowing plan of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Briefing journalists after plenary session, Senate Spokesman, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP-Abia) said the details of the request would be clearer when the Senate debated the matter. ``The request to borrow this money doesn’t mean Nigeria is broke. However, the details will be made known when we debate it on the floor,’’ Abaribe added. ``Make Yoruba language compulsory varsity admission requirement,’’ Educationists urge FG. Some educationists have urged the Federal Government to make Yoruba language one of the compulsory subjects required for admission into tertiary institutions by students from Yoruba speaking areas of the country. They said in Osogbo that the measure would improve the study of Yoruba language at the tertiary level. Miss Odunayo Olawore, an official of Osun State Ministry of Education, said Yoruba language should be made a course to be taught and spoken from primary to tertiary levels in South West geo-political zone. She suggested that all private schools in Yoruba land should be required to have classes in Yoruba language from nursery to secondary school levels. Miss Olawore said government should make it mandatory that any student who failed to secure a pass in Yoruba language should not be allowed to graduate. Mr. Peter Oloyede, the Head of Department, Political and Civic Education, National Orientation Agency (NOA), said that Yoruba language should not be neglected, because of its richness in culture and civilisation. He said God had given the Yoruba race a language to be proud of anywhere in the world, noting that the Yoruba race could only retain its great achievements through the study of the language, stressing that ``Yoruba language must not die''. Mr. Oloyede appealed to parents to save the language from extinction by inculcating the habit of speaking it daily in their children. Mrs. Florence Oladoye, the Secretary, Osun State Board for Technical and Vocational Education, suggested that Yoruba language should be used as the medium of instruction in schools in the Yoruba speaking areas of the country. She said efforts must be made by governments as well as traditional and academic institutions in the South-West to develop the language Meanwhile, Members of the northern traditional leaders forum have pledged to ensure total eradication of polio in the zone in 2012. The chairman of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on Primary Health Care delivery, Kyari Umar El-Kanemi, made the announcement in Birnin Kebbi on Monday at the 2012 quarterly meeting of the committee. The committee was formed in 2009 with each of the 11 northern states having representatives at the meeting that would produce action plan for the total eradication of polio. The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Cared Development Agency, Dr. Ado Muhammad, commended the traditional leaders for supporting the Federal Government in its eradication drive on polio. He said the agency would work closely with traditional rulers to end the polio scourge this year. “We would launch the Polio-free Torch campaign in high risk areas to wipe out Polio". Dr. Muhammad called on traditional leaders to ensure that every child was vaccinated against polio especially in non compliant communities. The executive director said the agency” would work with donor agencies to implement Polio eradication plans". He urged the traditional rulers to sustain the fight against polio, especially by monitoring and supervising immunization days to ensure compliance. Gov. Saidu Dakingari, who declared the meeting open, said his administration would ensure improvement of the primary health care at all levels and urged traditional rulers to support efforts at eradicating Polio. The ongoing burial arrangement for the Ikemba of Nnewi, Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu, on Monday, stalled the prosecution of the Igbo Community Welfare Association, President, Chief Augustus Amachi in Kaduna. Mr. Amachi was to appear before a Kaduna Chief Magistrate court for alleged Breach of Trust. The Counsel to the accused, Mr. Fabian Nwokwe told the court that his client was not available because he was invited to represent the Igbo community in Kaduna at the Ojukwu burial arrangement which was fixed for this week. When the matter came up for mention, the Counsel to the complainant, Mr. Chima Ochu, told the court that the accused had been served with a summon on Dec.19. Mr. Ochu said the accused later responded by appearing before the court on Feb. 1, 2012 serving a Notice of Preliminary Objection on the complainant for the court to strike out the case. Mr. Ochu urged the court to take action as it was an offence to disrespect a court order. He urged the court to issue a bench warrant against the accused as he was not willing to appear before the court. The Chief Magistrate Nasiru Idris, said the case would be adjourned on the basis of fair hearing as a result of the preliminary objection filed by the accused to enable parties involved resolve the matter. He also ruled out the issue of bench warrant against the accused as he has never disrespected the court order. The magistrate, however, adjourned the case to Feb. 21, 2012 for definite hearing

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