Category: Campus Life

The Department of Creative Arts of the University of Lagos, Akoka, will on May 16, 2023 hold the 10th edition of its Choral Festival, also known as Africa Sings.

The event which will hold inside the JF Ade Ajayi auditorium of the university, and commence at 3:00pm, is intended to celebrate the choral compositions of the General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles, Professor Daniel Olukoya. The MFM leader, besides preaching, is an acknowledged music composer.

The event will feature choral performances by choirs from eight universities. The said universities include the University of Lagos, the Mountaintop University, Pakuro; the Nnamdi Azikwe University, Awka; the University of Port-Harcourt; the University of Ibadan; the Lagos State University, Ojo, and the University, Jos.

The Director of Programmes for the event, Professor Albert Oikelome said the choral festival would be holding for the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus in 2020.

Read Also: How nurse’s injection turned me into cripple, by physically- challenged UNILAG student

“The Creative Arts Department of the University of Lagos, is notable for organising ‘Africa Sings’ but it was put on hold because of the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020. But we are excited to have the event in May of this year,” he said.

Giving more information about the May 16 event, Oikelome said,”The choral festival is meant for showcasing the African culture, art and heritage through music. The event has a message, and it is that Africa is rich musically.

” So, the event participants will have an enriching and enlightening experience facilitated by the dexterous performances of the singers and musicians.

“This edition is particularly unique because we are showcasing the works of Professor Daniel Olukoya, a man who has made indellible contributions to choral music in Africa. Many people know Olukoya the preacher. But more people need to know about Olukoya the music composer. The musical works of such a man are deserving of celebration”

By Bisi Adebayo, NOUN

Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Olufemi Peters, has said knowledge and skills are needed  to elevate the country to its deserved place of greatness in Africa and the world.

 He, therefore, urged new students of the institution to strive to elevate Nigeria to its deserved place of greatness in Africa and the world.

Peters said this at  the university’s 24th matriculation, which took place via Zoom across its various study centres nationwide.

“As you pass through our university, I am hopeful that you will acquire the appropriate knowledge and skills, as well as the requisite strength of character and tenacity, to sail through the challenges of global competition,” he said.

The VC enjoined them to utilise the opportunities offered by the flexibility and openness of their study in the university to make them better  than their peers elsewhere.

“For those that are engaged in a vocation and or employment, it is an opportunity to excel in your career.

“It is also an opportunity to demonstrate the efficacy of continuous education through open and distance learning, in adding value to your competence at work, to the delight of employers,” Peters said.

The freshmen comprising 12, 954 undergraduates, 4, 716 postgraduates and four Ph.D students in various faculties, would join a population of over 150,000 students studying for various degrees in the university.

“The uniqueness of the university should evoke special interests in the students, especially from people who are eager to know how qualitative academic training is in the university.

“I enjoin you, therefore, to be dedicated to your studies and be good ambassadors of this university,” he said.

Peters said the university’s mode of teaching and service delivery caould not be restricted by the barriers of distance, location, or the bias of race and creed.

His words: “I am particularly glad to inform you that your university is privileged to operate in sync with the emerging world order of a global village in the information age.

“NOUN takes the ‘Gown to the Town’ dictum by providing equal access to quality education for all citizens, irrespective of their social circumstances, their creed, and wherever they are located.”

He admonished the freshmen to create  groups issues relating to their study can be  discussed.

Peters stated that the institution had provided an e-ticketing feedback channel to resolve complaints encountered during the course of their studies.

He added that other delivery applications, including the simplified assessment processes (tutorials, tests and examinations) would make study at the university a worthwhile  experience for them.

The Registrar,  Mr. Oladipo Ajayi, who  administered the matriculation oath, charged  them to abide by the rules and regulations of the university  to avoid sanctions.

By Emmanuel Ohore

Nigeria has some of the brightest students in the world. However, many of them, especially those in difficult areas like Sudan, face many challenges.

  The civil war in Sudan, which began in 2003, has had a devastating impact on the country’s education system. The conflict led to the closure of schools, forcing many students to drop out. Those still in school face threats. Schools have been attacked by gunmen, and students have been killed or kidnapped. Many students fled the country and sought refuge in neighbouring countries and far-away places.

However, the Federal Government should ensure it prioritises the  welfare of its  students in crisis situations. It must build a robust communication network with citizens in crisis areas. This should include regular updates on the security situation and advice on how to act safely in an emergency. This will help ease the anxiety of students in troubled areas and provide some succour to them.

In addition, we need to work with international organisations to provide support and assistance to our students in crisis areas.This includes providing financial assistance to those who cannot afford the cost of living in the area, and scholarships to enable them to continue their education.

The government can also work with the international organisations to provide safe havens for  students displaced by conflict and other security concerns. It  should also ensure the safety of  students in war-torn zones. This includes deploying security forces to protect students and their property, or local governments to set up security zones where Nigerian students can congregate and receive protection in the event of an attack.

 The government must also ensure that they have access to medical care and basic needs, such as food and housing.

Another important step it can take to ensure the welfare of students in crisis is to establish hotlines for students. These should be handled by professionals who could provide immediate assistance and guidance. This would help the  students get help quickly when they need it most.

 Finally, the government must strive to promote peace and stability in the troubled region. This includes working with stakeholders to find peaceful solutions to conflicts and supporting peace-building initiatives in the region.

It  can also work with international organisations to provide humanitarian assistance to people affected by conflict. This could reduce the suffering of students and their families. In short, the government has a responsibility to act proactively and ensure the safety of students in troubled areas like Sudan.

• Ohore is a postgraduate student at Altinbas University, Istanbul, Turkey.

By Munirat Salman, KWARA POLY

Kwara State Polytechnic (KWARA POLY), Ilorin, has won the  University of Ilorin Mass Communication Department’s Pitch-A-Ton competition.

At the contest, which took place at the University of Ilorin(UNILORIN), KWARA POLY  scored a total of 217 points to beat seven other institutions.

UNILORIN came second with a total of 194 points, while Summit University, Offa, placed third with 184 points.

Head of Department of Mass Communication, University of Ilorin, Dr Kehinde Kadiri, said  the competition was aimed at providing a platform for the meeting of the town and the gown.

She said it was also organised for the experts in the advertising industry to come out and teach the university community on the management of advertising.

“One thing I have realised is that there is a difference between theory and practice. What we teach our students is different and there is a huge gap between what obtains in the class and what is on the field.

“The platform is to provide a seamless transition for our students and for them to understand how the game is being played in the real world.

“It is also targeted at giving them the knowledge they require before getting into the industry,” she said.

One of the participants, Eniola Oluwatomisin, of the Department of Mass Communication, Lens Polytechnic, Offa, described the event as ‘nice and overwhelming’.

She said they were taught advertising in school last session, adding that it was interesting competing with her colleagues from other institutions.

Another participant, Fatimah Bashir, of Fountain University, Osogbo, said  the event had broadened her horizon and prepared them better for future events.

One of the judges at the competition, Biodun Adefila, said she was impressed with what she saw at the programme, adding that a lot had gone into the teaching of the rudiments of marketing communication.

“Looking at perfection is not really there, but they have good understanding of what they are supposed to be doing,” he  said.

Chief Executive Officer, O2 Academy, Ozoemena Mbanefo, announced a scholarship for two members of  KWARA POLY.

Other institutions that participated in the event included Thomas Adewumi University, Oko, Kwara State, and Redeemers University, Ede.

By Tosin Odunewu, UNILAG

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) Fire Service (UFS) has held a fire drill and sensitisation for students of the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science.

  This was aimed at ensuring that members of the university community comply with fire safety and best practices.

The university’s Head of the Fire Services Unit, Mr. Wasiu Jimoh, noted that the sensitisation was organised to expose members of the university community to ways of preventing fire outbreaks, and role of volunteer responders in small fire emergencies.

 “The programme is not just about fire drills but to prepare and train the community for fire prevention and emergency response,” he said.

 Jimoh noted that the safety of the UNILAG community is of the highest priority, and as such, the university was committed to ensuring an environment and culture of safety.

The theory aspect, which held at one of the laboratories at the Faculty of Science, was led by Fireman Ayodeji Oyelami, who shared her experiences with the students on what they could do when there is a small incident or an emergency. 

He taught the students Fire Safety Education and Training, Fire Safety Training Goals, and Proper Handling and Storage Procedures for Flammable and Combustible Materials.

At the UFS Station on campus where the practicals held, students were giving tips on how to curb fire outbreaks.

Deputy Director, Quality Assurance and SERVICOM, Dr Ayodele Omotayo, who was part of the exercise, expressed satisfaction with the fire campaign programme.

She noted that ‘Environmental Health and Safety Training’ formed part of the designed curriculum to support the university’s mission and values of sustaining and enhancing a safe and healthy environment.

Lagos State University (LASU) Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, has said the university is committed to giving its students the best to enable them compete with their counterparts in other parts of the world.

She stated this at the end of a visit of the World Bank Implementation Support Mission Team (mid-term review) to the LASU Africa Centre of Excellence for Innovative and Transformative STEM Education (ACEITSE).

Mrs Olatunji-Bello thanked the World Bank team lead and assured that the management would work on the areas that needed attention.

She was excited on the improvement made, since the last meeting.

“I sincerely thank the World Bank Team for coming. For me, this is an exposition. When we met in Banjul, The Gambia, I made some commitments and here we are, we have made tremendous improvement. For our students, at all levels, we are committed to giving them the best of learning,  skills acquisition and create opportunities for them to compete with the best around the World. On ACEITSE, we are good around 50 per cent and we will keep improving,” she said.

The VC stated that the university would look into other parts of the recommendations, especially the areas of human resources for the Centre, generation of funds, and the admission of  students from the francophone region of Africa, among others.

Mrs Olatunji-Bello was, particularly, excited that the team observed the quality of education the students were getting from the  ACEITSE.

“The university is owned by the state government, we will always work together. We will continue to work with the government, especially for support the private sector and link up with the industry.

“On students’ career support, we used to have a Lagos State Government career programme for students, we can design something around that – Curriculum Vitae (CV), Resume writing as well as supporting the students’ career. Once again, thank you, so much. Good to have you around,” she added.

Earlier, the World Bank team lead, Dr Ekua Bentil, spoke on their findings. She gave the centre a clean bill of health and advised on areas to improve on.

She thanked the VC  and the management for the reception.

During the visit,the team comprising experts from the World Bank, Association of African Universities (AAU) and National Universities Commission (NUC), had  engagements with the officials of ACEITSE, looking at the books, processes and execution of projects, among others.

Recently, fire gutted one of the Postgraduate Girls Hostels in Ekehuan Campus, University of Benin, Benin City. Many of the students are still heartbroken and depressed as the fire burnt their belongings. IFUNANYA OSAKWE (UNIBEN) reports.

These are distressing times for female postgraduate students at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Ekehuan Campus.

Last week, students living at the Block A Postgraduate (PG) Hostel in Ekehuan Campus lost their belonging to the fire that rocked the hostel.

The affected students are yet to be  compensated by the school management.

The fire was said to have been caused by an electrical spark from faulty wiring of the hostel. Several students claimed they had reported the problem to the porters, but that nothing was done to address it.

The fire had erupted in one of the PG Hostel rooms and had escalated to the others and would have burnt the building, if not for the timely intervention of the Federal Fire Service, Edo State Fire Service and University of Benin Fire Service.

The fire, however, burnt the top floor of the PG Hostel containing 20 occupied rooms, living in its wake destruction, though no life was lost.

Further investigation on the site by CAMPUSLIFE shows that the fire was able to consume the top floor because of the plywood used to partition the walls of the rooms.

According to some of the students at the Ekehuan Campus, plywood should not be have been used to demarcate rooms as they provided fuel for the fire.

Observers believe had the rooms been partitioned by blocks, the damage would have been less serious.

Students of the Department of Mass Communication, Theatre Arts, Fine Art and Early Childhood were affected as they occupied the top floor of the Ladies’ PG Hostel.

They decried the poor construction of the hostel, especially the wiring.

They claimed that in the past they had taken the initiative to fix some electrical problems as the  institution’s management had failed to do the needful.

However, Joan Okeoghene, a Fine Art students, noted that repairing the electrical faults themselves could not help much as the problem was from the main conduits.

Okeoghene  said  she couldn’t  believe that she had lost everything in one day.

According to her, she lost belongings worth N500,000. “I felt I was dreaming when my friend called me that fire was burning on my floor.

“Immediately, I ran from the class to the hostel only for me to see that the top floors were  consumed. At first, I thought of the things I bought for my sculptor project and I wept. I spent N100,000 to buy those things. Now they are gone. Or is it my laptop, clothes, documents? Everything you can think of in a student’s life was lost in the fire.

“Now I do not know the next step to take. Where do I start from? It is not as if my parents are extremely wealthy. I know what it took them to raise the N100, 000 for the project. How do they raise another amount? It is sad,” she lamented.

Another student, who lost her valuables in the fire, Toyin Olaoluwa, said her belongings, which included an iphone and laptop worth about N400,000, were gone.

“How I wish  I knew. I would have taken them along with me to the class that morning. But, is my room not supposed to be a safe haven? Unfortunately, the answer is no.

“What of my school documents? I am already in my final year and my project work was on the laptop. So, I will have to start from the beginning because it was not saved on the Google cloud or mail.

“Right now, I feel hopeless and I do not know what to do next.This clothe I am wearing is the only thing I have. How do I cope? No place to sleep, no food to eat. My money and ATM card were also  burnt,” she said.

When asked if the management had come to their aid, she said there had been  nothing concrete save for the promise of a new accommodation by the Dean of Student Affairs.

Osemudiamen Nancy of the Early Childhood Department said she had been coming to school from home because no hostel space had been allocated to her after the incident.

She wondered why it was taking the school management too long to attend to their needs.

“Examination is close. My textbooks got burnt. Yet, I come from home, which is a very far from school. I do not have much money.

“I am actually lucky because I kept my school documents at home and I went for class that morning with my phone. I did not lose much, but, then, I am homeless in school.

“There are indications that the school management wants to give us space at the male postgraduate hostel. But, we need it to be sure. It is less then 15 days to examination and there is no time to waste,” she said.

Michelle Osagie  of  the Theatre Art Department said she had been depressed ever since the fire incident.

According to her, she was selling male and female wears and had just restocked when the incident happened.

“I lost everything. Nothing could be salvaged. Not even a pin. I knew how hard I was able to build my clothing business to sustain myself in school. Now, I am back to square one. But if the porters had been alive to their responsibilities, this wouldn’t have happened.

“Yes, they are to be blamed. They never take our complaints serious. Look at where we are left; no hope of recovering what we lost.

“Initially, they were trying to pin the cause of the fire on us. They said a student left her hotplate connected and it exploded.

“They have forgotten that their was no light that morning and the said student was not even around. How did she cook with hotplate? Even before this fire, we did not have water for almost a week due to the breakdown of the pumping machine. There was no water to even douse the flame when it started.

“What of a fire extinguisher? There was none  and this is important in any place. These are the things the school must put in place in other hostels,” she said.

Another victim of the fire outbreak, who does not want to be named,  said she was shocked that  about 20 students lost their belongings in the fire and the SUG president did not deem it necessary to visit them.

“This is one of the reasons this country will remain the way it is. We voted you in for our welfare and yet challenging times come up and we do not see them take actions to eradicate our pains.

“I believe that if the SUG president had taken up this case, by now we would have been properly compensated. But, in this case, nothing tangible has been done. If you give us another hostel, what of our belongings? Who will replace them? I lost household items worth N100,000.

“The school management and SUG are lucky that no life was lost. If not, it would have been another thing entirely,’” she said.

Another student and occupant in the Block A, Stella Osagie, said she was depressed as she lost her iphone XR worth over N200,000 and her laptop worth N250,000 to the fire.

“I am so devasted. I do not know what to do. All my belongings, which include my clothes, school documents and phone, are gone. Right now, I have nothing, but this clothe I am wearing,”  she said.

Martha Henry, another occupant of the affected PG Block A, said she was at a loss on what to do. She noted that everything she had, including cash, credentials and her project, were burnt.  According to Henry, she is, however, grateful for escaping the fire as she was asleep when it started.

“I thank God for my life. I was sleeping when it started and when I woke up everywhere was filled with smoke. I had to find my way down the stairs. Thank goodness. My room was towards the beginning of the floor,” she said.

Students’ Union Govt  reacts

The Assistant Secretary General, Students’ Union Government (SUG), Clinton Omoruyi, said he was shocked when he learnt about the incident.

“My office is trying to see if anyone can assist in compensating those who lost their property.

“The school management, however, has given the affected students  another hostel. About 40 of the affected students are housed in another hostel on the campus.

“Although investigation is ongoing as the case is sensitive. We still hope for more compensation for the students affected by the fire,” he said.

Investigation ongoing, says management

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, Prof. Lilian Salami, had visited the burnt  hostel.

However, she could not meet the affected students following a heavy rain.

Dean of Student Affairs, Dr Clem Ighodaro, said investigation on the cause of the fire was ongoing.

“I cannot disclose much information because the investigation as to the cause of the fire is still ongoing,” he said.

The Dean confirmed that the students had recently been relocated to another hostel on the campus.

Succour for those affected

 Popular actress, Uche Jumbo, through the All Campus Show, has donated food items and toiletries to the victims of the fire. She said her attention was drawn to the incident by the Show.

Jombo  sympathised with the affected students and urged them to be their brother’s keeper at this time.

“During the trying times, my thoughts are with the victims that are bearing the brunt of this unexpected tragedy. “Although  I would have come down to UNIBEN to see the students, I am unable to do so due to some reasons. But, I got the information and the attention about the victims from All Campus Show so that I can compensate them from my own end of which I did gladly, ” she said.

• By Abdul-Azeez Abbah Sulaiman

Governance is said to be inclusive when it effectively serves and engages all people; takes into account gender and other facets of personal identity; and when institutions, policies, processes and services are accessible, accountable and responsive to all members of society.

Fostering governance that is inclusive is essential to advancing democratic values, including peaceful pluralism and respect for diversity, human rights and equality before the law.

Mere looking at the names on the list of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Presidential Transition Committee is enough to give one the satisfaction that the president-elect intends to run an inclusive government.

By giving consideration to the plural nature of the Nigerian society in making his nominations, is proof enough that Tinubu will lead an administration that is about ensuring that everyone feels valued and respected as an individual.

Yes, weeks to formal swearing-in, the president-elect has already taken steps in the direction of inclusiveness by embracing inclusivity and diversity in the quality of the many different types of people of all regions,  tribes, gender, age and religions and treating them all fairly and equally.

A passionate believer of the organic links between generations, always available for young people, Tinubu’s transition committee list has stood him out as a great statesman a mentor, a guardian, a living history and an embodiment of all the exemplary qualities young Nigerians should strive to achieve.

Essentially, the list is made up of Nigerians of all faith and all ethnic groups who feel they have a major role to play in rescuing the nation from the margins of irrelevance, impotence, inconsequence and decay.

Read Also: Eid-el-fitri: Tinubu reassures Nigerians of commitment to serve

Commendably, in addition to involving every significant component of Nigerian society, the intelligentsia, community leaders, as well as the business community and bring them into the mainstream of his activities,  the President-Elect has nominated a significant number of young people with a sizeable number of women to take prominent roles in the Committee.

 Committee members such as Hon. Stella Okotete, Mr. Makinde Araoye, Dr. Betta Edu, Samira Saddik, Abuh Andrew Abuh, Hajiya Hadiza Mohammed Kabir, and Donald Wokoma are all young men and women with proven records of being respectful and passionate about sharing Tinubu’s values, visions and strategies for dealing with issues that affect national interests on security, on the economy, and on the manner Nigerians relate with fellow Nigerians.

To reciprocate this gesture, Nigerian youth must collaborate strongly with the incoming Tinubu administration in upholding the principle that unity is the foundation of Nigeria’s corporate existence; diversity is part of our DNA and hardwork, honesty and service to God and the community are the virtues that have been bequeathed to us. 

The youth must cash into Tinubu’s noble ideals of making massive sacrifices to keep the nation united and push it past critical turning points when national survival is threatened.

But they cannot do this well unless they realize truly that Tinubu is genuinely committed to work to solve our basic socio-cultural problems, our regressing economy and address our precarious future.

They should support the incoming president in his commitment to reducing youth unemployment, insecurity and poverty.

The youth must work with Tinubu to change our political culture from one that serves the leader, to one which creates leaders that serve the people.

With Asiwaju, they can understand the nature of Nigeria’s decaying economy and learn trades and skills that will rebuild its foundations. But they must seize the opportunity provided by the Asiwaju for them to acquire quality and honest education of all kinds, because you cannot lead if you are both a cheat and a glorified illiterate. Knowledge is the foundation of good leadership, and it has no shortcuts.

As the youth prepare to participate in the progressive journey of sustainable national development under Tinubu, they must as well accept his key driving force that Nigeria is the Nigeria of Muslims and Christians, of the largest and the tiniest ethnic groups, of the weak and the strong. It is God’s creation, planned by Him to be big, bountiful and compassionate.

Alpha Global, a leading organization in the field of early childhood education, recently hosted their third successful webinar series on early childhood education success with a focus on effective leadership and management. The webinar, held on Saturday, April 15th, 2023, featured renowned speakers who are professionals in their field and drew participation from educators and practitioners worldwide.

Caroline Popoola, the CEO of Alpha Childcare and Alpha Chains Limited, and founder of Alpha Childcare Global, shared invaluable insights on “Leadership in Early Childhood Education.” Popoola highlighted the significance of leadership in a childcare setting and explained the different qualities a childcare leader should possess, including ethical leadership and the need to create value, be values-driven, and appreciated.

The webinar also featured other distinguished speakers. Dale Hancock, an international coach, speaker, and CEO of Young Life Coaches, spoke on “Maintaining a Supportive Work Culture in a Childcare Setting,” emphasizing the importance of raising and coaching children properly. Janice Aylmer, a member of the senior leadership team and a Governor at the Montbelle Primary School in Greenwich, United Kingdom, spoke about “Managing Challenging Behaviour in Early Years,” emphasizing the need for a safe, calm, and caring environment for positive behavior management. Phinnah Chichi Ikeji, CEO of Parenting Teens Solution, shared valuable insights on “Emotional Intelligent Tools for Practitioners in Early Years,” highlighting the importance of educators building their emotional intelligence tank to effectively support the emotional needs of the children in their care.

The webinar also featured an insightful panel session with a cross-section of the speakers and professional childcare practitioners. The panel discussed the topic “Unlocking the Power of Early Childhood Education: Strategies for Success,” exploring practical strategies for creating a strong foundation for children’s learning and development.

This webinar marked Alpha Global’s third successful webinar series in the last year, highlighting their commitment to providing innovative solutions, resources, and support to educators and practitioners worldwide. Alpha Global aims to promote the success and well-being of children in their early years through effective leadership and management.

In addition, Alpha Global is excited to announce their upcoming conference on July 8th, 2023, in Nigeria, and for the first time, in Ghana. The conference will bring together experts in the field of early childhood education to further explore best practices, exchange ideas, and enhance the quality of early childhood education in Africa and beyond.

Alpha Global expresses their gratitude to all the speakers, panelists, and participants for their active engagement and contribution to the success of the webinar. For media inquiries or further information, please contact alphaglobalafrica.org.

About Alpha Global:
Alpha Global is a leading organization in the field of early childhood education, providing innovative solutions, resources, and support to educators and practitioners worldwide. With a strong emphasis on effective leadership and management, Alpha Global aims to promote the success and well-being of children in their early years.

To check indecent dressing among students at the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, Kwara State, the school’s security personnel were ordered to enforce compliance with dress code. However, allegations of female students have become rife from female students. Hence, they call on authorities to put the security operatives in check. HALIMAH BALOGUN (KWASU) reports

Universities across the country have gone tough on indecent dressing on their campuses. There are rules guiding how students should dress. In some cases, billboards are erected on campuses to show the kinds of dressing not allowed.

 Students’ handbooks also contain regulations that govern dressing. It is not uncommon for the institution’s leadership to instruct security personnel to prevent indecently-dressed students from entering the school, and to enforce dress code (rules) and ensure compliance.

Observers have argued that in advanced countries, it is unusual for security officers, whose main duty is to ensure safety of lives and properties in the school environment, to have the liberty of checking students’ dressing before entering the school.

But the pervading ‘nudity’ and inappropriate dress choices of  students across university campuses coupled with the rise in allegations of sexual exploitations and rape, no doubt, called for such  intervention.

However, in KWASU, security officers seem to be overzealous as female students alleged that they contend with assault, extortion and molestation.

Specifically, there have been allegations that some security men forcefully remove female students’ headgears, verbally abuse them and collect bribes to look the other way.

By and large, these situations have led to friction between the students and the security personnel.

When CAMPUS LIFE spoke with students, they decried the manner in which some of these officers have allegedly subjected students to ridicule. They described their acts as ‘abuse of power, character deficiency and unprofessionalism’.

Students decry extortion, harassment, others

A 300-Level Mass Communication student, who simply identified herself as Deborah, said: “It was during examination last session. I was in the shuttle making jokes with my friends at the backseat. I was rest assured I was going to go through because I was dressed pretty decently until one of the security officers asked me to get down. I was confused and I kept checking myself trying to see where I have gone wrong in my dressing. I asked him what was wrong with my clothes, but instead of him to simply tell me that my top has rolled up, he was going to touch my waist, but I moved back immediately, then he told me my top rolled up.

“Despite what he was about to do, I apologised and fixed myself but this man insisted I go back to change when there was nothing wrong with my dressing. He almost made me miss my examination that day.

“This issue of these men abusing their power is as old as the school itself.”

Another student, who pleaded anonymity, alleged that one of the officers pulled off her head scarf and embarrassed her at the school gate.

“One of the security men at the gate literally pulled off my scarf on my head because my tinted hair was showing just  a little under my scarf.

“First, I didn’t go to school with my tinted hair open because I am a Muslim and I don’t even expose my hair. He disrespected me by not asking me to pull my scarf. Instead he pulled off  my scarf and threw it into the flowers despite pleading with them that I don’t expose my hair in public. I was made to go back with my hair opened to retint.

“The man spoke to me in an ill-mannered way and sent me home for tinting my hair and even covering it up and still he pulled my scarf and  disrespected me.

“Meanwhile, other students can bribe them and they let them go free even when they are dressed inappropriately,” she said.

Another male student, who also pleaded  anonymity, alleged that he was denied entrance to the school because he refused to give the security personnel “new year’s money”.

He, however, lauded the school management for putting in place measures to reduce the rate of crime in the school and its environs and called on them to re-orientate the officers on their duties.

Abimbola Bello, a 200-Level student of Public Health, said the first contact she had with the officers was bad. She was stopped at the school gate on her very first day of coming to school.

According to her, the bus she boarded was stopped and they requested for their  Identity Cards. As a new student then, she explained that she was just coming to school for the first time, hence she had  no ID card, but she could identify herself through other means like the payment slip for her acceptance fee.

She said: “I was in one of those government buses coming from Ilorin to the school. On getting to the gate, he asked me to get down because I didn’t have ID card. I explained everything to him, but he refused and started raising his voice. The other people in the bus tried to appeal to him,  but this officer refused, he kept shouting that he wouldn’t allow me enter because rule is rule. I kept on begging him because it was my first day. I was coming all the way from Ilorin. I couldn’t just go back without doing anything, but he didn’t budge  until the person I went to school with came down and greased his palm. I was surprised. I was told it was the norm here.”

She added that naive students have become their prey with nothing being done about it.

Peace Eze,  a 400-Level student of Computer Science said she witnessed the officers collecting bribe from erring students so they could go inside the school.

She said: “We were going for examination that day and when we got to the gate, we were stopped as usual and the security officers asked my coursemate and about three of his friends to get down because their hair was bushy. It was not actually bushy but you know them, they always do their best to make sure they bring out some kind of fault so they would blame you and you would bring out something.

“My coursemate told them he had an examination. He said he would cut his hair later, but the man said they could not  go like that. He  asked the four of them to pay N20,000, but they complained that the money was too much for the haircut alone, they later agreed for N5,000 and he insisted they make the transfer immediately. We didn’t hear the rest and the driver had to go beg the security officers, but they said he should just leave them but we all had the same exams that day, so we had to wait.When they entered the bus, they said they paid the N5,000 to them. It was  not the first time they would collect money from erring students, insisting that culprits transfer the money immediately.”

According Toyin Adeolu,  a student of Mass Communication, the security operatives discharge their duties as their mood dictates.

She said there were days when it was obvious that a student did not adhere to the dress code but he or she would  be allowed in without any trouble and there were days when students  follow the dress code, but  they still get punished.

Balikis Odewuyi,  a 400-Level student of Public Administration, said: “Sometimes they work diligently and there are times they don’t. They don’t do their job at the right time and in the right way.There are issues that are supposed to be taken lightly but they will capitalise on it and issues that are supposed to be handled seriously are taken lightly. All in all, they just do whatever they want.

“However, at the end of the day, innocent students are being incessantly harassed.

“As good as the idea behind such is, the school authority should be able to check or to have supervisors who will check some of these troublesome  security personnel so that they will do their job appropriately. If they are not checked, it can lead to serious crisis in  future.”

Management reacts

Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof. Moshood Jimba faulted the harassment claims by the students, saying no complaints of such has been reported to the school management.

He noted that the institution had zero tolerance for  indecent dressing,  hence the need for strict measures.

His words: “I’ve not heard of such issue and I doubt it much. If this happens to be true, the management will take necessary actions against any staff member who demands bribe from any student.

“The position of management is to give out rules and regulations  regarding  proper dressing. So,  any student who doesn’t comply with the rules and regulations of the university should be stopped at the gate and asked to return home.

“As the Dean of Students’ Affairs, at times, I stop at  the gate  to participate in the checking exercise. Any student that is hiding in the bus for example, it is our right to bring him/her  down and instruct such to return home. But the issue of collecting money, that’s the issue that we will not tolerate, we will not condone that.

“Can you imagine a male student, for example, weaving his hair and covering it with cap?

 “Of course, such a student will be brought down from the vehicle and asked to remove his cap or they will seize his fez cap and ask him to go back home and cut his hair. I don’t think that’s too much.

 “It’s the rules and regulations of the university. This is what I know is happening. No student has ever complained to me and they know if they ever complain to me, they know the action I will take against any staff at the gate, but if you have any information and can prove it, please don’t hesitate to let me have it. Once you prove it, you will see the action the university will take, I can assure you.”

He, however reiterated the university’s  commitment to ensuring a safe environment for  students and discipline any staff who goes out of the line of duty.

It’s all rumour, says SU

The Student Union (SU) President, Isreal Jesutofunmi Adewoye, described the allegations as unfounded. He said there were “just rumours”. According to him, the students complaint is about being told to go back and change their outfit, cut their hair or loosen coloured hair, among others.He said: “We all know KWASU has laid