The Nation Newspaper

Category: Campus Life

  • ‘Photography can solve jobs riddle’

    ‘Photography can solve jobs riddle’

    How did you discover your talent in photography?

    I have always loved anything that has to do with visual arts, from still pictures to films, documentaries, paintings and other forms of visual expression. During my diploma days in the college, I would ask myself: ‘what will I do after the programme?’ Since I am not from a wealthy home and I didn’t know anybody in the TV College for full time admission, I had to develop my skills in photography. I went for tutorial at Seun Anuwe Photography. This was also during my diploma programme. My elder brother and my mother helped me with the money I used to purchase my first camera.

    Do you have any role model in the profession?

    I have quite a number of them. I respect Henrie Cartier Bresson for his application of decisive moment and use of shapes, shadows, lines and frames in street photography. I also respect Moussa Monssa for his advertising and fashion photography. Steffan Roussons enticed me with his photojournalism. Kelechi Amadi Obi’s fashion and arts photography is a source of inspiration for me and Ibrahim Dung’s activities in training young ones. These are role model for me.

    What is your area of specialisation?

    At the moment, I do more of wedding and event photography. I also take pictures for a friend that writes for students’ pages in national newspapers. I do other forms of photography to expand my clientele, but in future, I want to concentrate on photojournalism and documentary photography.

    What are the obstacles you face?

    The difficulty I face at the moment is the fact that photographic equipment are very expensive, especially the professional gadgets. From camera to lens and lights, everything is expensive and it does not encourage young ones like me to be self-employed through photography. Also, there is no system that provides for one to rent equipment from a camera store to use for a particular job as it is done overseas.

    What is the highlight of your career so far?

    It is wedding. I take pictures of Deborah and Julian and also that of Margret and Ben. This is because I like to capture the happy moments of the bride and groom as well as their families and friends. It gives me deep satisfaction when I deliver to my clients above their expectations.

    How do you combine study with photography?

    Well, combining both is not easy. At times, my business clashes with school work. But I always consider the two realms such that my decision to favour one will not adversely affect the other. Also, I work hard to cover for the missed classes even though my knowledge of photography aids my understanding of some courses I do in school such as editing techniques, photography and videography. Therefore, this gives me an edge over most of my course mates. Generally, one must just find a way of striking a balance between the two.

    Based on your experience, how would you rate the Nigerian photography industry?

    The industry is doing well because it is expanding and inviting young ones. I believe photography can solve the riddle of unemployment in Nigeria by creating jobs for youth. However, there is a need for proper training of budding photographers, whether formally or informally in school and workshops. There is need to establish a professional body that will serve as a regulatory body for Nigerian photographers.

    What are your future plans?

    I want to get a professional camera with lens and its lighting kits. Then, I will get an office space where I will study and practice photography and take more pictures. This will also help me to impart knowledge and experience on others. This is my ultimate dream.

  • Valentine’s Day protest at LASPOTECH

    Valentine’s Day protest at LASPOTECH

    Students of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) gave the institution’s management a shocker on Valentine’s Day. They marched on their Rector’s office in Ikorodu to protest what they termed the authority’s insensitivity to their welfare.

    The demonstration, which started at 8:45am from the polytechnic’s second gate, was led by the president of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Olanrewaju Balogun. The protesters also besieged the library, chanting solidarity songs with placards.

    As the students moved towards the Rector’s office, a top official of the institution pleaded with them to halt the demonstration. The official, whose identity could not be ascertained asked the students to return to their hostels, promising that their grievances would be addressed.

    The students declined to stop the protest, insisting on an audience with the Rector.

    On getting to the Rector’s office, the Deputy Rector, Olasunkanmi Longe, addressed them, saying the Rector, Dr Abdulazeez Abioye, was not around. Not convinced, the protesters continued the solidarity songs, demanding to see the Rector in person.

    After a few minutes, Olanrewaju addressed the protesters, saying the union leaders had confirmed that Abioye was not on campus. He said students would still make their grievances known to the management in the absence of the Rector.

    Stating their challenges, the Speaker of the union, Kehinde Olofintuyi, said students could no longer afford “double payment of Entrepreneurship Educational Development (EED) fee”. Other complaints include deduction in number of students being mobilised for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), poor operation delivery at the school’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centre, poor transportation scheme, insecurity on campus and incapacitation of the students’ union among others.

    Longe said he would relay the students’ grievances to the management, promising that“quick intervention” would be made. He said management was not to blame for the decrease in NYSC mobilisation, saying the reduction was informed by NYSC’s new regulation, which stipulated that only graduates that have the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) registration number could be mobilised for Service.

    Longe said there would be “regularisation” for students, who did part-time programmes for National Diploma (ND) but admitted on full-time for Higher National Diploma (HND). He said the process needed to be carried out to generate JAMB registration numbers for the affected students before they were mobilised for service.

    He promised that management would address poor operation of the ICT centre, adding that the facility would be strengthened to service the students better. The crowd was thrown into frenzy when Longe did not address EED fee. Students interrupted the Deputy Rector, preventing him from making further comment except he agreed to speak on the controversial fee.

    Longe, who managed to calm the crowd, said he did not have power to speak on EED, pleading with the students to wait for the Rector’s comment on it.

    He stated that the management did not have any reason to undermine the union, saying the school was only helping the union to collect its dues from students. But Longe promised that the issue would be looked into.

    The SUG president reiterated that the union was out to advance the welfare of students. He said another round of protest would be embarked on by students if the management did not respond to the issues raised.

    The General Secretary of the union, Acheme Ramsonon, said before students went on demonstration, the union had written several letters to the authorities but there were no responses. He said the peaceful protest was to explain the plight of students to the management. Oluwasegun Iroko, the union’s Public Relations Officer, praised the students for peaceful conduct, saying Aluta was not to destroy property during protest.

     

  • Students displaced as fire razes hostel

    Students displaced as fire razes hostel

    IT was a calm evening that penultimate Thursday at the Temp Site, where most students of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka reside off campus.

    Many students had retired to their rooms to relax.

    A few hours before midnight, the neighbourhood was thrown into confusion. There was fire at New Castel Lodge, a three-storey building located close to the junction. It was 9pm and students who were relaxing rushed out of the building.

    There was confusion everywhere as students from nearby hostels ran helter-skelter, calling the attention of the residents to the incident. When CAMPUSLIFE visited the scene, our correspondent saw sympathisers hurling water at a section of the building from nearby houses.

    CAMPUSLIFE learnt that several properties and certificates were burnt. It was the second time such an incident would occur in the area. Last December, a building housing many stalls was razed in a midnight fire. Traders and students lost properties worth millions of naira to the incident.

    Our correspondent gathered that the hostel had been experiencing epileptic power supply. According to Bethrand Nweke, a post graduate student residing in the lodge, the light was fluctuating. The situation, which persisted for weeks, damaged the electronic appliances of the residents. But the power voltage, said an occupant, was never regulated by the officials of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

    “Electric cables that brought light into the building sparked close to the roof. This resulted to an explosion in the ceiling. All remained quiet for some minutes, until fire emanated from one of the rooms, whose occupant was away,” an occupant told CAMPUSLIFE.

    Like a scene from a movie, occupants of the lodge and nearby hostels started throwing their personal effects from the window and balcony. A student, who simply identified himself as Chucks said: “I stay at the topmost floor close to the room where the fire started. I was in my room when I heard sparks. The voltage was very high at the time. Almost immediately, sounds of explosion proceeded from the ceiling. I was still in confusion until smoke filled everywhere. We started throwing our properties from the balcony. A female student, who stays close to my room, was not around. There was nothing we could do to evacuate her belongings. As the fire raged, there was confusion. We picked up a few things we could lay our hands on. Some picked only their certificates and ran for their dear lives.”

    Students battled hard to put out the fire. They scooped water with buckets and bowls, but they could not move close to the scene because of the height of the building. They were later joined by fire fighters from the Anambra State Fire Service.

    To the students’ surprise, the fire men announced that their water had been exhausted less than 10 minutes after they got to the scene. The students were disappointed but they did not give up in their resolve to put out the fire. They offered to fetch water into the fire service tank. Armed policemen came to the scene to ostensibly prevent looting of the victims’ properties.

    After about one hour, the sympathisers’ efforts paid off; the inferno was put out but not until eight rooms on the topmost floor had been razed. The roof and ceiling were shattered by the raging inferno. Though, the first and the ground floors were not affected, the occupants rushed out with their personal effects.

    Kelechi Ndiokwelu, a student and a resident of Excel Lodge, located close to razed building, said: “I helped in getting water from my hostel. It was such a terrible scene. Though, hundreds of students hurled water from different direction, the fire raged more. We were amazed that the fire service came with an empty tank. Even the policemen did nothing; they stood at one place watching students making efforts. Their presence distracted us. We wondered whether they wanted to shoot at the fire.”

    Bethrand Nweke said: “I was reading when the fire started. I could only pick a few things I could remember during the rush for safety.”

    After the fire was put out, management of the nearby hotel, Golfins Suite, offered free accommodation to the displaced students. The victims, who were still dazed at the time, accepted the offer. The following day, police invited the victims for questioning.

    The incident happened at a time students were preparing for the first semester exam, which will begin in a few weeks. When CAMPUSLIFE visited Golfin Suite, the victims lamented their losses, blaming the incident on erratic power supply. Meanwhile, the hostel is being rehabilitated. It could, however, not be ascertain when the displaced students will move back to the building.

  • Catholic students mark Valentine’s Day

    Catholic students mark Valentine’s Day

    The Nigerian Federation of Catholic Students (NFCS), Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) chapter, gathered members, last week, to commemorate Saint Valentine’s Day. The event was organised by the drama band in conjunction with St. Michael Catholic Church, Ago-Iwoye. The programme was held in the premises of the church.

    Present at the event were the Chaplain of the church, Reverend Father Michael Banjo, Reverend Sister Chinonye Ubajaka, the NFCS president, Akinyemi Talabi, vice president, Blessing Osuji, a motivational speaker, Shadrack Akinola and the students. The event was anchored by a comedian, Uzoh Madu, who recently graduated from Performing Arts at OOU.

    Rev. Sister Ubajaka talked about Christian friendship. In her lecture, she said agape love was the greatest of all love. She enjoined members of the fellowship to desist from the act that would set them against God.

    After the speech, the drama band presented a play, which centered on sex and rape. The audience were held spell bound during the play.

    Akinola spoke on Building loving relationships. He emphasised on the need for youth to abstain from sex, stating some negative spiritual effects that could arise from the act. Reverend Father Banjo spoke on purity and love. After the speech, the drama band presented its second drama, which promoted care for the destitute.

    Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, a member of the fellowship, Maureen Kenliho, said: “The event was exciting most especially the drama. It was captivating and educative.” Sylvester Ayodele, an official of the fellowship, said the organisation of the event was not easy but “we give God all the glory.”

    At the end of the event, students exchanged gift items, after which a cake was cut to mark the day.

     

  • Students attack suspected kidnappers

    : Brutalised victim rescued

    Save for prompt intervention of students, a graduate of the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT MINNA), identified as Innocent, would have been a dead man. Innocent was rescued from a mob, which wanted to lynch him after he was accused for theft by suspected kidnappers.

    The incident happened last Friday at the main gate of the institution. It was gathered that Innocent was walking alone on Bosso Street on the fateful day. A few meters to the school gate, he was accosted by a group of boys, who were suspected to be kidnappers. Unknown to Innocent, who attended to the strangers, he was being led to a dangerous fate.

    But when he observed a strange move from the boys, he tried to leave the scene but was prevented by the gang. The suspects accused Innocent of using juju to remove the manhood of one of them. They shouted “thief” and drew the attention of the passersby to the scene. Innocent was immediately attacked by the mob and was being forced into the vehicle of the suspects.

    Students, who identified the victim, rushed to the scene to rescue Innocent from the mob action. It was later confirmed that he was wrongly accused. This drew the wrath of students, who descended on the suspects before the university’s security operatives moved to the scene to rescue them.

    However, students staged a protest, calling on the security men to release the suspects to them. The crowd of students grew uncontrollably. They were chanting “justice and penalty”.

    When the security officials discovered the growing crowd of students, they moved the suspects to the former Senate building in Bosso campus, where they were locked while waiting for the police. The students, who had surrounded the Senate building, were not deterred; they remained on the spot till 11pm.

    At 1:30am, medical personnel from the school clinic were invited to examine Innocent, who was complaining of internal pains as a result of the beating he received from the suspects.

    Efforts of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) president, Taiye Hassan, 500-Level Electrical Engineering, and the Bosso Divisional Police Officer (DPO) to disperse the crowd did not yield any result as the adamant crowd demanded to hand out “justice” to the suspected kidnappers.

    Around 2am on Saturday, the enraged students agreed to leave the scene but demanded justice for the attacked ex-student. They urged the police not let the suspects go unpunished.

    The SUG president assured the students that they would be kept abreast of development as regards the prosecution of the suspects. The DPO expressed his profound gratitude to the students for their cooperation and unified efforts to seeing that justice was done.

     

  • Leaders sworn in

    Leaders sworn in

    THE Student wing of the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (NSCHE), Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka chapter, has inaugurated its new executive.

    The inauguration, which took place last Friday at the Chemical Engineering department building, witnessed a large turnout of students.

    The Head of the department, Dr Joseph Nwabanne, advised the members to surpass the achievement of the outgoing leaders, stressing that the department was known for promotion of excellent and hard work. Nwabanne urged the incoming leaders to “be aggressive” in attending national conferences and students conventions of the mother engineering body.

    The staff adviser of the society, Dr Matthew Menkiti, advised members of the executive to observe due process in the discharge of their duties. He listed the achievements of the outgoing members, which he said included a purchase of functional projector, fixing public address system and organisation of “best induction ceremony” in the faculty. He urged the new executives to do more.

    The incoming president, Samuel Aroh, a 300-Level student, expressed gratitude to the students for voting him, while promising to work with other members of the executive to move the department forward. The outgoing president, Chukwudi Umeokwonna, advised his successor to always seek the opinion of the staff adviser before embarking on any activity.

    Others inaugurated included Nkechi Tony-Okereke, Vice President; Onyekwelu Nwabundo, Secretary; Judith Uchechukwu, Assistant Secretary; Chidiogo Ezekwem, Financial Secretary; Augustine Amraibure, Director of Socials 1; Ogonna Ofojebe, Director of Socials II; Livinus Udeh, Public Relations Officer 1; Ogechi Ezepue, Public Relations Officer II; and Arinze Ezekude, Provost.

     

  • Don’t associate with cultism, VC tells freshers

    Don’t associate with cultism, VC tells freshers

    Students have been charged to take their studies serious in order to achieve academic excellence. The charge was made by the Registrar of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Mrs G.O. Ogboghodor, during the matriculation ceremony held for freshers admitted for the 2012/2013 academic session.

    The school auditorium, the venue of the ceremony, was filled to capacity.

    Declaring the occasion open, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Osayuki Oshodin, welcomed the freshers into the university, urging them to consider their admission as a “golden opportunity” to achieve their heart desires.

    The Registrar administered the oath of matriculation on the students, after which Prof Oshodin charged the students to be of good behaviour and shun acts that may terminate their studentship in the institution.

    “As people who are undergoing training to become responsible members of the society and for leadership positions, effort should be made to resort to dialogue and consultation rather than mass demonstration, which, at time, degenerates into violence. Therefore, do not allow yourself to be lured into any form of demonstration even when you are told that it is going to be peaceful,” the VC told the freshers.

    Some of the matriculating students, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, expressed happiness after the oath ceremony. Joan Chukwudifo, 100-Level Theatre Arts, said: “I feel good because I am now a bonafide student of the University of Benin. I hope to give my best to achieve my academic goals.”

    Another fresher, Perpetual Okojie, who was admitted into the department of English and Literature, said she was on the campus to learn and not to play, adding that she hoped to graduate within the period stipulated for her course.

    Over 6,066 students were admitted but 5,915 were present at the matriculation ceremony.

     

  • Corps member donates writing materials

    Corps member donates writing materials

    A Corps member, Ayodele Lawal, serving in Anambra State has donated writing materials to a group of secondary schools in Awka South Local Government Area of the state. He said the donation became necessary given that many parents could not afford to buy basic materials for their wards due to bad economy.

    During the presentation of the materials at Community Secondary School, Agulu Awka, Ayodele noted: “The government is trying and willing to change our lives. At the same time, we must help ourselves as well.”

    The principal of the school, Mrs Florence Ezeocha, praised the initiative and urged other Corps members in the state to emulate the gesture demonstrated by Ayodele.

    “This is what we want our youth at home and abroad to emulate. You don’t need to be attached or directly affiliated to a group of people before you can be a blessing to them. This Corps member is from another school and has made significant impact in the neighbourhood. The world will be a better place if such gesture is encouraged and appropriately rewarded,” Ezeocha said.

    She, however, promised the school would ensure proper distribution of the materials among the pupils with a view to ensure efficient usage.

    Ayodele said the need to contribute to the state’s attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was his focus, stressing that he believed little efforts made by millions of people would make life better for majority.

    The Corpers’ Liaison Officer (CLO) of the school, Daniel Mfon, praised the Corps member, adding that Corps members attached to the school would also do more to uplift the image and the reputation of the school. Pupils who witnessed the exercise also praised the donation and promised to make good use of the items donated.

     

  • UI wins award with Jonathan Gullible

    UI wins award with Jonathan Gullible

    The stars of the University of Ibadan (UI) shined in faraway United States last Friday. The university’s chapter of African Liberty Students’ Organisation (ALSO) won the 2012 Event of the Year prize with its drama titled A letter from Jonathan Gullible.

    The award ceremony was organised by Students For Liberty (SFL) in Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington DC. Several students’ groups dedicated to promoting the ideas of liberty on campus converged for the yearly conference of the body last weekend.

    In a keenly contested challenge, UI students beat their colleagues from the Arizona State University and Slippery Rock University both in the US.

    The UI students put up a stage drama to propagate the ideas of free enterprise, liberalisation of the Nigeria’s economy, market-based solutions to Africa’s challenges, good governance and classical liberalism. These principles of a free society were the basis of a two-week road show project in universities in Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo, Kenya and Ghana using the drama written by Adedayo Thomas to promote liberty.

    The students used the theatre as a powerful communication tool to propagate the ideas in five Nigerian institutions including the UI and Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education.

    The expansive auditorium of the University of Cape Coast was filled to capacity when the drama was taken to Ghana. The play was staged to mark the convocation of the university. Over 1,000 people came to see the play. A student of Economic commended the UI students for the delivery of the drama, saying: “This play explained to me all I am here to learn for four years in one hour.”

    The drama tour was led by Thomas, a playwright, and Assistant Director of Outreach, AfricanLiberty.org, Olumayowa Okediran. Others in the tour included the ALSO president of UI chapter, Odunola Oladejo and Tosan Akinwole, a student-journalist. Some of the characters in the play included Akin , Sylvester Obieje, and Olabisi Ariyoh.

    Meanwhile, the First Lady of Adamawa State and the president of Women Education and Empowerment Initiative (WEEIN), Hajia Zainab Nyako, has congratulated the students for the feat. She encouraged students of tertiary institutions in the state to emulate their colleagues from the UI. She promised to continue to support education youth and girl-child, adding that she would not leave women out of her economic empowerment programmes.

  • Varsity records maiden independent e-test

    The management of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) seems to have broken away from its usual practice. The university moved a step further in self-reliance as it conducted its first semester exams without external assistance.

    The institution successfully conducted electronic exams with the facilities of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Though, the process did not go without glitches.

    Since the onset of the 2009/2010 academic session, the university had been contracted an IT firm, E-TC, to conduct electronic tests for its students but when the incumbent Vice-Chancellor, Prof O.B. Oyewole came on board, he decided to explore the internal mechanism of the school in conducting the electronic exams.

    Some of the hiccups experienced during the process included network and server problems. On such occasion, the management was forced to postpone exams, though not without reactions from students.

    Dayo Adeyemi, 100-Level Physics, whose electronic test was postponed to February 12, expressed disappointment. He said: “I am disappointed after I paid for e-test, the outcome of the process is not encouraging. I am not happy that my first exam in the school is going this way.”

    The president of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Temitope Adesipo, explained that when the union got complaints from students, it immediately met with the management to “chart the way forward.”

    He said the management later rectified the problems as promised, which led to the smooth take off of the e-test the following Wednesday.

    “There was significant improvement in the process; those grey areas we pointed out to the management were quickly addressed and there was improvement. I monitored the exams together with the Vice-Chancellor; students were going in and coming out without hitches. This shows that the university can conduct electronic exams independently,” he said.