The Nation Newspaper

Category: Campus Life

  • United they stand

    United they stand

    The auditorium of the Faculty of Social Science on the Abraka campus of the Delta State University (DELSU) was a beehive when English students held their annual programme. Under the banner of National Association of Students of English and Literary Studies (NASELS), the students gathered for the weeklong International Conference of English and Literary Studies (ICOSELS).

    It was the seventh in the series and it was tagged DELSU ICOSELS for national unity. The participants pledged to preach peace and unity to engender educational development.

    The conference with the theme Language/Literature for sustainable national development drew participants from over 26 tertiary institutions. Over 500 students and guests attended the conference. Some erudite scholars and literary icons were the guest speakers.

    In a keynote address, the national staff adviser of the association and a lecturer in the Department of English and Literary Studies, DELSU, Dr Sunny Awhefeada, urged participants to work for the unity of all institutions of learning.

    Various speakers took turns to educate the students on issues. Among them was Odia Ofeimun, a renowned poet. Prof Festus Iyayi presented a paper entitled Literature and national development; Alex Roy-Omoni, another guest speaker, spoke on Nigerian culture and tradition: A call for decolonisation.

    Prof Joy Eyisi, the patron of the association and a senior lecturer at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, presented a new dimension to usage of grammar and exposed the common errors made by writers and speakers of English.

    The week-long conference was not all about lectures; participants visited recreation and tourist attractions in Delta State. In one of such outings, the students visited Umuaga, the source of River Ethiope where it is said that the water actually comes from a tree and not from the rock as widely believed. The participants also visited Marcarthy beach, a popular resort in the university community to socialise.

    The highpoint was the election of new officers. Oluwadare Adejare, 400-Level student of the University of Ibadan (UI) was elected national president.

    Joel Isioma, 300-Level student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) said he was thrilled by the lecture of Prof Iyayi, adding that he acquired new knowledge during the conference.

    Angela Ugwu-Agbo, 300-Level student of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), said the conference was a departure from the last one held in UNIBEN where some of the guest speakers did not show up.

    Mfon Akpabio, 300-Level, University of Uyo (UNIUYO) and Mac-Anthony Okpara, 300-Level Imo State University (IMSU), described the conference as thrilling.

    In his address, the outgoing national president of the association, Akwarandu Akwarandu, 400-Level student of IMSU, gave an account of his stewardship. He said his leadership brought more institutions to join the national body. He thanked members of the host institution for the success of the conference.

    He ended his speech with the words of Odia Ofeimun, who said: ‘If I had disappointed the crowd, I would have disappointed the whole nation.”

    Oluwadare said his intention was to sustain the language and literary legacy and consolidate on the gains made by the outgoing executive.

    Franklin Akporhe, Director of Information of the local organising committee, told CAMPUSLIFE that he was happy with the outcome of the event despite challenges encountered in the organisation. He praised DELSU management and appreciated the efforts of the head of English and Literary Studies department, DELSU, Dr Macaulay Mowarin, his IMSU counterpart and Dr Awhefeada.

     

  • ‘I sing to win souls for Christ’

    ‘I sing to win souls for Christ’

    You are a medical student but you are also into music. How do you reconcile that?

    I believe there are two things a man needs to have. These are vocation and profession. Though, I am aspiring to be a doctor in future but I believe I can also excel in music. Even though one of them may be lucrative than the other, I believe both trades can fetch me more income. I also believe in career swap. My vocation today can turn out to be my profession tomorrow.

    Why did you choose gospel music?

    Actually, gospel music has the same message it passes across to everybody. This is to rededicate people to the glory of God. But I present my type of gospel in a very special way. I try my best to sing with the tempo that is so captivating, which will make people think about God and His mercy. If you listen to my tracks, you would think it is hip-hop but when the song starts, you will be spirit-filled and move away from all sins.

    Why did you feature a hip-hop artiste, Mark T, in your song since both of you sing different genre of music?

    Since my music sounds like hip-hop, I thought I needed to feature someone, who sings the same way like me. As an upcoming artiste, I believe featuring a hip-hop artiste, who has been in the industry, was wise to improve my popularity. The collaboration will help to spread the message I pass in my songs, which will increase my fan base.

    Who is your motivator?

    It is the Holy Spirit that motivates me. Music is a talent which, God has endowed me with. So I believe whichever talent God gives to me must be utilised to the benefit of the people. It is only the Holy Spirit that can direct and inspire me.

    How do you combine music and your studies?

    My primary aim as a student of Optometry is to graduate as a Doctor of Optometry (OD). Now talking about managing my time to achieve my primary aim; I don’t stay in school all day. Rather, the free time I have at my leisure period is used to practise music. Thus, I combine the time of studies and music in such a way that one does not affect the other.

    Did you have the mindset to make money when you started gospel music?

    It is not all about making money but to pass the gospel of God to the generality of people. I don’t have to go along with the mindset of making profit; the sole aim is to proclaim the gospel through music ministrations. Frank Edward, a fellow gospel artiste, touches souls through his gospel music. So, my type of gospel is not profit-oriented but to win souls for Christ.

    Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

    As an optometry student, I will be doing my internship by God’s grace. In the music industry, I see my popularity increasing more than the present. I believe many people would have bought into my kind of music.

  • Varsity ends semester exam

    Varsity ends semester exam

    The first semester examination of the Gregory University, which started penultimate week, is rounding off. The university, which is located in Uturu, Abia State, was recently established. Unlike many new institutions, exams were held in conducive halls; the problem of congestion did not arise.

    Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, Mr Elijah Efetobor, a lecturer in Mass Communication department, commended the authorities for the feat, describing the university as a world class institution that came to set the pace for excellence in the country and beyond.

    “Gregory University is a world class university that has come to set the pace for university education in Nigeria and the world at large. You can see the orderly manner in which the examination is being conducted. The students are comfortably seated and the examiners are all around to make sure everything is moving on effectively,” Efetobor.

    Students who spoke to our correspondent asserted that the university had come to redefine university education in Nigeria. After the examination which is expected to end tomorrow, the institution would round off its first semester.

     

  • Poly trains artisans

    Poly trains artisans

    The management of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo (RUGIPO) has floated a workshop to train artisans in a skill acquisition programme to educate them on effectiveness and efficient service delivery. The Rector, Prof Igbekele Ajibefun, dropped the hint during the maiden lecture of Sunshine State Youth Movement (SSYM).

    The programme was held last Thursday at Solton International Hotel, Akure. The Rector said the initiative was to provide functional education and make skill acquisition the focus of students.

    Ajibefun said the institution’s focus on the practical programme was to provide skilled manpower in special areas of societal needs. He said the polytechnic was moving towards the provision of skilled students, who would be independent after their graduation.

    The first set of candidates admitted for the programme will commence their training in the first week of March, he stated.

    According to the Rector, the full implementation of the vocational programme would make students of the polytechnic to acquire practical skills in, at least, one area before graduation. He noted the skill acquisition remained solution to youth unemployment ravaging the nation.

    Ajibefun praised the Ondo State government for supporting the programme. He, however, stressed that the success of the programme would depend on availability of electricity.

  • Drama as student wears wrapper to class

    WAS the dressing appropriate or not? No matter how it is classified, the student succeeded in drawing attention to himself. He was the cynosure of all eyes as he strolled into a classroom at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State. Some students, hooted, others just burst into laughter as the male pre-degree student, clad in an Ankara wrapper and a shortsleeve shirt, entered the class.

    The security did not find his dressing funny. His entry disrupted the class. Rather than pay attention to the lecture, his colleagues resorted to hailing him. The security wasted no time in restoring order. They flogged the student out of the class.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the student had earlier had a bet with some friends that he could wear a wrapper to school. Some of his colleagues were said to have promised him N20,000 if he did. The student surprised his colleagues when he appeared in wrapper.

    The security officials’ action almost sparked a riot as students deplored it. The security operatives hit the student with sticks.

    Students argued that anybody could wear whatever catches his fancy to school, if such attires are not indecent.

  • Students get entrepreneurship, ICT training

    Afirm, Wisdom Computer Technology, in collaboration with National Association of Information Technology Students (NAITS), Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) chapter, has held an Information and Communication Technology summit and entrepreneurship workshop for students.

    Tagged 21 computer secretes that give money in the 21st century, the seminar, held in USB Lecture Hall 3 in the School of Management Technology, was geared towards making students self-reliant and productive after graduation.

    For students to achieve prosperity in the absence of white-collar jobs, Francis Uzor, a guest speaker, said the solution was to embrace entrepreneurship while in school.

    Uzor said information technology was widely acknowledged as jobs dispenser. He urged students to take advantage of abundant human and natural resources in Nigeria to enhance their living standard. He explained that the biggest economies in the world achieved growth through the utilisation and development of small-scale medium enterprises, adding that it was vital for Nigeria to embrace such a concept to enhance its own development in the Information technology (IT) world.

    To address the problem of unemployment in Nigeria, Uzor urged the students to embrace Information Technology, which he said was capable to drive job creation to power the engine of the economy.

    The programme was attended by members of the NAITS executive among who included Christian Esomofor, president and Uche Agomuo, Financial Secretary. The staff adviser of the association, Mr Cosmos Nwakanma also graced the seminar.

     

  • Different strokes for different students

    For students who underwent industrial training last year, it is time to defend their reports. While some are confident to stand before their lecturers to defend their acquired skills, many have developed cold feet. These students are not happy over the challenges they faced during the training.

    For science and engineering students in universities and polytechnics, the Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is compulsory. The SIWES is a programme designed by the Federal Government for students to gain practical skills of what they are taught.

    Part of the scheme’s goals is to provide adequate manpower to foster industrial and economic growth through learning and practice. To sustain the programme, the government established the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to promote and sustain the acquisition of industrial skills through financial motivation of participants.

    Students always look forward to the scheme to which the second semester is devoted by 200-Level and 300-Level students. For final year students, SIWES is held for three months during the first semester, after which the graduating students defend their industrial training skills with their final year project researches.

    These days, instead of going for full training in industries, students undergo a minimum of one month and stay at home for the rest of the period. During holidays, students besiege companies in search for where they will undergo the training. The well-connected get places of their choice; many others are frustrated by rejection. Many who could not get placement lose hope and stop applying.

    Students are required to write comprehensive reports on what they learnt during the training. The reports must be signed by institution- and industry-based supervisors. On returning to school, they are given a deadline for submission of their log books, which contain the reports. Students become agitated during this period, especially those that did not undergo the training. On various campuses, SIWES defence is seen as judgement day.

    To escape the “Armageddon”, many students, who did not participate in the scheme, copy and manipulate reports done by others. Such students often avoid the procedure because they feel they would not score an ‘A’ after the exercise. They manipulate SIWES report and log books by forging reports, signature and designing fake companies’ stamps.

    Some frustrated students told CAMPUSLIFE that their inability to get placement on time shortened their SIWES period. “Before my application was considered to undergo my SIWES, I had already spent three months at home doing nothing,” said Timothy Asadu, who did his six-month industrial training in a soap company in Lagos.

    Hurried resumption is included in the challenges students complained about. To recover the time lost to strike and other crises that may affect the academic calendar, some institutions hurriedly fixed resumption dates, thereby compelling students to abandon their training for school.

    Industry supervision and orientation of participants are part of the responsibilities of the ITF to make the scheme successful. Some trainees have abandoned their training because of non-payment of their allowances by the ITF.

    “Many of us have been turned to labourers in companies where we undergo our training. Without giving us kobo, those companies see IT students as extra workforce and stress us beyond the limit. But since the ITF won’t make our allowances available to us during the training, many students stop the SIWES and stay at home,” an engineering student of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) told our correspondent.

    It appears the ITF is overwhelmed by the challenges facing the scheme. At the second annual seminar for Trade and Investment Correspondents and Business Editors organised by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment in Abuja last December, Prof Longmas Wapmuk, ITF boss, said government owed SIWES students N12 billion in allowance. Given the huge debt, Wapmuk said the Fund would rather want the government to scrap the N2,500 stipend approved for students instead of accumulating huge debt.

    Wapmuk said the scheme’s idea to marry practical with theory in order to prepare students for employment after graduation is being marred by poor funding.

    “Left to us in the ITF, we prefer that we have a cashless SIWES, because students have been taking care of themselves already during the SIWES period and since the Federal Government is not in a position to give us the money required because of the demands from other sectors of the economy, we feel we should have a cashless SIWES so that ITF can pay more attention to supervising the students instead of accumulating debt. There is no need to accumulate debt that we cannot pay because we are not meeting the demand of these students,” he said.

    The objectives of SIWES may not be bad after all but the problem of funding may have affected its goals. Some respondents, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, urged the government not to allow the scheme die, asking for more funding to motivate students towards acquiring adequate industrial skills.

    Obianuju Asouzu, 500-Level Environmental Protection and Resource Management, University of Calabar (UNICAL), urged the government to find means to secure industry placement for prospective SIWES students to curb forgery of companies’ stamps.

    Cyril Akpan, 400-Level Environmental Technology, FUTO, said SIWES was a good programme that helped graduates to get jobs easily. “The practical knowledge acquired through the scheme helped some people to get employed after their graduation. If SIWES can be strengthened, I am of the opinion that the unemployment riddle will be solved,” he said.

  • Dept orientates freshers

    Dept orientates freshers

    The Association of Mass Communication Students (AMCOMS), University of Jos (UNIJOS) chapter, has freshers to be committed to their academic work.

    Its Staff Adviser, Mr Taye Obateru, asked the students to be focused and dedicated to their studies. He told the freshmen justify their admission because many wrote the entrance test to be in the department.

    He said: “You should count yourselves privileged for being among the few admitted into the department. You must, therefore, work hard to achieve excellence in your academic pursuit and also build and maintain positive relationship with your course mates and lecturers.”

    Also speaking, Mr Francis Ogbe, a staff of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), encouraged the students to remain focused and make themselves creative communicators in future.

    Hundung Gyang, an on-air personality with Peace FM, Jos, spoke on the need to have good communication skills as well as development of personal style, especially when presenting programmes and casting news. She noted that there were challenges that came with being journalists and advised the students to give their best despite challenges that may stand against their academic pursuit.

    The AMCOMS president, Adams Ijah, said the programme served as a platform for all students to interact. The event, which took place at the ASUU secretariat, was attended by guests from Plateau Radio Television (PRTV), Jos, journalists, lecturers and students of the department.

     

  • ‘Ghost’s protest’ stuns students

    It sounds incredible, but those who witnessed it claim it is true. It all happened in the Gross Anatony Laboratory of the Benue State University College of Health Services where 200-Level medical students were dissecting a cadaver. A cadaver is a body used for medical training.

    All of a sudden, a student rushed out, screaming, “ghost!” “ghost!”. He said a ghost that was not happy with the way the body was being dissected had protested.

    Another student, who claimed to be at the session, told CAMPUSLIFE: “We were in the lab this evening, having a dissection. There was a stiff cadaver on a slab, with students standing round it. They were playing with the cadaver and insulting it. I cannot verify this because I was at a different table where dissection was going on.

    “Insects were coming out of the cadaver because it was decaying and I cautioned them that they could be infected if they were bitten. Peter was busy snapping the cadaver. When he was checking the pictures, everybody noticed he was shaking terribly. I didn’t understand what was going on and since some staff were around, we continued with the dissection.

    “Later, a colleague called me that the picture Peter took had a ghost in it. I didn’t believe it at first. When I saw the picture, it was shocking and strange. You may feel you want to see it, but I tell you, it is not something you want to see.

    “The ghost was wrapped in a white cloth and turban, and its face was black. Peter nearly passed out because of fear. At the time, one of our classmates, who had the courage to hold the phone, would not let people collect the picture through Bluetooth because they could upload it on Facebook. I agreed with him, but the way people are checking the picture, I believe they would delete the picture. I cannot even read now because whenever I sit down, it is just the ghost that I see.”

    There was a debate over the veracity of the claim. Benjamin Kondom, 300-Level student, said he did not believe the image was a ghost, until he saw the picture. He said people could manipulate graphic images to look real, but argued that it was likely that the student saw the ghost. Patrick Etunke, 400-Level and immediate past president of the Christian Medical and Dental Association, (CMDA) told CAMPUSLIFE that he could not explain it.

    “I was told the picture has been deleted and I felt very bad. I don’t know how to explain this. I went to Peter’s house but he was afraid that the authorities may punish him because students have been warned not to take photograph in the anatomy lab. This probably is the reason why he deleted the picture.”

    He believed in the existence of ghosts, but wondered why a spectre could be captured in the picture. “Is it that the camera is sharper than the eye? What the eye could not see, the camera picked. This is my surprise,” Patrick said, adding: “It is spirits that should be afraid of us because they can’t operate in this realm. Otherwise, that ghost could have slapped the guy if it had the power.”

    Another student, who also was in the lab when the incident happened, said: “Usually, each class has its own cadaver. When we went there, we saw another cadaver. It was smallish and we were seeing it for the first time. Some of our mates made certain statements about the cadaver. At the time though, I did not think they were disrespecting the cadaver. But when we came out and saw the ghost, I then reflected on what they did to it and realised the ghost was not happy and that is why it was protesting.

    “I saw the ghost standing beside its body. It was covered in white cloth like Father Abraham-kind of clothes. His whole body was wrapped but its hands were folded across the chest. Peter was afraid that the authorities may not be happy because already, phones are not allowed in the gross lab, so he deleted the picture.”

    When our correspondent spoke to Peter, whose picture sent the college into frenzy, he denied the ghost story, saying it was just a joke that went beyond his control. He explained that his phone had an application that enabled him to snap pictures and cause certain images to appear alongside the main image.

    Asked why he deleted the picture, Peter said when the joke began to go beyond his control, he feared that it might get to the college’s authorities, who may take disciplinary action against him. “I came to class today and told everyone that it was all a joke. But they didn’t believe me,” he said jovially, adding: “I am surprised by the way even our senior colleagues were worried by the story. We are in the medical school, and do you believe a camera can capture a ghost?”

  • Rededicating students for excellence

    It may not be wrong to assert that Nigerian students are disadvantaged to be studying in the country’s unorganised education system. The sincerity of this opinion is reinforced by a statistics that stated that over 71,000 Nigerians, who are studying in Ghana pay about N155 billion annually to benefit their host country’s economy.

    This amount is more than Nigeria’s annual budgetary allocation to the education section. It is, therefore, clear that to attempt to make progress without a well-planned education policy for Nigerian institutions and students will always end up in futility.

    Students are major stakeholders and, as tomorrow’s leaders, the inheritors of whatever institution, be it political or educational, to which any nation lays claim. Therefore, government must take steps to reform education system and draft new curricula to replace the old syllabi most of our higher institutions still use to teach students today.

    Meanwhile, analysts have said the quality of education being received by students in Nigeria cannot make them compete with their peers from other countries because of the advanced techniques being employed to teach in those countries.

    According to Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a world university ranking body, only University of Cape Town, ranked 156, is capable to effectively teach science and technology in Africa. Is this not a damning verdict against Nigeria’s education system?

    Also, the Network of Migration Research on African (NOMRA), a research body, said over 10,090 Nigerians were granted visa into the United Kingdom (UK) in 2009 and they all paid N42 billion to their host country. The fact remains that Nigerian students do not enjoy to qualitative education.

    This, perhaps, informs why Nigeria’s literacy level is low. A large percentage of the population do not have knowledge of what the nation’s Constitution say about education, let alone charging the government to deliver those ideals.

    But this is government’s fault; what about students? The curricula of Nigerian schools do not focus much on morality, character-building, innovation and entrepreneurship. In most cases, schools’ syllabi are loaded with what is called “general studies”. Not subject or course for students to diversify to other area to be independent after school.

    Large number of students are keen about making quick money, which has led most of them to commit crimes such as Internet fraud, cultism, armed robbery, kidnapping and social media crime. They cruise around in exotic cars, visit clubs to drink with girls and deal in all sorts of hard drugs. All this, sadly, will not take students anywhere.

    During the recent matriculation ceremony held for freshmen admitted into Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), the Rector, Dr Margret Ladipo, reiterated her administration’s stance on misconduct such as consumption of alcohol by students and its sale on campus. She assured the freshers that any students caught in such act would be shown the way out.

    For students to be rededicated to knowledge, the country must have to instill morals and characters. This may have the reason YABATECHA bans the sales of alcohol on campus. There is no student that will concentrate on his study if alcohol is in his system.

    Other institutions should emulate this example so that the needed change can be generalised. The ban on alcohol should also be applicable to teaching and non-teaching staff too. If anybody wants to take alcohol, let the person do that in his house and not on campus.

    The government and private sector should assist in the campaign to re-orientate students and make them do away with intoxicants. This will enhance a better life and make graduates of our higher institutions complete human being. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) should also assist in this direction.

    While urging the government to formulate a policy that will make willing students to work during their studies, it is my candid opinion that effort to rededicate students towards excellence is a collective responsibility of parents, teachers and the society.

     

    Mark, 300-Level School of Technical Education, YABATECH