The Chief Judge of Edo State, Hon. Justice Esohe Ikponmwen recently delivered the 1st Public lecture of the Faculty of Law, Benson Idahosa University.

The Lecture entitled “The Art and Essentials of Judgement Writing: A Critical Appraisal of the Judgement of Pontius Pilate” was chaired by the Vice Chancellor of Benson Idahosa University, Prof. Sam Guobadia.

Delivering the lecture, Justice Ikponmwen said the record and trial in the case of Jesus Christ demonstrated apparent perversity and gross injustice from a case actuated by malice and bad blood.

“It was a desperate situation which was a travesty of justice, which needed to be overturned and of course this was done after Jesus Christ cried to His Father from the Cross of Calvary,” she said.

She thanked the University Management for the decision to honour her.

“I appreciate the University Management and the organisers of this event especially for the latitude given to me in the choice of topic to speak on. May I posthumously congratulate the founder of this great institution, the Archbishop Benson Idahosa of blessed memory for his foresight and determination in daring where it looked impossible to establish this great institution which no doubt is a product of good judgment,” she said.

She promised to continually support the University and further enthrone justice in the state.

Speaking at the event, the Vice Chancellor of Benson Idahosa University, Prof. Sam Guobadia, thanked Justice Ikponmwen for accepting to deliver the 1^st in the Faculty of Law lecture series.

The Vice Chancellor also announced that the new Faculty of Law lecture theatre annex has been named after the guest lecturer, Justice Ikponmwen.

“We are also glad to inform you that the lecture theatre has been named after Hon. Justice, Chief Judge of Edo State, Esohe Ikponmwen.”

Showering encomiums on the guest lecturer, the Dean, Faculty of Law, Stella Idehen, said the Justice has played several roles in the Faculty, which has impacted many staff and students.

“On behalf of the staff and students of the Faculty of Law welcome everyone to this august occasion, this is because this is the first public lecture to be hosted by the Faculty of Law. We are excited because this lecture will birth many more lectures,” he said.

At the public lecture, the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, pledged the sum of N25 million to the Justice Esohe Ikponmwen Scholarship Programme to train female lawyers in the state.

Obaseki said the Board of Trustees of Ikponmwen Foundation would come up with modalities on how the female beneficiaries would be selected as well as the higher institutions they would attend.

He said Justice Ikponmwen has stood out as a prolific judicial officer and her tenure as the Chief Judge of the State has helped to strengthen the judiciary in the state.

“We appreciate the strides you have made and the aura you have brought to the state judiciary system,” he said.

The Management of Benson Idahosa University led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sam Guobadia paid a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of Ray Royal Construction Company, Bishop (Dr.) Matthew Akhaze Okpebholo on Thursday, 18^th October, 2018.

Speaking during the visit, the Vice Chancellor informed Bishop Okpebholo that the visit is to convey the University’s appreciation for all he has done for the University.

He said: “On behalf of the Chancellor, President, Governing Council, Management, Staff and Students of Benson Idahosa University, I very respectfully and profoundly thank you for your continued generosity towards the University. Your kind hearted donation of 1.2km fully constructed and already commissioned road at the Legacy Campus of the University is one of such many gestures that you have shown to the University over the years.”

The Vice Chancellor also thanked him for his promise to construct drains and sidewalks for the Bishop Matthew Okpebholo way at the Legacy Campus. These drains and sidewalks he mentioned will further enhance the functionality of the road in particular and the Campus in general. He prayed that God would continue to reward the Bishop for his labour of love to the University and beyond.

In his response, Bishop Okpebholo thanked the Management team for the visit despite their tight schedules and assured the University of his continued support in all matters that bother on the development of the University.

The Chief Judge of Edo State, Hon. Justice Esohe Ikponmwen will deliver the 1^st Public lecture of the Faculty of Law, Benson Idahosa University, Benin City.

The lecture titled: “The art and essential of judgment writing: A critical appraisal of the judgment of Pontius Pilate” will be chaired by the Vice Chancellor of Benson Idahosa University, Prof. Sam Guobadia.

The Vice Chancellor made this known when he paid a courtesy call on the Chief Judge at the High Court in Benin City.

He said: “We are so delighted that we have somebody in your position. What you represent and the work you have been doing for the nation is quite commendable. You have identified with our university in many ways. For many years, you have being very supportive of our flagship program and to crown it all, we have our maiden lecture being organized by the Faculty of Law and you have graciously accepted to come and give a lecture. The entire university is already agog waiting for that day to come.”

He noted that the lecture is aimed at raising the quality of the legal profession and strive for social justice.

In her response, the Chief Judge, Hon Justice Ikponmwen promised to deliver the lecture. According to her: “I am in a state of ecstasy, I am so grateful to the University for finding me worthy enough to deliver the maiden edition of the Faculty’s public lecture. This is like a turning point in my life, I have prepared my paper and I am ready to do justice to that paper.”

She promised to continually support the University and further enthrone justice in the state.

Hon. Justice Ikponmwen until her appointment as the Chief Judge of the state, was a High Court judge since 1999.

The Pro-Chancellor of Benson Idahosa University, Engr. (Dr.) G.O Isibor has called on the State Government and traditional institutions in the State to promote the use of Edo language in homes and schools. He made this call when members of the board of Benson Idahosa University Centre for Edo Studies paid a courtesy visit to the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, at the Government House, Benin City. He harped on the need to develop Edo language in schools in the state, and stressed that “Edo has a rich history, language and culture but we are not doing enough to make it popular across the world.”

The Pro-Chancellor who is the Chairman of University’s Governing Council, commended the governor for his developmental strides across the state and his uncommon leadership style anchored on peace and good governance. In his response, the governor said his administration and the palace of the Benin Monarch are worried about the challenges posed by the low premium attached to the state’s indigenous languages, and are looking at ways to propagate Edo history and language in schools across the state.

He disclosed that at the recent retreat by members of the state’s executive council at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and added that “the focus was on how to transform the education sector in the state.” The governor expressed his administration’s willingness to partner with the Centre to include some of the Edo books authored by the Center in the state’s school curriculum. “Our focus is not only on Edo language but also on Afemai and Esan languages,” he said.

The Vice Chancellor of Benson Idahosa University, Prof. Sam Guobadia has charged staff members to make integrity, accountability, excellent student experience, teamwork and honesty their watchwords in the discharge of their duties in the new academic session. He gave the charge during the 2018 Staff Orientation Programme for staff members in preparation for the new Academic Session.

He admonished them against engaging in acts that would tarnish their reputation, put them into trouble, and subsequently drag the good name of the University to the mud thereby jeopardizing its value proposition. According to him, the value proposition the University sells to the world is “Academic Excellence with Godliness.” Giving his welcome address, Prof. Sam Guobadia thanked the Management and Staff for their commitment and hard work towards the successful completion and achievements recorded in the last academic year.

Speaking on the “University’s culture, Vision and Mission” the President of Benson Idahosa University, Bishop F.E.B. Idahosa tasked staff members to focus on how to be relentlessly excellent in all ramifications. He said: “For you to raise a leader, you must also be a leader. A follower cannot raise a leader, only a leader can raise a leader.” He added that we are raising people who will have positive influence over our communities.

He praised staff members for their steadfastness and commitment to the raising of leaders who are complete in spirit, mind and body, thus contributing to the production of high-level leadership and quality manpower for the nation and the world.

The Registrar, Rev. Mike Okagbare, who spoke on “Disciplined Professional Administrator” charged staff members to know all the rules governing the University. He urged all staff members to be result driven. and set attainable goals in the forthcoming academic session.

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The Director of CLAREP and Head of English Language Department, Dr. (Mrs.) A. Esimaje, in this interview with the Communication and Brand Strategy Unit, speaks on the CLAREP’s activities, how value on paper qualification encourages plagiarism and how students can develop their reading and writing culture.

Excerpts:

Tell us about CLAREP?

CLAREP is an acronym and its stands for “Centre for Language Research and English Proficiency.” It is an educational, nonprofit, and non-Governmental organization.

What do you do as an organisation?

There are actually two major reasons why we set up this organization. From the name you have language research on one hand, and then you have English proficiency on the other hand. It involves all language related matters, research into how language can enhance productivity, research on how language can help socio- economic and political development of the nation, research on how language can be taught and how language can be understood. When we say language, we mean language broadly, not necessarily English Language but any research into any type of language.

Now the proficiencies part has to do with certifications, ensuring that people are proficient in the different skills of language. At the centre, we are licensed to teach languages like German, Spanish, and not just English. So we can teach proficiencies, and then people can write such exams as Test of English as a Foreign (TOEFL), International English Language testing system (IELTS) and other language proficiency exams. We focus on writing skills, speaking skills, reading skills, and any skill of language at all.

How old is the organization?

The organization is two years old.

What is your organization doing to ensure a lasting reading and writing culture in young Nigerians?

Some years ago the National Universities Commission (NUC), was so concerned about the reading culture of students in Nigerian universities and the fact that students are in school because they have to be here, they do not want to be in school.

You want to earn a living; you want to be counted among the socio-class so you go to school. There was a time I also asked who started the idea of school, so I asked that same question. So once exams are over, students forget whatsoever it is.

So NUC recommended that universities should begin reading clubs in order to encourage the development of reading culture. According to NUC, universities should also target young categories of children in nursery, primary and secondary schools to start reading clubs, so by the time these children get to the university, they are able to read and also love reading.

We have CLAREP Young Reader’s Club. The aim of reading club is supposed to be for readers but you know this is Nigeria so we have two groups of children; those who can read and those who cannot read and so we teach one group how to read and the other group how to love and enjoy reading. So as an organization we also help to develop the reading culture of students

What do you think is the major reason for plagiarism?

It’s easily the absence of knowledge; this is because you don’t copy what you know. If you know something you will write it, so it’s the absence of knowledge, the absence of requisite knowledge, relevant knowledge.

Most times it is not always the fault of the students who do that, it is the fault of the system. I believe that we are attaining towards a systematic failure, when students are not equipped with what it takes to write project and then it is mandatory for them to write project, so without the project they do not graduate yet they do not have what it takes to write it.

Now, they are forced to write it anyhow and one way to write it is to plagiarise or to use what I call academic vendors. These are people who put together this project for students. So they pay academic vendors and the vendors will source the material from different places and do what is called patch writing or what you call cut and paste. The student submits it and during defense the student is unable to defend it because the ideas are not original.  The fault is not fully from the students that plagiarise, but the fault of the system that has failed to prepare the students sufficiently to write the project.  It’s also failure of the society, the general society that place value on paper qualification.

That’s a systematic failure, why do we need to have foreign publications, when I travel out they do not ask for foreign publications, a lecturer that is in the UK is assessed based on what he has written in the UK, he is not told to publish in America, Germany, Nigeria. But then a different system produces a lecturer and a different system is used to assess the lecturer.

What should come first in your own opinion: writing or reading?

The first skill is listening followed by speaking and then followed by writing because the letters that you write are the letters that you use to form the words which you eventually read.

No, because reading feeds writing so they play complimentary roles the more you read, depending on what you read the better writer you will become but the foundation will have to be letters of the alphabets which you learn at the stage of reading, reading is so key, because in reading you learn more vocabulary, structure, you use for writing.

What is your advice for young writers and authors?

Well, I will like to say that because every writer is produced by the society, the motivation for writing should be from the society, and when you write even though many people write for pleasure, I often say write also because you want to meet a need. In the process of writing for whatever it is that makes you happy pass on a message and that message will be borne out of the need in your society.  So look at your society, see what you can contribute through that skill that you have, through that gift that you have, ensure that what you write is not only for enjoyment but ensure that it also has a message.