The Nation Newspaper

Category: Campus Life

  • ‘NANS must return to campuses’

    ‘NANS must return to campuses’

    James Monehin, popularly known as Bobby, at the  Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), was the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Students’ Union Government (SUG). He told HANNAH OJO (400-Level English) and SIKIRU AKINOLA (300-Level Political Science) why he is vying for the presidency of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

    What is your antecedent in students’ unionism?

    I started in 100-Level after students’ union was proscribed. I was part of the voices that agitated for the restoration of the union and this was achieved. I contested for the office of the Public Relations Officer (PRO), I won. After my tenure, I was honoured as the Most Financially-Prudent officer.

    As PRO, what were your achievements?

    Before we came, one of the challenges we had was the incessant closure of the university. I was pre-occupied with how to break this jinx during our tenure. Getting it right was the solid foundation upon which we achieved the feats. At the end of the day, our regime was adjudged the fastest in the annals of OAU. We spent eight months for an academic session; that was unprecedented.

    What is your take on suspension of unionism in many higher institutions?

    Decapitation is not a solution to migraine. This presupposes that suspension is not the solution to students and management face-off since the union also serves as a platform for training future leaders. Suspension will lead to scarcity of good leaders, which is one of the challenges the country is facing. But with the combined efforts of both executive and legislative arms of NANS, zonal and state chapters, our agenda will focus on restoration of unions back to campuses.

    It is no longer news that you are contesting for NANS presidency, what motivated you?

    The umbrella called NANS can be described as an umbilical cord that connects all Nigerian students. More so, the role being played by youths particularly in this democratic era cannot be undermined. In order to contribute my quota for the betterment of all students, I believe I have all it takes to deliver beyond expectations as NANS president. The association, under my leadership, must be returned to campuses.

    If elected, what should Nigerian students expect from your leadership?

    My manifesto will serve as a podium upon which the next generation will stand. These include the proper funding of education. NANS constitution will be made available to all Nigerian institutions while there will be swift and proactive intervention in all institutions with agitations that will lead to restoration of both proscribed unions and suspended or expelled comrades.

  • Transportation crisis hits UNILORIN

    Long queues have returned to the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) following the scarcity of premium motor spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol in Ilorin metropolis. The scarcity has caused transportation woes for students of the university, who resumed a new session few weeks ago.

    The problem came at the time the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Abdulganiyu Ambali, who resumed two weeks ago, was still settling down for business.

    Last Tuesday, students and staff were stranded for hours as they waited for buses to convey them from the campus to their various destinations. Commercial cabs and buses that normally ply the campus in their numbers were nowhere to be found as commuters lamented the development.

    A student, who did not want his name disclosed, said after the difficulty he experienced in getting a taxi to the campus in the morning, he was convinced it was going to be difficult for him to move out of the school later in the day “since most of the cabs do not want to ply the university route.”

    After standing for hours in the scorching sun, Prof Ambali visited the park with his team to sympathise with the stranded commuters.

    Having empathised with the stranded staff, he urged the students to be patient, while assuring them that the authority would do all in its power to ensure “smooth movement” of the students to their various homes and also to prevent a repeat of the situation. He directed that the university’s buses that run on diesel should be fuelled immediately to transport the students and members of staff.

    The Director of Works, Prof Abdulganiy Sanni, who was on hand to manage the situation, said the problem was due to scarcity of petrol in Ilorin. He said: “The problem is caused by the scarcity of petrol in town, which has made it impossible for commercial vehicles to come into the university.”

    “The university is concerned with the mobility of the students, that is why everybody is here, the Vice Chancellor was here, the dean of student affairs was here, I am here, my deputy is here, so all hands are on deck to make sure this problem is resolved and normalcy is resumed in spite of the scarcity of fuel”.

    Some students who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE were not happy with the development. Wasiu Ayinla, 300-Level Arts student, expressed disappointment that the university did not manage the transport crisis properly.

    He said: “The university is supposed to have prepared for this problem to prevent the long queue we are witnessing on the campus. Since my admission into this university, there has always been chaos.

    So, this is not new to me.”

  • Graduate holds career fair for students

    In a bid to sensitise students on their career choices, a group of Lagos State graduates has organised the second edition of the Lagos International Career Fair. The event will be held in the main auditorium of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) next Wednesday from 9am to 3pm. The theme of the programme is Human capacity building in Nigeria: To achieve a viable and secure nation.

    The event, which will provide information on different careers, was organised against the growing rate of unemployment in the country.

    According to the release by the Information Officer of the group, Mr Adewale Bello, the event will also serve as a platform for exchange of information and ideas on various sectors of the economy. Adewale said: “The Lagos International Career Fair is a high profile platform to promote products and services capture.”

    He concluded that the strategic location of the event was to attract students from all tertiary institutions in Lagos and environ to attend the programme.

    The fair would feature human resource, corporate affairs and marketing representatives from companies in the major manufacturing, processing, management, multinational, engineering, telecommunication and petroleum firms in Nigeria.

  • CAMPUSLIFE correspondent launches book

    A graduating Mass Communication student and CAMPUSLIFE correspondent from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Tosin Adesile, will unveil his new book next Thursday in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The book, which is the fifth the student has written is titled Seidu, the youth corper.

    The event will be held at the NUJ Secretariat, Oke- Ilewo, Abeokuta by 1pm and dignitaries expected at the event include the wife of Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Olufunmilayo; Commissioner for Education in the state, Barrister Segun Odubela; Director of Infrastructure, Ogun State, Engr. Rauf Olaniran, among others.

    The father of the day is Prince Niyi Olatidoye, former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sport and Youth Development, while the mother of the day is Mrs Oluremi Sobola, an educationist.

    Other guests are Mrs Kemi Adedotun, Mrs Efe Soriyan and Very Reverend Ayo Adeniji, Provost, Cathedral Church of St. Peter, Ake-Abeokuta among others. The event will also feature a lecture titled Restoring morals in our higher institutions.

    Tosin already has four published books, which are The little orphan and other stories, The school leavers, The uncommon twins and Go and sin no more.

  • The unrighteous jurors

    Yet again, the human race has shown its bestiality and perverted morality in Aluu. For days, a very offensive video of the gruesome murder of four undergraduates circulated over the internet and social media networks. The video captured everything that man is capable and incapable of doing to his fellow man: the tape of jungle mammals and self-righteous judges.

    The four undergrads were accused of stealing laptops and mobile phones, which resulted in their lynching by aggrieved villagers that precipitated Armageddon in broad daylight. Just like every other humane individual who has seen the video, what really baffled me was the fact that these angry villagers actually thought they were doing their community good by defeating ‘evil’ through bestiality.

    The whole development brings to my mind, the classic novel by Joseph Conrad Heart of Darkness, which captured the juxtaposition of “supposed light” and “darkness”. There was a character called Mr. Kurtz and his fellow Europeans, who had come to black Africa to bring civilisation and shine the light of salvation on the populace through their dark but fetish hearts.

    The plot eventually revealed that the black natives turned out to be the ones with a good heart and the white men, with all their lies about civility and charming looks are actually the ones with the heart of darkness. Conrad wisely said that: “Few men realise that their lives, the very essence of their character, capabilities and their audacities, are only the expression of their belief in the safety of their surroundings.”

    Whether Conrad was right or not is not the crux of this piece. But whatever reason the people of Aluu had for venting such horror on these young men, whatever pent-up anger they had in their hearts over previous terrorism from criminals in their community, was no excuse for them to lynch four young adults.

    Contrasted here with the “accused” is the “judge”, a juxtaposition that does not necessarily suggest that the “accused” is bad and the “judge” is good. The judge here, in my metaphor, is definitely not a righteous judge. The darkness at his heart should be contrasted with the crime of the accused; the process of dispensing justice is where the true darkness lies.

    It is also puzzling that some individuals stood through the whole action, filming the incident with their phones. Men and women stood there watching four unlucky boys burning and writhing in pain. Shame! Being dishonoured would, in no way, be measured against the pain the lynched students would have felt. The knowledge of their nakedness does not compare to the feeling of fear and horror that must have taken over their victimised hearts.

    Had they actually been trying to explain their situation to anyone in the mob? Had anyone cared to listen to their explanation coming out of their bloody mouths? Had anyone in the crowd been a little sensitive as to persuade the unrighteous judges to tamper justice with mercy? Had the judges’ quest for “justice” been so intoxicating that it numbed their humanity?

    The spurt of blood from their heads as the heavy sticks and stones fell heavily on them, the pathetic sight of one of the boys trying to crawl out of the fire, that odd smell of roasted human flesh, the cringing and cries for help and mercy! None of these was enough to plead mercy for the accused.

    No mother in the mob thought of the possibility of her own son suffering a similar fate. No father braved up the crowd to shield these children of another parents from the barbarism of vengeful judges. No brother felt the spirit of kinship for these brothers of theirs from another mothers and pleaded on their behalf. No sister cried or ran out for help for these brothers.

    At that moment, these sons and brothers were alone in the world, with only the fear in Chidiaka’s eyes and the pain written on Tekena’s face. Had Ugonna reached out to his mother, who was far away and oblivious of her son’s fate? Had Lloyd died saying the last prayer? Indeed, there is no need to probe for the supernatural source of man’s evil; as man alone is quite capable of wickedness his dark heart conceives.

    My deepest condolence remains with the families of the accused. Your sons have not been judged fairly, whether or not they were guilty. The unrighteous judges who ‘presided’ over their case were a group of brute and self-righteous captor.

    But there is a righteous judge, who judges the heart of all men. Before him should you appeal your case, because he is the custodian of the true constitution of human laws. He is the only law giver and judge. He is aware that those who live by the sword will surely die by the sword. I rest my argument.

     

    Onyinye is Corps member, NYSC CALABAR

  • Students undergo ICT seminar

    The management of University of Calabar (UNICAL) has held a one-day seminar on Information Communication Technology (ICT) for the students of the university. The reason for the seminar was to educate and improve the students’ knowledge in ICT.

    The seminar was held in the expansive International Conference Center of the institution. In attendance were the Vice-Chancellor, Prof James Epoke, Dean of Students’ Affairs (DSA), Prof Eyong Eyong, Dean of Faculty of Management Sciences, Prof Joseph Udoayang, Information Officer of the university, Mr Effiong Eyo, Director of ICT, Mr Roughus Okoro and Students’ Union officials.

    In his remark, Prof Eyong said: “The programme is organised by the management to increase the knowledge of students in ICT because we believe that a student who is not ICT-illiterate does not deserve a place in the university.”

    He added that with the internet provision on campus, students had no right to say they do not have materials for their studies because the internet facilities are abundant in the school.

    In his speech, Prof Epoke said: “The management believes it is extremely important for students to acquire knowledge through the internet facilities we have provided on campus.”

    Okoro said the internet was the new way through which students acquire knowledge. He added that the management provided 200 computers for the purpose. “The gesture is only meant for students who have duly registered with the management; each student is entitled with three hours free internet browsing per day and 90 hours per month,” he said.

    The SUG officials praised the management for the gesture, saying students of the university would acquire requisite skills and knowledge through such facilities.

     

  • Rotary club holds investiture

    The Rotary Club of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has organised its 27th investiture ceremony. The event was held on the campus of the university last week.

    Welcoming dignitaries, the installation committee chairman, Abduraheem Ayoola, said many people still did not know what the club was all about. He said the club was a humanitarian society, whose aim was to develop the society.

    Outgoing president of the club, Ahmed Obadun, thanked God for sparing his life to witness the handing over ceremony. Recalling his challenges and achievement, he said: “We are more than happy that out of the little funds we got, we were able to put smiles on the faces of many people. Just like every Rotary year, the OAU chapter of the club has achieved some of its projects with the support of members. To this end, we call on all and sundry to donate immensely towards the realisation of other projects as a way of contributing our own quota to humanity.”

    The incoming president, Taofiq Hassan, 300-Level Economics, prayed for his predecessor, saying without the foundation of the outgoing executive, no meaningful achievement would be achieved by his administration.

    “I want us to eschew all anti-social vices and make peace a redeemer in our quest for unity. Let us be crusaders for peace and change agents in our community,” Taofiq said.

    After the swearing in of the president, 17 members were inducted. Also, Dr Emmanuel Omisore of the department of Urban and Regional Planning, Mr Henry Temitayo, Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Management, Oyo State chapter and Mr Adedayo Sobowale, the Head of Department of Computer Engineering were awarded for their contributions to the club.

  • Nigerian student wins international poetry prize

    A 300-Level student of Chemical Engineering at the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT Minna), Nebeolisa Okwudili, has emerged the second runner up in the poetry category of the 2012 Asian International Writing Competition. His entry was Ode to Biafra.

    Okwudili, a budding writer, submitted 60 entries in September comprising poetry works and essays.

    When CAMPUSLIFE met him, Nebeolisa said the feat was a “nice start” for him in the literary contest. “And I hope for better chances in the future,” he said.

    The first prize was won by Shlok Prakash from India. While other winners cut across several countries.

    Kenyan Faith Pepela emerged overall winner in the essay category. The first prize winner was presented with $300 while the second prize got $200 and the third prize, $100. Also, $50 consolation cash and merit award certificates were given to fourth to 10th positions.

    The organisers of the international contest are SM Sains Alam Shah, the principal of Alam Shah Science School, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (ASIS). While the theme for the competition was Patriotism: A Global Perspective.

  • JESAC, 21 million game changers and Nigerian politics

    JESAC, 21 million game changers and Nigerian politics

    On Monday, I got an email from the Joint Education Stakeholders Action Coalition (JESAC) a voluntary association of 19 critical unions and organisations that cut across the entire education sector in Nigeria that is primary, post-primary and tertiary levels. The coalition raised some issues which I feel are relevant to the development of education and progress of this nation to warrant a write up. I have noticed for some time that the country is gradually changing, but these changes are painfully slow with most of us unaware of this because of the security challenges we are facing in some parts of the country or our penchant for a revolution to happen and everything will instantly fall in place.

    Any careful observer of our educational system knows too well that all is not well with the sector that is known to transform lives and change the fortunes of nations. Today, the United States is battling how to encourage its citizens to take up engineering, science and mathematics related courses across board if it is to compete favourably with China, India, South Korea and other Asian countries that have “stolen” American technology, improve on it and have moved on to become the investment haven of the world thereby threatening the economic future of the only super power in the world.

    In the document sent to me, JESAC emphasised that Nigerian parents spend over N1.5trilion in payment of school fees in foreign countries with over N160 billion going to Ghana alone! This level of capital flight and negative balance of payment in education, it noted, are unprecedented in the history of any nation. This is one of the greatest financial management challenges confronting Nigeria as a nation. In order to make its own impact, the document said all JESAC member organisations resolved to continue to play their roles towards improving the quality of education with a view to reducing the number of Nigerian students seeking education abroad. This is a goal anyone that wants to see the progress of this potentially great nation should support.

    The coalition thus resolved at its sixth regular meeting late last month to mobilise its “21 million members to support and vote for education friendly parties and politicians and to work and vote against education unfriendly parties and politicians.” It also determined “to make the point that actions taken or not taken by politicians for education will have ballot box consequences.” In order to ensure that it is taken seriously by politicians, the process of mobilisation will start with the Fourth Expanded Consultative Conference of education stakeholders scheduled for the first quarter of 2013. The conference will revolve around the theme “Education Meets Politics with 21 million Game Changers.”

    For those who have been following the buildup to the November 6 presidential elections in the US, they know too well that becoming the President of that country is not a piece of cake as both contenders are expected to know almost everything about their country by reeling out economic figures, facts and statistics without consulting any paper or prepared speech. Without doubt, one can reasonably conclude that these are well groomed, educated and articulated gentlemen that did their homework well before presenting themselves for elective office. This is the main reason I’m excited by the 21 million game changers. If indeed JESAC can comfortably mobilise its members then they have a very strong voice and a say to determine those that will rule Nigeria at the federal, states and even local government level.

    I am also taking the coalition made up of such association as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU); Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT); Colleges of Education Academics Staff Union (COEASU); Conference of Alumni Association of Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria (CAATIN); amongst others seriously because it has taken a bold step in the right direction. It called on its members to rise and actively join the process of review of the constitutions to remove the current constitutional ambiguity regarding the roles of various tiers of government in administration of education. The roles and responsibilities of Federal, State and Local Governments in establishment, management, supervision and regulation of pre-primary, primary, post-primary and tertiary education, it says, should be clearly spelt out in the constitution.

    Frowning at the situation where education is under concurrent list in the constitution, the coalition is right when it believes that this has fuelled confusion, politicisation and buck passing in education. “Should a universities, polytechnics and colleges of education established by laws passed by a State Houses of Assembly be subjected to operate under the directives of a federal parastatal for admission of their students?” That’s really food for thought.

    Another reason I’m thrilled about this idea is the resolve “to speak with one voice and work together to support education friendly Leaders, policies, programmes and politicians for the root and branch transformation of Nigeria’s education to rank among the best in the world.” It would not be out of place to say that the sector needs a Marshall Plan to correct years of neglect that ends up producing thousands of “educated illiterates” every year, a system that is almost devoid of checks and balances thereby putting unnecessary pressure on employers of labour to train and re-train our graduates to fit into the realities of the 21st century after being trained with 20th century toolkits.

    Back to our US example, it is noteworthy to mention that all the three 2012 presidential debates took place on university campuses-University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, Hofstra University, Hampstead, New York and Lynn University, Boca Raton, Florida-where the intellectual capabilities of the candidates can be tested and weighed to see if they conform with that of a rapidly changing world, we need that in Nigeria and the mobilisation will have to start now to create the awareness among students that they have the power to determine who wins the presidential election in 2015. In doing this, the coalition should be aware that it has to be smart in the area of voter registration because most students are often caught in the middle; they register when school is in session and are compelled to go home when elections hold, or vice versa, thereby depriving them of the opportunity to vote.

    If the coalition can build on the 2010/2011 Consultative Conferences it held where candidates for Presidential, Governorship and legislative elections presented their plans and manifestos for the education sector then the buildup toward 2015 will be exciting indeed. Fallout of that conference is that some Governors began showing commitment towards fulfilling the promises they made at the Conferences which include provision of infrastructure, teaching and learning facilities, motivation of teachers with prompt payment of salaries and training and re-training programmes.

    In all of this, the bottom-line is that Leadership plays a critical role in the development of any society, a look at the leadership structure of a society says a lot about that society. Leadership can either move a people forward or backward. The perennial challenge faced by any political system, therefore, is political leadership succession. While some countries have a clear cut criteria for leadership selection and succession, Nigeria does not which is why we have charlatans in almost every facet of our system, and where you have charlatans mediocrity thrives. This is why the 21 million game-changers matters to me, but with a caveat: that is if JESAC is not infiltrated by the same charlatans and mediocre who may end up having stooges that would be bent on doing the bidding of their politicians godfathers at the “right price” when the time comes. I believe the organisers will have this in mind as they put their agenda in motion. Nigerians would definitely be watching.

  • Is SIWES still relevant?

    Is SIWES still relevant?

    In their sophomore years, it is mandatory for students of higher institutions to embark on Students’ Industrial Work-Training Scheme (SIWES) to expose them to the practical aspect of their courses.

    The aim is to, among others, broaden their knowledge, enhance contact for job and provide an opportunity for the trainees to apply their knowledge in a real work situation thereby bridging the gap between theory and practice.

    To ensure that the objectives of the scheme are achieved the government set up an Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in 1971 to set and regulate training standards in industrial and commercial skills training and also to provide funds to motivate students undergoing the scheme.

    ITF works in collaboration with co-ordinating bodies such as the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), National Employers Consultative Association (NECA), National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment.

    However, investigation shows that the roles and responsibilities of these co-ordinating agencies in the industrial training process have not been carried out as stipulated in the ITF Act 2011 as amended. Every year, thousands of students go for industrial training but few pay attention to the industry knowledge because of ill-motivation.

    Despite their contribution and hours of work, the trainees are hardly motivated. The statutory fund released every year by the government, through the ITF, is not readily made available to them during training. Some of the employers which owe an obligation to pay the trainee fail to do so. Some IT students, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, described this condition as “cheap labour”.

    Supervisory members of staff in some organisations always use the opportunity of “cheap labour” to over-work the IT students and give them tasks that are not related to their fields of study. We are threatened with such words as “If you do not do what I tell you to do, I will not sign your logbook,” an engineering student, who is undergoing his training in a construction firm, said Students that dare to call the bluff of such supervisors are said to lack “home training”.

    CAMPUSLIFE found out that institutions also compound the problem their students face during intership. “For almost three months that I have been undergoing my IT here, the school supervisor has not come to check if I am here,” a 300-Level student of Mechanical Engineering said.

    The Human Resources Manager of a soap factory told CAMPUSLIFE that if institutions’ officials make a minimum of three visits to the students during the period of attachment as stipulated by the ITF, some of the problems students are facing in their place of work would be minimised.

    Today, it is now a common practice for IT students to seek placement in industries not related to their course of study partly because of money and largely due to rejection by organisations relevant to their fields. Those accepted into firms related to their fields of study are either under paid (if they are paid at all) or completely made to sit-down-and-look. A respondent who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE feared that the objectives of industrial training as stipulated in the law setting it up may have been defeated.

    Silas Akpobome, 400-Level Electrical Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, told our correspondent that his supervisor visited his attachment firm once during the period of his training that lasted for several months.

    Asked what his challenges were, Silas, who rounds off his training tomorrow, said: “I have not been paid a dime for all the months I have spent here. There were times that we did some serious work that attracted monetary benefits but I was not privileged to benefit.”

    Oghenekevwe Ajantana, 400-Level Production Engineering, University of Benin (UNIBEN), who commenced his industrial training last month, said he was unsure whether his supervisor would come during the period of his attachment. He added: “I have to work from 8am to 5pm everyday without any financial benefits. It is really not encouraging.”

    Anita Anaba, ND II Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), who is on four months training, noted she had been idle in her place of attachment. She said she expected her school supervisor to come twice before she concluded the training.

    Precious Iruaga, 400-Level Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering, Delta State University (DELSU) said she was still waiting for her supervisor’s visit.