The Nation Newspaper

Category: Campus Life

  • Taking pride in their culture

    Isoko students at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) have held their cultural day at Malabo Square. STANLEY UCHEGBU (400-Level Accounting) was there.

    The precinct of the expansive Malabo Square was tastefully decorated. It was the cultural day of Isoko students of University of Calabar (UNICAL). The students, under the banner of the National Union of Isoko Students (NUIS), displayed their culture, norms and values; they rolled out drums to showcase their heritage.

    Adorned in different traditional attires, the students staged some traditional dances to entertain guests, who attended the event from Delta and Cross River states.

    Comrade Francis Arere, chairman of Calabar chapter of Isoko Development Union, led the Isoko ethnic leaders to the occasion.

    Others at the event included the former president of the union, Israel Agare; Vice President of UNICAL Students’ Union Government (SUG) Irene Ituen; president of Yoruba Students’ Association, Joseph Faleti, and members of the union.

    Speaking in Isoko dialect, Arere advocated the promotion of Nigerian cultures and languages in all tertiary institutions. According to him, culture is the binding tool that brings people together and makes them to remember their tradition.

    He advised the students not to neglect their language wherever they found themselves, urging teachers to inculcate traditional cultures and values in students to prevent the extinction of local dialects.

    The union president, Oyibu Aziakpono’s welcome address, followed after the breaking of kola nuts. According to the president, kola nut does not understand any other language except the language of the presenter. The kola nut was blessed by Arere in Isoko’s tradition, after which it was shared among members and the guests.

    Oyibu described the cultural day celebration as essential event designed to showcase the Isoko culture both at home and on strange land. He frowned on the manner the youth neglected their culture nowadays, saying people now view their culture as primitive.

    He stressed that the effect had been negative because some youth in the higher institutions could not speak in their dialect and identify with their culture. He appealed to the members of the union and other indigenous associations to promote their culture, norms and values in practice, adding that Isoko remained one of the most respected cultures in Delta State.

    He thanked those who contributed to the success of the cultural day and guests, who made out time to honour the union’s invitation despite their tight schedule. The cultural troupe of the union entertained the gathering with Isoko dance.

    Israel called on the students to imbibe and uplift the cultural values of the Isoko people, adding that the occasion was to enlighten them about the tradition of the ethnic stock.

    The highpoints of the event were as the coronation of Miss Isoko, presentation of certificate of service to the union’s executive members, and award of honour to the deserved recipients. This was followed by the launching of the union’s almanac.

    The event came to an end with a closing speech by Irene, who represented the chairman of the occasion, Engr. Friday Onowho. She commended the students for the turnout at the event, saying display confirmed that pride of a people was embedded in their culture.

  • Freshers warned against misconduct

    Freshers admitted for Diploma programmes at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurum, Delta State, have been enjoined to be disciplined and law-abiding. The Acting Principal of the school, Mrs Clara Dennar, made the charge during the matriculation ceremony held for 885 students admitted by the institution.

    The occasion which took place at the PTI Conference Centre and had in attendance, the Acting Registrar, Mrs A.S. Ewere, top managements staff, heads of all the eight departments in the institute, lecturers. The HODs took their turns to present the admitted students in their respective departments.

    Dennar said: “As new students, you are expected to be disciplined. This is one of the cultures in the oil industry for which you are being groomed. Management, therefore, does not encourage any type of vices and immoral behaviours such as drug peddling, abuse, cultism, examination malpractice and unlawful protest.”

    She continued: “Let me warn against unlawful protest on campus. It is an act of indiscipline. No student should take the laws into his or her hand. Any student caught or involved in unlawful protest on campus is deemed to have breached the matriculation oath. Severe penalties will be meted out to such student. Let me restate that management has zero tolerance for these social vices.”

    The matriculation oath was administered on the students immediately after the Principal’s speech by the Registrar. The frehers, who were all beaming with smile, took time out to merry with their friends and family members.

    Francis Emmanuel, admitted to Industrial Safety and Environmental Technology department, said he was happy because “coming back to the institute for my Higher National Diploma (HND) programme did not come with ease as some my colleagues with whom I started National Diploma (ND) with could not make it for the HND programme.”

    Another student, Patrick Taiwo, ND 1 Welding, who said he had written the institute’s entrance exam three times, stated that being a student of the PTI was a dream come true for him. “My dream has been fulfilled; I thank God for answering my prayers. I dream to work in big oil companies such as Chevron and Total,” he said.

  • Trading for survival

    GOTODOK LENGSHAK (400-Level Television Journalism) writes on the growing trend of students doing various businesses at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Television College (TV COLLEGE), Rayfield, Jos.

    A first time visitor to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Television College (TV College), Jos Plateau State, is welcomed by an array of trading posts. Most of the bussinesses are not owned by members of the college’s host community, but by students.

    For some reasons, the students have been engaging in one business or the other. This, perhaps, is making journalism, for which the school was established, to compete with entrepreneurial skills of the students.

    There are students who went into businesses to meet their personal and academic needs. Others did because they have a flair for it.

    Florence Olukoju, 300-Level Production, who sells snacks and a locally-made drink popularly called Zobo, is one of such students. In a chat with CAMPUSLIFE, she said she was prompted by the need to be self-reliant and to meet other’s needs.

    She said: “I like business generally, and since my sojourn outside my parents’ home, I have learnt to be an independent person. This encouraged me to set up a business venture that will make me realise my goals as an entrepreneur.”

    This view was shared by the other small-scale business owners in the college.

    However, combining academic work with business is by no means an easy task. To be successful on both fronts seems to be an uncommon feat because one must invest adequate time to meet up academically and to also keep the business afloat.

    Damion Babang, also in 300-Level Production and co-owner of a popular cyber café in the college, Network Bridge Communication, attested to this notion. He said despite the tight conditions, coping under pressure is what many students do.

    “Achieving academic success and sustaining my business made me to sacrifice my nights and work almost all the time to cover up academically. I will leave anything I am doing in my office to write my assignments, do my productions and study as well. When there is a lecture, I leave every job I am doing to attend the lecture because this is the reason I am in school,” Damion said.

    According to him, entrepreneurial students in the college, apart from fending for themselves, have turned out to be employers of labour.

    “Business on campus has helped me in solving my financial problems. Instead of going to uncles and aunties to seek for financial assistance, I cater for my needs and also help my other colleagues. This four years business has turned out to be an employment firm for others. Right now, we have an assistant who manages the café when we are not there or on days when we have much work to do,” Damion added.

    In her opinion, Florence believed the only way out of poverty was to embrace small scale business, through which she pay her school fees.

    Considering the high rate of unemployment in the country, students who engage in business said they did not have the plan to quit their businesses even after school. Some of them who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE said they enjoyed doing what they were doing. “I’ll still maintain my business even after school. Nigeria is very unpredictable. I will only engage in other ventures when I think I don’t derive satisfaction in the business any longer,” said a student, who operates a computer center in the college.

  • Journey of faith and learning

    To mentor its youth and prepare them for future tasks, the Apostolic Faith Church held a three-day convention for students from some African countries in Igbesa, Ogun State, last December. PHILIP OKORODUDU (500-Level Electrical, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Delta State University) was there.

    For three days in the last week of December, the Apostolic Faith Church camped about 5,000 youth at its annual International Youth Convention held at Crawford University, Igbesa, Ogun State.

    Participants from Nigeria, Ghana, Benin Republic, Namibia, Cote D’voire and Central Africa. During the academic expedition cum spiritual exercise, the youth were prepared for future tasks by the organisers of the convention.

    The convention, which theme was Fit for the masters’ use? also featured film shows, drama, symposium, prayers, Bible study, testimonies and music, was presented by the church choir. The event afforded the youth an opportunity to reflect on their lives and share ideas.

    In his welcome address, at is the proprietor of Crawford University, Reverend Adebayo Adeniran, expressed joy at being in the midst of the “future leaders”. Advising them to embrace positive values, Reverend Adeniran told the participants to ensure they were not purged of gospel of Christ. He s aid: “God is interested in making you all, the youth of today, fit for tomorrow’s positive use.”

    The youth were divided into various groups to facilitate easy understanding of the theme of the convention. There were classes for those in secondary schools, post-secondary schools, post-graduate schools and young couples. Also, youths from Francophone countries were grouped with interpreters. Various ideas were shared about the common challenges facing youths in each group.

    Onyechi Kenny, 400-Level Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE after the event, said: “The teachings were marvellous; it is an experience that I will not want to miss next time.”

    Another participant, Pelumi Osadola, 500-Level Law, Ekiti State University (EKSU), said he was “spiritually intrigued” with the determination to be Fit for the masters’ use.

    Oliver Akpan, Diploma degree holder in Estate Management at the Federal Polytechnic, Keffi, Nasarawa State, noted that the convention was “very interesting” because of the attendance of youth from mixed backgrounds.

    Also, Ruth Dada, 200-Level History, University of Ibadan (UI), expressed joy being present at the convention. She noted that she was going home to spread the message to her friends to be focus and prayerful in order to be Fit for the masters’ use.

    Highlight of the convention included the campfire and farewell night, which was held a day before departure. The campfire featured musical concert, variety night, awards and barbecue night.

    In his remarks, the Director of Youth of the church, Rev. Emmanuel Moh, admonished the youth not to be mediocre in their discipline, noting that the organisation wanted to make its youth stand out among their peers worldwide.

  • Awards for English students

    National Association of Students of English and Literary Studies (NASELS), Imo State University (IMSU) chapter, has celebrated its end of the year party and award night.

    It was all excitement as English students trooped to the Lobic Meridian Hotel, along Port Harcourt road, Owerri, the venue of the ceremony. MC Dynamite, 2kcool and other comedians on campus entertained students in a ceremony attended by the members of the Students’ Union executive.

    The event featured activities such as music and dance performance by budding artistes in the university. The occasion was declared open by president of the department, Uche Nwauba. She saluted the graduating students and freshers of the department.

    NASELS national president, Izuchukwu Akwarandu, spoke on behalf of the national officers of the association.

    Some students of the department were honoured with awards in categories such as Most Influential, Mr and Miss NASELS, Miss eloquent, Icon of English and Literary Studies and Mr Swagg among others. Elizabeth Ugwu won the Miss NASEL while Mr NASEL went to Emeka Prestige. Awards were also presented to the Chief Judge of the Faculty of Humanities and Izuchukwu.

    Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, NASELS Director of Social, Chisom Iwuchukwu, expressed joy, saying the event was a success.

    Chidiebere Enyia, the recipient of the Most Intellectual Course Rep award, thanked his colleagues for finding him worthy of honour.

  • Education as catalyst for progress

    Education is the bedrock of societal development. A society that fails to realise the importance of education has given its soul to mediocrity and backwardness. Their negative effects are inefficiency, slow-pace of development, and corruption.

    The most industrialised or developed nations in the world today have very high literacy levels among their citizens and such nations devote attention and invest huge sums of money in the advancement of knowledge and by extension the society.

    This cannot be said to be the case in Nigeria. Government and, of course, our parents do the direct opposite of what is obtainable in civilized nations: very little or no attention is given to the education of the youth in the country. The level attention given to education by successive governments in the country has impacted negatively on our society. With students paying higher fees to acquire tertiary education, it remains to be seen how the myriad of problems bedeviling our society as a result of illiteracy will be solved. If adequate attention is given to the education sector by government, parents and teachers, the nation’s pace of development will increase in leap.

    Eight years ago, one needed, on the average, less than N15,000 per session to pay one’s way through a four-year course in the university, and even lesser in polytechnics and college of education. This amount included tuition, accommodation and other miscellaneous charges in faculty and department.

    However, in today’s Nigeria, the same amount of money is one-twelfth of the tuition fees for a session in any higher institution. Added to this is the high cost of books and other educational materials needed. To run a Master’s program in the university these days, a lot of money is required. Some Master’s courses go for as high as N300,000 or even more.

    Apart from the high cost of education in Nigeria, the problem of educational indiscipline is another factor affecting the sector negatively. These days, schools have been confronted by problems of indiscipline among parents, teachers and students. If some parents are well-disciplined, they will not give money to examiner to get their children pass examination.

    If our teachers want development for our nation, collecting money from students to grade them higher in examination must be stopped. And if students are well disciplined, they will see virtue in the habit of reading and not paying money to pass exams.

    Indiscipline has done more harm than good to education in this country; it has resulted in poor academic performance in schools. As a result of this problem, many students have abandoned their studies to engage in malpractice. This is done with the assistance of parents and teachers.

    It is hoped that necessary measures will be introduced by government to stem the rising tide of education fees in Nigeria. Indiscipline in education must also be reduced, if it cannot be totally eradicated, to pave the way for quality education and a well literate citizenry, which will in turn cause development in our society.

    Mabel, 400-Level Information Management Technology, FUTO

  • Varsity entrance exam now Jan. 26

    The entrance examination into the pre-degree programme of Delta State University (DELSU) will not be held on the fixed date. The exam will now come up at an earlier date.

    Prospective students have been told to be aware of the new date in order not to miss the exam. The entrance examination, which was earlier scheduled to hold on March 3, was shifted to January 26. This was announced in a statement from the university’s information unit.

    Also, the sale of forms for Diploma programmes of the university will close on February 1. CAMPUSLIFE reliably gathered that the change in the date of both programme is to ensure that the 2012/2013 university calendar won’t be altered.

  • Faculty floats agric, quiz clubs

    During the Christmas break, the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Prof A. A. Adeloye, chaired the occasion that saw the inauguration of two clubs – Agbelere and UNILORIN Quiz clubs – in the faculty. The former is agriculturally-oriented society that seeks to promote Agriculture Science and make it a preferred course for students.

    In the remarks, Prof Adeloye praised the efforts of the students for coming together to envision the idea, pledging its continuous support for the club. Other lecturers that graced the occasion included Prof G.O. Olaoye, Dr F. O. Adekola and Dr A.K. Musa.

    The Greener Club, however, took its members on an excursion to two of the largest farms in Kwara State. They also visited T.J Fish Farm, Ilorin and the Al-Abrar Livestock and Arable Agriculture Farms, Oloje, Ilorin.

    The president of the club, Abdulrahman Abdulraheem, 500-Level Animal Production, said the visit was to broaden the practical knowledge of the members in the discipline. The students expressed optimism that the future of agriculture in Nigeria was bright.

    To sustain the feat of its students during the last inter-faculty quiz contest, the faculty inaugurated the Quiz Club, which is coordinated by Dr Adekola and Dr A.O. Adeyina. Speaking at the inauguration, Prof M.A. Belewu encouraged the students to be voracious learners, so that they could pick values from the society in addition to their degrees. He also charged them to repeat the feat they achieved in the previous edition of the Inter-Faculty quiz competition.

  • Sacrifice for a better future

    Many institutions went on vacation for the Yuletide. But, at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), academic activities went on, writes OLADELE OGE (400-Level Mass Communication).

    It the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), there was no holiday. Academic activities went on as usual. Though many regular students went home to celebrate Christmas, some were stranded on the campus. So, they spent their Yuletide break in the school.

    But for students offering Sandwich programmes, the Christmas was no break. They wrote their exams during the period. The exam began two days before Christmas. For the rest of the days up to the New Year, except on December 25 and January 1, the students were in the exam hall.

    The Sandwich students are mostly working adults. Some are teachers, who want to upgrade their qualifications. A few opted for the programme because they couldn’t go for regular academic programmes.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the students pleaded with the authorities to shift the exam date to January but the management did not oblige. When it dawned on them that the exam date would not be changed, some of them, who had travelled for Christmas, returned to the campus.

    To compound their problem, commercial cab drivers, who ply the campus, were also on holiday. The few that were operating doubled their fares.

    Some of the students spoke to CAMPUSLIFE.

    Mr. Peter Ewhrudjapkpor, who is a 500-Level Sandwich student of Adult Education and Extramural Studies, spoke of the inconvenience the Christmas-period exam caused him. He said: “Frankly speaking, no student is satisfied with the exam period because it made many of us to travel from afar down here to write the exam. Personally, I would have celebrated with my family in my village rather than being alone here reading. And for those of us who don’t have cars, it is a big problem because many of the campus shuttle vehicles only carried chartered passengers at unaffordable fares.”

    He said transportation and water shortage were major challenges most of them faced during the period.

    Mrs. Priscilla Ogbonna, final year Sandwich student of Adult Education and Community Development, noted that it was difficult for students to write exam during the period because “many of us who are self-employed make sales during the period.” She lamented the transportation problem encountered by the students during the exam.

    For Akinrinlola Iyeyemi, 200-Level Geography, spending Christmas in school was not what he planned for. “There is nothing like home,” he said, adding that the “long journey” from Enugu to Lagos was the reason he stayed back.

    He confessed that it was not his first time he would be spending the Yuletide break on the campus. Akinrinlola said staying on campus when students had gone for holiday was sickening, because “to get foods, water, and recharge cards is tasking.” He said he used the period to complete the assignments.

  • Police rescue kidnapped DELSU official

    It was celebration galore in Abraka community, Delta State when news broke that some kidnappers, who were disturbing the area, had been arrested in the early hours of last Friday. The suspects were rounded up during the search for a victim, Mr Martins Denedo, who is the Treasurer DELSU chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

    Denedo was kidnapped at around 1am on January 1 when he was returning from the New Year service programme in his church by eight gunmen, who laid siege at his residence. He was driven away in his Nissan Pathfinder Jeep with registration number BKW 18 AA Delta.

    The host community of the Delta varsity has, since 2011, been witnessing kidnapping activities, for which many lecturers and non-academic staff have fallen victim. Last March, the wife of the Commissioner for Basic Education in the state, Mrs Stella Mouboghare, was kidnapped on campus, a situation which led to the protest by a women group, the youth and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). The demonstration culminated into solidarity strike by the DELSU staff to draw the attention of the government to the security lapse in the area.

    Briefing newsmen at Abraka, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Ikechukwu Aduba, said his men acted on a tip off and raided the abode of the kidnappers in Eboh, Ughelli North Local Government Area. Three of the kidnappers were killed in the gun duel that ensured during the operation. He added that three criminals were captured.

    He also stated that the victim, Denedo, was rescued unhurt. Aduba disbanded the vigilante group operating in the university community, stating that one of the killed kidnappers, Mr Nelson Denedo, from Ethiope East Local Government Area, was a vigilante leader in Abraka community. He directed his men to return all weapons recovered from the criminals to the state command immediately.

    The bodies of the dead kidnappers were displayed at the police station. Their names were given as, Nelson Denedo, Fidelis Nwachukwu and Kingsley Iwedinawan.

    The rescued victim could not be reached at press time as he was said to be resting in an undisclosed location.