The Nation Newspaper

Category: Campus Life

  • Student’s death sparks protest at LASPOTECH

    Student’s death sparks protest at LASPOTECH

    The death of a student, Oladimeji Olu, ND 1 Computer Engineering, led to a demonstration on the Ikorodu campus of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH). TOLULOPE OGUNLEYE (HND II Computer Science) reports that the aggrieved students disrupted a meeting of principal officers.

    BRANDISHING tree branches and green leaves and with tears flowing down their cheeks, students of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) last Monday protested the death of their colleague, Oladimeji Olu.

    Academic activities were grounded at the school’s Ikorodu campus as the students took to the streets over the “poor medical services” in their clinic.

    They claimed Oladimeji, an ND1 Computer Engineering student, died because of the lackadaisical attitude of the clinic’s personnel.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the late Oladimeji was taken to the medical centre, last Friday, at 9:30am after he took ill, but was transferred to the Ikorodu General Hospital, where he died. The nature of his illness could not be ascertained, but his aggrieved colleagues said the cause of death may have been malaria.

    A student said the deceased was left unattended to hours after his admission at the school’s medical centre. Worried by the development, his colleagues complained to the medical personnel on duty, who gave them a referral for him to the General Hospital.

    Sodiq Bello, Faculty of Engineering students’ president, who spoke to our correspondent, said he got an urgent call from the Computer Engineering Department’s president, Taiwo Ogundero, that the late Oladimeji was “seriously sick” and had been taken to the medical centre.

    “Oladimeji was in serious pain before the doctors started attending to him. When they discovered that it was not a case they could handle anymore, they came back with a referral for the deceased to be transferred to the General Hospital, Ikorodu, where he gave up the ghost on Saturday in the midnight,” Sodiq said.

    When the news of Oladimeji’s death reached the campus, his colleagues sent messages to students through the social media to converge on the convocation ground in the morning.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that scores of students, in a Marcopolo and six 18-seater buses, joined Olanike Olu, the late Oladimeji’s sister, to retrieve his remains from the hospital.

    At the hospital, they were told the Oladimeji’s body would not be released to them. The hospital’s reason, CAMPUSLIFE gathered, was hinged on its policy not to issue death certificate to patients brought in less than 48 hours before death.

    The students were advised to go to the Ikorodu Local Government to get an affidavit. After obtaining the document, signed by Olanike, the students moved to Igbogbo Police Station in Ikorodu to get a police report, which was attached to the affidavit so as to get the death certificate after paying N5,000 to the council. They later presented the document at the hospital.

    Tears flowed freely as the late Oladimeji’s body was brought out of the morgue. His colleagues wailed, with many cursing the institution’s medical personnel. The body was taken to a cemetery at Sabo part of Ikorodu for burial.

    After the internment, the students returned to the campus, storming the clinic in protest. In tears, the students chanted: “Oro nla l’eda, eyin t’epa Oladimeji ti e je k’odagba, oro nla l’eda”, which means: “You have brought sorrow to our hearts, you that caused Oladimeji’s death at his prime; it is great sorrow.”

    The students requested to see the Medical Director, Dr Ibrahim Abdulraheem, but the workers said he was at a management meeting. The Dean, Students’ Affairs, Mr Nurudeen Sonayan, and his deputy, Mr Adebayo Fapohunda, excused themselves from the meeting to attend to the students. Their presence, however, could not calm the inconsolable crowd, which insisted on seeing the medical director.

    When the students got to know that the medical director was in the boardroom, where the meeting was being held, they stormed the place, chanting war songs.

    The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Iroko When, cautioned the demonstrators not to destroy the school property.

    The Rector, Dr Abdulazeez Abioye Lawal, summoned the Speaker of Students’ Representative Council, Sadiq Taiwo and Yomi Usman, a member of the SUG parliament to the boardroom to ascertain what the problem was.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the Speaker narrated what transpired at the medical centre. The rector reportedly responded that the issue was part of the discussion at the disrupted meeting.

    To calm frayed nerves, Dr Lawal left the meeting to address the aggrieved students. He was joined by other principal officers.

    He urged the students to remain calm, saying the state of the medical centre was part of the discussion in the management meeting. He promised that changes would be effected as soon as possible, urging the protesters to return to their hostels.

    In an interview, Dr Abdulraheem said the late Oladimeji was attended to by two doctors immediately he was brought in.

    “We were able to stabilise him before the arrival of his family. When his sister arrived later, there was need to refer him to Ikorodu General Hospital since the centre is not running on 24-hour basis. We ensured that all facilities were in place to transfer the deceased, who was taken in the school’s ambulance accompanied by his sister and a nurse,” he said.

    Abdulraheem said the medical centre did all it could to save the deceased, saying the late Oladimeji may have been seriously affected by the ailment. He advised students to always visit the centre for regular medical check-up, saying: “Don’t wait until you are seriously sick before you remember that there is a place called medical centre on campus.”

    Dr Abdulraheem gave his mobile phone number for students to reach him in case of urgent medical attention and poor service at the centre.

    Efforts to speak to the management of the Ikorodu General Hospital were futile.

    Oladimeji, 21, was a member of the SUG parliament. He is survived by his mother and siblings.

  • ‘Women are coming to rule ’

    ‘Women are coming to rule ’

    Feyisope Sadiq, 19, is the brain behind Riribelle, an online photography blog, which is popular among students and youths. The 300-Level Mass Communication student of the Redeemer’s University (RUN) told JUMOKE AWE what keeps her going in a vocation believed to be the exclusive preserve of men.

    What is the meaning of Riribelle and how did you come about it?

    The first four letters, RIRI, came from my Muslim name Rihanat. The suffix, BELLE, is a French word, which means attractive woman. I bring the best of my creativity into photography.

    How did you discover your talent for photography?

    First, I grew up having a 35mm film camera and several disposable cameras for everyday photos. Secondly, I love drawing but, unfortunately, I am not good at it; so I had to look for another medium to express my talent. I discovered I have interest in arts and photography than other things. Eventually, I decided to go for it. I got a camera to teach myself and the first photograph I took was superb. From there, I decided that it was what I wanted to do.

    What motivates you to strive for perfection?

    I get motivated by my works, my family and friends. I feel good when people appreciate what I do because it spurs my determination to do better. The works of great photographers also inspire me to want to do better as a photographer.

    How do you combine your studies with photography?

    It is not an easy task to combine studies with anything at all. For me, education comes before photography; this is what I keep in mind every day. So, I don’t engage in photography when school is in session. I make sacrifices when I have to but I don’t get carried away.

    What are the challenges you face?

    Time is one huge factor for me because of school work. Also, in this part of the world, photography is not seen as a dignified profession; so at times, people try to discourage me when I say it is what I want to do but I thank God that my parents are supportive and have accepted my chosen career.

    Photography is considered to be men’s vocation; do you believe that?

    Truly, photography is dominated by the menfolk for obvious reasons. It requires a lot of physical fitness and endurance but who says women cannot cope with it? Today’s women are strong and that is why we see many women making wave as chief executive officers, photographers and engineers today. Very soon, the so-called male-dominated vocations would accommodate both genders to bring different ideas and perspectives to the creative field of such profession.

    Who is your role model?

    I cannot categorically say that I have a role model because I combine traits from different people to become my own unique person. Abroad, I look up to people like Karl Taylor and Ben Hassett. But in Nigeria, Kelechi Amadi-Obi, Jide Alakija and the Orbit Imagery crew are the people I respect. I also admire Yetunde Babaeko. I spend time studying these people’s works.

    Which work have you done?

    I have worked with Garnet and Topaz Modelling Agency. Also, I worked with Hip-hop artistes such as Davido and Ice Prince. I did my internship at Orbit Imagery.

    Where do you see your brand in the nearest future?

    I see the Riri Belle as one of the top commercial and portrait photography outfits promoting the industry in a few years. We hope to explore other fields that go hand in hand with art in Nigeria and beyond.

    What is your advice for youths?

    They must know that education is important and we must all strive to get proper education. We must learn not to give up our dreams. Challenges and obstacles will always come but our ability to face them and overcome is what makes us great.

  • The handwriting on the wall (1)

    The handwriting on the wall (1)

    Host Christians are familiar with the popular handwriting on the wall story as recorded in the Bible in the book of Daniel chapter five. For the benefit of non-Christians, in that story, Belshazzar the king of Babylon and son of Nebuchadnezzar, invited thousands of officers to a great feast where wine and women flowed freely. While he was drinking, he was reminded of the gold and silver cups taken long before from the temple in Jerusalem during his father’s reign. He ordered that these sacred cups be brought to the feast, and when they arrived, he and his princes, wives, and concubines drank toasts from them to their gods.

    While they were busy having their full of wine in the arms of their women they saw the finger of a man’s hand writing on the plaster of the wall opposite the lamp stand in the immaculate palace ballroom. Belshazzar saw the fingers as they wrote. The Bible recorded that his face blanched with fear, his drunken stupor was erased in a flash and his knees knocked together and his legs gave way beneath him. He immediately summoned his magicians and astrologers to interpret the strange writing but none could. It took Daniel, a man the Bible described as being “filled with divine knowledge and understanding” to decode the strange writing which in summary meant the king days were numbered and his kingdom divided between the Medes and Persians. It happened just the way the Bible said it would and that night Belshazzar was killed and Darius; the Mede entered the city and began reigning at the age of 62.

    This event reminds me of the happenings in our country today where the progress of the country seem to be the least concern of our so called leaders. My interest here, as you might have guessed, is the tertiary education sector. Last week, undergraduates from the University of Ibadan (UI) blocked major streets in the ancient city calling on the Federal Government to resolve the current strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Prior to this, Polytechnic students poured into the street in Lagos and caused traffic snarl on Ikorodu road. Finally, the students appear to have woken from their slumber. Recollect that only last week I wrote how Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) challenged undergraduates at the CAMPUSLIFE workshop to join issue with the National Assembly and ensure their voices are heard on sectoral and national issues, it appears he spoke prophetically.

    According to reports, no fewer than 500 students of polytechnics, universities, and even secondary school leavers, under the aegis of the Concerned Citizens Against Education Commercialization, (COSATEC) registered their displeasure at the Federal Government’s lackadaisical attitude towards ending the incessant strikes in the education sector.

    In some of the reports I read, Owolade Oluwasijibomi, the Student Union President, Federal Polytechnic Ado Ekiti, was quoted telling the Federal Government that enough is enough. “We are tired of them playing with our future. We kept quiet about this for a while because we considered the fact that apart from the Federal Ministry of Education, there are other sectors involved. However, over 70 days have passed and the situation has not changed. They have taken our gentility for stupidity. And we want to let them know that until they meet the demands of our lecturers, we will continue to constitute a nuisance.”

    While I will definitely not support the students turning themselves into a “nuisance”, it has, however, become glaring that one thing we must understand is that the history of our country and of the human race as a whole shows that things do not change without a struggle. In fact, Nigeria is what it is today because our people have refused to stand up against what is wrong; the corruption, rigging of election, the bare face impunity; and a myriad of other things just go on and on. These things are published in the newspapers daily and nothing happens, so one scandal gets bigger than the other and the country just goes on. The country is failing and everybody recognises that. But the big question on the lips of everyone is what do we do?

    This dilemma between civility and struggle was what pushed the students out. They were joined by COSATEC which is pushing for dialogue with the striking unions in the education sector, and also advocating proper funding of the sector, democratic control as well as conducive learning environment for Nigerian students. The students want the authorities to read the handwriting on the wall and know that more protests should be expected as they promised that it is going to be a protracted struggle because they are becoming “ideologically mature” and are bent on ensuring that when they hit the streets again they would compel unemployed youths to join them. Any right thinking Nigerian should know that when the euphemism “unemployed youth” enters the lexicon, be sure that you will see area boys who would hijack the “struggle” for their own selfish benefits.

    Since 1992 (21 years ago), Nigerians have got used to ASUU strike and the ominous manner in which the hopes and fates of our youths are spun in the roulette wheel of uncertainty. And in the last few years, Nigeria has witnessed an almost yearly occurrence of strikes in the academics. Yet, since the mid-80s, the number of academics in government has grown large enough to function well. Ironically, President Jonathan and his predecessor, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, emerged from the academics.

    The notion that intellectuals can revolutionise governance is not new in the country. Right from when the late Anthony Ukpabi Asika left the ivory tower to join the government of General Yakubu Gowon, every succeeding government has found the citadel of learning attractive to poach for the regime’s intellectual direction. Alhaji Shehu Shagari’s government had erudite scholars such as Prof. Ihechukwu Madubuike and Prof. Ishaya Audu. Prof. Folorunsho Gambari and Dr. Onaolapo Soleye were to follow as intellectuals of the General Muhammadu Buhari regime.

    General Ibrahim Babangida made the introduction of academics in major strata of the economy a policy thrust. When the Mass Mobilisation for Social Justice and Economic Recovery (MAMSER) Commission was launched in 1986, an academic, Professor Jerry Gana, was sought for as chairman. There was also Professor Molara Ogundipe in the commission. The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) had Professor Wole Soyinka as chairman. Professor Sam Oyovbaire was Minister of Information; the late Professor Olikoye Ransome Kuti was for Health, the late Prof. Aliyu Babatunde Fafunwa and Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, who in fact, initiated the Concert of Medium Power (G-15), was the External Affairs Minister.

    However, in spite of these positions and influence of former ASUU members, education in the country is still stymied. It is quite strange to me that with these people in and out of government, it is still difficult for government to address the problems facing the sector. The reason for this is not farfetched, these former ASUU members, now on the other side, especially as politicians, ought to have critical roles to play in the repositioning of the country’s universities. It is unfortunate that immediately many of them leave the ivory tower, they become politicians and hustlers, who use the appendage of consultants to look for avenues to be part of the “cake sharing formula,” as they become tongue-in-cheek mouthpiece of government. Many of them don’t even bother going back to their constituency, academic, they see no reason why they should support ASUU or act as a buffer between ASUU and the government.

    This notwithstanding, I see the present crisis beyond the prism of an ASUU, ASUP crises; it should provide us the opportunity of looking holistically at tertiary education. Why, for instance, would the government keep mum over ASUP strike and within days of the commencement of ASUU strike it called their officials to dialogue even though it has been deadlocked ever since?

    By its action, the authorities are neglecting dangerous shifts in our education. Discrimination that governments and other employers exhibit in their treatment of graduates of universities and polytechnics is central to the issue. By inadvertently promoting this discrimination they are eroding the place of Polytechnics and colleges of education in manpower development in the country.

  • Achieving a drug- and crime-free youth population

    Achieving a drug- and crime-free youth population

    Being the  text of speech delivered by Mr Femi Falana (SAN), a frontline rights activist and lawyer, at the 11th CAMPUSLIFE Correspondents’ Workshop held on July 6, 2013.   

    Introduction: The Nation newspaper deserves commendation for creating and maintaining the CAMPUSLIFE section, which reports major events on campuses of the tertiary institutions. It is particularly gratifying to note that students are encouraged to report stories and in the process train themselves in the practice of journalism. By having an annual retreat of campus journalists to compare notes through personal contacts and interactions, the column is also promoting an important aspect of communication. Notwithstanding that the founding Editor of the section, Mrs Ngozi Agbo, passed on last year, The Nation has continued to pay the greatest tribute to her memory by sustaining the column on a weekly basis. In examining the proclivity of the youths to engage in drug abuse and other crimes I am going to task all participants in this workshop to be prepared to lead a campaign that will guarantee access to qualitative education for every Nigerian child and job creation for unemployed graduates and other school leavers. My conclusion is that the menace of drug abuse among our youths cannot be eradicated if the state is not prepared to invest in education and job creation.

    The good old days

    Parents are fond of talking of the “good old days”. It is high time the young generation of Nigerians began to interrogate why their parents including public officers speak of the past with such nostalgic feelings. During the last electioneering campaign President Goodluck Jonathan said that while he was growing up in his village at Otuoke in Bayelsa state he had no shoes. Many young Nigerians sympathised with him and voted for him on that basis. But the President forgot to inform Nigerians that most members of his generation throughout the country did not have the privilege of wearing shoes. Since I belong to that generation, I can say, without any fear of contradiction that the few who had shoes among us were not permitted to wear them on a daily basis as they were reserved for special occasions. But in order to ensure that we all grew up to wear shoes the State invested in our future.

    There was massive investment in education by the government aided by religious institutions and a number of communities. In 1955, free primary school education was introduced by the Obafemi Awolowo Administration in western Nigeria. About two decades later, it became a national policy when it was made free and compulsory for every Nigerian child. Fees charged in secondary schools were reasonably affordable while tuition was totally free in all institutions of higher learning. As the public schools were well staffed and equipped only very few students patronised the private schools. There was no brain drain as the conditions of service of teachers were generally encouraging. Undergraduates were given loans and bursaries to fund their education. There were a few private secondary schools but there was no private university in the country. There were jobs for university graduates and other school leavers. In fact, there were vacation jobs for undergraduates. In essence the youths could dream dreams. Unfortunately, the State has stopped to make adequate provision for education. According to the UNICEF not less than 10.5 million children of school age in Nigeria are roaming the streets. Since the future of the youths was reasonably secured only a few of them who dropped out of schools were involved in crimes.

    In the circumstance, the dreams of the generality of the youths have been shattered due to the rapacious looting of the treasury and the reckless diversion of public funds by an unpatriotic ruling class with the connivance of some foreign financial institutions. By 1986, the gross mismanagement of the economy led to the imposition of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) by the Ibrahim Babangida junta upon the insistence of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. It is on record that the implementation of the SAP resulted in the drastic reduction of the funding of education by the government and the withdrawal of subsidies from social services, retrenchment of workers and embargo on new jobs. Consequently, the youths have been thrown into the unemployment market.

    Out of sheer frustration many youths were driven to criminality. Others have taken to thuggery, drug trafficking, human trafficking, prostitution, examination malpractice, fraud and other economic and financial crimes. This propensity to commit such crimes has been facilitated by the culture of impunity which is the order of the day. In recent time, thousands have been jailed at home and abroad for drug related offences. Indeed, some have been convicted and sentenced to death for drug trafficking in the Middle East and Asia. It is pertinent to acknowledge that in spite of the temptation and encouragement to engage in crimes most Nigerian youths have remained law abiding. In recent time, many youths have engaged in armed robbery, kidnapping and terrorism. To take the youths out of criminality is a herculean task which requires a complete change of orientation. No doubt, the future of the country depends on the commitment and determination of the patriotic segment of the youths to mobilise others to channel their talents and energies towards productive ventures. To achieve the objective the youths have to be organised to appreciate that they have a historic role to play in creating an egalitarian society out of the decadence of the neo-colonial capitalist socio-economic system that has turned our prosperity into poverty.

    The call for revolution

    I am not unaware of the popular call for “revolution” among the youths which is borne out of total disenchantment with the prodigality and insensitivity of the over pampered ruling class which is unleashing kwashiokor democracy on the people. Even a former President Olusegun Obasanjo has predicted the imminence of a revolution in Nigeria. Just last week, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal called on the ruling class to address the crisis of poverty in the land to prevent a revolution. While the increasing wave of poverty in the country cannot be justified in view of our abundant human and natural resources we must never mistake street protests propelled by anger with revolution. The street protests in Libya, Syria and Egypt have since snowballed into intractable political crises that may destroy those countries. We must also not join the “international community” of imperialist nations which stand to gain from the breakup of their former colonies by celebrating the triumph of the revolutions of chaos and anarchy. For instance, while the United States and other western nations have captured the Libyan oil resources it has now dawned on the Libyan people that the jobs, houses and other social amenities hitherto provided by the government may have gone with the brutal execution of President Muammar Gaddafi.

    Since the armed forces in Africa have contributed substantially to the political instability plaguing the continent they cannot afford to remain neutral in the management of the political crisis in many countries. Hence the Egyptian army has collaborated with anti-Morsi protesters while arresting the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood and killing pro-Morsi protesters. During the anti-fuel subsidy removal protests last year in Nigeria the army rolled out the tanks to maintain law and order for the continued exploitation of the Nigerian people. For those whose memory is so short with respect to the capacity of Nigerians to organise protests against injustice let them be reminded that we have had many street protests and labour strikes which had a paralytic effect on the economy. In fact, it is on record that over one million Nigerians took part in the several rallies and demonstrations staged against the criminal annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. In Lagos alone, not less than 200 unarmed protesters were killed by the Nigerian army. And when Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Dr Beko Ransome-Kuti and I were arrested, charged and detained in Kuje prisons for leading the protests the struggle assumed a new dimension. Our comrades – Chima Ubani, Shehu Sani, Abiodun Aremu, Sylvester Odion-Akhaine, Labaran Maku, Joe Okey-Odumakin and others in the Campaign for Democracy asked Nigerians to resort to sit at home and other forms of civil disobedience.

    It was the mass action which forced General Babangida out of power on August 26, 1993. As the protests continued the illegal Interim National Government hurriedly put in place by the disgraced dictator was sacked by another band of military predators led by Generals Sani Abacha and Oladipo Diya on November 17, 1993. The junta dissolved all democratic structures, imposed martial law and declared a war against the people. The winner of the presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola was arrested and charged with treason. He was detained; his wife was killed while his businesses were ruined. Pro-democracy and human rights leaders were targeted for harassment and intimidation. And when Chief Abiola continued to insist on the mandate, four years later, he died in a military custody after taking a cup of tea served by an American delegation. A month earlier, the maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha had been poisoned in similar circumstances. However, with the violent resolution of the political logjam the Abdulsalami junta manipulated the political transition programme to facilitate the transfer of power to a former military head of state, General Obasanjo of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), a political party funded by a crop of retired military officers.

    The way forward

    From the foregoing it is clear that the armed forces have always capitalised on mass disenchantment with the government to strike and either install themselves in power or hand over power to the civilian wing of the ruling class. In 1966 and1983 the army sacked the civilian regimes to avert a mass revolt. Although the country was under the jackboots for about three decades the wealth of the nation was plundered by a gang of military officers in alliance with their civilian cronies and their imperialist overlords.

    In a war situation when soldiers invade and capture a town properties are looted while prisoners of war are held. In the same vein the military rulers who took over the country looted the treasury, raped the country and installed a regime of executive lawlessness and impunity. As the national resources were cornered by the rulers the people were sentenced to penury. In order to make ends meet the youths resorted to 419 (obtaining by false pretences), drug trafficking and consumption and other crimes. As no nation can develop with criminally minded youths Nigeria requires a new crop of leaders who will change the negative orientation of the youths. To rehabilitate the country after the massive destruction by the pirates in power we require a new culture and orientation. Our youth population of 60 million must be prepared to produce the men and women of ideas and vision with a mission to mobilise our people for the reconstruction of the State with a view to guaranteeing the welfare and security of all citizens. Instead of waiting for barracks messiahs through street protests or relying on some politicians with expired ideas the youths should have confidence in themselves. Since liberal democracy is a game of numbers I believe that if Nigerian youths are well mobilised they can make a difference in the politics of the nation in 2015.

    Conclusion

    The struggle to rid the country of crimes has to begin now. Nigerian youths should ensure that the political parties and their candidates are made to address the problems of the comatose economy, infrastructural decay, unemployment, corruption, insecurity of life and property. Those who base their campaigns on ethnicity, sectionalism, religion and other primordial sentiments should be rejected at the polls. While Nigerians should demonstrate against injustice we must create a political culture that allows change of governments through the ballot and not through street protests which usually lead to coups.

  • Accounting students visit EFCC, CAC

    Accounting students visit EFCC, CAC

    ACCOUNTING students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) have gone on academic visit to Abuja, the nation’s capital. The students, under the aegis of the Nigerian Universities Accounting Students Association (NUASA), were accompanied by the Head of Accounting Department, Dr E.I. Bowale, and a lecturer in the department, Mr Alade Muyiwa.

    During the three-day trip, the students visited top government’s organisations and financial houses. On the first day, students visited to the Corporate Affairs commission (CAC), where they were received and lectured by top officials of the organisation. On the same day, they visited the office of The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    On second day, the students left for Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) office, where they received training on how to trade in stock market by officials of the financial firm. They proceeded to the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA); they were received by the chapter president of NUASA, Ade Jacobs and his colleagues.

    The students were engaged in discussion on to tackle the challenges facing both institutions. They later gathered for group photograph.

    On the third day, the students visited Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), where they were conducted round the facility by officials in accounting department. One of the places visited by the students was the CBN Currency Museum.

    The president of the students, John Oladele, said the visit was to educate members on certain area in the discipline. Describing the trip as successful, John appreciated the effort of his colleagues in making the excursion memorable.

    Vice President, Bisola Jubril, a 300-Level student, commended the association’s Staff Adviser for his encouragement. One of the participants, Eniola Aladetunlese, a 100-Level student, said the trip was educative.

  • Varsity builds computer centre

    Varsity builds computer centre

    The University of Calabar (UNICAL) has built a computer centre where computer-based examinations will be taking place. The facility, named National Universities Commission (NUC) Data Base, was built in collaboration with Afri-Hub, an Information and Telecommunication firm.

    The centre, situated in the university Library Complex, was opened with examination, which had 560 candidates to write test in a week.

    Speaking at the venue, Deputy Director, Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), who is also the Zonal Coordinator of the board in Cross River State, Mr Kehinde Olukogun, said the computer-based test (CBT) was an innovation by JAMB geared towards addressing the problems associated with the Paper Pencil-Based Test (PPBT) and malpractice.

    Olukogun said the computer test involved the use of computer to administer the test online, adding that UNICAL chosen as a centre for the exams because of its conducive ambience as well as availability of good facility.

    In his remark, the Director of Information Communication Technology (ICT), UNICAL, Dr Rufus Okoro, said the management agreed to facilitate the examination because the initiative was in tandem with the Vice-Chancellor Prof James Epoke administration’s desire to do its all to curb all forms of dishonest behaviour in examination.

    Okoro said the university had been considering the idea of using the computer-based test to conduct its post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) test, saying from what he saw, CBT remained best option for if credibility must return to public examination.

    Okoro, however, said the challenge with the computer test was the facilities to accommodate thousands of candidates that registered for the examination yearly. He also said power supply was another problem being faced to effectively use the facility.

  • Mass Comm. student wins UNILAG debate

    Mass Comm. student wins UNILAG debate

    Mary Olubukola Adeguunloye of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos (UNILAG), left no one in doubt that she was the one to beat at the 2013 Inter-Faculty Debate organised by the Students’ Affairs Division. She went home with N50, 000 cash and a laptop.

    She defeated five other contestants, who participated in the competition held last Wednesday in the main auditorium of the university. The topic for the debate was: Sovereign National Conference: Is it desirable at this stage of Nigeria’s development.

    Olubukola dazzled the audience with her brilliant display of knowledge of the discourse, arguing in favour of the notion that Nigeria needed to convene national conference to disentangle itself from the various problems bedeviling it, including ethno-religious strife, poverty, insecurity, unemployment and dilapidated infrastructure.

    Other contestants in the competition included Nathan Osas Odiase from the Faculty of Engineering, first runner up; Dare Amusan, Faculty of Law, second runner; Gbemisola Onasanya, third runner up and Samuel Nwaokoro, who came fifth.

    The six contestants were adjudged the best among the 13 contestants, who took part in the preliminary stage of the competition.

    The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Rahamon Bello, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management), Prof Duro Oni, presented the trophy to the winners. The VC commended the organisers, urging students to take their studies seriously.

    In his remarks, head of the panel of judges and former Vice-Chancellor of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ogun State, Prof Olusegun Awonusi, stressed the importance of the topic chosen for the debate to Nigeria’s development.

    Other members of the panel of judges included Dr D.K. Ologbenla, department of Political Science, Dr O. Okoro, department of English, Dr V. Onyene, department of Educational Administration, and Dr A.O. Sanni, department of Commercial and Industrial Law.

  • The Nation/Africanliberty.org 2013 Essay Competition Results

    Having gone through all entries submitted for the 2013 edition of the essay contest organised by The Nation/AfricanLiberty.org in collaboration with Blantyre newspaper, Malawi, and powered by Network For a Free Society, with the topic: Nations which are economically free outperform non-free nations in all indicators of wellbeing, we wish announce the winners of the competition.

    Method of marking

    The score ranges between 0 and 100 per cent, with highest score being 74 per cent, while the lowest is 10 per cent. Scoring of entries was done using four major standards to judge how each essay expressed knowledge and understanding of the discourse. The grading modalities used are:

    · The understanding and discussion of the issue: We checked the level of knowledge, understanding and the discussion of the issue as expressed in the write ups. We watched out for level of familiarity of writer with the libertarian philosophy. This carries 50 per cent.

    ·Presentation and structure of the essay: We noted how the argument was presented, the writer style and words and his creativity. This carries 20 per cent.

    ·Originality: We identified references of the writer’s source of information. The point is to observe how the writer is able to differentiate between his original thoughts and that of others, or thoughts obtain from elsewhere. We, however, disqualified some essays for outright plagiarism. This carries 20 per cent

    ·Grammar: We checked grammatical construction of the essay and punctuations. This carries 10 per cent.

    The Winners

    1st Position: Shafic Osman, Economics and Modern Languages, University of Ghana

    2nd Position: Joseph S. Timothy, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria and Oluyemi George, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria.

    3rd Position: Ezeh Kelechukwu Dennis, Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria and Oladimeji Oguntoyinbo Yusuf, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria.

    The 1st to 3rd position will engage in another round of debate during the Students and Young Professional African Liberty Academy (SYPALA) at the Kabarak University, Nakuru, Kenya between August 14 and17.

    Winners should get in touch with Adedayo Thomas at adedayo.thomas@gmail.com to redeem their prizes.

    Consolatory Prizes

    Wiredu Darlington Kwabena, University of Ghana Business School, Legon, Accra

    Oloo Dickens, School of Economics, University of Nairobi, Kenya

    Chaerles Ephraim Makwiza, University of Malawi, Malawi

    Onduru Julius Ouma, South Esathern University, Kenya

    Cheluget Franklin Kosgei, Law student, Kabarak University, Kenya

    Peter Leonard Yakobe, African Bible University of Uganda

    Zebidah Wankiku Manyara, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya

  • The handwriting on the wall (1)

    Most Christians are familiar with the popular handwriting on the wall story as recorded in the Bible in the book of Daniel chapter five. For the benefit of non-Christians, in that story, Belshazzar the king of Babylon and son of Nebuchadnezzar, invited thousands of officers to a great feast where wine and women flowed freely. While he was drinking, he was reminded of the gold and silver cups taken long before from the temple in Jerusalem during his father’s reign. He ordered that these sacred cups be brought to the feast, and when they arrived, he and his princes, wives, and concubines drank toasts from them to their gods.

    While they were busy having their full of wine in the arms of their women they saw the finger of a man’s hand writing on the plaster of the wall opposite the lamp stand in the immaculate palace ballroom. Belshazzar saw the fingers as they wrote. The Bible recorded that his face blanched with fear, his drunken stupor was erased in a flash and his knees knocked together and his legs gave way beneath him. He immediately summoned his magicians and astrologers to interpret the strange writing but none could. It took Daniel, a man the Bible described as being “filled with divine knowledge and understanding” to decode the strange writing which in summary meant the king days were numbered and his kingdom divided between the Medes and Persians. It happened just the way the Bible said it would and that night Belshazzar was killed and Darius; the Mede entered the city and began reigning at the age of 62.

    This event reminds me of the happenings in our country today where the progress of the country seem to be the least concern of our so called leaders. My interest here, as you might have guessed, is the tertiary education sector. Last week, undergraduates from the University of Ibadan (UI) blocked major streets in the ancient city calling on the Federal Government to resolve the current strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Prior to this, Polytechnic students poured into the street in Lagos and caused traffic snarl on Ikorodu road. Finally, the students appear to have woken from their slumber. Recollect that only last week I wrote how Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) challenged undergraduates at the CAMPUSLIFE workshop to join issue with the National Assembly and ensure their voices are heard on sectoral and national issues, it appears he spoke prophetically.

    According to reports, no fewer than 500 students of polytechnics, universities, and even secondary school leavers, under the aegis of the Concerned Citizens Against Education Commercialization, (COSATEC) registered their displeasure at the Federal Government’s lackadaisical attitude towards ending the incessant strikes in the education sector.

    In some of the reports I read, Owolade Oluwasijibomi, the Student Union President, Federal Polytechnic Ado Ekiti, was quoted telling the Federal Government that enough is enough. “We are tired of them playing with our future. We kept quiet about this for a while because we considered the fact that apart from the Federal Ministry of Education, there are other sectors involved. However, over 70 days have passed and the situation has not changed. They have taken our gentility for stupidity. And we want to let them know that until they meet the demands of our lecturers, we will continue to constitute a nuisance.”

    While I will definitely not support the students turning themselves into a “nuisance”, it has, however, become glaring that one thing we must understand is that the history of our country and of the human race as a whole shows that things do not change without a struggle. In fact, Nigeria is what it is today because our people have refused to stand up against what is wrong; the corruption, rigging of election, the bare face impunity; and a myriad of other things just go on and on. These things are published in the newspapers daily and nothing happens, so one scandal gets bigger than the other and the country just goes on. The country is failing and everybody recognises that. But the big question on the lips of everyone is what do we do?

    This dilemma between civility and struggle was what pushed the students out. They were joined by COSATEC which is pushing for dialogue with the striking unions in the education sector, and also advocating proper funding of the sector, democratic control as well as conducive learning environment for Nigerian students. The students want the authorities to read the handwriting on the wall and know that more protests should be expected as they promised that it is going to be a protracted struggle because they are becoming “ideologically mature” and are bent on ensuring that when they hit the streets again they would compel unemployed youths to join them. Any right thinking Nigerian should know that when the euphemism “unemployed youth” enters the lexicon, be sure that you will see area boys who would hijack the “struggle” for their own selfish benefits.

    Since 1992 (21 years ago), Nigerians have got used to ASUU strike and the ominous manner in which the hopes and fates of our youths are spun in the roulette wheel of uncertainty. And in the last few years, Nigeria has witnessed an almost yearly occurrence of strikes in the academics. Yet, since the mid-80s, the number of academics in government has grown large enough to function well. Ironically, President Jonathan and his predecessor, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, emerged from the academics.

    The notion that intellectuals can revolutionise governance is not new in the country. Right from when the late Anthony Ukpabi Asika left the ivory tower to join the government of General Yakubu Gowon, every succeeding government has found the citadel of learning attractive to poach for the regime’s intellectual direction. Alhaji Shehu Shagari’s government had erudite scholars such as Prof. Ihechukwu Madubuike and Prof. Ishaya Audu. Prof. Folorunsho Gambari and Dr. Onaolapo Soleye were to follow as intellectuals of the General Muhammadu Buhari regime.

    General Ibrahim Babangida made the introduction of academics in major strata of the economy a policy thrust. When the Mass Mobilisation for Social Justice and Economic Recovery (MAMSER) Commission was launched in 1986, an academic, Professor Jerry Gana, was sought for as chairman. There was also Professor Molara Ogundipe in the commission. The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) had Professor Wole Soyinka as chairman. Professor Sam Oyovbaire was Minister of Information; the late Professor Olikoye Ransome Kuti was for Health, the late Prof. Aliyu Babatunde Fafunwa and Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, who in fact, initiated the Concert of Medium Power (G-15), was the External Affairs Minister.

    However, in spite of these positions and influence of former ASUU members, education in the country is still stymied. It is quite strange to me that with these people in and out of government, it is still difficult for government to address the problems facing the sector. The reason for this is not farfetched, these former ASUU members, now on the other side, especially as politicians, ought to have critical roles to play in the repositioning of the country’s universities. It is unfortunate that immediately many of them leave the ivory tower, they become politicians and hustlers, who use the appendage of consultants to look for avenues to be part of the “cake sharing formula,” as they become tongue-in-cheek mouthpiece of government. Many of them don’t even bother going back to their constituency, academic, they see no reason why they should support ASUU or act as a buffer between ASUU and the government.

    This notwithstanding, I see the present crisis beyond the prism of an ASUU, ASUP crises; it should provide us the opportunity of looking holistically at tertiary education. Why, for instance, would the government keep mum over ASUP strike and within days of the commencement of ASUU strike it called their officials to dialogue even though it has been deadlocked ever since?

    By its action, the authorities are neglecting dangerous shifts in our education. Discrimination that governments and other employers exhibit in their treatment of graduates of universities and polytechnics is central to the issue. By inadvertently promoting this discrimination they are eroding the place of Polytechnics and colleges of education in manpower development in the country.

  • SUG leaders trained on leadership

    Members of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Osun State Polytechnic (OSPOLY), Iree, Osun State, have visited Lagos to learn rudiment of leadership. The three-day leadership training programme and tours was organised by a Lagos-based consultancy firm, Kasa Management Consultancy Services, in Badagry area of Lagos State.

    The programme with the theme: Shaping proactive leaders for the next generation featured Mr Bola Disu, Registrar of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) as speaker. He urged the students to dream big and give meaning to their aspirations.

    Disu, who is a lawyer by training, said success only court people that worked hard to actualise their dreams.

    He said: “You must believe in yourself, and in your dreams. You do not necessarily need the whole world to endorse your dreams. They are your dreams, not the world’s. Great innovations, earth-shaking ideas, global brands and many other revolutionary achievements are not communal or democratic. They are personal issues based on self-conviction and unflinching courage.”

    Mr Disu said world brands such as Bill Gates of and Hudson Wrights brothers were individuals who dreamed big and went ahead to give meaning to their dreams.

    He urged the students’ leaders to believe in themselves, “even when nobody perceives you as being serious”.

    Another speaker, Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi, Deputy Director, Office of the Public Defenders, Lagos State, took the students on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism.

    In her paper entitled: Application of conflict management tools in constructive engagement and student-related disputes, Adeyemi listed some causes of students’ unrest in higher institutions to include inadequate facilities, shortage of lecture materials and hostel accommodation, irregular power supply and water shortage among others.

    Through ADR mechanism, all the challenges could be resolved without violence, Adeyemi said.

    “There are various ways of managing and resolving conflicts. ADR and other intervention methods are in widespread demand and use,” she said, adding: “ADR is often used to describe a wide variety of dispute resolution processes that are short of, or alternative to full-scale court processes.”

    She said the conflict resolution mechanism saved time, money and increase control over the process and the outcome, preserving relationships. She urged the students to embrace the mechanism in crisis resolution and management instead of confrontation.

    In a paper titled Developing your entrepreneurship potentials as students’ leaders, Mr Kolawole Asa, a Management Consultant, tutored participants on entrepreneurship. Asa gave some tips to create and develop business ideas, saying that the society expected youths to take charge of their lives and become successful.

    After the workshop session, the students visited historic sites in Badagry, including the Whispering Palm Resort.

    Folorunso Samuel, one of the participants, said: “The training has totally widened my knowledge on leadership.” Another participant, Adewale Salawudeen, said: “We commend the management of Osun State Polytechnic and the consultants for organising this powerful and wonderful training.”