The Nation Newspaper

Category: Campus Life

  • Transportation blues at LASPOTECH

    Transportation blues at LASPOTECH

    Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) students living in Odogunyan, Ikorodu find going to school difficult because of transportation challenges. ADEKUNLE OLADUNNI (a student in School of Technology) writes.

    If there is a challenge the students of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) living in Odogunyan area of Ikorodu wish solved, it is for them to have buses conveying them to and from the school every day.

    The stress of going to the campus from their off-campus residence, a few kilometres from school, is taking toll on their health. Since the beginning of the semester, the students have been facing transport challenges, making them to be always late for lecture.

    Despite their proximity to the campus, students going for morning classes usually miss lectures because of their inability to get vehicles.

    Findings by CAMPUSLIFE revealed that many commercial bus drivers restricted students from boarding their buses because of the fare they pay. They feel that it is not profitable to carry students. The drivers, our correspondent learnt, prefer to transport passengers that are ready to pay the exact fare.

    It was gathered that students started paying lesser fare when the Students’ Union Government (SUG) made a formal complaint to the Director of Students’ Affairs (DSA) on the high cost of transportation. The union later met with the commercial bus operators to reduce their fare only for students, an agreement that did not go down well with many drivers.

    Only a few are willing to carry students from Odogunyan to the school gate at a subsidised fare. When such buses convey passengers, there is always a rush from students, who struggle to jump in. Tricycle and motorcycle are available for students but they could only carry a few students living in the area.

    The DSA took a step two weeks ago to address the situation. He had a discussion with the transporters, who registered their vehicles with the school; the drivers assured him that additional buses would be moved from Ikorodu garage to Odogunyan to solve the problem. Although, there has been an improvement, but the problem still persists at the time of this report.

    This prompted the students to urge the authorities and the students’ union to come to their rescue.

    Some of them, who spoke with CAMPUSLIFE, praised the DSA for the move, but said the challenges were yet to disappear.

    A student in the School of Technology, Nimat Diaro, spoke said: “We appreciate the role the DSA played and the SUG, because the situation has improved. The campus shuttle buses carry students with a convenient fare. But some of the transporters are yet to comply. It is only a few busus transporting us to school. I will use this medium to plead with other transporters to consider us as their children.”

    A student said: “It is not easy going to school from here. We are really suffering in other aspects, apart from transport challenges. There is also high cost of rent we battle and this is the reason why many students are yet to pay their school fees. We face difficulies in getting water and struggle to survive. The management should start a hostel project so that we can be free from all these problems.”

    The president of National Association of Science Technology Student (NASTES), John Moses urged the students to be patient, saying the management was doing its best to alleviate students’ suffering. “The management is doing its best to make all of us feel comfortable. Student should be patient; more buses will soon be available for them,” he said.

    On inadequate accommodation, Jamiu Awoyokun, an ND II student, urged the management to fast-track its hostel project to provide accommodation for students on campus.

     

     

     

  • Varsity holds matriculation

    The seventh matriculation ceremony of Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun State, has held. The event was attended by principal officers of the institution.

    The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Bashir Ademola Raji told students to always abide by the university regulations throughout the duration of their programmes. He stressed that the institution hadthe vision of producing graduates with great academic excellence and sound Islamic values.

    Prof Raji charged them to always participate in socio-educational programmes such as literary and debating, Man “O” War, Writers Club and the Fiqh Forum at the university.

    The university also presented 10 students honoured as the school’s best academic students in the previous academic session. They were to benefit from a scholarship scheme for the rest of their education at the university.

    The students included Adebayo Ayodeji, Yewande Osinowo, Adebisi Jempeji, Ridwan Odusote, Opeyemi Bello, Azizat Oni, Ikeoluwa Bakare,Kabiru Opeyemi, Abdul-Azeez Olayemi and Olawale Adeboyejo.

  • That peace may reign

    That peace may reign

    As the nation grapples with security challenges, participants at the third residency training programme organised by Tolerance Academy, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), have promised to harness the people’s differences to promote peace. GILBERT ALASA (400-Level Foreign Languages) writes.

    The drumbeat of crisis resonates in every part of the country. Boko Haram detonates bombs and sheds innocent blood; many believe that peace is elusive. Against this backdrop, Tolerance Academy, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), held a seven-day seminar for youths and students to promote peace in the country.

    In the opinion of its Academy’s Curator, Ayodele Obajeun, Nigeria would overcome the challenges when the values of tolerance are entrenched in the consciousness of the people. The only reason why the country’s challenges seem insurmountable, he said, is because Nigerians did not appreciate their individual differences, which he said is crucial for any society that wants peace and harmony.

    Obajeun said: “What we are doing with Tolerance Academy is to bring together people of diverse geographical, religious and social backgrounds together and provide a suitable ground for them to get to appreciate individual uniqueness. What we have discovered through our annual trainings is that participants’ perception about certain ethnic groups changed. And each participant is expected to create a forum either in their school or neighbourhood to promote these values so that Nigeria can be safe for all of us.”

    Some of the participants, who were received train on peace resolution, urged the elite to show good example to the coming generation.

    To Richard Enake, a 100-Level student of International Studies and Diplomacy at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), religious leaders must preach the message of love and mutual understanding as remedy to the current strife in Nigeria.

    He said: “I understand that all religions preach love. Besides, the African traditional society is one in which love and mutual sharing thrived. What is amazing, however, is that despite the fact that majority of our forebears were not as educated as many of us are today, they understood and held firmly to social values that are behind the progress of every great society.”

    Mabel Okpaefi, a graduating student of Banking and Finance, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), said the nation’s insecurity challenge was caused by a period of intolerance by the people. She said: “We have lost it at the home front. Tolerance is no longer considered as a virtue; it is now seen as cowardice. In the family circle, people are told to fight back at the slightest provocation. A society cannot attain its potentials in an atmosphere of mutual suspicion and rancour.”

    A 100-Level student of Law at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Oyindolapo Oluwadamilare, urged participants to create similar platforms and impact knowledge they garnered from the training on others. He said he intended to start a peace-building initiative after the programme.

    “It is my utmost goal to bring together young people around the world with divergent social-cultural and religious affiliations and promote peace, love and mutual tolerance. With the turbulence that currently ravages the world, we need organisations to support peace-building initiatives to reclaim the harmony that God placed on the earth at creation. I believe it would go a long way to solving some of the pressing global problems,” he said.

  • Valentine’s election at Ekiti varsity

    While their colleagues in other campuses will be marking Valentine’s Day tomorrow, students of the Ekiti State University (EKSU) will be electing their leaders to occupy the vacant seats of the Students’ Union Government (SUG).

    The union had just been reinstated after three years of proscription, following a violent protest by students.

    Do students have choice not to participate in election? Emmanuel Olatoun, a 300-Level Plant Science student, said: “We have waited for three years for the union to be reinstated and we are happy that finally, we would elect our union leaders on Valentine’s Day.”

    The management announced the lifting of the ban on students’ union activities recently, releasing election plan to be midwived by lecturers and students. The development was greeted with mixed reactions by students.

    A student, Wale Ijigbami said: “It is good that management has released timetable for SUG polls. But do students have assurance about the management’s sincerity? Remember that the same thing happened in the past when an electoral committee was set up to conduct the election. And the elections were not held. Some of the contestants seem to me as stooges of the management.”

    Olakunle Olajide, a 400-Level Public Administration, said: “For the part-time students, we don’t think we want to be actively involved in the election because they have reserved the role or offices “assistants” and “Vice President 2” to us in the central executive cabinet and I think we deserve more than that . That’s why you would see that those positions zoned to part time students do not have candidates running for them.”

    Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Dr Omirin from the Faculty of Education, urged them to have faith in the coming election as they were putting all logistics in place to make it a free and fair process. He added that the election was going to take a different shape unlike what obtained in the past.

    “The election, this time around,won’t be conducted at the popular Faculty of Arts as it has been done in the past. Rather, we would have polling units across all the faculties to ensure orderliness and fairness,” he stated.

    During the manifestoes at Liberty Estate Student Residential Area, one of the candidates, Babajide Kolawole, 400-Level Economics, said: “We thank the management for reinstating the student union.”

  • NUGA: Students reject ‘forceful eviction’

    Students of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, have condemned the order to vacate their hostels for participants in the Nigeria Universities Games (NUGA).

    Students expressed dissatisfaction with the decision, wondering why the management wanted them out after they had p `aid for accommodation in the school halls.

    In a release signed by the institution’s Registrar, Mr Dotun Awoyemi, students were directed to vacate their rooms before 12 noon last Friday to allow management to make adequate preparation for the contingents.

    Students, however, rejected the move, saying the ejection was forceful. Some of the students have taken to writing open letters pasted on strategic locations on the campus.

    Oluwajuwon Sanyaolu, chairman of Pace Setters Movement, a students’ group, in a release titled: “The NUGA: Contempt and sacrifices”, said his group was not opposed to the hosting NUGA, but said the risks the game posed to students, the safety of properties and the threat of cult invasion without an elected students’ union to counter this menace remained worrisome.

    The letter reads: “Students are going to be exposed to the danger of Nigerian roads for a game that is supposed to last just for ten days. This is not only illogical but also insensitive. Why can’t the NUGA be held at the end of the session? Why must students be exposed to the dangers of our roads? We are not opposed to the NUGA games, but we are not happy with the fact that the university management has hastily concluded plans to force students to go back to their respective houses, shortly after returning to campus following the six month strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).”

    Oluwajowon said students were not supposed to be spectators during games, saying any attempt to evict the students could defeat the objective of the sport fiesta.

    Adejinmi Babafemi, a student, said the management could lodge the sportsmen at the university’s Conference Centre and hotels outside the campus with funds that had been earmarked for the event.

    Another student, who did not want to be named, said the absence of students union in the school would encourage management to take decisions without consulting the students. He urged the university management to restore the students’ union.

    The Chief Security Officer of the university, Mr Paul Ogidi, said that the decision was in the interest of the university. He added that plans were in top gear to ensure safety of the participants.

    “Men of the Nigerian Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC), Man ‘O War, Red Cross and students’ volunteers would be on hand to ensure security. We are aware of the security situation in the country and we will leave no stone unturned to ensure that everything works out as planned,” he stated.

    The games are expected to hold between February12 and 22.

  • Impacts of Anambra returned schools

    The Anambra State Government’s move to return mission schools was initially greeted by uproar, with many questioning the rationale behind that move. Some people opposed the policy, calling Governor Peter Obi unprintable names.

    The antagonisits claimed, among others, that returning the schools would constitute financial burden on the churches.

    This reason seemed hold some water, as churches, from Adam, has never been financially buoyant. But, the media gave the people of the state a platform to propagate their arguments on whether to return the schools or not.

    At some point, some of the churches were cut gasping to stamp out the reasons for otherwise, having feared to have been expected to pay salaries of staff. The state government on its part did not, as expected, go to sleep. It explained why such action was paramount. At first, the government declared that it has lost focus of its expected mission to the schools.

    In fact, the government, without mincing words, said that it had done more harm than the expected good to the schools. Recalling the high standard of education and rich moral principles schools enunciated when it was initially in the management of the churches, government noted that such feat could only be achieved by same people who started it. But the government promised that it would still be in charge of the teachers’ salaries.

    One would not be taken aback by such declaration by the government in whose hand the trust of the people was entrusted via the social contract. At first, it is no longer news of how some public officials loot public funds, and mismanage office for their selfish gain. If stories of the crimes and atrocities committed by government officials daily are to be totally right, the schools may not be there in the next decade.

    One does not need to say, once again, that this country has got virtually everything needed to make life worth living for its people; but the problem has remained that the its leaders are corrupt.

    So, Gov. Obi knows the problems with schools. He knew that the government had acquired the schools, perhaps, with intention to fund and improve on their facilities, but he felt the takeover was not in best interest. He returned the schools to the church so that the government won’t have to contend with school challenge out of the myriads in its list.

    The Anambra State government places much premium on the education of the young people particularly the children. Gov. Obi is known for his saying that “the society human being are exploiting today would take a revenge on their children tomorrow”, hence the great need to fix the society right for them.

    Consequently, there is no known tool for human development other than provision of qualitative education. It is the bedrock for human development; its careless handling would not leave a positive path to toe. The impact of the schools has begun to be felt.

    The state government, while returning the schools, doled out huge amount as compensations to repair the damage it had done to it. The funds run into several millions. Today, Anambra schools have begun to regain their pride.

    That move and gesture of love have induced a healthy competition among the schools owned by the churches, private individuals and the government. There is a massive reduction on the number of school children seen on the streets with school uniforms roaming the streets during school hours.

    Moral principles and good conduct of school children have improved. It is also important, therefore, for the government to take a close watch on the schools under its direct control. Some communities are at loggerheads with the principals of their schools over funds released by the government. Some principals have been accused of devising means to siphon the money. All the issues need to be looked into.

    These positive impacts seen in the church-controlled schools should be widespread. Now that the government has fewer loads in terms of primary and secondary education, it should, through the Ministry of Education, move to tackle fundamental problems bedeviling education in the state.

     

    Mmaduka just graduated from UNIZIK, Awka

  • Association gets new leaders

    Association gets new leaders

    Part-time members of the National Association of Computer Science Student (NACOSS) at the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), have elected new leaders.

    The executive is led by Robert Uwemedimo, a final year student of Computer Science, who got elected unopposed. He was the Vice-President of the association during his National Diploma programme.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that Uwemedimo was asked to lead the association because of his leadership quality. Others elected include Onyekachi Ofoegbu, Vice-President; Pauline Edward, General Secretary; Gabriel Fawehinmi, Auditor; Joseph Omijie , Welfare Director; Efe Oghenenre, Social Director; Tosin Ojomu, Treasurer; Akeem Ayodeji, Financial Secretary, Samuel Nwaulu, Public Relations Officer and Yahaya Alli, Sport Director. Uwemedimo, in his acceptance speech, said his goal was to promote academic excellence among members.

    “Academic excellence remains our biggest hurdle. We must help members set clear goals and devise strategies to achieve success in their studies. We are also planning to organise workshops, seminars and tutorials for them,” he said.

    He appealed to his colleagues to work with him as team. He said: “By the grace of God, my tenure will transform many students’ lives positively and they will all benefit from the programmes we are planning for them.”

     

     

     

  • ABU elevates 23 to professors

    ABU elevates 23 to professors

    The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Kaduna State, has elevated 23 Ph.D holders to the status of professors.

    This is contained in a statement issued on Saturday in Zaria, by the institution’s Head of Information and Public Affairs, Dr. Sama’ila Shehu.

    According to the statement, besides the professors, the management also approved the elevation of 41 others as readers and principal research fellows of the institution.

    “At the 460th regular senate meeting of January 30, the vice-chancellor announced the promotion of 23 professors and 41 readers as approved by the Governing Council of the University,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the institution’s spokesman as saying in the statement.

    It described the promotion as a deliberate attempt by the university management to curb brain drain and enhance the welfare of both academic and non-academic staff.

     

  • ‘I prefer music to academics’

    ‘I prefer music to academics’

    Edwin Oduware, a 400-Level Science Laboratory Technology student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), is known on the campus as a talented hip-hop artiste. He dazzled students with his music at a show organised by Peak Milk. EDDY UWOGHIREN (100-Level Medicine) writes.

    Students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) gathered in Hall II car park in the university to watch Street Battle, a show organised by Peak Milk after a hard day at school.

    One of the campus’ upcoming artistes that performed at the event, Edwin Oduware, was barely noticed.

    Edwin, a 400-Level student of Science Laboratory Technology (SLT), is known by the stage name, Eddy-Blings. The crowd went into a frenzy when he began singing.

    All attention was on him as he gave his best to become the best of the artistes.

    “It was absolutely an incredible performance,” said Eddy when CAMPUSLIFE sought his views after the performance.

    At 13, he started recording songs online. The hip-hop artiste said he started his musical career from the hills of Ikpoba in the ancient Benin City, where he was always called on to perform at street carnivals, birthday parties and churches programmes.

    Music, he says, is the only way he can express himself. “The challenges and experience I have been through are the greatest source of inspiration to me,” he said.

    Outside the university, he has performed at notable social gatherings, including the Hexagon in Government Reserved Area (GRA) in Benin City.

    Eddy said he felt singing alone might not take him higher in his musical career, because “many people can sing”. To be unique, he trained himself on how to play bass, guitar, drums, keyboard and piano.

    “I have always had an interest in every musical instrument and I never wanted to limit myself to singing alone,” he said, adding: “I am kind of a utility guy.” He also underwent training in music directing and producing.

    Eddy also repairs electrical devices. He said his love for electrical works made him reject an admission to study Botany at the Ambrose Alli University (AAU) in Ekpoma, Edo State. He opted to study Electrical and Electronics Engineering at the Federal Polytechnic in Auchi (AUCHI POLY), also in Edo State, where he obtained a National Diploma (ND).

     

  • Students battle diarrhoea

    Students battle diarrhoea

    Did 35 students of Ekiti State University (EKSU) catch diarrhoea from the water they took? The students claimed it was from the water, but the producer is denying their claim.OLATUNJI AWE (300-Level Political Science) reports.

    Ekiti State University (EKSU) students and a water producer are trading words over the ailment of some students. The students, who live in Satellite Phase I and II and Osekita, in the state capital, were said to have caught diarrhoea after taking different brands of sachet water.

    At the time of this report, more than 36 students had been admitted into the university’s health centre. No fewer than six patients are treated daily. “The disease spreads quickly and it is sending more students to the health centre; some have gone home for treatment,” Omowunmi Olayinka, a 400-Level English and Literary Studies student, said.

    The students accused water firms of producing unhygienic water, wondering whether they were certified by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

    Some students visited a producer in Osekita students’ area and met with the owner, who vouched for his company’s integrity. His company, he said, operated under a “very hygienic condition”. He denied that his company produced the contaminated water.

    He was quoted as saying: “I can categorically state that we have been following due process in the production of sachet water and I can prove this by taking you into the factory to see with your eyes. We can go further by you taking sample of our products from different places in the factory for hygienic test in a place of your choice.”

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the students were not satisfied with this explanation. They reportedly told the producer to visit the campus clinic to see victims, who complained of stomach upset and ask them how they contacted the diarrhea.

    “We are not here to destroy the reputation of your company, but we would appreciate it if you stop the production and distribution of the sachet water until it is proven that your product is not the cause of the outbreak of diarrhoea. We are not against your business, but we would appreciate if you go with us to the university health centre to see the victims and confirm from them,” a victim, Abdulrasheed Bello, a 200-Level student, reportedly told the producer.

    He followed the students to the health centre and met with an official of the clinic. The official reportedly told him: “We have had over 20 cases of students who have been discharging excessively, having severe stomach upset and other symptoms of diarrhoea.”

    In an interview with CAMPUSLIFE, a matron shed light on the cause of the disease, which she said may not be unconnected with the unhygienic lifestyle of students “who never wash their hands after using the toilet”. She said such negligence could cause diarrhoea.

    The producer said the disease could also be caused by retailers, who he said, may be selling products they had stored during the protracted Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike.

    Folake Alomilagba, a 200-Level Economics student, said: “I can recall that a lecturer mentioned a woman in the school area who sells sachet water she stored in her shop during the ASUU strike.”

    Another victim, who is a 100-Level student, said: “I did not take the sachet water they alleged to have caused the diarrhoea. I took a different brand of sachet water and before I knew what was going on, I had severe stomach upset and was terribly stooling . On getting here, the nurses said I needed treatment.”

    The school has launched an investigation into the matter. Its Chief Security Officer, Captain Augustine Ajayi (rtd), and Reverend Father Olaogun of the Department of Sociology told students to collect samples of all sachet water sold around the school for laboratory test. CAMPUSLIFE gathered that NAFDAC could be invited to conduct the test.

    “Refuting the “producer’s claim of high standard”, Kolawole Jide, a 400-Level Economics student and Students’ Union Government (SUG), presidential aspirant, said: “The company’s water sachet does not carry production and expiry dates.”