Nigeria adds Chinese language courses to high school curriculum

Nigeria has officially added Mandarin, the standard Chinese language, to its senior secondary school curriculum in a nationwide policy decision, aiming to strengthen bilateral educational and cultural exchanges and prepare its youth for a globalized future, a local official said.

The decision by Nigerian educational authorities to teach Mandarin was a direct outcome of a recent curriculum review, Mandate Secretary for Education in Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Danlami Hayyo said on Wednesday at the commissioning of a new "Chinese Corner" at the Government Secondary School in Nyanya, one of the two "Chinese Corners" introduced this week in the local secondary schools.

"In the recent review of our curriculum, the Chinese language was selected as one of the international languages to be taught in our senior secondary schools," Hayyo said, adding that this demonstrates the FCT's foresight in introducing the subject.

Mandarin will join Arabic and French as an optional foreign language course in Nigerian public senior secondary schools.

According to Mohammed Sani Ladan, director of the FCT Secondary Education Board, the 15 "Chinese Corners" established since 2013 in Nigerian schools have been far more than just physical spaces. "They are symbols of friendship and cooperation," he said, noting that they also provide opportunities for students and teachers to learn Mandarin, access scholarships, and prepare for global engagement.

In separate interviews with Xinhua, school officials and students expressed appreciation for the initiative, emphasizing the immense opportunities the "Chinese Corners" would unlock, from teacher training to international scholarships.

Mojisola Akerele, principal of the Government Secondary School in Tudun Wada, told Xinhua that the new learning centers would enable students to acquaint themselves with the Chinese language through donated books and resources.

Speaking at the commissioning events, Yang Jianxing, cultural counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, described the "Chinese Corners" as a "bridge narrowing the hearts of young people from the two countries." He said that learning the Chinese language offers possibilities for Nigerian youth, from participating in economic and trade exchanges to furthering studies in Chinese universities.

Xinhua

Nigeria considers giving oil contract control to regulator

Nigeria is considering appointing the state regulator to take control of the country's existing oil contracts, rather than the state oil company, according to a draft legislative amendment seen by Reuters.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT This could reshape how Africa’s top oil producer governs its petroleum sector, making the regulator both an umpire and a player, blurring the lines between regulation and participation and raising concern over potential conflicts of interest.

It also raises corporate governance concerns because it removes the power of state company NNPC's board to approve its budget and formulate strategy.

CONTEXT The law that would be amended is the 2021 Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which empowered NNPC to represent Nigeria's interests in a variety of commercial oil contracts. The amendment would transfer that role to the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

A letter from the Attorney General to the minister in charge of gas, seen by Reuters, said the amendment was necessary because "some provisions of the PIA have created structural and legal channels through which substantial revenues of the Federation are being diverted away from the Federation account".

KEY QUOTE

"The observed decline in net oil revenue inflows is largely attributable to statutory leakages and opaque deductions under the current PIA architecture," said Lateef Fagbemi, Nigeria's attorney general and minister of justice.

By Isaac Anyaogu, Reuters

Nigeria lifts emergency rule in Rivers State after 6 months of political crisis

Nigeria’s president lifted emergency rule and removed the suspension of a state governor and lawmakers in oil-rich Rivers State on Wednesday after six months of emergency rule in response to a protracted political crisis and oil pipeline vandalism, according to a statement on social media.

The choice to impose emergency rule was meant “to arrest the drift toward anarchy in Rivers State,” said President Bola Tinubu in a statement defending the choice.

“This is undoubtedly a welcome development for me and a remarkable achievement for us. I therefore do not see why the state of emergency should exist a day longer than the six months I had pronounced at the beginning of it,” he said.

The crisis in the southern oil-producing region of Rivers State began after a political confrontation between incumbent Gov. Siminalayi Fubara and state lawmakers. Some lawmakers attempted to impeach Fubara, accusing him of illegally presenting the state budget and altering the composition of the legislature. Fubara has denied these accusations.

The oil-producing region of Nigeria has seen militant attacks targeting oil pipelines for years.

During the period of emergency rule, Nigeria's retired former navy chief Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas, ruled the state.

The Nigerian constitution allows emergency rule to maintain law and order in rare circumstances.

The last emergency in Nigeria was declared under President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013, in the northeastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe during the height of the Boko Haram insurgency. However, the state governors were not suspended then.

By Dyepkazah Shibayan, AP

Video - Ambulance shortages, heavy traffic put lives at risk in Lagos

Ambulance shortages, heavy traffic put lives at risk in Lagos Authorities admit the problems and are working with the private sector to fix things.

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Video - Nigeria crowns its first ever Albinism Advocacy Queen

Anita Chidiebube-Dike aims to give a voice to people who have historically been looked down upon. According to the UN, persons with albinism face multiple human rights challenges, including stigmatization and discrimination.

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