The Nation Newspaper

Category: Campus Life

  • Urhobo students get leaders

    The National Association of Urhobo Students, Delta State University (DELSU) chapter, has inaugurated its new executive to pilot the affairs of the association for another academic session. Members also welcomed freshers into the association.

    At a colourful ceremony attended by old and new students of Urhobo extraction, the immediate past president of the association, Ernest Igbighogho, 500-Level Law, who was recently elected the national president of the association, crowned the new king that will be in charge of the association.

    The new Okobaro, title for president in Urhobo dialect, Onovwotafe Newton, 500-Level Electrical and Electronics Engineering, thanked Earnest for his doggedness and desire for excellence, which, he said, had yielded good result in making him the national president.

    He also appreciated some of the outgoing members, such as Samuel Akpimegi, Lucky Chughiefe, Morris Iwhiwhu for their efforts to take the association higher.

    The highpoint of the ceremony was when the freshers were called to dance to the tunes of Urhobo music. Many of them could not dance to the music.

    Some of the new students promised to be good ambassadors of the association. Okpoji Rukeme, 100-Level Law, said she was not expecting the type of reception accorded the freshers, saying she was honoured to be among her kinsmen.

  • VC warns lecturers, students against sexual harassment

    VC warns lecturers, students against sexual harassment

    Prof. Oluyemisi Obilade, the Vice-Chancellor, Tai Solarin University of Education(TASUED), Ijebu-Ode, Ogun, has warned lecturers and students against sexual harassment.

    Obilade gave the warning while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Ijebu-Ode.

    The vice chancellor said the management of the university was passionate about the issue of sexual harassment and would evolve relevant regulations to tackle it.

    “Sexual harassment is a no go area for both the students and lecturers of this noble institution.

    “We will not tolerate such attitude.

    “ We will not in any way cooperate with the harassers and we are going to make sure that we invoke all regulations in the university against sexual harassment,’’ she said.

    Obilade said as part of measures to check the menace, a Centre for Human Rights and Gender Education has been established in the university.

    She said any persons being harassed sexually should report through e-mail to the centre for the management to investigate and take a prompt action.

    The vice chancellor further said: “ This is part of the thing that we do. We know sexual harassment is not limited to our university alone.

    “ But we don’t want to pretend that it does not happen because where men and women interact, you will see some men who will not abide by the normal codes of decency and behaviour in the society.

    “ But when such cases are reported, management will not hesitate to take a very serious action against the offenders.

    “ We are also trying to look at the different types of sexual harassment, whether verbal, touching or by comments about somebody’s physical attributes.

    “ You know when the hand shake is going beyond the elbow between a person in position of authority and a person at a lower position and it has sexual motive, that is sexual harassment.

    “ These are the different areas we are looking at.’’

    Obilade also said the university, being the only education-biased institution in the country, had become a reference point in terms of academic excellence.

  • Western Delta Varsity graduates 198

    Western Delta Varsity graduates 198

    A total of 198 students have graduated from the Western Delta University, Oghara in Delta State.

    They were the first set of students to be awarded first degree by the university and none of them made a first class degree at the institution first convocation ceremony held last weekend.

    The two best graduating students, Efevberha Oghenevbaire and Emuobohwo Joy were awarded N100,000 cash each by the institution and a scholarship by the Delta State Government for post graduate studies in any foreign university.

    Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Peter Hugho in his address warned parents against sending their wards to study in any African University especially those along the West African coast.

    Prof. Hugho said the Web metric ranking of African universities showed that Ghana universities were not better than Nigeria public universities.

    The VC stated that the instability in Nigeria’s universities adduced by parents for sending their children to foreign universities was not found in private universities.

    He noted that there has been no incidences of disruption of academic activities brought abot by unionism in private universities.

    According to him, “It is my contention that private universities are on to rescue the educational system from the decadence into which it is sliding. This is because the student will be getting good quality education free of minimal vices in a well organized and regulated environment”.

    Pro-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Andrew Onokehoraye called for amendment of the laws establishing the Tertiary Education Trust Fund to enable it contribute to the development of private universities in the country.

    The former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin said private universities generate their own funding and are expected to play by the same rules in terms of infrastructures, admissions, teaching and research as prescribed by NUC and JAMB.

    He called for understanding of the fact that the goals of universities whether federal, state or private universities are to produce educated workforce that will meet Nigeria’s need in the 21st century.

    Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan who announced the scholarship for the two best students promised to support the university in actualising its dreams.

  • ‘My close shave with death’

    ‘My close shave with death’

    As he left for Sokoto State for the National Youth Service, Oluwaloseyi Babaeko, a graduate of Local Government Studies at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, was looking forward to a fruitful service year. Then the unexpected happened. He and others were robbed by herdsmen in Kebbi State. Since then, things have not been easy for him. The Corps member shares his ordeal with HANNAH OJO (English, OAU).

    He was on his way to Sokoto State for the National Youth Service. He was in an upbeat mood with his colleagues who were also heading for the Seat of the Caliphate for the same purpose. They were all looking forward to a fulfilling service year. Oluwaloseyi Babaeko graduated from the Local Government Studies Department of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State last year

    He was happy when he was mobilised for youth Service, having spent about six years for a four-year programme, a delay caused by strikes.

    The story changed when Oluwaloseyi was Sokoto-bound.

    The vehicle he was travelling in was attacked by Fulani herdsmen. The two rear tyres of the bus suddenly burst while on motion; the vehicle skidded off the road and landed in a pit on the Kebbi highway.

    As he crawled out of the mangled bus, Oluwaloseyi discovered that he had a fractured leg and a dislocated hip. Others in the bus, including youths also going to Sokoto for service, sustained injuries.

    Recounting his experience, Oluwaloseyi said: “The accident occurred on July 3, last year. I left Lagos the previous day for Sokoto State where I was posted for service. We were attacked by some Fulani herdsman in Kebbi at 4am. The attack was unexpected. The driver had lost control of the vehicle and the two tyres burst. The bus swerved into the bush. I had a fracture on my limb and a dislocation on my hip.”

    Writhing in pain for two hours, Oluwaloseyi, who described the accident as “a close shave with death”, said it was by divine intervention that the injured passengers were rescued by policemen, who came to the scene.

    He said:“When the police came to the scene two hours later, we were taken to a hospital in Kebbi State for first aid treatment after which National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) officials transferred us to Usmanu Danfodiyo Teaching Hospital, Sokoto State.”

    The accident did not stop the Fulani heardsmen from robbing the injured passengers. The robbers dispossessed the accident victims of their valuables, including money.

    “One of the Fulani men held a local gun while the others were armed with machetes and daggers. They were about six in number. One of them was speaking smattering English and others spoke Hausa. They ordered us to bring out our personal effects, despite that we were in pains. They didn’t show pity for us. They took our money and left,” Oluwaloseyi said.

    Oluwaloseyi was redeployed to Lagos State the next day on health grounds but he could not go immediately because of his fractured limb. He needed an operation to correct the bone dislocation. After three weeks of delay, Oluwaloseyi left a federal hospital in Gwagwalada, Abuja for surgery at Camek Orthopaedic Hospital, Gwarimpa to bond the fractured bone. He was in the hospital for close to six months after the surgery.

    His tribulation did not end there. Eight months after, Oluwaloseyi is still contending with a broken limb. He cannot walk without crutches, although his dislocated hip joint has been fixed.

    “Fixing my hip joint dislocation was a difficult task. I had to resort to unorthodox means. I was already making plans for a hip transplant in India before somebody told us we could do it at Favour’s Clinic, Makurdi,” he said. Oluwaloseyi was supported by his brother, Mr Steve Babaeko, a businessman, Mr Godwin Oriaku and his wife, Joy Oriaku, who are his in-laws.

    Last December, he left the clinic to resume his youth service at Onigbongbo Local Government Area of Lagos State. The Corps member said he had written the directorate of NYSC to refund the money he spent on treatment and for his unpaid seven months allowance.

    On the lesson learnt from his ordeal, Oluwaloseyi said: “I have since discovered that Nigeria is not a country that is worth dying for. If it were to be in a sane society, the head of NYSC would have visited us in the hospital. All the treatment I underwent, I paid for. No help came from the NYSC, yet I had the accident when I was going for orientation to serve my country. This is sad.”

    Oluwaloseyi, enjoined prospective Corps members not to be discouraged by his ordeal. “Whatever is bound to happen will happen. I will not say that anybody posted to the North should not go. I have forgiven the Fulani men because they are ignorant. The Hausa people are not bad because I got my admission to study in OAU through a Hausa man,” he said.

    Oluwaloseyi said he would be returning to hospital for another surgery on his leg in July after he would have completed his service.

  • LG’s scholarship for students

    LG’s scholarship for students

    Ten students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) benefited from the scholarship scheme of LG Electronics in a programme recently held in the institution. Each of the beneficiary whose high Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) qualified them for the scholarship, went home with $1,500 cheque to aid their education.

    During the presentation which took place in the LG Laboratory on the campus, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Rahman Bello, said the electronics firm started the scheme four years ago to rededicate students towards excellence.

    While acknowledging that education remained the bedrock of any developed economy, the VC charged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the money and urged other students to work hard to achieve the feat.

    In his speech, Managing Director, LG Electronics West African Operations, Mr Deog Jun Kim, said education is the best legacy they could inherit. Promising that the gesture would be extended to other institutions, Kim admonished students to always be hungry for knowledge to be successful after their degree programmes.

    Some of the beneficiaries included Omotola Ajayi, 400-Level Electrical Engineering, Samuel Olabiyi, 400-Level System Engineering, Chibuikem Obiji, 400-Level Mechanical Engineering, Chinyere Okoro, 400-Level Mechanical Engineering, and Oluwadara Awe, 400-Level Oluwadara.

    Others are Gbenga Taiwo, 500-Level Mechanical Engineering, Olamide Folarin, 500-Level Mechanical Engineering, Rukayat Odubanjo, Mechanical Engineering, Oladele Adeyeye, 500-Level System Engineering, Samuel Ekwo, 500-Level System Engineering.

     

  • A house divided against itself

    A house divided against itself

    IT has been 10 months since the inauguration of the present Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Benue State University (BSU). But they have been months of unease for the executive.

    The executive is led by Jeff Mngu, a 400-Level student of Accounting. The union parliament is headed by Titus Hindan, a 400-Level student of Sociology.

    Almost immediately the executive’s tenure began, the SUG was enmeshed in administrative crisis. Some contentious issues resulted into a struggle in the union. Despite the crisis, the union leaders believe that they are doing well.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the crisis caused by the deduction in the constitutional take-off grant for running of the parliament. According to Innocent Okwori, 200-Level Medicine and member representing the Faculty of Basic and Allied Medical Sciences, a part of the house grant was diverted by some union officials. He said the take-off grant was N450,000, but only N200,000 was released to the house.

    Samuel Korzerzer, member representing the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, said: “Some principal officers, who went to the Dean of Students Affairs office for another thing discovered that the amount released was actually more than the N200,000. We confronted the president and the secretary-general but they were trading blame between themselves.”

    Titus denied that the take-off grant was diverted, saying the problem was caused by communication gap between the parliament and the executive.

    He said: “I don’t think the take-off grant was diverted by the executive. Though none of us knew that the money was supposed to be N450,000. The president only released a part. When members discovered that the executive did not receive all the money due to the House, tension built up. I met with the president and he told me that the union had financial challenge. He promised to pay as soon as some money was remitted into the union’s purse. I can say that it was not a diversion.”

    Jeff said: “We went to the Bursary unit and discovered underestimation of the money meant for the house. There was an error in the addition of figures and when it was corrected, the remaining part was released. If I diverted the money, I would have been removed as president.”

    After the take-off grant controversy, the union ran into a budget row. A member of the parliament said he could not remember if the House ever debated or approved any budget from the executive. The member said when the budget was presented to the parliament, the principal officers claimed there was no money to make copies for members for consideration. “The only time they (executive) came to us was when they came to present their committee members. Another time was when we summoned the President, Secretary-General and Director of Welfare. None of us except the principal officers ratified any budget. How was the budget approved?” he queried.

    Titus admitted that the parliament did not approve the budget. He said: “When the House wrote the executive for the budget, they were delaying the process. The president kept shifting date. Later, he brought me part of the budget while the executive was working on the other part. The budget was still being worked on when the crisis began. We went on break, hoping that when we resume, we will consider bills pending before us. We could not do so and there was no iota of truth in the fact that principal officers ratified the budget.”

    But as far as the President is concerned, he sent a budget to the parliament for consideration. “They received it. I gave them a budget personally. When I came in, I discovered that my tenure was very short, so I used my resources to put together a budget and sent it to the Speaker. Later, the parliament wrote to me that they needed allowance to deliberate on the budget and I gave them, but since then, I have not received any reply from them. So if they are saying that I did not send them a budget, it is left to them. But I believe they cannot deny the fact.”

    The Speaker of parliament was having trouble at every sitting. Members quarrelled over the sharing formula for the take-off grant balance. According to one of them, members had expected the money “to go round”, but the Speaker and the Clerk, Terfa Ingbiankyor, allegedly took out huge sum and claimed it would be lodged into the parliament’s bank account. “We were not satisfied with how they spent the first part of the money. So we tried to call the Speaker for a brief informal meeting to iron out the differences. Before then, he went behind to call some members and tried to induce them with money, which they rejected,” a member said under anonymity.

    The Speaker and the Clerk were later asked to convene a sitting but they allegedly refused. After Titus was asked severally to convene parliamentary meeting without doing so, members gathered and elected Tony Onazi, a Law student, as Acting Speaker.

    In the meeting presided over by Tony, Titus and the Clerk were impeached for failing to respect the parliament’s decisions. Fighting back, the impeached officials reported the development to the Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof Armstrong Adejo, claiming that they were removed through an alien constitution.

    Samuel said: “When we met with the Dean, he asked us which constitution we used and we showed him. The Dean said the constitution was not recognised by the union but we told him that Titus gave us the constitution. Titus denied before the Dean that he gave us the constitution. We were going to use the old constitution to continue with the procedure, but the Deputy Speaker intervened and called an informal meeting during which we demanded a refund of the money Titus mismanaged. When that was done, we upturned the impeachment and recalled the Speaker.”

    Titus denies the charges, saying in all processes, the constitution should take its course. Another allegation the Speaker faces is that, he single-handedly approved the union’s secretariat project. But Titus said a good number of the parliamentarians consented to the project to continue.

     

  • ‘I do things at the right time’

    ‘I do things at the right time’

    Emmanuel Olele, 500-Level Petroleum and Gas Engineering, is popular at the Delta State University (DELSU) because of his dancing skill. Nicknamed Masi, the dancer surprised his colleagues when he won the Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship Award for Best Academic Student. He also got scholarships from the Delta State Government and an oil company. He told PHILIP OKORODUDU (500-Level Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering) how he achieved the feat.

    When did you start dancing?

    I started when I was 10 years old. I saw it as ability but some of my family members believed it is hereditary.

    When people said it is hereditary, do they mean that your parents are dancers?

    Yes. Every member of my family is a good dancer. The talent runs in our blood.

    How did you meet members of your crew?

    I met all of them on campus. They are students of DELSU. We are like minds that have a passion for dancing. So, we came together and formed a group.

    Does your group perform outside the campus?

    We are not limited to Delta State alone. We do go for shows in neighbouring states and universities, places like in Benin and Port Harcourt. We have also performed in states in the eastern part of the country.

    It surprises everyone that a dancer can also be a recipient of the Vice Chancellor’s scholarship. How did you achieve it?

    Well, I worked towards it. Without being proud, I think my brilliance put me in such position. I won the Delta State University Scholarship Scheme, which is otherwise known as VC Scholarship Award, in April 2010. I am proud of the achievement because many people would have thought that being a dancer; somebody like me should be seen as an unserious student.

    How do you combine dancing with your academic work?

    I must say that it was not an easy thing because both activities can never be mixed. But then, I believe that God gives me the grace to strike a balance between the two. Let me say I the basic thing I needed to do the two activities without one affecting the other is time management. I set limits, which means that I do what ought to be done at the right time.

    Tell us about DELSU Idols?

    It is not different from the idols programme being done everywhere. The idea is all about gathering students with the desire and passion for singing to compete in a musical reality show on campus irrespective of what they are studying. Basically, we have one audition, three evictions and one grand finale. The audition is an avenue to give those that bought the forms a chance to show their talents, after which we ensure that the best among them qualify to the grand finale.

    People would have thought your academic performance would be affected by being involved yourself in many extracurricular activities. How did you manage it?

    As I have said, it has to do with time management. I let the school pass through me just as I am passing through the school but I don’t allow the social aspect of my life to affect my studies. Education is a must for me.

    Who is your role model?

    It is my father, Mr Richard Ilobah Olele. He has always encouraged me to become a successful person in life.

    How did you come to be known as Masi?

    Masi is the name I use for my social activities and other activities that are not in line with academics. The nickname was given to me during my stay in Zaria, Kaduna State.

  • Catholic students relive Jesus’ crucifixion

    Catholic students relive Jesus’ crucifixion

    Students and the Catholic community of Saint Vincent de Paul Chaplaincy, Moddibo Adama University of Technology (MAUTECH), Yola re-enacted the crucifixion of Jesus Christ to mark Good Friday and Easter celebration.

    The play dramatised how Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and how he suffered as he was being led to Golgotha. A crowd of Christian students and non-Christians gathered to see the drama as early as 8am on the football pitch, which is close to the university main gate.

    Peter Oko, 500-Level Biochemistry, the student-catechist of the Chaplaincy, who played the role of Jesus in the drama, said it was a honour for him to be cast in the play. “Playing the role of Jesus gave me the privilege of experiencing first-hand what Jesus went through for our salvation, though I know that what I went through is nothing to compare to what Jesus suffered. The experience has made me to be humble and appreciate what it took Jesus to save mankind and to strive to improve on my life as a Christian daily,” he said.

    The president of Nigerian Federation of Catholic Students (NFCS), MAUTECH chapter, Everest Mpari, 300-Level Urban and Regional Planning, who played the role of disciple, said the Good Friday was significant in the life of every Christian especially Catholics, saying that the day marked the beginning of the last three days of the Lenten period.

    “The resurrection of Christ is the most important event of Easter. Without resurrection, there will be no victory over death without which there will be no hope of salvation; this is the essence of Christianity,” he added.

    Andrea Dama, 400-Level Crop Production, said she learnt the virtues of humility and simplicity from the sufferings of Christ as displayed in the drama.

  • Suspended student wins union presidency

    Suspended student wins union presidency

    Six years ago, Chris Taiwo was placed on suspension by the authorities of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, after he lost bid to be elected as president of the Students’ Union Government (SUG).

    During the election held last week, Chris emerged leader of the union. In the build up to the poll, aspirants thronged the campus and off-campus hostels with their supporters sharing posters to canvass for votes. They also stationed billboards at strategic places for awareness.

    The election was held simultaneously in the six faculties on the Ogbomoso campus and also at the College of Health Sciences, Osogbo. Security personnel including Man O’ War and cadets were drafted to maintain peace during the process. Red Cross officials and LAUTECH Road Safety Corps were on hand to ensure smooth process.

    To ensure the best got elected, the Union of Campus Journalists organised a debate for the aspirants. On the election day, members of the electoral commission with Vice-Chancellor, Prof Sulaiman Gbadegesin, moved round the campus to monitor the election.

    The process was marred by low turnout of students. When the election ended, collation exercise could not follow immediately because ballot boxes were being transported from Osogbo. Students and observers besieged the convocation ground, the venue of the collation.

    Around 11:30 pm in the evening, the results were announced.

    Chris was returned as the president-elect. In 2007, he was suspended because of the controversy that trailed his defeat in union election. He, however, wrote another entrance exam and was re-admitted into his former department.

    He also lost the union election last session but re-contested and won last week. As his name was announced as the winner, his supporters shouted “Abraham Lincoln of LAUTECH”.

    Declaring the winner, the chairman of the electoral commission, Dr Siyanbade Adewale, said Chris garnered 1,992 votes to defeat his close rival, Bolanle Sherrifdeen, who polled 1,473 votes.

    Others elected include Calista Atanye, Vice-President 1, Emmanuel Fadeni, Vice-President II, Sheriffdeen Hamzat, General Secretary, Adeboye Kuta, Assistant General Secretary, Abdulrasheed Adewale, Financial Secretary, Kayode Alabi, Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Kolawole, Welfare Director, Ayoola Badmus, Sports Director and Abayomi Adams, Social Director.

    The elected officials have since been sworn in. Chris pledged not to renege on his campaign promises.

     

  • Students called to chamber

    Students called to chamber

    The Lord Denning Chamber of Justice, a students’ chamber in the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar (UNICAL), has held its Call to Chamber ceremony and award night. The event, which was well-attended by students, was held at BK House, Calabar.

    The guests and students were clad in black and white attires, the ceremonial colours of lawyers.

    Declaring the programme open, the chairman of the occasion, Magistrate Ekong Imona, extolled the virtues of Lord Denning, who he said stood for honesty and godliness and morality in his legal dispositions.

    Imona, a magistrate with Cross River State judiciary, enjoined members of the chamber to imbibe and emulate the sterling qualities of Lord Denning, stressing that with such a mindset there would be hope for the nation.

    In his speech, the Chief Principal Advocate (CPA) of the chamber, Divine Greatness, 500-Level Law, was delighted by the large turnout of members and guests to the occasion. He said the programme was predicated on the need to orientate budding lawyers on the implications of plea bargaining in our criminal jurisprudence.

    Barrister Ozimco Ozimco, while administering the oath of allegiance on inductees, challenged the new members to hold on to the tenets of the legal profession.

    No fewer than 40 Law students were called to the chamber in the ceremony. The highpoints of the occasion was awards presentation to members and guests as well as fund raising to cater for the financial needs of the chamber.

    An inductee, Usani Yemiode, said: “Being called to chamber and bar will enable me to learn the procedural aspect of the law to complement what I am being taught in the classroom.”