Category: Campus Life

Ten of them were going to write the post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), but nine never got to their centre in Enugu. They died in an accident at Umunna Village in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State. The only survivor, Nelson Chibuike, relives  the accident and his miraculous survival. OLADELE OGE (400-Level Mass Communication) reports.

THEY were on their way to write the post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) when their vehicle veered off the road and sped into the bush. Ten of them were in the bus, but only one survived to write the test, with a heavily bandaged leg and wound on his forehead.

Nelson Chibuike is thanking God for his miraculous survival. The Entanco Transport Company Toyota Hiace bus, which was conveying the candidates to Nsukka from Enugu, crashed at Umunna village in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State. Julius Chidi, who drove the ill-fated blue and white 18-seater bus, was among the victims. When CAMPUSLIFE got to the scene, the victims were being removed from the mangled vehicle by rescuers.

Nelson, who was said to be breathing slowly when he was rescued, was taken to Bishop Shannah Hospital, Nsukka. The bodies of others were deposited in the morgue.

The bus left Enugu with 18 passengers, some of who alighted in villages before Umunna Village. The bus’ number-plate could not be seen at the scene because it was damaged.

Nelson, who received palliative treatment to enable him take the test, was brought to the campus with a swollen forehead and bandaged leg.

Accompanied by his mother and brother, Nelson wrote the test last Thursday in a red Toyota car marked Lagos BB 564 FKJ amid tight security by the police and the university’s security personnel. The vehicle was parked in front of the Faculty of Arts’ New Lecture Hall.

In an interview with CAMPUSLIFE after writing the test, Nelson, who wants to study Computer Science, relived the accident. Asked the cause of accident, the injured candidate, who could not talk, responded by writing on a piece of paper.

He wrote: “None of us knew what caused the accident but I knew the bus was on top speed on the narrow road. Maybe the driver lost control, I don’t know but the bus suddenly ran into the bush. I heard many passengers screaming Jesus Christ but that was the end. I lay among the dead passengers for several minutes before I was rescued and taken to the hospital by Good Samaritans.

“I will forever be grateful to God for saving me from untimely death. He redeemed my soul out of nine dead people. I was the only survivor.”

Recalling how he received the news of the accident, Nelson’s brother, Ugochukwu, a post-graduate student of Physics and Astronomy at UNN, said: “At 3:05pm on Tuesday, I got a call from an anonymous caller to report to Bishop Shannah Hospital and identify my family member among dead persons brought into the hospital’s mortuary. I screamed that ‘it won’t be my portion in Jesus name’. I knew Nelson was coming to write exam but I never expected something untoward would happen to him. In faith, I went to the hospital and saw my brother alive.”

Nelson’s mother, Mrs Chibuike, who waited for her son at the central security post of the university, was silent for several minutes before she agreed to speak to CAMPUSLIFE after our correspondent’s prodding.

She said: “My son, there is nobody that will visit the spot where the accident occurred and believe that a goat can survive not to talk of human being. The accident was terrible and I thank God that I did not have cause to bury my child.” She said she reserved her testimony to “the wonders of God” till Sunday in her church.

When CAMPUSLIFE visited the Nsukka branch of Entanco Transport Company, the manager, Mr Benedict Ikeagu, was not around. He was said to have left for Enugu on official assignment.

But an official, who spoke to our correspondent, said there was no passenger’s manifest available to contact the families of the victims. The source said the driver’s body had been moved to UNN Teaching Hospital. The late Julius Chidi, who got married last year, had a six-month old baby.

While writing the concluding part of this piece I stumbled on Christiane Amanpour’s programme on Cable News Network (CNN) with the Prime Minister of Italy, Enrico Letta. What caught my attention were his remarks about youth unemployment. He said: “Youth unemployment is really my nightmare; we are losing a generation and without this generation there is no hope for the future”.

After the interview my thoughts came home and I wondered cares about the Nigerian youth? (apology to President Goodluck Jonathan). While Letta was busy having sleepless nights and nightmares on how to stem the tide of mass emigration of youths who are the soul of his nation, our leaders are busy trying to outdo each other on impunity; issues bordering on education is definitely far from their minds.

The damaging impact of impunity on the society is the fact that it blinds the action of perpetrators and gives them the false illusion that nothing will happen if certain actions are taken. That was the case when some thugs, sorry “honourables”, in the Rivers State House of Assembly engaged in fisticuffs two weeks ago. In the video fracas which went viral, a group of five, led by Babakaya Bipialaka, had ridiculously tried to remove the Speaker, Otelemaba Amachree, with a fake mace.

Bipialaka is an opponent of the state governor, Chibuike Amaechi, while Amachree is pro-Amaechi. Shortly after Bipialaka was “elected” Speaker, a group of 27 pro-Amaechi lawmakers entered the chamber. In the video of the fracas, an Amaechi loyalist, grabbed the fake mace and began to use it as a weapon.

I watched a TV news report on a major local station last Monday where some top party officials from the state visited one of the victims in a London hospital who had a broken skull. One after the other they bemoaned the situation while the victim had a befuddled look on his face. What actually amused me were the newscasters who thought they were on commercial break without realising that their microphones were still on; they were laughing and making jest of the report they just read! I believe some Nigerians share the opinion of these newscasters, they fell short of saying you got what you deserved.

This impunity also reminded me of the instance some concerned mothers took up paid advertisement in the newspapers cautioning their children that what some of them witnessed when a high profile prisoner was released from Kirikiri maximum prison some years back and headed straight to the Church to “give thanks” for his release causing traffic gridlock that lasted hours in the process in Lagos is a national disgrace. A former President was even present at the “thanksgiving” service. The mothers told their children through the advert that that was not the ideal in any sane society and what they witnessed, read in newspapers, watched on television or listened to on radio was nothing short of a national disgrace. We need more of such mothers who are proactive today; they were bold enough to call a spade a spade and setting the records straight that there is a universal moral code that binds humanity together across borders.

In the midst of these and much other impunity, our students are home with the government telling them there is no fund to put the education sector back on the track of normalcy. Fortunately, ASUP has suspended their strike to give room for dialogue, but I believe it is time to look at issues in the polytechnics and address the dichotomy between degrees and Higher National Diploma (HND).

I don’t think it would be out of place to assert that it is only the children of the poor, those who do not have the contacts that will ensure them university admission, after the jigsaw with cut off marks and post-JAMB screening that attend polytechnics. I also don’t think it will be wrong if I say the three month old ASUP strike benefitted from the attention ASUU received; in essence, the major reason the authorities remembered ASUP was the outcry that followed another ASUU strike. This is where my major concern lies. Without realising it, the present official discriminatory practices in education are dangerous for development, both in short and long term. In both terms, we erode the critical part graduates of polytechnics and colleges of education play. This is akin to the subtle policy of local versus foreign degrees in employment opportunities.

The country is already paying dearly for the indifference to polytechnic education as fewer candidates are applying to polytechnics and colleges of education. The implication of this is that we would be producing fewer graduates with the practical background that polytechnic education provides and less teachers at the critical levels graduates of colleges of education fill. Statistics from the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) indicated that in 2013, 1,670,833 candidates applied to universities, 28,977 candidates to polytechnics, and 28,445 to colleges of education.

They are jostling for 520,000 places in over 128 federal, state and private universities; 76 federal, state and private polytechnics; and the over 63 colleges of education. It is instructive that the 52,608 students that applied to the University of Ibadan, which is the 10th in candidates’ choice, is slightly less than the 57,422 students that applied to all the polytechnics and colleges of education. Applications to these institutions are 3.4 per cent of applications to universities. Of the 520,000 places that are available for students in 2013/2014, many are in polytechnics and colleges of education – they will not be filled.

Does it surprise anyone that students are making their choices based on the premium Nigeria places on university education? It is high time the education authorities realise the damage they are doing, more damage than ASUU and ASUP strikes put together. Nigeria should worry about this development. I strongly believe that the appropriate response would be to pay adequate attention to education and halt the discrimination.

The economy can only be developed through the creation of entrepreneurs through the evolution of a sound technical education policy. This view was echoed by Prof Salawu, a professor of Electrical-Electronic Engineering at the University of Lagos. He canvassed the elimination of all known social stigmas that have been making the choice of careers in technical education unattractive to Nigerian youths.

He maintained that technical education remains the only panacea to the resuscitation of the nation’s ailing economy. He called on the Federal Government to step up measures reviewing the tertiary educational system to correct the imbalance between graduates of polytechnics and universities. As a way of encouraging youths who are artisans in the informal sector, he suggested an intervention process to provide a form of skills’ improvement strategy and retraining for them.

In the UK, polytechnics offered university equivalent degrees from bachelor’s, master’s and PhD that were validated and governed at the national level by the independent UK Council for National Academic Awards. In 1992, UK polytechnics were designated as universities which meant they could award their own degrees thus the Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA) was disbanded and the dichotomy ended.

As the handwriting appears on the wall for us to see we should realise that the predicament of underdevelopment that we are saddled with is situated in the chronic absence of problem-solving thinking. Whether viewed in terms of the weakness of institutions or the low quality of goods and services, countries that persist in underdevelopment are those that are unable to socially produce quality solutions to political, economic, social and environmental challenges. It is not a happenstance that developed societies have successfully mainstreamed their universities and other epistemic communities with their policymaking institutions. The marriage of knowledge production and policymaking is definitive of societies that are progressive.

Naill Fergusson, a professor of history at Harvard in his latest book -The Great Degeneration: How Institutions Decay and Economies Die – shows how the degeneration of western society occurred or could occur. What stands out from his analysis is that the quality of institutions for coordinating social transactions makes the critical difference between prospering and declining societies. So, when societies think clearly and act intelligently, they create superior social institutions to solve their problems. But when public reason is weak then problems persist or compound. When will we leave the base level of governance and look toward the potentials this country has?

A Nigerian student, Victor Olalusi, recently emerged the best graduating student with a grade point of 5.0 at the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow. In 2004, Victor had the best result in the West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE). He told LEKAN OTUFODUNRIN how he achieved success in Russia.

You emerged the best graduating student in your faculty, how did you accomplish this feat?

I did the little I could but with God, little became much. I would say I was spurred by a genuine interest to become better than I was yesterday. I took every class as it came and made sure I gave my studies proper attention. Not undermining personal study hours, I believe hard work, diligence and self-discipline made the feat happen.

How will you describe the Russian education system compared with your experience in Nigeria?

The language barrier notwithstanding, the education system in Russia is intensive and student-friendly. Lecture materials, school books, internet resources are at the finger tips of students.

The lecture hours, lecture halls and classes are very decent and conducive. In Russia, students do not need to rush for lectures at 5am as is common in Nigerian universities. After lectures, we have practical classes where we study in small groups with our instructors.

How will you compare the medical training in Russia with the one in Nigeria?

The training I got here is dynamic. I mean there is a balance between theoretical and practical knowledge. Besides, the standard is just perfect in Russia. From patient management to operational procedures, everything is carried out in conformity to standard. Medical school in Russia is very intensive; we have practical classes every day, where students have to write and pass a test, answer oral questions, and participate in discussions and procedures. Attendance is compulsory; missed classes have to be re-taken. I believe Nigeria needs to learn from this.

How did you cope with the negative image of Nigeria in an international community?

I can write a book on this. Nigerian students in Russia have to cope with the country’s image of corruption, bombings, senseless killings and scam. It is worse when one is delayed and made to miss important meeting or flight at the airports because one is a Nigerian. I study with students from Greece, Italy, Russia, Malaysia, and India but it is sad to hear that the only opinion they have about Nigeria is bombing and corruption. With God, I began to set a standard for them to see and made sure I told my friends good things about Nigeria each time issues came up. I was made president of the African Students’ Association in my school. I used the opportunity to change the bad opinion about Nigeria.

How affordable is university education in Russia?

Compared to the United States and the rest of the world, it is pretty affordable. I mean you get the same level of education as you get in developed countries at cheaper rate. Living in Moscow can be very expensive though everything works.

In your valedictory speech, you hoped to use your knowledge to serve Nigeria. Do you have a particular place in mind?

I hope to work with other foreign medical graduates to see how we can bring our experiences abroad to bear on medical practice at home. This might involve inviting our colleagues abroad back to the country to hold seminars and workshops on ways to help the government to improve our clinics and upgrade them to conform to international standards.

Amid tears, the remains of the late Senate President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Donald Onukaogu, were laid to rest in his family compound in Umuagu Itu Village in Ezinihitte-Mbaise Local Government Area  of Imo State. WALE AJETUNMOBI reports that it was an emotional funeral.

Umuagu Itu Village in Ezinihitte-Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State was in mourning last Friday. The residents woke up to receive students, who came to bury one of their own and an indigene of the village.

As the hearse bearing the body of the late Donald Onukaogu, Senate President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), moved into the sleepy village, the residents burst into mournful songs. They wailed as they beheld the coffin containing Donald’s remains.

Donald died in an auto crash on June 13, with four other students on his way to the University of Uyo (UNIUYO) to intervene in the crisis that erupted in the institution following a violent students’ protest. One of the protesters was killed by stray bullets allegedly fired by riot policemen, who moved into the scene to restore order.

The incident led to the destruction of properties, including the offices of the Vice-Chancellor (VC) and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC).

On peace mission to UNIUYO, the late Donald alongside Jeremiah Sorkaa, Abdulazeez Oladimeji, Japheth Duru and Asa Ejieta, who were travelling in a NANS bus, died in a village in Abia State.

Donald’s funeral started in Owerri after his body left Aladinma Mortuary. Members of the NANS Senate held a valedictory session in his honour at the Hall of Mercy in the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO).

NANS senators, members of its executive and Joint-Campus Committee (JCC) from various campuses and government officials attended the ceremony.

During the session, NANS urged the FUTO authorities to rename the hall after the late Donald.

It also asked that the Students’ Union Building of UNIUYO be named after their late leader, while demanding the removal of the VC, Prof Comfort Ekpo. The students said the Uyo crisis could have been averted had the management not incited the police.

After the session, the students moved in a convoy of vehicles, which was guarded by soldiers, from Owerri to Umuagu Itu for the lying-in-state in the late Donald’s family house. This was followed by requiem mass at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Itu, after which the body was moved back to the family compound for interment.

The funeral was witnessed by top government functionaries, students’ leaders from various institutions, traditional rulers, rights activists and religious leaders, including the Senior Special Assistant on Youth and Students’ Matters to President Goodluck Jonathan, Jude Imagwe, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Governor Rochas Okorocha, represented by Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Hon. Kenneth Emelu, Senator Chris Anyanwu, member representing Ahiazu/Ezinihitte-Mbaise Federal Constituency, Hon. Nnanna Igokwe, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Prof Viola Onwuliri and Hon. Ethel Amadi, president of pan-African Parliament among others.

In her tribute, Senator Anyanwu, said: “Donald’s death is a monumental loss for us but I urge everyone to bear the loss with faith.”

Turning to NANS officials, she said: “You all must pick up the spirit and courage to forge ahead by taking solace in the fact that your colleague died in active struggle for your collective good. You must have the belief that God who knows all will surely lighten your emotional burden.”

Ihedioha described the late Donald as a strong comrade whose impact in NANS and National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) would be missed. He acknowledged his humility and patriotism.

Former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu said: “For those who knew Donald, he was a vibrant, creative and smart young man.”

Daniel Momodu, NANS General Secretary, said: “Donald was more than a friend; he was a brother. I take solace in what he had achieved at his age. He made himself a sacrificial lamb to promote the interest of students he served. He was just the best.”

The NYCN chairman in Itu, Chidiebere Dimgba, said: “I will not say you were not prepared because last December, you called me and told me to write down your vision in life but when I asked why, you said I should do so, that I may achieve them in the future.”

The NANS Financial Secretary, Gbenga Ayenuro, described the late Donald as “a precious one, vibrant, courageous and articulate.”

Imagwe said the deceased was a brother and a “very strong comrade”. He said with Donald around him, he always felt secured, because “one Donald was more that many security forces”.

The Senate President of the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), Lukman Salaudeen, said Donald engaged students constructively to promote the welfare of all.

NANS president, Yinka Gbadebo said: “Nobody knows what is between Donald and I. He had proven to me on several occasions that he could be trusted; he rejected a huge sum of money paid to him to betray me. He was too committed to the right cause. He had a great dream but death has taken him away from us. He will always be remembered in the annals of NANS.”

The bereaved father, Mr Michael Onukaogu Amaefule, said he would be consoled by the achievements of his son, while acknowledging the late Donald’s courage, spirit and “ingrained desire” to fight for the interest of his mates. He advised that the death of his son should not deter other NANS members from doing the right things at all times.

Born on September 29, 1984, the late Donald was a Master’s student of Mathematics and Computer at FUTO. He was also former Director of Ethics of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede (NEKEDE POLY) and Vice Chairman of JCC, Imo State axis before he rose to become the Senate President of NANS.

Students and residents of host communities of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) are expressing fear over the  state of the Kwakwalawa bridge linking the institution to the communities. They fear that the bridge may collapse, if  there is a torrential rain. IBRAHIM JATTO (400-Level Zoology) reports.

The rains have begun in all parts of the country. Things are not different in Sokoto State, which is one of the states affected by the flood that ravaged some parts of the North in 2010.

As the rain persists, staff and students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) are concerned about the state of the Kwakwalawa Bridge, which was partly damaged by the flood that hit the state and some part of Kebbi in 2010.

The bridge collapsed on September 9, 2010 following a downpour resulting from the overflowing of River Rima and River Sokoto, which flow through the campus. This led to the damage of three bridges along the only road linking the institution to other parts of Sokoto.

The incident, which paralysed academic and commercial activities for two months, prompted the closure of the university for over four weeks. The campus was re-opened for the completion of 2009/2010 academic session following a visit to the disaster scene by President Goodluck Jonathan, who ordered that a temporary military floating bridge be constructed to connect the institution back to its host communities.

In February 2011, the water level of Rima River receded, reducing the danger faced by commuters in cross the makeshift bridge. To rebuild the road and the damaged bridge, the Sokoto State government sand-filled the eroded sections of the stretch to allow vehicular passage. But since then, nothing has been done except routine refilling of the sand-filled sections.

Between June and now, the volume of water in Rima River has increased sharply becuase of the downpour being experienced in the state. There is palpable fear among the students and residents of the school’s host communities because of the state of the bridge and road. They urged the Federal Government to fast-track action on the re-construction of the bridge to avert disaster.

A student, Rukayah Hamzat, 300-Level Law, who wondered why the government could not fix the bridge in the past two years, told CAMPUSLIFE: “Government should act fact before the situation degenerates to something else. The authority concerned should come up with re-construction plan to avert tragedy that may result to loss of lives and property. We don’t even know what is going on now; if there is heavy rain this year, like what we had in 2010, the sand-filled sections would be washed away and the school would be shut again. Apart from the fact that it would elongate the academic calendar, there can be serious damage.”Another student, Hammed Abiola, 200-Level Business Administration, lamented the situation, describing it as gross negligence on the part of the government. “I think the government is gambling with the lives of students and the people living in this area. As it is, the bridge can collapse due to the pressure being exerted on it by the Rima River; the result would surely be catastrophic if drastic measures are not put in place. We have heard many versions of story on the award of the contract to reconstruct the bridge but till now, nobody has come to repair anything. It is as if our lives don’t matter to the government.”

Residents of Kwakwalawa community appealed to the government to urgently fix the bridge. Aminu Dan Kwakwalawa, a fish seller, recounted how he lost his all to the flood that damaged the bridge. He said: “It was a sad incident I hate to remember. We were preparing for Sallah (Muslim festival) when the unfortunate incident happened. We lost all our farm produce to the flood. The Sallah turned sour because we all out there stranded. Since then, life has not been the same for all of us here.”

He appealed to the government to prevent another disaster in the community by fixing the bridge permanently so that economic activities could be back to normal in the area.

CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the contract for the reconstruction of the bridge included repair and dualisation of the 15 kilometre stretch that leads to the university.

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the contract has been awarded to the tune of N1.1 billion but an official, who did not want to be named, said delay in the approval of the budget made the contractor to abandon the bridge.

When CAMPUSLIFE visited the bridge, abandoned construction tools littered the site but no engineer was found on the scene.

At the time of this report, there is uneasy calm on the campus and the host communities.