The Nation Newspaper

Category: Campus Life

  • A race for life

    A race for life

    By 6:30am last Wednesday, the participants had gathered at the Aluta Mansion, the Students’Union Government (SUG) building, to collect their kits. The exercise took sometime and then all was set for the race. The participants moved to the main gate for the business of the day.

    It was a marathon organised by the Students’ Union officials of Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH).

    Sponsored by Dangote Group, MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Lassa Resources and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the race was held to create awareness about products that are harmful to health.

    At 9:15am, the participants were set for the race. It was reminiscent of an Olympic race.Participants glowed in their blue and yellow sport wears, which were supplied by the sponsors. Sport officials of the institution led by Mr Joseph Ogunbowale joined the athletes at the take-off point.

    Earlier, a combined team of officials of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA), policemen and school security personnel had cleared the marathon routes for easy movement and safety. The routes, which started from the first gate of the Ikorodu campus to the library and the third gate, extended to Itamaga Express Road to Sabo Roundabout and Sagamu Road then back to the first gate.

    Logistics were in place and medical personnel were on hand with a well-equipped ambulance to attend to injured and distressed participants.

    As the race progressed, some athletes fell and could not continue. The medical team moved them out of the way for attention. Some whose condition was serious were taken to the school medical centre.

    The race, which lasted for 108 minutes, was won by Suleiman Amao, ND III Accountancy.The winner maintained his lead from the take-off point until he finished at 9.58am. The last athlete arrived at 11:03am.

    The runners-up were Toheed Adegoke, ND II Quantity Surveying, who arrived at 10am; Opeyemi Oluwadare, ND II Chemical Engineering, 10:02am; Jeremiah Akinmoyeje, ND III Business Administration, 10:04 am and Qudus Osuolale, ND II Business Administration, 10:05am.

    In the female category, Kehinde Odusanya, HND 1 Computer Engineering, came first at 10:20am. The runners-up were Modupe Tade, ND 1 Estate Management, 10:28am; Kelechi Inagu, ND 1 Computer Science, 10:30am; Funmi Ayenowo, HND II Civil Engineering, 10:33am and Adebukola Ajayi, HND 1 Accountancy, 10:34am.

    When CAMPUSLIFE visited the medical centre where the injured were admitted, the Students Union Government (SUG) officials led by the President, Olanrewaju Balogun, Sport Director Samuel Akerele and Speaker of the union’s parliament Kehinde Olofintuyi, were in the building to check on them.

    Dr Ibrahim Abdulraheem, the Medical Director, said the students were stable. He advised the union officials to conduct pre-marathon exercise and medical examination before allowing participants to embark on the race next time.

    He said some of the admitted students had high blood pressure; others were diagnosed of other ailments.

    A few minutes later, the participants converged on the convocation ground for the announcement of the winner. It was a moment filled with anticipation. Principal officers and some guests mounted the podium .

    The Rector, Dr Abdulazeez Lawal, was absent but other senior officers, including the Registrar, Mrs Aderonke Ige; Assistant Dean of Students’ Affairs, Mr Adebayo Fapounda and Public Relations Officer Mr Olanrewaju Kuye joined the sponsors to present prizes to the winners.

    The prizes were MTN DSTV mobile phone with three months free subscription for the first positions, Airtel Internet mobile phone with three months free subscription for the winner; Also, LG DVD player was given to the second runner-up, Airtel Internet modem with a hand pack for the fourth position and MTN rechargeable lamps for the fifth position. The union also gave all winners its note books.

    The Trade Marketing Consultant of MTN, Mrs Elizabeth Otomewo, said the telecoms firms supported the initiative to hone the sporting skills of the students. Mrs Damilola Ajayi, representative of GSK, which provided Lucozade Boost drink for the participants, said the event was in line with the company’s objective.

    Sulaiman, the winner, said: “Relentless training and exercise made me to win the marathon. I run across the same axis every day and with the support of God, I won the race.”

    Saying the vote of thanks, Samuel, the union’s Sport Director, thanked the sponsors and management for supporting the initiative. He urged students to always take part in sporting activities to keep fit all the time.

    At the end of the event, participants were thrilled by DJ Da Dre, with hip hop music from local and foreign artistes.

     

  • Strike: NANS to state position Friday – Gbadebo

    Strike: NANS to state position Friday – Gbadebo

    The National Association of Nigerian Students, (NANS) will come out with its position on the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Friday, its president, Mr Yinka Gbadebo, said on Wednesday.

    Gbadebo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the body was still consulting on the issue.

    He said that for now, they were appealing to all parties involved in the strike to find ways of reaching a compromise as students were always affected during strikes.

    On the implication of the ASUU strike coming when the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) was also protesting, he said that it was not good for students to be at home for long.

    “The government should at least do something for the unions because they play an important role and in the interest of the nation’s academic future, there should be a compromise.

    “We are appealing to both unions to look into the plight of the students because the staying at home of the students could do damage to their future, “ he said.

    According to him, though the demands of the two unions would improve their productivity and welfare, they should also consider the students.

    Gbadebo said that there should be give-and-take from both the government and the unions in resolving the problems.

    NAN recalls that ASUU had directed its members to embark on an indefinite strike nationwide since Monday.

    The action followed the inability of the Federal Government to implement some of the issues contained in a 2009 agreement it had with the union.

    ASUU also said the government had reneged on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it entered into with the union in December 2011.

    ASUP has also been on strike since April– over several issues.

  • A race for life

    A race for life

    To create awareness about fake products, students of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) gathered  for a marathon at their Ikorodu campus.TOLULOPE OGUNLEYE (HND II Computer Science) reports.

    By 6:30am last Wednesday, the participants had gathered at the Aluta Mansion, the Students’Union Government (SUG) building, to collect their kits. The exercise took sometime and then all was set for the race. The participants moved to the main gate for the business of the day.

    It was a marathon organised by the Students’ Union officials of Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH).

    Sponsored by Dangote Group, MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Lassa Resources and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the race was held to create awareness about products that are harmful to health.

    At 9:15am, the participants were set for the race. It was reminiscent of an Olympic race.Participants glowed in their blue and yellow sport wears, which were supplied by the sponsors. Sport officials of the institution led by Mr Joseph Ogunbowale joined the athletes at the take-off point.

    Earlier, a combined team of officials of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA), policemen and school security personnel had cleared the marathon routes for easy movement and safety. The routes, which started from the first gate of the Ikorodu campus to the library and the third gate, extended to Itamaga Express Road to Sabo Roundabout and Sagamu Road then back to the first gate.

    Logistics were in place and medical personnel were on hand with a well-equipped ambulance to attend to injured and distressed participants.

    As the race progressed, some athletes fell and could not continue. The medical team moved them out of the way for attention. Some whose condition was serious were taken to the school medical centre.

    The race, which lasted for 108 minutes, was won by Suleiman Amao, ND III Accountancy.The winner maintained his lead from the take-off point until he finished at 9.58am. The last athlete arrived at 11:03am.

    The runners-up were Toheed Adegoke, ND II Quantity Surveying, who arrived at 10am; Opeyemi Oluwadare, ND II Chemical Engineering, 10:02am; Jeremiah Akinmoyeje, ND III Business Administration, 10:04 am and Qudus Osuolale, ND II Business Administration, 10:05am.

    In the female category, Kehinde Odusanya, HND 1 Computer Engineering, came first at 10:20am. The runners-up were Modupe Tade, ND 1 Estate Management, 10:28am; Kelechi Inagu, ND 1 Computer Science, 10:30am; Funmi Ayenowo, HND II Civil Engineering, 10:33am and Adebukola Ajayi, HND 1 Accountancy, 10:34am.

    When CAMPUSLIFE visited the medical centre where the injured were admitted, the Students Union Government (SUG) officials led by the President, Olanrewaju Balogun, Sport Director Samuel Akerele and Speaker of the union’s parliament Kehinde Olofintuyi, were in the building to check on them.

    Dr Ibrahim Abdulraheem, the Medical Director, said the students were stable. He advised the union officials to conduct pre-marathon exercise and medical examination before allowing participants to embark on the race next time.

    He said some of the admitted students had high blood pressure; others were diagnosed of other ailments.

    A few minutes later, the participants converged on the convocation ground for the announcement of the winner. It was a moment filled with anticipation. Principal officers and some guests mounted the podium .

    The Rector, Dr Abdulazeez Lawal, was absent but other senior officers, including the Registrar, Mrs Aderonke Ige; Assistant Dean of Students’ Affairs, Mr Adebayo Fapounda and Public Relations Officer Mr Olanrewaju Kuye joined the sponsors to present prizes to the winners.

    The prizes were MTN DSTV mobile phone with three months free subscription for the first positions, Airtel Internet mobile phone with three months free subscription for the winner; Also, LG DVD player was given to the second runner-up, Airtel Internet modem with a hand pack for the fourth position and MTN rechargeable lamps for the fifth position. The union also gave all winners its note books.

    The Trade Marketing Consultant of MTN, Mrs Elizabeth Otomewo, said the telecoms firms supported the initiative to hone the sporting skills of the students. Mrs Damilola Ajayi, representative of GSK, which provided Lucozade Boost drink for the participants, said the event was in line with the company’s objective.

    Sulaiman, the winner, said: “Relentless training and exercise made me to win the marathon. I run across the same axis every day and with the support of God, I won the race.”

    Saying the vote of thanks, Samuel, the union’s Sport Director, thanked the sponsors and management for supporting the initiative. He urged students to always take part in sporting activities to keep fit all the time.

    At the end of the event, participants were thrilled by DJ Da Dre, with hip hop music from local and foreign artistes.

  • Here we go again

    Here we go again

    I had concluded my article on another subject for the week when I got a call that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) would commence an indefinite strike from last Monday. The first thought I had formed the title of my piece today. Whenever we take a step forward we tend to take five steps backward.

    I say this because a few months ago the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the tertiary education report, which is aimed at strengthening universities and eliminate the weaknesses that have brought down the standard of education in the country. I felt then that it was a right step in the right direction, at least the government had come to term with the fact that all is not well with our universities. But that is just one side of the coin.

    Our loquacious Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, said apart from poor funding, there are other systemic issues relating to the vision of the various universities, improper utilisation of resources as well as regulations that need to be tackled. He was quoted as saying: “The report, which was ordered by the president, following the last ASUU strike brought together stakeholders in the tertiary educational system to examine the state of development of our universities and to look at all the issues that have continued to lead to friction and also lower standards in the university system.

    “So, in order that we would be able to come up with a very, very comprehensive intervention policy, Mr President felt there was a need to draw in other stakeholders, particularly state governments. And after the presentation to the National Economic Council, Mr President will then proceed to agree on an intervention formula following a thorough analysis of the report that has been presented to us today,” Maku said then.

    The Minister also added that the FEC also recommended that it has become necessary for the National Universities Commission (NUC) to enforce basic minimum standards on infrastructure, staff/student ratio and facilities, to ensure that the universities meet the best standards compared to any other in the world.

    So, after this postulation, the big question remains: why allow ASUU to proceed on another unnecessary indefinite strike after the same government failed to honour an agreement it signed? It will be appropriate to listen to the lecturers on why they chose the strike option. The ASUU National President, Dr. Isa Fagge, said in Lagos that the decision to embark on the action, which he said will be “comprehensive, total and indefinite’’, is the refusal of the Federal Government to implement agreement reached with the union. He warned that the strike would last for as long as the Federal Government wants it. Have we not heard this before?

    Before anyone nails the lecturers for being insensitive to the plight of their students, the nation and the education sector, we have to understand where they are coming from. ASUU explained that it embarked on the strike because the government had reneged on the agreement it reached with it before the lecturers suspended a similar action that lasted for months in February last year. The agreement was signed in 2009 and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was entered into in December 2011.

    “Before now, there has been this issue of the implementation of the key issues contained in the 2009 agreement we entered into with the Federal Government. We have had several meetings and deliberations to let the government understand why these issues must be resolved, but it is like the more we meet and deliberate, the messier the issue gets. One of the issues that needed to be addressed was basically that of the academic allowance. This earned allowance, and other issues, had dragged on until the government then agreed to write an MoU with the union. But there has been nothing to show that the government was committed to an MoU it willingly wrote to better the university sector. It is in this regard that we are embarking on an indefinite strike,” ASUU said.

    The “earned allowance” is a N12, 500 per lecturer allowance in a certain category. But because of cost implication, the government negotiated with the union, signed a MoU and set aside N100billion to take care of all the issues. During the initial part of the negotiation, the government appealed for 20 per cent to be knocked off and another 30 per cent later, bringing the agreed amount to 50 per cent of the original amount agreed on. It was alleged by the union that even with this amount the government still failed to keep its words.

    According to one lecturer, “This 50 per cent, government said, will be a one off payment; that it was from that 50 per cent that we shall take care of everything, including the earned allowance. This did not go down well with us and so we decided to meet and take the decision we have just taken.”

    He added that the tertiary education sector is affected by inadequate funding. He emphasised what we knew that one of the reasons foreign scholars shun Nigeria was because of the poor wages. The agitation for earned allowance is a means of attracting foreign scholars and not about ASUU.

    After being properly lectured, I saw that the policy is aimed at addressing the thorny issue of brain drain in the university system. We are all aware that our best brains are all drifting into industries and other sectors that will pay them better, rather than ploughing back their intellect into the academic sector.

    For those who may be quick to point fingers at ASUU, I implore them to go to our universities, polytechnics or colleges of education and see the condition in which lecturers operate! As far as I’m concerned, they – like the doctors in our public hospitals – should be applauded and given all the encouragement for staying in the forte when others have left. Simply put, it is tough being a lecturer in Nigeria.

    It appears the government is not aware that we are living in a rapidly changing world, where issues are becoming more complex daily such that yesterday’s tools are grossly inadequate to address today’s challenges, that is why universities worldwide are facing increasing pressures to produce “knowledge workers”, to respond to perceived competition dynamics, and to maintain and improve quality standards.

    In Nigeria, there is a growing concern by the public on the quality of university education and the relevance of the universities curriculum to national development. Part of the problems attributed to these setbacks, in addition to what the FEC identified a few months ago, include: poor funding, lack of infrastructure, lack of frequent curriculum review, inadequate staff training and welfare, students overpopulation, frequent strikes by both the academic and supporting staff etc.

    In addition to ASUU’s grouse, it is quite unfortunate that facilities, such as sufficient power supply, enough and decent lecture halls, basic chemicals and equipment in labs and well-equipped libraries are lacking. No doubt, public universities need to improve to parallel the global standard in imparting knowledge, conduct researches, and be responsive to the needs of our socio-economic development.

    Elsewhere, many universities have been adapting, demonstrating the capacity to re-invent themselves while apparently continuing to pursue their fundamental mission and sustaining their core values. Yet, back home, billions are being spent on unnecessary politicking and on issues that are antithetical to development.

    University education, I emphasise, is supposed to provide the platform for critical thinking which oftentimes challenges the norm. It is in challenging the norm that great inventions are made. Has it ever crossed the minds of our policy formulators that our universities are not at the forefront of technological advancement? Researches and innovations are rare and as a result, those who could afford it go to other African countries for their education.

    This is why the ASUU strike is unnecessary. The government often cites lack of funds whenever issues bothering on education are raised. Yet, these ‘funds’ are never in short supply when it comes to settling political scores and checkmating opponents. When will we stop mortgaging the future of our youths and country?

  • Aregbesola plants tree of life

    Aregbesola plants tree of life

    Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola was honoured last week at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, in recognition of his eco-friendly policies and Igi Iye initiative. DHIKRU AKINOLA and KEMI BUSARI (400-Level Political Science) report.

    It was 7am and the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile- Ife was filled with guests and members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) from within and outside Osun State. Academic activities were literally brought to a halt as students, in green and white attires, welcomed the honoree, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, to the university.

    The award was organised by the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Studies, OAU in partnership with the Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria and the National Parks Service, Abuja.

    As people trooped into the campus, security operatives had a hectic time controlling them. At 8:34 am, the convoy of members of the State Executive Council led by the Deputy Governor, Mrs Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, arrived.

    Clad in a green attire with white trousers to match, Mrs. Laoye-Tomori led commissioners to the Vice-Chancellor’s office, where they were received by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Prof Ayobami Salami, and top members of the university’s management.

    Appreciating the management for recognising and supporting all developmental initiatives of the government, Mrs. Laoye-Tomori said the Aregbesola administration was proud of the university for being environmental-friendly.

    A few minutes after, Prof Salami, who represented the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Bamitale Omole, led guests to the Jimoh Ibrahim Post Graduate Building to welcome Aregbesola for the tree-planting initiative of the government, tagged Igi Iye (tree of life).

    Welcoming guests, Director of the Institute, Dr Olusegun Awotoye, said Aregbesola was honoured in recognition of his administration’s initiatives on the environment through various programmes such as O-CLEAN and others.

    Awotoye congratulated the governor for being the third recipient of the prestigious award. Past awardees are Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola and former Governor Donald Duke of Cross River State.

    The Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment and Sanitation, Mr Bola Ilori, said the survival of humanity depended on trees to restore friendly weather, adding that Igi Iye would be planted in towns and villages and not in the forest.

    He said God remained the best environmentalist with the creation of the Garden of Eden before man. He praised the institute for the support, commending OAU Parks and Garden for supporting the beautification project.

    Prof Bukola Oyawoye, Commissioner for Agriculture, said Aregbesola had worked hard to save the environment. Reading from Genesis 2:8, she noted that God believed that man could not survive without the environment, which was why it came first before man.

    Earlier, Prof Omole, noted that the university had a plan for ecology and the environment since 1972 after it held a conference on ecology and the environment.

    He promised to partner the state in its afforestration and environmental programmes.

    The highpoint of the ceremony was the presentation of the Gold Environment Award Aregbesola.

    Responding, Aregbesola thanked the university for maintaining the standard and making the dreams of its founding fathers a reality. He restated the government’s readiness to partner with the university to improve the environment.

    Singing to the admiration of the guests, the governor said his joy knew no bounds, adding: “It is not easy to receive an award put together by three distinct and reputable organisations. It is uncommon for a university like OAU to lend its hallowed ground for a programme like this. I salute the management team.”

    Describing environment as humanity’s common heritage, Aregbesola said: “I want the children who are in their formative years to take this initiative with all their hearts. We have imbibed a positive spirit that we must improve our environment. For us in Osun, the environment is not something to trample upon but something that must be cherished and taken care of.

    “To the children, we are borrowing your time and you must not allow us to misuse it. We do not believe that the environment belong to us. It was bequeathed to us by our predecessors and so also we shall bequeath it to you.”

    Saying that the award will further spur more progressive action, the governor urged the youths to see opportunities in his administration’s environmental policies.

    Presenting the symbolic trees to the OAU managment, Aregbesola, who was joined by Oyawoye, Dr Awotoye and a female student representing the youths, said that the state had bought 2.5m seedlings for the initiative.

    The presentation of Igi Iye by Aregbesola was witnessed by Prof Salami, Registrar, Mr Dotun Awoyemi, traditional rulers, members of the state executives and students. The governor later planted the symbolic tree on the campus.

    Ace Nollywood actor, Saheed Balogun and hip-hop sensation, Olamide, thrilled the guests and students after the ceremony.

  • Shut out from the outside world

    Shut out from the outside world

    Students of the Moddibo Adama University of Technology (MAUTECH) in Yola have been going through hard times since emergency was declared in Adamawa and two other states.Their hardship that been compounded by telecoms operators’ decision to shutdown service. PHILIPS OGBAJE (500-Level Information Technology) reports.

    The Moddibo Adama University of Technology, (MAUTECH) in Yola, Adamawa State, may have returned to the Stone Age. No thanks to the disruption of telecommunication services that followed the declaration of emergency by President Goodluck Jonathan, in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

    Soldiers were deployed to contain the activities of Boko Haram insurgents ravaging these parts of the country.

    The dusk-to-dawn curfew, which followed the emergency has paralysed activities in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, and its environs. Aside the attendant immobility of traders and residents, telephone services were also disrupted.

    Residents, including students, find it difficult to make calls. Some of them, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, expressed frustration over the inability to communicate with themselves on campus and their family members at home.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that since the telephone networks were disrupted, MAUTECH students have resorted to the Internet as a mode of communication. With many still unable to use the Internet, communication is difficult. The only cyber café on the campus, Jibril Aminu Cyber Café, does not have enough space and computers to accommodate a large number of students.

    Eric Ubong, a final year student of Civil Engineering, does not have money to buy airtime to surf the Internet. He told CAMPUSLIFE that life has been difficult for him since the mobile networks were disrupted.

    “I cannot even browse because I have exhausted the money they gave me at home. I cannot call home; my parents cannot call me, it is as if I am in the wilderness,” he said.

    David Adejoh, 500-Level Geography Education, expressed the same sentiment, saying:“I have been stuck in school since I finished my exams. There is no means I can reach my parents to send the money for my travelling. I don’t have any money on me again. I don’t even know how I am surviving here.”

    Worst hit by the situation are the final year students, who depend wholly on mobile network in sourcing materials for their project theses. The poor Internet service provided by the cyber café has only compounded the woes of the students.

    A female final year student, who did not mention her name, said she could no longer continue with her project. “My supervisor has requested that I bring Chapter Three of my project but I can’t provide it because there is no way I can get the material online. The cyber café is congested and the service is unreliable for any meaningful research,” she said.

    Staying in a war zone with inability to communicate to the outside world has been miserable for wellbeing,” she posited.

    Some students have resorted to sending messages on Facebook and other social media to their loved ones. Others travel to Zing town, which is a border between Taraba State and Adamawa State, to make call to their families.

    On the campus, students use the old method of dropping notes to communicate with one another.

    Peter Habila, 500-Level Information Technology, said: “There is fear everywhere because nobody knows what is happening in Yola. I had to travel to Zing to place a call to my parents for them to know that I am still alive.”

    Meanwhile, students have accused the police of profiting from the security situation in the state. There are unconfirmed allegation that the policemen attached to Girei Police Station in Sangere Village, one of the university’s host communities, have been arresting students found outside their off-campus hostels after 7pm.

    The arrested students, CAMPUSLIFE gathered, were being asked to pay between N3,000 and N5,000 to regain freedom.

    There are reports of arrest of 27 students, who were returning from where they went to watch football match. According one of the victims, who did not say his name, the policemen parked their Hilux Van at a hidden spot and swooped in on the students, who were loudly discussing the outcome of the match on their way home.

    It was gathered that some of them, who brought out their identity cards were asked to pay N3,000 while that could not identify themselves paid N5,000 each.

    Khalid Idris, a member of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), described the action of the police as wicked. “It is plain wickedness for the police to go to the students’ village in search of people to arrest. The students they arrest in most cases cannot even afford to pay for their freedom.”

    The Divisional Police Officer of the police station could be reached for comments.

  • CAMPUSLIFE man is Mr. Anambra Universe

    CAMPUSLIFE man is Mr. Anambra Universe

    CAMPUSLIFE correspondent at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Francis Egwuatu, has won the Mr Anambra Universe pageant held last week for youths.

    The 21-year-old final year student of Mechanical Engineering, represented Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State in the contest. The pageant was held at the Marble Arch Hotel and Event Centre, Awka, Anambra State capital.

    The event, which was the first of its kind, was attended by youths and students, who came from various parts of the country.

    About 58 students entered for the contest online, while 37 were called for auditioning. After a series of training and test, the contestants were reduced to 16.

    The contestants were tested on physical strength in various attires. Their entrepreneurial skills were also tested when they were given tickets to sell to participants. The judges also engaged the contestants intellectually. The pictures of the contestants were later uploaded on the Internet for online voting by the public.

    At the end, Francis beat 15 others to win the contest.

    He attributed his success to divine mercy. According to him, hours to the event, he was already feeling bad that he was not going to win because he could not get highest number of votes cast by the public.

    Francis, however, won the contest because of his brilliance and entrepreneurial ability. He was presented with a Volkswagen Golf car and one year modelling contract.

    Elated, Francis told our correspondent: “I feel greatly honoured for this feat.”

    The show featured performances by several artistes. But the hall was more lively when Lynxx, a hip-hop artiste, took the stage.

  • Varsity inducts nurses

    Varsity inducts nurses

    Graduating students of the Nursing Department thronged the University of Calabar (UNICAL) Hotel and Conference Centre in white robes to be inducted into the Board of Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN).

    Addressing the inductees during the thanksgiving service held for them, the Chief Medical Director of the UNICAL Teaching Hospital, Dr Thomas Agan, commended the graduates for scaling through the arduous training, charging them to uphold the ethics of the profession.

    The inductees were enjoined to seek more knowledge and register with the council so as not to be seen as quacks.

    CAMPUSLIFE learnt that of the 45 students, who were presented for the NMCN professional examination last November, 35 were successful.

    The guest speaker, Prof Andrew Uduigwomen, admonished the granduands to be committed to their calling.

    Citing Exodus 1-2, Uduigwomen urged the graduates to learn from Pharaoh’s daughter, who nurtured Moses, despite the king’s directive to kill him.

    The highpoints of the ceremony was the oath-taking and presentation of awards to outstanding students.

    In her vote of thanks, the graduating students’ representative, Dorothy Ikumegwang, thanked God for the success of their programmes.

    She expressed gratitude to the management, lecturers and their parents, she who supported them throughout the training.

    One of the graduates, Abasiama Edet, said: “I am grateful and fulfilled.”

     

  • Fellowship organises Jesus Sales

    Fellowship organises Jesus Sales

    The Redeemed Christian Fellowship (RCF), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife chapter, has held a trade fair tagged “Jesus Sales” for students. The fair started on a Saturday at the covered pavilion of the Sport Complex with exhortation by pastors in the fellowship.

    Students were told not to see the trade fair as an avenue to buy items at cheaper prices, but instead they should see it as a propagation of love to the needy.

    After the brief sermon, tags were distributed to ensure the purchase of food items at low prices. Packaged foods and beverages such as noodles, sachets of milk and Bournvita were sold for as low as N20. Sachet of Spaghetti went for N50 and a kongo of rice and beans went for N250 each.

    Students swarmed the venue to get food items.

    One of the welfare officers of the fellowship said the food items were donated to be sold by unnamed philanthropists. But the proceeds from the sales would be used to fund activities of the fellowship and members’ needs. Orphans would also benefit from the proceeds.

     

  • Corps members trained on safe delivery

    To reduce maternal deaths in Oyo State, a seminar has been organised for Corps members, who are medical doctors.

    The workshop, which was held at the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) House, Ibadan, was put together by Dr Adeyemi Oluwaseun, a Corps member and graduate of Medicine and Surgery from the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State.

    Corps members from various Local Government Areas in the state attended the seminar.

    Also at the event were officials of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) led by Mrs Oluwayemisi Otaru; the Schedule Officer, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Community Development Service (CDS) Group.

    The chairman on the occasion, Prof Adefolarin Malomo, a Neurosurgeon at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, who is the NMA chief in the state, urged the young doctors to always observe medical code of conduct whenever they practise.

    Malomo told participants to also look on maternal mortality and how they could help in their various places of assignment to save lives.

    The seminar, which was divided into five sessions, featured three guest speakers – Dr Emmanuel Olowokere, Dr Olalekan Ogunlowo and Dr Nkemdiran Jacob – who took turns to sensitise the young doctors on prevention of maternal death.

    Olowokere, who came from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, UCH, spoke on Emergency Caesarian Session, Instrumental Emergency Delivery and Management of Ante-Partum and Post-Partum hemorrhages with a practical session. He demonstrated the use of anti-shock garment in other to reduce peri-partal bleeding.

    There was also a video show on how to perform an Emergency Caesarian Session and the use of vacuum extractors in performing Instrumental Vaginal Delivery.

    Ogunlowo, of the Ibadan Central Hospital, lectured the participants on the principles of safe abortion and management of complications after abortion.

    Saying the vote of thanks, Oluwaseun, a Corps member, enjoined his colleagues to practise what was learnt during the seminar to save lives and reduce mortality rate in Oyo State.

    He said: “As a development facilitator of MDGs, I have been particularly interested in the fifth goal of MDGs, which is improving maternal health. To achieve this, I decided to bring veteran medical practitioners to tutor young doctors so that we can equip ourselves with necessary skills and reach out to improve maternal health.”