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Tag: Ado-Ekiti

  • Court dissolves 12-year-old marriage over lack of care

    Court dissolves 12-year-old marriage over lack of care

    An Ado-Ekiti Customary Court on Wednesday dissolved the 12-year-old marriage between Lekan Ajayi and his wife, Busayo, over lack of care, frequent fighting and desertion of matrimonial home for five years.

    In his judgment, President of the court, Mr Joseph Ogunsemi, said that the marriage had broken down irretrievably.

    “Both parties should go their separate ways and maintain the peace,’’ he said.

    Ogunsemi awarded custody of the first child to the petitioner (Lekan), while the second child was awarded to the respondent (Busayo).

    He ordered that the petitioner should pay N5, 000 monthly to the respondent for the upkeep of his child.

    Read  also: My husband stabs me with broken bottles, wife tells court

    “The money should be paid to the registry of the court for onward delivery to the respondent,’’ he said.

    He granted unrestricted access to the children for both parties.

    Earlier, the petitioner, Lekan, 39, an automobile mechanic, told the court that his union with the respondent started in 2005 and she deserted him in 2012.

    He said that he has been the only one responsible for the education of his children since the respondent left him.

    Lekan said he was tired of the respondent unruly behaviour and her refusal to take correction.

    “She decided to pack out when she felt she could not abide with my instructions as the husband and father in the house,’’ he said.

    He appealed to the court to award the custody of the two children to him in order to enable him take good care of them.

    The petitioner urged the court ‎to dissolve the union for peace to reign in his life.

    The respondent, Busayo, 40‎, a cardigan weaver, denied the allegations made by her husband.

    She said it was the petitioner’s family that was partly responsible for their matrimonial crisis.

    Busayo said the petitioner’s life style also contributed to their problems, stressing that her husband was a drunkard.

    She urged the court to award the custody of her two children to her and demanded N15, 000 as monthly feeding allowances for the children.

    NAN

  • Riot: Ado Poly imposes N20, 000 reparation fee on students

    Riot: Ado Poly imposes N20, 000 reparation fee on students

    The management of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado -Ekiti has imposed a reparation fee of N20, 000 on each student for the violence on the property destroyed, looted and stolen during the October 7 riot that rocked the institution.

    Besides paying the reparation fee, the returning students are also to swear to an affidavit to be of good behavior throughout their period of studentship and a letter of indemnity from parents and sponsors.

    These are part of the decisions reached at the emergency meeting of the Academic Board held on Tuesday which also ordered that all students should resume on Monday, 20th November.

    In a statement signed by the Registrar, Mrs. Sade Adediran, authorities stressed that payment of school fees and the N20, 000 reparation fee are conditions for resumption. Students are expected to commence their on 27th November except for those on SIWES.

    It will be recalled that students of the polytechnic went on rampage on October 7 in protest against the death of a Vincent Taiwo Oluwafemi, an HND 2 student of Estate Management which whom they had discharged from Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti,
    against medical advice.

    They brought Oluwafemi to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)-accredited Polytechnic Health Centre which they alleged was ill-equipped to save the life of their colleague, an allegation debunked by the authorities.

    The students set the Health Centre ablaze, destroyed some vehicles, the security post, Information and Communication Technology Centre (ICT) where they stole over 40 laptops, bakery and fishery were also looted.

    They looted the school poultry where they stole chickens and eggs, hundreds of tubers of yams were also stolen from the demonstration farm while the Entrepreneurship Centre and departmental buildings were also vandalized.

    The magnitude of the violence prompted the management to close down the polytechnic indefinitely and students ordered to vacate the campus.

    Mrs. Adediran added: “Resumption of all Students has been slated for Monday, 20th November, 2017, and that all Students including those with outstanding Carry-over Courses are to immediately pay a reparation fee of N20,000 only.

    “In this respect, a payment platform has been created and Students are therefore advised to observe the following procedures: Visit the Polytechnic Website (www.fedpolyado.edu.ng)Click on the Student portal.

    “All Students are to also proceed to the Bursary after payment of reparation fee for authentication while Examination for all Students (except SIWES) commences on Monday, 27th November, 2017

    “Full Examination Time-Tables are already on display in the respective Schools and Departments) while Resumption cum commencement of Lectures for SIWES Students has been fixed for Monday, 11th December, 2017.”

    Read Also: Oyo striking schools to get councils

     

  • Old students build principal’s quarters

    Old Students’ Association of Ekiti State Government College, Ado-Ekiti, has inaugurated the rehabilitated principal’s quarters with a pledge to do more for their alma mater.

    The new president of the body,  Mr Timi David, disclosed this at this year’s homecoming and election of new executive.

    According to him, the association had invested over N16 million in projects in the school in the last five years.

    David said the association will continue to support government in its efforts at revamping education in the state, while encouraging partnership towards bringing back the lost glory of their alma mater.

    David, however, expressed sadness at the problems of land encroachment in the school.

    In his valedictory speech, the immediate past president of the association, Mr. Olatunde Immanuel, frowned at what he called “destructive attitude” of some students.

    He stressed that poor maintenance culture and vandalism would not inspire old students to put more in infrastructure.

    Other elected officers at the homecoming are: Mr. Ojo Olaniyi (General Secretary); Mr. Tope Adigun (Media and Publicity Secretary); Dr. Sola Ogunmola (Alumni/Government Liaison Officer); Arc. Bimbo Adeleye (Welfare Officer); Titilayo Ayinde (Treasurer); Oluwaseun Ogunleye (Financial Secretary) and Sanmi Olotua (Diaspora Co-ordinator).

     

  • Old students inuagurate principal’s quarters

    Old Students’ Association of Ekiti State Government College, Ado-Ekiti, has inuagurated the rehabilitated principal’s quarters with a pledge to do more for their alma mater.

    The new president of the body,  Mr Timi David, disclosed this at this year’s homecoming and election of new executive.

    According to him, the association had invested over N16 million in projects in the school in the last five years.

    David said the association will continue to support government in its efforts at revamping education in the state, while encouraging partnership towards bringing back the lost glory of their alma mater.

    David, however, expressed sadness at the problems of land encroachment in the school.

    In his valedictory speech, the immediate past president of the association, Mr. Olatunde Immanuel, frowned at what he called “destructive attitude” of some students.

    He stressed that poor maintenance culture and vandalism would not inspire old students to put more in infrastructures.

    Other elected officers at the homecoming are Mr. Ojo Olaniyi (General Secretary); Mr. Tope Adigun (Media and Publicity Secretary); Dr. Sola Ogunmola (Alumni/Government Liaison Officer); Arc. Bimbo Adeleye (Welfare Officer); Titilayo Ayinde (Treasurer); Oluwaseun Ogunleye (Financial Secretary) and Sanmi Olotua (Diaspora Co-ordinator).

  • Christ’s School Ado Ekiti – Future Not in Change of Ownership

    Christ’s School Ado Ekiti – Future Not in Change of Ownership

    We had thought that the issue of the future ownership of Christ’s School would be exclusively dealt with internally and not subject to media report or exposure. Being a sensitive issue many Alumni members have argued passionately either for retaining the present status of public ownership, returning it to its ‘original’ owner or concessioning it, as it were, to Ekiti Anglican Diocese in collaboration with Alumni members. Events in the last few days have prompted us to put the case openly to the public particularly stake holders comprising; parents, Alumni members and what is left of the ‘original’ owners.

    What are the facts:

    • During the contest for National Presidency of Alumni Association some years ago (leading contestant being Dr. Kayode Obembe and Chief Olusegun Ogunkua) these two illustrious Alumni members and their backers took different positions about the future ownership of the school. The Ogunkua group was supported by some alumni members particularly in North America. At the end of a keen competition, Dr Obembe emerged National President. He performed wonderfully, harnessing resources, putting his hands in his deep pockets, constructing new structures in the schools, renovating and refurbishing dilapidated buildings. There was a breath of fresh air into the activities not only in the Alumni Association worldwide but also within the administration of the two schools. Unfortunately, the administration was followed by another one headed by a respected woman, who for obvious reasons could not perform effectively. One significant outcome of the two regimes was that everybody seemed to have forgotten a change in the structure of the ownership of our schools
    1. The resurgence of the clamour for a change in the ownership came with the new administration of Sir Justus Imo Itsueli whose candidature was largely promoted by our worthy colleagues in Lagos plus a sizeable number of home branch leaders. The new administration assumed office believing rightly or wrongly that its core mandate was to get Christ’s School back to private hands, this contest includes Alumni members and they pursued this conviction with all hearts and soul.
    • It would appear that in pursuit of their goal, less attention have been drawn to more practical and mundane needs of the school e.g. maintenance and repair of the Alumni hall, and other structure yearning for attention.
    • Some decisions have been hurriedly achieved at less than exhaustive deliberations, affirming preconceived goal of ownership. Consequently at the midterm period of the National Association, not much was achieved except by Sets of Old Students for which we would remain externally grateful.
    • It is true Christ’s School was conceived and born by Archdeacon Dalimore, then head of Ekiti District Church Council. It is also true that the school was completely CMS, later Anglican when headed by successive principals; Chief Babalola, Acting High minister (1946) Canon Lesile Mason the Builder, Rufus Ogunlade, teacher of all times and various notable educators –Fasoroti, Lafihan, Agbebi, Bayode, up to our present Christopher Abe.
    1. Since Secondary Schools in old Ondo State (present Ekiti & Ondo States) were compulsorily acquired by Government, Christ’s School has her fair share of dislocation, loss of core values and in some cases the relics and some unkept structures. But since Ekiti State was created in 1996, there has been tremendous improvement in physical appearance, structures, ethos and general direction. This improvement has been due largely to the appointment of old students as principals. Significantly, all round improvements have been noticed as a result of active involvement and valuable contributions by Old Students.
    • With the above preliminary observations, there are two main issues to be addressed:
    • What is wrong with the present state of the school to warrant a change in ownership?
    • What is the performance of schools being managed presently by the proposed new owners? We shall attempt to analyze.
    • (a). Are the buildings and structures of the school condemnable to the extent that only new owners can rectify them?

    (b).       Is the performance of the school in public examinations getting poorer by the day?

    (c).        Is the reputation of the school dipping?

    (d).       Are notable Alumni members kept off from the School? In order words are Alumni members not building hostels, lecture theaters and staff quarters etc.?

    (e).       In short, what is in Christ’s School today that is repellant to erstwhile friends and admirers that cannot be rectified.

    9           (a). We are presuming that the recommended new owners (Church, Alumni members) are running privately owned schools today. What is the position, quality and general acceptance level that these schools possess that will make a new Christ’s School gravitate to their levels?

    (b).Is it school examination performance?

    (c). Student population?

    (d). Affordable and acceptable fees?

    (e) General acceptability by the public, etc?

    1. In summary, it is our view and conviction that the present ownership of Christ’s school should continue

    (a). In terms of admittance and accommodation, no private school owned by the envisaged new  proprietor can match Christ’s School. For example, Christ’s School has six arms in JSS 1, Christ’s Girls’ School six, while Anglican High School Ile Abiye has two arms in JSS 1

    (b). Arising from the above Is that while Christ’s School and Christ’s Girls’ School remain open to the ‘ordinary’ students and school fees affordable by ‘ordinary’ people, the situation will certainly not be possible in any other institution run by Anglican Church or the Alumni Association which can be classified as elite School on account of low attendance and high fees.

    (c)         The effective supervision of government owned schools in the last two years has shown positive results. The state moved up dramatically from the bottom of the national league to the top in public examinations. Observers have attributed this phenomenal progress to the close watch put in place by high government officials especially the Deputy Governor and the Commissioner for Education. The Christ’s School Group apparently is a beneficiary of this welcome development. Shall we now abandon this and plunge headlong into uncharted waters?

    (d)        We are not unaware that there is a document prepared by promoters of change of ownership with its claim to viability. Complete with data, figures and postulates, the paper paints a picture of viability and a gradual withdrawal of public ownership. Unfortunately, the document is unrealistic in an environment where the upkeep and maintenance of even the Alumni Hall is near-impossible by the National Association, in a society where local capital formation remains a dream and where the majority of the people eke out a living.

    (e)  Finally, let us continue to nurture our institution that will perpetually attract the fervor, emotion, commitment and attachment of former students to this citadel of learning where the total man (and woman) are built. Let us also learn to thank God for little mercies and not frenetically seek to topple the applecart.

     

    • Fasuan is of the 1946-51 Set. Elder Allen Alebiosu is of the 1959-63 Set.
  • ABUADTH: New vista in Nigeria’s medical sector

    ABUADTH: New vista in Nigeria’s medical sector

    Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti Teaching Hospital (ABUADTH), was officially inaugurated by the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday to train the university’s medical students and provide the best of health care services for the public. ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA reports that the provision of the facility is an answer to Nigerians’ penchant for medical tourism abroad. 

    The Founder/Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Emmanuel Ajisafe Babalola, is a man of class and taste. He is a man who has vision and is always determined to see his vision to fruition.

    In 2009, he began a project in what was then a jungle, which, however, has been transformed into a huge community that attracts people from all parts of the world.

    Nobody gave the octogenarian any chance when the foundation stone of the university was laid. Now the university has won accolades within and outside the country.

    That project was ABUAD, the first private university in the history of Ekiti State which the legendary educationist and lawyer had the opportunity of establishing in the nation’s economic nerve centre, Lagos or Ibadan, his former base where he began and nurtured his flourishing legal practice.

    ABUAD, which he planted as a mustard seed has grown into a multi-billion Naira empire that has provided employment opportunities for thousands of Nigerians and quality education for students from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Apart from the university, other ventures on the campus are ABUAD Farm, ABUAD Printing Press, ABUAD Inn, ABUAD Bakery, ABUAD Laundry and ABUAD International School, among others.

    The latest addition to the list is ABUAD Teaching Hospital, which was inaugurated amid pomp and ceremony on October 20 as part of activities marking the 5th Convocation of the university.

    In 2012, the authorities of ABUAD signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Medical Centre now known as the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti (FETHI), to train the university’s medical students.

    But instability and incessant face-off between FETHI workers and their management resulted in long strikes which affected medical training of ABUAD students.

    This fired up Babalola’s zeal to establish a teaching hospital to allow for a seamless training of ABUAD medical students and provision of quality health care delivery for Nigerians.

    Vice-Chancellor Prof. Michael Ajisafe described the teaching hospital is Babalola’s answer to decay in the nation’s medical sector which is plagued with a lot of problems.

    He said the hospital was commencing operations with free health services to residents, noting that between 300 and 500 people would benefit from the scheme between October 16 and October 20.

    According to him, the hospital boasts of modern equipment that can make performance of any medical operation or treatment possible.

    Ajisafe said: “What makes this hospital different from others is the calibre of members of staff that will man the hospital. In fact, the specialists have arrived and they will begin by administering daily treatment to between 300 and 500 people during the convocation week.

    “In that hospital, we have state-of-the-art equipment, most of which you cannot find anywhere in any Nigerian hospital. The time for patients to travel outside the country for medical treatment will soon be over.

    “Visitors have confessed to us that they have never seen some of the equipment in the hospital before. The doctors are some of the best medical minds and highly experienced in their fields. This will make you hold Aare Afe in high esteem.”

    He went on: “We have requested for $40 million, they have given us $20 million.”

    Kunle Olowu, a Professor of Medicine at ABUAD, who conducted our reporter on a facility tour of the teaching hospital, said the best of medical care had been brought nearer to Nigerians who spend billions of Naira every year to get medical remedy abroad.

    Olowu praised Babalola for conceiving the hospital, which he said would place Nigeria on the world map of quality medicine.

    He said: “What you are beholding is the effort of one great visionary who has endeavoured to put in so much so that life can be better. This will also stem the tide of Nigerians who go abroad for medical treatment.

    “This is not a government establishment, this is a product of wisdom, vision and dedication of one man who believes that money can be put to better use.

    “This will benefit so many Nigerians as they will travel down to Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital where they will get all they need.

    “He has done something that will stimulate other wealthy Nigerians to learn to do some good things with their money and not just keep it somewhere. What does it profit a man if you can’t leave the society better than you met it?

    “Definitely, we will continue to refer to the wisdom of our founder. Facilities available here are what you can’t find anywhere in Nigeria; I assure you that everything that could take you out of this country for medical treatment is here.

    “You can get transplant here; just name it and if we change our culture, we will learn to give organs when we know that there are facilities to put organs to good use.

    “We know that when some relatives need organs, many people run back but when you have facilities here, you will be encouraged to realise that you are not necessarily dying, that you are helping a brother to live.”

    Speaking on the required professionalism that ABUADTH can offer, Olowu said: “Experts in various specialties will come over and they will work together to make this place function.”

    On fears that the hospital was established for the rich, Olowu said: “The founder is not a man who will do something only for the rich. There will be special packages to meet the needs of everybody.

    “Arrangements will be made to accommodate those who have in excess and those who have marginally and those who do not have. We will always be our brothers’ keepers.”

    At the inauguration of the hospital on Friday, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who was represented by the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, hailed Babalola for his service to humanity and commitment to education, health and social development.

    Osinbajo noted that the hospital,  which provide health care delivery on virtually all fields of medicine, would reduce the rate at which Nigerians travel abroad to seek medical succour.

    Osinbajo praised Babalola for his vision and love for humanity, noting that the construction of the world-class hospital was a “watershed in the history of the nation.”

    He said: “This hospital will go a long way in conserving funds being spent by Nigerians on medical trips abroad. With this, Nigerians can now be treated by Nigerians.”

  • Disquiet in Ekiti varsity over alleged underground recruitment, contracts

    Disquiet in Ekiti varsity over alleged underground recruitment, contracts

    …VC: It’s not true

    Alleged underground recruitment of hundreds of new workers and award of contracts without due process is causing tension at Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti.

    Some workers of the university are accusing the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Samuel Oye Bandele of “secretly” recruiting more staff without the knowledge of the Visitor, Governor Ayo Fayose.

    Workers who spoke in confidence also accused Bandele of purchasing ten new cars, awarding contracts to his wife, Mrs. Comfort Titilayo Bandele, and taking her on official foreign tours “when she is not an official of the university.”

    Workers, in leaflets distributed on campus, accused the VC of engaging in “frivolous overseas trips” alleging that he had engaged in not less than ten foreign tours within one year of assumption of office.

    The staff also accused the VC of renovating his residence to the tune of N20 million and appointing his wife as Director of EKSU Water, a business venture of the university.

    They alleged that the VC’s wife is in charge of admissions, contracts and employments and influencing the appointments of several indigenes of her hometown, Itapa-Ekiti into the university.

    Defending his integrity, Bandele described the allegations as “lies from the pit of hell.”

    He accused some former workers who were dismissed for forgery and certificate racketeering as the brains behind the allegations.

    According to him, seven of them were sacked after being indicted in the scandal.

    Bandele denied recruiting 300 staff “secretly” saying only 15 new workers were employed since the last major recruitment exercise of last year.

    Bandele denied the allegation that his wife is in charge of admissions, contracts and employments and her appointment as Director of EKSU Water

    He admitted going on foreign official trips with his wife which he said were done on economy class rather than business class to which he is entitled.

    Bandele said: “This place was a den of corrupt people selling certificates and don’t expect that these people will be my friend.

    “There are evil people here, they don’t want the university to grow; before I came to office, there was a cabal here. In fact, they forged my signature and these people have been dismissed.

    “Last year, we recruited 300 but some people alleged that we recruited 700 or 1,000; these are lies because since the recruitment of last year, we have only recruited 15 persons to fill some vacancies.”

    Speaking on foreign tours with his wife, Bandele said: “I will continue to travel (abroad) with my wife because I will not travel with somebody else’s wife.

    “Some women here are not happy that I did not take them along and I have no apology for travelling with my wife whether local or overseas. If I travel with my wife, why are they angry?

    “We travel by economy class even when I am entitled to business class but I write for a waiver because I don’t want to defraud the university.

    “When I came on board, I told the Procurement Officer not to give any contract to my wife. She has not taken a kobo contract.”

  • Day drivers’ union shut down Ado-Ekiti

    Day drivers’ union shut down Ado-Ekiti

    In Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital penultimate Monday and Tuesday, members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) unleashed terror on residents and damaged property worth millions of Naira. They were protesting Governor Ayo Fayose’s arrest, detention and arraignment of one of their members. ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA reports. 

    Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, was in turmoil penultimate week when members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) held the city by the jugular.

    The commercial drivers declared ‘war’ on Governor Ayo Fayose who they accused of victimising one of their members, Ahmed Kolo. Kolo was arrested, arraigned in court and remanded in prison custody since September 27 at an Ado-Ekiti Magistrate’s Court for allegedly attempting to knock down Fayose with his car.

    Police prosecutor Sergeant Monica Ikebuilo told the court that the defendant committed the offence on September 24 at Ijigbo Street in Ado-Ekiti.

    She alleged that the defendant, on the said date, unlawfully attempted to murder Fayose by hitting his car.

    Ikebuilo said she had duplicated and forwarded his casefile to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.

    According to her, the offence contravened Section 320 of the Criminal Code Cap C 16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2008.

    The plea of the defendant was not taken as his counsel; Mrs Felicia Nwandichi sought a short date of adjournment pending the determination of advice from the DPP.

    The presiding Magistrate, Mrs. Dolapo Akosile ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody till the outcome of the DPP’s legal advice.

    When the case came up for hearing on October 9, Kolo’s remand was renewed by the court, an action that did not go down well with his colleagues who claimed to have made representations to the governor to plead on their colleague’s behalf.

    It was the innocent residents of Ado-Ekiti that were at the receiving end of the “big fight” between Fayose and the drivers’ union.

    The face-off between still remains a mystery to residents because of the good “working relationship” between the two parties.

    The drivers are one of the important stakeholders of the Fayose administration and they always play one role or the other anytime the state is celebrating one ceremony or the other.

    But it seems the relationship between them had gone awry over the governor’s treatment of one of their own.

    Guns boomed. Traffic, commercial and social activities were paralysed as business centres and schools were closed as the drivers moved from one location to the other. They attacked and damaged several vehicles belonging to innocent residents.

    The Ado-Ikere Highway was blocked for several hours and vehicles were unable to get to their destinations. The drivers used a trailer to block the road at Assumpta area which caused traffic gridlock.

    The members of the NURTW continued their violent protest early on Tuesday as many residents who were on their way to their workplaces and schools were turned back when the suspected hoodlums blocked the dual carriage way at Akure Garage.

    The drivers shot into the air and wielded dangerous weapons such as bottles, cutlasses, axes and charms as they hurled stones at the anti-riot policemen who were deployed in the area to quell the crisis.

    They placed fetish objects, broken bottles,  stones and barricades on the road; chanting anti-Fayose songs. The presence of riot policemen did not deter them as they dared the security agents to shoot at them.

    The drivers lit bonfires in places such as Ajebamidele, Akure Garage, Ijigbo Roundabout, Matthew Junction, Okeyinmi, Ajibade Garage, Irona, Atikankan and Oke-Ila.

    Motorists and motorcyclists took alternative routes with many of them plying roads already damaged by erosion. Gunshots were heard at Ijigbo, Ajilosun and Akure Garage areas which caused panic in the neighbourhoods.

    Traders, who had displayed their wares hurriedly closed their stalls and fled when they heard gunshots fired by the drivers. Erekesan and Bisi markets suddenly became ghost of themselves with thick smokes from the tyres used to make the bonfires billowing into the sky.

    Schools were shut early and parents had to hurry to the various schools in order to withdraw their kids. Innocent commuters passing through Ado-Ekiti had harrowing stories to tell.

    A billboard depicting the picture of Fayose endorsing his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, as his successor located in New Garage was vandalised. Another giant billboard bearing the picture of Fayose which was installed by the Chairman of Ado-Ekiti Local Government Area, Mr. Ayodeji Ogunsakin, was also destroyed by members of the drivers’ union.

    Those passing through the Akure Garage area were forced to raise their hands before being allowed passage by riot policemen stationed in the area.

    Some member of the NURTW alleged that one of the members of the union was shot by the police at Ajilosun area. He declined to reveal the hospital where the alleged victim was rushed to.

    The driver said: “One of us was shot at Ajilosun very close to Fayose Market. There is no way we won’t revenge the killing. We are even going to burn down police station if that boy dies.”

    A younger sister of Founder/Chancellor, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola, Mrs. Florence Olukolade, told our correspondent that the commercial drivers damaged her Toyota Avensis car with registration number AKR 657 FW.

    Mrs. Olukolade revealed that the drivers forcibly removed her car key and fled after the vehicle was vandalised. She further revealed that the hoodlums damaged six other vehicles.

    She said: “At 11:30 a.m. today (Tuesday), I was coming from Akure and I saw row of vehicles. We wanted to turn back but the policemen passed our vehicle and the next thing that happened was that these boys just came and ordered us to stop.

    “They ordered us to surrender the car key and my son who was driving surrendered the key. They were pushing us, threatening that they will shoot us. There was a man they wanted to stab with their cutlass.

    “In the course of the confusion, I ran into a nearby house, I fell down and was injured. About six vehicles, including mine, were damaged.

    “I had reported the incident at Ologede Police Station along Ikere Road.”

    Addressing reporters on the incident, Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Modupe Alade, said the NURTW leadership had already reached out to the governor to resolve the crisis.

    She said the detained driver was rude to the governor. He was arrested and taken to court for traffic offence, when he refused to apologise to the governor.

    Mrs. Alade said: “The driver drove recklessly against the convoy and he was arrested. Rather than apologise, he was rude to the governor.

    The governor asked them to come and apologise, but they refused.

    “The governor, as a no-nonsense person won’t tolerate any threat from anybody. And not until he apologised, he won’t be released.”

    Police spokesman Alberto Adeyemi, refuted the claim of the NURTW men that one of them was shot.

    Adeyemi said: “Let me make it clear, nobody was shot by our men and we have not even arrested anybody.

    “We are dialoguing with the leadership of the drivers’ union and we are sure that the matter will be resolved soon.”

    Many residents of Ado-Ekiti who were panic-stricken because of the bloody clash did not go out on Wednesday to avoid being caught in crossfire.

    But the victims are still counting their losses; those whose cars were smashed and those who sustained injuries during the two-day mayhem. So also were traders who could not open for businesses for the two days.

    The NURTW leadership led by the state chairman, Mr. Clement Adekola, on Wednesday signed an undertaking to maintain peace while Fayose promised to release the detained driver from prison.

  • Student’s death sparks violence in Ekiti

    Student’s death sparks violence in Ekiti

    A health centre and properties worth millions of naira were destroyed in a protest by students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti (ADO POLY) in Ekiti State, following the death of a Higher National Diploma (HND) student, Oluwafemi Vincent Taiwo. The protesters alleged that their colleague died as a result of negligence at the school’s health centre. The management denied any wrongdoing, shutting down the school indefinitely. SOLOMON ODENIYI reports.

    Students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti (ADO POLY) in Ekiti State went wild last Saturday, destroying the school’s property in a protest that followed the death of a student identified as Oluwafemi Vincent Taiwo.

    In the rampage, the students torched the school’s health centre. Afterwards, they moved to the highway leading to the institution, destroying properties and smashing windscreens of vehicles. They also went on a looting binge at the polytechnic’s poultry, stealing eggs and chickens.

    They blamed Vincent’s death on negligence by the school clinic workers, alleging that the victim was not attended to hours after he arrived at the facility.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the late Vincent, a Higher National Diploma (HND) Estate Management student, had gone to the health centre last Friday and complained of a severe headache and chest pain.

    He was said to be left unattended to before his condition got worse. On noticing that they could not handle his treatment, the school clinic workers reportedly referred the student to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital.

    However, his family members were said to have discharged him forcefully after being neglected by doctors at the teaching hospital.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the late Vincent was later taken to his hometown, Ikole-Ekiti, where he later died on Saturday morning

    A close friend of the deceased, who pleaded for anonymity, told CAMPUSLIFE: “Vincent took himself to the school health centre, but he was not given proper treatment. He was only injected with sleeping syrup. Immediately he woke up, he could not move any of his body parts. It was then he was rushed to the Teaching Hospital.

    “Even at the Teaching Hospital, he was not attended to because he had no National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) plan. Yet, the hospital was not ready to release him and would not treat him either. It was the next day his brother forcefully discharged him so that he could be taken to a private hospital in Ikole-Ekiti.”

    In response to the violence, the management of Ado Poly shut the school indefinitely to prevent further breakdown of law and order. It ordered all students out of the campus.

    A top management staff member, who was not permitted to talk to the press on the matter, absolved the school from wrongdoing when he spoke to our correspondent.

    He said: “The student was discovered to be an ulcer patient when he was taken to the health centre. At that time, his pulse was low. So, the health centre workers rushed him to the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital. By the morning when the management members got there, the student had been taken away by a man whose relationship with the deceased we don’t know as I speak to you.

    “The late student was taken away against medical advice. We learnt the person was made to sign an undertaking, which he did. The deceased was taken away alive from the Teaching Hospital but died later. How that becomes the problem of the school remains a mystery.”

    A student of the polytechnic, who was at the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital last Friday, told CAMPUSLIFE the deceased was in pain before he was taken away by his family members. According to the student, whose dad is on admission at the Teaching Hospital, the late Vincent pleaded with his brother to take him away because of the pain.

    The president of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Samuel Dairo, condemned the violence. He said although there were complaints by students about the poor care and attention they got at the health centre, there was no justification for the violence.

    He said: “I was outside the campus when I got information about the violence. By the time I got to the health centre, I saw the building on fire. Students were all over, destroying property. The situation could not be controlled again by SUG officials, even though we made an effort to stop the protesters. We condemned the violence. Whatever happened is not for anyone to take the law into his own hands.”

    Reacting, the Rector, Dr. Theresa Akande, denied the claim of negligence by the students.

    She said: “The allegation that when they got there (health centre), they were not given proper care is not true, because I use the health centre myself. I go there many times unannounced and if there had been lapses, I would have noticed.”

    The rector said Vincent did not die at the health centre or Teaching Hospital, wondering why the students destroyed the school property.

    According to the rector, Vincent was brought into the health centre on Friday morning “seriously ill”.

    She said: “The deceased was given attention at the health centre. He was admitted, because we have admission facilities. Towards evening, it was noticed that his condition was deteriorating and immediately, he was taken to the Teaching Hospital accompanied by a nurse.

    “According to them, they stabilised him, but to their shock, yesterday (Saturday) morning, somebody who claimed to be the brother came and discharged him forcibly and said he was going to take care of him.”

    To forestall further violence, the management shut the school and inaugurated a seven-man panel of inquiry to unravel the cause of the violence and take stock of things destroyed.

    The management, on Monday, proscribed the SUG and suspended all the union activities till further notice. The decision to suspend the students’ body was reached after a meeting with the suspended union executive members and some student leaders of the institution.

     

  • Afe Babalola seeks emergency fund for education

    Afe Babalola seeks emergency fund for education

    Founder, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, has advocated a national emergency fund to address the challenges of inadequate funding of the education sector.

    He suggested a minimum of 26 per cent of the national budget or four per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) yearly to the sector.

    Chief Babalola made the call on Tuesday while delivering the keynote address at the 32nd Conference of the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU), hosted by the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete.

    Speaking on the topic: “University management and economic Change: The Nigerian educational system perspective,” he said: “To rapidly catch up with the rest of the world in terms of quality education, there is a need to designate a significant portion of annual budgets to education.”

    He added that the government must be committed to revitalise and supporting public universities.

    Babalola also stressed the need for an end in the incessant industrial actions in public universities in the country, to bring about stable academic calendar. He also pointed out that “the private universities are generally not vulnerable to the many common ills of public universities.”the AVCNU Chairman, Prof Debo Adeyewa, urged governments at all levels to fund education adequately.

    Adeyewa, the Vice Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, also charged university administrators to come up with solutions to the “problems of paucity of finance, deficit of knowledge infrastructure, governance, policy inconsistency and other solutions relevant to the needs of society’’.

    He said the employability of graduates, entrepreneurship, quality assurance, relevance to sustainable development, climate change, leveraging on Information Communication Technology (ICT) and open education resources and international collaboration in the Nigerian university system were some of the challenges confronting the universities.

    “We need to address the nagging questions to ensure the provision of functional and quality education required for national development in the 21st century through our universities.”

    Declaring the conference open, Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed urged the vice chancellors to promote real research instead of the book reviews.

    Represented by the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Hajia Amina Ahmed also spoke of the need to match the training with the needs of the society.

    “It is only through pragmatic approach that we can guarantee sustainable growth in our country. Unless and until we graduate students as job creators, our saturated market of unemployable youths can at best remain time bombs that would do us no good,” he said.

    Earlier, Vice Chancellor of KWASU, Prof Abdulrasheed Na’Allah urged university administrators to collaborate with government to stop incessant strike actions by lecturers.

    Na’Allah added that most lecturers don’t treat their students like clients, saying the unfriendly treatment would not allow the students to give back to their alumni after their graduation.

    “If we are determined have 21st century universities, we have to ensure that our universities are theatres of research. There cannot be development without universities. Nigerian universities have no other cause but to change the fortune of Nigeria.

    “This nation is spending heavily on university education, yet we don’t have anything to show for it,” the vice chancellor added.