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Five students get eStar awards as UK platform partner Chrisland Schools
Five students from Chrisland Schools have emerged first in Africa to receive an eStars award.
Estars is an innovative educational esports platform in the United Kingdom.The students, Khadijah Alege, Khalid Olatunji, Brian Leghemo, Adeolu Adewumi, and Ayomide Ojo were recognised at the launch of Estars in Nigeria, which was held at the British High Commission in Lagos on Tuesday.Eleven-year-old Alege, a Year 7 student, earned a star award as the top of five students honoured by eStars at an event marking the launch of a strategic partnership between Chrisland Schools Limited and eStars.The stellar performances of Chrisland Schools’ students globally explain why platforms like eStars introduce innovative academic and game-changing initiatives to the school.It would be recalled that Chrisland Schools’ Mmesomachukwu Okonkwo emerged as the top candidate in the world in English as a Second Language (Speaking Endorsement) at the 2022 Cambridge IGCSE, while Oluwabukolami Adeyemi secured the top spot in the world in law and received the High Achievement Award for Cambridge AS Level Psychology in 2022.Also, recently, Zara Sule emerged as the Gold Medalist at the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2023 (Senior Category).The Managing Director of Chrisland Schools Limited, Mrs. Ibironke Adeyemi at the official launch, applauded the timely partnership with eStars, noting that education in this current century should be forward-thinking, innovative, engaging, and fascinating.Hosting the eStars team to a dinner on Wednesday, Mrs. Adeyemi, on behalf of the founder and chairman of Chrisland Schools, High Chief Dr. (Mrs.) Winifred Awosika, welcomed the team to Nigeria and extolled the enduring legacy of the school over 47 years.She said, “We are proud of our brand and proud that we are contributing tremendously to education in Nigeria and Africa.”At the dinner, 10-year-old Falomo Ernest (Year 7), who had interacted with the platform, described it as having a beautiful outlook and sectors from which a player can choose. He noted that the platform includes sections where a player can see their progress, average score, and time spent on the game.
“The platform has taught me cooperative skills as I have had to play football with a team online, quick decision-making, and how to explore more,” he said, recommending the platform to all young people as it boosts every aspect of education.The school’s PTA chairman, Reverend ThankGod Oganwo, commended the initiative and assured the school of maximum cooperation from parents.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of eStars, Mags Byrne, affirmed that Chrisland was the first school approached by the team for the pilot programme in Nigeria.According to Byrne, eStars aims to revolutionise education and equip students for prosperous careers in the rapidly growing gaming industry by integrating eSports into school curricula.
This, she said, offers students a unique and engaging way to learn essential skills such as teamwork, innovation, leadership, and time management.
“We are not just teaching them to be gamers. We are teaching them about business, jobs, and career prospects, using our qualifications as reference points for universities.
This approach ensures that students not only develop gaming skills but also acquire valuable transferable skills applicable to various other fields.“eStars’ commitment to education extends beyond the classroom, as the platform is actively collaborating with stakeholders across different sectors, including government, education, and business, to establish Nigeria as a leading eSports hub in Africa,” she said.She expressed her team’s desire to see the platform adopted by all schools across the country, whether privately or publicly owned.
“Nigeria is the first place, and we want to use Nigeria as the hub for Africa.”Commenting further on the partnership, the Executive Head of School Academics, Mr. Segun Ogunsola, expressed satisfaction with the partnership, stating that eStars uses gaming to teach skills, while Chrisland ensures learners develop the competitive skills needed to excel globally.
According to him, the school, in its quest to provide the best education and a leading edge to learners, has embraced technology, highlighting that eStars aligns with the school’s pursuits and programme.
He explained that through eStars e-sport, learners are exposed to technology-driven games that develop 21st-century skills like teamwork, collaboration, critical thinking, strategic thinking, and planning.
Ogunsola emphasised that child protection and safeguarding are key focuses of the school, with policies and strategies in place. He assured that while the school is aware of cyberbullying and harmful online activities, eStars has incorporated security measures to control and protect learners’ online activities.“It is restricted to what learners are supposed to benefit from the platform.
So it is a controlled platform with access limitations, ensuring everyone is safe,” he said.
An IT expert and member of the advisory board of Chrisland Schools, Mr. Adeniyi Olowoniyi, described eStars as a platform where learners can use gaming to learn.On whether gaming can distract learners, Olowoniyi, an alumnus of the school, explained that games enhance coordination, time management, and critical thinking.“For you to understand how to play a game, it means you can think properly and coordinate, which is very critical for students,” he added.
A Kano State High Court, on Tuesday, reserved ruling in the case of alleged bribery and misappropriation filed against the former governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, and seven others.
The Kano State Government instituted an eight-count charge bordering on bribery, misappropriation and diversion of public funds running into billions of Naira against Ganduje and seven others, including his wife, Hafsat Umar.
Others charged with Ganduje are Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited and Lasage General Enterprises Limited.
When the case came up for hearing of all pending applications, counsel to Ganduje and his wife, Offiong Offiong SAN, applied for an extension of time and urged the court to grant the application.
“We also filed our preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court, dated Nov. 18, 2024, along with a 28-paragraph affidavit and a written address in support.
“We also filed a reply on point of law dated April 4, 2025,” he said.
However, counsel to the state, Mr Ayodeji Adedipe, SAN, filed a reply to the notice of preliminary objection dated Oct. 22, 2024, addressing all the respondents.
“The application is attached with a seven-paragraph counter affidavit and a written address dated Dec. 13, 2024, attached along with several documents as exhibits,” Adedipe said.
He prayed the court to dismiss the respondents’ applications for lacking merit.
Counsel to the 3rd and 7th defendants, Mr Adekunle Taiye-Falola, filed a motion on notice on a preliminary objection dated Oct. 18, 2024, supported by a 14-paragraph affidavit and a written address.
“In reply to the complainant’s counter affidavit, we filed our further and better affidavit dated Dec. 12, 2024, and a reply on point of law. We urge the court to grant the application as prayed,” Taiye-Falola said.
Counsel to the 5th defendant, Mr Sunusi Musa, SAN, also filed a motion on notice on a preliminary objection dated Oct. 18, 2024, which was supported by an affidavit, an exhibit and a written address.
“We also filed our affidavit and reply on point of law and urged the court to grant the application with substantial costs against the complainant,” he said.
Counsel to the 6th respondent, Mr Ashafa Yusuf , also filed a notice of preliminary objection dated Sept. 9, 2024, supported by a nine-paragraph affidavit and a written address.
“My Lord, we filed a further and better affidavit dated Feb. 17, supported by an 11-paragraph affidavit. We also filed a reply on point of law and urged the court to grant the application,” he said.
Also, Faruk Asekone, counsel to the 8th defendant, filed a notice of preliminary objection dated Oct. 18, 2024, supported by a five-paragraph affidavit and a written address.
“In reply to the complainant’s counter-affidavit, we filed our further and better affidavit and reply on point of law dated Feb. 13, 2025, and urge the court to grant the application,” Asdkome said.
The judge, Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu, granted the application for an extension of time.
Adamu-Aliyu adjourned the matter for ruling on the notices of preliminary objection to a date that would be communicated to the parties at a later date. (NAN)
A former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has slammed the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government, describing it as the most “corrupt and worst” government in Nigerian history.
El-Rufai, who spoke in an interview with some journalists in Katsina Monday night, said Tinubu’s government is also the most intolerant government since the return of democratic rule in 1999.
He claimed that the Federal Government of President Tinubu is the most lying government that depends on false propaganda, especially on security challenges bedevilling the country.
The erstwhile Kaduna governor, who was in Katsina to condole with Governor Dikko Umaru Radda over the demise of his mother, also refuted the claim by the Federal Government that security has improved in the country.
He added that the insecurity in the country is due to the Federal Government’s failure to proffer deeper solutions to address what he termed the prevailing security challenges from their roots.
He stressed that many local government areas in Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto States were under the control of bandits, adding that bandits and terrorists’ leaders like Dogo Gide, Mallam Abba and Bello Turji have not been killed.
El-rufia said: “I have said it before, this is the worst Federal Government in Nigerian history and all the indices have shown it. This is the most corrupt and most intolerant government in Nigeria.
“This is the most lying government that depends on false propaganda. They lied that security has improved in Nigeria. They read out numbers of bandits killed except the ones we know are the leading bandits.
“In Kaduna, Dogo Gide is still around, Mallam Abba, the Boko Haram terrorist is still alive. Bello Turji is still around but everyday, they announce names of people that are bandits’ leaders that they have killed and security has improved.
“How many local governments are under the occupation of bandits in Katsina State? How many are occupied by bandits in Zamfara State and some parts of Sokoto State? And because you are in government you think that nothing would happen?”
The former FCT Minister, however, described his new political party, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), as a party with a long history and credibility that will wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
A prominent loyalist of former Nigerian Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has sharply criticised Bauchi State Governor Bala Muhammed for comments deemed “reckless” and “disrespectful” towards the elder statesman.
Dr. Aslam Aliyu, known as Gimbiyar Kauran Namoda from Zamfara state and one of the mast respected politicians in Nigeria, issued a statement on Tuesday condemning Governor Muhammed’s remarks, which she described as unbecoming of a party leader.
One of Nigeria’s respected female political voices suggested that Atiku is not a politician to be betrayed.
“Atiku Abubakar is not a politician to be undermined by mere political officeholders whose relevance remains confined to their states,” Aliyu said.
Dr Aliyu highlighting the former vice president’s enduring influence since 1999.
She pointed to his service under President Olusegun Obasanjo, his pivotal role in shaping the PDP, and his consistent presence in Nigeria’s political landscape over two decades.
Aliyu accused Muhammed of exposing his “political inexperience” by attempting to diminish Atiku’s stature within the party.
“For a governor who owes his platform to the PDP’s legacy to belittle one of its founding pillars is not just ungrateful—it is dangerous,” she warned.
She stated that when discussing the leaders of the People’s Democratic Party today, after Atiku Abubakar, the next in line is Senator Aminu Tambuwal.
“He demonstrated a spirit of sportsmanship by stepping down for Atiku in 2023 for the sake of northern development.”
She added that if Kaura wishes to resolve the PDP crisis, where was he when Wike and Fubara were at loggerheads over leadership for more than two years? No action was taken until the Governor was suspended and the state was declared a state of emergency .
“If he wants to end the crisis in the PDP, he should first resolve the one in his own state, Bauchi, and also reinstate the Rivers State Governor, Fubara, who is currently suspended.”
The statement urged Muhammed to exercise humility and cautioned that divisive rhetoric threatens the PDP’s unity.
“The PDP stands today because of the loyalty, sacrifice, and vision of men like Atiku Abubakar,” Aliyu declared, calling for mutual respect to safeguard the party’s future.