Author: The Nation

By Adedimeji Quayyim Abdul-Hafeez 

The BBC investigative report titled: ‘Sex for grades: Undercover in West African universities” recently hit our television screens, bringing to light some of the realities in our tertiary institutions. The sexual exploitation of students by lecturers couldn’t have come to light at a better time.

Truth be told, the pillage for sex in exchange for marks and grades by lecturers is not a new thing on Nigerian campuses. ‘Cold Rooms’, which may have been a relatively new term to Nigerians, had existed in all sorts of places on campuses – from staff offices, staff hotels, staff clubs, pavilions, student hostels – and other places where students are sexually devoured far from the gaze of the public. Exploitation also comes in different forms – it may be the lecturer exploiting the students or students exploiting the lecturer.

On the other hand, it may even be both parties exploiting each other by bartering sex for marks, as well as pleasure for good grades. Men and women across all strata of the society have encountered one form of sexual exploitation or the other when they are trapped in circumstances in which they desperately need help.

Sex abuse transcends our campuses – the hydra-headed monster lurks in corporate bodies, institutions, government parastatals, among others. It all comes in various guises and garments to get under the skirt.

Read Also: Sex for grade: FIDA urges more victims to speak out

Well, the saddening thing is that voices are stifled in silence to enclose the woes this menace encloses in its garbs. No one is willing to talk about it. We all bow and cower to intimidations, threats, fears and reprisals. Most stories on abuse fade into clouds of hearsays, masking the plights of victims. Students cower under fear and threats of failure, suspension, and expulsion from these lecturers. These had hindered justice for tthe victims, while the abusers struts the street with impunity.

As students, we all have rights against sexual exploitation. No individual has the right to stifle our voices in the expression of the infringements to our fundamental rights. Section 39(1) of the 1999 Constitution enshrines the right of our free will to hold opinions and express them in public. It provides that: ‘every person shall be entitled to freedom to hold opinions and impart ideas and information without interference.’ These criminals should be brought to book and this is the only way to achieve this.

Victims of various forms of abuses ought to be protected from the machinations of these evil lecturers. All of us needn’t’ be whistle-blowers or witnesses in courts before we get protection from government. Victimised students should be protected and anonymity should be ensured when these stories are told. Due investigations should be carried out and lecturers responsible for such misconduct arrested and if found guilty, flushed out of the system.

Also, the identities of these lecturers should be made public to serve as a deterrent to others. Only then would the student be confident to tell their stories of exploitation from these wolves and predators in deceptive garbs.

Students should rise in unison in this present crusade. Let’s tell the whole world how our rights are being violated. Let’s tell the public how we are intimidated to subjection by these ‘predators’ evil whims. We all owe the society justice. We all have the duty to bring these men to book. Let’s cleanse the society of this filth.

• Abdul-Hafeez is a Campus Journalist and a student of law. quayyimadedimeji@gmail.com.

 

Prof Edward Olorunsola Olanipekun emerged the eighth Vice Chancellor of Ekiti State University (EKSU). in this interview with ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA, the professor of Industrial Chemistry, speaks on his plans for the 37-year-old institution, among others.

 

What were your greatest headache upon assumption of duties?

Our greatest challenge is that the university is largely non-residential. This is not a good thing for any 21st century institution that aims to be a world class. Aside, there is no staff quarters on the campus. Even the Vice Chancellor’s Lodge is non-existent. However, we shall soon have a befitting VC Lodge.

Two, we have genuine investors desirous of partnering with us. So, we will be signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with some of them. Interestingly, there is an investor willing to provide accommodation for at least 5,000 students on campus. He has assured us that the project would be ready in a year. I have the proposal and the drawing. As soon as I go through it, we shall invite them for a meeting.

You seem concerned with lodges for principal officers and students’ hostels?

As scholars, living on campus has many advantages. I have a study room in my personal house. However, once it comes to real research, you cannot compare such study room with the amount of research you will carry out in an academic environment. For instance, I am a professor of Chemistry.  There are certain experiments one might need to carry out for 14 hours non-stop. That’s the essence of undertaking such experiment in an academic environment.

As regards accommodation, it’s a pity that once it is about 4pm, this university becomes virtually empty. I am believing in God that within a year, we are going to change the face of this institution.

Considering EKSU’s over 24,000 student population, don’t you think a hostel accommodating 5000 students is like a drop in the ocean?

Do not forget that this is the starting point.

If we can have at least 5000 students on campus, this will automatically change the face of EKSU. Not up to 200 students and no staff member lives on campus. Another investor came here to provide hostel accommodation for about 200 students, but I disagreed that we will not accommodate investor providing hostel accommodation for no fewer than 2000. Our plan is that new and final year students should stay on campus. Thereafter, we can extend to other levels as facilities increase.

We also saw generators littering corridors of some offices. That shows there is a challenge of power, right?

Your observation is in order! However, let me say some investors have also shown interest to erect power plant for us. We have two of them and we hope to enter into an MoU with them within the next few weeks.

Interestingly, their investment will not cost the university a dime. They will be providing the services just like a DisCo and we will just be paying. One of the investors told me it would take just three months’ gestational period to have 24-hour power supply on the campus. Once everything is fine-tuned, they immediately mobilise equipment to site.

A university runs on committee system. Much as I would have loved certain things executed at my speed, respect must be accorded due process; so this might delay some of the projects.

Is it true that your administration inherited huge outstanding bills.

It is correct! However, let me thank our Visitor (Ekiti State) Governor (Kayode) Fayemi. Without him, our College of Medicine would have, perhaps, become history by now. That college (of Medicine) took off years back but was abolished at a point. The same situation would have repeated itself but for the governor’s kind intervention. Thankfully, EKSU has produced its first set of medical doctors and all thanks to him.

We are about to have our accreditation next (this) week, and the governor has also assisted us financially. As someone from the academia, he understands the modus operandi of the university system. It is on record that during his (Fayemi) first term in office, he gave this university millions of naira which were used to complement funds from intervening agencies. Unfortunately, not a single penny has come to the university since he left.

Let me tell you that the governor has also approved almost N1 billion as capital vote for this university; and it will be released any moment from now.  We actually inherited a number of unsettled bills, but since the governor came on board, he’s been releasing our subvention as at when due.

Amid government gesture, are there ways the varsity’s leadership has been reciprocating?

We have been cutting our coat according to available resources. We are trying to be prudent as well as block all forms of financial haemorrhage in the system. We have introduced what I can described as ‘austerity measures’. I want to thank the workers across board for showing a great deal of understanding, especially on some tough measures we have introduced in order to conserve resources.

Did you have a blueprint before assuming the mantle of leadership?

I have not yet put my vision in white and black and I hope to do that before the year runs out. Nonetheless, my vision is to propel EKSU as a 21st century institution that is globally competitive. The institution shall be dedicated to cutting-edge research and training of entrepreneurial-minded graduates. I want a university that would be less-dependent on subvention; to make EKSU one of the foremost universities in the continent with international recognition.

As an insider, what are the gaps you noticed in terms of indiscipline among staff and students?

Let me first acknowledge that no system all over the world is perfect. Nevertheless, I want to say that our staff and students are people anybody can be proud of anytime. The university is still owing them and they could have used that opportunity to frustrate this interview. They have shown us understanding and given me a great deal of support since I assumed office. Above all, they are committed to realising the dreams and vision of this new administration.

But that will not take away the fact that indiscipline still exists?

I agree with you. There have pockets of issues here and there, but they know I’m not a pretender. Any moment from now, we shall erect a billboard at the entrance of EKSU to warn everybody not to run foul of the rules. Second, we are going to install a centrally-controlled complaint box where students and workers can drop their complaints.

This administration will not tolerate any staff or students found to have contravened the law of the university. We will not be afraid to implement the decision taken by any disciplinary committee in respect of infractions, however high or low such person is.

We have often heard allegations of sexual harassment and other misconducts in EKSU. Can your administration handle them?

There was a video on social media about one of our lecturers in alleged sexual misconduct. You know the outcome of that matter. That tells you and others the direction this administration is heading. But let me tell you that my challenge is that some of the (victimised) students are scared to speak up.

But students will remain voiceless because we all know that, in most universities in Nigeria, the system doesn’t protect them.

That might be right anyways; but there is another case of sexual harassment we have just set up a committee to look into. We are awaiting the report of that committee.  Nonetheless, what we often realise is that majority of students are afraid. Based on my antecedents, I won’t tolerate indiscipline. I have said it at various fora that whoever violates any of the rules will face the music.

Last week, an NGO visited me, supposedly to partner with EKSU on gender-based violence (GBV). I took its proposal to management which gave its approval. We hope the initiative would champion the cause of GBV in EKSU. This administration shall give maximum support to that NGO because we are optimistic it will give voice to some of those victims who have hitherto been suffering in silence.

Another person is being alleged to be gay in one of the faculties. Certainly, that person is going to be queried after which we will also set up an investigation panel. Incidentally, that same person is from my faculty, but I’m not going to allow that be a hindrance to doing what is right. This administration shall protect students and staff.

There is this lecturer who orally threatened that a particular student would die an untimely death. We got wind of it and I invited the lecturer into my office. I then asked him: ‘Sir, you claimed to be a Christian, why did you threaten one of you students with death?’ And, of course, the lecturer started apologising. Why? Because he knew I may direct that the matter be taken up immediately if his (lecturer) excuses were not genuine.

We are about establishing students welfare committee (SWC) which has never existed before here.  It is exclusive of Students Union; and with the committee, management can attend to the needs and yearnings of our students.

Most managers of universities claim to operate an all-inclusive system, which usually is a smokescreen. What is your take on this?

This administration shall open its doors to all. Besides, we will accommodate people who can criticise us constructively, so we can appraise ourselves for improved performance.

A few months ago, students of Federal University of Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) protested poor electricity supply to off-campus students of Oye and Ikole campuses.  Don’t you anticipate such here since most of your off-campus students suffer same fate?

Much as we sympathise with our students over the development, there is no way the university would dip its hand into its coffers to address the challenge of light in locations beyond the campus environment

However, what we have done so far was to invite the owners of the private hostels. We have been able to tell them what we want from them; and we shall continue to appeal to them. However, this is just for a while. Within the next two years, the university premises shall have modern hostels.

How is EKSU consolidating on its various linkages?

At the moment, we do not have active linkage with institutions. We used to have; but for some reasons, we found ourselves in this state. So we would reactivate the linkages and establish new ones.

What legacies do you hope to leave when you are exiting in five years?

By the grace of God, by the time I would be exiting, I would have built a university that is cosmopolitan in nature.

I want a university that enjoys patronage from government and international organisations. I want to leave behind a university where the principal officers will stay in university premises. I want a university with an international conference centre. I wish to leave behind a university filled with students from other parts of the world. I want to leave behind a university that would rely less on government subvention. By then, we would have been able to consolidate on most of those linkages to further attract more funding to EKSU.

 

 

 

From Bolu Abiodun

Business owners in Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State are awaiting the resumption of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) students who they have described as the ‘backbone of most businesses in the town’.

CAMPUSLIFE learnt that the absence of students has dealt a heavy blow on business operators in and around the campus, who make little or nothing daily.

Academic activities in the university have remained at a standstill in the wake of a crisis between students and the wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, which resulted in the death of two students.

The students had last month staged a peaceful protest against poor electricity supply at the Oye and Ikole campuses. The protest went out of control when security personnel attached to Mrs. Fayemi  allegedly shot at the students.

A sales representative at a local pharmacy, who simply identified herself as Mrs. Oluwaseun, said: “Sleeping and waking up without doing anything has become regular for me everyday. If students were around, I know what I would have made. There’s no money.”

She used the Yoruba slang: enu gbe, to further underscore her state of being cash strapped.“I’d like them to resume immediately, they make the streets fun,” she adds.

Another resident, Mrs. Ramot Akomolafe, who sells food stuff, said the shutdown had made the environment dull. She added that  she makes half of what she used to make when students were in town.

Asked what the consequences could be, if the shutdown lingers, she said basically for her and others, their business might collapse, adding: ‘’Some people have even locked up their businesses.”

Debby Ola, a fashion designer, said the impact had been negative. “Sales have reduced drastically,” he said.

A barber, who introduced himself as Kingsley, says he believes in divine intervention.

Read Also: FUOYE killings: Fayemi urges police to fish out culprits

Like others, Kingsley admits sales had dwindled. Nonetheless, he is not affected because God is helping him. “Some of my colleagues say students make business move but not me,” he asid.

A colleague of Kingsley, Anthony, who runs a barber shop in Oye, however, has a different tale.

“We hardly eat three times a day. We used to make 10 times what we make now,” Anthony said.

He continued: “Bike riders (commercial motorcyclists) who visit here have drastically reduced because those through whom they make bigger sales are not around.’’

Folabi Olatunde, who operates a POS stand, shares same story. “We hardly have anyone to patronise us. Many businesses are close to collapsing if the shutdown continues. It is seriously affecting us a lot.”

Samuel, who runs a business and call centres, said he drew about 70 per cent of his clientele from FUOYE students but now “business is totally down’’. He therefore pleaded that the university leadership should resolve outstanding issues so that students could return to school.