The Nation Newspaper

Category: Campus Life

  • President’s aide lauds student-publishers

    President’s aide lauds student-publishers

    The Senior Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Students and Youths, Jude Imagwe, has praised the editorial board of Campuslight magazine, a students’ publication at the University of Calabar (UNICAL).

    Presenting a copy of the newsletter to Imagwe, Editor of the magazine Emmanuel Shebbs said the tabloid was initiated to disseminate information and bridge the gap between the school management and students.

    Shebbs said the major cause of crisis on campus was a situation where the students seem not to understand what is happening in the school.

    “When the students are left in the dark, they feel excluded from the pulse of happenings. At such a time, they will be victims of rumour mongers and they will react to any negative information made available to them. That is why Campuslight has come up to make sure that such information gap is bridged to promote better relationship between management and students.”

    Imagwe noted that information was a necessary tool for academic development, adding that campus media was an initiative which every politician and school manager should embrace to ensure that students are carried along.

    He said the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan was committed to promoting the welfare of Nigerian students. He said: “President Jonathan tries as much as possible to make sure that he creates a relationship between students and youths. This is the first time that the office of the Special Adviser to the President on Students and Youths has been exalted to this level. The president has also shown love to students and youths by giving them opportunity to nominate delegates to the on-going confab. He has really shown his passion for students and youth development and all we have to do is to support him in his efforts.”

    He encouraged campus journalists to continue their good works with professionalism.

  • A vote for made-in-Nigeria

    A vote for made-in-Nigeria

    It is a known fact that unemployment is one of the problems bedeviling Nigeria. And there is no gainsaying the fact that importation of goods from foreign lands adds to the causes of unemployment. A country that exports goods tends to remain independent and provide jobs for its citizens. This is because companies producing goods for export employ people for their production.

    However, countries such as Nigeria that produces little or nothing for export is affected by youth unemployment because there are no industries to gainfully engage them.

    Though the nation’s manufacturing sector is booming with production of goods, but the industries are not enough to adequately explore the resources of the youth. For instance, there are many manufacturing companies in Lagos, Aba, Nnewi, Onitsha and other commercial cities in Nigeria, which can produce most of the products we import from other nations. In Aba, one can get a good pair of shoes that can stand any exhibition with Italian shoes. Also, there are tailors who sew beautiful clothes that one wonders if the clothes were imported from France.

    The problem in Nigeria is not what to produce, or how to produce as we were taught in O’Level Economics. But for which market to produce is the problem. It is appalling that Nigerians prefer travelling abroad to shop for bags, shoes and so on, that are being produced in Nigeria. In doing so, they enrich other countries while their citizens languish in abject poverty.

    Celebrities are another group of people who do not wish this country well. There is hardly a day that one does not hear of a celebrity who travels out of the country to shop for things that can be got in Aba or Lagos.

    The elite spend huge resources travelling to Dubai and other places they feel are the best tourist areas, but we have Obudu Cattle Ranch, Tinapa Resort and Yankee Games Reserve. Brazilian, Peruvian and Chinese hairs are imported at a very high cost, yet our women buy to enhance their beauty. There are raw materials here that can be used to produce such products.

    Recently, President Goodluck Jonathan hinted on the plan to make Nigeria a vehicle manufacturer. I welcomed the idea with mixed feelings because of two reasons. First, I am quite sure that government is not likely to purchase any of the cars manufactured in Nigeria. Secondly, a country that can import matches, toothpick, grass cutters and other funny things should not have such tall dream.

    I think we should start producing toothpick first. This is keeping with the adage which says: “A journey of a thousand miles start with a single step.”

    The president kicked off YOUWIN, a scheme that provides capital for self-reliant youth to create employment. The scheme would eventually become useless if the beneficiaries do not have customers in local market to patronise them. Most of the imported products carry label such as “Made in Italy”, “Made in China’, because Nigerians will not buy any good without foreign label. Credit is given to the country, which owns the label but at the expense of the home-made goods. This is disheartening.

    Government is also not helping matters. For instance, government gives scholarship to students for them to go and study abroad. Offering of scholarship to worthy candidates is not a bad idea, but sending them abroad to study may be considered abnormal. What has happened to Nigerian schools?

    Given our desire for medical tourism, one wonders if there are no medical doctors in Nigeria or that the equipment being used for surgery cannot be brought to the Nigeria hospitals?. I am sure the former is not the reason for traveling out of the country for health check up, the later I believe could be the reason. How much will it cost to buy those equipment and install in our hospitals?

    Nigeria as a sovereign nation must depend on itself. This is not to say we should not associate or transact with other countries, but our dependence on foreign goods has subjected us to ridicule by countries whose products we depend on.

    When President Jonathan signed the anti-gay law, the Britain and United States reacted with threats to stop all aids given to the country because we cannot do without them. We have created a commensalism relationship with these countries; a situation where we gain from them while they have nothing to lose or gain from us. It is high time we created a symbiotic relationship with countries of the world. This can only be attained or achieved by encouraging and patronising home-made products to generate employment for the jobless and make the country a truly independent nation.

     

    Uchechukwu, 200-Level Food Science and Technology, ABSU

     

  • That bloody recruitment

    That bloody recruitment

    John Fitzgerald Kennedy, in his famous speech in Dublin Castle, Republic of Ireland, defined democracy as a difficult kind of government that requires the highest qualities of self-discipline, restrained and knowledgeable leaders, willing to make commitments, sacrifices for the general interest.

    Since independence, Nigeria has experienced so much trauma that has shaken the foundation on which it stands; but we are blessed with deft leaders, who drive the country to the edge of precipice, only to draw it back again for another round of dangerous play. But we are yet to be blessed with such leaders that Kennedy was referring to since democracy returned to the nation.

    Nigeria is a country where nothing works in conformance to due process. It is a country which has found it impossible to guarantee even 12 hours electricity supply for its citizens; a nation where poverty thrives, despite being blessed with natural wealth. We are indeed plagued with bad leaders and ignorant followers. The country is like a canoe in turbulence and everybody is looking for a way out.

    Just recently, thousands of jobless graduates, who ostensibly wanted to escape from the poverty trap, took part in the Nigeria Immigration Service recruitment, which ended as a morbid exercise. The applicants were desperate. They besieged venues in their large numbers. The stadia were filled to capacity with able men and women looking for Federal Government’s job.

    They paid N1,000 as application fee but there was no refreshment for them. The graduates were asked to stay in the scorching sun for several hours to write the dubious test. In no time, there was a stampede and some of them were crushed. Many left with physical and psychological trauma.

    After the tragedy, the organisers blamed the dead applicants for their fate. What did our president do? Perhaps it was meant to be some publicity stunt for him, but when tragedy befell the exercise, the president rejected the scheme and condemned the death of applicants.

    To further pee on the graves of the dead, the president offered immediate jobs to the families of the victims. If it is not an afterthought, how else could one explain the president’s largesse? What of those who lived to tell the story? Should they blame themselves for not dying at the test venues? What about applicants who were injured psychologically? Should they go and die at home?

    Is this how the Federal Government wants to solve the unemployment riddle ravaging the nation? Our schools churn out thousands of graduates every year but there are no plans in place to absorb them. If a fraction of the NIS job applicants could be employed to pacify the upset public, what should be the fate of the rest of the applicants, who did not get hurt during the exercise?

    This is why I saw the job offer to the victims’ families as insulting and inappropriate.

  • Connect Nigeria holds writers’ conference

    Connect Nigeria holds writers’ conference

    The first edition of the annual Connect Nigeria Writers’ Conference will hold in Lagos on the April 5th, 2014.

    The conference theme  ‘The Business of Writing’  will be addressed keynote speakers including  Deji Badmus, Sefi Attah, Adaku Ufere, Ike Nnaebue, Abiola Salami, Lekan Otufodunrin, and Seun Salami.

    The speakers will deliver speeches, presentations and interactive sessions that will address topics centered on the business aspects of scriptwriting, online editing, novel writing, fashion editing and other related issues.

    The writers’ conference is part of ConnectNigeria.com’s corporate social responsibility objective to promote knowledge development and skill acquisition in Nigeria.

    It is primarily targeted at undergraduates aspiring to careers for which writing and editing skills are a basic requirement.

    According to Mr. Emeka Okafor, Managing Director of Connect Nigeria, “Connect Nigeria is a socially responsible organization and since we understand that getting gainful employment is a challenge for graduates, we cannot turn our backs against this problem.”

    “Many of these students can start their own businesses and employ other people if they can merge their writing skills with entrepreneurial abilities. Our objective is to empower people with information,’’ Okafor said.

    He noted that writing is a technical skill and as such, it is imperative that the academic community and business establishments work together to enable easy transition of students into the professional environment.

    Though originally established as a company that organizes information about Nigeria with the aim of making such information easily accessible and resourceful for Nigerians, Connect Nigeria has added other dimensions to its business offering.

     

    As part of its vision to empower Nigerians with useful information, Connect Nigeria also organized an e-Business Fair in October 2013 that attracted over 2,000 people.

     

    The fair  was aimed at connecting small business owners with service providers such as banks and ICT firms on how to build and harness modern electronic technologies with their business operations.

    For more information and to register for the Writers’ Conference go to:

    http://connectnigeria.com/articles/writers-conference/

  • Student dies as soldiers battle Boko Haram

    Student dies as soldiers battle Boko Haram

    A student of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) was killed last Friday when the school came under fire during a clash between soldiers and Boko Haram insurgents. The insurgents had attempted to rescue their detained colleagues in the nearby Giwa Barracks. TAIWO ISOLA (300-Level Human Anatomy) reports.

    A student of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in Borno State was killed as soldiers and Boko Haram insurgents clashed last Friday. The insurgents had attempted to rescue their detained colleagues in the nearby Giwa Barracks.

    The victim, a direct entry student, was hit by bullets in his Tafawa Balewa Hostel. He was said to have resumed a few days ago. His body was brought to the university’s Central Mosque on Saturday for Janazah prayer and burial according to Islamic rites.

    A 400-Level Adult Education student, Abdulmumini Abubakar, was also hit by a bullet while going to the campus for a lecture in a taxi. He is at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. Other students injured in the melee were taken to the university clinic.

    Guns boomed for several hours as the university was caught in the crossfire. About 60 insurgents were killed. A deafening explosion rocked the campus during the clash. Rocket launchers fired by the sect members shattered the louvers and ceiling of the ETF Building.

    Students going for lecture ran back to their hostels when the building was hit. Those in lecture rooms ran in different directions. During the battle, the university was tense; students hid in wardrobes and toilets.

    A 300-Level Accountancy student, who was at the Science Complex when a rocket launcher hit the building, said: “We were in class when we heard a deafening sound. The hall was shaken. We even thought the explosion happened right behind us because of the bang. We all fled in different directions.”

    Students were frightened, with many thinking that the insurgents had invaded the campus. Some students ran towards the University Gate 5, which leads to Mairi, a neighboring community.

    A student, whose school bag was strapped to his back as he was leaving the campus, said: “When I heard the second explosion, I lost balance. Immediately, I took my identity card and packed all my credentials and left the campus through Gate 5. We all thought Boko Haram was on the campus.”

    A worshipper in the mosque told CAMPUSLIFE: “It was an emotional moment for us as we said prayers for him. We survived it but he did not. May his soul rest in peace.”

    A graduating female student of the university, Vera Effiong, relived the experience. “I was preparing for lecture when I heard the sound of the explosions. I did not know what was happening. I just broke down in tears. I did not know what to do or where to run to. I just lay flat under my bunk, prayed to God and confessed my sins. Then, I waited for the horror. As at that time, all my roommates had fled the hostel but I didn’t know where to run to.”

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that there were three explosions on the campus. The ETF 09 Hall was damaged by the explosions. The building was hit by bullets and grenade. One side of the hall was ripped open; there are bullet holes on the wall and metal door.

    Though no student was in the hall when it was hit by the grenade, an Anatomy student in the College of Medical Sciences, which is close to ETF Hall, said: “I was in class, preparing for a lecture billed for 8am. The explosion went off a few minutes before the lecture time. Everywhere vibrated and all of us ran out of the college.”

    Paul Archippus, who witnessed the explosion in the commercial area of the campus, said: “I was leaving the barber’s shop when the explosion occurred. Traders left their wares and fled. But nobody was affected because the explosion was on an open field.”

    While the campus was in confusion, Civilian JTF, a volunteer group of Maiduguri residents, arrived the school, with weapons, such as arrows, spears, knives and spiked sticks. They surrounded the perimeter fence of the school back gate, looking for the fleeing Boko Haram members. Soldiers manned the main gate to prevent insurgents from entering the school.

    A student living in 303 Housing Estate, a residential area adjacent to the university gate, said: “For about three hours, there was a rain of bullets on our roofs; some penetrated the ceiling. We hid ourselves under the bed to prevent being hit.”

    The halls of the male hostel were riddled with bullets. A female student said nobody could move during the gun battle. Another student, Elizabeth Alao, said a bullet landed at her hostel’s corridor. She said a female student was hit by a stray bullet.

    Social and religious activities scheduled for the day were cancelled. Occupants of Titanic Hll could not sleep. They kept vigil. Some brought their mattresses to the hostel’s entrance.

    After the incident, the university’s Chief Security Officer (CSO), Alhaji Buba Usman, urged students to remain calm, saying there was no cause for alarm. Its spokesman, Ahmed Mohammed, said the school would not be closed down, since there was no direct attack on the campus.

    As at the time of filing this report, students could no longer go for night reading because of the fear of the fleeing insurgents, who they said could come back.

     

  • The stadium narrative

    The stadium narrative

    Motorists who drove around the National Stadium – Alaka – Ojuelegba axis of Lagos last Saturday could not have missed the long trail of young men and women clad mostly in white tee shirts. The line almost stretched endless toward both ends of the busy road. Looking at these young men and women you could see visible anger all over their faces.

    Like some Nigerians, I really didn’t know what was happening until I got a call from someone who identified himself as Dennis who said he called to inform me of what is happening in Abuja. The hysterical Dennis was just shouting “Nigerian youths are dying like chickens in Abuja.” After calming him down I asked what the issue was. That was when I got to know that the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) is undertaking a nationwide recruitment drive.As we are all aware, that drive turned awry as some job seekers lost their lives in the process. The ripple generated by this unfortunate incident is only beginning to intensify.

    It is no longer news that no fewer than 19 people died at theAbuja, Minna, Port Harcourt and Benin centres following the exercise, but the irony of it all is that our stadiums, built for football matches and other sports, have been turned to other functions, no thanks to the English premier league, Spanish La Liga, German Bundesliga and the Italian Serie A which has made our local league so unattractive that most clubs now play to empty stadiums across the country! And trust our “highly ingenious” elites, they have found another use for the stadiums – recruitment drive. Very soon, the civil service, military and police will tow this line and start recruiting from the stadiums.

    I believe by now most of us would have seen the pictures of the exercise from across the country, it is scary to say the least. Hundreds of thousands crammed into several stadiums that would make Manchester United or Barcelona grin with envy. Even though most of us know how dire the unemployment situation is in the country, the figure still shocked us. How did we get here and how can we wriggle out of it? Should a select few continue to live in opulence and splendor while the majority wallows in poverty? Why should a critical exercise like this involving a para military outfit be outsourced? Why can’t the entire test be done online?

    The questions regarding this issue are endless. The painful part of the whole exercise is that after going through the cumbersome registration process, most candidates knew there was no way they could independently confirm why they were not picked. I can bet my last Naira that a good proportion of these vacancies would have been filled even before registration commences.

    The processwhich was out sourced to Drexel Nigeria Limited starts when an applicant download the application form online preferably from a cyber cafe, fill a part of it to generate a slip referred to as “Pay4me.”

    The “Pay4me” print out then qualified applicants to pay the sum of N1, 000 to dedicated NIS accounts in designated banks all over the country.The commercial banks that were involved inthe transaction included the United Bank for Africa(UBA), Fidelity Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc and Ecobank Transnational Plc.

    On the payment of the N1, 000, a teller is issued with data including candidates’ validation number, transaction number, application number and application type, among others. The teller is expected to be taken to cyber cafés where the applicant used to complete the registration process and get acknowledgement slips. It was after this process that the applicant can now go to his designated “centre” for the test.

    It was reported that 734,000 candidates applied for about 4,556 vacancies available which racked in about over N7billion. What services did the company provide to “earn” this huge amount of money which has turned out to be blood money, according to some angry Nigerians?

    It is regrettable that this is not the first time that such an incident has happen in the country. I recollect vividly that in 2008, the same scenario played out during recruitment drives involving the NIS and the Nigerian Prison Service (NPS).This newspaper published verbatim on page 3 of Monday, March 17 edition the 2008 fiasco which simply goes to say we never learn anything in this country; 17 candidates died in that sad episode.

    This has again beamed the searchlight on the chronic unemployment situation in the country. But I must point out that unemployment is not only a Nigerian problem, it is a global issue. But the difference is that other country are having sleepless nights on how to effectively engage their youth population, but in our own case there appears to be no clear cut policy in place to tackle this menace.

    Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission took to twitter and described what happened as “corporate manslaughter,” he wants that appropriate security agencies to treat the circumstances that led to the stampede in the various locations as a criminal act of manslaughter.

    “I’m willing to go on record and call on the Minister of the Interior to do the right thing and leave office. Abba Moro must go. Corporate manslaughter is a crime in Nigeria. What happened to these job seekers is a crime and should be treated as such,” a message on his Twitter page reads. He also enjoined other human rights activists to sign as well as help collect signatures for the petitions demanding the sacking of Moro and Comptroller General of Immigration, Mr. David Parradang.

    The nation waits what action the government would take on the issue.

    Re:Has the NYSC run its Course?

    Your above titled article was quite instructive and timely. However, the truth is that to an extent, the noble NYSC cause has run its course! It was worse under the leadership of the former DG, Brig-Gen Okorie Affia, where respect for human dignity was at its lowest ebb.

    I was involved in a double tragedy; a victim of armed robbery attack on my way to Sokoto State and an accident which has left me with serious medical challenges. It took the intervention Of President Goodluck Jonathan before my medical expenses was refunded by the Okorie Affia led leadership. There are manycorps members out there who would have loved to respond to this timely article but may not have the opportunity because of spinal cord injury or their hands have been amputated due toinjuries sustained in the process of serving their fatherland.

    If the victims of the electoral violence have still not been given the jobs promised them by the President; then what are we talking about? In my own case,for example,I will need an urgent hip transplant of over N9millionto make me walk again, I really doubt if Brig-Gen Olawumi is ready to toe the line of repositioning the Scheme.

    Several months after his appointment, no hand of fellowship has been extended to any of us despite the urgent medical attention that we require; Brig-Gen. Olawuni should walk his talk. I have made several calls and sent messages to his official lines all to no avail. I would be forgiven if I say Brig-Gen Olawuni may end up like his predecessor unless he prove to us and Nigerian – in act and indeed – that he is ready for a great leap forward.

    As I write this, the rot and high level of corruption in the NYSC cannot be ignored. If Nigeria must developed – owing to the fact that the NYSC is microcosm of the macro Society – then something drastic must be done.

    If I must be convinced that the DG is serious and committed, he should revisit my case and a host of others and act promptly by doing the needful without further delay.

    However, I want to use this medium to thank my family members, most especially Mr. Steve Babaeko, MD/CCO of X3M Ideas for his unwavering support, moral advice, and financial assistance. Babaeko Oluwaloseyi

    LA/12B/3975.

  • Struggling to get certificates

    Struggling to get certificates

    Should students suffer before getting academic certificates? This is the question on the lips of students of the Kwara State Polytechnic (KWARA POLY) in Ilorin, Kwara State, given their daily struggle to attend lectures. Instead of walking quietly into the classroom, students are always in a rush for the classrooms, scrambling for seats.

    At the end, many still stand to receive lectures. This is the reality of inadequate lecture rooms at the polytechnic. Many students wake up very early to arrive get convenient space to sit, but the early birds get choked when their colleagues arrive for the lectures.

    An ND 1 student of Mass Communication has once complained to this writer that there was hardly a day he went to class at 7:30am without meeting a crowd of students already seated for lectures. Some will even occupy seats with their bags to create spaces for their friends, who are yet to come.

    This has been the situation, for many years, with the management still planning to improve on the facilities on ground. Students are not happy with the situation and their academic pursuit may be under threat if the situation is left to continue.

    As it stands, the polytechnic’s classrooms cannot occupy 60 per cent of admitted students. This problem explains why many students, during lectures, sit on the floor, while some stand by the wall in order to get lecturers’ messages.

    In my discussion with a Science and Laboratory Technology (SLT) student, I got to know that the problem is general on the campus. In some departments, students are being taught with outdated equipments. How would they be conversant with the latest knowledge on their fields?

    The school was established 41 years ago by Edict No.4 of 1972 of Kwara State, which has been successively overtaken by the Edict No.21 of 1984, Edict No.19 of 1987 and Edict No.7 of 1994. It was founded by the then Military Governor of the state, Colonel David Bamigboye (rtd).

    The institution was established to train students in research and development of techniques in discipline such as Arts, Applied Sciences, Engineering, Management and Commerce, and Education, among others.

    Students, despite the inconveniences, are still given overload of assignment, which give them little time to spend on research. Most lecture rooms and laboratories are ill-equipped with adequate facilities.

    The Head of Mass Communication Department, Mr Muibi Lawal in one of his speeches to the students, said: “We are aware of the difficulties you (students) are encountering, but we implore you to bear with us until the management comes up with a better solution. We advise you to neglect the idea of putting up any act of laziness because some students have seen this as opportunity to take their studies with levity.”

    Apart from inadequate lecture rooms, transportation is another challenge facing students of the institution. Many students living off-campus encounter hardship going to the campus for lectures. Every morning is a rush hour for students. Thanks to the commercial cab operators that ply the road. If not, many students would not have been able to cope with the challenge.

    To solve these challenges, the management, which is led by Alhaji Mas’ud Elelu, must partner with private firms to build more structures for lectures. Bodies funding education such as Education Trust Fund (ETF) should also live up to the billing, by coming to the campus to take stock of the facilities and make improvement where necessary.

    Although, the management has reiterated its plan to buy buses to ease the transportation crisis on campus, but the authorities must act fast before the situation makes many students to lose interest in going to school to acquire education.

     

    Balikis, ND II Mass Comm., KWARA POLY

  • Policeman’s son needs N5m for surgery

    Policeman’s son needs N5m for surgery

    Nathaniel Obasefunmi, a Kwara State Polytechnic (KWARA POLY) National Diploma holder and son of a police officer, was afflicted with a kidney disease on the day he wrote the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). After months of battling with the ailment, he needs N5 million to undergo kidney transplant in India. DAYO IBITOYE reports.

    Having completed his National Diploma in Office Technology Management (OTM) at the Kwara State Polytechnic (KWARA POLY) in Ilorin, Nathaniel Obasefunmi was hopeful of securing admission into the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) to further his studies and get a Bachelor’s degree certificate.

    He obtained a Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) form and sat for the examination, which was held last April. On that day, he left home to write the test hale and hearty. But after writing the examination, Nathaniel started vomiting. He thought it was examination fever; he bought some drugs for the ailment.

    When the symptom persisted, the ailing boy was advised to undergo test to diagnose the ailment. He was shocked to hear that his kidney had been affected with chronic disease.

    “The sickness has turned our family to beggars. As I speak to you, we feed solely from food given to us by neighbours and sympathisers. Some people give us food and money to feed,” Obasetunmi, who broke down in tears, told our reporter.

    His mother, Grace Obasefunmi, in tears, said: “My husband and I have exhausted our life savings on Nathaniel without improvement. We have taken loans to the tune of N4 million but his condition remains the same. We don’t know what to do again.”

    Obasefunmi started undergoing dialysis at the Federal Medical Centre in Ido-Ekiti in Ekiti State where he was referred to.

    Mrs Obasefunmi, a level 10 teacher with Ilota Junior Secondary School in Ilorin South Local Government Area, said: “We actually started the dialysis session last June and we have been on it since then. Initially, it was twice a week arrangement, but later, the doctors increased it to three times a week. Giving him dialysis a month costs N420,000 and we have been on it for almost a year. This has practically grounded everything in the family”

    Mrs Obasefunmi said when the challenge became too much for the family to bear, she approached her church, Redeem Christian Church of God (RCCG), for help. The church members, it was learnt, did their best to support the ailing Nathaniel for many dialysis sessions.

    She said: “I was moved to tears when church members contributed money to assist us for the dialysis. All my children were withdrawn from private schools to public schools before we had to stop some of them from going to school.

    “At the moment, I have incurred some debts to the tune of N1.5 million on dialysis. My husband has also collected loans from several places. We may have about N4 million to pay back.”

    A medical report obtained by CAMPUSLIFE quoted Dr O.E. Fadipe of the Federal Medical Centre in Ido-Ekiti thus: “Nathaniel is being managed for end-stage kidney disease by our unit. He is on maintenance haemodialysis and also being worked up for renal transplantation.

    “The patient had shown interest in kidney transplantation following counselling. However, this service is not available in our centre but the average cost of kidney transplantation in Nigeria is about N5 million.

    “For logistics, supporting partner and medication, he may also need another N5 million.”

    Mrs Obasefunmi appeals to Nigerians for assistance. “I want Nigerians to help us. This boy must not die like this. He will be 24 years on May 10, and he is brilliant.”

    Frederic Obasefunmi, Nathaniel’s father, who is an inspector with health division of the Nigerian Police, Tanke in Ilorin, sighed intermittently when our correspondent met him. Obasefunmi, who will retire from service in four years, said: “If you know what I have been passing through, my brother, you would cry for me.” It took him another five minutes before he could say another word.

    “The only thing that has been sustaining us is the help from my church members and neighbours, especially to feed my family. My salaries and that of my wife are expended on dialysis,” he said.

    Nathaniel told CAMPUSLIFE: “I have been going through a lot of pains. I can’t breathe properly. My heart is heavy. There is pain all over my body. My parents and siblings cry every day because this sickness has wrecked the whole family and we receive handouts from all kinds of people. I plead with Nigerians to help us financially so that I can undergo the transplantation. I don’t want to die like this. I believe I have something to contribute to the development of this country.”

    Financial assistance to Nathaniel Obasefunmi should to: Obasefunmi Aaron Gbenga. GTBank account no: 0115914950; or call 07089929880, 08094214862 and 08025886300.

  • Road Safety CDS unveils project

    Road Safety CDS unveils project

    The Local Government Inspector of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Abeokuta South Local Government Area, Mrs Israel Osho, has tasked corps members to embark on life-changing projects.

    She spoke at the commissioning of project executed by Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Community Development Service (CDS) group. The CDS donated a traffic control box and 10 plastic chairs to the safety club.

    Osho praised FRSC officers for mentoring the corps members and advised them not to hesitate in reporting any erring member.

    The Sector Commander, Adegoke Adetunji, represented by the State Public Relations Officer, Mr Taiwo Nodiru, urged the corps members to take a cue from the leadership of the outgoing Batch “A” members.

    The event was attended by principal officers of the commission.

  • Students get excellence award

    Students get excellence award

    Broadcast Students Association (BSA) of the Lagos State University (LASU) has held an award to promote excellence among students. Final year students and staff of Adebola Adegunwa School of Communication, who distinguished themselves in their assignments and studies, were honoured at the event, which featured music performance and dance.

    An awardee, Esther Adeyanju, said she was happy witj the recognition from her colleagues. She got the Most Outstanding Student award.

    The association president, Temitope Fadesire, congratulated the awardees, urging them not to relent in promoting excellence wherever they may be. He said the event was supported by Communication Students’ Association (COSA), the umbrella body of Mass Communication students.

    Temitope said organising the event was challenging, adding that the award would have taken place before but for the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike. He advised the students to remain focused and steadfast to achieve excellence in their studies.