Academic research has remained a requirement for students at all tertiary level. Students are ethically allowed to conduct and participate in academic research. The goal is usually to kindle erudition within the student, equip the students with problem-solving skills, inventful or discoverable abilities. Academic research therefore has become mandatory for university students. One of the core aspects of academic researches is the question or what is popularly referred to as the research question.
Research questions are usually formulated by the student researcher. Generally, this sub-heading appears in the first chapter of a project thesis or dissertation and it is expected that the student should provide answers to the formulated questions.

Reviews from undergraduate and post-graduate students have revealed that lots of students pay little attention to this aspect of their thesis. While the focus is on the research title or topic and research methodology, the place of research questions has received minor considerations.
This is evident as thesis supervisors have often complained about student researchers abandoning their study or requesting for a change of topic. Others consider their thesis supervisor a threat and could demand a change of supervisor. While this may seem to help the student, the root cause arises from poor comprehension of research questions.

The research question is the step first for every successful research. This may not sound popular, but it is a research truth. Student researchers consider thesis topics to be the first step to conducting academic research. Unfortunately, the thesis topic is not even the fifth thing to consider when starting academic research.

Research is a systematic enquiry, just to be sure of. The first thing you do when you pick a phone to speak to a hotel receptionist is to ASK for information. The first action you initiate when you get into a new town is to ask questions. The answers you receive will inform your judgement, guide your actions and remind you of necessities. What research question does is to orient and accord direction to the chosen study. There are three important features of a good research question. These features are so crucial that their absence renders your research less meaningful and defeats the ultimate goal of research. When these characteristics are present, you are sure to conduct meaningful research.

1. Significance
A good research question must address something of importance. It could be an issue, puzzle or thoughts that relate to a broad community of scholars, arising in the context of theories and framework. A good research question should be seeking to address something that matters.

2. Researchable
A proper research question should be researchable. What this means is that a research question must be something that can be answered by conducting research. This situation eliminates asking some metaphysical questions or questions that are abstract to life and society. For example, you can not carry out academic research because you want to find out how tall God is or the modus operandi of witches in Antarctica operates. That will no longer be an academic inquiry. Therefore, ensure your question is researchable.

3. Definitively answered
The last attribute of a good research question is that research question(s) should be one that has NOT been definitively answered. This is because you may have no need carrying out that research if the question has been properly addressed in previous researches. Continuing with questions that have been definitively answered can be likened to reinventing the wheel. It will lack research merit and may not be valuable to the academic audience. 

Now, it is pertinent to state here that there are questions in academics that have been considered to be definitively answered but in reality, they have not. Some previous answers ought to be rethought in the light of contemporary events and recent happenings. Science and technology have and will continue to change the order of things, which will alter processes and activities. Therefore, some questions are not definitively answered and should be revisited. 
Let me add here, that if a student researcher intends to rethink previous research, the researcher is at liberty to do so based on time and research methodology.

You will be conducting good research if you learn to ask the right questions. Asking the right research question demands that the student swims in the thoughts of scholars through studying. It is in this process, that the academic mind of the student will be opened to gaps and slacks arising from scholarly opinions.

Source: https://blog.iproject.com.ng/three-elements-of-good-research-question/

Choosing a project topic can be exciting or tasking depending on the kind of student you are. This is because different students perceive project writing in different ways.

Their perception and performance thereafter are further influenced by the nature of the research they choose to conduct and the supervisor assigned to them. Whether you are in the category of students who are excited to begin their project or you belong to my class that felt project writing should be eliminated, there are some common mistakes students make when choosing a project topic.

1. Choosing your friend’s topic
I did this too. While my friend got his three topics on IPSAS, I felt I should get one from him and get the rest from other guys. After all, we had different supervisors. While this may be a smart move, in project writing it is a mistake. This is because you may likely not know why your friend chose those topics. For the fact that your friend chose it doesn’t make it the best fit. Be responsible for your study by choosing your project topic.

2. Choosing a popular topic
This can reduce your project writing to essay writing.
Essay writing is simply revising what other people have done on a subject and agreeing with an argument based on facts. Research is a systematic inquiry and when a subject has been addressed, re-echoing a topic makes little research sense. It will only be valid for you to choose a popular topic if you have something new to offer.

3. Neglecting your interest
Choose a topic of your interest no matter how odd it may sound. Neglecting your area of interest for whatever reason reduces your drive for research.
If you have an interest in sports and you are an accounting student, don’t find it awkward to conduct accounting research on sports.
All you need is the right research skills to get it done.

4. Starting alone
While it is your responsibility to get your project topic, you can’t do it alone perfectly. This is because you have a little idea of what could be the best. Meet and discuss with your project supervisor before settling with any topic.

Spare yourself some frustration by discussing your topic with intelligent colleagues. Their input can be helpful.
You can meet with research partners for assistance in choosing the right project topic.

5. Poor due diligence
Read more about your topic before deciding to settle for it. Ensure to find out if there are academic resources on the topic that will help you deliver good writing.

Source: https://blog.iproject.com.ng/5-common-mistakes-students-make-when-choosing-a-project-topic/

The word excellence has been defined by various scholars, groups and corporate organizations to mean different things depending on how they perceive the idea of excellence relating to their course and vision. However, these differences have not in any way distorted the foundational meaning of excellence and the clarity it offers when encountered and reiterated.
For this piece, I will stick to the definition offered by Lexico just for the fact that it offers neutrality to its definition. Lexico defined excellence (a noun) as something outstanding or extremely good. Therefore, when the word “excellence” is referred to, it is a conscious attempt to portray a picture of something extremely good, out of the normal, something abnormally awesome.

One special feature regarding the concept of excellence is the principal recognition that excellence is not a constant state. Excellence is rather a continuous and consistent process.

Education in Nigeria is expected to run on this wheel, expressing excellence at every point of its visible achievement. Education as a tool of enlightenment and societal change possess the capacity to break individual and societal flaws, biases, imperfections, mediocrity, crumminess and ultimately societal badness. The dividends of an excellent education are seen and handled in how an individual and of course, the society has been able to progress from dis-value to gain, from poor infrastructures to better infrastructures, from stone-age to a technology-driven dispensation. Continuous progress is the hallmark of excellence.

Educational excellence is visible in how society has been able to reduce its rate of unemployment, handle the issue of culture and religion, nepotism and the rule of law. It is captured in how society perceives and responds to corruption and corrupt practices.

Educational excellence is the merit that emanates from being educated. It dis-aligns with the satisfaction of merely attending schools and flipping the pages of scholarly opinions and suggested documentation.

Rather it is a mind transformative process that comes with formal training of the human mind and intellect to question the process, to demand accountability and transparency, to stand for the right societal values, to shun mediocrity and demand for societal progress. The curriculum for educational excellence is not structured to feed and re-feed the minds of the student with ideas that may not be periodically and economically relevant, thereby rendering them societally incompetent; rather it is the act of unlocking the minds of students to be critical thinkers, analysts and creatives, refashioning the world of limitless possibilities. 

It is pertinent to note that the goal of educational excellence is not to destroy, rather, the goal is to improve. Educational excellence is simply the act of allowing the merits of education to cause dramatic improvement in almost all endeavours of life, without cultural or political or utterly sentimental barriers.

For our universities to remain competitive in the world, it must embrace educational excellence. It must disallow mediocrity in academics and give room for merits. 
According to research, institutions that implement excellence frameworks enjoys a better performance. Further researches have proven that tertiary institutions will achieve better returns on their investment and productivity if they embrace excellence. (see https://iproject.com.ng/library-science/school-libraries-as-an-effective-instrument-for-achieving-academic-excellence/index.html)
Studies have constantly shown that adopting and implementing educational excellence will afford room for massive creativity.

A situation where students’ strive is not limited to obtaining grades and academic credentials but in assuming the ability to create, invent and permutate new things or new processes. Educational excellence will enhance productivity. The presence of huge activities with little results will be greatly decimated if educational excellence is prioritised. Educational excellence will create effectiveness and efficiency for organizations. Employers will be glad to hire competent employees and employees can receive deserved wages.

Consequently, educational excellence will put the universities on global competition aimed at enhancing innovation and research. The dividends of educational excellence call for swift implementation for a strong societal change. Educational excellence can be best achieved through collaboration and teamwork. This alliance can be between the schools and the public or private sectors; a partnership between unions and other academic institutions, groups and associations. 

Excellence is a fusion of positive energy. It is a cross-bred of wild but valid intentions and ideas aimed at distorting the old to create the new or improving the old. Educational excellence holds the key to economic growth and development. Policy-makers and educational authorities in the country ought to regularly assess the state of education and work out effective modalities that will allow educational excellence to become the force driving the need for formal education.

Public tertiary institutions in Nigeria have been the worst affected in terms of resources allocated, facilities provided and types of equipment installed. Over the democratic years, there has been a contretemps between the federal government of Nigeria and the public tertiary university representatives.
While the university representatives claim to protect the interest of the public institutions, the government asseverate to understand and know the best way to implement the needs of public tertiary institutions. The public tertiary institutions accommodate a large number of Nigeria youths. Young people from age 18-40 walk in and out of public tertiary schools for either an undergraduate program or a post-graduate program.
However, despite so much clamour and scrimmage by both institutional elephants, the Public tertiary institutions still suffer a situation that could be likened to the Roman leprous condition.

The situation in Public tertiary institutions is a clear depiction of incomplete truth and deceit publicly told and shoved down the minds of citizens by the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The federal government of Nigeria has continually allocated little funds for education. It has prioritised other sectors of the economy over education. In 2015, the government allocated 9.5% of its annual budget to education, in 2018, 8.44% was allocated, and in 2020, 6.7% was allocated. A backward sitch that creates stunted economic growth for enlightenment.

This situation has led to the hiring of poor and ineffective manpower. It has also led to dilapidated buildings and facilities clustered in public schools.
Some public tertiary institutions lack the advanced technological and scientific equipment needed to improve the quality of research in Nigeria.
The federal government on her part has won for itself several wrong awards and accolades for not fulfilling its promises and agreements.
The government of Nigeria, both Past and Present have oftentimes, gone back on its promises even on acts backed up by laws on education. It has also shown little transparency in its dealing with the tertiary schools.

While their efforts are not in doubt regarding their vision of having every Nigerian educated, their actions negate their vision.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on its part has continued to be the god of war and final arbiter between the public schools and the federal government.
Sometimes, their agitations have paid off as the federal government yields to some of their demands.
However, the union has shown ill consideration to the students as they embark on protracted industrial actions with little concerns about the welfare of the students. They have remained selfish and shown little or no accountability regarding various funding they received, both locally and internationally. The union has been shredded in dishonesty and has gradually begun to outlive its importance.

Research has shown that hardly will a student attend the public school and within a period of 4 or 5 years, will not experience industrial action by the university union. (see https://iproject.com.ng/education/strike-a-major-clog-in-the-wheel-of-the-nigerian-educational-sector/index.html)
Industrial action is therefore seen as the top curriculum for the union.
While the students in private schools are certain about their programme duration and possibly the quality of education received, the public school students are left in the hands of the biblical LORD to wallow in academic mediocrity and uncertainties.
The image of public tertiary institutions therefore ought to be redeemed. The negligence and dereliction accompanying tertiary institutions as a result of the government's insincerity need to be erased. Public tertiary institutions should be prioritized and allowed to function optimally, thereby creating genuine room for research and adequate scholarship.

The political games played by the government in education matters should be forsaken and excellence should be embraced. The government should forge towards a society where people are enlightened and desist from using illiteracy as a political tool.
The academic unions should review her leadership to ensure it has not wheeled out from its vision. Huge transparency is expected from them as custodian of knowledge.
The structures in public schools should be revisited, renovated and reconstructed to align with modern facilities. These and other meaningful suggestions will help redeem the image of public tertiary institutions.

Police brutality is not a new phenomenon in human society. Since the introduction of arms to the police force, its abuse has not reduced rather it has progressively metamorphosed into a tool of oppression. It is worthy to note that the issue of police brutality cuts across community or regional hassle to a global worry.

For Example in 1920, specifically, in New York and Chicago, the urban Police department was accused of using extralegal tactics against Italian-immigrant community members. The Police defended this brutality by asserting that its alleged use of force is simply an effort attempted to track down an organized crime in the communities.
In 1943, there was strong evidence of the Los Angeles police participation in hostility on Mexican Americans carried out by the US servicemen during the Zoot suit riots.

In Great Britain, the Police are not armed for routine operations. However, this has not stopped their abuse, especially using the neck restraint. In Britain, the use of neck restrained is still officially approbated. The summer of 2017 witnessed a period where four black young-men died after they had been restrained by the Police. This is a sad situation as a police officer can kneel on a man’s neck for eight to ten minutes.

This is a pathetic display of police brutality.

In France, Cédric Chouviat, a Frenchman of North African origin, was pinned down by Police officers while wearing his helmet for more than 20 seconds during this detention. Cédric died of asphyxiation two days later. The doctors reported that his larynx was fractured.
This is similar to Adama Traore, who died in Police custody in 2016 after he was also pinned to the ground. The black man was only 24 years old.
In Nigeria, young people have also been assaulted in different ways by the members of the police force.

The October 2020 EndSars protest revealed that the SARS unit of the Nigeria Police Force(NPF) has been machinery for violent abuse by the Nigeria police force. Young people from the ages of 20-35 have been violently maltreated by the members of the Police force by the use of excessive force which has resulted in extra-judicial killings. Often times, if not most of the times, the victims do not get justice as their families are treated with disdain and the “legal perpetrators” walk the streets and sleep comfortably at their homes.
Apparently, the larger population victim is the tertiary institution students. The Nigeria police have had a record of unlawfully arresting university students based on intuition rather than investigation. The resultant effect of police brutality on students can be perceived in four major ways.

Lifestyle
Police brutality has affected the general lifestyle of students in Nigeria. Some students do not revel in a flashy and luxurious lifestyle. This is because such lifestyles attract the eyes of the police as the force will fail at nothing to hunt down a student living a luxurious life if the parents of such a student are not popular or occupy a sensitive position in the country. Simple and personal choices like hairstyle, types of clothes, and dress pattern and body inscriptions are triggers of Police brutality and lots of students have resolved to keep off that lifestyle.

Rights and freedom
The rights and freedom of students which begins from the fundamental human rights have been overturned and gravely opposed. This is seen through several justices delayed and denied for victims of police brutality. Most times, comments and utterances emanating from members of the police force is a sad display that some members of the Police Force, do not recognize and respect the rights of these students.

Fear and intimidation
Another effect of Police brutality on students is a sub-conscious fear it has engraved in the minds of average Nigeria students. Nigeria students do not perceive the Police force as a friend but a foe. This is due to their several waves of abuse on students and constant intimidation from men and members of the police force.
The incessant use of violent force by the police therefore has done more damage to mind the young people. The vision of the Police which happens to be the protection of life and property has consequently be neglected. Studies have shown that the EndSars protest in Nigeria, was a deep call for Police reformation see (https://iproject.com.ng/sociology/assessing-the-merits-of-police-reformation-in-improving-national-security-a-case-study-of-the-2020-endsars-protest/index.html), implementation of laws regarding the use of firearms and the disbandment of the special anti-robbery squad (SARS).

Police brutality will continue to be on the increase if fundamental laws are not upheld. Offenders should be punished to restore public trust. It is pertinent to note that police brutality is an act of wickedness and should not be allowed to thrive in the society. The acceptance of police brutality or the delay or denial of its corresponding justice is a direct sponsorship for societal anarchy whose future will be shredded in pains, fears and forceful breakdown.