The Nation Newspaper

Category: Campus Life

  • UBA introduces digital ID cards at Danfodiyo varsity

    Students of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) will now have microchip-installed Identity (ID) Cards to enable them use the cards for the dual purpose of personal identification and electronic wallet.

    Thanks to the digital ID card initiative introduced by the United Bank for Africa (UBA), which seeks to co-brand the ID cards the school issued to students to serve as both a prepaid VISA card and also an ID card.

    During the meeting held at the Vice-Chancellor’s complex, the bank officials gave a presentation before the management team, Students’ Union Government (SUG) representatives, members of students’ associations, and campus journalists on how the digital ID card would work.

    The Digital Head of UBA in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara area branch, Mr Austin Obibi, said: ”UBA provides a prepaid payment card which is set up without the need for you to have a bank account with the bank. A prepaid card is an electronic wallet in which you put funds into and spend.

    “This is both the UBA and Usmanu Dan Fodio University coming together to brand a product that has an international standard. The card has a unique ‘chip and pin’ technology, which secure the transaction done on it. This reduces the potential for fraudulent use.

    “In cases of card misplacement, the card can be blocked or better still, the cash in the card can be transferred from the misplaced card to another. This can be done via the designated website, which offers the direct control of the card; it has records of all card transactions and this reduces the cost of cash management.

    “The co-branded ID card will have an identification number at the bottom right of the card. This serves as an account number to enable the transfer of funds into the card. The cobranded ID card has a transaction limit of N300,000 and N50,000 depending on the transaction of users, which can either be low or high.”

    Obibi said the card would be valid for three years, adding that students whose course of study exceeds the stipulated period would have their cards renewed.

    He also noted that the card would serve as multiple identification purposes where staff members and students would no longer have to carry multiple cards, such as library ID cards, clinic ID cards, club ID cards, and hostel ID cards.

    The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) for Academics, Prof A. G. Yahya, said the management was willing to adopt the co-branded ID card initiative, but noted that the school would negotiate with the bank in order to reach an agreement that would be in favour of students

    The bank’s Regional Head, Mrs Aisha Na’Allah, said successes were recorded in the previous partnerships the bank had with other tertiary institutions, noting that the adoption of the co-branded ID card would elevate the university in the digital world.

    She said: “We are here to present an opportunity for the university to be part of the digital drive that is happening across the world. It is common knowledge that the digital arena is taking the space across the world, and anybody who would belong to this world in this era must be digitally savvy.

    “For UBA, lifting people through education is a top priority. We regard UDUS as a highly intellectual institution, which is why we are bringing our product to raise the stake for education and simply complicated activities for students.”

    The Dean, Student Affairs, Prof Aminu Mode, appreciated the bank for its contributions to its development, pointing out that the introduction of the co-branded ID card would digitise the university operation.

  • Philanthropist endows grant for research in space technology

    A philanthropist, Mr. Chukwuka Cosmas Ezenma, has struck a partnership with the Centre for Basic Space Science, a branch of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) opened at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), to launch a research grant that will encourage students to be part of efforts to boost space technology and astronomy in Africa.

    The grant, according to the endowee, is designed to support students and researchers across Africa undertaking postgraduate programmes related to space science and astronomy to go for further study, training, and research at any tertiary institution and research institute on the continent.

    As part of the requirement for getting the grant, an applicant should not less than 32 years at the time of their application. Applicants must be committed to Africa’s development and demonstrate outstanding academic and professional achievement, as well as effective teamwork and leadership potential.

    The areas being targeted for the grant include Environmental Science, Satellite Communication, Remote-Sensing, Atmospheric Sciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Instrumentation and Electronics, Information Communication Technology (ICT), Geodesy and Geo-dynamics, Space Applications, Space Science and Technology, Rocketry, Transport and Propulsion.

    Eligible candidates are required to submit letter from the Head of Department or supervisor written on a letterhead and which must detail applicant’s research topic, Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) upon admission, duration of programme, field of specialisation and academic programme.

  • Varsity partners ICAN for quality accounting teaching

    Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU) in Ikeji Arakeji, Osun State, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) under Mutual Cooperation Agreement with Tertiary Institutions (MCATI) to promote professionalism of accounting teaching and practice.

    Speaking at a ceremony where the MoU was signed, ICAN president, Mallam Ismai’la Mohammadu Zakari, noted that the MoU was between ICAN and three universities – JABU Osun State University (UNIOSUN), and Pan Atlantic University in Lagos.

    Zakari said the apex accountants’ professional body was satisfied with the “thorough academic standard” of the Accounting Department of the JABU, which was why the ICAN approved the collaboration.

    He said: “The focus of the MoU is to integrate ICAN syllabus into JABU’s curriculum for the ICAN qualifying professional examination.”

    He observed that students could now study accountancy using the integrated ICAN/National Universities Commission (NUC) approved accounting curriculum, while graduates from Accounting Department would be granted 11 subjects exemptions as against seven subjects exemption under the normal ICAN accreditation scheme.

    Present at the signing of the MoU were the JABU Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof T.O. Olowokure, Deputy Registrar, Mr J.O. Babalola, Head of Accounting Department, Mr Akindele Akosile, and Dean, College of Law, Dr Ola Jejelola.

  • Geoscience experts discuss safety of researchers, students on fieldtrip

    Worried by the increasing risks and hazard associated with fieldworks in Nigeria, experts on the field of geosciences and mining gathered at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) to discuss safety codes that will make fieldtrips pleasurable for students and researchers.

    The two-day event was said to have been sponsored by the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development.

    The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Abubakar Bawa Bwari praised the organisers of the conference for the initiative, stating that safety of researchers and officers on the field was top priority of the ministry.

    The minister, who spoke through his representative, Emmanuel Ehlebi, warned that illegal miners faced a higher risk on the field than other field workers because of lack of training on safety precautions.

    He said: “We understand there are safety challenges associated with the field work; that is why the government has continued to encourage and support the formalisation of artisanal miners into cooperatives through which proper training are put in place to reduce mishaps in the minefields as contained in the existing laws in our roadmap.”

    Bwari told the Geology departments of all universities to include safety and health guidelines for fieldwork in their curriculum. He said that the ministry had been encouraging introduction of courses on safety and precautions in the curriculum of the Institute of Mining and Geosciences in Jos, Plateau State.

    The minister called for the review of the national guidelines for safety and health, which, he said did not adequately address the peculiarity of fieldwork accident.

    Prof Silas Dada, president of Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society, noted that the development of fieldwork safety codes for geoscientists and geotourists should be considered important than the formation of general safety and health guidelines.

    Such a code, Prof Dada said, should be comprehensive to include appropriate behaviour and conduct of geoscientists during fieldwork, roles of the community and governments at all levels, including relevant bill by the legislature.

    He added that the code should emphasise hands-on training of geoscience researchers undertaking fieldworks. The training according to him should focus on the right attitudes which prevent conflicts, respect local customs and beliefs and prioritise consultation and permission from land owners.

    The UNN Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Benjamin Ozumba, described the conference as “timely engagement”, saying it would proffer solutions to the security risks faced by geoscientists as a result of terrorism, kidnapping and militancy.

    Prof Ozumba, who spoke through the Deputy VC for Academics, Prof James Ogbonna, said that the risks were fuelled by the absence of codes for conduct of fieldwork by Geosciences departments across varsities and inadequate funding of monitoring institutions.

    Highpoint was the presentation of a book titled: A code for Geoscientific fieldwork in Africa: Guidelines on health and safety issues in mapping, mineral exploration, geoecological research and geotourism. The book was written by Prof Theophilus Davis, a renowned geologist.

  • How my gang killed 17-year-old varsity student in Bayelsa – Cultist

    …31 cultists arrested for murder, armed robberies

     

    A confessed cultist, Junior Daumunabo, Tuesday admitted that his gang was responsible for the killing of 17-year-old 100 level student of the Niger Delta University (NDU), Seifa Fred.

    Daumunabo, who was among 31 cultists paraded at the state police command, Yenagoa, for murder, robberies and other crimes, however, claimed he did not partake in the operation that killed Seifa.

    Read Also:Police arraign suspected cultists terrorising Lagos community

    The 20-year-old, who is a member of the Greenland cult group, said his gang was always in the habit of attacking people within Yenagoa and collecting their android phones.

    But he said that he refused to join in the operation that killed Seifa because he was scared the deceased could identify his face.

    He said while his gang members embarked on the evil mission, he sat close to one supermarket in Amarata to wait for them.

    “When they came back, they said they killed the girl and l asked why? They told me the girl was dragging the phone with them and they shot her. I didn’t shoot her. I didn’t follow them in the operation”, he said.

    When asked to name his gang members that shot the innocent teenager, he identified them as Richman and Enemor.

    He, however, said he was arrested with a locally-made pistol in another operation he embarked upon with two other cultists to rob people of their phones.

    “We were three going to steal phones and we were in a tricycle. Suddenly, members of the Bayelsa Vigilant Service appeared. Two others with me ran away. I was caught in the process. They retrieved the gun from my hand. I have been robbing phones,” he said.

    Parading the suspects, the Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, said the crimes committed in the state were driven by cultism and abuse of illicit drugs.

    He said Daumunabo, whose gang killed Seifa, was assisting the police to arrest other fleeing members of his group.

  • IBB varsity mourns as ‘people’s VC’ dies

    Prof Ibrahim Adamu Kolo, the Vice-Chancellor reputed to have laid the foundation for the modernisation of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU) in Lapai, Niger State, has died, throwing the institution into mourning. The “people’s VC,” died on Saturday in Abuja. MAHMUD ABDULSALAM reports.

    The death of the immediate past Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Prof Ibrahim Adamu Kolo has thrown the institution into mourning. Kolo died on Saturday, after a brief illness.

    He was 62.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that he died at a private hospital in Abuja. Staff and students flocked his family home in Minna, the Niger State capital, to pay their last respects to the VC, who they described as “the man who modernised the university campus”.

    His successor, Prof Muhammad Nasir Maiturare, in a statement, described his death as a colossal loss to the school, the state and academia.

    The statement signed by the Registrar, Alhaji Muhammad Abdullahi, reads: “On behalf of the entire members of the school, I regret to announce the death of my immediate predecessor, Prof Ibrahim Kolo, a scholar of international standing. He was a university administrator with uncommon vision, leadership sagacity and charisma. He was a don par excellence and a distinguished researcher with an intimidating scholarly credential.

    “The late Prof Kolo will not only be remembered for his sterling contributions to the growth of IBBU, but also for his exemplary, purposeful and trailblasing leadership style, which made our university to stand out in the comity of state-owned higher institutions.

    “It would be a profligate attempt trying to catalogue the streams of outstanding achievements recorded during his stewardship as the VC. As such, we beseech Almighty Allah to welcome and grant his noble soul eternal rest.”

    At the Fidau (special funeral prayers) held at the late Kolo’s residence on Monday, Prof Maiturare, reiterated his promise to consolidate on his predecessor’s “profound legacies of purposeful leadership and infrastructural development”.

    In glowing tributes, some members of the university community described the late Kolo, a professor of Guidance and Counselling, as the man who brought IBBU out of obscurity.

    Despite the popularity of former military leader Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, for whom the school is named, only few people knew IBBU beyond the perimeter of Niger State, while many thought it is a private university established by the general.

    “This was the situation on ground when Prof Kolo came on board as the VC,” Aliyu Vulegbo, a 2013 Mass Communication graduate, told CAMPUSLIFE.

    He said: “The school was grappling with multifarious developmental challenges. But when the late Prof Kolo came on board, the IBBU’s story changed for good in his five-year stint as VC.

    “Prof Kolo introduced policies that accelerated the popularity and the growth of the school in academics and infrastructure. But, his greatest legacy would be the relocation of the university from Kobo campus to its permanent site and he got the National Universities Commission (NUC) accreditation for 19 out 21 programmes offered by the school at inception.

    “Prof Kolo had a dream to turn IBBU into a world-class citadel of learning. During his administration, he leveraged Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) interventions and grants to re-organise the school’s architecture and improve staff’s skills. He bequeathed a post-graduate school to the institution and initiated linkage programmes with a number of international universities, notable of which is IBBU’s partnership with the University of Arkansas.”

    Mrs Fatima Katcha, a lecturer at the Department of Political Science, hailed Prof Kolo’s infrastructural drive for the full NUC approval of all the academic programmes offered by the school.

    Before Prof Kolo assumed the mantle, Mrs Katcha said, there were no befitting offices for lecturers. Most lecturers, according to her, used some classrooms as their offices; science lecturers converted laboratories to their offices.

    She said: “Nobody will dispute Prof Kolo’s scorecard as VC. He was amazingly brilliant and exceptional. His first concern, when he stepped in, was the non-accreditation status of our academic programmes and state of infrastructure in the school. Upon his assumption in 2010, he awarded contracts for the comprehensive furnishing of lecturers’ offices and several faculty buildings. He also renovated some dilapidated lecture halls and departmental laboratories, which prepared the ground for full accreditation.

    “Prof Kolo went on to establish more faculties and introduced new courses, including Geology, Food Science and Technology, Science Education, History and International Studies, among others. There are many good things to say about the late Prof Kolo. In short, he was a man of the people, based on his leadership style. He was committed to enhancing staff welfare and regularly sent lecturers on capacity-building workshops.”

    In his drive for infrastructural renewal, the late Kolo supported the school subvention and TETFund grants with an  endowment fund. The endowment fund chaired by former head of state, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, was charged with attracting financial and project donations to the school.

    Under the endowment, the school struck deals with some universities within the country and abroad. The endowment brought about the establishment of IBBUL-NIMASA Institute of Maritime Studies.

    Shehu Yaman, a security guard at the School of Preliminary and Remedial Studies (SPRS) in Agaie Local Government Area,  observed that the programme was only a little better than a secondary school until the late Kolo’s intervention.

    Yaman said: “Prof Kolo was the kind of boss who cared for everyone. Whenever he came to SPRS, he never failed to ask about the welfare of all staff, including security guards and students. IBBU’s story of development will be incomplete without making reference to his compassionate leadership.”

    The Deputy Registrar for Corporate Affairs, Alhaji Baba Akote, in a tribute, described the late Prof Kolo as “a dedicated, visionary, straightforward, and excellent administrator”.

    Akote recalled that the late Kolo initiated periodic staff promotion during his tenure, and also established a farm and business corporations to shore up the school’s internally-generated revenue.

    Akote said: “Prof Kolo was the man who connected the school campus to the national grid. He initiated reticulation of the university water system. The two campuses of the school were beautifully maintained during his administration. Our e-library, adjudged as the 12th best in the country, was established by Prof Kolo. The post-graduate school couldn’t have been a reality without Prof Kolo’s efforts to establish it, despite challenges.”

    Prof Kolo’s unfinished dream, Akote said, was his inability to complete the construction of the school’s Senate building.

    He said: “Prof Kolo was hopeful that the Senate building would be completed at record time during the foundation-laying ceremony, years back. But he couldn’t achieve this dream because of funds. Other unfinished aspirations of the late former VC are his inability to fully establish faculties of Medicine, Engineering and Law. He could not see this dream materialise because of poor funding. In all, Prof Kolo did his best to modernise the school and bring it on the path of development to reflect the vision for which the school was set up.”

    An alumnus, Mr Isaac Omidiji, who is now a reporter with Power FM in Bida, eulogised the late former VC for establishing the school radio station, Click FM, which, he said, gave him the opportunity to hone his broadcast skill.

    The late Kolo had two Master’s degrees in Special Education from Bayero University, Kano (BUK) and Guidance and Counselling from the University of Jos (UNIJOS).

    He earned a doctoral degree in Gifted Education from BUK in 1994. He joined BUK as lecturer II in 1990 and became a professor in 2003.

    He was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Georgia in the United States. He authored six books and co-authored four others. The late professor had over 60 papers published in peer-reviewed local and international journals.

    The late Kolo hailed from Mokwa, Niger State. He was VC  between 2010 and 2015.

  • Why legacy matters

    Legacy is part of the ongoing foundation of life; those who came before leave us the world we live in and those who come after will have only what we leave them. We are therefore stewards of this world, and we have a calling on our lives to leave it better than how we found it, even if it seems like only a small part.

    Legacy has what I can refer to as the ‘raw power’ for good and for bad. There are people who have impacted and changed the world for good, people who have opened up new worlds for millions of others, people who have spurred others on to new heights. And, conversely, there are people who have caused massive destruction for countless millions, people who left a wake of pain behind them wherever they went. I consider it an act of responsibility to leave a positive legacy. So, all good men and women must take responsibility to create legacies that will take generations to levels they could only imagine.

    Four years after his death the legacy of one of Nigeria’s most brilliant legal minds came alive as an annual conference is being put together to celebrate his legacy. The late Supreme Court Justice Chukwudifu Oputa fondly referred to as ‘The Socrates of Supreme Court’ will “resurrect” in Abuja on December 4th when the maiden edition of the annual lecture in his name would hold. He was referred to as ‘The Socrates of Supreme Court’ because of the depth and philosophical undertones of his numerous Pronouncements while active.

    He left an indelible footprint in the sands of time especially the enviable role he played as Head of the Human Rights Violations Investigations Commission formed on June 14, 1999 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo as a Truth Commission to heal the wounds of the past and move beyond them through reconciliation based on knowledge of the truth. It was otherwise referred to as “The Oputa Panel.” Bishop Matthew Kukah and the late Ngwo Elizabeth Pam also served in the panel.

    It is against this backdrop that I have always taken interest on anything that bothers on this great legal mind, especially as it relates to the youths of our nation in an era when heroes are a rarity. The issues of governance and the economy would thus be the focal point when both national and international delegates converge in Abuja for what would henceforth be an annual Conference as revealed by Mr. George Oputa, the Chief Executive Officer of the Justice Oputa Foundation established in 2010.

    As a research enthusiast, I align with this conference because of its resolve to bring researchers together with eminent persons, policy makers/public sector representatives, legal professionals, commerce and industry experts in ongoing conversations and exploration of issues, ideas and analysis which are some of the things we need in Nigeria today. When these core groups of people meet to rub minds and cross fertilise ideas, there will be no doubt that Nigeria and Africa will benefit in the long run.

    What propelled Oputa and his team to institute this conference was their concern about the level of governance across board in the country as well as the wobbling nature of the economy. In trying to address these, they will be beaming their searchlight on integrity, competence and capacity for individuals aspiring for the highest offices in the land; they also intend to underline the need for rule of law and respect for human rights; strengthen and consolidate public and corporate institutions to build confidence around businesses and the citizenry to enable them unleash their creative energies thus guaranteeing growth and prosperity for all.

    Accordingly, the conference will draw the attention of a wide spectrum of Nigerian and African audiences of the necessity for, and insistence on, good governance for the promotion of accountability, transparency, efficiency and rule of law at all levels, allowing for efficient management of human, natural, economic and financial resources for equitable and sustainable development, and guaranteeing civil society participation in the decision-making processes.

    Furthermore, the conference will reinforce the essence and sanctity of the supremacy of the rule of law, equality of all citizens before the law, accountability of all to the law, fairness in the application of the law, separation of powers, legal certainty and avoidance of arbitrariness, and outline how to achieve sustainable development goals by ensuring Nigerian public services and industry apply sustainable development principles to function more efficiently in regard to service delivery to achieve the desired growth in the match to 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    I also took notice of this conference because of its emphasis on renewable energy and the need for us not to be caught napping. Around the world today – even in oil producing nations like ours – policy makers are brainstorming and devising strategies to diversify economies away from dependence on oil. Countries have also set dates when cars produced would no longer use fossil fuel as environmental awareness is gaining grounds due to heightened enlightenment about global warming.

    Beyond the economy and governance, the foundation – and its after shoot, the conference – is concerned about the spate of insecurity in the country which is why part of its agenda will focus on finding the crucial pathway of achieving peace, security, and political stability which is a sine-qua-non for sustainable economic advancement and improved human development index. To this end, it will attract over 500 delegates in ongoing conversations and exploration of issues and ideas relevant to our 21st century world.

    It is expected that the conference will help Nigerians have a shared understanding that good governance starts with getting the right people in positions starting from the approaching 2019 elections. Good governance should also be reflected in appointments and employments into, or reorientation of the public service, to a great extent, in sync with global best practice. It is anchoring its optimism on the notion that good governance is impeded when the character, capacity or competence of prospective elective office holders are questionable. That it begins with adherence to the sanctity of the rule of law and evidenced by the ability to conduct violence free and fair elections. This, it believes, can happen when governments and industry apply high standards of ethics, knowledge and innovation to address challenges, leverage opportunities to achieve competitive advantage in a world that is ever more competitive.

    Because of its broad scope and focus, the conference will be suitable for professionals from all management levels who are interested in strategy and leadership within all public sector organizations, including, for instance: national, state and local councils, hospitals, schools, emergency services, legal, judicial officers interested in developing deeper insights into the principles of the rule of law, as well as growth and sustainability strategies for their law firms; financial services providers seeking new insights into the formulation of financial service decisions for assured sustainability.

    Consultants, researchers and students seeking a more transparent and accountable system that shows how tax revenues are generated by tax authorities and spent and how the budget and planning processes are conceived and executed would also benefit. Those seeking increased opportunity for women and youth development or favourable policies that would unleash the energy and power of women and youth equally stand to gain a lot if they participate in the conference. So is the creative industry which has exposed a limitless horizon and alternative ways of impacting the world for our youths.  The gradual opening up of our extractive industry will also be discussed.

    The Bible says a good name is better than riches, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that  two eminent Nigerians, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Obi of Onitsha HRM Nnaemeka Alfred Nnanyelugo Achebe agreed to serve as honourary patrons to assist the foundation in achieving its noble objectives,. Other eminent Nigerians like Justice Adolphus Karibi Whyte JSC (retd), Bishop Matthew Kukah, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Senator Ben Obi, Prof. Charles Dokubo Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Amnesty Programme and other credible Nigerians would serve as members of the board of trustees.

    The maiden edition of the conference is in partnership with Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), and Nigerian American Chamber of Commerce (NACC). Having left an enviable legacy; the late Justice Oputa deserves all the accolades.

  • McPherson varsity gets NUC permanent operation licence

    Six years after its establishment, McPherson University (McU), a faith-based tertiary institution in Seriki-Sotayo, Ogun State, has secured a permanent licence from the National Universities Commission (NUC) to operate as a full fledge private school.

    This was disclosed by the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Adeniyi Agunbiade, at a press conference on the campus to announce the school’s third convocation holding on Saturday.

    The development, which the VC described as “a significant progress” towards the realisation of the school’s objectives, will pave the way for the establishment of the post-graduate school in the university, Prof Agunbiade indicated.

    He said: “We are happy to announce to the general public that McPherson University has come to stay in its drive to change the face of university education positively. We have been working tirelessly to impart quality education and excellence in line with our vision. This effort has been crowned by the issuance of permanent licence by NUC to operate as full fledge private university. For us, this is a significant progress and it happened within the first six year of our takeoff.”

    The school, the VC said, had stepped up the ante in delivering quality education and training competent manpower to solve real problems in diverse areas of human endeavour. Prof Agunbiade said the faith-based school instituted a culture of excellence and creating avenue for healthy rivalry by rewarding exceptional abilities of students in academic performance.

    He noted that McU’s maintained uninterrupted sessions and crisis-free administration because of the mechanism put in place to respond to identified challenges, which could affect the smooth running of the school’s academic calendar. This, he said, has boosted the morale of staff and students to partner for the school’s progress.

    He said most of the courses offered in the school had been fully accredited by the NUC, adding that key professional courses, including Accounting, have also been approved by the professional bodies overseeing the disciplines.

    Since inception, the VC said the school, founded by Four Square Gospel had been offering quality education to students at affordable rate, noting that every student admitted by the school, irrespective of social or religious background, is automatically placed on 50 per cent subsidy in tuition fee provided by the church.

    Speaking on the convocation, Prof Agunbiade disclosed that the main ceremony of the event, which comes up on Saturday, would feature a lecture with the theme: “The integration of knowledge and faith.

    The lecture will be delivered by Toyin Falola, a professor of History at the University of Texas at Austin, United States; Dr Christopher Kolade, who is the chancellor of the school, will chair the event.

    Also at the convocation, the school will confer honorary doctoral degrees on selected recipients, while the graduands will get certificate of their first degrees at the occasion.

     

  • Igbinedion Varsity leads alliance for review of education in Africa

    Nigeria’s premier private varsity, Igbinedion University in Okada, Edo State, in collaboration with the Centre for African American Research Studies (CAARS) has pioneered an initiative aimed at repositioning Africa’s tertiary education for global leadership.

    The collaboration initiated a yearly international conference, with theme: Right placing African Tertiary Educational Institutions for Global Leadership. The event was held at the Prof. Idris Abubarka Auditorium at the National Universities Commission (NUC) office in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

    The platform was designed to be an interactive forum for African academics, policymakers, professionals, private sector players and research institutions to discuss ways to develop African education.

    The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Lawrence Ezemonye, emphasised the need for advanced technology-driven tertiary institutions in Africa, noting that such would raise standard of teaching and learning in line with best global practices.

    In his paper titled: Exploiting potentials of tertiary education collaborations for national and regional development, the VC disclosed that there were abundant opportunities which tertiary institutions in Africa could derive from digitising their operations, noting that such opportunities would have a trickle-down effects on national and regional developments on the continent.

    He emphasised the need for a review of existing protocols and conventions, pointing out that each country needed to take into consideration its peculiar environment before approaching others for collaboration. This, he said, would prevent factors that may slow down the realisation of goals.

    Other speakers at the event included the CAARS Director-General, Dr Nnamdi Nwaodu, chairman of Tertiary Education Committee and TETFund in House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Suleiman Goro, Chief of Army Staff, represented by Major-Gen. L.F. Abdullahi, VC of University of Uyo, Prof Enefiok Essien, SAN, his counterpart of the Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo (FUNAI) in Ebonyi State, Chinedum Nwajiuba, and the representative of University of Fort Hare, Dr D. Mark, among others.

    The speakers took turns to address the participants on the theme of the conference, explaining their diverse points of view.

    At the three-day conference, speakers agreed that tertiary education remained the engine of development, sharing the opinion that what the society does with tertiary education would be the determinant of its growth.

    The participants agreed that the influence of colonial content in Africa’s tertiary education was still strong, observing that African tertiary education was yet to become fully responsive to the needs of the African societies.

    If the challenges are not addressed, the participants believed that products tertiary education may turn out as monster capable of destroying same society they were to build. They said a properly regulated continuing education remained vital to the overall development of the tertiary education in Africa.

  • Fees’ hike row at UNILORIN, LAUTECH

    The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) and the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), have reversed themselves on new fees following a meeting with students’ leaders. KABIR ADEJUMO and FADLULLAH AZEEZ report.

    Students were shocked when the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) increased their tuition and administrative fees. At Unilorin, the 100 percent hike affected all faculties, but the amount to be paid by each faculty varies. The school described the increment as “slight adjustment”, urging students to comply with the development

    However, Students’ Union Government (SUG) President Seyi Animashaun said no students would not pay.

    The SUG leader said: “What we have woken up to is rather unexpected, shocking and challenging. This cannot stand. I have called an emergency meeting with all the Students’ Union executives and all faculties’ presidents. We shall release a comprehensive report after.”

    Students took to Twitter to protest the  increment and called on the management to revert to the old fees.

    The management denied that the increment was 100 per cent, saying the review was a ‘slight adjustment’ to previous charges.

    A statement by the school’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Kunle Akogun, said: “We wish to put the record straight and assure our ever responsible students of the management’s good intentions. The University of Ilorin, in line with Federal Government’s policy, does not charge tuition fees.

    “What we have here is university charges and faculty charges. The items that make up the charges are simply fundamental and basic. For instance, examinations remain sacrosanct, same for provision of state-of-the-art health and library facilities, in addition to stable electricity and uninterrupted water supply.”

    Akogun added that the implication of the increment was that, what was obtainable about 12 years ago could no longer sustain the university currently.

    He said: “It should be pointed out that even with the slight adjustment in charges, UNILORIN is still among the lowest (if not the very lowest) charging federal universities in the country. This can be confirmed by comparing statistics of what is payable in other universities.”

    To ensure the increment did not degenerate into a crisis, the management called a meeting with the SUG and faculty presidents to discuss possible harmonisation of the fees.

    The hoopla generated by the increment was laid to rest after the meeting at which a compromise was reached by the management and students.

    The meeting, which lasted for more than six hours, was attended by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academics, Prof Sylvia Malomo, bursar, Mr Abiodun Saka,  Akogun, representative of the Registrar, Prof M.A. Oladosu, Dean and Sub-Dean of Students’ Affairs Unit, others.

    At the meeting, Prof Malomo said the fee review was necessary because of the economic situation in the country. She explained that the school spent about N360 million on electricity yearly, and N50million to fuel the generating set powering the school. According to her, N50million is dispensed to maintain infrastructure, among other expenses.

    She said: “We have tried to carry on, but we cannot continue in the face of increased expenditure.”

    After the management insisted that the previous charges could not be maintained, the students’ leaders proposed a five per cent increment, but the school objected.

    An agreement on 15 per cent increment was later reached at the meeting. The management said the review would be communicated to all stakeholders.

    A resolution was also reached at the meeting that faculties’ presidents should meet with deans to negotiate either reversal or reduction in faculty charges.

    The meeting was concluded with a promise from the management of a positive feedback in due time.

    While the UNILORIN students were awaiting the final announcement on the fees, the negotiation between the management of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) and SUG leaders also ended on a positive note. The school reviewed the new fees downward.

    “We are done with the meeting and it is positive,” LAUTECH Students’ Union president, Oluwaseun Abiodun, said in a text message to our correspondent.

    Under the new fees regime, 300- to 500-Levels students who are Oyo and Osun states will now pay N90,000, while non-indigenes on the same levels will pay N100,000. The fees for those in 200-Level remain N120,000 for indigenes and N150,000 for non-indigenes. Fresh students of Oyo and Osun states’ origin will pay N140,000, while non-indigenes will pay N170,000.

    LAUTECH, last July, announced fees increment, raising the amount to be paid by indigenes and non-indigenes to N200,000 and N250,000 from N63,500 and N72,500.

    The announcement led to a series of protests on Ogbomoso and Osogbo campuses.

    The owner states’ governments distanced themselves from the decision to increase the fees.

    It was against that backdrop that the management met students’ leaders last Friday.

    Before the increment, the school was shut down for months by workers over poor funding. The school introduced fees increment as part of the options to improve internally-generated revenue.

    The Dean of Students’ Affairs (DSA), Prof Sunday Adewale, confirmed the fees have  been slashed.

    “Yes, that’s true. The fees have been reduced,”he said in a telephone conversation with our correspondent.

    A member of the LAUTECH Governing Council and president of the alumni association, Solomon Onilede, described the development as positive.

    He said: “It is a positive one. I actually facilitated the meeting between management and students’ leaders. As president of the alumni union and a member of the university council, I believe we have to wade in and save our heritage. If everyone is tired, we can’t be tired. We have to play our part to resolve the issue.”

    One of the students’ leaders, Isreal Fawole, said although the demand by students was complete reversal, they accepted the reviewed fees “in order to ensure justice is done to all parties and to maintain the standard of the school.”

    The SUG leaders appealed to the owner states to “be more responsive to their responsibilities to the school.”

    The meeting had in attendance representatives of the parents’ forum, Ogbomoso leaders, Governing Council members, alumni association leaders and students’ leaders.