The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Students

  • Students pledge support for Buhari

    A group of students dubbed Buhari Students Support Group has declared its support for the re-election of President Muhammad Buhari in 2019.
     This declaration was made on September 10th in Lagos at a press briefing themed “In Defence of Democracy.”
     “As the 2019 elections clock tricks, we [Buhari Students Support Group] deem it fit to pass a vote of confidence on our dear president, Muhammadu Buhari, given the valance of achievements recorded by his administration and how he has successfully progressed and maintained the state of the nation,” said Dhikrullah Aasim, the leader of the Group and a student of Lagos State University.
    He noted that the emergence of President Buhari in 2015 brought hope to the Nigerian populace, as he has rescued the country from the maladministration of the past tenures, restored the economy and also enhanced national security.
    “Those who diverted public funds are not finding it easy,” Aasim said, adding that Buhari’s administration has also recorded rare feat as insurgency has reduced drastically compared to what was obtained in previous administrations.
    “This administration has secured the return of some chibok girls and their Dapchi counterparts abducted by Boko Haram,” he emphasized.
    Stating reasons why the Buhari Students Support Group was formed, Adelowo Adewale, a student of Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, said: “because President Muhammadu Buhari’s integrity is still very much intact, and he has set a landmark in his fight against corruption among many other things, we students have decided to come together and support his continuity in 2019.”
    A student of Fountain University, Lawal Muhammad, reiterated that the sole aim of the Group is for the re-election of President Buhari. “We are not in support of any party; we’re being straightforward in the support of Buhari,” he said.
     Urging Nigerians to vote Buhari in 2019, Adelakun Tufayl from LASU said, “our PVC is our power; we should get it, and troop out in mass to vote this man of integrity, so that he can continue with his work of change and transformation.”
    Muneer Yaqub

  • ‘Students’ victimisation threat to campus journalism’

    The future is not looking bright for campus journalism if the spate of victimisation of student-writers continues, a seasoned media practitioner and The Nation’s Managing Editor (Online), Mr Lekan Otufundurin, expressed the fear during a chat with officials of the National Association of Nigerian Campus Editors (NANCE).

    The NANCE officials, led by their President, Isaac Omole, visited The Nation’s corporate headquarters in Lagos on a working tour.

    Otufodunrin stressed the need for media practitioners and accomplished journalists who are products of campus journalism to stand up and defend the rights of young writers on campuses vulnerable to victimisation by management.

    He said if mainstream journalists speak against ongoing victimisation of campus journalists, the tendency of highhandedness by school authorities would be checked. He added that such measure would help guarantee students’ right to write and expose injustice, maladministration and other negative vices in the tertiary institution environments.

    Otufundurin advised the managements of tertiary schools to stop the “arbitrary suspension and expulsion” being meted out to student-writers. He admonished campus journalists to abide by the ethical code of journalism when writing on campus issues.

    Responding, Isaac stated the visit was to learn the rudimentary skills of news editing and other newspaper production activities.

    Omole expressed delight over the mentorship they received from their host, saying: “This auspicious homage to a veteran journalist has further broadened our horizon. We know now, what it demands to become prolific journalists and editors.”

  • Free books for students in Ekiti community

    The Igbara-Odo 70’s Development Forum (IDF), Ekiti State, has donated educational materials worth millions of naira to students of the community, to assist the younger ones who are greatly talented but financially disadvantaged in their educational pursuit.

    The materials donated to the students included dictionaries,  brighter grammar book 1–4, chemistry, biology, physics, literature, financial accounting text books,  mathematics text books  for SSS and notebooks for all.

    Also speaking, the Chairman of Igbara-Odo 70’s Development Forum, Mr. Lucas Afere, noted that the efforts of the group was aimed at encouraging   the younger generation  by initiating the programme for their personal developments and for the progress of the community.

    Afere added: “We equally noticed that the standard of education has seriously fallen these days, partly as a result of the lackadaisical attitude of our students towards their studies.

    “What we are presenting is a product of our personal sacrifices and contributions as a result of our burning desire to see a better and brighter Igbara-Odo society.

    “This is to also acknowledge our pacesetters, the Igbara-Odo Development Forum 60’s, (IDF 60’s) whose contributions have, indeed, propelled the (IDF 70’s) to this action”

    Afere, commended the traditional ruler of the community, Oba Edward Jayeola, whose reign has witnessed tremendous transformation of the town, saying, hence “this becomes necessary to contribute our quota to the educational and socio-economic emancipation of the town”.

    The educational materials were distributed to not less than 500 students of the community. In the science category, Master Ajijola Alexander Oluwatimilehin, from Wisdom Home International Secondary School, Igbara-Odo, came first, Master Akinola Adeyemi from Alarelu Comprehensive High School, Igbara-Odo came second while Abidoye Ayoola from Community High School, Igbara-Odo came third.

    In the commercial category, Ajala Oluwaferanmi, from Wisdom Home International Secondary School, Igbara-Odo took the first position, Sanusi Yetunde, from Glory International Secondary

    School, Igbara-Odo-Ekiti came second, while Orekurin Busayo, from Omoeleye Comprehensive High School, Igbara-Odo-Ekiti came third..

    In the art category, Oni Sunday, from Alarelu Comprehensive High School, Igbara-Odo Ekiti came first, John Glory, from Glory International Secondary School, Igbara-Odo Ekiti came second and Olubodun Temilola from Wisdom International Secondary School, Igbara-Odo Ekiti came third..

    In his speech, the Arajaka of Igbara-Odo Ekiti, His Royal Majesty, Oba Edward Jayeola, appreciated the group of 70’s for remembering their home town and extending hands of fellowship to the younger ones, even as he praised members of the group for emulating the gesture of the IDF 60’s set.

  • UNILORIN workers, students to get 5,000 hectares for farming

    Members of staff and students of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) interested in farming can get land from the university for that purpose.

    This is because the institution has earmarked 5,000 of its 15, 000 hectare-land for commercial farming activities.

    Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof Sulyman Age Abdulkareem, said this when he received items, donated by the 1988 set of the Faculty of Agriculture of the university.

    The Vice-Chancellor, who spoke through the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Technology and Innovation),  Prof Mikhail Olayinka Buhari, said that the university is completing paperwork to access N2billion loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to drive the farming scheme.

    Abdulkareem said the university had used just five percent its 15,000 hectares land mass, saying that the initiative would not only put the land to good use but also boost the country’s economy.

    He also said the University would key into the Federal Government’s Ranching Programme as a way of resolving the perennial herdsmen/farmers’ clashes in the country.

    The VC praised members of the 1988 set for procuring items, which included a generator, three sets of Public Address System, Incubator, Deep Freezer, table and executive chair, visitor table, digital scale, PH meter, water acid tester, insect trapper, 600 microscope slides, soil tester, and battery operated microscope -worth a total of one million naira – for their Faculty.

    He said the University had begun compiling names of its alumni, home and abroad, for linkages and for possible synergy between the University and their places of work.

    Abdulkareem urged the old students to join the main alumni body of the University so as to collectively move the University forward.

     

  • Students urged to by selfless, help the poor

    Students of the Osun State University, Osogbo, Osun State have been urged to be selfless towards the plights of the poor.

    Founder of the Great People Foundation, (GPF), a scholarship awarding and Non-Governmental Organisation, Mr James Aluko made the admonition at the university auditorium, last Tuesday and called on the students to join the foundation in her mission to drastically reduce the rate of dropouts in Nigeria educational system.

    According to Aluko, the foundation was established to provide scholarship opportunities to indigent students and offer professional trainings to support none indigent ones who are members of the foundation.

    “If you want to be great, you have to reach out to others. You have to meet the needs of other people. Whatever you give comes back.

    “You have to believe in the law of sowing and reaping. So, this is why we chose to be there for others. No matter how small, help people in need even without soliciting,” he said

    In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the University,Professor. Olabode Popoola commended the foundation for bringing the opportunity to the University students. He joined members of the group and other staffers of the University community in charging the students to be self-reliant.

    “I came across the foundation last year when they approached me about offering scholarship to students. They are great inspiration. There is so much to learn from the group.” Professor Popoola stated.

    He showered encomium on the organisers of the programme and implored the students to not just seek knowledge and understanding but also strive towards self-reliance.

    “What you can do by yourself is where your potential is. Money is not everything. Seek knowledge and understanding,” he noted.

    Professor Oladele Popoola, the University Director of Research and Linkage declared that it is not a crime to be poor and also lend his voice to the call for selflessness among the students.

    “It is not a crime to be poor. The Great People Foundation is doing a very great job. What they are doing is bridging the gap between the rich and the poor, thereby reducing crime and criminal activities.”

    Corroborating Prof Oladele, the Dean of Students Affairs of the University, Dr. Oluseye Abiona noted that there are a lot of people that are in financial trauma, adding that there are students who could not afford to pay their school fees and automatically have extra year.

    He commended the brain behind the programme and pointed out that the Vice Chancellor and other staffers of the University equally offer
    bursaries to indigent students in the institution.

    “A lot of people are in financial trauma. This is why we have to appreciate this group. Even the VC gave out 10 bursary to needy
    students. So also, other lecturers in the University are doing this. The more you give, the more you are blessed,” the don remarked.

    The foundation which was backed by Etisalat and other private individuals had already awarded scholarship to no fewer than ten students from and outside the University. Scores of students of the university bagged valuable incentives from the foundation and freely sought for scholarship from the foundation.

  • Police, students clash in Ilorin

    Policemen in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, yesterday clashed with students of the state-owned College of Education when they protested the disruption of their second semester examination by workers of the institution.

    The workers said the government owed them four-month salary arrears.

    The placard-carrying students started the protest from their campus around Sawmill area, through the popular Ibrahim Taiwo road, and headed for the Government House on Ahmadu Bello way.

    At Challenge, policemen allegedly shot teargas canisters into the air to disperse the protesters, and many of them scampered to safety, it was gathered.

    Ajamiu Mathew, who spoke on behalf of the students, said: “We discovered this morning that they were going on strike. As union leaders, we have to make some of our consultations, so that we can confront them.”

    Matthew blamed the government for not meeting the needs of the institution and urged it to fund the school adequately.

    He added: “We are ready to partner to ensure we resume. But what we are trying to do is to negotiate with the provost and meet the government so that this will not last long.

    “I am a final year student; I was delayed in my year one, and two. When I resumed in year three as a newly elected executive, we led a protest like this because our lecturers refused to make things available for us; this will affect our younger ones if we refuse to help them before leaving the seat.”

    Chairman of the Kwara State College of Education Staff Union (COESU) Balikis Ajoke, who justified the workers’ action, said the exam would be boycotted until the government responds to their needs.

    She said: “What happens is that we have not been paid our salaries. Last year, we were owed two months salaries, and the government promised that when it collected money from the Federal government, it would pay us.

    “We were on strike but we suspended the strike in honour of the new provost, and now it looks like a betrayal. We have not been paid June, July and this is August, yet all we get is promises upon promises.

    “We have written series of letters; we have had series of meetings but promises and promises to no avail is what we get. We felt this is high time we showed our grievances so that they will hear us.”

    But the government said it has released N125 million as June 2018 subvention to all the state-owned tertiary institutions.

    Commissioner for Tertiary Education Abdullahi Alkinla said Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed approved the release of the funds last Wednesday. And immediately the approval was given, the Ministry of Finance disbursed the money so that the institutions can get their shares before last Friday.

    The banks could, however, not process the money until yesterday morning.

    Alkinla added that the Provost of the College of Education, Ilorin, Dr. Yusuf Abdulraheem, confirmed the receipt of the institution’s share.

    He described the students protest as unnecessary as government had made good its pledge to provide money.

  • Students tackle SARS over colleague’s death

    The  Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) is in the eye of the storm again. Students of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic in Owo (RUGIPO) in Ondo State are calling for the disbandment of the outfit, following the death of their final year Accounting colleague, Seun Ogunmola, in a road crash.

    The late Seun and his classmate, Deborah Iyanuoluwa, allegedly had the accident while being pursued by SARS operatives in Owo town. They sustained multiple injuries after the Toyota Matrix saloon car they were driving crashed near Owo Technical College. They were said to have been mistaken for Internet fraudsters by the SARS operatives.

    Seun died on Sunday at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, 11 days after the accident. CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the student gave up the ghost few hours after his leg was operated upon.

    According to eyewitnesses, the students lost control of the car. After the accident, the officers reportedly abandoned them and fled the scene. The victims were rushed to the FMC by passersby.

    It was learnt that the car belonged to the president of the off-campus hostel where the late Seun stayed.

    CAMPUSLIFE could not confirm Deborah’s  condition as at press time. A close friend, who did not want her name in print, said she had been transferred to a private hospital in her Okitipupa hometown in Ondo State on her parents’ instructions after being confirmed to have been pregnant.

    She is said to be the late Seun’s girlfriend. According to the late Seun’s friend, Dada Samuel, his condition worsened when the injury on his left leg affected the right one, warranting a surgery.

    His friends and family members, CAMPUSLIFE learnt, sought help from the public to pay the N300,000 demanded by the hospital for the surgery.

    Dada said the late Seun underwent the surgery last Friday to prevent the amputation of his legs. His classmates, he said, were already contributing money for another surgery when he died.

    The news of Seun’s death sparked a protest. Students trooped to the highway to demand the SARS’ disbandment.

    The protesters described SARS as “official killer squad”, while chanting anti-police songs.

    They demonstrated in front of the school’s main gate, with placards bearing inscriptions, such as “END SARS”, “Human rights abuses thrive in Nigeria”, “Police must fish out the killer-SARS”, “Nigeria now has official killer squad in the Police Force”, “Justice for the late Seun Ogunmola and Deborah Iyanuoluwa”, and “IGP must stop SARS before they kill all of us”, among others.

    The protesters barricaded the highway leading to the institution for hours.

    The students condemned a statement credited to the Area Commander in Owo, Friday Eboka, an Assistant Commission of Police (ACP), alleging that there was no proof that those who chased the victims were SARS operatives.

    Eboka, in a meeting with students’ representatives on Sunday, asked them to provide “authentic evidence” to show SARS operatives’ involvement in the incident. The police chief  promised to investigate the matter and implored students to set up a committee that would serve as intermediary between them and the police during the probe.

    The protesters alleged that the police were yet to visit the victims’ families, describing the police action as irresponsible.

    It was gathered that an officer of the Students’ Affairs Department, Mr Nelson Oloko, stopped the protesters from taking the demonstration to the police division in the town to prevent it from being hijacked by hoodlums.

    Oloko praised the students for their peaceful conduct, urging them to exercise restraint while demanding justice for their late colleague. The students insisted they wanted an end to SARS operation in the town.

    The protesters, in response to Oloko’s address, said they did not want SARS operatives to visit the campus and their hostels around the school. They said there could be a clash between them  if any SARS officer was found around their hostels.

    The students said the protest was to express their grievances against SARS because of the circumstance of Seun’s death.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the school paid the N110,000 balance of the N300,000 charged for the late Seun’s surgery. His friends and family members contributed N190,000. It could not be ascertained if the school contributed to Deborah’s treatment.

    A protester, Peter Ademulegun, said: “The actions of SARS operatives are abnormal. They usually come to our hostels to harass us and call us criminals. They were mandated to go after armed robbers, but they come to students’ hostels to arrest us on the excuse that they are looking for Yahoo Yahoo boys (Internet fraudsters).”

    The victims’ class representative, Femi Odipe, said the late Seun had multiple fractures on his leg while Deborah sustained bruises on her head and arm.

    He said: “It is tragic to hear that Seun, my bosom friend and a course mate, is dead. I was expecting he would recuperate faster after the successful surgery on Friday. The doctor asked us to make a payment of N300,000 only for his surgery, which we tried to gather from every source and we were able to make the payment last week.

    “After the surgery, I visited him and I personally spoke to him. He showed signs of recovery, until Sunday afternoon when I got a call that Seun could not breathe properly and was placed on oxygen cylinder. He gave up the ghost this afternoon and the body has been taken to the mortuary.”

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Femi Joseph, could not be reached for comment.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the late Seun will be buried in his Igbara-Odo hometown in Ekiti State. There will also be a candlelight procession on the campus in his honour.

  • Lagos trains 5,000 students for job

    About 5,000 students are undergoing a 13-week intensive training under  the Ready- Set-Work programme organised by the Lagos State Government to prepare students for work.

    Participants were drawn from institutions within the state and spread across three designated centers, namely:  The Lagos State University (LASU) , Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) and University of Lagos(UNILAG).

    The programme, the third edition, also had 20,000 students in their penultimate classes training online.

    At the end of the training in October, the best 2,000 would be placed on a six- month internship at various corporate companies with a monthly sum of 10,000 naira.

    Addressing students in the second week of the programme in LASU, Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr Obafela Bank-Olemoh, chargedthem to take advantage of the training to improve themselves.

    “You have no excuse to fail because you have access to information to advance yourself. You are the products of your most dominant thought.  The Lagos State Government has given you a platform to excel.  Make good use of it and always have God in mind.”

    He explained that the programme was in response to address issues of incompetency of graduates, reduce unemployment and to instil an entrepteneurship mindset among youths.

    He said they would “learn the skills they need to succeed. So, we are focused on soft skills,  how to be adaptable, emotional intelligence,  how to think, understand the socio-economic setup of the country and in the end, they are  well prepared to succeed”.

    He added that  since the inception of the programme  in 2016, feedbacks from firms on interns’ performances had been positive and encouraging.

     

  • Building entrepreneurial skills in students while on campus

    With funding and right training, students can become job creators while still on campus. They do not necessarily have wait to finish and end up as job seekers. This is what Federal College of Agriculture, Akure (FECA) is trying to achieve, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    From running garri processing business to offering extension services, students at Federal College of Agriculture, Akure (FECA) are encouraged to launch fast growing agribusinesses.

    Besides extension services, the Provost, FECA, Dr  Samson Odedina, told reporters in Lagos that the institute has  trained the students on how to brand their products, whom to approach to get the correct market prices and funding and how to present and preserve their products to shield them from loses and poultry management aspects.

    Because of the value chain practical approach introduced into the curriculum, students undertaking classes did not have their minds entirely set for the lecture hall. Partly, they were thinking about their agribusinesses, which they run as side hustles within the campus.

    Through the business, they have been able to pay their bills. Their services include agribusiness development, consultancy and extension services in all fields of farming.

    Odedina said students need to utilise opportunities on campus to become job creators.

    For instance, he said the college created projects and ventures to equip students with business skills that they utilise when they leave college.

    According to him, the ventures are a great opportunity for students to develop business proposals and get grants, a skill many do not have.

    Whatever the amount of money the students make, he noted, that it belongs to them.

    Another opportunity provided the students, according to him, is to make good use of the experts at the college by seeking advice to sharpen their enterprise skills.

    He said the huge population at the college and Ondo State offers students a ready-made market for their products and services.

    Once they complete campus, the students leave to continue with their agribusinesses outside college, creating room for others.

    Odedina said he brought business orientation to agric education when he saw how disconnected students were to agriculture, how they were missing job opportunities, and how propaganda and misinformation were shaping their opinions.

    So he did something about it – he created a practical approach to help college students connect back to agriculture. And guess what? The class has had such a positive impact on its students.

    According to him, FECA, will continue its activities in stimulating youth to become successful agri-entrepreneurs through linking, learning and leadership activities.

  • ‘Ganduje should reduce N17,000 fee imposed on students’

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has urged Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje to reduce the N17,000 damages imposed on students of Kano State University Of Science And Technology (KUST), Wudil.

    The students were mandated to pay the money to cover damages incurred when they protested the demise of their colleague who drowned in River Wudil on May 2.

    NANS’ national spokesman, Bestman Okereafor, in a statement yesterday Sunday, said many students were still struggling to pay their school fees.

    He said: “NANS is appealing to Governor Ganduje to mandate the school management to review the damages fee for the benefit of innocent students and vulnerable ones still struggling to pay the last session’s registration fee.

    “Our findings showed that over 1,000 students still could not afford to pay the registration fees in an institution of about 15,000 students.

    “NANS considers the N17,000 damages fee resolution of the Management of Kano State University of Science and Technology as too expensive.”