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  • Kogi varsity to matriculate first set of students Tuesday

    Kogi varsity to matriculate first set of students Tuesday

    The management of Kogi State University, Kabba will on Tuesday, January 16 matriculate its first set of students. 

    A statement signed by the institution’s registrar, Dr J.U. Amodu explained that the institution was established by the administration of Yahaya Bello with a charter from the National Universities Commission (NUC) on June 26, 2023.

    Amodu said: “With the admission of candidates into its twenty-five (25) bachelor’s degree programmes, the University commenced its 2023/2024 academic session on Monday 8th January 2024 with a Faculty model consisting of three Faculties including; Administration, Management, and Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities, and Science & Computing.

    Read Also: Kogi Governor Bello dissolves exco

    “The Matriculation ceremony will commence at 10 am at the permanent site of the University with the Executive Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello as the Special Guest of Honour.

    “Other invited guests include top government functionaries, royal fathers, heads of other higher institutions, heads of security agencies, parents/guardians, friends of the university, and the press.

    “The university also takes the privilege of this communication to assure candidates and their well-wishers of the commitment of the Vice-Chancellor and members of Management to make our young scholars globally competitive, nationally respected, and locally relevant as he wishes them remarkable success in their academic and life pursuits.”

  • KSU Mass Comm. to feature in Igala Cultural Festival

    The annual African Communication festival by the Department of Mass Communication, Kogi State University (KSU), will be incorporated into the forthcoming Igala Cultural Festival.

    This was announced by the Administrator of Idah Local Government Hilary Edime Amoduwho.

    The exercise is a practical extension of the course-African Communication Systems, offered by 100-Level students of Theatre Arts, Library and Information Science and Mass Communication. The course tagged: ‘MAC 109’introduces students to the African’s modus operandi of communication in the pre- radio, television and newspapers era.

    This years’ event was therefore not different; as participants displayed African values and culture such as child birth and naming; attires and a folk tale session, among others

    “I had been enthused by the performance of the students’ troupes so far. I’m using this medium to invite you for a live performance during the Igala Cultural Festival, which I’ll be hosting shortly,” said Idah who was the special guest at this year’s edition.

    Vice Chancellor of KSUState Prof Muhammed Abdulkadir, praised the Head of the Department, Dr Gabriel Ottah, for not just teaching the course but ensuring that students participate in the practical aspect. This, he noted, would further entrench in them the love for African culture and communication.

    Abdulkadir who was represented by his Deputy (Administration), Prof Taiye Oluwagbemi,  said other universities had begun to adopt the approach already being used in KSU’s Mass Communication department.

    Said Abdulkadir: “Based on our assessment, it is debatable to say that other universities have begun to adopt the approach already being used in the Department of Mass Communication. We’ll continue to take the lead role in ensuring that all tertiary institutions within and outside Kogi are fully impacted by our positive vibes in this regards.

    Chairman of the occasion Prof Dave Menegbe, expressed joy that African culture was being revived through the programme.

    He said: “There is a big difference between culture and fetish practices. It’s high time we started seeing African culture as the decent and morally upright exhibitions of the typical African as against evil practices like killing of twins, female genital mutilation and dangerous widowhood rites we have been fed with overtime. I therefore, called on other universities in Nigeria and Africa to key into the celebration of African Communication Systems so as to revive the rather obscure values of our culture.

    Earlier in his welcome address, Head of the Department of Mass Communication, Dr Gabriel Ottah thanked the students and the guests for the attendance and support.

  • Anambra NYSC gains: members propose marriage, some quit cultism

    It is not all bad news. In Anambra State, members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) find love in camp, some rethink fleeing the country and some quit the cults. EMMA ELEKWA reports

    The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has sometimes fallen into bad weather but those clamouring for its scrapping should consider its gains in Anambra State.

    At the NYSC temporary orientation camp in Umunya, Oyi local council area of the state, over 2,048 corps members demonstrated the whole essence of the scheme, including the spirit of selfless service, unity, integration and patriotism.

    In the just concluded three weeks orientation exercise of 2019 Batch ‘A’ corps members, a marriage contract was initiated among two of the corps members.

    The corps members, Ojodomo Aneh and Victoria Ayodele, both from Kogi State and graduates of Accountancy from Kogi State University, made proposals of love with rings in the presence of their colleagues during the orientation exercise.

    Besides, eight corps members publicly denounced their membership of cult groups.

    Again, no fewer than 15 of them also publicly gave up irregular migration, while others publicly embraced the Nigerian culture for the first time.

    Speaking to The Nation, NYSC State Coordinator, Kehinde Aremu, attributed the landmark achievements to trust and team spirit existing among camp officials.

    He said, “I want to thank God for all the peculiar achievements we’ve been able to record in this camp. God helped us in such a way that we were able to mentor and in the process get two corps members to renounce publicly and we have every confidence that they have finally renounced cultism.

    “We also have about six corps members who gave up publicly and we have every good reason to believe they have finally given up to hard drugs, particularly marijuana.

    “Again, we have about 15 corps members who publicly gave up to irregular migration. That desire to leave the shores of Nigeria has diminished after being exposed to the enormous opportunities and potentials in the country and Anambra State in particular. They have jettisoned the idea of migrating out of the country.

    “More importantly, two of our corps members, even though they have met before they came to camp, posterity brought them together in Anambra State. There was a public declaration of love and proposal with rings witnessed by their colleagues.

    “Yes I know that lots of relationships got established in camp. I’m also aware that some of them are flippant relationships.

    “But I have every good reason to believe that that particular one between Ojodoma will stand the test of time and we’ll all be witnesses to the wedding that the relationship will culminate to.”

    According to him, the corps members also exhibitted certain level of patriotism, commitment and creativity as they contributed their talents and expertise in making the camp more conducive and habitable.

    He continued, “We also saw corps members rising. When we arrived for this camp, we were discouraged as a result of windstorm that wreaked havoc on some of the camp facilities.

    “But we saw corps members coming to join us to rectify some of those facilities that were destroyed. That singular gesture gave us hope.

    “For me as the Coordinator and as a youth worker, it gladdens my heart when I see corps members willingly responding to our call. It gives me joy.”

    Asked how he was able to record such huge strides in less than three weeks, Aremu attributed it to trust and team spirit.

    He said, “One of the things I learnt early in life is to mobilize people and to build trust in them. Building trust is very fundamental in leadership.

    “One of the things we’ve done is to set agenda. We insisted everyone knows the role each person needs to play in a project.

    “Assign responsibilities looking at individual capabilities and training capacities. Trust and support them to bring out the best in them. I have a team and we try to build team spirit. For me, my main achievement since I resumed duty in Anambra is not the facilities I put up, but building a team.

    “I tell you, the team we have in Anambra can’t be beaten by any secretariat in the country. We can accomplish virtually anything we set our eyes and heart to do. For us, noting is impossible. We work as a team, no rancor, bickering and acrimony.

    “Besides, one other thing that has worked for me which I recommend to anyone in leadership position is to live kind of life you preach. Don’t say something and do something contrary.

    “The reason why young Nigerians don’t want to participate in politics or deviant to leadership is because of lack of trust. Leaders will say something and do another thing.

    “Until we get leaders that say what they mean and mean what they say, we’ll discover that it’s not difficult to rally young people. They hate people that lie to them.

    “For example, the moment they arrived camp, I took time to explain to them the inadequacies of the camp. There’s no adequate water, electricity, rain destroyed some of our roofs.

    “I didn’t tell them this is Hilton. I didn’t promise them heaven on earth. That was why they didn’t complain. Besides, those that have expertise, how to fix roof, wire electricity, offered their services. That helped us to achieve all we were able to achieve.

    Read Also: NYSC Co-ordinator eyes new camp

    “When we caught the cultists among them, I took time to explain to them about the ills of cultism, drug abuse and they were excited. Their parents are calling to thank me.

    “One of them came with his entire family all the way from Delta to express gratitude. The father confessed they had battled over their child for years without success. But God helped us.”

    On how they were able to identify the suspected cultists among other corps members, the Coordinator said the feat was achieved in collaboration with the security agencies.

    “In this place, we have the police, the DSS and other security personnel. We also have a surveillance movement. There’s a place for everyone to be at every point in time.

    “If you’re not there, like we say in NYSC, you’re wrong. So if any of is not where he/she is supposed to be at that time, that means something is fishy.

    “Our survilance team, DSS are always working underground. They go with the corps members to parade, eat together, discuss in the hostel together, etc. With that, they can easily provide information on where and how to get them,” he posited.

    Asked how measured being taken ensure the repentant corps members did not return to their old lives, Aremu revealed that they would be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies (NDLEA) for proper follow-up.

    He said, ”It’s not all about me. We work with NDLEA. We’ve uploaded them to the NDLEA for follow up. The Agency used to have facility in Onitsha. Now they have one in Awka.

    “We already have a programme for them. They are now the vanguards to be preaching to younger people. In other words, we’ve upscaled them from being drug users to drug educators and influencers.

    “They will be working with NDLEA to visiting schools, including higher institutions in the state to educate young people. You know, when young people hear from their colleagues tell them their experiences, they appreciate it more.”

  • Four injured as hoodlums attack students’ hostel, in Kogi

    A gang of hoodlums has  attacked Kogi State University, Anyigba and dispossessed students of their phones among other valuables.

    The attack took place at one of the school hostels (MH Block 20, Phase One, Room Two) located at the outskirt of the varsity. About four students were said to have sustained injuries during the attack.

    It was gathered that the hoodlums gained entry into the school premises at about  9pm  and broke into the hostels where they beat up the students. Some of the students escaped from the attack and alerted the school security officers, but the hoodlums fled before the security agents could arrive the scene.

    “It was like the hoodlums got entry through the back gate of the school at about 9am and broke into the hostels. They beat up and collected handsets. Most of us sustained heartbreaks from the attack. We are calling on the school authority to liaise with the Police to beef up security in the school,” the students lamented.

    Read also: NLNG, Dangote, others get awards

    It was further gathered the hoodlums also stabbed a student (name withheld) four days after the first attack inside the school premises.

    A source told this reporter that the attack was an eyesore as he managed to escape the fireceness of these armed hefty men.

    He said: “We were relaxing in our room when we heard a loud bang at our main door. At first, we thought it was the usual noise from some of our neighbours because, most of the time, they usually play some pranks on us especially at night falls. To our amazement, the bang gets louder and persistent that my brother had to peep through the window to confirm what situation was outside.

    “On peeping through the window, he saw heftymen beating his motorcycle packed outside with sticks. Immediately, he dashed to lock the door at the backyard. Later, these heftymen forced their way in and started beating us with cutlasses among other weapons. They collected our phones and other valuables with us and threatened to kill us if we dare raise an alarm against them. It was really an eyesore.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Students Union Government, Thomas Emmanuel, told this reporter that the situation is under control.

    “We’ve taken the case to the school management and the security unit respectively and they promise to provide maximum security as from now onward. As I speak, one armed policeman will be on guard to secure this premises from further attacks,” he said.

    All efforts to reach the school management by this reporter on this matter prove abortive at the time this report was filed.

  • Kogi donates buses to seven tertiary institutions

    •     Approves N1.6b for KSU medical college’s accreditation

    Seven tertiary institutions in Kogi State have received Ashok Leyland 32-seater buses donated from the government for academic use.

    They are Kogi State University (KSU), Kogi State College of Education, Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, Kogi State College of Nursing and Midwifery, Kogi State College of Education Technical, and Kogi Sate College of Science and Health Technology in Idah.

    The government described education as “important programme” to the achievement of its agenda for the state, noting that the sector had never witnessed the required investment until the advent of the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello.

    Delivering the buses to the representatives of the school, Commissioner for Transport Muhammed Awal said: “Not only has the governor fulfilled his promise to our students across Nigeria to pay their bursary allowances, it also went further to increase the bursary by 300 per cent.”

    He added that the governor  was committed to improving the  well-being of students by employing qualified academic staff.

    Awal said 27 medical students of KSU were successfully transferred to three accredited universities on the government’s scholarship.

    KSU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Abdulkadir Mohammed, who responded on behalf of heads of other institutions, hailed the government for the gesture.

    He said: “The vehicles will go a long way in helping students and lecturers in research and other academic activities.

    In another development, the government approved over N1.6 billion to strengthen infrastructure in the state-owned University Teaching Hospital in Anyigba. The fund was to facilitate accreditation of the hospital, it was learnt.

    The approval, which was done at the end of Executive Council meeting, is also to cover expenses for some projects at the College of Health Sciences of the Kogi State University (KSU).

    The Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Saka Haruna, said that the council also approved over N900m as annual recurrent expenditure for the smooth accreditation of courses in the university’s health faculty and colleges.

    According to him, the approval serves as long term measure to ensure that the state expose its citizens to the best medical training. The approval, he said, would also cover for the clinical training of the medical students through the Federal Ministry of Health.

  • KSU students decry ‘No Fees, No Exams’ policy

    Students of Kogi State University (KSU) on Monday staged a peaceful protest against the “No fees, No Exams” policy restricting students from writing the ongoing semester examination in the varsity.

    According to the Public Relations Officer of the Students Union Government (SUG), Emmanuel Thomas “The school management has earlier passed a memoranda of understanding to inform the students beforehand in order to ensure strict adherence on or before the stipulated time for the examination.”

    Thomas further expressed his gratitude to the school management for their cooperation and urged the students to comply with the directive in order to achieve a mutually beneficial relationship.

    “Students should adhere strictly to the school management’s directive as efforts have been made to see that all students write the ongoing exams.”

    The students, who took to the Idachaba Lecture Theater of the institution, disrupted those writing Exam before returning to other faculties of the institution to continue the agitation.

    Read Also: KSU Medical Students protest over non-accreditation of Course

    One of the protesters, who spoke on the condition of anonymity with our reporter, said “Some students were denied access to the Examination hall today in spite of the fact that the state government led by Governor Yahaya Bello has not paid workers.”

    Another aggrieved student who don’t want to be mentioned said “Some students who had not fully paid their school fees were the ones protesting and the School management has been so determined to ensure strict adherence to the “No School Fees, No Exams” policy.”

    According to him, “The students should have been allowed to write the ongoing examinations because the government has failed to play their role by paying our parents as at when due.”

    In a recent development, the school management has passed a memo to allow defaulters write the exams on a condition deemed fit for the students to comply with if they must be considered.

     

  • Kogi varsity students decry delayed results

    Kogi State University (KSU) students have expressed grievances with the delay in the compilation and release of their results by some departments.

    The students said the tactics employed by the affected departments had brought pains and agony to them, wondering why there should be a delay in the collation of final year students’ results.

    The affected departments include Mass Communication, Economics, and all the departments in the Faculty of Education, except Library and Information Science. With the delayed results, many students would be left out of mobilisation for the National Youth Service.

    Some of the affected students, who spoke with CAMPUSLIFE, expressed their displeasure, urging the management to sanction the departments.

    A graduating Law student, who identified himself as Premium, said the management must do something fast about the issue.

    He said: “I hope the school addresses the issue and does something fast about this. Law programme that should not exceed five years has turned out to be six years, courtesy of strikes and results issues. Months after finishing our final examination, our results are yet to be released. This means we cannot proceed to Law School. I am tired of everything.”

    Jeff Friday, a 400-Level Political Science student, described the situation as pathetic, saying: “I am in final year but I have only seen my 100-Level results; no other results have been released since 200-Level.”

    He added: It is so pathetic. The management appeared unperturbed, leaving the students to suffer the agony of withheld results. The worst part is that, those guys coming to ask us to vote for them during students’ union elections represent their own personal interest without standing firm to address some of these key issues affecting the generality of students.”

    Musa Omale, a graduate, faulted the Students Union Government (SUG) for its inability to address the issue with the management.

    He said: “To have this whole issue resolved and settled, we need a credible SUG leadership that can stand for the truth and fight for the interest of the students. And if the school fails to conduct the SUG election this time around, then it should be left for all the departmental presidents to stand up and speak for the students they are representing.”

    Bidemi Ibiyanmi, a yet to be mobilised graduate of Mass Communication, said explaining the situation to his parents was tougher than awaiting for the results. He urged his department to fast-track the process.

    “I failure is due to the management’s inability to discharge its duty efficiently. It appears the school lacks technological expertise to management this important part of academic activities. Some departments claim the results were delayed because the database crashed down without being backed up,” he said.

    An academic staff, who pleaded for anonymity, said the management was “seriously working hard to see to the end of these lapses”.

    He said: “The school has been working to ensure that this whole issue is addressed. We are experiencing little hitches in the system because of the method adopted in terms of collation of results which is a bit slow but efforts have been made to see that all things are put in place to ensure that the terminal results are released on time.”

     

  • Kogi Varsity Students decry delay in result collation

    Students of Kogi State University have expressed their grievances toward the delay in the compilation and releasing of result as at when due in the institution.

    While it is the dream of every student to see the dividend for hard work via a well-defined system that will further facilitate a sense of development in line with the sound academic life of the learners, the current system of education in Kogi State University have failed to bring such dream to fruition occasioned by a beehive of hitches experienced in the collation of terminal results among other excesses that has devalued the system since 2016.

    The above issue has led students in  some departments such as Mass Communication, Economics, and all the departments in the Faculty of Education (aside Library and Information Science)  who graduated January last year to be ostracize from  the recent mobilization for the compulsory one year national youth service .

    Some of the students who spoke with CAMPUSLIFE expressed their displeasure in the malady that is impeding on the progress of the institution. The students urged the management to put a nip in the bud by doing the needful.

    A Law graduate who identified himself as Premium Prime urged the management to do something fast about the issue.

    “I pray they do something fast about this. Law program of five years turned out to be Six  years instead, courtesy of strikes and related issues and after graduation here were are, no Law school no NYSC till now…just tired of everything” he said.

    Read Also: Kogi varsity gets N500m for courses’ accreditation

    Jeff Friday,  a 400 level  political science student the CEO of the student Facebook page also lend his voice on the issue, describing it as pathetic. “I am in 400 level but have seen just 100 level result, and is so pathetic. The management appeared nonplussed, leaving the students at their mercy.

    “The worst part is that those guys coming to ask us to vote for them for SUG are going to represent their own personal interest without standing firm to address some of these key issues affecting the students,” he said.

    In tandem with Friday submission, Omale Musa Usman, an alumnus of the school who spoke with CAMPUSLIFE  faulted the lapses experienced in the system on the inability of the Student Union Government to address the issue as at when due.

    According to him, “To have this whole issue resolved and settled, we need a credible SUG president who can stand for the students and fight for the interest of the students. “And if the school failed management fails to conduct the SUG election this time around then it will be left for all the departmental presidents to stand up and speak for the students they are representing.

    Also, a yet  to be mobilized  Mass Communication graduate who who identified himself Bidemi Ibiyanmi, said Trying to explain to friends and family why you haven’t seen your results or haven’t been mobilized for the NYSC is tougher than awaiting the results itself.

    Ibiyanmi clamored for more professional hands in the system so as to fast track the whole process. “I think it’s due to the school management inability to discharge her duty. More also, they lack adequate advancement in technology, because, some departments claim that the results were delayed because the system cracked down without a backup.

    Meanwhile, in a recent interview with one of the staff of the school who craves anonymity revealed that the school management is seriously working hard to see to the end of these lapses its system.

    “The management has been seriously working to ensure that this whole issue is nip to the bud. We are experiencing little hitches in the system because of the method adopted in terms of collation of results which is a bit slow but efforts have been made to see that all things are put in place to ensure that the terminal results are released on time.”

  • Excitement as Kogi students get bursary payment

    It was a celebration galore in the Ayingba campus of the Kogi State University as the indigenous students of the state on Wednesday received bursary alerts.

    A student who got a bank alert of about N11, 000 confirmed the state government has commenced bursary payment.

    It be recalled that the Kogi state government as part of its “New direction government” promised all indigenous students in the state a fixed sum for their bursary allowances.

    Owing to some hitches, the government delayed the process which led to some students making known their displeasure over the state government inability to stick to the agreed date set for the payment.

    Read Also: Why we are not paying salaries regularly – Kogi Govt

    Our reporter also confirmed the payment from some students on one of the whatsapp group platforms where those who have received theirs shared their excitement.

    The government urged students to exercise patience as the payments will be done batch by batch owing to the large number of students who registered for the scheme.

     

  • Imane: A community’s life in drama

    Final year theatre Arts students of the Kogi State University (KSU) in Ayingba have presented a play that depicted the life and challenges of Imane, a neglected Igala community in Olamaboro Local Government Area, where the natives lack basic amenities.The play is in fulfilment of the requirements for a compulsory course – Community Theatre. MOHAMMED YABAGI reports.

    Life in Imane, a sprawling town in Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, was the theme of a play  by Theatre Arts students of Kogi State University (KSU) in Ayingba. The play is in fulfilment of the requirements for a compulsory course – Community Theatre.

    The dwellers of the agrarian Igala community left their chores and gathered at the Town Square to watch the drama, depicting their community’s history.

    The drama presented a fabled character, Ochimane, said to be the first inhabitant and founder of the community. To expand the territory, the drama depicted how Ochimane courted individuals, such as Atoko, to bring about 30 other villages that make up the five clans in Imane.

    Today, these clans produce the traditional rulers in the community, who is also called Oda-Ojiji – the name of a powerful king highly revered by the natives.

    As dramatised in the play, the Imane tradition places high responsibility on the king to settle disputes and make pronouncements on the community’s challenges. The king’s proclamation is final, because he is believed to be the intermediary between the natives, their ancestors and the deities of the land.

    For the natives, it was an exciting moment, learning their culture and history from the play.

    The essence of the community theatre is to show how it can be used for critiquing socio-economic and political problems. The course is also aimed at facilitating collaboration between Town and Gown to address common challenges.

    The students and their lecturers spent weeks living in the community and understudying its ways of life. Under the guidance of their lecturers, the students used their sojourn in Imane to learn the history and culture of the people. They also assessed the level of infrastructure and took note of the amenities the community lacks.

    After days of rehearsals from scripts generated from their research, the students used folklores, songs, oral narrations and theatrical dramatisation to carry out their presentation.

    The humorous presentation softened the atmosphere, provoking laughter among members of the audience. The play began with selected Igala folk songs, which the natives sang along. The songs, as composed by the students and their tutors, set the tone for the play.

    The cast also employed comedy and satire to drive home their point.The students brought to the fore issues that stifled the community’s development for years.

    Through the drama, the five clans were revealed in line with oral tradition.They are Aloga, Idede, Okolikotu, Agaliga and Abo. It was learnt that the community is populated by Idoma people because of trade by barter and inter-marriages between the Igala and the Idoma.

    Imane has been without potable water for years, the play revealed. It was learnt that the community only has Oliba stream as its only source of water. The stream is many kilometres away from the town centre.

    Water vendors regularly supply the community water in tankers. The play suggested the need for members of the community to stop depending on the stream as the only source of water. It urged them to make efforts sink boreholes as alternative water source.

    The play also captured the plight of girls, who are waylaid and robbed of proceeds of their hawking by idle and uneducated youths.

    As depicted by the drama, teenage girls are vulnerable to out-of-wedlock pregnancies. Many others are forced into early marriage by their parents and other influential family members.

    Some of the issues highlighted  in the drama included infrastructural decay, misuse of available infrastructure, carefree attitude towards public facilities, illiteracy, theft, mugging, drug abuse, and shallow knowledge of history, among others.

    The people applauded the students for their “ingenuity and brilliant presentation” of their communal life. They said the drama opened their minds to the idea that could help them solve their challenges. They promised to ensure that the issues raised are addressed.