Category: Campus Life

I tuned to the television set early on Tuesday morning, looking for any interesting programmes to watch on our local station when I had the idea to write this piece. I tuned from one channel to another, and then stopped at Silverbird television. Now, I did not know what made me to stop there (Silverbird), but I did not immediately change the channel, because I wanted to know what they were airing that morning. So I stayed a while, while the programme continued one after the other. There was a preview on the “Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria” being anchored that morning by a lady. I waited a while to see how interesting it would turn out to be. Besides, the sights of youths taking part on it caught my attention. I was attracted by the belles of beauty on display that morning. The host of the show was in the midst of the contestants to the crown. She met the girls showcasing their dancing talents, skills and styles. The girls danced in an appealing manner. They were really interesting to watch. They were ‘alive’ and lively to their environment. They all seem to know how to shake the hips and buttock very well, like “shake the tell feathers” by Diddy, Nelly and Murphy Lee, and perfectly well too, I most add. They could also twist and turn aside their natural beauty.

They were all beautiful with nice curves and hips perfectly shaped and all other things that could make a man drool. Yes I mean drool, if you get my gist. They had shown like a plate in broken china, to lend Lenrie Peters words. Even the presenter attested to this fact of the girl’s beauty and attractiveness when she said, “don’t just sit, participate and stop drooling at your television set.” Those were her words that morning. Besides, she was right about drooling at the television set because what the photographer brought of the girls beauty was simply beautiful, a perfect aesthetic pleasure, filled with grandeur. I will stop there so that I don’t bore you with details.

There was a part of her comment that spurred me: participate. The only way to participate is to text the name of the state you will vote for, because each contestant was representing the 36 states in Nigeria , including FCT. Then, since we are to ‘participate’ as she puts it, it was tagged “u decide.” At this point in time, each contestant came out and spoke for about 3 seconds it I got it right. Each spoke about their aim to become the Most Beautiful Girls in Nigeria, giving us (Nigerians) reasons why we should vote for them. This was I had a problem, with their goal. Not that they did not speak well or eloquently, no, they did. I heard the best of phonetics some of our broadcasters lack and all that. They revered on how they would like to be an “ambassador of Nigeria”, help the “motherless baby” blah blah blah. At this juncture, virtually all of them mentioned how beautiful they are. Of cause we know they are beautiful, after all, ugly girls (sorry o) do not go for beauty pageant. In fact their ability of becoming the MBGN is channeled on their beauty according to the emphasis they placed on beauty. But wrong. I mean wrong. REASON?

Personality. That was the word that eluded the entire contestant. Who says pageant is all about beauty? I happen to have been opportune to have watched some beauty pageant to know that “all that glitters is not gold” so I was not really impressed when their body language was been beautiful. To me the most endearing quality that differentiates a contestant from another is the personality. Agbani Darego was not the most beautiful girl in the 2001 Miss World, but she came out on top. There were girls from other countries where beauty is reminiscent: Brazil, Barbados, Spain, Mexico and others, she still won, not because of her beauty.

In line with the fact that these girls are all students makes the whole thing even more interesting. As students, their level of studies should speak well for them and not the “if you have got it flaunt it attitude.” To think that their beauty will make one of them the MBGN in Nigeria is slim let alone becoming Miss World. Their personality is the tool to swing the table around. The brain, speech, response to questions, appearance and others should have being their paramount feature not the “I am beautiful” idea. Someone at silver bird better tell them before they disgrace Nigeria in a different form entirely. Or do we want what happened recently when a girl was asked the name of our Vice President in one of these pageants to resurface? I guess not.

 

I think it is quite interesting on the way we see and handle our education. Interesting enough to reveal our gullibility. I mean, if education is actually and truly important to us, we would do anything, I mean anything to savage it from decadence, starting from us students to the stakeholders. This is because, to really think we have a thing of beauty and hope in our education requires acknowledgement on our part. But if we do not see education as a priority, how do we avoid exploitation and oppression and the rest? Well our level of awareness on the importance of education to us carries with it, a shared responsibility and obligation to: first ourselves and then to the society.

Actually, my onus is strictly on us; students. Truly these present times present us with a lot of challenges, one that really breed frustration and discouragement in the pursuit of our dreams. But that does not mean we should relent or quit. It only provides an avenue to be fervent and determined. However it is interesting to actually note that some of us who claim or call ourselves students do not actually have a priority, a drive that keeps us going. I mean, it is quite interesting to note that a number of students who turn up for interviews, only for few to be admitted boils down to lack or poor priority of goals. Some of them do not see education as a priority because of the emphasis the exigency of time has placed upon it in our higher institution and thus, it is over looked. More so, the management of some institutions sees these admissions as a means to make money. I mean, real money, not minding the level of intellectual capabilities of the students. Now, this actually goes a long way to determine how long these ‘newly admitted’ will cope. Even some of the old students are “half baked” graduate produced by “blocking” and the rest; and this has effect on the level of performance.

To think that management really knows the importance of education is to put the students first, to really consider the agenda of the students in whatever decision and action they take. This in particular has to do with school fees. I mean, the common man cannot go to school again because of exorbitant school fees been paid in some of our higher institutions. And mine was a very good example where we had to battle with increment in school fees. One that made it almost impossible for some of my course mate to resume the session. It was really difficult to cope with especially at a time like this when things are hard. Not only was paying the school fees difficult, its effect made feeding, accommodation and other necessity worse to the chagrin of the students. This made the management to abolish late registration in the institution.

So, to this extent, I think unless we begin to see and set our priority right, I think we would continue to rotate in a circle that brings us back to a place where we first began. What do you think?

 

A while ago, the management of Auchi Polytechnic decided to initiate a dress code for its students, as a means to coordinate their dressing pattern.

It was a good idea, especially when the Security Unit took the initiative as a task that must be accomplished. Many students were sent home right from the Main Gate for “under-dressing”. The affected students grumbled but, who cared? The campus under this new rule enjoyed decorum as one was saved unseeingly sights that tempted even eunuchs.

The straps, leggings, mono straps, wicked straps, spaghetti stops, and the rest, as pointed out by the committee on dress code and morals went into exile. The girls cum “big babes” could not reveal their cleavages on campus anymore. Thus they took the show off campus where they soared excellently. Their male counterparts, the “tattered boys”, with their earrings and braids, were also completely swept of their feet outside the campus. And decency, at last, was reestablished on campus.

But, just three months after the initiated dress code, the storyline has changed completely. The exiled ones are back on campus. The Security Unit has jettisoned the campaign against indecent dressing for reasons I do not know. The braids, earrings, tattered jeans and all other insignia of the weird dressers are evident once again in the polytechnic. And for the girls, you know the game: the straps, spaghetti tops, transparent dress, mono straps, wicked straps, and others now flourish.

Every corner of the polytechnic has one of these antecedents in view. One is forced to ask: how can a dress code planned and initiated by the management of Auchi Polytechnic and recommended by the Committee on Dress code and Morals, with the Dean of Arts and Design, Mrs. Helen Uhumwangho, as head, crumble so soon? Is it that we do not adhere strictly to rules anymore? Or we just make rules and do not observe or seek to uphold them for long?

It is quite pathetic that an idea which began brightly is dying gradually in the hands of the Security Unit with apparently no effort to keep it going. This attitude is saddening indeed to our moral development. It reflects further degradation to our educational system. The school is a place where morals are taught and promoted, and, as such, students flouting the rule must be stopped. It is obvious that degrees or certificates are awarded based on two criteria: being found worthy in leaning and in character. More so, I can vouch that the Rector of the institution, Dr. Phillipa Idogho, is a disciplinarian, an upright and a strict woman. She does not condone arrogance amongst students as reflected in her days as the Dean of School of Part–Time Studies.

Efforts must be made to rekindle and reignite the campaign against indecent dressing on campus. Only then will our campus be free of this parochial malaise.

 

Senator Oserheimen Osunbor, Executive Governor of Edo State

There was great elation at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, last week when the Dean of Students’ Affairs started disbursing cheques of N10, 000 each to all final year students of Edo origin.

The action which started on Thursday, last week, brought smiles to the faces of the students who had been expecting this day after a long period of salivating.

So far, there are no complains of bounced cheques from the students.

The case was the same at the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, where the state’s deputy governor, Mr. Lucky Imasuen, personally presented the cheques of N10, 000 per student to the Rector of the institution, Dr. Philipa Idogho. The ceremony took place at the institution’s New Auditorium.

Mr. Imasuen said the gesture was in fulfillment of Governor Oseirheme Osunbor’s promise to reduce the financial burden of Edo students in higher institutions.

He further noted that the state government had to start the bursary award with final year students because of the financial challenges they face during the course of writing their projects.

Dr. Idogho commended the governor’s initiative by responding to the yearnings of students through the bursary award.

CAMPUSLIFE also learnt that second semester examinations are currently ongoing at the polytechnic. They are expected to end by September 15.

 

Every session, students of the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi (AUCHI POLY), organise a beauty competition to select the Face of AuchiPoly. This year’s selection has come and gone; FRANK IKPEFAN (ND II Mass Communication) tells how it went.

The beauty pageant which holds annually took place at Yak Hotel, some 50 metres from the Main Campus Gate.

Though one could not get the exact number of entries received, it was learnt that more than 30 persons applied. Ten girls made the final list.

Trust the girls. They know what will suit an event like this: spaghetti straps and other manners of dressing – call it fashion if you like – became evident and thus inevitable to notice.

I will not deny that at a time, I began to wonder if beauty pageant was a promotion of nudity. It was like the girls were in a race to see who was more daring in what they were willing to reveal. I saw other guys like me ogling it all and wishing it were only them and the girls, all alone.

When they first appeared on stage, the contestants comported themselves elegantly. They thrilled the audience with raised eyebrows, confident strides, the unmistaken poise and much enthusiasm. Put together, the entire carriage commanded respect for the feminine gender.

Everything went well until it was question time. Suddenly, the girls began to crumble like cookies. As the questions came from the judges, it was a big shame to realise that a good number of them were empty.

That was when the event began to witness a U–turn and saw the hilarious, albeit sadly. When one of the contestants was asked who the Vice-President of Nigeria was, she went dumb momentarily while the stunned audience took to laughter, when it regained consciousness. Imagine an undergraduate not knowing the name of the Vice-President!

Boos and shouts of “shame” rent the air, amidst the laughter.

Out of the 10 girls who made the final list, five were eliminated in the first round of the competition. Two pathetic “ignoramuses” were sent out; this left just three at the end of this stage.

The second stage of the questioning clearly separated the Queen from the pack as Contestant 2, Miss Tina Agberetamu, an NDII Mass Communication of the School of Evening Studies, proved her mettle. She emerged the winner. She is now the Face of Auchi Polytechnic.

Apart from being the Campus Queen for the next one year, she went home with N10, 000 (ten thousand naira) and a 14-inch colour television set. She thus replaces Juan Osifo Obehi who won the crown last year.

Campus Life sought students’ views on the event.

Newton, an ND II student, deplored the fact that most of the girls, inspite of their physical beauty and willingness to show all they are naturally endowed with, could not answer seemingly kindergarten questions.

“I could not believe my eyes at the scenario where a tertiary student fumbled woefully because of the name of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan! It was very sad indeed and I think it says a lot about the degradation in our education system because it is the system that allowed her and the other empty heads to be in a higher institution. It is a disgrace to us and the so–called stakeholders in charge”, he stated.

Another student who did not want her name in print said that girls have turned themselves into objects of ridicule in the name of fashion and beauty pageants.

She said: “A situation where we continue to fool ourselves in the name of beauty pageant simply shows that what we call beauty is a display of our outward features while we are empty inwardly. And this makes us gullible and vulnerable too.

“This shows that most of these girls did not come to school to study but to flaunt themselves on campus for male students to see. Conversely too, they get the best grades because they know how to play on the intellects of lascivious lecturers,” she added.

From other reactions, CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the guys and some girls believe that many girls have a wrong perception of beauty. The wrong perception thinks that beauty is limited to having the right curves, perfect legs and fine faces.

“All these are needed to become a beauty queen, but they are not encompassing. An example of the complete queen is our own Agbani Darigo. She was not the most physically beautiful girl when she won the Miss World crown; however, she captivated everyone with her presentation and fluency of speech”, said another student.

Presentation, with the right dash of brilliance and creativity, reflects personality. Just like Dr Phil Walker said “what I look for in a woman is her personality, others simply follow.” Someone tell these girls please!