Category: Campus Life

The Gallup Incorporation, a United States-based research body, in its poll, recently ranked Nigeria the second most corrupt country in the world. The nation also earns its pride of place as the most corrupt in Africa, according to KPMG report. In another study by the Economics Intelligence Unit, Nigeria ranked as the worst place for a baby to be born in 2013.

What is more, the nation was recently awash with mind-boggling and on-point editorials of newspaper detailing monumental corruption being perpetrated by public officials under the watch of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

Nigeria’s soaring popularity in the global corruption index and its eroded image in the comity of nations should disturb our politicians, who have been the major cause of the nation’s battered image. That President Jonathan and his ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have not shown concern speak to the level of rot in the system.

The citizens are also helpless, with many only dismissing official sleaze with a wave of hand. We need to speak up and act to redeem the country’s image. The war against corruption is of national interest and I believe every hand should be on deck to battle corruption out of this country.

The impunity of Nigeria’s political class has taken a new turn in recent times, especially under the nose of President Jonathan. The sudden disappearance of a whopping N5 trillion in just two years as revealed by the Punch recently is a pointer to this direction. According to reports, about 11,886 federal government projects are abandoned across the country in 2012.

In one of President Jonathan’s media chat, he said: “I can assure Nigerians and the global community that this government is fighting corruption frontally and the effort this administration has put forward in fighting corruption, no government has done that in recent times.”

I think Mr President needs to be given a nudge from his slumber. If none of his coterie of advisers and assistants can tell him the truth, ordinary citizen should do so. In my opinion, president should be orientated on what most Nigerians are saying about his administration since its inception in 2010.

The anti-corruption crusade of Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies has returned to doldrums, with many corrupt public officials and private individuals walking freely on the street without prosecution. There is case of a former governor, who had immunity to shield him from prosecution, but who is now walking freely after his tenure. Does he still enjoy the immunity after leaving office?

Even some lawyers, who are supposed to serve as good examples in the temple of justice, run to court on behalf of fraudsters to obtain dubious injunctions barring prosecution of their clients. This has made Nigerian judiciary a temple, where misdemeanour thrives. One wonders what hope future holds for our judicial system.

It is not surprising that many Nigerians have called for the scrapping of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and other related agencies.

Developed countries of today achieve the feat not because they don’t have people with corrupt tendencies, but because of effectiveness of their institutions, which are empowered by right constitutional framework that ensures that anyone found guilty of any offences is prosecuted no matter how highly placed he might be.

To fight corruption in Nigeria, President Jonathan must first give priority to political corruption being perpetrated by powerful politicians. He must throw his weight behind the leadership of these anti-graft agencies in their quest to prosecute highly placed corrupt persons. If he does this, he would prove to Nigerians that he is not part of the sharp practices oozing from the government quarters.

However, to fight graft more effectively, law establishing the institutions such as Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) needs to be revisited and make to work properly. A situation whereby Lucky Igbinedion, ex-Edo State governor, entered a plea bargain deal with the EFCC, which made a grave sentence reduced to two years imprisonment, could only encourage and inspires looters to continue their business.

A Lagos-based lawyer and human right crusader, Fred Agbaje, said: “Corruption has now become a state of the federation, drawing its weekly and monthly allowances from the federation account unabashedly.” This is becoming a fact and if we allow corruption to continue to take its toll on the country, we may not be able to redeem the battered image of Nigeria, our beloved country.

As Nigerians would readily agree, if the menace of corruption is reduced by 50 per cent, then more than half of Nigeria’s problem would have become effectively solved.

Yinka, 300-Level Chemistry, IBBU Lapai

As a southerner that grew up and caught his first tooth in education in the North, specifically in Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State, the word “culture” came to me as lexicon with different meaning. I had thought that the word would have another meaning apart from the one I was taught then: “the total way of life”.

True to it, I have come to realise that culture is the major makeup of the content and character of a man. Culture grows deep into the bones and dissolves in marrow of a man. One way or the other, our behaviour is mostly a reflection of our culture, irrespective of the level of education that we might have attained.

Albeit, culture is elusive; it is hard to define. But to properly understand this piece, I will employ Raymond Williams’ definition of culture, which states that culture is “to designate the entire way of life, activities, beliefs and customs of a people, group or society”, as guide.

A man’s culture is his identity through which he is known and in some ways, addressed. Sometimes, we dress to portray our cultural identity, while those without a cultural consciousness are said to have changed their lifestyle to one that did not have root in African custom.

At the risk of being proud, I see myself as a complete Nigerian, because I have lived and associated with the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria. I have had the opportunity to study the cultures of these ethnic nationalities and even behaved and dressed like them on some occasions.

Accompanying a father, who was a federal civil servant until his retirement recently, moving from state to the other was part of life. I was born in Idanre, a sprawling town at the fringe of Ondo State, I only had the privilege to attend kindergarten in the town before my family moved to Lapai, where I started and finished my primary education and the first leg of my secondary education before moving to the East, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, where I completed secondary school.

I could not enjoy steady education because of my family’s movement. Transfer or repeating classes was more of a normal thing for us; it did not matter whether one was brilliant. My dad was a staunch believer in the belief that a child’s foundation is the key to his or her academic success.

In the process of moving from one part of Nigeria to another, I have acclimatised myself with cultural beliefs and identity of our host communities without neglecting the culture and identity of my own Urhobo people.

Couple with English language, I understand and can speak the three major languages in Nigeria. I sat for Hausa exam in my Junior School Certificate Examination (JSCE); I wrote Igbo in my Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) and Yoruba, which is sometimes the means of communication between my siblings at home.

In addition, I understand Nupe, a language that is predominant in the North Central Nigeria, which I mastered while growing up in Lapai. Added to this is my native language, Urhobo, which was to communicate to us by my parents.

For us, changing location meant learning new cultures, which were quite fascinating. This taught us flexibility in manner of dressing to ‘fit in’ to new environment. Through this, I have come to realise that Nigeria is not as complex and heterogeneous as people see it to be. Mode of dressing and religion apart, Nigerians have the same identity.

Thus it will not be out of place to state that the problem with our country is the sacrifice of culture on the altar of politics. According to Daniel Patrick Moynihan, “the central preservative truth is that it is culture, not politics that determines the success of a society. The central liberal truth is that politics can change a culture and save it from itself.”

People now hide under the cover of preserving their cultural heritage to carry out their criminal activities by brainwashing the youths, who are supposed to be agents of change to be agents of destruction all in the name of priding themselves in carrying out the injunctions of their religion or ethnic stock.

From my mixing with various ethnic groups, I realised that no ethnic group or religion espouses hatred towards a fellow human.

Presently, geographical origin and ethnicity play important role in the consideration of anyone for public office. In university system, there is a quota mechanism, which limits chances of non-indigenes to gain admission in any higher institution. I was once a victim. The Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT MINNA), some years ago, did not offer me placement because my origin of Delta State. But candidates that got lesser scores were admitted because they fell into the catchment area of the institution. The story is true for many a Nigerian, who are disadvantaged by virtue of their state of origin or ethnic stock.

Our culture has been corrupted not only by politicians but also by our traditional leaders, who have sold their cultural heritages for a piece of political cake. Chieftaincy titles, which used to be for individuals that have contributed immensely to the socio-cultural development of a society is now a commodity that is affected by the laws of demand and supply.

Our culture is supposed to be our pride that must define who we are. In the words of Plato, “the soul takes nothing to her to the next world but her education and her culture. At the beginning of the journey to the next world, one’s education and culture can either provide the greatest assistance or else as the greatest burden, to the person who has just died”. Our destiny is in our own hands.

Philip, 500-Level Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering, DELSU

The ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) could not delay the inauguration of the Centre of Excellence in Software Engineering Programme built by the management of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife. The campus was agog as lecturers and non-academic staff trooped to the Computer Building, where the inauguration facility was held.
The project, which is the first of its kind in any Nigerian university, was sponsored by STEP-B Project of the World Bank, Federal Ministry of Education and Skye Bank Plc. The centre was to demonstrate the institution’s commitment towards the development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the country.
With 250KVA generator, 144 KVA set of inverters and 92 KW solar panels, the centre is equipped with telepresence facilities to create a platform to large audience of people across the globe via web conferencing to enhance online lecture delivery.
The Cloud Computing Resources, a software studio, provides a platform for software developers to meet, interact and enhance their skills. It also provides 24-hour internet access to students with 700 computers and printers.
At the ceremony where the facility was opened, Vice-Chancellor, Prof Bamitale Omole, could not hide his joy as he thanked God for the accomplishment of the project, while reiterating its significance to the institution and country’s progress.
He said: “The Lord has permitted it that we are all here today to witness the inauguration of the Centre of Excellence in Software Engineering. It is the first in the history of higher education in Nigeria.”
Stating the mission of the university towards the advancement of ICT, Prof Omole said: “As a swift and effective means to secure academic programme for the running of the institution, the mission, therefore, is to develop the ICT to a level that it will serve as a backbone of the university’s development strategy in the teaching of curriculum development, innovation and research.”
He added: “The past one and a half decade in the university has shown an increasing acknowledgement to the importance of ICT, which made the university to be ranked as the number one in Nigeria.”
The Professor of International Relations reiterated his administration’s commitment to the development of ICT as an avenue to provide support and an enabling environment to the teaching and learning in the institution to effect an enhanced relationship with the private sector.
Mr Timothy Oguntayo, Executive Director, Skye Bank (Soutwest), who represented the General Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Kehinde Durosinmi-Etti, said the bank had been a catalyst to enhance efficiency and growth of Nigeria’s education sector.
He said: “One of the core values of Skye Bank is continuous learning. All over the country, we have supported education in terms of equity and social services. Today, we can boast of being in the forefront of education financing in Nigeria.”