The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Students

  • Students win big in MFM essay contest

    Winners have emerged in the third annual essay competition for the Junior and Senior Secondary School Students of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) in the North-central.

    The organised under the auspices of Pastor Lawrence Olasehinde Youths Development Foundation (PLOYDEF), a foundation instituted to appreciate selfless foundational work in fostering character molding.

    15 centres in MFM regional branches and a total of 317 students participated in the competition.

    For the junior category, the topic was “Discuss how friends can influence your future life” while the senior students wrote on “Discuss the roles of parents in character development of children”.

    Akio Godpower from the School for the gifted, Gwagwalada, Abuja was winner at the senior category while Umukoro Oghenetega of Gapville School was second.

     Nwambe Joshua and Osidipe Deborah tied in the 3rd position.

    Bright Divine of Redeemer Secondary School was first at the secondary category.

    Tamunokuro Triumph was second while Onyenwe Progress and Jegede Mosinmiloluwa tied in the third position.

    A cash prize of N30, 000, laptop and a plaque were given to the overall winners at both categories while Samsung Galaxy Tab 3, a plaque and a cash prize of N20, 000 went to runners up.

    A 3D DVD, a plaque and cash prize of N10, 000 were awarded to the third place winners while consolation prizes were given to those whose essays met examiners’ standard.

  • Imo prepares students for leadership

    Imo prepares students for leadership

    Leadership comes with enormous challenges, so  leaders should be prepared to cope with its challenges.

    This was the thinking of the founder of the Nneoma Leadership and Citizenship Forum and wife of the Imo State Governor, Nneoma Rochas Okorocha that led to a one-day seminar for Senior Prefects in both public and private schools across the state, with the theme, “tomorrow’s leaders”.

    The event which was held at the Imo International Convention Center (IICC), was an interactive section between the young student leaders and selected resource persons, who drilled them on the essence of leadership and what it entails to be a good leader.

    To the organisers, the young students as tomorrow’s leaders need to develop the right attitude towards leadership through such training which will give them the platform to ask questions and get answers concerning the rudiments of leadership positions.

    For the brightly dressed school prefects, the impact of the seminar was spontaneous and electric. Some of them could not contain the joy and ecstasy of coming face to face with some distinguished Nigerians from both the public and private sector, including the state Governor, who accorded them great honour as leaders in the making.

    Delivering a paper titled, “building tomorrow’s leaders”, the wife of the Governor, stated that, “I believe strongly in the need to inculcate good leadership skills in our youths who of course will become leaders of tomorrow. Our future, the future of our nation is in their hands. A cursory look at our society today and you will agree with me that something needs to be done.

    “We have as a nation lost our way, the country has all the natural resources that God has endowed us with and we should be amongst, if not the greatest country on earth but we are not. The reason we are not where we are supposed to be as a nation is because of leadership failure. We need strong, competent leaders. As our generation appears to have failed in this regard, it is important that we build tomorrow’s leaders today. I believe that leaders are made and not born. To be a great leader, one has to exhibit certain qualities. These qualities can be learnt at home, in schools or in a forum like this. I believe in catching them young. You are all potential leaders.

    We want to build future leaders who have the right moral values and ethical principal. Every child has a peculiar talent imbued in him by God which could be made useful through self discovery.”

    She challenged the students to strive to be the best in their academic pursuits, stressing that as tomorrow’s leaders; the society is waiting for them.

    The facilitator also pointed out to the students that there was a reason why they had been appointed senior prefects in their various schools, urging them to imbibe the ethical principles and values that would be instilled into them during the programme.

    She maintained that the main objective of the leadership and citizenship forum was to nurture and inspire young people as future leaders and instill moral and ethical values in them.

    The resource persons drawn from both national and international organizations tutored the students on such topics as “Developing a Leadership Mindset for Excellence”, delivered by Linus Okorie, “Becoming a Model Citizen”, by Muyiwa Afolabi and “The Magnitude of Attitude: Being the Best”, by Ubong Essien.

    In his paper Okorie, a leadership analyst, noted that leadership starts from the mind through a process he called “KASH” Knowledge, Attitude, Skills, Habit.

    He maintained that great leaders must possess a vast repertoire of knowledge through reading, developing the right attitude, acquiring marketable skills and good habits.

    Others harped on selflessness, integrity, dedication and discipline and personal sacrifices as prerequisites for attaining great heights in life.

    The governor urged the students not to allow the obstacles of life deprive them from attaining greatness. He also urged them to avoid self-doubt and be passionate in the pursuit of their career.

    Okorocha who spoke on the topic, “Starting”, noted that Governor Okorocha the greatest challenge facing any prospective entrepreneur or leader is “starting the project which he has envisioned”.

    He stressed that as future leaders, they should avoid negative peer pressure as it impedes progress in life.

    The Imo governor further harped on the need for students to discover themselves early in life and have passionate desire to accomplish their ambition, adding that God always helps those who have determination and focus to succeed.

    Some of the students who expressed gratitude to the organisers, said that they have been prepared to take up their roles as leaders in their respective schools, while they evolve into the leaders the nation is waiting for.

  • Old Students honour committed members

    Old Students honour committed members

    Ijebu Muslim College Old Students’ Association (IMCOSA), has honoured its committed members, who have aligned with the vision of the founders of the school through regular and generous donations.

    At the association’s annual award tagged: ‘IMCOSA 2015 Merit awards’, held in Ikeja, nine members of the alumni were given merit awards, while two others got recognition awards.  However, the awards followed a call by the National President of the association, Alhaji Korede  Lawal, on the need to rekindle  mentorship spirit among privileged Nigerians as this would propel the nation to greatness.

    According to him, the merit award honorees were those who made aggressive donations to IMCOSA, while the duo on special recognition cadre, also made generous awards but not like the former.

    Lawal said the success and contributions of the old students association to their alma mater and the country in particular could not have been possible if the Muslim community and the society in Ijebu at that time had not deemed it fit to establish the school due to the challenges being experienced then.

    Going down memory lane, Lawal said: “The school was founded by the Ijebu Muslim Community in 1950, envisioned as a school that would produce men and women who would contribute to the development, growth and sustenance of the Ijebu Muslim community, Ijebu land, the then Western region and Nigeria in particular, which was achieved as the school became a ‘Mecca’ of excellent education, especially the Higher School Certificate Course (HSC) from its inception in 1961 till the mid -70s.”

    He said despite the humble beginning of the school and the success achieved, the school today is now an eyesore owing to the perennial neglect suffered by most public schools in the country from government. Nonetheless IMCOSA, has been up to the task with various initiatives and interventions, especially through provision and sustenance of infrastructures in the school, Lawal explained.

    “Some of our interventions are, a library cum assembly complex fully completed and functional with staff rooms and cyber café worth over N250 million; resuscitation of the school’s boarding system after it was scrapped by the government and raising the first block of classrooms in the school to a storey building, fully furnished with staff rooms worth over N130 million, among others” Lawal stressed.

    All these interventions, explained Lawal, are aside the various scholarships offered students of the school up to the university level. But having realised that IMCOSA alone cannot shoulder the responsibility, Lawal appealed to corporate bodies who have hitherto assisted the school, for more.

    He said the award ceremony is to honour those who are committed to the upliftment of the school through their donations on one hand, and to encourage others to look at areas in which they could lend the school a helping hand.

    Commenting on the benefits of mentoring, the guest speaker and a former Vice-Chancellor, University of Uyo, and Crescent University, Abeokuta respectively, Prof. Fola Lasisi, said for the mentor, it would be enriched through seeing someone else grow and succeed.

    According to him, creativity is generated by issues and ideas already generated by someone new and younger, noting that such cycle now generates a stronger and everlasting bond between a  mentor and a mentee.

    Speaking on behalf of other awardees, Alh Sikiru Oduntan from the 1953 set, thanked the association for the honour done them. He promised the awardees would do more for their alma mater, and pray that the association will always have able officers, who would move it forward.

     

  • Students learn about archives

    The Director, UNILORIN Archives and Documentation Centre (UADC), Prof R. A. Olaoye, has enjoined Students’ Union leaders to sensitise students on the need to visit the centre for their project research work to improve their search for knowledge.

    He made the call when the members of the Students’ Union Executive Committee, led by its President, Alao Idris Ibrahim, visited the centre.

    The UADC director said the centre serves as a facility for both undergraduates and postgraduates.

    Olaoye said the UADC has three units: the Documentary Archives, where documents of archival value are stored for research purposes; the Museum Gallery, where materials of cultural heritage are preserved; and the Pictorial Archives, where pictures of notable people, events and places are kept.

     

  • Nine OOU students injured in road accident

    Nine OOU students injured in road accident

    NINE students of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, have been injured in a road accident, about four month after the death of nine of their colleagues in similar circumstances.

    The accident occurred on Old Corperative Road in Ago-Iwoye last Thursday when the victims were returning to their off-campus hostels in Oru-Ijebu. They were travelling in a 14-seater bus.

    It was gathered that the accident was caused by a brake failure, which made the vehicle to skid off its lane and crash into a roadside carwash.

    Sympathisers rushed to the scene to rescue the occupants of the bus. The driver, it was learnt, ran away immediately after the incident. Occupants of the vehicle included nine students. No life was lost.

    •Adewunmi’s fractured leg
    •Adewunmi’s fractured leg

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that three of the injured students were referred to the OOU Teaching Hospital in Sagamu. They are Adewunmi Adekanbi, a 400-Level Applied Zoology student, Elizabeth Olawunmi Olapelumi, a 100-Level Mass Communication student, and Yetunde Ogunsawe, also in 100-Level Mass Communication.

    Other occupants suffered minor injuries and had been discharged from the hospital.

    Elizabeth, who spoke to our correspondent on her sickbed, recalled how the accident happened. She said: “We were all going back to our hostels in Oru-Ijebu after lectures. The bus left from the school, but we got to the main road, the driver increased the speed. As he tried to overtake a vehicle in front, he did not know there was a car moving across the other side of the road to a car wash. He tried to apply the brake but it failed. Then, the bus crashed into the car wash.”

    Adewunmi, who went for her department’s Cultural Day, attributed the incident to the carelessness of the driver, saying: “The driver was carried away in discussion with a man sitting beside him. The next thing we saw was a crash.”

    Reacting, students said the latest accident should serve as a reminder to officials of road safety agencies and the school management to ensure that vehicles plying the campus were in good condition.

    Last month, a similar accident occurred when an 18-seater bus had a brake failure and crashed into the school main gate.

  • Union celebrates ‘outstanding students’

    Union celebrates ‘outstanding students’

    The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) Students’ Union Government (SUG) has held an award night to celebrate students with special talents and qualities and achievements.

    The event held at the Princess Alexandra Auditorium and was attended by guests from corporate organisations, including banks.

    It featured comedy, dance, music and an instant quiz tagged: Who Wants to be a Millionaire, where students contested to win N10,000 cash. The quiz became interesting when the first contestant jovially requested to walk away after the first question. The union president, Peter Oji, and members of the parliament also participated in quiz.

    Highlights of the event included presentation award and certificates of recognition to some students for their exceptional abilities. The Most Inspiring Aluta Leader award went to the union Vice President, Joy Nebo, while Most Punctual Parliament Member award went to Victor Emenike.

    The award for Filmmaker of the Year was given to Kingsley Nebo; Best Male Hostel of the Year award went to Eni Njoku Hall, Akpabio Female Hostel won the Best Female Hostel of the Year and Rotaract Club, the Best Club of the Year.

    Peter was honoured as the Grand Commander of the Lion Republic. The union president said the event also had a purpose as to celebrate graduating students for their excellence in academic and extra curriculum activities. The union leaders also hosted graduating physically-challenged students.

  • Third set of FUTA students, staff off to US on research

    The collaboration between the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) and the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), Tallahassee, United States (US) has been further cemented with the departure of the third set of FUTA students to continue their studies in the US.

    Ten students resumed at Tallahassee last month, while five more will join them in January. Also, two alumni of the university are already at FAMU for their masters and doctorate programmes.

    The Vice-Chancellor of FUTA, Prof Adebiyi Daramola, at a pre departure send forth programme, urged the students to sustain the excellence set by their predecessors.  Daramola emphasised the need for good character and conduct in all they do.

    He said: “What makes one to succeed in life is character. So, ensure good character first before learning.  Also, strive to be good ambassadors of FUTA and Nigeria.”

    He described the collaboration as part of the internationalisation efforts of the university.

    Presenting the students, Director, International Office, Prof Afolabi Akindahunsi, said the programme between FUTA and FAMU is termed 4-1-1 and the aim is for final year students to finish their degree at FAMU with the credit transferred to FUTA for its degree. Thereafter, the students proceeded for their postgraduate studies at FAMU.

     

  • Graduating students hold dinner

    Graduating students hold dinner

    Graduating students of the Department of Political Science of the Ekiti State University (EKSU) in Ado-Ekiti have marked their Final Year Brethren (FYB) Week with social event, which was ended with a dinner and award night.

    At the dinner, CAMPUSLIFE correspondent, Olatunji Awe, a 400-Level student, was honoured as the Most Outspoken Student.

    The event was attended by dignitaries, including a politician, Hon. Kayode Oshinubi, an Ekiti-based businessman, Boye Ogunremi, and lecturers of the department.

    The Week started with Ankara Day during which the graduating wore elegant Ankara attires. It also featured seminar, music performance and the award night.

    The dinner started at 7pm with a seminar tagged: Life after school anchored by Ehivoren Adichie, a motivational speaker. It was followed by music performance by campus artistes.

    A graduating student and chairman of the organising committee, Gbolahan Abimbola, said the dinner was to make their graduation from the school memorable, noting that their academic journey since their admission in 2010 was challenging.

    He said: “We want to thank our lecturers, the school management and department for giving us their best and equip us with good knowledge in academics and morality.”

    Tayo Akadiri, another graduating student, described the event as “unforgettable”, saying the outging set had laid god foundation for its junior sets.

    The outgoing set donated a photocopy machine and accessories to the department. The gift was received by the Head of Department, Prof A.A. Agagu, who praised the students for the gesture. The HOD urged the students to be good ambassadors of the department.

    Dr Mike Omilusi, a lecturer, praised the students, saying: “You should never forget your alma mater when life gets rosy.”

    Olatunji, who was a runner up in Most Politically Oriented Student and Final Year Student of the Year, appreciated his colleagues for the honour. He said the department taught him everything he has become.

    He was also awarded EKSU Student-Image Maker of the Year by the Students’ Union Press.

  • LASU Crisis: Lagos students seek govt intervention

    LASU Crisis: Lagos students seek govt intervention

    Students of Lagos State origin under the aegis of the National Union of Lagos State Students (NULASS) have urged the Lagos State government to resolve the ongoing feud between the workers and management of the Lagos State University (LASU).

    If nothing happens in two weeks, they promised to take their agitation “to the streets.”

    They spoke at a briefing in Lagos last Friday where the President of the group, Damiju Sultan, a student of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), urged the government not to play politics with the future of LASU students.

    He expressed fear that the perennial crisis may lead to the closure of the university due to its failure to meet up with the education requirements of a tertiary institution.

    Sultan said: “We believe the government has our best intentions at heart as youths of the nation and leaders of tomorrow and in fact today, so we hope for a positive response from them. We appeal to the Governor, his deputy, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of youths and Sports, State Security Service, Commissioner of Police and all stakeholders of LASU to help our students get the best education.

    “We may have to take our agitation to the streets and clamour for the progress we seek, if our appeals go to deaf ears.”

    Sultan also faulted the refusal of the workers to fulfil their obligations yet expect to be paid and prayed Governor Akinwumi Ambode to order them to resume work immediately.

    The group also passed a vote of confidence on the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof John Obafunwa for a second tenure, in view of his achievements in LASU.

    They sought the following: “That Prof J. O. Obafunwa is allowed to continue with his tenure undisturbed as the vice chancellor of Lagos State University; that the state government should provide all necessary support to the vice chancellor and guide the university against the continued overbearance of the staff unions;

    “That the state government should grant, permit and approve second four year tenure to Prof J. O. Obafunwa to continue his goodwill to reposition LASU.”

    NULASS Vice President, Oluwatoyin Shamonda, of the Lagos State Polytechnic, added: “Since Obafunwa came on board, the institution has enjoyed patronage and high repute in the sight of all Nigerians. Parents were happy to choose LASU as their children’s first or second choice of university. But since this prolonged crisis, everyone has been avoiding LASU. How can this be the lot of the only university owned by the Lagos State government, despite the pride and value of Lagos State?”

     

  • Why varsities must tackle students’ cohabitation’

    Tertiary institutions must design institutional framework that will discourage students to engage in cohabitation on campus. This was the view of stakeholders at a summit tagged: Cohabitation among students, organised by Division of Students’ Affairs of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akoko-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, in conjunction with Airtel Nigeria.

    The event was held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Hall on Tuesday.

    Leading the speakers was the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Igbekele Ajibefun, who decried vices among students. He said students’ immoral acts had eroded the cultural values for which all ethnic groups are known.

    The university administrator described cohabitation as a sin against morality, calling on all education stakeholders to introduce policies that would discourage the vice.

    He said: “Findings by researchers have proved that cohabitation among unmarried students has been on the rise in recent times and if deliberate steps are not taken by education stakeholders, including managements of tertiary institutions, parents and religious leaders, this anomaly would continue to be on the rise and the society will ultimately suffer for it.”

    Earlier, the Dean, Students’ Affairs (DSA), Dr Bolanle Ogungbamila, identified inadequate hostels as one of the factors responsible for the high rate of cohabitation, stressing that it portends grave implication for students’ future.

    In his lecture titled: Campus co-habitation: A negative attitudinal disposition that debases the dignity of womanhood, AAUA’s Director of Women Studies and Development Centre (WSDC),  Dr Nireti Duyilemi, cautioned students against indulging in the act.

    Some of the participants, who spoke with CAMPUSLIFE, praised the organisers for showing them the dangers of cohabitation and they could avoid it.