The Nation Newspaper

Category: Campus Life

  • 2face thrills UNIBEN students

    Crowd of students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) were entertained when 2face, a Hip-hop artiste, stormed the campus as part of the his Campus Connect to universities across the country.

    2face, whose real name is Innocent Idibia, stormed the Sport Complex of the university with a lineup of artistes including Sound Sultan, Crystal, Sasha P, Seyi Shey, Solod Star and EFA.

    The show, which started around 2:45pm, featured dance competition and performances by local artistes, who are students in the university.

    The venue of the show was filled to the brim as 2face doled out songs to the revellers. Students that attended the show described it as inspiring, confessing that the show would be an unforgettable experience for them.

     

  • ‘Slow and steady win the race’

    Julius Adeniyi has been sworn in as president of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA). The 400-Level English Education student told SEGUN ODUNAYO (100-Level Political Science) how the union would help project the institution’s image.

     

    How do you intend to affect the lives of students during your tenure?

    My utmost priority is to see students improve academically. We will also cater for their welfare just as we did when we pleaded with the management to extend the deadline of school fee payment; the closing date was extended by one month. That is just the beginning of good things to happen in our administration.

    Considering the slim margin with which you won the election, how do you intend to win the support of your opponents?

    Since the slogan of the union remains unity in diversity, I believe the opponents will see reason to join hands with us to improve on what we met on ground. This is not my union; it belongs to all of us. But some of them have come to meet me with great ideas and we are really working on them.

    The management has said its vision is to build a 21st century institution. How does the union intend to help this cause?

    We are elected officials. As such, we are required to also have programmes for the personal and academic development of students and the school itself. Surely, we will discourage any view that may plunge the campus into unnecessary crisis, which may jeopardise the efforts of the management in achieving its aims and objective. We will keep faith with the three C’s principle of consolidation and consultation before confrontation. But the management has taken the union as a partner in progress. This I believe will not result in misunderstanding of issues.

    Students living off-campus have been facing the challenge of epileptic power supply. How does the union intend to respond to this?

    We must know that irregular power supply is a national problem, which is beyond the management and the students’ union. However, the nonchalant attitude of the host community should also be condemned because we have made several moves to end this but they have not been supporting us. We told them to allow connection of Akungba power line to Iwaro community, but they have not been listening to us. We are, however, working towards getting the problem resolved.

    What do you have to say on the dearth of shuttle bus to convey students to school?

    We have complained about that also but the management said the buses were faulty. Later, they told us that the buses would be given out on contract. But we are working on getting the union’s buses to convey students to the campus daily.

    Is the view that your administration is slow correct?

    There is no way there will not be antagonism when it comes to politics. Since many people believe in the burn-and-destroy kind of politics, people like me are strange to such belief. We believe slowly and steadily, we will win the race. There were students that threatened violence if the registration portal was not opened before the extension was given. I told them to relax because we have a listening Vice-Chancellor. Immediately, the students felt our efforts.

    We don’t believe in causing trouble to make our challenges known. As students, we need to know we are in era of dialogue; violent agitation is no longer fashionable.

    What are those things you wish to accomplish at the end of your tenure?

    We have come up with laudable projects but implementation is still going on. Right now, we are contemplating on getting another union bus, but the management’s directive that no union on campus should purchase vehicle stopped us from going ahead. However, I am sure that students we will be happy at the end our tenure.

     

  • Vocational education as tool for national growth

    Vocational and Technical Education has been defined in various ways by different authors.

    The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Culturals Organisation (UNESCO) defined Vocational and Technical Education as a comprehensive term referring to the educational process when it involves in addition to general education, the study of technology and related science and the acquisition of practical skill and knowledge relating to occupation in various sectors of economic and social life.

    This form of education covers the process of producing skilled manpower for self-reliance and national development. Vocational education is part of total education given to individual in order to acquire the necessary skill and knowledge required for employment in a specific occupation.

    Nigeria as a developing country is highly endowed in both human and natural resources, which is evident in its huge population prospering in various fields of human endeavour including agriculture and the farm product etc (Nanchen and Yacknan, 2007).

    As we continue to move towards a globalised economy, it is apparent that what matters is not how much natural resources a nation possesses but how much value it is adding to these resources, whether they are material or human.

    The only veritable and potent instrument needed to add value to both human and material resources is technical education and training. This has been affirmed by (Benson, Lawrence and Bashiri, 2008) that technical and vocational education and training have been recognised in the world over as tools for alleviating poverty and enhancing technological development.

    Therefore, the salvation of a developing country like Nigeria particularly in this 21st century depends, to a great extent, on sound, relevant, modern and functional technical and vocational education and training.

    This makes it necessary for Nigerian to put emphasis on this form of education as an indispensable element in capacity and competent building for social economy growth and development.

    This is so because technical and vocational education provides the skill necessary for self-employment and employment creation for others.

     

    Omowunmi is a postgraduate student, UNN

  • Remembering the ‘Offa Poly Four’

    Students of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa (OFFA POLY) have remembered their colleagues, who were killed in a clash with the vigilante group of the institution’s host community 13 years ago. AKINOLA OLUYI (ND II Mass Communication) reports.

     

     

     

    May 8 remains a sad day for the students of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa (OFFA POLY).

    In 2000, what started as an argument between students and members of Offa Vigilante Group in an off-campus hostel escalated into a clash in which four students died.

    The polytechnic came under siege as students and members of the town’s vigilante group clashed, forcing the management to close down the institution for more than six months. When the dust settled, four students were killed; scores escaped with injuries.

    Muhydeen Bankole, Abdullahi Kabiawu, Emmanuel Adeagbo and Nurudeen Ayinde were the casualities.

    Thirteen years after, students of the polytechnic have remembered their slain colleagues. Every May 8 is set aside to commemorate the “efforts” of the deceased, who students said fought for their freedom from the polytechnic’s host community.

    “The likes of Kabiawu, Emmanuel, Nurudeen and Muhydeen may have gone but their memories still linger in our mind,” an Engineering student said.

    The mayhem, CAMPUSLIFE learnt, ensued when the vigilante group imposed a ban on students from visiting certain places in the community and restricted their hours of movement to 9pm. It was gathered that the vigilante also told the students to always put off their hostels’ light at night.

    Students rejected the imposition, describing it as an assault of their liberty.This resulted into argument, which later turned bloody. Akinniyi Jegede, who was in ND I Mechanical Engineering at the time, told CAMPUSLIFE: “When I got admission in that year, the polytechnic was peaceful. There was nothing like crisis of any form. But when we resumed for the second semester, the vigilante tried to impose some order on us; they issued information that all student in the community must stay indoor starting from 9pm. We disagreed with them and protested. Many lives were lost, even properties were destroyed in the school. We lost students. It is a memory I will never forget.”

    Remembering the slain students in a programme held in Adesoye Hall on the mini campus with the theme: Only the land of peace germinates the seeds of progress, students, who were clad in black clothes, held lit candles to mourn their fallen heroes.

    During the memorial lecture, former Students’ Union Government (SUG) president, Mr Mashood Bello Igbin, said the crisis that brought about the remembrance was as a result of the misunderstanding, misconception and misinterpretation.

    He said despite pleas by the management and the SUG at that time, members of the vigilante group stormed the campus to destroy properties and kill students. He called for mutual understanding between security outfits and students, praying for the repose of the souls of the deceased.

    Speaking, the SUG president, Hammed Omuiyadun, said it was necessary for people to always remember their heroes. “We mourn the martyrs of freedom from the shackles of oppressors. Truly they were the sacrificial lambs for the present liberty being enjoyed by the students of the institution. We love you all but God loves you most, adieu,” Hammed said.

    Matthew Fabusiwa, ND 1 Mass Communication, said: “Despite the fact that I was in secondary school during the crisis, I was aware of the damage the crisis caused the community. It saddened the heart because we were shocked when the news spread that many students had been killed. With these, I am sending my condolence to the families of the deceased. God will give you the heart to bear the loss. Security agencies should always engage in dialogue rather than using lethal weapons against us.”

    Michael Ijiyede, HND II Mechanical Engineering, advised the management to always support the remembrance, which he said served as a means to further make sacrifices to society.

    Other highlights of the occasion included candlelight procession across the host community. Also, the students gathered to pay tribute to the slain students at a location on the campus.

  • Protest disrupts exam

    The first semester examination of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State was disrupted on Monday following the barring of students who have not paid their school fees from writing the examination. MODESTUS DIKO and AMINAT POPOOLA report.

     

    ALL was quiet at the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, on Monday because of the impending exam. Suddenly the atmosphere became tense as the “no school fee, no examination” directive of the government was enforced. Two students were said to have died in the ensuing melee.

    The management, in a statement, denied the death story, saying none of the protesters was hurt.

    It said only students, who met the deadline and had confirmed their payment status, would be allowed to write the first semester examination, which was to begin last Monday.

    The Secretary to the State Government, Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa, last weekend, in a statement, said government would bar students that owed cumulative school fees from taking the examination. The government advised students who have not completed the registration to do so or stay away from school.

    The government, Adeoluwa said, had compelled the university authorities to postpone the examination three times to allow all students to regularise their payment records. He noted that five categories of students were identified in the audit report submitted by the Olusegun Osinowo Visitation Panel set up in 2011 to review the academic situation in the institution.

    According to the panel, the first category of students included those who were properly registered, had matriculation numbers and had paid their school fees up to date. The second category included students, who had matriculation numbers but requested the school to allow them pay their school fees in installments.

    The third category identified in the panel report was the students, who had matriculation numbers but had continuously defaulted the school fee payment terms over the years with the claim that their parents could not afford to pay.

    The fourth category included students who were mainly in 300-Level and 400-Level, but who did not register or pay school fees for the previous academic years. This category had been directed by the Governing Council, in line with the National Universities Commission (NUC) guidelines, to apply for reinstatement of their studentship which had lapsed as a result of their non-registration for one or more academic sessions.

    The fifth group, according to the panel report, consisted of students without matriculation numbers, who were not registered as bona fide students of the university.

    Having reviewed the situation, Adeoluwa said the government regarded those in the first category as the only set of qualified students, who would be allowed to write the semester examination.

    The school fees ranges between N70,000 and N150,000 per session, CAMPUSLIFE learnt. The government’s directive affected mostly freshers and their colleagues in 200-Level. They were asked to defer their admission following their inability to pay the school fees.

    All final year students, who are yet to pay the fees for the last session, would be made to spend extra year, while 300-Level students that are yet to pay for the previous two sessions would repeat back to 100-Level.

    Students, who were barred from writing the examination, gathered to protest on the campus. They prevented their colleagues in Faculty of Law, who were filing into a hall, from writing their examination. To prevent the situation from degenerating into a chaos, riot policemen were drafted to the scene.

    The policemen were reportedly led by the Area Commander of Ijebu Ode Command, who met with the students to leave the campus. Adamant, the protesters were dispersed.

    According to a student, who pleaded anonymity, the policemen fired tear gas, which resulted into pandemonium as students scampered for safety.

    Some students, including the president of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Ayokunle Omojola, were said to have been injured in the chaos.

    Efforts to reach the police Public Relations Officer, Mr Muyiwa Adejobi, were futile as he did not pick his calls at the time of this report.

    A statement by the Acting Registrar, Mrs O.A. Osunsanya, reads: ”The attention of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) has been drawn to the libelous report that lives of some students were lost during a recent protest against regularisation of studentship, which disrupted arrangements for the 2012/2013 Harmattan semester examinations.

    “The management wishes to categorically state that there is no iota of truth in the report as widely circulated in the social media networks.

    “The general public is advised to be wary of the antics of some mischief makers, who peddle false information capable of damaging the reputation of Olabisi Onabanjo University.

    “Management advises parents and guardians to closely monitor the activities of their wards to prevent them being recruited by detractors of the university.

    “Members of the university community and indeed, the general public, are assured of the return of normalcy to the campus. All registered students should note that the reschedule examinations will hold as announced.”

     

  • Council boss hailed on bursary

    Members of the National Association of Obubura Students (NAOBS), University of Calabar (UNICAL) chapter, have lauded the chairman of the local government over the bursary they were recently paid by the council.

    The bursary grants was disbursed to all students who hailed from Obubura in various universities.

    The council chairman, Reverend Chris Obasse, who spoke through the Supervisor for Education, Louis Ikpan, said that the council decided to redeem its pledge made to the students during campaign.

    He said: “We are doing it for the fact that council thought it very wise that education is the key to national development and that it is the best legacy the government can bequeath to its citizens. So we have to do our best as to regards to that area.”

    He stressed that the council deemed its responsibility to ensure that the students received the bursary grants to motivate them to achieve excellence. Obasse advised the beneficiaries to make good use of the bursary, urging them to buy books to widen their knowledge.

    The NAOBS president, Bassey Nkanu, 400-Level Accounting, said that the union was grateful to the council for the gesture, which he described as a good one, saying that posterity would remember the leadership. He stated that the last time the students were paid was four decades ago.

    He said: “Immediately Chris Obasse came on board as the chairman of the council, things changed. He has redeemed the pledges made to the students of the council during his campaign; our bursary award has been paid.”

    Bassey advised the beneficiaries not to mismanage the money, urging his colleague to always apply the knowledge they to the challenges of life.

    One of the beneficiaries, Felicia Eforo, 300-Level Theater Art, said: “The money I have just received, I will use it to complete my school fees. I appreciate the local government for this gesture.”

    Mathias Ebingha, a final year student of Sociology, said that he felt excited after he got the bursary award. He said: “When I heard the news that the local government wanted to pay us, my heart was full of joy. The money I just received will be used on my final year project.”

  • Students hold week

    Students of Business Management Studies at the Samuel Ajayi Crowther University have held their Fun Week. The event was held for four days.

    This event was put together by the Social Director of the National Association of Business Management Studies, Miss Damilola Oseni, a 300-Level student.

    The programme started with awareness on dress code tagged Back to school. Students of the department, who were dressed in secondary school uniform, marched round the campus with school bags and notebooks.

    The following day, a seminar was held in the university auditorium. The guest speakers, who included Mr Adeyemi Mapaderun, a company executive, and Mr Obitunde Obiyemi, chairman of Ekiti chapter of Career World Consulting Ltd, spoke on Challenges and opportunities for strategic entrepreneur in Nigeria. Lecturers and students of the department attended the lectures.

    On the third day, students went on an excursion to Erin-Ijesha Waterfall. Students described the experience as educative.

    The event was ended with a Variety Night, which comprised music performances from upcoming artistes such as Malique, Rainymilly and Shaddy. Awards were also presented students.

  • Let us pray for Nigeria

    I am always irritated when some people say they have lost hope in Nigeria and that they have stopped praying for Nigeria. As hopeless and impossible as things may seem, we cannot afford to lose the hope. Nobody knows tomorrow. But giving up on Nigeria is 100 per cent guaranteed that nothing will change tomorrow.

    What chance is left when no one is concerned anymore about the country? If we all just focus on our individuality, positive change will not to accidentally take place. People have to consciously work towards it. I know there is always someone somewhere who is still hoping and praying but I believe we all need to be hopeful too.

    One thing I have learned in life is that being selfish does not pay. To have your life goals centered on what is going to get you ahead of other and make you successful and take care of your family is always against the societal values. People need to realise that, no matter how successful one may be, one will still be affected by the negative values in the society in which he lives. Is it not better to work towards improving the society as a whole so that your life and that of others around you and your children will be better off?

    As young people, time and event have placed responsibility of making Nigeria a better country on the shoulders of the youths. The elders have done their best but it is our duty to also show readiness to change the nation. There is no one else to be blamed or to assume the responsibility on where the country will be tomorrow except us. It is totally our job.

    If we go abroad to study and after our education, we settle there with our family to contribute to the country’s development and forget about our own Nigeria, we would have been doing a disservice to our country of birth. We are Nigerians and we belong here. Wherever we may find ourselves on the earth, it will only depend on us – and us alone – what Nigeria becomes. We cannot afford to lose ties with our root.

    I believe all of us have a role to play in making our country a better place to live. We are faced with many challenges but nobody should try to tackle all the problems at a go. Nigeria is far too large and the systems are too complex. If each of us plays our part, I believe there will be positive changes in Nigeria.

    We just need to be committed to doing something about the positive causes we are drawn to with whatever skills we have. I also do not believe there are only singular routes for addressing each problem.

    We do not all have to be journalists to make an impact in journalism neither do we all have to be politicians to give Nigeria a better leadership. We can become exemplary leaders in our own right in whatever field we are in and with these positions come authority to make social and economic changes, even if they are indirect.

    Young people, let us not forget how privileged we are to be born in this generation. Let us do what is right and empower the generation coming after us through our sound education and expertise. And let us also not cease to pray for Nigeria.

     

    Esther, HND II Mass Comm., MUBI POLY

  • Department celebrates lecturer

    The department of Philosophy, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has honoured its lecturer, Dr Oladipo Fashina, which the students of the department described as “most outstanding scholar”.

    Fashina, a former national chairman of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), who is called Jingo by his admirers, is known to have spearheaded the struggle for the liberation of the Nigerian university system.

    A lecture with the theme: Nationalism and economic justice in Nigeria was held in his honour at the conference centre, OAU.

    Fashina joined the University of Ife, now OAU in 1979. After his secondary school education at King’s College Lagos, he proceeded to earn a Masters Degree in Philosophy from the prestigious Leningrad State University in Russia and a PhD in Philosophy at the University of California, Los Angeles.

    The Head of the department, Dr J. O. Famakinwa, described the honouree as a distinguished teacher, an excellent scholar, an intellectual colossus and unrepentant Marxist, who he said is highly principle and a selfless.

    Famakinwa noted that the history of the university system in Nigeria would be incomplete without mentioning Fashina’s name, saying the relative comfort being enjoyed in the universities today is an offshoot of his efforts alongside other members of the ASUU.

    Dr. Famakinwa said: “In the department of Philosophy, Fashina taught all the lecturers currently on the staff list. It is our collective belief that he deserves this honour. This conference is a token to a man who spent his entire life rendering a selfless service to his father. It is in view of these qualities that the theme of the lecture was favoured by the Local Organising committee.”

    The chairman of the conference, Dr. Segun Osoba, described Fashina as a teacher, an activist and a public thinker, who embarked on his public service career with a commitment to duty and public interest, without any iota of calierism, a term he defined as monomaniacal and morbid obsession with self-aggrandizement and self-enrichment which makes it possible for a public officer to misappropriate government fund and resources for selfish enrichment.

    The keynote speaker, Barrister Femi Falana, lamented the dearth of justice and true nationalism in Nigeria, noting that justice of any form was only being enjoyed by the rich in Nigeria.

    Falana said: “We must take our destiny into our own hands and we can start from here and I beg we must start with the university society. Today criminals have taken over public discourse in our country. We must stop the university from giving doctorate degrees to all manners of criminals particularly public officers.

    “We must tell the truth about this country, and academics are in the best position to do so. What the ruling class has done is to take themselves out of Nigeria as they are less concerned about the salient issues hunting the nation.”

    Falana concluded that challenge before the masses was to mobilise and organise themselves. The conference attracted notable personalities such as Festus Iyayi, Prof Friday Okonofua and the president of ASUU, Dr Nasir Isa Fagge.

     

  • State pardon not an excuse for corruption

    On the CAMPUSLIFE’s section of April 25, 2013, a fellow writer from the Benue State University (BSU), Makurdi, Msonter Anzaa, wrote an article titled: Presidential pardon as an excuse for corruption.

    In the piece, the writer noted that after the jail term of Dieprieye Alamieyeseigha had elapsed, the former governor of Bayelsa State was reported to have been helping the Federal Government maintain peace in the creeks of the Niger Delta. He said President Goodluck Jonathan cited Alamieyesiegha’s personal undertaking as reason for granting him presidential pardon. My colleague described the pardon as “dubious”.

    My grouse: why should a writer use such language to describe presidential action? Why did Msonter choose to write and narrow his points to reflect sentiment? Why did he not tackle the issue dispassionately?

    The state pardon granted Gen. Oladipo Diya, the late Gen. Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, the late Gen. Abdukareem Adisa, Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju and others did not generate ‘national outcry’ except that of Alamieyesagha. Why should we fuss over Alamieyeseigha’s pardon; why did we not address if the pardon granted Diya, who called a press conference and demanded that Federal Government should re-open Oputa Panel report?

    It should be noted that Alamieseigha was convicted on cases of corruption but all the army generals pardoned were tried for treason, a grievous crime against the state, which is more harmful than sleaze. Even to some political forces and opponents of Jonathan’s administration, the state pardon was condemnable and glorified corruption.

    As the president is being called all sorts of names because of the state pardon, if those, who believed there was no cogent reason for the pardon were to be in position of authority, we wonder what they would have done.

    Most time, I keep on asking myself, why so much hatred by most Nigerians towards the presidency? Jonathan granted a state pardon, what is wrong with that? Are they saying that the president should not exercise his constitutional duty to grant amnesty? Even the Lucifer sometimes has mercy on his servants.

    Those who are against state pardon of Alamieyeseigha are only out to score cheap point, which will not take them anywhere.

    My colleague, who referred to the state pardon as “dubious”, is ignorant of the precedent of such action in history. Msonter must know that former President Bill Clinton granted state pardon to 456 to Americans citizens while he was at the helm. Just to mention a few, Chris Harman Basley and Scott Lynn Banne, convicted on drug-related issues, were duly pardoned without much fuss from the Americans.

    Gen Yakubu Gowon said that the presidential pardon granted to the convicted former governor was facilitated by the Council of States, which took the decision based on the premise that Alamieseigha had finished his jail term for the offence he committed and had promised not to commit such an offence again. Also, the former Head of State pointed out that it was within the constitutional powers of the president to pardon any person he so wishes. I agree with Dr Rueben Abati, who said that most Nigerians were ignorant of the state pardon, because the pardon was done within the constitutional right of the president.

    If the president had gone out of the constitution, the criticism would have been torrential. They would have said he did not respect the constitution. Now, he exercised his constitutional power, they said he “over-exercise” his power.

    Let us not attach constitutional issue to emotional matter. For me, to err is human but to forgive is divine. In so far nobody is beyond mistakes, there should be ways to make amendment. That is what the president has done for Alamieseigha and others granted pardon.

    Is it not John 8:3-11 that Jesus set an adulterous woman free, and told her: “Woman, as any one condemned you, neither do I condemn you to go and sin no more?” Even Qu’ran 39 vs 53 tells us: “My slaves, who have transgressed against themselves by committing evil deeds or sin, despair not of the mercy of Allah. Verily, Allah forgives all sins. Truly He oft forgiving and most merciful.”

    Therefore, all those who have condemned the president’s action cannot be proven to have no stain of corruption. Let them be aware that no man is sinless on earth. Let Nigerians drop their sentimental garb and free themselves from misguided utterances that are capable of dividing this nation the more. The state pardon to Alamieyesiegha did not in any way stop the fight against corruption or an excuse for corruption.

     

    Mark, 300-Level Business Education, Sch. of Technical Education, YABATECH