Member representing Ibarapa Central/North Federal Constituency, Hon. (Dr.) Adebayo Adepoju, has successfully conducted the second phase of his free holiday lessons initiative.
Launched in 2023, the programme aims to enhance academic excellence in the federal constituency by providing senior secondary school students with engaging and enriching activities during third-term break.

According to a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday, September 8, 2024, in Ibadan, Oyo State’s capital, by Hassan Adesodi Olaoniye, Special Adviser Media and Publicity to Hon. Adepoju, “The free holiday lessons, which spanned five weeks, had the service of 42 experienced teachers in the two local government areas, a slight increase from the first edition, which had 33 teachers. Over 1000 students from across five communities participated in the holiday lessons. An examination was held on the last day to evaluate student performance.”

Commenting on the success of the initiative, the constituency’s coordinator, Mr. Kamoru Ojewola, said the impact of Hon. Adepoju’s educational initiatives was evident in the recently released WAEC results, which show significant improvement compared to previous years.

The statement further said that the lawmaker had promised to pay for the WAEC registration of the best students in SSS3 and provide writing materials for those in SSS2.

The lawmaker congratulated parents, teachers and students on the resumption of schools and thanked the free holiday teachers and community volunteers for their contributions. He expressed happiness with the students’ performance in the UTMe and WAEC results and promised more infrastructural projects in their schools to enhance learning and development.

The lawmaker also awarded scholarships to the best-performing students in the free holiday lessons, saying, “I am proud of the achievements of our students and I am committed to supporting their educational pursuits.”

Tunde Adeoye

Port Harcourt, Nigeria – September 4, 2024 – Hotel Managers School (HMS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Michael Pinder as Chairman of its Advisory Board, effective September 9th, 2024.

Dr. Pinder, who is currently the General Manager of JS Signature Hotel, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, brings over three decades of hospitality expertise to his new role. His leadership and industry insights will guide HMS toward achieving its vision as a premier institution for hotel management education in Africa.

HMS is committed to providing high-quality, flexible, and practical education to meet the needs of current and aspiring hotel managers in Africa. The institution’s core values of excellence, integrity, innovation, and collaboration align with Dr. Pinder’s professional standards.

Mr. Olugbenga Sunday, Chairman Board of Directors for Hotel Managers School, in his statement on the appointment of Dr. Pinder, excitedly said, “It is with great pleasure that I announce the appointment of Dr. Michael Pinder as Chairman of the Hotel Managers School Advisory Board. Dr. Pinder’s exceptional leadership and expertise in the hospitality industry make him an ideal fit for this role.

“His wealth of experience and network will provide invaluable guidance as we strive to achieve our vision of becoming a premier African institution for hotel management education. We are confident that his contributions will enhance our curriculum, learning methodologies, and strategic initiatives, ultimately benefiting our students and the hospitality industry at large.

“We are excited to have Dr. Pinder on board and look forward to his leadership in shaping the future of hotel management education in Africa. In due time, we will unveil other esteemed members of the Advisory Board, who will join Dr. Pinder in providing expert guidance and industry insights. Together, we will ensure that Hotel Managers School remains at the forefront of hospitality education, addressing the industry’s talent gap and equipping professionals with the skills to drive business success.

“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Pinder for accepting this appointment and look forward to working closely with him to achieve our mission”, Mr. Sunday emphasized.

Adding colour to the event were important dignitaries from two important hospitality servicing organizations whose presence  brought more value to the event. They are Mr. Manasseh Narh, who is the Associate Vice President Sales (Africa) for IDS Next and Mr. Anderson Ololo, the (OPAY) Team Lead Hotel Vertical.

As Chairman of the Advisory Board, Dr. Pinder will provide expert guidance on emerging trends and best practices in the hospitality industry. He will lead biannual Advisory Board meetings, collaborate with the Board of Directors, and represent HMS in industry events.

Dr. Pinder’s responsibilities include shaping HMS’s curriculum, learning methodologies, and strategic initiatives. His expertise will ensure HMS programs remain relevant and effective in preparing students for successful hotel management careers.

HMS offers various learning options, including instructor-led courses, self-paced courses, blended learning programs, workshops, seminars, certification programs, and mentorship initiatives. Dr. Pinder’s guidance will enhance these programs.

The appointment is for a five-year tenure, renewable upon mutual agreement.

Dr. Pinder accepted the appointment, stating, “I’m honored to join HMS’s Advisory Board. I look forward to contributing to the institution’s success and shaping the future of hotel management education in Africa.”

Hotel Managers School plays a vital role in addressing the hospitality industry’s talent gap in Africa. Dr. Pinder’s leadership will further strengthen HMS’s position as a thought leader in hospitality education.

Africa’s hospitality and tourism sectors are experiencing rapid growth, driven by increasing tourism demand and infrastructure development. HMS is poised to equip professionals with skills to drive business success.

Dr. Pinder’s appointment reinforces HMS’s commitment to industry relevance and academic excellence. His network and expertise will enhance the institution’s reputation and impact.

The hospitality industry will benefit from Dr. Pinder’s guidance on emerging trends and best practices. His leadership will shape the next generation of hotel managers.

As Africa’s hospitality industry continues to evolve, Hotel Managers School, under Dr. Pinder’s guidance, is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping its future.

With its emphasis on excellence, innovation, and industry relevance, HMS remains committed to developing competent leaders in the hospitality industry.

The Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, has called for collaboration with strategic partners to support the implementation and adoption of E-parliament in State Assemblies across the country.

Rt. Hon Ogundoyin said this in Abuja while delivering a Keynote address at a day reflection session organised by the Conference in collaboration with its strategic partners – Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn, PERL and Engaged Citizens Pillar, ECP

The Chairman Conference of Speakers emphasized the need for a unified digital platform to streamline legislative activities, improve data management, and facilitate communication among legislators, committees, and stakeholders.

According to him, E-parliament will enhance transparency and accountability, improve citizen engagement and participation, streamline legislative processes, increase access to legislative information and better decision-making through data analysis and research.

“I would like to leverage on the expertise and resources of PERL and other partners to ensure our State Assemblies embrace E-parliament to make legislative processes more open and accessible to citizens, streamline legislative operations, reduce time and resources wasted on manual operations, provide access to data, research and analysis to inform legislative decisions, facilitate communication and collaboration amongst legislators, committees and stakeholders and other laudable benefits.

“This development is part of the Conference of Speakers’ efforts to champion legislative reforms, promote good governance, and strengthen democratic institutions in Nigeria.” Ogundoyin said

He urged strategic partners to join forces with the Conference of Speakers to drive this initiative, sharing expertise and resources to ensure successful implementation.

Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin expressed optimism about the potentials for E-parliament to transform the legislative landscape in Nigeria.

He acknowledged and commended PERL and ECP as well as other strategic partners for advocating and implementing various legislative reforms which have significantly improved the capacity and effectiveness of State Legislatures.

“I would like to acknowledge and commend our strategic partners for their remarkable programs and activities which continued to improve our legislative processes and ultimately promote good governance in our dear nation.

“As we gather here today to reflect on our journey so far, I am reminded of the significant progress we have made in championing legislative reforms at the state level.

“The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has been at the forefront of this effort, and I am proud to say that our collaboration with Partnership to Engage, Reform, and Learn (PERL) and others has been instrumental in driving this progress.

“Through our joint efforts, we have successfully advocated for and implemented several key reforms, including Funds Management Bill/Law, State Legislative Service Commission, State Legislative Finance Guidelines, Legislative Financial and Administrative Autonomy, Capacity Development program, Robust Engagements with the State Legislatures on Constitution Review Exercises among others.” Chairman Conference said