The Nation Newspaper

Category: Campus Life

  • 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.

     

  • Varsity visits Mimiko

    The Vice-Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Prof Femi Mimiko, has led the management on a condolence visit to the Governor of Ondo State and Visitor to the Institution, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko over the October 3 plane crash, which claimed the lives of four officials of the State and 12 others.

    Prof. Mimiko said the news was shocking and a monumental loss and prayed that God Almighty would give the Governor and the bereaved the fortitude to bear the loss. The VC also called on the regulatory agency in the aviation sector to be alive to its responsibility to avert a reocurrence.

    Responding, Governor Mimiko thanked the and prayed that God would not allow such sad occurrence in the State and in the Country again.

    The University Management also visited elder-statesman, Chief Olu Falae, who lost his son, Deji, in the crash, and Afenifere National Leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, to commiserate with him over the incident.

  • YABATECH holds 28th Convocation

    The Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) will graduate 7,540 National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) holders during its 28th convocation next Thurday.

    At a pre-convocation briefing last Friday, the Rector, Dr Margret Ladipo said the graduands consist of 3,740 students who finished in the 2010/2011 session and 3,300 who completed their studies in the 2011/2012 sessions.

    Giving the details of the convocation programme, she said the ceremonies will be launched with a special Jumat service to be held tomorrow, while a commendation service will come up on Sunday, October 27 at the college chapel. The convocation lecture and exhibition will hold October 29), and convocation on 30.

    Attesting to the quality of graduates trained by the college, Dr Ladipo said the college’s entrepreneurship programme ensures the students are well groomed for businesses.

    “The whole essence of entrepreneurship education is to produce competent graduates who would be academically and economically endowed with requisite skills to become self-employed and ultimately employers of labour. This will serve a dual purpose of promoting the dignity of labour and drastically reducing the legion of the unemployed in our society. The realization of the stated goals would eventually help to checkmate the growing incidence of youth restiveness and resort to criminality,” she said.

    The rector said the convocation lecture titled: Synergy in technical, vocational and entrepreneurial education for industrial growth: panacea to survival of small/medium scale business” be delivered by Dr Umar Bindir, Director-General, National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), is a clarion call by the college to identify with the drive towards redeeming the economy and also re-awakening their collective commitment to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), which has been identified as a tool for accelerated industrial development and growth of Nigerian economy.

    The lecture will be chaired by the Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Education Aminu Suleiman.

    During the convocation proper, Dr Ladipo said two distinguished Nigerians, Chief Mrs Folorunsho Alakija, President and Chief Executive Officer, Rose of Sharon and Dr Nuru Yakubu, National Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), will be conferred with the honorary fellowship award of the college.

     

     

    “It is undoubtable that these eminent people have been very successful in service to this country and humanity. They have served the nation with love, faith and selflessness. It is in this regard that the college has decided to give honour to whom it is indeed due”said Mrs Ladipo.

    Mrs Ladipo said the Special Guest of Honour is the Supervising Minister of Education, Barrister Nyesome Wike.

    BT

  • 1960/001:UNN’s first student, 93, shows off his certificate

    1960/001:UNN’s first student, 93, shows off his certificate

    It was an exciting moment for members of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) community when the pioneer students of the institution were honoured in a programme marking the golden jubilee of its first graduation. The first student to be registered pulled a surprise when he displayed his certificate bearing his matriculation number. INYA AGHA reports.

    •Excitement as pioneer students return to varsity

    Fifty years after they were awarded their first degree certificates, the pioneer graduates of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) have returned to the school.

    As they were being welcomed, one of them, Chief C. N. Eneasato, 93, surprised all. He came with his certificate with the matriculation number 1960/001 to show the guests that he was the first student to be registered in the university.

    The management under the leadership of Prof Bartho Okolo had organised a golden jubilee anniversary to honour the 1963 graduates whose outstanding performance in the year’s civil service examination earned the university respect and put an end to derisive criticisms that trailed its establishment as a full-fledged university in 1960.

    It was reported that the first graduates of the university took the first 10 positions in the examination, ahead of their counterparts from the then University College, Ibadan, which was established in 1948.

    According to the Vice-Chancellor, some people moved against the establishment of UNN at the time of its founding, but the performance of its graduates silenced the critics.

    Okolo said: “This distinguished generation of Lions and Lionesses excelled beyond anyone’s imagination. It was reported that their excellent performance at the civil service examination was the beginning of the reputation of excellence, which we all enjoy at the UNN today. Their achievements opened doors for subsequent graduates of this university. Some of these heroes may have fallen, but an event of this nature serves to express our respect, admiration and gratitude for being worthy pioneer students and graduates of this legacy institution. We salute and congratulate them for the legacy of excellence which they bequeathed to us.”

    The Pro-Chancellor, Dr Emeka Enejere, said honouring the pioneer graduates was necessary to bring back the past glory of the university for people to have a better understanding of its present state, and make projection into its future.

    He chronicled the history of the UNN from when the idea was conceived to when the institution was finally established in October 7, 1960. He saluted the faith of the pioneer graduates in the university at a time when, he said, people called to question the validity of a degree awarded by the institution.

    “The role you all played in the University of Nigeria cannot be forgotten; we cannot thank you enough for bearing the name, the Lions and Lionesses, with dignity and candour. Your alma mater is proud of you, and your names shall eternally be written in the book of records of the university,” he said.

    The best graduating student of the 1963 class, Prof Johnson Asiegbu, recounted how his set was derided and criticised for being students of UNN, saying many of the critics called the institution Zik’s secondary school. But their determination to succeed, despite infrastructural challenges, he said, made them resilient and focused.

    He said: “UNN gave us an assignment when we came here in 1960. An assignment to restore the dignity of man; we came with enthusiasm from start to finish. But within the university, we had challenges of infrastructure and people ridiculed us and our university. If that challenge had affected us, it would have been a different history. But we never lost faith because we knew we had a duty to do for ourselves and to the country.

    “Even the Federal Civil Service examination that was organised in 1963 was meant to prove that UNN graduates were not worthy of their certificates.

    But the table turned on the critics as we put up a sterling performance by occupying all the top positions in the test. I am happy that the university has sustained that tradition of excellence over the years.”

    Prof Solomon Omoregie, one of the pioneer graduates, said the spirit of hard work, which they learnt during their undergraduate days, was the bedrock of their successes in their postgraduate studies abroad.

    Prof Omoregie recalled how his classmates had to line up waiting for their turn to study a particular textbook recommended by their teachers. “If you had the opportunity to read that book for 30 minutes, you would not see it again for the whole session, that was how we started,” he said.

    The octogenarian, who has a flair for poetry, donated copies of his last book to Nnamdi Azikiwe Library to appreciate his alma mater for giving his life a good shape.

    The peak of the event was the presentation of pencil portraits of old and young images of the honorees by the Pro-chancellor and Vice-Chancellor.

    The UNN registered over 200 students in October 1960 and graduated 150 of them in 1963.

     

  • Caleb VC gets new role

    The Vice-Chancellor, Caleb University, Imota, Lagos State, Prof Ayodeji Olukoju, has been elected President of the Organisation for Historical Research in Nigeria (OHRN). The election, which is for an initial two-year period, was the highlight of the third anniversary of the association, held at the University of Ibadan.

    OHRN had operated since October 13, 2010 as the Network of Nigerian Historians.

    The event featured a Roundtable addressed by Prof Wale Oyemakinde, Nigeria’s pioneer labour historian and frontline economic historian, who delivered a paper entitled: “Historicity, Policy Prescription, Administration and Arbitration.”

    Chaired by Prof Hakeen Danmole of the Lagos State University (LASU), the event drew participants from three Federal, three state and two private universities, and a college of education. Two students of History from Ambassadors College, Ile-Ife attended the meeting as observers.

    Delivering his presidential address, Olukoju, a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, commended the members for their commitment in the face of great odds and expressed gratitude to them for the honour of leading the association.

    He pledged the commitment of the executive committee to the accomplishment of the goals of OHRN.

     

  • NOUN VC: strikes will soon go extinct

    NOUN VC: strikes will soon go extinct

    Regular disruption of academic programmes in universities will soon be a thing of the past. Vice Chancellor National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof Ado Vincent Tenebe, has said.

    In an interview, he said the nation was moving from the traditions that led to strike and would soon get to the learn how to avoid strikes under democratic rule.

    He, however, said that academic programmes of the NOUN were not affected by strikes, pointing out that the resource persons being used are not necessarily permanent workers of the institution.

    While describing the strike as pathetic, Tenebe said: “It is not a thing of joy to say we go through this disruption in academic programme in this country. Having worked in the university industry all my life, I know what this is all about.

    “You know that strikes are not only peculiar to the academics of this country. You find strikes in other sectors too. It’s unfortunate but you know as well as I do that the history behind the strike-unless a strike, you don’t get result.”

    He continued: “But now that we are gradually moving from the traditions that led to striking, to a democratic government, I am sure very soon, we are going to be able to work while we negotiate for whatever that must have brought about striking. We will get there.

    “You will also agree with me that strikes in the academics has not been as frequent as it used to be and this is of course, part of the dividend of democracy. But what my colleagues in the academics are saying is that there was an agreement and if there was an agreement both parties must agree to what they agree to do. And if they disagree, they should also re-negotiate the agreement.”

    He added: “Having said that, you see, in open and distance learning all over the world, there is no provision for strike in the sense that this is a programme that allows you to work and learn. Your resource person is not necessarily a permanent staff. So, “it is only somebody who knows to participate and facilitate with you that will do that willingly and such a person would not come and strike. And because of that we are able to continue. And I must let you know that the bulk of the resources persons utilised in the open universities are all my colleagues in other universities.”

    On the non-accreditation of NOUN’s Nursing programme, Tenebe said, “you see in the Open University, we are completely open. We won’t sit here and lie to the public. We did not make the accreditation in Nursing because there were certain requirements that fell short of accreditation and the NUC showed that to us and we accepted.

    “If you fail accreditation, you are given a particular period to prepare to reapply. We have been given a period of time to reapply for accreditation and that will be very soon because we are ready and waiting for the agency.

    “There is no point for any commotion from students when they find out that their courses are not accredited. Take the best university in the world; accreditation team can come at any time to tell you that a particular course that was accredited before had failed.”

    “Accreditation is something that is not permanent. It comes from time to time. If you pass accreditation, you are given another five years before another accreditation. And I can tell you in 2005 and 2007, Ahmadu Bello University failed accreditation in Accountancy. They reappeared again and got accreditation.

    “ABU that came on board since 1962, do you know how many times they have gone through accreditation? It is a monitoring programme to ensure that standard is being continually maintained. It is not a witch-hunting exercise. It is academic standard and we are passionate about that.”

     

  • VC counsels corps members

  • Untitled post 158901

    Jibril Adewunmi, a 400-Level student of Agricultural Science at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU) in Lapai, Niger State, is a hip-hop artiste known in the music industry as Africana. He shot into limelight when he featured in one of the tracks by Olamide titled Mawomi. He tells YINKA OLATUNBOSUN (300-Level Chemistry) what keeps him going.

    ou performed alongside Olamide in Mawomi; how was it?
    That was the talk of the town then. I thank God for the gift of life. All things work together for good. I grew up with Olamide, but the story has changed for him now. As you can see, he is now popular and successful. Every youth in Nigeria is his fan today. The truth is I felt very delighted working and featuring with Olamide. It was the biggest thing for me working with him.
    How are you faring in music?
    It is not easy. Piracy is the greatest concern to us. You can imagine somebody investing millions of naira in a project and, at the end, he cannot even get half of his investment. That is the challenge before us. This has made many promoters not to invest in upcoming artistes like me. We are appealing to the government to intensify its efforts to solve this problem.
    Do your parents support your music career?
    You know in everything one does in life, parents have to be in support; otherwise, one may not be successful in it. It is either they curse you or bless you. So, parents are very important in everything a child does in life. My parents have been very supportive of my work. Since they can see the talent in me, they have no excuse other than to support me.

    In fact, they have been wonderful.
    How do you combine music with your academics?
    Music is part of me but I don’t leave my studies when I am not supposed to.
    is the best course because it gives students freedom to be self-reliant. What I mean is that one does not need to start submitting curriculum vitae. But in music, you cannot sit in one place and expect a producer and marketer to come and meet you. It is never done. The successful musicians of today have faced challenges before getting to where they are today. I think we need discipline to balance the two sides.
    In a sentence, who is Africana?
    Africana is someone who believes in hard work
    How do you cope with female students on campus?
    We cannot do without female fans. They are our mothers and we need to take care of them. We just have to be around them so that we will not go astray. One way or the other, we just can’t do without them.
    What is your philosophy about life?
    Be careful and be helpful to people you meet on your way to the top, because you may meet them on your way down.
    Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
    You can’t run faster than your shadow. Everyone expects Africana to be almost in the same level with Olamide, but our destiny can never be the same. Don’t forget God is the master planner, you propose God dispose. I think I will be fine where God wants me to be through hard work and prayer.
    What will Africana never be caught doing?
    I will never be caught on the highway disposing people of their belongings.
    What is your advice to youths?
    I will say that they should always listen to good advice from elderly people. They must also work hard and be prayerful. Prayer answers all things money cannot.

  • An election by minority

    An election by minority

    As the Federal Polytechnic, Offa (OFFA POLY) was closing down due to the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) strike, the management announced plans to hold an election into the Students’ Union Government (SUG) offices. Majority of the students did not participate, a development which is brewing controversy. AKINOLA OLUYI and AFEEZ ADEYEMO (NDII Mass Communication) report.

    As academic activities at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa (OFFA POLY) were being brought to a halt, following the notice of strike by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), the campus was opening its doors to a controversy.

    An election into the offices of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), which was initially scheduled to hold in June but postponed due to the strike, was held last Saturday when majority of students had gone home. The exercise took place on the mini campus.

    A few students participated in the exercise, which some of the key players described as a sham. Despite the low turnout, the electoral committee went ahead to conduct the election and the few students, who participated, cast votes amid tight security.

    The election was held against the expectations of students, who thought it would be organised when the school resumes after the strike. However, some students welcomed it; others dismissed the exercise as a charade.

    Omoniyi Adegoroye, ND II Business Administration, wondered why the election was hurriedly held, dismissing the process as stage-managed.

    He said: “I left for home immediately the strike started and many students did the same. So, how did they expect us to wait for the election? I don’t think the election is real. Students had gone home and somebody is telling us that an election took place; who voted?”

    Speaking to our correspondents on telephone, Matthew Fabusiwa, ND 1 Mass Communication, who was in school when the exercise took place, said the minority could not have elected leaders for the majority.

    “Before the ASUP went on strike, I learnt the election would take place. But, immediately the strike started, we thought the election would be shifted. Unexpectedly, the electoral commission conducted a poll. My colleagues that had travelled called me to inquire if an election was held. We are the students. We are the ones to elect our leaders, so why are they doing it when 80 per cent of the students had travelled. We have the right to exercise our franchise and if we are to exercise it, the school must be in session. Students must fully participate; this one does not reflect the wishes of the majority of students,” he said.

    The Chairman of the Independence College Electoral Committee (ICEC), Rahman Fatomide, declared Festus Adedeji, HND 1 Mechanical Engineering, as the president with 713 votes. He defeated Tayo Babalola, HND 1 Mathematics and Statistics, who had 39 votes.

    He described the election as free and fair, saying the plan to disrupt the process failed due to the “massive turnout of students”.

    But in the opinion of Monisola Ojo, HND 1 Computer Science, the management should be blamed for supporting the “fraud”. She said: “They can’t expect us to stay in the school when there is a strike, which was going to two weeks. Would they feed us? Yet, they conducted an election in which majority of students did not participate. I did not expect the management to give its support to such fraud.”

    However, Mufutau Gbadamosi, who voted in the exercise, described the election as peaceful. “I have my reason for participating in the election. The SUG is an independent union like ASUP and others. Constitution is the guide of the SUG and it must be respected. In this situation, the Constitution says that the election can take place when the school is in session, regardless of any strike. Last week, we held a congress where we discussed it. All students at the congress supported the election and the decision must hold,” he said.

    The elected officials were sworn in immediately after the exercise. The Dean of Students’ Affairs, Mr Davies Adebanjo, who was represented by the Protocol Officer, Mr Leonard Adeyemi, congratulated the elected leaders. He urged students to co-operate with them.

    The outgoing president, Hammed Omuiyadun, described the poll as successful. He said the reason for conducting the election during the strike was to prevent distractions in the school after resumption.

    Hammed, who said he was delighted, despite vacating the office of the union, waxed philosophical when he said: “History will never forget two men in life: a man that turns a bush into a city and a man that turns city into a bush.”

    Also elected were Obafemi Oyeniyi Vice President 1; Usman Olatunde, Vice President II and Folarin Abayomi, General Secretary.

    Others are Faruq Issa, Financial Secretary; Ifedayo Asakpa, Welfare Director 1; Dauda Ajisafe, Welfare Director II; Micheal Ashamau, Public Relations Officer 1; Rachael Omotosho, Public Relations Officer II; Azeez Waheed, Social Director 1; Ayobami Kasali, Social Director II; Hammed Adegenle, Treasurer; Folarin Adedoyin, Assistant General Secretary; Olawumi Salaudeen, Sport Director 1 and Rihanat Olagoke, Sport Director II.

    The DSA warned students against acts of violence, urging support for the union leaders. But would the election stand the test of time when the strike is called off?

     

  • Running errand for mates

    Running errand for mates

    Kabiru Olanrenwaju Akande started Clippers and Pegs, a laundry and barbing business with N1,000 when he was admitted into the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, to study Public Administration. Now, the graduate wants to create jobs for others. OLUWAFEMI OGUNJOBI (400-Level Language Arts) and ALEX OJEKUNLE (400-Level Public Administration) write.

    When Kabiru Olanrewaju Akande bagged a National Diploma at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, he was hopeful to get a moderate-income white-collar job to sustain himself. With such a certificate, none came. He thought of getting a degree to achieve his aim. Then, he obtained a Direct Entry form to study in the same institution.

    The same year Kabiru was leaving after finishing his diploma course, his parents retired from the civil service. There was no means to see him through school. Life was hell for him. This made Kabiru to learn vulcanising to pay his fees. He saved some money from the trade and used it to start Clippers and Pegs, a barbing and laundry service outfit when he was admitted for a degree programme to study Public Administration.

    Last year, Kabiru graduated with a Second Class Lower Division but his belief in white-collar jobs has changed. Although still waiting to be mobilised for the National Youth Service, Kabiru does not have the plan to write an application to any firm.

    He has created a niche for himself by washing clothes and cutting his colleagues’ hair. “I looked into the future and all seemed blurry. Then I ventured into vulcanising trade to keep me afloat financially. I saved the little money I got from it to see myself through school. When I finished my diploma course, I retrieved my savings to start up something worthwhile. I started in 2009 as a campus errand-boy, washing my colleagues’ clothes and under wears,” he said.

    Kabiru said he learned the laundry business from a friend who is also into it. When CAMPUSLIFE visited his shop, Mr Adeoye Aderemi, one of his customers, who came with a bag of clothes for washing, said: “I doubted his sincerity the first time I patronised him.

    I saw him as one of those students who disguised with phony names to exploit people and sell their clothes. But, I was wrong. He has got the package that qualifies him as the ‘Best Man for the Job’.”
    Both businesses fetch Kabiru N150,000 in a month. He said he combined laundry with barbing because “hair grows every day and clothes get dirty daily”.
    He said: “The day you barb your hair is the same day it will start to grow. The same thing applies to laundry services because people wear clothes daily, and when they get dirty, a laundry service is required to clean them, iron and add starch where necessary. This is what makes the business lucrative.”
    But it is not all smooth for Kabiru to run the businesses without hitches. In Mayfair area, an off-campus location where he operates his businesses, Kabiru is faced with challenges of insecurity, theft and poor electricity supply. Most times, he uses generator to service his clients.
    As a student, it was difficult for Kabiru to combine academic work with business. But he had to fend for himself and pay his bills.
    There are people doing the same business in Mayfair. But how does he cope with the competition,
    Kabiru said: “I know how it feels to look good and smell nice. Decency is never a pride. What we simply offer is care. We cater for customers’ needs in proper outfit and style, and hope to see them at the top, knowing that we are the reason behind their smiles.”
    Does he feel embarrassed when his colleagues call him their washerman? Kabiru responded: “How can I be embarrassed when I need their insults to grow my business?” Clothes are meant to be washed and it does not matter who washes them, he said.
    “The fact that I wash my colleagues’ clothes does not make me inferior to them; it is a service rendered not only to help them look good but also to make me earn income. After all, it is not free; I am paid me for it,” he noted.
    Will he take up a white-collar job after some his National Youth Service, Kabiru said he believed in creating job for other rather than be a job seeker. He said did not have the plan to abandon the business he started with N1,000 for any other thing.