The Nation Newspaper

Category: Campus Life

  • OOU loses two undergrads

    Students of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State have expressed shock over the death of two female students. Busayo Fayomi, 400-Level Medicine, and John Ibidun Anthonia, a final year student of Banking and Finance, who died of undisclosed ailments.

    The students died at the time their colleagues were agitating for school fee reduction and when the campus was under lock and key because of protest.

    The late Busayo’s friend, Omotola Folowosele, wrote on her Facebook page: “I can’t still believe this is true. My eyes are still filled with tears. The news of your death is sad. I cannot just open your Facebook page. I can still remember our last discussion. How will you be taken away by death just like that. Apart from you being my school baby, you were just always there for me. I was only waiting for you to be inducted as a medical doctor, not waiting to see your death certificate. Hah! Iku o se yi tan (death, you have done your worst). Rest in peace, my friend.”

    Gbemisola Ogunyemi also wrote on the late Busayo’s Facebook wall: “You have excessively been on my mind lately. I called you severally, but your phone was switched off. I left you a text which I am sure you didn’t have the opportunity to read. But, I got the sad telephone call tonight and I was told you are no more. I looked at your pictures, tears flowed endlessly. You were my sister and confidant. I found strength in you when I felt I was weak. No more will I hear your laughter; no more will we sit under guava tree to chat and no more play. I will never forget you; I will always remember you. I shall cherish the memories I have with you. Death is a thief, stealing one of my life treasures. The whole world will miss you because you made many smile. Sleep well Busayo.”

    Adewuyi Ayobami, the late Ibidun’s course mate, said: “I was shocked when I got the news but death is inevitable. My prayer is that, untimely death will never be the portion of any of us anymore.”

     

  • Ebola outbreak hoax at UNIBEN

    Ebola outbreak hoax at UNIBEN

    The rumoured outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) has made the management to step up measures to promote hygiene on the campus. EDDY UWOGHIREN (200-Level Medicine), EZEKIEL EFEOBHOKHAN (300-Level Pharmacy) and SUNNY IBEH report.

    In unconfirmed report of  the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak caused a stir at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) last week. Three students, the report said, tested positive to the disease (EVD) at the school health centre.

    For a moment, there was panic on the campus as students rushed back to their hostel to avoid contact with the ‘victims’.

    Disturbed by the report, parents called from far and near, telling their children to return home. Students, who are fond of exchanging pleasantries through handshakes and hugs, maintained their distance from one another son as not contract the disease.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Gift Obaseki, had to go round the campus to convince the jittery students that the report was an hoax.

    Dr Raymond Osakwe of the School Health Centre, dismissed the rumour, saying: “No Ebola case in UNIBEN.”

    Following the rumour, the management stepped up measures to prevent the deadly disease by providing hand sanitisers at entrances of the university library, John Harris Library, MTN Library and the extension.

    The management provided drums of water for library users to wash their hand before entering the facilities. CAMPUSLIFE observed some students performing hand washing at the main library. Students praised the proactive efforts by the authorities to make the campus free of diseases.

    Precious Oboh, a student, said: “I came here to see students washing their hands, so I joined them. This is a welcome development as it will help in maintaining hygiene.”

    The Director of Health Services unit, Dr Comfort Enofe, explained the reason for the preventive measures being taken by the institution to promote hygiene among students, saying the measure was to prevent the outbreak of Ebola in the school.

    She said: “We have sent message to all students to report strange sickness at the health center and to also properly cook meats before eating. We sensitise them to avoid eating fruits that are not washed and those partially eaten by birds. We are also encouraging them to stop all unnecessary travelling to areas where the disease has been confirmed.”

    At the entrance to the health center, CAMPUSLIFE observed a medical personnel, checking the temperatures of visitors. Dr Enofe said the move was necessary because a high temperature was a symptom of the EVD.

    “When we find anyone with high temperature, we alert the medical professionals that would attend to the patient to take accurate protective measures in the course of examining, treating and counselling such patient,” she said.

    Dr Enofe added that students and staff going to the health centre can now get appointment 24 hours before their visit. This, she said, is to prevent waste of time in the waiting room

    She said: “Everyone can now call and book appointment with our doctor at their own convenient time within the working days. This is the practice everywhere and we can’t afford to do less.”

    Janet Okoduwa, a student, hailed the initiative, saying it would bring about quick response to health challenges.

    Emmanuel Sunmola, a 200-Level History student, encouraged his colleagues on personal hygiene, saying: “Ebola virus is not what you can just contract anyhow. Students should develop the habit of personal hygiene and stop creating panic on the campus.”

    Meanwhile, the UNIBEN Medical Students Association (UBEMSSA) has joined the campaign against Ebola. The association moved round the campus with posters containing information on how the EVD spread, its symptoms and prevention.

     

  • Dropping stethoscope for games

    Dropping stethoscope for games

    Medical students from 18 higher institutions participated in the 15th biennial Nigerian Medical Students Association (NiMSA) Games tagged: “Imo 2014”. EKENE AHANEKU (200-Level Medicine and Surgery, Imo State University) and EDDY UWOGHIREN (200-Level Medicine, University of Benin) report. 

    Students of Medicine and Surgery are not the types to be seen playing. But they did, penultimate week. Members of the Nigerian Medical Students Association (NiMSA) took a break from their busy academic engagements to participate in the 15th NiMSA Games hosted by the Imo State University (IMSU) chapter of the association.

    The sporting event, which was held at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri, the state capital, had medical students from 18 universities nationwide participating in the games.

    The event featured football, basketball, volleyball, handball, athletics, shot put, javelin, high jump, long jump, badminton, table and lawn tennis, scrabble, taekwondo, chess and ayo.

    The event started with the arrival and accreditation of participants. There was a bonfire and film show on the night of the first day to prepare the students for the task ahead.

    The second day began with the opening ceremony graced by the Imo State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, represented by Eric Ihesiaba, the Vice-Chancellor of Imo State University, Prof Ukachukwu Awuzie, represented by the Acting Provost of IMSU College of Medicine, Prof Bamidele Ezem, and the chairman of the Imo State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Hyacinth Emele.

    The ceremony was followed by first match of the tournament, which was between IMSU team and its counterpart from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Zaria, Kaduna State. The match ended 2-1 in favour of the host institution.

    On the same day, the University of Calabar (UNICAL) team took on the Enugu State University of Technology (ESUTECH) team.

    Other games came up on the third day of the event after which a capacity building workshop was held. Spectators watched the participants displaying uncommon sporting skills, which showed that medical students can engage in extracurricular activities beyond the precinct of the teaching hospitals.

    The semi-final match was played on the fourth day. The IMSU team met with University of Benin (UNIBEN); Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) took on the UNICAL team to qualify for the final round.

    The UNIZIK and UNIBEN teams qualified for the final, while IMSU team won bronze after beating UNICAL in third place.

    At the end of the final match, the UNIBEN won the trophy, defeating the UNIZIK team, which came second.

    The UNIBEN team coach, Mr Onome Ikonmi, said: “My boys prepared properly for the games and we are glad that we are returning to our campus with the trophy.”

    A player in UNIBEN’s team, Anthony Adams, 300-Level Medicine and Surgery, said he felt proud, representing and winning gold for the school. “The games provided me an opportunity to socialise, relax and make new friends. I dedicate the trophy to my mum and the school management for their support when the contest was hot,” he said.

    In volleyball, University of Nigeria (UNN) emerged winner of the male category, while Anambra State University (ANSU) won the female category. In basketball, ANSU trounced all opponents to win the contest.

    When the medal chart was unveiled, IMSU topped the list with 61 points from got 11 gold, four silver and five bronze medals. UNIZIK followed closely with 57 points from six gold, eight silver and nine bronze medals. Other institutions in the order are ANSU and University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), which had 39 points and 37points respectively.

    Tochukwu Oluh, Director of Standing Committee on NiMSA Games said the event was successful despite the difficulties experienced in the build-up to the games. He said: “I am happy the competition has come and gone; we look forward to another session. As part of the improvements, we introduced trophies for games, such as football, basketball, volleyball and we gave medals and certificates of honour in other games. These are achievements we expect the next host would build on.”

    At the closing ceremony, Ihesiaba urged the medical students to use the contest in promoting good health.

     

  • ‘How I won UNILAG debate competition’

    ‘How I won UNILAG debate competition’

    The University of Lagos held its 2014 Debate competition last week and Zainab Olaitan, a 200 level student of Political Science department, emerged the winner of the competition. She spoke to Tolu George on how she emerged winner of the competition and her passion for debates.

    When Zainab stood in front of over 2000 students in the University of Lagos auditorium, to participate in the 2014 UNILAG inter-faculty debate, little did she know that she would emerge the winner of the competition; but luck, God’s favour and confidence however made her emerge the winner of the debate competition.

    Zainab, a 200 level student of Political Science, said she entered into the debate competition without any inkling that she would win but just to give it a trial; “I entered the debate with the mindset of just presenting something. I didn’t go with the mindset of winning, but when I won at the departmental level I had no option than to finish it to the end,” she said.

    Although this was not her first time. She contested in her first year and won at the departmental level but could not progress to the inter-departmental level “I actually did a debate in my first year and I won at the departmental level, but I could not compete in the University debate because I was in my first year. So they had to take somebody more experienced. So in this second year, everybody already knew that I was a good debater and I was the one everyone was looking at to represent my department,” she added.

    Zainab, who argued against the motion, that the 2015 Elections will make or mar Nigeria, started seeing herself as a good debater when she was in her first year.

    Interesting, she has also been involved with this kind of event since her primary school days. She however switched to essay writing when she got into secondary school and with her essay writing skills, she won laurels at the regional levels and state levels. “I wrote essays and won awards at the regional level and emerged second position at the state level,” she said.

    On strategies to winning the 2014 UNILAG debate, she said; ‘The first thing I had to do was to make myself understand the topic and what the topic was trying to say. Then I went to meet my lecturers to get their views on the topic. I also read books and I think the power of conviction and passion also went a long way.”

    She continued, “I think the fact that I like arguing was also a huge factor in my favour. When I argue I put everything into it and that made the debate a little easy for me, so the only thing I had to do was to get my points and make them logical.”

    Zainab, now a N100, 000 richer and a proud owner of a laptop, hopes to go on to compete in the National debate, Pan African debate and the World debate.

    She also hopes to set up a journal where good researches carried out can be published.

    Zainab aspires to become a lecturer some day but with her debating skills getting better and sharper, she is not too sure of following the path of lecturing. “When you make your passion your ambition, then every other thing will come easy and you will find your calling. Everybody’s calling may not be debating; it could be essay writing or even teaching. Just make sure it’s your passion and ensure that you start something on it, because there is no time,” she added.

     

     

     

     Photo credit: 9ralife.com

  • Stay away from cultism, VC tells freshers

    NO fewer than 5,608 students have matriculated at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

    The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Bamitale Omole congratulated the students on their success in the post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), describing the  exercise as strict.

    He said: “I welcome you, our dear matriculating students, to the Obafemi Awolowo University. After the oath you have taken today, you have now become part of the university community with all the rights and privileges of being a member of this unique institution.”

    The VC advised them to take their studies seriously and refrain from cultism, examination malpractices and vices that could terminate their academic pursuits.

    He added: “You must not engage in cultism, examination malpractices and vices such as indecent dressing, drug abuse, theft, sexual harassment and fighting to ensure a peaceful atmosphere and stability of academic progrmmes. Your primary purpose in this university is the pursuit of academic excellence. You are, therefore, expected to study hard,” he stated.

    The oath was administered on the students by the Registrar, Mr D. O. Awoyemi.

    Some of the freshers and their parents spoke to our correspondents after the event.

    Olusegun Ajibola, 100-Level Law expressed gratitude to God to have scaled through the rigour of admission process. ‘’I cannot just quantify my happiness today because my admission. into this citadel of learning is more of a privilege than works and worth. My expectations are high for the journey ahead; to be a man of character and great reputation at the end of it all’’.

    Speaking on the recent rumour on the outbreak of Ebola virus on campus, the VC cautioned rumour mongers to verify their sources of information so as avoid panic in the university community.

    Other principal officers who attended the ceremony included deans of faculties, Provost, College of Health Sciences, Prof S.O. Ogunniyi; Provost, Post-graduate College, Prof S. I. Oladeji.

  • Anti-Ebola campaign in UNILAG

    The Students’ Affairs Unit of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in collaboration with the Medical Unit of the school, has organised an enlightenment campaign on Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) prevention on the campus.

    Mrs Zainab Adeyemi, a senior nursing officer of the medical unit, addressed the audience at the Mass communication department on the effects and preventive measures against the virus.

    She urged them to seek medical assistance in case they develop symptoms of the ailment, adding that regular hand-washing and avoidance of contact with the inner parts of one’s body should be observed.

    Mrs Adeyemi also warned against indiscriminate body contact with individuals with excessive sweat secretions and sharing of hand towels.

    She assured that the school, in response to the epidemic, has made provisions for hand gloves to the various hostels of the school.

    Lanre Akinpelu, 300-Level, commended the initiative, saying he would be willing to spread the message to his peers to stop the virus.

    “When we practice what we preach, people will learn from what we are actually doing. Some of us are opinion leaders; whatever we do, other people will tend to emulate,” he added.

    Another student, Olufunmilola  Ibitoye, expressed her gratitude to the organisers, saying “At least, we now know the safety measures to carry out to safeguard ourselves from Ebola. It’s a very scary virus and everyone needs to know about it, and how to keep themselves away from it.”

    The Deputy-director of the unit, Mr Emmanuel Okewu, expressed satisfaction with the programme, saying adequate information on the epidemic would help to prevent the spread of the virus.

  • Usman is NANS president

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has elected its president. He is Tijani Usman, a student of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Zaria, Kaduna State.

    Usman garnered 163 of the 239 votes cast during the NANS convention held in Delta State to defeat his closest opponent, Jubril Ahmadu, also a student of ABU, who scored 56 votes.

    Usman will take over from the outgoing president, Yinka Gbadebo, whose tenure expired a few weeks ago.

     

  • Stopping social media abuse

    The phenomenal growth in digital technology and the rise of social media platforms, over the past few years, have revolutionised the way in which people communicate and share information. The emergence of new communication technology has impacted on the society positively and negatively. These technologies have affected the socio-cultural, political and economic structures of our contemporary society.

    Advancement in technology has eased and expanded the frontiers of information reception and dissemination among people. The Information and Communication Technology (ICT), particularly the internet, have impacted greatly on the society, increasing access to information and creating fresh challenges for the society.

    Social media are seen generally to include all the online creations – social networks, search engines, affiliate programmes, forums, blogs and message boards that can be used by the general public for interactions across distance, to mention a few. They are powerful communication tools that have significant impacts on organisational, professional and individual reputations.

    Also, social media includes a variety of web-based tools and services that are designed to promote community development through collaboration and information sharing. These tools provide opportunities for individual expressions, as well as interactions with other users. These technologies have brought together many diverse communities and societies around the world. In fact, the world is fast becoming a “global village” as a result of the new information and communication technology. Today, we are living in a very fast developing and globalising world.

    No doubt, scientific innovations and advancement in technology have eased communication processes. It has also made tasks less tedious in many professions like business, banking, entertainment, and so on.  Technology has transformed our lives in many positive ways. But the negative impacts of these innovations in our social and educational pursuits overweigh its positives. This is in line with the fact that there is hardly anything invented by man, no matter its level of perfection that is without some flaws.

    As a matter of fact, education is a very essential aspect of our lives. Education to a society is more important than anything. Advancement in technology has eased the processes of academic research. Findings also reveal that, today, students show very much interest in using social networks, which in turn affects education severely. As noted earlier, the negatives of social media on students and education, in general, supersedes the positives.

    The social media has grabbed the attention of students and diverted them toward non-educational, unethical and inappropriate actions, such as examination malpractices. It has made students so lazy that they hardly resort to extensive study before sitting for any examination. Instead of studying very hard to write and pass examinations, students now cultivate the habit of cheating through browsing on their mobile phones while in examination halls. Reading culture among students is on the verge of extinction.

    Concentration in the classroom during lecture periods is gradually becoming a thing of the past among students. While classes are being held, some students resort to chatting on social networks. This unwholesome practice has created one problem or the other in students’ educational pursuits and performances. That informs why communication skills have declined among students.

    The emergence of ICT has eased the processes of research thereby providing unlimited access to information on virtually all spheres of human endeavours. Looking at the quantity of information available on the internet, one can agree with the fact that most of the information accessed on social media is not accurate and factual. This is because anybody who has access to the internet can write and share information of all sorts, regardless of their quality.

    It is, therefore, in tune to state that the dependence of students on social media for the sourcing of materials for academic research has degraded the value of most academic works undertaken by students. Today, students are fond of plagiarism. They regard creativity as a waste of efforts.

    There are possible ways out of these challenges. Stakeholders in the education sector should encourage creativity among students. Creativity should be made competitive among students through scholarship and other educational grants to those who are creative, as this will motivate and boost the performances of others to be creative.

    The provision of standard research and practical facilities in schools can also help the situation. Where students lack adequate research facilities like books and other relevant and referencing materials in libraries, they tend to resort to the easy “copy and paste” method from the social media. Today, you will find out that students write and present final year project works without being able to defend what they claim to have written.

    Moreover, there should also be regulation in the education sector with regards to the use of social networks among students. Although, this task can be very tedious to achieve, but the provision of regulatory frameworks in this regard will reduce the challenges posed by social media on students’ performances. There should be strict rules prohibiting students’ use of mobile phones in classrooms.

     

    Ahmad, 300-Level Mass Comm., NSUK

  • Students cry out over bad road

    Students cry out over bad road

    Students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti (ADO POLY) are worried over the road leading to the campus. They want the government to repair the road to reduce commuters’ hardship. TEMITOPE YAKUBU (ND II Quantity Surveying) writes.

    If only students and workers of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti (ADO POLY) knew their stay off-campus would be an unending nightmare, they would have preferred to live on campus.

    Reason: the road leading to the school is bad. Commuters experience hardship plying the road, which links the polytechnic from Matthew Roundabout. They are calling on the government to rehabilitate the road.

    The Poly Bus Stop stretch of the road, where commercial vehicles  pick and drop passengers is badly eroded. A section of the road is being washed away by erosion, which many blamed on lack of drainage. This axis is commuters’ nightmare because vehicles easily break down there.

    Most students who live off-campus come late for morning lectures because of the road. Commercial activity in the area has been affected by the situation, leading to the increase in price of commodities and services.

    The road is dotted with dangerous ditches and potholes, which are impossible for any vehicle to avoid. A move to dodge a pothole often leads drivers on a collision course with another vehicle. There have been accidents on the road, which involved students.

    The alternative means open to students is to ride motorcycles called Okada. But the recklessness of the riders is another problem commuters complain about.

    On the poor state of the road, Aanuoluwapo Omodara, a ND II Quantity Surveying student, said if the government can not repair the dilapidated sections of the road, it should expand the drainage channel to control the incidence of flood being experienced.

    He said that it would be futile to fill the potholes with sticky sand or gravel without having a proper drainage in place, saying the materials could be washed away during rainfall.

    Ridwan Atiku, ND II Marketing student, appealed to the Federal and state government to rehabilitate the road because of the untold hardship it has brought to road users, especially at night when vehicles with dim light can break down on it.

    Mr Adedotun Adeoye, a commercial driver, said the condition of the road made his bus to age fast. He saud: “The road has left our buses in bad shape. Government has forgotten us. We are begging them to come to our aid because they collect tax from us. The money we are paying to the local government is not yielding results as condition of the road deteriorates by the day.

    Adeoye said the bad road has not only crippled their business, but has also posed danger on their health.

    The Deputy Registrar, Protocol, Information and Passage Unit, Mr Adeyemi Adejolu, urged the government to repair the bad road to alleviate the suffering of the road users. He said that the poor state of the road had forced many car owners to incur extra maintenance costs on their cars.

     

  • ‘Girl-child education key for social change’

    WOMEN’s education can be used to inspire, Acting Director of the Women Studies and Development Centre, Adekunle Ajasin University, Dr N. Duyilemi, has said.

    She was addressing female students on the topic: “Evolution of the girl child,” during a leadership seminar held at the students’ Relaxation Centre.

    Dr Duyilemi said: “Women can be empowered through education and when you educate a woman, she will, in turn, be able to educate the generation to come.”

    Advising female students of the institution to pursue self-empowerment, she added: “Today’s world is no longer a man’s world and that is why we want those of you in higher institution to be empowered to take up key leadership positions in the country.”

    Dr Duyilemi encouraged students to have good role models, shun indecent dressing, report sexual harassment from the staff and be prudent with their resources, saying, “If anybody among the staff is forcing you to do what you don’t want to do, the offices of the Women Studies and Development Centre and Students’ Affairs are open to you.”