The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Students

  • UNILAG students shine at debate

    UNILAG students shine at debate

    A 500-Level Engineering student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Faruq Musodiq, has emerged the overall best adjudicator at the second All National Universities Debating Championship.

    About 18 higher institutions participated in contest held at the Julius Berger Hall of the university. Panel of judges was made up of students from the participating schools, with UNILAG having fifteen judges.

    Faruq, who was adjudged the best by the 60 judges, described the feat as surprising and unexpected.

    He said: “When the winners were announced and my name was not called among the first and second runners-up, I thought I had lost out. But when my name was announced as the overall winner, I was shocked. I did not believe I could win among the debaters.”

    A student of UNILAG was also the second runner-up. The next edition of the debate will be hosted by the Imo State University (IMSU).

    Some of the other schools that participated included IMSU, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, University of Ibadan (UI), Baze University, Abuja, University of Calabar (UNICAL), Nnamdi Azikwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, and Ebonyi State University (EBSU).

  • Onobrakpeya, others mentor students

    Renowned printmaker, painter and sculptor Bruce Onobrakpeya has presented some of his works to pupils of The Lagoon School – an all-girls primary and secondary school in  Lekki, Lagos.

    The event, which also featured talks by a Professor of Music from the University of Lagos, Anthony Mereni and the Curator, National Gallery of Art, Ekene Okoroma, was part of activities to mark the school’s vocational day for 2015.

    With the theme: Relevance of Art and Culture, Prospects in Schools and Society, the occasion paraded artworks by the students. It was spiced with musical and cultural performances.

    Speaking on the theme, Relevance of Art and Culture, Prospects in Schools and Society, Onobrakpeya said each child is born with talent and has something to express. He said art usually serves as the primary medium through which such gifts are expressed.

    “The beauty of children’s art is that their simplicity, directness and innocence will make even great and experienced masters want to be able to repeat those attributes in their art,” he added.

    Art and culture, he said, can be described as two sides of a coin. He explained that one is incomplete without the other. “Art and culture are innate to man. In other words, man did not have to go to school to acquire the knowledge of art and culture even though education in those subjects is very important,” he said.

    Underscoring the importance of the study of arts, he said:  “Over the years, man has developed what he probably acquired by instinct, and this is where education is very important, for it is through education that he can scientifically develop what was a natural talent.  The school environment helps the child to recognise particular innate talents and teaches him or her skills to develop them.”

    Onobrakpeya added that visual art studies lead to graduate and post graduate degrees in the educational system. This, he pointed out, opens a vast array of professions from which students can choose career paths.

    The renowned artist also enlightened the students on the relevance of arts to various aspects of human endeavour such as: civilization, the environment, diplomacy, politics, the economy, tourism, investment and religion.

    In his presentation, Professor Mereni sought to educate the students about the origin of music which he traced to ancient Egyptians. He also enlightened them on the different forms of music and its relevance in defining   people’s identities.  The professor also harped on the need to study music in tertiary institutions; while acquainting them with career prospects that abound in the field of music.

    The Curator, National Gallery of Art, Ekene Okoroma, encouraged the students to pursue arts as a field of study, describing it as a noble and elitist profession. She commended the school’s management for its vision in educating the girl child to attain her full potential.

    Earlier the school’s principal, Noemi Garcia, commended the speakers for gracing the occasion. She said the Vocational Day was conceived as a means to enable the pupils express their talents and promote healthy competition. Edna Abugewa Ekenimoh, Head, Vocational Department of the school, made a similar remark, emphasising the roles vocations play in educating children.

    The pupils described the programme as an eye-opener and commended the school for its vision. Six schools were invited for the programme. They are:  Dowen College, Lekki; Top Grade School, Surulere; Our Lady of Apostles Private School, Yaba; Dominican College; Yaba College of Technology Secondary School and Golden Cornerstone Private School.

     

  • Forgotten visually impaired students

    Forgotten visually impaired students

    Visual impairment is not the only concern of the School for the Blind Children located at 15, Audu Ogbeh Street, off Asheik Jarma Street, Abuja.

    Their environment is quiet and serene but there are mountains to climb if they must have good education. For instance, the students’ apartments are overcrowded because their population keeps increasing.

    Their study materials, brailled books, for instance, cost far more than the ones for sighted learners.

    Also, they study in the dark because there is no power generating set for them.

    Their motto, “Slowly but surely for the Blind”, conspicuously written on their signpost, is ironical, as their education seems to be in reverse gear.

    Though the school is strategically positioned, not too far from the Central Business District (CBD), it is rarely noticed, neither are its dire needs.

    Some of the items the school needs are hostel blocks, food, study materials such as brail paper, and braille machine, among others.  Another important issue about the school is its increasing population and co-habitation of mature students in single apartments.

    Despite its location close to the seat of power, the needs of this special group remained unattended to.

    Unfortunately, getting the learning materials for these special students could be very expensive, unlike what obtained in the conventional schools. While a textbook sells for about N1,000, the same textbook with brail may sell for N4,000.

    In the circumstances, the indigent pupils mostly depend on philanthropists, donors and non-governmental organisations (NGO) to survive.

    Our correspondent gathered that the students study in darkness, a situation that compounds their already pitiable situation.

    The school has no alternative power supply such as power generating set.

    “In the first place, we don’t read with light which is not the right thing. If there is darkness and a snake is crawling, how will one know? But since there is nothing we can do, we resign to fate,” the Assistant Head teacher, Academics, Mrs. Anne Ekandem said.

    Incidentally, our correspondent was seated when one of the members of the support staff brought in a five-litre keg of kerosene, while another member of staff was asked to take it to the hostel.

    From all indications, they were already used to the poor reading environment as efforts to get immediate attention of the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) SUBEB yielded no result.

    “They don’t have any option. They do their prep in the cover of darkness. It is not as if we like it but that’s the best option for now.

    “Even, they eat in the dark; there is nothing they can do.

    “If there is no light, you will see the matron bathing some of them with torch light,” Ekandem said.

    The school authorities also pleaded to the authorities to supply them with plastic tables and chairs. The management said such gesture would reduce the possibility of the students harming themselves.

    “Getting some of these materials is challenging. The government had tried in their way. Like this brail, it is not something you can just pick, they are things you place special order for and they can be very expensive,” one of the members of staff said.

     

    Expectations from

    the pupils

     

    Investigations by our correspondent revealed that all the pupils have the zeal to learn. Wondering why the pupils showed much enthusiasm despite their conditions, the assistant head teacher said: “Initially when the blindness set in, they must have been asking, where this will get us to? Just like their parents.

    “They have the quest for education and they have realised that the sky is their limit such that they can compete with other students in other schools.”

    Sadly, John Kaura, a 32-year-old student has been blind for 22 years. He was the oldest among other students in the rehabilitation centre of the school. Yet, he was full of optimism. He wants to be a lawyer as soon as he finishes his programme. Obviously, he appeared much more than his age. His school uniform was no different from the other younger boys and girls. He was putting on a black pair of sandals with a sagged black pair of socks.

    Narrating his ordeal, he said he became blind at the age of 11.

    “I’m here to learn. I was in Kaduna when the incident happened at the age of 11. I went with my grandmother to the market but unfortunately, I missed my way and somehow I had accident at the railway crossing. I would have been here for long but someone later told me about this school,” he said.  On his plans after graduation, he said: “I want to become a lawyer or mass communicator”.

    John urged other disabled persons to embrace education in order to be self-reliant rather than waiting for supports that may not come.

    A 12-year-old student, Esther Nnabuife, praised the school for showing them love. Her colleague, Honest Oyeama, 17, joined the school last year. He described the activities as challenging, even as they are encouraging. He plans to be a Sport Journalist. They all have wonderful ambitions and interesting stories.

     

    Why the school

    was established

     

    Established in 1991, the FCT School for the Blind was set up to provide education for the less-privileged persons; especially the blind. Admission into the school is free and government is expected to provide the necessary items in the school. Admission into the school is almost on daily basis while government takes care of the teaching and non-teaching members of staff.

    “We run a primary education and we run a rehabilitation centre for adults or teenagers; who became blind in the course of their education; whether tertiary at level or while working.

    “It can be very challenging, especially when they are fresh students. They feel hopeless and don’t know what life has in store for them. They feel they have come to the end of the road. But by the time they finish their courses of study here, they are full of hope, ready to go into the larger world to face the challenges of nation-building,” a member of staff said.

    She attributed poor background of the pupils as one of the major challenges the school experiences.

    “When they are leaving, we still try to provide some of the necessary materials for them to take along to the secondary school because they cannot get the same provision they got here,” our source said.

    According to her, there is no special secondary school for the blind, so their interest could not be guaranteed.

     

    Read and Play

     

    All works and no play, they say, makes Jack a dull boy. Aside from the conventional learning process, the pupils also engage in extra-curricular activities. They were said to engage in foot balling, bead making, necklaces and soap making. Also, some private individuals also visit the school to teach them how to bake bread while they participate in literary and debating competitions, singing and melo-drama.

    “We need a lot of learning materials such as the brail paper. We need enough seats. We prefer the student-type of plastic chairs so it won’t tear their clothes.

    “They live here. We feed them in the morning, afternoon and night. We don’t have a generator in the hostel. What if they take the power, you will see the matron bathing them with torch light.

    “They do it in the cover of darkness,” she said.

    However, the school management called for supports from humanitarians, corporate organisations, NGOs, and faith-based organisations (FBOs), among others to assist the less-privilege children.

    Meanwhile, efforts to get the reaction of the Chairman, FCT SUBEB to comment on the matter were unproductive.

  • Osun students honour scholar

    Osun students honour scholar

    The personality lecture organised by the National Association of Osun State Students (NAOSS) brought high profile dignitaries to the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) last week.

    The lecture with the theme: Intellectualism, moralism and humanism: Focus on Prof Rasaq Deremi Abubakre was attended by the Secretary to the Osun State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, who represented Governor Rauf Aregebsola, Grand Qadi, Kwara State Shariah Court Appeal, Justice S.O. Muhammad, his predecessor, Justice Idris Abdullah Haroon, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof Nahimat Ijaya, who  represented, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Abdulganiyu Ambali and representative of the Vice-Chancellor of Kwara State University.

    The guest lecturer, Dr Abdulraheem Hamzah, said meeting the honoree at Markaz, an Arabic institution founded by the popular Islamic preacher, Sheikh Adam Abdullah Al-Ilory, was a blessing to him. He said although Abubakre experienced a delay in education but the setback turned out to be blessing for him.

    Hamza described Abubakre as a man of impeccable character, moral integrity and decent manager of men, money and material.  He said the honoree’s integrity could not be questioned, saying Abubakre remained one of the incorruptible Nigerians alive.

    Justice Mohammed, who described the honoree as his teacher, said: “I have learnt from my teacher to be honest, humble and hardworking and tolerate no nonsense. The only thing that makes me hate my teacher is that, he does not give his students bonus mark.” This remark attracted laughter from the audience.

    Prof Ijaya said the event was recognition of the honoree’s integrity and contribution to the development of the nation.

    The event also featured the launch of the association’s magazine and presentation of award to the honoree for his scholarly works and contribution to development of Iwo town in Osun State.

    Other awardees included Governor Aregbeshola and UNILORIN Chief Imam, Prof Abdulganiy Oladosu, among others.

    Prof Abubakre described the honour as “heartfelt joy”, appreciating his family and friends for gracing the occasion. He was born on January 20, 1948 in Iwo and received basic education under the tutelage Sheikh Al-Ilory.

  • Students: elections must be free and fair

    Students: elections must be free and fair

    February is like every other month. But on many campuses, it is when students engage in social activities. For Nigeria, this is the month of elections.
    The presidential election comes up on February 14, the day many campuses bubble with activities to mark Valentine’s Day. But the celebrations may have to give way for the election.
    The students believe that the elections can be peaceful. They have vowed not to be used as agents of violence, but to participate constructively in the elections.
    In the past months, some civil society groups and pro-democracy organisations have been going round campuses to sensitise students on how best to conduct themselves to ensure credible elections. Students have also engaged in constructive discussion over the elections.
    For instance, at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), a newsstand close to the Students’ Affairs Division remains a hot spot for political discussions. Students stop by for discussions, especially on the sustainability of democracy.
    At the University of Benin (UNIBEN), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), last December, held a symposium for students in the Southsouth to galvanise them to get involved in making the electoral process peaceful and credible. Hundreds of students attended the event and pledged to ensure peace during the elections.
    But as the elections draw closer, some politicians are heating up the polity through their actions. Students are warning such politicians to sheathe their swords.
    Anthony Adinya, a 200-Level Electrical Engineering student of UNILORIN, wants parties and their candidates to eschew violence and focus on issues affecting the nation. He said: “The dimension of political campaigns is baffling. People who want to lead us left the issue and attacked the personalities of their opponents. This does not augur well for our democracy. We need to do away with this mentality and as youths, we must demand issue-based campaign.”
    Halimah Akanbi, a 300-Level Law student of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), wants the election to be free and fair. “I cannot envisage winners of these general elections but I hope the poll would be free and fair enough to produce the right leaders that would develop our nation. Anyone who emerges the leader should promote quality education and resuscitate the education sector,” she said.
    Eddy Uwoghiren, a 200-Level Medicine and Surgery student of UNIBEN, urged students to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). He said he wanted an atmosphere where every voter would be free to vote without financial inducement or threat to his life.
    Eddy said the popularity of any candidate on social media does not mean such candidate is favoured to win the election, cautioning youths not to be used to foment violence if their candidates do not win.
    He said: “My expectation from INEC is to conduct an election that would satisfy the curiosity of all contestants and reduce doubt about its credibility. This means all voters must be free to cast vote in a free atmosphere that must be devoid of inducement or threat. Election is not war but a process to societal development. If we admit this view, then youths must ensure they don’t take to violence if the outcome does not favour their preferred candidates.”
    Eddy also advised the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to be non-partisan, saying this would restore the association’s credibility as the true voice of students.
    His words: “NANS should be neutral; they should stop giving unnecessary awards to undeserving politicians and desist from paying dubious courtesy visits to public officers for pecuniary gains. They must allow every student to decide who he wishes to vote for.”
    For Abdulazeez Al-mubajal, a 200-Level Law student of UNILORIN, the greatest disservice to the future of Nigeria is to use the youth for electoral violence. Rather than being paid to cause trouble, Abdulazeez urged students to use their vote to enthrone good governance.
    “What we need is a government that would support youth-oriented programmes, create employment opportunities and ensure sustainability of our existence through adequate security. There is no other time to play our roles as change agents than now. We must stand up to advocate for peace and progress of our nation.”
    Solomon Alabi, a 200-Level Business Education student of UNILORIN, said: “Youths should defend their rights by voting for their desired candidates without fear or favour. Religion or ethnicity should not play any role in this election. It is a tradition that politicians sponsor thugs to disrupt the electoral process. Let them engage their own biological children this time around.”
    Newera Aiyamekhue, final year Law student of the Ambrose Ali University (AAU) in Ekpoma, Edo State, said the nation needs help and the only people who could bring Nigeria out of its present challenges are the youth.
    “If we miss this opportunity by engaging in violence, we will compound our tribulations. We cannot effect the needed change in this country if we are being used as thugs. We must not engage in violence but preach credible election that will lift our country away from its current woes,” he said.
    Hameedat Adeleke, a 100-Level Health Education student, said: “The roles of the youth remain vital in ensuring that the election is free and fair. We can only be part of this process by exercising our right to vote peacefully. We need a government that is ready to meet up with the demands of the citizens. We need an end to the challenges facing us, such as unemployment and economic crisis. We must contribute our own quota without dancing to the tune of politicians who seek to induce us with worthless materials for our votes.”

  • Dean, students sweep classroom

    Dean, students sweep classroom

    Members of Junior Chamber International (JCI) at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) on Sunday embarked on environmental sanitation tagged: Keep UDUS clean. The Dean of Students’ Affairs, Dr Adamu Aliero, who flagged off the exercise to sanitise the campus, led the club members to sweep classrooms and clean the boards.

    The club members were led by JCI National Vice-President in Area C District II, Ayokunle Omowaye, 28th chapter president of JCI Abdulhammed Mustapha and past Collegiate Vice Chairman of Area C, Kazeem Adeyemi. Other lecturers who participated in the exercise included the club’s Staff Adviser, Dr R.F. Atata.

    All the participants visited some lecture halls on the campus to clean the white boards with ethanol, making it sparkling clean and swept the classrooms. They also provided waste bins to lecture halls.

    The JCI president in the school, Abdulkadir Bashir, told CAMPUSLIFE: “The sanitation exercise is borne out of our desire to ensure we study in a clean and disease-free environment. This is in line with our aim to serve humanity. We deem it fit to take the lead as we have seen the need to maintain cleanliness, which is next to Godliness.”

    He added that the club would donate more sanitation materials to the school to ensure the campus remained hygienic for learning.

     

  • Falana advises students on media ethics

    Falana advises students on media ethics

    A frontline lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, has urged the media to stick to objectivity in reporting the coming general election. The human rights activist spoke last Tuesday at the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), where he was the guest speaker at a lecture organised by School of Communication and Liberal Studies.

    Falana, who spoke on the theme: 2015 Elections: Legal and ethical issue in media reporting, said the admonition became necessary to caution the youth from reporting falsehood about electioneering on the social media.

    The activist said it was time to educate students and youths using social media on the ethics of journalism and law guiding reportage ahead of the general election to ensure peace of the country is not jeopardised.

    Falana said: “One of the ethical objectives of the media is to present a balanced and fair reporting to the members of the public. The reporting of the coming election should also conform to these codes of responsible journalism.”

    To report the conduct election, Falana said anyone disseminating information through any medium must also be guided by Constitution and Electoral Act. He urged the students to engaged social media in a positive way, saying the responsibility to choose credible leaders rested on the youth because of their population.

    He urged INEC to allow anyone who could not get the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) to vote for the candidate of his choice, rather than being disenfranchised to exercise his right.

    The event was attended by students from various department and top management officials of the institution, including the Rector, Dr Abdulazeez Lawal.

  • Students disown Kwara PDP candidate Ajibola

    The National Association of Ekiti Kwara Students and the Ekiti Local Government Area’s chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) have disowned the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) governorship candidate, Sen. Simeon Ajibola.

    The students’ group told reporters yesterday in Ilorin, the state capital, that they took the decision because Ajibola had not affected their lives as students or youths.

    They also accused the senator representing Kwara South in the National Assembly of not sponsoring a Bill in his 12 years at the Senate.

    Adeniyi Daramola, who spoke for the two groups, said the senator had never attracted any befitting project to the district.

    The spokesman said the PDP candidate only patronised the Millennium Development Goals (MDAs) for contracts.

    He said the little projects he credited to himself with were poorly executed and carried out by his company, which allegedly served as the project consultant.

    Daramola said: “We are embarrassed by imaginary projects adorning posters, billboards, print, electronic and social media …which Kwara South people cannot see.

    “We hereby disown Sen. Simeon Ajibola for denigrating the good people of Ekiti Local Government Area for misrepresentation and going against the collective wish of our people.

    “In fact, to show the disdain he has for our people, the wedding ceremony of his son held in Lagos and Ilorin, instead of his hometown. It would have been an opportunity for his friends to know how unpopular he is at home.

  • Airtel turns 14 students, mechanic, others into millionaires

    Airtel turns 14 students, mechanic, others into millionaires

    Airtel Nigeria has turned 14 Nigerians into millionaires’ courtesy its Airtel Red Hot promo and the telecom provider, saying more millionaires are going to emerge in the 60 days in the 60 millionaires’ annual promo which has the latest model Range Rover Sport as the grand prize.

    The telecom provider said the Red Hot Promo is a loyalty and reward promotions created to appreciate its customers and empower them financially to fulfill their dreams and reach their goals.

    The latest set of individual one million naira winners include Umar Mustaph, a student in Minna; Oludare Nifemi, a student based in Lagos; Henry Ezeh, a student in Anambra, Onyinyechi Nwodu, a student based in Asaba; Mutairu Kumolu, a Lagos-based mechanic; Saidu Ibrahim, a Benin-based butcher; Uduak Umoren, a trader who resides in Uyo and Bassey Eyam, a Dry Cleaner based in Lagos.

    Roland Kolma, an Engineer in Port Harcourt; Musa Afeikhobe, a politician; Adeola Zakari, an Ilorin-based business woman as well as Tunde Genty, Tokosi Dada, and Ibrahim Fwangyil, all civil servants complete the list of fourteen winners.

    So far, the draws have produced 39 millionaires across the country and another batch of 39 Nigerians have also won the iPad Air while 250 persons have won smartphones and a total of 195,000 have been rewarded with airtime.

    In a show of appreciation, the winners praised the Telco’s consistent effort at fulfilling its promise to customers and its unfailing dedication towards empowering and rewarding their patronage.

    Congratulating the winners, Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Maurice Newa explained the objective behind the promo which is to touchand enrich the lives of customers in appreciation of their constant support for the network.

  • Crawford VC counsels students to love their courses

    New students of Crawford University, Igbesa, Ogun State have been advised to develop interest in their courses of study so as to succeed in them.

    The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Samson Ayanlaja, gave this advice at the matriculation of the 262 students admitted into the Colleges Natural and Applied Sciences and Business and Social Sciences for the 2014/2015 academic session.

    Ayanlaja said if they are committed, they could succeed in the programmes even if they initially do not like them.

    “Many times one is unable to get one’s first choice programme in a university and this has an effect in the motivation. What I will urge you at this point is to cultivate the needed enthusiasm for your programme because it is said that, a man can succeed at almost anything for which he has an unlimited enthusiasm,” he said.

    He told them that to resist the temptation of cutting corners and become successful they need tremendous self discipline and willpower.

    He also added that they should always plan for their activities.

    “When you plan your activities well, you have a clear sense of direction or vision. You have the opportunity to analyse various alternative course of action, you are able to properly allocate your resource incuding time ?and you drastically reduce uncertainty and panicking. This way you will be able to have a clear blue print against which you will be able to measure your success or failure,” he said.

    He warned the students to be serious with the studies as anyone with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of less than 1.00 is automatically out of the university.