The Nation Newspaper

Category: Campus Life

  • Oko Poly functional, says TETFUND

    The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) has described the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, (Oko Poly) in Anambra State as functional during the tour of tertiary institutions by the new Board of Trustees of the fund.

    Member, Southeast Board of Trustees (BoT) of the body, Chinedu Onu, who led the visitation team, said they were impressed with the infrastructural development in the school.

    He said the polytechnic was the best out of the three institutions they visited in the region, saying that its management was vibrant and responsive.

    Onu charged the polytechnic to strengthen its exchange programmes with foreign institutions, adding that it would help the polytechnic to improve its research projects and become a world-class institution.

    He decried the inability of Nigeria’s polytechnics to be listed as one of the best 1000 technology institutions in the world, urging authorities of the school to ensure that it specialises in a key area of research.

    The Rector, Prof Godwin Onu, commended the Federal Government for the bold initiative to revive the education sector through TETFUND. He lauded government for its improved budgetary allocation to education. Prof Onu called on government to assist the school to tackle its challenges and remain relevant.

    He called on TETFUND to assist the polytechnic to build a 3,000 capacity electronic classroom with computers, saying that this would assist the polytechnic to achieve its digitalisation objective.

  • A word for reality shows organisers

    A word for reality shows organisers

    I have been an ardent fan of almost all the television reality shows in the past five years. I must congratulate the organisers on bringing up programmes to harness the potential and creativity of the youth. The shows have made many young Nigerians to detest crimes, ridding the nation of juvenile delinquency.

    In the manner the youth are engaged, it takes their minds off mischief. Against such background, I believe the beneficiaries will forever be indebted to reality show producers for giving them the opportunity to discover their God-given talents. For this I say, thumps up!However, my purpose of writing this article is not merely to praise the promoters of reality shows for rewarding youths, but to inform them how some Nigerians feel about their programmes. The manner the shows’ organisers lavish money in the name of rewarding people they consider to have talents for music is alarming and uncalled for.

    Though I am not trying to say that these young talented youths do not deserve the financial reward, but there are areas of our national life that are dead and need to be revamped. The TV reality shows promoters, as private sector, can come in here to reach out to more youths.

    The mind blowing millions spent in rewarding the successful youths in their programmes can be invested in productive ventures. The Nation, on October 1, published a story that told how leather factories in Kano have become moribund. Of course, we do not need a soothsayer to tell us that the agricultural sector is also dying. As such, I urge the reality shows’ promoters to also use throw their money in revitalising these sectors. At the end, Nigerians would be happy and there would be huge profit from the investment.

    It may interest them to know that if they contribute in turning around the fortunes of critical sector of our economy, the citizens of this country would not forget them. They should imagine a situation where they revitalise an industry or create one and thousands of youths are employed, this would have extended their love to a larger population compare with when they just reward two or five people in the so-called TV reality shows.

    Again, the shows have continued to encourage youths to dwell in the fantasies of being the next superstars. Consequently, every youth wants to be a musician, an actor or actress, a super model and so on. I am not insinuating that these vocations are not noble or legitimate but it appears that the number of youths who want to be entertainers is increasing.

    Regrettably, no Nigerian youth wants to be like our revered Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka or the late Prof Chinua Achebe, Prof Akachi Ezeigbo, Chimamanda Adichie, Prof Zaynab Alkali just to mention a few. If anyone thinks that I exaggerate, he can go to secondary schools and ask pupils what they wish to be in future. He would be surprised that 75 per cent of them would wish to be musician or movie actor. I am not trying to say everybody must be in the academia. Yes, there must be variety because God created variety and variety is the spice of life. But priority must be given to other sectors if national and human developments are wanted in Nigeria.

    We are regularly informed that reading culture has waned in Nigeria. Why will it not be when we reward youths with millions the way TV reality shows’ promoters do, knowing clearly that Nigerian youths like shortcut and faster means to rich and fame.

     

    How do you expect young people to read books or develop their minds when their mates are out there making millions in a two-week or a month TV reality shows?

    Let it not be seen that this article is an attack on potential celebrities and superstars. I am only against the idea of giving them millions of naira just because they took part in what does not necessarily add values to the life of the common man. As a life-time student of economics, I know that it is good to appreciate people who patronise us, but if it must be done, then it should be with a moderate amount.

    How can you reward a youthful contestant with N10 million and expect him to go back to school? Is it not better to use such fund to build a health care centre in one of the rural areas? That is the real meaning of corporate social responsibility.

    The truth must always be told no matter bitter or who gets hurt. I wish you could do this for us. For the earlier we control this reality show extravagance, the better for our national and human developments.

     

    •Uchechukwu, 100-Level Food Science and Technology, ABSU

  • Poly Students win contest

    Poly Students win contest

    Three students of the Federal Polytechnic in Oko (OKO POLY), Anambra State, have emerged winners of a competition organised by the Institute of Architecture for tertiary institutions in the state.

    The Head of Department of Architecture, Dr Rowland Ezeaku, who presented the award winners to the school management, said the contest was aimed at tackling the problems of flooding that ravaged many communities across the country last year.

    He explained that the competition was aimed at designing a flood response shelter in case of flood disaster, adding that the buildings designed by the winning students floated with the flood level.

    The overall winner, Mba Catherine got N75,000 cash donation while the two runners-up, Igwuilo Chbuike and Waheed Prince, won N60,000 and N45,000.

    The Rector, Prof Godwin Onu, congratulated the students on promoting the good image of the institution, adding that their victory was a source of pride to the authorities. He explained that the win was an attestation to the culture of academic excellence in the school, saying that students of the polytechnic recently came top in similar competitions organised by Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) aimed at promoting the Igbo culture.

    All the winners carted away a laptop and a generating set was awarded to the students by Kenneth Okonkwo from Model Security Agency.

    Prof Onu commended lecturers in the department for their zeal and efforts aimed at promoting excellence among the students.

    ‘’I urge you not to relent in your efforts to instill sound academic values in the students. I implore those who did not win never to lose sight of the ball but to learn from the winners. Ingenuity and discipline is needed to become a winner in any endeavour. I urge all of you to imbibe those traits,’’ said.

     

  • Students donate blood

    Students donate blood

    Students of the Lagos State College of Health Technology (LASCOHT) have participated in a health symposium aimed at encouraging students to donate blood. The event featured talk on healthy nutrition, blood donation and sickle cell anaemia.

    The exercise, which was organised by Club 25 of the college in conjunction with the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee (LSBTC) offered free medical check-up to students. Some of the medical examinations provided during the programme included blood sugar level, blood group, HIV status and hepatitis B and C screening.

    Hundreds of students donated blood to make blood available in hospitals across the state.

    A 200-Level student of the college, Dosumu Hannah, said she was scared of donating her blood but one of her classmates motivated her.

    She told CAMPUSLIFE that the process was easy. ‘’The staff of LSBTC were very friendly and I felt healthy after the donation. Initially, I was scared of offering my blood. But I feel good about donating my blood to save the lives of other persons,’’ she stated.

    Another donor, Ifeoluwa Afolake, a 400-Level student of Environmental Health said she was not scared since it was not her first time to donate blood.

    Modupe Sarumi, also a 400 level Environmetal Health student said that was her third time of donating blood. She urged her other students to donate their blood voluntarily, saying that it helps the body to produce new red blood cells.

    President of club, Shogo Oloshunde, said that there is fulfillment in voluntary blood donation, noting that it was a necessary to save others’ lives through blood donation.

    The Chairman of LSBTC, Dr Adetoun Agbe-Davies, said voluntary blood donation is important to save people’s lives, especially accident victims and women in labour.

    She said: ‘’We cannot overemphasise the importance of voluntary blood donation because it is the source of life to people in emergency situations.that is why we encourage more people to donate blood and rescue those in need of it.’’

    She added that the donor must be between 18 and 65 and free from infections.

    Head of LSCOHT, Dr Abiola Tilley-Gyado said voluntary blood donation is a self-less way of saving the lives of others, saying it was economical and would ensure its availability in blood banks.

  • Osun students elect leaders

    The National Association of Osun State Students (NAOSS) has elected new executive to pilot its affairs for the next one year. The election, which witnessed a huge turn-out of voters, was described by students as free and fair.

    A student of Offa Polytechnic, Offa, Ajayi Temitope lauded members of the Electoral Commission for conducting peaceful polls.

    The new executive is led by Omowaye Ojo as President, Bashiru Oladejo, Vice-President I and Abimbola Mayosade, Vice-President II.

    Others are Akintayo Oyegoke, Secretary-General; Adetoyi Olanipekun, Assistant Secretary-General; Babawale Olarenwaju, Public Relations Officer I; Nurudeen Ibrahim, Public Relations Officer II and Sulaimon Olajide as Director of Sports. The new executives were sworn in immediately by the Chairman of the electoral commission.

    Speaking at the inauguration, Ojo thanked the students for electing him as their leader, assuring them that he would use his office to promote the welfare of students.

  • Prevail on FG to honour agreement – ASUU

    Prevail on FG to honour agreement – ASUU

    The National President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr. Nasir Fagge, has urged Nigerians to prevail on the Federal Government to honour the agreement it signed with the union.

    Fagge told the News Agency of Nigeria on telephone in Lagos that Nigerians should stop appealing to the union to call off its strike.

    He stressed that rather than prevailing on ASUU to call off the strike, Nigerians should look at its demands and see their relevance to national development.

    “Why is it that when issues like this come up, Nigerians will start begging ASUU to call off strike in the interest of the children and the country in general, rather than prevailing on government.

    “I want to state here that we have a lot of respect and appreciate the concern of all Nigerians who have prevailed on ASUU to reconsider its stand and call off the strike.

    “But sincerely, I think if people really care about this country and want to move it forward, they should refocus their thinking to government and prevail on them to implement the agreement and then we can start from there.

    “The National Assembly had in the time past appealed to us to bend over and we did in the interest of the country– while negotiations lasted– but look at what is happening now!“ he said.

    The ASUU president noted that when the union embarked on strike in 2011 over the same demands, the same appeal came from concerned Nigerians, with the assurance that the matter would be looked into urgently and its demands met.

    He said that because of the need to respect the views of these Nigerians and to keep the system going, the union called off the strike and that, unfortunately, nothing was done about it.

    “We shall no longer be coerced into calling off the strike and returning to classes because the last time we had such a strike was in 2011– when I was the Vice-President– and two years after, we have embarked on another strike over the same issue.

    “I think as a nation, there is need for us to try and do the right thing by way of extracting commitment from our leaders because we cannot continue this way.

    “Our system is getting bad every day to the extent that when we go out with our certificates, it no longer commands the respect it ought to, and that is why we must do all we could to re-engineer the system.

    “You know that if products from our universities continue to study with little or non-existent infrastructure in place, as it is obtained today, they will fail to deliver and the entire responsibility falls back on our shoulders, “ Fagge said.

    According to him, ASUU is committed to deliver on its mandate in order to produce students who are well equipped and see them contribute positively to national development.

    He noted that it was on this premise that Nigerians must prevail on government to do the right thing once and for all.

     

  • Crescent varsity to honour Otudeko, Okoya-Thomas at 5th Convocation

    Crescent University, Abeokuta will honour the Chairman, Honeywell Group, Chief Oba Otudeko and business mogul Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas at its fifth Convocation on Saturday.

    In a statement its Public Relations officer, Idris Katib, noted that Otudeko will be honoured with DSc Banking and Finance (honoris causa) while Chief Okoya-Thomas will be bagging DSc Accounting (honoris causa) of the institution.

    The statement further said 141 students will be graduating with bachelors from Colleges of Information and Communication Technology, Natural and Applied Sciences as well as Social and Management Sciences.

    The Convocation lecture tagged: Islamic education and peaceful co-Existence: Whither Nigeria? will be delivered by the former Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Prof Is-haq Oloyede, tomorrow.

    Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, is expected to be the chief host while the proprietor of the university, Prince Bola Ajibola is the grand host.

     

  • Ojeme is pro-chancellor

    The Governing Council of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, the Proprietor base of Covenant University (CU), Ota has approved the appointment of Pastor Abraham Ojeme, as Pro-Chancellor of the university.

    His appointment was announced by the Chancellor and Chairman, Board of Regents, Dr David Oyedepo at his special meeting with the university’s management team.

    The Chancellor said the appointment will facilitate decision making and approval processes in the university as well as spiritual oversight of the university community.

    According to the job description read by the Chancellor, the Pro-Chancellor will represent the interest of the proprietors on behalf of the Chancellor by providing visionary, spiritual and administrative oversight for the university through qualitative pursuit of her vision and mission while serving as the custodian of her culture and values.

    Until his appointment, Pastor Ojeme was the Resident Pastor of Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland and former Vice President (Foreign Mission), Living Faith Church Worldwide (LFCWW).

    He is also former Executive Secretary, Living Faith Church Worldwide, Senior Pastor, Winners Chapel International, London, among other pastoral inspectoral work within the Living Faith Church Worldwide.

    A chemist by training, Pastor Ojeme who holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry, started his career as a lecturer in the Department of Chemistry, Lagos State University, before he joined the services of Nestle Nigeria Plc where he held various strategic positions, including that of the Quality Assurance Manager.

  • CU clocks 11

    The CU Chancellor, Dr David Oyedepo, has said the institution would be among the top 10 universities in the world by 2022.

    Oyedepo spoke at the university’s 11th Founder’s Day on Monday. He said since inception on October 20, 2002, the university remained focus in ensuring that it actualised its mandate, which is primarily to raise leaders that will change the world.

    The cleric noted that already the university had surpassed set standards, but was not relenting until it achieved its much-desired 2022 dream, tagged: Vision 10: 2022, (1 of 10 in 10).

    “It is in view of this that we are launching our new vision and therefore, want to charge the faculty managements to invest maximally in the review of our curriculum.

    “We must strive to review pragmatically, the contents of our curriculum by bringing it into the realities of the day. Let us not be afraid of trying out new things in new ways because unless this is done, you cannot move forward. We must strive to have the creative mind of christ to review our curriculum in order to truely meet the needs of the society,” he said.

    The Chancellor noted that empowering the people intellectually as well as practicalising it through inventions and discoveries was key in taking universities to higher levels.

    He charged the students to be excellent performers especially in the area of self discipline, as it was one major tool of becoming great leaders.

     

  • CU clocks 11

    The 36th Public Lecture of CU comes holds tomorrow at the university chapel.

    The lecture titled: Nigeria, oil and the yamani syndrome; will be delivered by an astute scholar and Professor of Political Science and International Relations, Kayode Akinyemi Soremekun.

    Soremekun is the immediate past Dean, College of Development Studies and former Head of Department of Political Science and International Relations, Covenant University. He also chairs the University’s Parley Committee.

    Before joining the university in August 2010, Soremekun’s career alternated between the worlds of academic and journalism. He has worked on full-time and part-time basis on the editorial boards of various newspapers. These include the now rested Daily Times, The Guardian, The Champion, The Nigerian Compass and the defunct AM News.

    In academia, Soremekun started out as an Assistant Lecturer in 1979 at the then University of Ife. He rose steadily through the ranks and eventually in 1982, he was appointed a Professor of International Relations at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

    In the course of this progression, he held a number of administrative positions. These include: Head of Department, Vice Dean, and Dean, Faculty of Administration.