The Nation Newspaper

Tag: AAUA

  • Insecurity in AAUA: students recount ordeals

    BY ADESOLA IKULAJOLU

    A rise in attacks on students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) who live off-campus has pitched the students against the institution’s leadership. Although the institution has asked the Students Union (SU) to write, the SU has alleged that it is not showing enough attention to their plight. ADESOLA IKULAJOLU (300L Mass Communication) and Anjorin Philip (200L Mass Communication) report

    It  happened at the Federal Capital Territory Villa (FCT), one of the off-campus hostels occupied by students of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State.

    Mosimiloluwa Ayinde was enjoying her sleep when some intruders banged on her door. She  opened her left eye to check the time. It was 3.30am.

    Ayinde dragged her feet. She was aware of the usual early morning distraction from her next door neighbour who always comes for matches.

    She made for the door. That was when the worst happened!

    “The knocking became incessant. They (intruders) threatened to break the door if I didn’t open it. Out of fright, I had to open the door only to see two hooded guys,” recalled Ayinde, a 200-Level student of Science Education.

    He continued: “They started flashing torchlight at my face to prevent me from seeing them. Thankfully, I had panicked before I opened the door. My voice roused other occupants in the hostel; because of that, they couldn’t go to the next rooms to operate. They carted away cash, hand set, wristwatch, ATM cards and credential. Though I wasn’t hurt, it was an awful experience.”

    Ayodeji Olukotun, a 200-Level student of the Department of Criminology and Security Studies, was the first victim at the villa.

    Olukotun recalled how he hosted a friend who later sought to use the toilet at dawn. According to him, the music blaring from his friend’s mobile phone was the magnet that attracted the hoodlums.

    Although the structure is fenced, the curious criminals forced themselves into the hostel through a broken fence beside the toilet, Olukotun said

    “There’s a broken fence beside the toilet. They (robbers) passed through the broken wall and came straight to my room. They packed our two phones. There were other phones brought to us by neigbours to help them charge. They packed everything,” he said.

    Olukotun told CAMPUSLIFE that he was yet to report the matter to the police, because he wanted other victims to join him.

    “If I go ahead to lodge a complaint, it could look as if I’m personalising it or something like that. Even though they’re yet to inform the police, we should do it collectively.”

    Similarly, a 200-Level Mass Communication undergraduate, Olatubosun Samson, whose room narrowly escaped the eyes of the marauders shared his experience with CAMPUSLIFE.

    “I woke up around 3:30 to urinate. As I was about to open the door, It suddenly occurred to me that the villa was not as silent as it used to be. I paused but before I could sense any danger, one of the robbers sped past my room, heading to the next. A female victim who was being robbed was shouting Jesus! Jesus!! It was her voice that kept others at alert. That girl actually saved us all.”

    A student in another off campus hostel, popularly called Faculty of Character, had her share of the unfortunate experience.

    “They went to all rooms and packed all of us in one corner. They had us all tied and started collecting our phones and money. This is the second time they’ll be attacking us,” said the student who pleaded anonymity for fear of reprisals.

    He said: “When it became persistent, we invited the police. They came here to address us alongside students living in other hostels. They suggested that henceforth, all male students should watch over the hostel till 2a.m to safeguard the compound. They told us they had visited the monarch of the town, who said he would not release his guards on the grounds that they could step on toes as they would harass anybody they see at odds hours. Therefore, the police advised us to always be with our ID cards as a means of identification when we move around.”

    The source further debunked the notion that the indigenes are the perpetrators.

    She continued: “I wouldn’t say it was the indigenes because the first set of armed robbers spoke fluent English, Yoruba and Pidgin. The second set spoke incoherent English. It seemed they don’t know how to speak English but forced themselves to. So, I wouldn’t say specifically if it is the indigenes or the students. It might be both because there are different set of criminals that have been raiding the students.”

    A 300-Level student of Mass Communication, who is also a resident-indigene in Akungba-Akoko, Comrade Oloookere Olorunsaanu, pointed out that the poor would continue to constitute hindrance.

    “Insecurity in Akungba has no doubt increased, especially in locations with poor road network,” he said.

    Olorunsaanu, a SU presidential aspirant, said concerned authorities could tackle insecurity by “involving leaders of the host community, in conjunction with the security apparatus.

    The recurring stealing, theft and armed robbery attacks have been the lot of students of AAUA living off campus.  Though AAUA was established as an on-campus institution, AAUA has halls of residence for males and females. While the female hostel is located within the school campus, the male is not. It is on the Akungba-Ikare road.

    CAMPUSLIFE noticed a yet-to-be-allocated new hall of residence within the campus. However, the surge in students population has placed   pressure on the accommodation within the campus, forcing the unlucky ones to seek an alternative accommodation beyond AAUA premises. However, rather than get a refuge, many students living off campus are at the mercy of anti-social elements within the Akungba communities.

    But the Students Union (SU) is accusing insitution of giving them cold shoulder by showing less interest in matters that concern students beyond the university premises.

    Nonetheless, it is not folding its arms over the matter.

    Its Public Relations Officer, Babalola David, told CAMPUSLIFE that the union is mapping out security strategies to apprehend the perpetrators.

    “Our plan on the security issue has been solidified and concrete enough. Last week, we invited some media organisations to Akungba and they honoured our invitation. The President of the Students’ Union and I used that opportunity to express our grievances,” said Babalola who is fondly called Babovid.

    Babalola noted that SU has equally reached out to the institution, though the matter is beyond them as the incidents do occur outside the institution.

    ‘’The SU and the insitution have been meeting over the state of insecurity in off campuses. I, alongside SU president, and some faculty presidents, have held successful meetings with management.Though the vice chancellor was not around, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) Prof Francis Gbore attended to them.

    “I was not satisfied with our initial meeting. I had to see the DVC (Academics) to complain majorly about the insecurity and problems affecting the students.

    “I told him that the institution leadership needed to act swiftly before the circumstances got out of hand. To avoid wasting time, he said the Students’ Union should write a letter to the institution. He said if the letters had been written since the robbery started, they would have been attended. I had to confront him that owing to bureaucracy, that process might drag. I informed him that the safety of lives and properties of the students is more important than the process of writing the letter. Before the letter get to them to sign, how are we sure that much harm wouldn’t have been done? Must we write letters for everything?”

    Corroborating Babalola, SU President Adesomoju Samuel (aka Sampraise) lamented that the union decided to take its case to the police because the institution is indifferent to off-campus affairs.

    “We have reported issues of robbery and insecurity of our students living off-campus to the police. However, against the insitution’s suggestion, we have decided not to write any letter to the leadership again because they seem to be less concerned about what’s happening off campus. Though the welfare of the students is their priority, more of things happening off campus are less within the power of the school leadership.

    “For now, all we can say is that the police are making efforts to reduce the menace and clamp down on perpetrators.”

    He pleaded with his colleagues to be vigilant and armed with numbers of the security agents. He urged them to inform the police as soon as possible and take other security measures.

    Adesomoju bemoaned the deplorable road network in Akungba which, according to him, is a clog in the wheel of police efforts in combating insecurity in the community.

    “Most of these places where invasions occur are non-motorable. Some areas such as Medoline, Adefarati, among others are non-motorable. It makes it somehow uneasy for the police to navigate those places. But look at places like Permanent Site and Small Gate, if anything happens and the police are being radioed, they will be there in a flash. As I said, those bad roads are hindrances because by the time the police arrive the scene, the criminals would have taken off.

    “We are also engaging a local vigilante group that would work in conjunction with the people in a joint patrol of these areas to end the attacks on students.”

    In a previous interview, the Dean of Students Affairs (DSA) Dr Olusegun Owolewa had said  the insitution would announce who would occupy the new hostel.

    “Nobody has told them that a particular hostel belongs to anybody. Nobody is staying there, so when the time comes, we will know who will occupy the new hostel,” Omolewa said.

  • AAUA: Students bemoan bad roads, harvest of deaths

    For locals and particularly students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) in Ondo State, incessant motorcycle mishaps are not alien to them. From time to time, students recount horrendous tales of accidents by desperate and overzealous motorcyclists. The incident has left many dead while majority of those who survived have remained handicapped. The latest accident, which killed Miss Esther Ayo, a 100-Level Plant Science and Biotechnology student, is raising fresh concerns on the security of lives of AAUA students generally, ADESOLA IKULAJOLU a final year MASS COMMUNICATION student, reports

    Miss Esther Ayo was happy when she was offered admission to study Plant Science and Biotechnology at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) in Ondo State. Little did she realise that she would not survive the first year before death cut her life short.

    Apparently oblivious of the evil that dotted her path that fateful Saturday, Esther had attended lectures after which she returned home, excited.

    In the evening, Esther made her way to the market to get some foodstuff, only to  run into an errant cyclist at Okusa quarters (an area in  Akungba). The impatient cyclist had a head-on collision with Esther at top speed. She  never survived it  as she died on the spot.

    News of her sudden death, earlier this month rang through the length and breath of the school. Besides, it left many students shell shocked and resigning to fate amid seeming hopelessness over their vulnerability to reckless motorists and cyclists’ popularly known as okada.

    President of AAUA Students’ Union Comrade Adesomoju Samuel lamented how Esther’s life was cut short by a tragedy that could have been avoided.

    He said: “I’m shocked with this sad report of accident mostly due to reckless riding of our motorcyclists. So sad that Esther left us so soon. We love her but God loves her most.”

    Adesomoju appealed to appropriate quarters to checkmate the situation and protect the students against future incidents.

    Esther’s case was one of those needless deaths caused by the propensity of motocyclists to an innocent life; no thanks to deplorable roads that often aid such calamity.

    In 2016, a motorcyclist knocked down a student. The development prompted wide protests by students against the recklessness of public transport operators in Akungba, a community that houses a chunk of students of AAUA.

    CAMPUSLIFE observed that the accidents do not only occur on the major roads in Akungba-Akoko , but also on minor  roads in the community.

    According to road users, the deplorable state of the Akungba – Ikare road (a federal road) has made road accidents almost a daily occurence. Owing to those needless road mishaps, Akungba community decided to build  bumps along streets apparently in a bid to reduce the speed of public transport operators.

    But has the accidents abated?

    Some of the students complained of over-speeding by the riders. Others say they recklessly bump into portholes; yet others complained of their impatience which sometimes make them collide with one another at top speed.

    President of the Osun State students in AAUA, Comrade Abodunrin Samuel, described the attitude of the cyclists as ‘unbecoming’.

    He said: “They ride as if they have an extra life somewhere, all because they want to make money. They risk their lives and that of their passengers’. Some of them even drink and smoke. Once intoxicated, they become something else. They don’t care what type of car is approaching or at what speed the car is driving towards them.”

    Abodunrin, who is a final year Mass Communication student of the university, said bad road has been another cause of accidents in Akungba, most especially around market areas on market days.”

    He added: “If concerned associations can look into rehabilitating these roads and cautioning cyclists, then accidents will be reduced to the barest minimum. Passengers should also look before they board motorcyclists. They should avoid cyclists that are addicted to substances.”

    “The reckless riding of motorists/cyclists in Akungba is becoming unbearable, “said another 400-Level student of Mass Communication, OluponaTemitope.

    Temitope continued: “I really don’t know if probably they are in haste or something else. Recently, a student of the university was knocked down due to this reckless driving. Students are no longer safe when walking or crossing roads. The school needs to address this issue. Students’ lives  are at risk here, the school should hold a meeting with  the association of transport operators in Akungba, and make them see reasons why this recklessness must stop. The safety of students is very paramount here.  It is getting out of hand and the school must act to avoid protest.”

    On his own part, AdeyefaTolulope, who is a second year Political Science undergraduate, lambasted transport operators for their carelessness, and propensity to ignoring traffic signs.

    “Most of the many mishaps occurring on the highway in Akungba,are as a result of carelessness and recklessness on the part of motorcyclists. Their carefree attitude towards traffic regulation is often the cause of accident, which at times results into loss of lives. Majority of them ride under the influence of alcohol and India hemp. As long as this remains their stock in trade, they cannot but be reckless.”

    Adeyefa suggested that more officers from the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) should be mobilised to apprehend and mete appropriate sanctions  to traffic offenders. This is in addition to making more bumps on roads that are vulnerable.

    Oluwaseun Blessing, a final year student of English Studies, said it becomes more dangerous for students and pedestrians to cross the road as motorcyclists could run across from anywhere without using the horn.

    She said: “I am tired of the behaviour of these cyclists; they act like the owner of the roads. At evenings, it becomes very difficult to cross even normal streets. They appear from any angle without using the horn. They have little or no consideration for pedestrians.”

    Another student Emmanuel Ade, who claimed to have been a victim of road accident in Akungba, also condemned the reckless attitude of the cylists.

    “One would think reckless driving occurs on Owo-Ikare expressway and other major roads in Akungba alone, but that is not true. Minor roads and even bush paths are not spared of this act of carelessness. I have been an accident victim in Akungba and can boldly say that motorists, especially cyclists are the major destroyer of the roads,” Emmanuel said.

    “Considering the number of accidents that have occured on Akungba roads this year, one does not need a soothsayer to infer that the cyclists need  to be cautioned.”

    A student who pleaded anonymity, attributed the recklessness of motorists to bad roads.

    “It is imperative to note that most of the roads in Akungba need reconstruction. I would not really blame cyclists who try to make use of every available path, as it is just a way of wriggling out of the messy situation they found themselves .”

    Defending his colleagues, a cyclist who identified himself as Gabriel Olagbemi, attributed incessant road mishaps to bad roads. He also commented on the indifference of pedestrians, majority of who are students.

    He said: “It is not our fault that some accidents occur sometimes. The roads are not good enough especially in this rainy season. Everyone tries to sort himself out.

    “Concerning the rise in the rate of accidents, I think the pedestrians have their own share of the blame. They act with carelessness  and are quick to verbally attack cyclists when being corrected.”

    He added: “This is not to say that all cyclists are good. There are some who get drunk before setting out for business of the day which is not a good thing.”

    Olagbemi further pleaded with pedestrians to exercise patience while also calling on the government to repair and reconstruct damaged roads.

    Meanwhile, the Students Union has scheduled a meeting with the Akungba chapter of  the Amalgamation of Commercial Motorcycle Riders Association of Nigeria ((ACOMORAN), which comprises motorcycle transport operators nationwide.

    General-Secretary, AAUA-SU, Comrade Adebayo Jesutola, noted that the union is inundated with reports of recklessness of cyclists in Akungba .

    “Following the various reports of recklessness of motocyclists in Akungba-Akoko and its environs, the Students Union of AdekunleAjasin University has reached out to the chairman and other executive members ACOMORAN). We need to deliberate because this thoughtlessness has become too much.

    “The Students Union leadership has repeatedly admonished members of ACOMORAN against the use of hard drugs before mounting the motorcycles. This, we believe, will also reduce their recklessness on the highway,” Jesutola added.

    In the same vein, management has waded in promising to partner with necessary agencies to ensure that students are always in safe hands.

    The university’s Head of Information, Protocol and Public Relations Unit (IPPRU), Mr Victor Akinpelumi, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, lamented that the university has received several reports bordering on threatens to students’ life.

    Akinpelumi said management has put in place a patrol team that would help reduce the ugly incidents happening to students off-campus, especially at night.

    He said: “The AAUA management received the reports of armed robbery attacks on students living off campus, precisely in the Medoline and Cele areas of AkungbaAkoko.

    “The university has held several meetings with students and landlords in the affected areas on how best to stop this menace.

    “Apart from this, the university has also put in place a joint patrol team comprising the police, our security outfit in the institution, and paramilitary outfits.”

    Akinpelumi explained that the management is also engaging a local vigilante group that would work in conjunction with the people in a joint patrol of the aforementioned areas.

  • 1,000 benefit from AAUA’s Work-Study scheme

    •Varsity to run ‘smooth’ session

    Eight years after the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) in Ondo State introduced Student Work-Study Scheme (SWSS), no fewer than 1,000 students have benefited from the programme, Director of the Scheme, Dr Olubunmi Omoniyi, has said.

    The scheme took off in July 2010 to give willing students opportunity to work for two hours daily and receive a monthly stipend to support themselves financially while studying in the university.

    Dr Omoniyi said: “Over 1,000 Students have benefited from the scheme. The turnout of applicants for the scheme every session is amazing. In the current semester, we have shortlisted about 100 students for the scheme. This number may increase depending on the availability of funds. The applicants are very enthusiastic about the scheme.”

    Dr Omoniyi, who acknowledged the efforts of her predecessors, Dr Iyabo Omoniyi and Dr. Adejompo Fagbohunka, in sustaining the scheme, said she has appealed to some philanthropists and well-to-do individuals to donate funds to the scheme in order to accommodate more students.

    “We are hoping that we would get positive feedbacks from those we have approached,” she said.

    Meanwhile, Dean of Student Affairs (DSA), Prof Francis Gbore, has said the school will ensure that the 2017/2018 session is run without hitches.

    Prof. Gbore gave the assurance while speaking during an interview on AAUA 90.3 FM. He said the university will ensure that the session progresses without any disruption.

    Prof Gbore said: “The university has mapped out plans towards effective handling of whatever complaints that might arise from the process of screening and other registration related exercise. The school’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) unit has put in place machinery that would make online registration stress free. We have been on the alert to handle whatever bottlenecks that might be encountered by students.

    “We have officers, both at the Student Affairs Division and the ICT unit to attend promptly to issues that might arise, either from technical challenges, impatience or ignorance.”

    The DSA said the institution will not rest on its oars in making sure that it continues to live up to its mandate of promoting academic excellence and best practices.

    President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Olawale Ijanusi, said students will support any effort to make the session run smoothly.

    “As a student body, we believe that the stakeholders have worked out good strategies and plans that will make the school calendar run smoothly. We welcome students back on campus and wish them success,” the union leader said.

  • Students protest in Akure over fees hike

    Scores of aggrieved students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko ( AAUA ) yesterday marched on major streets of Akure, the state capital to protest the sudden hike in their tuition.

    The students numbering over 1,000 blocked major roads in the town, thereby preventing vehicular and human movements for several hours.

    The protest affected social and commercial activities in many parts of the town, as many shop owners hurriedly closed their shops, even as commercial drivers boycotted the roads.

    The students converged at the Oja Oba junction in the heart of Akure and condemned the sudden hike in their tuition from N25,000 to N180,000/N200,000.

    They accused the State Government of being callous alleging that the action of the government was against the economic realities in the state.

    The AAAU students were also at the popular Adegbola Newspapers Distribution Centre, Fiwasaye, Cathedral and Adegbemile area amongst others chanting various anti-government songs with placards.

    They were however dispersed with teargas by the anti-riot policemen deployed to curtail the protest.

    Read Also: Tutition fee hike: AAUA students plead with authority

    They were led on the protest by the Chairman, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Ondo axis, Adewumi Adebowale who insisted that the students will not pay the new tuition.

    Adebowale said the new tuition introduced into the university by the state government was outrageous. He also promised to do everything to resist the hike.

    He urged the students not to resume academic activities until the State Government or the University’s management, reverse the tuition.

    Reacting to the new development, President of the Students Union Government (SUG) of the University, Ijanusi Olawale said no student of the university would pay the new tuition.

    He declared that the university will not be opened for academic session unless the state government reverts back to the old tuition, saying the new tuition cannot be afforded by their parents.

    He urged the students to remain calm and refuse to pay any money or resume until they hear from the leadership of the SUG,stressing that they had remained at home for three months.

  • AAUA: Ondo govt gets ultimatum on fees hike, resumption

    As the plan to hike fees at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) in Ondo State heightens, the Students’ Union Government (SUG) has issued a warning: the government should address the issue within seven days; failure of which may lead to protest.

    This was made known in a statement by the union president, Olawale Ijanusi, who accused the government of showing no concern on the matter.

    Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, in his speech at the school’s last convocation, said the fees would be reviewed upward. The school resumption is being delayed amid speculation that students would return to pay new fees.

    The union president said: “For over 80 days, we have been made to sit at home after our examination. It is pathetic that the government has shown no concern for our predicament. The government seems unperturbed by keeping us away from school. We have wasted time doing nothing at home.”

    Olawale said students could no longer keep mute over the delayed resumption, stressing that actions would be taken if the government did not address the issue within seven days.

    He said: “The hope of our 500-Level Law students going to Law School is now hanging in the balance. We are made to go through this unpalatable experience because of the government’s secret agenda to hike the fee.

    “We have kept silent enough. We will not allow the government to toy with our future. We have been pushed to the wall, and it is now imperative to take our destiny into our hands. On this note, we give seven working days ultimatum to the government and also to the Governing Council of AAUA to address the fee hike and reopen our school.”

    “Failure of the government and the council to address the issue would draw the wrath of students. We would be left with no choice than to take to the centre stage and make ourselves heard by any non-violent means.”

  • Ajasin varsity students kick against fee hike

    •Governing Council meets with parents today

    Students’ Union Government (SUG) leaders of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) have vowed to resist moves to hike tuition fee.

    The union leaders spoke when they met with the Dr Tunji Abayomi-led Governing Council, following speculations that the government was planning to hike the fee.

    SUG President Olawale Ijanusi, said the union leaders met with members of the Governing Council behind closed door to discuss the matter. The meeting, he said, lasted five hours.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the meeting was to seek students’ support for the proposed fee hike.

    Olawale said: “During the meeting, we had a long discussion, which resulted into arguments, disagreements, and misunderstanding on the basis for the government to increase fees. We will not agree with any plan that seeks to impoverish students and our parents.”

    It was said that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu is proposing a fee hike of N200,000 for undergraduates. CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the students’ leaders showed their opposition to the plan when members of the Governing Council hinted the students.

    Olawale said: “We were made to realise in the course of the meeting that the governor only entertains a proposition of a minimum of N200,000 for undergraduates, which the students’ union leaders frankly disagreed with.”

    After deliberations, CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the Governing Council accepted the stance of the students’ leaders and promised to report the outcome at the intended intented with the governor.

    The council also said it would meet with the parents to discuss the issue.

    In a statement, the council said: “The Pro-chancellor and chairman Governing Council concluded that he would meet with the governor and relate our position and plea to him. The Governing Council will be having a meeting with parents on Thursday, March 22, at the Obasanjo Multipurpose Hall.”

    The SUG leaders urged students to be law-abiding and support the union in rejecting the decision to hike school fees.

  • Tutition fee hike: AAUA students plead with authority

    •Management: no tuition hike yet

    The Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) Student Union government has appealed against Ondo State’s purported plan to increase tuition fee.

    This was contained in a release by the Union President, Comrade Ijanusi Olawale (aka ‘Optimum’), through his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Dada Bamidele.

    The State Governor, Rotimi  Akeredolu, had said  during the last convocation that tuition fee at the university would be reviewed upward. This has elicited various reactions from the students.

    Ijanusi said though there was no circular on the fee hike,  the Governor should consider that the low tuition fees at the university had attracted many students, who had studied and graduated from the school.

    He warned that an upward review may end the dreams of many students if implemented, as some of them still find it difficult to pay the current fees due to the recession.

    “The hopes and dreams of the over 15,000 students on campus may eventually come to an end as it is becoming more intense that our tuition fee will be increased.

    “Many of these students are struggling alongside their parents to pay even the current fee, as we all understand that the state of the Nigerian economy has really depleted the cost of running a functional and efficient government.

    “As much as increment in tuition fee will improve the sustainability of the university and enable the institution to continue its good projects in developing into a 21st Century university properly called, note that any increment will pose great hardship to the students and their parents,” he said.

    While calling on the school management to open the portal for students to pay their fees for the new session, the Union President appealed to Gov Akeredolu “to show his fatherly love to the over 15,000 students and maintain the benchmark payment as parents cannot afford any increment in this turbulent time in which salaries haven’t been increased.”

    On its part, the university management has described as fake a list of reviewed fees circulating on the social media.

    In a statement through its Head of Information and Protocol Unit, Mr. Sola Imoru, said the circulating piece did not emanate from the institution.

    Part of the statement reads: “The patently false piece purports to list school and other miscellaneous fees to be paid by new and returning students of Adekunle Ajasin University.

    “The piece could neither have emanated from nor even concern our institution as several courses not offered by Adekunle Ajasin University such as Nursing, Physiology, Medicine, Laboratory Science, and Engineering are listed in the fake and fraudulent piece.”

    He revealed that the management has not taken any decision on the review of tuition fee.

    The statement further reads: “Management wishes to emphatically state that no decision has been taken on the review of the fees payable by students.

    “The University has its own official channels of giving out information to its stakeholders and the general public, including the University website. Such information would be properly signed by a designated officer of the institution.

    “Parents and students are implored to disregard this misleading information as it was evidently concocted by mischief makers to discredit the University and cause disaffection between it and its stakeholders.”

     

  • New dawn at AAUA

    New dawn at AAUA

    Students of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) in Ondo State have elected their leaders via electronic voting. The exercise was described as rancour-free.  report.

    Coming out of internal wrangling, which led to the impeachment of some union leaders, students of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) in Ondo State, last Thursday, went to the poll to elect their leaders.

    The election came months after it was abruptly postponed by the school management to prevent mayhem on the campus, following the impeachment of the union’s erstwhile president and treasurer.

    The election was historic, as it was the first time students would elect their leaders through a rancour-free electronic voting method. The voters were required to register online weeks before the election, after which secret codes were generated and sent to the students through their mobile phones on election day.

    A big screen was erected at the Obasanjo Multipurpose Hall to display the results as the election was drawing to a conclusion.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that this was done to ensure transparency in the process and douse tension among camps of the candidates.

    A few minutes after the election began, students rose in protest against the disappearance of some candidates’ pictures on the voting platform, which negated the electoral guideline. In response, the Students’ Union Electoral Committee (SUEC) officials refreshed the electronic platform to correct the error. Voting started after the pictures of all candidates were uploaded on the platform.

    Three hours later, the election ended. Olawale Ijanusi, a 400-Level Philosophy student was elected the president with 1,516 votes, defeating his closest rival, Isaac Ayeni of Public Administration, who garnered 667 votes.

    Olawale’s victory was followed by wild jubilation by students. He was driven round the campus in an open-roof saloon vehicle, acknowledging cheers from his supporters across departments.

    He said: “I want all students to know that I will never betray the trust reposed in me. I will abide by the promise I made . As I said during campaign, iyanu a sele (wonders will happen). I reiterate the promise that wonders will happen. God bless AAUA.”

    Some students, who spoke with CAMPUSLIFE, hailed the e-voting method, saying it gave them the opportunity to choose their leaders without interference from the management.

    Ugboaja Osita, a 200-Level Plant Science and Biotechnology student, said: “The election was free, fair and transparent. This is the first rancour-free process we have had in the last four years.”

    Another student, Mercy Adekola, a 300-Level student, said the process was a departure from previous elections, hailing the management for supporting the innovation.

    He said: “The election was transparently conducted. This was why the outcome did not generate controversies, unlike the previous elections we have had. School management deserves commendation for coming up with this brilliant initiative.”

    The e-voting process needs to be strengthened and deployed for the conduct of national election, says Chinedu Onele, a 400-Level Law student. He said the manner the election was conducted made students who initially criticised e-voting to accept the outcome.

    He said: “This is the second time electronic voting would be employed to conduct the union election; the success recorded in this process far outweighed the previous version. Despite that there was a glitch experienced in voting time, because of aspirants’ pictures, the e-voting went on without generating credibility problem for the whole process.

    “It should be noted that about 130 had already voted before the e-voting platform was refreshed to allow for the upload of candidates’ pictures. All in all, it was a free, fair and peaceful election so far. Its outcome was generally accepted by everyone.”

    Others elected included Vice President;  Ayotola Akinfela; General Secretary; Lawrence Adekunle; Public Relations Officer; Samson Adelowo; Financial Secretary- Toheed Obashile; Oluwadamilola Olamibo (Treasurer); Olaoluwa Ayiloge (Welfare Director);  David Kuduyo (Social Director); Akinlawon Olisa (Sports Director) and Kayode Fajembola (Assistant General Secretary).

  • AAUA to digitalise transcripts, certificates

    The Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) in Ondo State plans to digitalise transcripts, certificates, alumni clearance and hostels’ allocation, its Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Igbekele Ajibefun, has said.

    This follows a partnership with the alumni association to simplify retrieval of records and application for services in line with its mantra.

    At a meeting of the management  and AAUA Alumni Association leadership last Friday, Prof Ajibefun said the move would bring respite to students and the alumni.

    He hinted that management was waiting for the demonstration of the software for the digitalisation, which, according to him, would take place this week.

    Prof Ajibefun, who hailed the association for being a committed partner in building a desired university, said the challenge of administration of academic transcripts and issuance of certificate would be a thing of the past before the end of the year.

    Thanking stakeholders for their contributions towards the 2016 ranking of the university by the National Universities Commission (NUC), which ranked AAUA 31st, the VC sought the support of students, alumni, staff and parents to improve on the ranking and other areas of development in the university.

    The alumni President, Mr Patrick Oluyide reiterated the resolves of the association to be a dependable partner for the progress of the school, adding that the association would not renege on its promise to donate equipment and materials needed to fast-track the processing of the academic transcripts and certificates online.

    Oluyide noted that provision of accommodation for students and staff was on the association’s wish list last year, saying: “In the year 2017, in addition to other projects and programmes, the alumni body looks forward to easing students’ accommodation challenges, with the building of an alumni hostel. We are hoping to start work on the building in April and expect its completion in October.”

    He appealed to all members of the association and corporate organisations to contribute towards the alumni body’s projects.

    The meeting was attended by the Deputy VC for Administration, Prof Olugbenga Ige, Registrar, Mr Sunday Ayeerun, and Librarian, Dr Rotimi Egunjobi, among others.

     

  • AAUA enjoys ICT project

    The Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, has been chosen to be among 14 tertiary Institutions that will benefit from an Information and Communication Technology, ICT, initiative aimed at making institutions more competitive and modern.

    This was disclosed recently when the consultant on the NNPC/SENPCO ICT Initiative, Dr. Tunde Adegbola, visited the university.

    Adegbola said the gesture was part of the organisation’s Corporate Social Responsibility programmes.

    He said that the gesture would create an enabling environment that would foster improved learning and research in the benefitting Institutions.

    He added that efforts would be made to put concrete plans in place to maintain and sustain the facilities and equipment that would be donated.

    Adegbola listed facilities to be donated to include: fully-equipped multi-purpose ICT building and software.

    He also said computer clubs would be established under the initiative, students/mentors as well as the institution would participate in a league based national software competition with rich rewards, and there would be opportunity for training for workers and students alike.