The Nation Newspaper

Category: Campus Life

  • NANS honours VC

    NANS honours VC

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has conferred an award of excellence on the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Prof Bartho Okolo. The VC was named the Best Vice-Chancellor in Nigeria in infrastructure development.

    Presenting the award in the VC’s conference room, NANS president Yinka Gbadebo said the award was to recognise Prof Okolo’s strides in infrastructure development, and for providing an enabling learning atmosphere for students.

    “In as much as you have given students in UNN the best atmosphere to excel in their studies, and those dilapidated hostels and classrooms are being refurbished by your administration, provide the best library any Nigerian university ever has, we, on behalf of over 40 million Nigerian students, present this award to Prof Bartho Okolo as the best Vice-Chancellor in Nigeria in terms of infrastructure development,” Gbadebo said.

    The NANS president explained that the decision to honor Prof Okolo was unanimously taken by NANS senate based on the report submitted by the executive arm of NANS after its fact-finding visit to UNN in January.

    The students’ leader implored the VC not to allow distraction to derail his work, but to see the award as a catalyst that would propel him to work harder for the development of university.

    While commending the VC for listening to voice of reason and lifted the ban placed on students’ unionism in the school, Gbadebo enjoined students to identify with NANS campaign against campus prostitution and cultism, maintaining that it was time to make campuses free of crime.

    Responding, Prof Okolo said he was overwhelmed by the honour.

    He remarked that his administration would do more to improve the standard of education in the university. “We don’t feel we have done enough, those of us who have seen the standard of education in other countries are pained by the level of education in Nigeria; we will continue to do our best to make it better,” he said.

    The VC said his administration did not invent anything new but prioritised the features of quality assurance in education and tried to bring the university to the same level with its peers across the world.

    Prof. Okolo added that the secret behind the success of his administration was the passion to do the right thing regardless of the opinion of detractors. “We have not done anything to impress anybody, all we have done was out of our passion to do the right thing, we will continue to do what we are doing despite the persecution,” he said.

    On the NANS president’s entourage were members of the association in South-south and Southeast zones, including Chinonso Obasi, Andrew Ugwu and former NANS president Yinka Dada, among others.

  • Family of four dies in road crash

    Family of four dies in road crash

    FOUR members of the Abdulkadir Wambai family of Lafia Municipal Local Government Area of Nasarawa State have died in a road accident.

    The victims are Mr Ahmad Abdulkadir Wambai, his wife Khadijat and two sons, Usman and Isma’il. They were on their way to Lafia when the vehicle in which they were travelling collided with a Bedford lorry.

    The late Usman and the late Khadijat were 200-Level students of the Nasarawa State University in Keffi (NSUK). They were in high spirits when they wrote their final paper last Monday. They were eager to go back home and spend the semester break with other members of the family.

    On the day they were to travel, the late Khadijat got a call from her husband, who informed her of his coming to Keffi with his daughter, who just got admitted into a pre-degree programme at the university. The husband, it was gathered, urged the late Khadijat and the late Usman to delay their trip and promised to take them back to Lafia in his car for their holiday.

    On their way to Lafia, their car broke down on the Akwanga-Lafia highway. After efforts to repair the vehicle failed, the family parked it at a police station on the expressway and joined a commercial bus.

    A few minutes into the journey, the bus had a head-on collision with the lorry coming from the opposite direction. The bus summersaulted severally before bursting into flames. All the 13 passengers on board were burnt to death.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that a member of the family, Musa Abdulkadir Wambai, broke the sad news to other family members after he was informed by sympathisers on the scene. Musa, it was learnt, immediately called another member of the family, Mr Ahmad Sulaiman Wambai, who is a popular politician in Lafia.

    CAMPUSLIFE learnt that the deceased were identified through their identity cards found on the scene. “The sympathisers, who rushed to the scene, saw our family name on the victims’ identity cards. One of them called me to confirm if I am related to the accident victims. I put a call through to our elder brother, who informed me that somebody had called him too,” Musa explained.

    He added: “We arrived on the scene at about 12 midnight and met the vehicles still burning with Ahmad’s half body by the side of the burning vehicles. The villagers told us that when the accident happened, Ahmad made efforts to jump out of the vehicle but his legs were trapped in the bus.”

    An eyewitness, who did not say his name, said: “We tried to rescue him from the raging flame but his legs were trapped in the vehicle; he shouted repeatedly: “La’ila ha illallahu Muhammadu rasulullahi, sallallahu alaihin wa’salam”, which means “there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah”.

    The witness said the late Ahmad continued to recite the Quranic expression until he died.

    Musa told our correspondent that the victims were given mass burial the following day because none of them could be identified.

    The late Usman reportedly phoned a friend when his late father’s car developed fault on the expressway. Muhammad Usman, a close friend and course mate of the late Usman, said he received the news of his friend’s death with shock.

    He said: “We were very close. I could have been on the bus with him because he wanted me to join his family in the car. Later I called him to say I could not travel because of other engagements. As they were moving, Usman still kept in touch. In short, he even called and informed me that their car had a problem and that they were boarding another bus to complete the journey. I was shocked to be informed that my friend is no more. I cannot imagine how my life would be without him. He was one person I knew, who could not hurt anybody. He was an upright and complete gentleman.”

    The late Khadijat’s course mate, who did not want her name in print, said the class would miss her because she was a friend to all. “She was down-to-earth and never fought with anybody. Even though she was elderly, she played with everyone without discriminating,” she said.

    The late Usman was a student of Geography Education; the late Khadijat was studying Islamic Religious Studies.

    Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) told CAMPUSLIFE that the accident occurred when the truck veered off its lane and moved to the other side of the expressway.

     

     

  • Paddling their way to school

    Paddling their way to school

    The reconstruction of road and bridges leading to the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) is causing a problem for students, who now cruise on canoes to school. HALIMAH AKANBI (200-Level Law), IBRAHIM JATTO (400-Level Zoology) and SARAT ALABIDUN (200-Level Applied Chemistry) report.

    THEY were cut off from the campus by the flash flood of 2012, which washed away the bridges linking their university. For over 15 months, the section of the road leading to their campus and the stretch of the bridge that was washed away, prevented them from getting to their campus. This was their plight before the Sokoto State Government moved in to salvage the situation.

    The said intervention seemed to have added to the plight of students of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS). Transporting themselves to school since they resumed after the almost six months Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike, has been tough.

    Although, there is an alternative route on the Ilella–Sokoto axis, it is considered a long journey because the road is about 12 kilometres from Dandima Bus Stop in Sokoto town. Besides, students complain that they spend hours on the road because of heavy traffic, a development that results in their getting to school late.

    Because of the traffic, the management cancelled some papers in the just-concluded first semester examination when off-campus students, who were going to write the examination, were stuck on the road for several hours.

    On many occasions, long queue at Dandima Bus Stop made many students going for lectures miss their classes. In the evening, the situation is the same when students are returning to town. The students alleged that there are no enough buses to take them to school.

    They now go to school through local ferry service. The bank of River Rima in Kwakwalawa Village, which is close to the university bridges, is now a beehive of activities for students, who could not cope with road transport challenges.

    When CAMPUSLIFE visited the river bank last week, students were seen jumping aboard rickety canoes being used by the villagers without life jackets. They pay N20 as fare for the service.

    “Students have no other option than to go to school through the river,” Maryam Adamu, a 200-Level student, said, adding: “It is now challenging because the new route is a long distance to school and we spend hours at the bus stop waiting for buses, most especially in the morning.”

    Hours spent queuing at the bus stop prompted students to use the ferry service as the only alternative. Alison Ake-Reuben, a 300-Level student, said. “It has never been this tough since I was admitted into this school. Going and coming from school is a problem for many of us; we join a long queue for several hours and still miss lectures. I just hope the management will do something about it,” he said.

    On why some students prefer the water transportation, Abdullahi Mustapha, a final year student, said: ‘The ferry is a better alternative because it saves time and is faster.”

    Rhaila Salihu, a 200-Level student, uses the ferry to avoid the stress on the road.

    But the management seems to be against the ferry service. The Dean of Students’ Affairs (DSA), Dr Ibrahim Magawatta said students using water transport were doing so at their own risk. In an interview with CAMPUSLIFE, Dr Magawatta said the management only recognised and approved the Ilella – Sokoto road “as the only route for anyone coming to the university”, pending the time the University Road would be completed.

    He said: “We cannot guarantee the safety of those students going through the water way. In fact, the university itself has two canoes, but refused to release them for students’ use because of safety. For us to allow for canoe transportation, we have to provide life jackets and other safety apparatus.”

    On the issue of the insufficient buses to take students to school, the DSA said contrary to the claims that the school did not have enough buses, the university had released buses that could adequately transport students to the campus.

    Dr Magawatta accused the commercial drivers of compounding the transport challenge, saying the drivers inflated transport fare because of the long queue at the Dandima Bus Stop.

    A commercial driver, Abu Sanni, who reacted to the Dean’s allegation, said: “There is nothing we can do about it. We have to ensure that our bus is filled before leaving the bus stop. The distance is far and it is only through this we can make our money.”

    The chairman of the university transport committee, Dr Sheikh Abubakar said the committee was working round the clock to ensure smooth transportation to and from the university. He said the school has taken delivery of new buses to improve the situation.

  • ‘Journalists must partner with institutions’

    ‘Journalists must partner with institutions’

    The Head of Department (HOD) of Mass Communication at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Mr Mahmud Abdulraheem, has called for more collaboration between journalists and academic institutions. He said the partnership would be mutually beneficial.

    The HOD made the call when members of the Organising Committee of this year’s Press Week of the Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) paid him a visit. The journalists were led by union chairman, Mallam Abiodun Abdulkareem.

    Mahmud said partnership between NUJ and the academics was necessary because there was a need for both to come together and generate ideas, which would enhance professionalism among journalists and academics.

    “The collaboration will be a mutual benefit for both the academics and NUJ, because when we begin to to witness such partnership, a lot of things would be introduced that will enhance the activities and performance of journalists,” he said.

    He added: “From time to time, we will invite journalists to talks and share their experiences with our students. We believe that they are mentors to students of journalism.”

    Mahmud, a former General Manager of Radio Kwara, disclosed that post-graduate programmes would soon commence in the department, which at present offers undergraduate programmes in Mass Communication only.

    The visit, according to chairman of the NUJ Press Week Committee, Mr Alli Mohammad Robiu, was aimed at strengthening relationship between the union and the department and seek the advice and support of the HOD for the Week.

  • Dean demands more staff

    Dean demands more staff

    The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri, (FUTO), Prof Chigozie Asiabaka, has visited the School of Health Technology on a mid-term assessment.

    During the visit, the Dean of the faculty, Prof N. S. Dozie said: “Today’s visit to our school by the Vice-Chancellor is aimed at having a first-hand critical re-appraisal of our challenges for the successful implementation of developmental projects. The Vice-Chancellor’s mid-term assessment review is a sincere demonstration of his commitment to repositioning our great university to be one of the best in Nigeria.”

    Prof Dozie listed challenges facing the school as inadequate infrastructure, poor staffing, lack of graduate assistants, lack of Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) for some courses and buses for field trip.

    He said the school had achieved the sustenance of academic, administrative and community service assignments, staff promotion, launching of the Dean’s prize for the best graduating students, capacity building conferences, commissioning of the Departments of Optometry and Dental Technology buildings.

    Prof Dozie said: “It is pertinent to say that no other university in Africa, except a few in South Africa, offers degree programmes in Biomedical Technology, Dental Technology and Prosthesis and Orthopaedic Technology.”

    “This has far reaching implications for FUTO in the production of specialised manpower for the sustainable development of the healthcare industry in Africa,” he added.

    Prof Asiabaka urged other principal officers to help the university raise Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). He also promised to employ first-class graduates in the school to strengthen academics and research.

    Members of the visitation team included the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Prof Benaiah Onwuagba; Registrar, Mr Isheg-Nor Orje; Bursar, Mr Don Nwokecha; University, Associate Dean, Prof A. Nwoke, Head of Department of Public Health, Prof A. N. Amadi and other principal staff of the school.

  • Remembering a hero

    Students of the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) in Ijagun, Ogun State, have held a candlelight procession to remember their colleague, Olatunji Fashina, a final year student of Social Work, who died in a car accident two years ago. TAIWO ADEBULU reports.

    STUDENTS of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) in Ijagun, Ogun State, have marked the second anniversary of the death of their colleague, Olatunji Fashina. They held a candlelight procession in his remembrance. The procession was organised by the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the institution.

    On Valentine’s Day, students abandoned their studies to remember the late Fashina, who they referred to as hero of “TASUED STAYS”, a students’ movement opposing relegation of the institution from university to college.

    In 2012, the Ogun State Government, through its Commissioner for Education, announced plan to revert TASUED to College of Education and merged it with Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ago-Iwoye. Students and lecturers protested the move, citing that the school was doing well as the first university of education in Nigeria.

    For several weeks, the campus boiled as police tear-gassed the students, who demonstrated against the government’s plan. The students also visited the Government House in Abeokuta to register their displeasure.

    On their way to Abeokuta, one of the vehicles in which the protesters were travelling in lost control and veered off the road. Students in the ill-fated vehicle got injured.

    The late Fashina was said to have lost his right arm in the accident and bled profusely before he was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Abeokuta. He, however, gave up the ghost after losing much blood.

     

     

     

  • Students kill trapped antelope for meal

    Students kill trapped antelope for meal

    For some students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, relishing the tasty meat of Antelope, a rare delicacy popularly called Eran Igbe in Yoruba, was an experience they would never forget in a long while. Luck, as they seemed to believe, made the animal to stray into their hall of residence three days after the university authority asked them to vacate the halls to accommodate participating universities that came for just concluded 24th Nigeria University Games (NUGA), hosted by the university to mark the 50th anniversary of the school.

    Majority of the students had vacated their rooms for the visitors, but a few left in the Awolowo Hall hunted the animal that was trapped at the Self-Help Block while moving towards Block 5 of the hostel and killed it.

    Mutiu Oyatoye, a 400-Level Language Arts student, said the animal was sighted by a student around Self-Help Block moving towards Block 5 of the hostel. The student quickly alerted his colleagues by shouting: “Won ti de o”, meaning “they have come”.

    On hearing this, students trooped out to chase the animal until it was caught. However, there were divergent suggestions on what to do with the animal. Some suggested that it should be taken to the University Zoological Garden, while others said it should be killed for meal.

    Yusuf Basit, a 300-Level Linguistics and African Languages student, told CAMPUSLIFE that he ran to the scene when he heard some noise from Awolowo Hall. “When I got there, I saw an antelope with a rope tied around its neck,” he said.

    The hostel’s porters were surprised at the sight of the animal, wondering how it could have made its way into the hall of residence.

    The animal was later slaughtered and shared among students.

     

  • ‘Leadership is by wisdom’

    ‘Leadership is by wisdom’

    Ahmed Lawal, a 400-Level student of Science Education, was sworn in last July as the president of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) in Kwara State.  He shares his thoughts on leadership with TOYIN ALI (200-Level Law).

    What have you achieved since assuming office?

    We were sworn in last July and since then, we have embarked on many projects among which are the procurement of more campus shuttles to ease transportation challenge. We established a registered health foundation to raise fund for indigent students. We have also conceptualised an initiative called “starter pack”, which is a customised package for freshers. There are still more to come.

    You are said to be youngest Students’ Union president; are you surprised?

    This is quite inexplicable. But I would attribute this feat to God. People generally believe that to achieve certain things, you have to attain certain age. But this is African mentality. Leadership should not be by age; it is by wisdom. Elsewhere, there are many young people in power and they are performing excellently well. If such idea could be embraced in Nigeria, we would be better for it.

    How do you relate with the school management?

    I would say that the Prof Abdulganiyu Ambali-led management is a listening and supportive one. The union enjoys the support of the management, which enhances a healthy relationship between the management and the students. The Students’ Union leaders are carried along in decision that has to do with the welfare of students.

    The Ipad initiative for freshers is yet to take off, what is the union doing about it?

    This has been a subject of controversy among the freshers, particularly the unusual hike in their school fees. The management has, through its policy drive, incorporated this project to enhance academic excellence. This was done by placing discount on these tablets’ price. It is pertinent to note that the hike in the freshers’ school fees has a direct link with the proposed Ipad initiative. On whether students would get the Ipad, I can assure you that the gadgets would be distributed very soon.

    How does the union seek to sustain the improved transport system on campus?

    It is no news again that queues have disappeared on the campus. This is the result of our administration’s move to ensure convenience for students on campus. We have procured more than 70 tricycles and mini buses to ease transportation problem. We are also aware that such initiative needs to be sustained. This is the reason for the little increment in transport fare within and outside the campus.

    What is the drive of your leadership?

    The zeal to champion the course of students’ welfarism is the wheel that drives me around. Remember this is an administrative calling where everything must be invested to achieve the best result. Though, there are many challenges one faces, but with the burning spirit and available resources, one will get there. All thanks to my fellow students, who have afforded me this worthy opportunity to serve them, and the management for its unflinching support.

    What is your advice for students?

    We should all be good ambassadors of the university wherever we may find ourselves. We must not allow our extracurricular activities to override our primary assignment on campus. As we all know, the university awards degree to only those who are found worthy of learning and character.

  • The frills and thrills of NUGA

    The frills and thrills of NUGA

    The 24th Nigeria Universities Games (NUGA) hosted by the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, ended last Saturday. OLUWAFEMI OGUNJOBI (400-Level Language Arts) reports.

    Sportsmen and women from 56 universities showcased their skills in the just-concluded Nigeria Universities Games (NUGA) hosted by the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

    Although, the sport fiesta ended last Saturday, its memories would linger on students’ minds. The sporting event, which was organised to commemorate OAU’s golden jubilee, featured 15 games.

    Elated by the outcome of the event, the Vice-Chancellor Prof Bamitale Omole, said: “I am happy this event happened in my time and was executed according to plan. With the level of participation and outcome, this may be the best NUGA ever. The success of OAU team shows that, not only have we excelled in the academic world, we have equally achieved a great feat in sport. OAU is the first university to host the game on the campus.”

    The Chairman, Local Organising Committee (LOC), Prof Bayo Amole, said the event was successful because strict measures were put in place to execute the plan.

    During the fiesta, the campus was a beehive of business activities. Traders were provided with a makeshift market to offer various services to the participants and guests. Hawkers also had a field day.

    One of the traders, who came from Babcock University, said NUGA was an event that attracted national attention. “I came all the way from Ogun State to sell bread here. I am aware that there are so many traders around for the event, but we felt the participants needed our products to excel in the game,” she said.

    When CAMPUSLIFE visited New Bukateria, sport representatives from different universities were seen in group discussing. Restaurants and bars, which were almost closed down as a result of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike, had hectic time controlling movements of customers in and out of the places.

    A few days before the event, OAU students were asked to vacate their Halls of Residence to accommodate the over 5,000 participants and guests. On arrival, the sportsmen were lodged in the school hostels.

    The decision of the management did not go down well with the students. They expressed displeasure over the behaviour of the visitors, some of who were seen smoking and drinking alcohol in the hostel.

    The event was not without drama. Temidayo Akinyele, a final year English student of OAU was attacked by an athlete from the University of Port-Harcourt (UNIPORT) over missing mobile phone.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that Temidayo was battered when he attempted to pick some personal effects in his room, which had been occupied by UNIPORT athletes. It was gathered that the phone got missing during the period Temidayo visited the hall.

    The student was accused of stealing the phone and he was dragged into the room by a group of UNIPORT students led by one Justice Onyekachi. Temidayo was injured in the ensuing melee.

    On another occasion, a student of University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) assaulted another OAU student, who was accused of taking his picture while bathing. The UNN student, it was learnt, also attacked the hall porter, who tried to settle the matter.

    It was not all sport. Participants were thrilled at musical shows organised by Diamond Bank and MTN Nigeria. The OAU Amphi theatre was filled to capacity as popular artistes, Whizkid, Banky W and Wande Coal buzzed the crowd with their songs.

    The closing ceremony was held at the Main Bowl of the university stadium, which also was the venue of the final match between the OAU team and their opponents from the University of Calabar (UNICAL). The match was tough for both sides, but the OAU carried the day after a lone goal scored by Olanrenwaju Ajibola at the 53rd minute of the match.

    After the final match, it was time for medal presentation. The OAU team came third on the medals table with 12 gold, nine silver and 15 bronze medals. The University of Lagos (UNILAG) was the first runner up with 13 gold, 10 silver and seven bronze medals. The UNIPORT led the table with 63 gold, 41 silver and 16 bronze medals. It was the fifth time the UNIPORT would come first in NUGA.

    Dr Ken Anigweje, UNIPORT’s head coach and outgoing NUGA president said early preparations made his team to be ahead of their counterparts from other institutions.

    The OAU head coach, Chike Egbunu-Olimene, said the feat achieved by his team qualified the school for the West Africa University Games and World University Games.

  • Mass Comm welcomes freshers

    Mass Comm welcomes freshers

    The Mass Communication Students’ Association (MACSA) of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has held an orientation for freshers.

    The event, which was held in the Faculty of Arts Lecture Hall, started with the induction of the new executive of the association.

    The oath of office was administered by Mr. N.C. Nnaji.

    The Head of Department, Dr Ray Udeajah, represented by Mr Anthony Ekwueme, welcomed the freshers and thanked staff and students of the department for making the event a success. He advised students to take their studies serious.

    “I invite you to find an area in Mass communication that fascinates you and develop skills in that area; remember that the world is waiting for your services,” he stated.

    Mr Chidiebere Nwachukwu advised the students to avoid choosing wrong friends.

    Henry Ihuoma, MACSA president, thanked everyone for their support, saying that his administration was committed to fulfilling its campaign objectives.

    “Our goal as executives of this association is to create an academically and morally excellent MACSA that will have a good student- lecturer relationship,” he said.

    The outgoing president, Linus Ukoenang, pleaded with members to cooperate with the executives in order to achieve its goals.

    He advised the new executives to make their studies their priority.

    Some of the students who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE said they were happy to be admitted into the Department.

    Genevieve Aningo said she was happy because she had always wanted to study Mass communication in the university, adding that she saw the department as a big family that caters for its members.

    Daniel Nyoung Edem said the induction was a wakeup call to work harder, adding that he had always nursed a passion for communication.

    “I know I am a gifted communicator and I want to develop this talent, knowing that UNN would help me to actualise that dream,” he said. A reunion party was organised for the students.