The Nation Newspaper

Category: Campus Life

  • FUTA VC seeks role for varsities’ alumni

    Alumni of universities should be encouraged to play key roles and contribute to the development of their alma mater, Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Vice Chancellor Prof Adebiyi Daramola has said.

    Daramola, who spoke when the newly-elected leadership of the FUTA Alumni Association visited him, said no serious establishment could make it alone without carrying along all stakeholders.

    He said old students are stakeholders who should play significant roles in the development of their former schools.

    Daramola, however, called on staff to maintain good relationship with their students because it brings mutual respect and benefits.

    He said, “We have changed the old orientation towards students. We emphasise and ensure that students are treated like younger colleagues because students of today are potential professors and leaders of tomorrow. The fact of the matter is that within years, they will surpass what we have attained as professors. Therefore, we do not maltreat them. We build good sustainable interpersonal relationship.”

    He advised the alumni leaders to spurn initiatives that would attract more old students and work to the benefit of the association.

    “Be objective in your operations. Avoid sentiments and politicking. Expand your operation to attract more members. FUTA products are spread all over the world; engage them and we promise you our utmost support and encouragement. We are happy and proud about the feedback we get from employers of labour about our products. Please do not taint FUTA’s reputation, rather build on it locally and globally and keep the flag flying,” he said.

    In his response, the new President of the association, Mr. Akin Aina, thanked the Vice-Chancellor and his management team for supporting the association over the years, promising to join in making FUTA the best brand.

    Aina said: “We share in your vision in making FUTA the best and taking it to the market place. We are ready to partner with FUTA to take the institution to the market locally and globally. Our members are spread all over the world and we are going to aggressively mobilise our members to make FUTA the best. This regime will try to transform the association. All we need is your continuous support.”

    Aina also told the VC that the Alumni Centre would be completed soon. He added that his team is also planning to support the institution financially.

    The Director, Advancement Centre, Dr. Peter Aborisade, presented the new officers to the Vice-Chancellor.

     

  • Workers block UNN’s resumption

    Workers block UNN’s resumption

    Last November, the host-community of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) protested its alleged neglect by the institution. Now, the workers have risen up against the university over the removal of the Pro-chancellor and Governing Council Chairman, Dr Emeka Enejere. The action has stalled the resumption of the university, which, like others, was shut for over five months during the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike. KINGSLEY AMATANWEZE (500-Level Metallurgical and Material Engineering) and FESTUS IYORAH (200-Level Mass Communication) report.

    ALL was set for the resumption of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in Enugu State last Monday.

    Students had arrived on campus at the weekend and the freshers, among them, were looking forward to their registration and clearance that Monday.

    Then it happened. Workers stormed the campus to protest what they called the “unjust removal” of the Pro-chancellor and Governing Council Chairman, Dr Emeka Enejere, by the supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike.

    It was the second protest in two months. The first in December, last year, was by members of the institution’s host community, who complained of “neglect”.

    The protesters also condemned “arbitrariness” of the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Bartho Okolo, in running the university.

    Trouble started when Wike’s Special Assistant on Media, Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, announced Enejere’s suspension on his principal’s order on December 17.

    Although, no reason was given for the action, some workers believe the VC influenced it.

    Enejere was appointed eight months ago.

    Condemning Enejere’s suspension, the workers protested the following day, threatening to prevent the school’s resumption if Enejere was not reinstated.

    When the institution resumed on January 3, the workers held a procession to remind the management about their demand.

    Last Monday, the protesters were joined by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

    They gathered at the Freedom Square on the main campus under the banner of Joint Action Committee (JAC). The demonstration began at 8am with prayers. Teaching was affected as lecturers trooped to the protest ground.

    A worker, who simply gave his name as Tony, accused ASUU members for taking side with the management. It was learnt that an ASUU official sent a message to members not to join the action.

    Addressing the protesters, ASUU chairman Dr Ifeanyichukwu Abada, who dismissed the text message, said the union had no reason not to join the protest. He urged the workers to continue the protest until their demand was met, adding: “Since what we are demanding is justice, our protest must also be peaceful.”

    Describing Enejere as a hero, Agada said: “The man who came in to restore the dignity of man was unjustly removed. We are asking that an inquiry be constituted immediately by the Federal Government to unravel the crises rocking this university. There is a lot of corruption, injustice and irregularities going on in this school. And we (workers) are saying enough is enough.

    “The Governing Council has not even worked for one year and the chairman is suspended. How can you suspend somebody without stating what the person has done wrong? How can you suspend somebody without telling him what he has done and then telling him to write apology letter? Is it done anywhere? How can you cut workers’ salaries? Is it not criminality? These were what the Governing Council was working against. Dr Enejere did a nice job and workers are happy. The workers are protesting that the right thing should be done and the man should be returned.”

    His SSANU counterpart, Mr Paul Obododike, said: “We are pressing our demands; those arbitrariness and irregularities should stop in the administration of UNN.”

    Obododike explained why the union boycotted a meeting convened by the VC last Sunday. He said: “A meeting was convened yesterday by 9pm. When one man is running out for his life, some of us will also run out for our lives. The university has Nsukka as its main base. I don’t know why a meeting should be convened in Enugu, so that they could round us up and put us in prison. So we said we will not accept; let the VC convene the meeting here in Nsukka. If he said this place is hostile to him, then Enugu is hostile to us. This is the reason why we did not attend the meeting.”

    The non-academic staff also showed solidarity with the struggle. NASU, through its chairman, Mr Godfrey Ugwu, said the protest must continue until their demands are met. “This protest is for a purpose and the purpose is to return Dr Enejere to his position; a panel must be set up to probe how the school is run by the present administration,” Ugwu said.

    On the fate of students as the workers shut down the campus, Abada said: “It is not within our power to ask the students not to come to school; it is the prerogative of the university to do that. We are only protesting arbitrariness in the university; we are not on strike.”

    When CAMPUSLIFE visited the VC’s office, our correspondents were turned back by the security personnel, who said he was not in the office.

    The students are lamenting the effect of the protest on their academic programmes. Freshers’ registration and clearance have been suspended.

    Stephen Onyeka, 100-Level Electrical Engineering student, said he was unhappy with the development. He said: “It appears getting a degree is becoming difficult in Nigeria; even after we have been at home for five months because of ASUU strike.”

    Florence Udeh, a 100-Level English and Literary Studies student, pleaded with the protesters to consider the students’ future. She said: “Because of the protest, we could not continue with our registration. There was nobody to attend to us. They should resolve the issue peacefully because we are already tired.”

     

  • ‘Tolerance is key to our unity’

    ‘Tolerance is key to our unity’

    Jennifer Aduro is a 200-Level student of Medical Rehabilitation at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, and a volunteer for Tolerance Academy, a mobile peace-building network promoting unity in war-torn communities . She tells GILBERT ALASA (400-Level Foreign Languages, University of Benin) how the group inspires her to work for peace.

    That does Tolerance Academy want to achieve?

    Against the backdrop of the crises in some part of the country, Tolerance Academy comes to provide the much-needed restorative balm to the political, ethnic and social wounds we have suffered as a people. This is a brilliant initiative for a country where every little thing is viewed through tribal and religious prism. It is a platform to correct wrong notions and myths about other tribes and belief systems. It is a platform for bringing people together to better understand themselves and also preach the gospel of love, forgiveness, unity in diversity and of course, mutual tolerance.

    How do you think intolerance can be erased in Nigeria?

    It has to start from ourselves. It has been observed that in the course of human evolution, people carryout actions based on beliefs handed down from past generations. Most of these opinions have been moulded since childhood. For instance, if, as an Edo lady, I am told that a Hausa man is hostile towards other tribes, that may automatically change my impression of the people from the North. So, each time I meet a Hausa person, I will become defensive and be ready for a fight. This is where Tolerance Academy comes in. It is a platform that will help us appreciate our cultural and social differences and live in harmony. We have to stop judging an entire ethnic group based on the irrationality of one person. We need leaders who will unite us. We equally need young people who will look beyond old wounds and move on. We also need a government that believes in the values of tolerance and would make appropriate legal provisions and support for tolerance-related initiatives. On the whole, tolerance is the answer to the insecurity challenge we have today.

    What is the level of support for the initiative?

    Originally, the idea was for us to hold these programmes in every state that has experienced tribal and religious strife. That was why the maiden conference was held in Ife, Osun State because of the age-long Modakeke and Ile-Ife crisis. But I am sure if we can get the government support by way of funding and security, we can take our programmes to the doorstep of every Nigerian. Another challenge we face is that young people are hardly interested in mind-building initiatives such as this. It seems everyone is only interested in money. There is nothing wrong with this, but we must understand that we might not be able to realise our dreams when the environment is not safe. I believe if ministries and parastatals can support this cause by supporting our outreach programmes in schools and neighborhoods, no doubt, the message of tolerance would get to everyone and the impact, of course, would be transcendental. We also have issues of creating sustainable platforms for past participants to share their ideas and experiences with others.

  • Mission to save Africa

    Mission to save Africa

    For three days, students from Ghana and Nigeria gathered at The Maple Leaf Hostel in Achimota, Accra, Ghana for the Third Annual Leadership Retreat organised by the African Liberty Students’ Organisation (ALSO), in partnership with African Youth Peace Call (AYPC), on enlarging the free market system in Africa. OLUWAFEMI OGUNJOBI reports.

    Over 100 youths from African countries gathered in Accra, the Ghanaian capital, last month for the third Annual Leadership and Entrepreneurship Retreat of the African Liberty Students’ Organisation (ALSO).

    With the theme: Challenges and prospects of liberty in Africa, the event, which was powered by Atlas Network, sought to review the progress and activities of the youth-based libertarian groups in West African last year and to chart a new course for their activities this year.

    Speakers on the ocassion were ALSO Director of Outreach, Adedayo Thomas; ALSO Outreach Assistant Moronfolu Adeniyi; the founding President, IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, Franklin Cudjoe and president, African Youths Peace Call (AYPC) Kofi Akosah.

    Moronfolu, a 500-Level student of Child Development and Family Studies at the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta (FUNAAB), the Ogun State capital, explained ALSO activities in different chapters to the participants. He reiterated the organisation’s objectives to inform and galvanise the youths to develop their entrepreneurial skills to take Africa out of poverty.

    He said ALSO was becoming a household name in higher institutions on the continent, charging participants to support the organisation’s initiative to engender a free, peaceful and prosperous Africa.

    Speaking on Free market economy, Akosah took a precursory look at environmental protection and remedy, emphasising the idea of property ownership and incentives to help reserve environmental species.

    After the lectures, participants visited the IMANI Centre for Policy and Education in East Legon. There, they had an informative and enlightening chat with Cudjoe, who explored the objectives, challenges and achievements of the organisation in the policy for a better Ghana.

    “IMANI’s mission is simply to subject any government’s policy that is likely to have systematic implications for development to basic value for money, due diligence and rational choice, public choice and vested interests analysis and then actively engage in public advocacy to publicise the results with a view to promoting peace and prosperity through human flourishing,” Cudjoe said.

    Thomas asked the participants to share their challenges in accessing the liberty network. He made the session interactive, which afforded the participants to express their understanding of libertarianism and also share their challenges in their respective campuses.

    Challenges such as victimization, poor orientation, dogmatism, prioritisation between clear-cut objectives of academics or libertarian advocacy were mentioned by the participants as impediment to spreading the gospel on their campuses.

    Responding, Thomas gave a lucid explanation of libertarian principle and in-depth practical approach to promote entrepreneurship. He harped on global benefits inherent in human empowerment to explore his creative ingenuity, adding: “Small government, liberalised policies, intellectual property protection and unfettered idea generation and usage are key for Africa to prosper.”

    Thomas, a graduate of Dramatic Arts, reeled out solutions to the constraints and the prospects of libertarianism, including creativity in individual approach to liberty advocacy. He noted that folklore, dance and drama could be employed as strong communication tools in Africa, adding that ingrained understating of community could help break through cultural barrier and religious obstacle.

    A participant said: “We need a borderless Africa for growth. Unlimited opportunities should not be limited by human induced policies. I believe this event should be spread across sub-Saharan Africa to illuminate the blind and feed the malnourished minds.”

     

  • ‘Our expectations of ASUU, others in 2014’

    ‘Our expectations of ASUU, others in 2014’

    2013 is a year that students will love to forget. Why? The Academic Union of Universities (ASUU) strike kept them at home for over five months. In 2014, they are praying for a hitch-free academic session. OLUWAFEMI OGUNJOBI and TAIWO ADEBULU write.

    THEIR experience last year is not something they wish to remember. Because of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike, students were at home for over five months. Their prayer is that in 2014 they would not go through the same experience. University teachers have since resumed but their Polytechnic counterparts have yet to return to work.

    The socio-economic cost of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) industrial actions is unquantifiable. Among others, the academic pursuit of many students was delayed. Those in their final year could not graduate. Those who graduated could not be mobilised for the National Youth Service.

    The end of ASUU strike was seen by the students as a blessing and with the coming of 2014, their hope is that truly would not travel down the same road again.

    Adeleke Theophillus, a 400-Level Animal Science student at the University of Ibadan (UI) hopes his graduation would not be delayed again. “I wish we get a quality service from our lecturers now that their five months’ salary and arrears have been paid by the government,” he said.

    There should be a turnaround in the education sector, Tunmise Oladoyinbo, a 400-Level English Education student at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, said, since the government had released funds to improve facilities in higher institutions.

    For Taiwo Isola, the months of ASUU strike were a break from face-to-face encounter with insurgency in the North. The 300-Level Human Anatomy student at the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in Borno State, wants the government to ensure the safety of students studying in the Northeast because of the dreaded Islamic sect Boko Haram.

    Taiwo said: “I wish 2014 would mark the beginning of economic prosperity and democracy building; a year when the voice of the youth will not be silenced or ignored as irrelevant. I wish there will be no strikes this year, and campuses in the North will not witness carnage and be violence-free. But, if the government fails to do all these, 2014 may just be a repetition of the previous years.”

    Rasheedah Owolabi, a 300-Level Language Arts student of OAU, is seeking an overhaul of the sector.

    “As a graduating student, what more can I ask for than getting a lucrative job before my National Youth Service. After service, I want to establish my own enterprise as an entrepreneur,” Blessing Adeoye, a 400-Level English student of OAU, who should have graduated last July, said.

    Joseph Onovughakpor, a 400-Level Pure and Applied Physics student of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, urged youths to see beyond their predicament and face their studies. “As we return to school, I want to work hard and I urge my peers to do the same; we must explore all the opportunities on campus and never give up until we graduate from the system,” he said.

    Taiwo Ayomike, a National Certificate in Education (NCE) student at the Adeyemi College of Education in Ondo, hopes to complete her programme without delay. Ayomike, who is studying Christian Religious Studies, also wishes to improve her entrepreneurial skills before graduation.

    She said: “I want to embark on a comprehensive skill acquisition programme that will boost my chance and equip me for life after school.”

    “I want Nigeria to experience peace in every area of our national life,” John Omowale, 200-Level Microbiology student of Ekiti State University (EKSU) said.

    Caleb Adebayo, 400-Level Law student of OAU, wants to devote time to his studies in 2014. He said: “I want to commit quality time to my academics, considering that there would be so much rush to cover for the lost time. I definitely want to serve God better too; to be closer to him.”

     

  • ‘Youths are forces of change’

    ‘Youths are forces of change’

    The Rotaract Club at the NnamdiAzikiwe University, Awka (UNIZIK) has installed its 26th President, Nonyelu Ifeanyi.

    The ceremony featured a lecture titled: “Youth, peace and conflict resolution: lessons and way forward.”

    The guest lecturer, Dr Bakky Adirika, described the youth as a vital force for positive change because they possess the energies that could lead to national rebirth.

    “The youths are like a reservoir of energy. They are strong, brave and they can also extend peace and help to resolve conflicts. Youths are great assets wherever they are found,” Dr Adirika said.

    She lamented the condition of the youth in many African countries where they are not recognised as agents of peace, saying: “The reasons for the continued negligence of the African youth in the quest for peace are not farfetched. They easily constitute themselves into gangs that unleash destruction and instability at the slightest provocation. Youth militia exist in Sierra Leone, Kenya, Rwanda, Liberia and in many other African nations. The African adult would generally misconstrue youths as incapable of leading or even participating in peace development and conflict resolution initiatives.”

    She said economic empowerment, political participation, youth – community connections as some of the measures to make the youth a valuable resource in peace initiatives. Dr Adirika urged youth to resolve to be the change they need in their daily pursuits.

    In his valedictory speech, the outgoing president, Frank Ekweozor, thanked members for the opportunity given to him to serve the body.

    Highlights of the event included a fitness check, presentation of awards to deserving persons, and the inauguration of the new board of directors.

    Nonyelu expressed satisfaction at the turn out of people at the event, saying it showed the support and belief people have in the club.

    He said the club was the best place to be and a family that works hard to contribute largely to society. He said the club had executed various projects at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, (UNIZIK) including the renovation of the security post at the permanent site gate.

    He called on students and staff of the university to expect more projects from the club.

    Some of the awardees included the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Prof Joseph Ahaneku, who was honoured for his contribution to vocational excellence.

    Others included the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Awka, which was recognised for corporate service excellence and the Managing Director, Anambra Broadcating Servive (ABS) Rev Ginikanwa Alphonsus with a leadership excellence service award.

     

     

  • As revenge pornography takes centre stage

    There is this innate quality in most men which propels us to assist women whenever they are in distress. It could be seeing a lady with a flat tyre standing helplessly beside her car on the road, a mother with her child wailing or a group of men molesting a lady. The natural instinct is for a real man to rise to the occasion and lend a helping hand. There are thousands of cases where this applies. I came across one during the Christmas and New Year break.

    I had just parked my car at a shopping mall and was about to walk in when I saw four young women comforting another. Initially, I wanted to ‘mind my business’ and just walk away when my conscience pricked me. I approached them cautiously, wanting to know what the issue was. I asked politely: “Is anything the matter?” They exchanged quick glances while trying to size me up. One of them nodded and her colleague handed me a Samsung smartphone. Seeing the perplexed look on my face, she said “look at it sir.”

    I looked at the phone and saw the picture of a nude girl. Again, my perplexed look gave me away. The lady that handed me the phone pointed to the lady crying and said “that’s our friend and that is why she’s crying; we are just trying to console her. There is also a video about her.”

    It turned out that this 19 years old undergraduate of a private university in the Southwest is faced with one of the toughest challenges of her very young life. Her nude pictures and video have been uploaded online and has gone viral. By the time they showed me the clip it had recorded more than 2,000 hits which was why she was wailing uncontrollably. She kept muttering: “What will I tell my parents when they get to see this?”

    She got to know about it when her friends started calling and berating her for selling herself cheap. Confused, she asked what the matter was. That was when her attention was directed at the pictures and video.

    I choose to write this because I have heard about several cases similar to that of this young girl, and having the ‘opportunity’ of seeing one personally necessitates beaming the searchlight on the issue. It was quite pathetic seeing this girl, who in between sobs, kept wailing “Jide, how can you do this to me, it’s so unfair; where will I hide my head?” For what it was worth, I tried my best to encourage her, falling short of asking why she could be this stupid.

    Jide, I was told, was her ex-boyfriend who decided to “punish” her for walking out of their relationship. I was also made to understand that he had promised to “tarnish” her reputation for life. She said she thought he was bluffing and wondered what he could do to tarnish her reputation. With this sinister and wicked move, Jide appeared to have gotten his pound of flesh.

    While holding the phone, calls kept coming in and her friends tried lamely to answer the calls the best way they could. In some instances, the altercations would lead to verbal abuse, both in English and Yoruba. I did the best I could in that circumstance to comfort and counsel them.

    When I got home, my mind flashed back to Paris Hilton who had a sex tape leaked by her ex-boyfriend. I remembered Piers Morgan of CNN asking Paris – in the presence of her mother – how she would feel when she eventually becomes a mother and her child sees her sex tapes on the internet. Both could not convincingly answer the question, they only riled at her ex-boyfriend who uploaded it on the internet. The same will apply to the girl I’m writing about today, no doubt.

    I also recollected that of Anita Hogan, but thankfully she is now married. But some may not be that lucky.

    For those who may not know, there is now a new vogue in town among our youths called revenge pornography or e-venge pornography. Revenge porn is a sexually explicit material that is publicly shared online without the consent of the individual in question.

    In almost all the instances, it is typically uploaded by former lovers or hackers (In rare instances). The majority of images are mostly “selfies,” which are taken by the subject themselves. The images are often accompanied by personal information, including the victims’ full name, links to Facebook and social media profiles or addresses.

    This scenario is fast trending as one of the quickest ways of getting a good pound of the flesh from a wronged lover. Unlike other anonymous pornographic materials online, revenge pornography makes the face of the act clear and ensures the name is also known. In some extremely harsh instances, the mobile contact, work details and home address of the pictured person are made available.

    Revenge pornography began garnering international media attention when Hunter Moore launched IsAnyoneUp.com in 2010. The site featured user-submitted pornography, and was one of the first sites that included identifying information, such as the subjects’ names, employers, addresses and links to social networking profiles.

    Since revenge pornography always has women as victims most times, it can also be right to describe it as sexual violence – of a rather crude type – against women with the sole aim to embarrass, humiliate and degrade them sexually, if she is career driven, she may be disgraced professionally. I cannot imagine that professional Nigerian lady that will hold her head high and go to work daily if her sexually explicit materials are circulating widely on the internet.

    The international legal firmament is already witnessing various fireworks to address the weak presence or outright absence of legislation around this. Some of the anti-revenge porn legislations are hoping – in addition to criminalising revenge porn – also target service providers whenever the actions of their users are misguided.

    Beyond legal frameworks, it raises serious moral issue about how our youths are raised by their parents these days. Why would a young lady – if she really is a lady – occupy her time with taking nude pictures either in front of a guy that is not her husband, or sending it to him online? Why would a young man, on the other hand, decide to ‘punish’ a lady this way without thinking of the long term implications?

    What I take out of this is that the dark side of mobile and any technology really, is that it exposes the dark side of people. For those of us who desire to do good in this world we must develop strategies that are realistic about the nature of the work that has been set before us. If our solutions only alleviate the surface level symptoms without addressing the true heart of the issues, we may end up making things worse than they were when we started.

    A lady from a disciplined and proper home will definitely think twice before exposing her naked pictures to a “friend” because she wants to foster “friendship” with a man. The first lesson a mother worth her salt teaches her daughter is how to be a lady, and a lady is a woman of refined background and upbringing, a woman who behaves politely with dignity and integrity, such a lady will be more interested in the weighty issues of life rather than posting nude pictures or “sexting” with acquaintances.

    The same goes for the fathers as well; they are expected to train their boys to be gentlemen who respect women and give them their expected dues in society and not to treat them as sex toys. Because of the break down in our value system some young men have grown up seeing the denigration of women as the norm, it shouldn’t be. In the West, laws are enacted that protect the rights of women and children simply because some men refuse to grow up and be responsible, this is the singular reason men move out of the home in cases of divorce.

  • Students’ group holds anniversary

    Students’ group holds anniversary

    The National Association Iko Students (NAIS) has held its 44th anniversary at the International Civic Centre in Iko, Akwa Ibom State.

    The ceremony attracted many personalities and past executives of the association.

    In his address, president, Fred Iremesuk, thanked members for their support to the growth of the union.

    “I wish to use this opportunity to appreciate the commendable efforts of various categories of persons to the growth of our association. Without you behind us, we may not have reached this enviable height,” he said.

    A founding father, Chief Solomon Philip, awarded cash prizes to members, promising to support the projects of the union.

    A student of Heritage Polytechnic, Eket Fidelis, told CAMPUSLIFE that he was happy to be part of the association.

    Highlights of the occasion included the unveiling of the union’s amended constitution, drama and cultural display.

  • Union faults NEEDS report

    Union faults NEEDS report

    NON-TEACHING staff in universities may lose their job if the the Needs Assessment report by Prof Yakubu Mahmood, a former executive of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) should be implemented by the government.

    The report, which is aimed at addressing infrastructural decay and funding challenges in the nation’s public universities, does not favour the non-teaching staff.

    However, the western zone of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has faulted the report in a public lecture it held in the Akin Deko audirorium at the University of Benin (UNIBNEN).

    The lecture with the theme: “Needs Assessment: A benchmark of confusion”was attended by members of Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and  National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

    In his address, Alfred Jimoh, said the lecture was aimed at educating the public on some contentioussections of the report which had generated confusion in the zone .Jimoh said the association had decided to condemn the report, which according to him,was harmful to human capital development and promotion of sound academic ethics in the sector.

    A participant, Mr A.O. Salami, from the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta (FUNAAB) said he was surprisedat the content of the document, saying it was targeted at witch-hunting non-academic members.

    According to him, the report which was said to have been prepared using international best practices, said if Nigerian universities must compete globally, the number of academics should outnumber those of non-academic staff.

    He said the recommendation was erroneous, citing cases of the renowned John Hopkins University and Havard University where the number of non-teaching staff outweighs that of teaching staff.

    “Placing an embargo on the employment of non-academic staff will spell doom for us considering the fact that the labour market is already saturated. Moreover, more financial cost is incurred in catering for the salary of more academics,” he stated.

    Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, a member of the UNIBEN chapter of the association, Osaretin Ahile, said if Nigeria universities must reclaim their pride of place, the assessment report needed to be revisited in the interest of non-academic staff.

    “We are dissociating ourselves from the obvious shortcomings of the NEED report and we urge government to desist from implementing those parts of the report targeted at witch-hunting us,” he said.

    A civil servant who attended the lecture, Mr Solomon Okoro, said: “With what I have learned today in the course of this lecture, I can sense that all is not well with Nigerian universities. Government should do all it can to correct the deficit highlighted by SSANU members inorder to avoid a collapse of our educational system.”

    A student, Clemetina Elema, hailed SSANU for organising the lecture.

  • Healthy body, healthy mind

    Healthy body, healthy mind

    Being healthy, according to World Health Organisation (WHO), is not merely the absence of disease but a state of physical, mental and social well-being.

    To maintain a healthy life and prevent muscular diseases, medical experts recommended physical exercises.

    In line with this recommendation, the University of Ibadan (UI) Health Services, as part of its New Year resolution to keep students and staff fit, held a Workplace Wellness Programme, a physical exercise.

    The participants, led by the Director of Health Services, Dr. Olufemi Akingbola, converged on Jaja Avenue before embarking on the exercise. The participants moved from the Jaja Avenue to the university gate and Central Administration, where they visited the Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Isaac Adewole.

    While waiting for the VC, the participants performed some aerobics . They arranged themselves to spell “coconut” by bending to the left, right, stretching hand back and forth. They impressed the on-lookers with the choreographed exercise, singing nursery hymns such as “My head, my shoulder, my knee, my leg belong to God”.

    The UI Director of Public Communication, Mr. Olatunji Oladejo, who addressed the participants before the VC’s arrival, pledged the university’s support for the exercise.

    Addressing the participants, Prof Adewole described the human body as a vehicle that requires prompt and adequate attention to avert unnecessary ailments. He charged the participants not to take part in the exercise for fun, but to maintain a healthy life.

    “Taking breakfast at appropriate time is germane to health of individuals as it will serve the basis for brain to function normal,” the VC said, urging Nigerians to give priority to their health status through medical checkup. “This will enable someone to know his or her blood pressure, blood sugar and caution on what to eat,” he added.

    The VC urged the participants to sensitise the public on health issues, noting that there were still people who did not know their blood group and genetype to prevent sickle cell. He announced that the university would establish four special clinics in to attend to body pains, hypertension, diabetes and orthopedics.

    Dr Akingbola said he was excited that the programme came at the time the university was preparing to resume for work in the New Year. He said it was a New Year campaign to sensitise and educate members of the university community on health issue.

    “We don’t want people to fall sick before they visit the clinic; we want those who are healthy remained healthy and those that visit clinic frequently can have respite,” Akingbola said.

    He praised the VC for taking the bold step to establish the clinics, saying the move would reduce mortality and morbidity rates.

    The Co-ordinator of the programme, Dr Bayo Oluwasanu, described the exercise as significant to maintain a healthy nation. He added that without good health nothing could be achieved.

    He stressed the need for people to consider medical implication of everything they do. He charged participants to check their health monthly.