The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Students

  • How students can succeed

    For anyone aiming success in life, hard work and prayers must be his compass. Like Yoruba would say, destiny can only be delayed but will surely come to pass. This also applies to success. Illustrating success to the Kingdom of God, it is said that before one can get to heaven, he must pass through hell. This means he must deprive himself of worldly enjoyment.

    So, it is not easy for anyone to achieve success. Before one can become successful, he may have to go through a lot of pain and tribulation. As students, before success can be achieved, we need some inspirational tips that will help us to the beautiful land of success. The following are some of the tips I propose.

    Trust in oneself: we must dig deep and ask ourselves who we want to be? I am not talking about what our parents or teachers want for us. We have to figure out ourselves what makes us happy. The best of all persons to tell us is ourselves. Each of us knows ourselves more than anybody else, so why trust what others say about us instead of trusting our dreams? A lot of people fail in life as a result of people’s views about their lives, which they will always want to do, whether right or wrong. What I am trying to say is that, before we could succeed in life like, we need to build a lot of trust in ourselve by not allowing anyone to divert our attention, no matter the pressure and difficulties we may face.

    Break the rules: Breaking the rules of success does not mean breaking the rules of law. What I am trying to emphasise is that, if we do everything according to the rules like everyone does, we will definitely get the result everyone gets. Breaking the rules of success is the means of disengaging ourselves from others by bringing our fresh ideas and different plans in order to be an achiever in life.

    Don’t be afraid to fail: In every attempt we make in life, we should not expect to always win. While we may be afraid of failure, we must not be afraid to make decision. We should not be paralysed by fear of failure, because no success will be achieved. In essence, don’t be afraid to fail as fear to fail is one of the common impedance to success. Sometimes, you don’t let it happen by concentrating on your goals and making it forward with positive change. Also, failure is part of success; we have to fail in order to learn or appreciate success.

    Don’t listen to naysayer: We must always listen to ourselves and say yes to our dream. Sometimes, people’s opinions do not align with our goals and dreams. Negative opinions will always come our way but if we are determined to succeed, we must ignore them. Always ignore naysayers but listen more to people who advise us. Advisers are those in our circle of influence that can help us get better by analysing our steps and giving you the right inspirational tips to success.

    Give back: We must always find time to give something back to people around us, whether in immediate our community or the country at large. People such as Mike Adenuga and Aliko Dangote are helping people to achieve success and satisfaction because they look towards the people at lowest rung of the ladder. Giving back is crucial, because success is not all about one person. If we do not give back to people, we will be miserable in the long run.

    Also, if one must succeed in life, he has to have everything it takes to attain it. Values such as hard work, patience, perseverance and fear of God must direct our way to the top. Without God, it will be impossible for anyone to succeed. Without being hardworking and patient the likes of Dangote, Bill Gate and Adenuga would not have been who they are today.

    Despite all odd, we should not be discouraged by the situation of our society, where graduates cannot get good jobs and rate of corruption soars. We should be focused and inspired. We should always aspire to acquire the desire we admire and if in the process we fire and it back fires, we should not retire but respire even when people conspire, we have messiah who will always make our enemies expire until we acquire our desire we admires.

    Get God’s backup: Whatever you are or have acquired in life without God’s backup is invalid. Because, it is in Him all our efforts are secured. Just like someone saving files on the computer or internet. At times, people acquire wealth out of God’s backup. Yes, it is true but that does not last as compared to the one who has divine touch. The interesting part of it is that, anything outside God is useless. In a nutshell, no matter our brilliance, wealth, knowledge and intelligence, we should always allow God to lead our step, because in Him are blessings and grace.

    No matter the level of poverty or obstacle, whether we have lost hope or not, we must not give up. We should always think positively and try to build up confidence and trust our ability. The sky will always be the starting point.

     

    Joshua, 200-Level Mass Comm., BSU

     

  • Sultan advises old students on alma mater

    Old students have been urged to remember their alma maters through contributions, a step which will further encourage rapid development of their schools.

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III  gave the advice  when members of the Federal Government College, Sokoto Old Boys Association visited him.

    “No gesture is too small or too big for the development of the sector in that direction.

    “What matters is the spirit of giving and we should all imbibe it,” he said.

    Abubakar said efforts by  the government to fund education should be complemented by all well-meaning and high-heeled Nigerians.

    “The era when the funding of the (education) sector and the general infrastructural development of schools at all levels should be left to government alone is gone. The three tiers of government are trying their best in this direction in spite of the various sectors competing with their various financial challenges.”

    He equally admonished the former students look take a cue from his gesture to his alma mater- Barewa College, Zaria.

    “This was what I did in my former school, Barewa College, Zaria. I single-handedly constructed a new multipurpose hall and a principal’s office, there. We should all strive to pay back to our former schools as they laid the solid foundation for our lives,” he urged.

    Speaking earlier, the leader of the delegation and Emir of Bungudu in Zamfara State, Alhaji Hassan Attahiru, told Abubakar that their visit to him was to pay homage and seek his fatherly prayers.

    He further praised Abubakar for his efforts at ensuring sustainable peace and unity in Nigeria and beyond.

  • Students decry varsities’, others’ admission policy

    Students are unhappy with the admission process of universities and other higher institutions which they claimed has robbed them of studying their choice courses.

    The students said the problem could lead to a career crisis for many youths.

    Many students have been studying courses they did not pick because of the schools’ space constraints.

    Arutu Yinka, a 200-level student of the Department of English Languge at the  Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, said: “I opted for Law, but was given English. At first, I wanted to reject the admission but after spending three years at home, I had to take what was available and the available now seems to be my calling.”

    He said it was advisable for institutions to give students options rather than denying them admission. “It is now left to the student to determine whether he or she will develop interest in it or wait for another year to write JAMB,” he added.

    Another student, Bello Mustapha of the Department of Local Government and Developmental Studies at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State, said: “ I did well in my UTME and the test conducted by the school. I scored 29, and the cut-off mark for Marketing was 25, which ordinarily qualified me for the merit list. But I was given Local Government and Departmental Studies, all the same.”

    Bello said he was disappointed when the admission list came out as he could not find his name on his choice department’s lists. “I didn’t know what to do at first because I love and wanted to study Marketing as a profession,” he said.

    Olowookere Damilare, a 300-level student of the Department of Zoology, OAU, said: “My score couldn’t meet up with the admission requirements of Pharmacy, my first choice. I had to grab Zoology with both hands because thousands of people are outside seeking admission to universities.”

    Olowookere urged students to desist from forcing themselves to study certain courses that could jeopardise their future career plans.

  • 15 injured as students arrest suspected robber

    No fewer than 15 students of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) in Ogbomoso, Oyo State narrowly escaped death on Saturday when a bus in which they were taking a suspected robber to police station skidded off the road.

    The accident occurred on Owode road, a few kilometres to Owode Ogbomoso Police State, where they were taking the suspect. It was learnt that the students sustained injuries after the Students’ Union bus summersaulted five times.

    The suspect whose name could not be ascertained was caught while breaking into a female hostel in Adenike area. He was stripped naked by students, who accused him of raping his victims. Students used all kinds of material to hit the suspect before Students’ Union leaders arrived at the scene to stop their colleagues. They decided to hand him over to the police.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the suspect struggled with the students in the vehicle on their way to the station, resulting into a crash. The accident sparked a protest by students.

    Fawole Isreal, a student, who witnessed the incident, said: “The suspect was caught in Adenike area of the campus as he broke into a room. He was rescued by Students’ Union officials from the crowd that wanted to lynch him. The union leaders pleaded with the crowd to take the suspect to the police station. On the way, the suspected robber struggled with the student in the bus and that resulted in an accident. The bus tumbled about five times. The students were injured.”

    The students led the suspect to the palace of the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewunmi. The protest was led by the union president, Ajibola Areo, and another student, Sheriffdeen Bolarinwa. The protesters complained about criminal activities around the campus.

    It took the intervention of the school authorities to calm the aggrieved students, who refused to hand over the suspect to the police.

    Policemen at Owode Ogbomoso Police Station assured the students of justice.

  • Students get lawmaker’s scholarship to South Africa

    To promote the entrepreneurship and principles of free markets and liberty among the students, lawmaker representing Oshodi-Isolo Federal Constituency 1, Hon. Maruf Akinderu-Fatai, has given scholarship to seven students in his constituency to attend Students and Young Professionals Liberty Academy (SYPALA) in Pretoria, South Africa.

    The lawmaker, Akinderu-Fatai, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Compliance, said the sponsorship was in line with his youth development programme. He said the knowledge that would be acquired by the beneficiaries would be positively used to improve the lot of their colleagues and the nation.

    The beneficiaries will join over 100 youths from across Africa participate in the conference holding at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, with the theme: Creating the foundations for a free prosperous Africa. The event was organised by African Liberty Organisation.

    Akinderu-Fatai said he learnt about the international programme when he was invited to similar event at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Zaria, Kaduna State in 2011. He said he sponsored 10 students in his constituency to the event in the year.

    Five students made the trip to Catholic University in Mozambique and six to Kabarak University, Kenya in 2012 and 2013 respectively.

    While presenting the travel documents to the beneficiaries, Akinderu-Fatai said the aim of the event was engage the youth to promote entrepreneurship, peace and liberty in Africa and train them to become successful entrepreneurs.

    He urged the students “to make us proud as ambassadors of Oshodi and Lagos.”

    The program, Akinderu-Fatai said, will draw resource persons from the academic, private sector, public and non-profit organisations, who will mentor the youth as to develop Africa.

    “The curriculum will also present case studies from different parts of the world to demonstrate the cross-cultural importance of liberty, peace and prosperity. The event will feature collaborative group project to encourage extensive interaction among participants,” he said.

  • 129 Kaduna medical students for studies abroad

    129 Kaduna medical students for studies abroad

    No fewer than 29 indigent medical students from the Kaduna State University (KASU) have been awarded scholarships worth N150 million to further their studies abroad.

    The beneficiaries were selected on merit across the 23 local government areas of the state.

    The Governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, who kicked off the scholarship awards, said the initiative was targeted at re-building the damaged sector and to re-engineering a new transformation through human-oriented programmes.

    Presenting the award to beneficiaries at the main campus of KASU in Kaduna, Yero said the first set of medical students of the university were selected since medical science is one of the key courses under consideration by the government, adding that the expediency of getting them to complete their clinical training has become paramount.

    “It is on record that the last time the Kaduna State government awarded any overseas scholarship was in the 80s when Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa was Governor. At that time, students were mainly sent to Central Europe to study specific courses such as Engineering and Agriculture. With the stoppage of the overseas scholarship awards and the corresponding instability in our university, the system had lost manpower and capacity in several areas.

    “To reverse this situation, the government has identified specific areas of manpower shortages which include medical sciences, engineering, agriculture, and urban design, among others and is working with the committee to address the trend.

    Yero said his government expected the beneficiaries to champion the development of mining sector, and ranch management to reduce conflicts between farmers and herdsman and to attend to their family health.

    “We should raise specific expertise in Highway Engineering and Urban Planning and Design to cater for the development of our cities and rural areas.

    “When this university established the Faculty of Medicine in 2008, the objective was to raise a crop of medical doctors to provide the needed manpower for our hospitals and provide the needed health care. The policy of the university has been to restrict admission into the Faculty of Medicine to Kaduna State indigenes.

    “As required, a university teaching hospital is necessary for the purpose of clinical training of medical students; hence the Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital has since been designated for that purpose. In light of the foregoing, government awarded various contracts for its rehabilitation and upgrading in 2012 and was hoping that by 2013 all the projects would have been completed.

    “Unfortunately, many contractors are still in deficit of their works hence we have not been able to open the hospital for clinical trainings. We have, however, set up an Implementation Committee with members from the Ministry of Health and the Kaduna State University to resolve outstanding issues and ensure that the hospital is opened for clinical training as well as to offer tertiary health care services in the state soon.

    “While this is being done, I am delighted to say that the government has decided to sponsor the first set of medical students to complete their medical training at the Kampala International University Uganda for a period of three and a half years. Accordingly, all arrangements have been completed for the students to travel out immediately to enable them commence lectures on this month.

    “The state government has paid all expenses connected to this, that is, tuition fees, accommodation fees, travelling expenses, personal upkeep and book allowance. Therefore, N150 million has been paid to the university for this purpose.’’

    KASU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Barnabas Quirix, advised the beneficiaries to reciprocate the gesture by being committed to their studies.

    He said the beneficiaries were of good conduct while in KASU, assuring that they would be good ambassadors of the state during their studies.

  • You are the chosen ones, VC tells fresh students

    Management of the Federal University of Agriculture in Makurdi, Benue State has sworn in freshers in an event held at James Ayatse Convocations Square. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Emmanuel Kucha, disclosed that 5,868 students were admitted into the institution.

    Kucha congratulated the freshers, saying their efforts yielded success during the admission exercise. He said they were the successful among thousands that applied to study in the institution, urging them not to misuse the opportunity.

    He advised them to face the challenges ahead with strong faith, saying they must be of good character and interact with other members of the university with respect. He assured that the management would support them.

    Speaking with CAMPUSLIFE, Peter Iorna, who was admitted into Crops and Environmental Science Department, said the matriculation was the happiest day of his life. “This is the second time I applied to this school and I am fulfiled that I was chosen at the end.”

    Helen Ada, 100-Level Computer Statistics expressed gratitude to God, saying: “I am happy that my parents are alive to celebrate with me.”

  • Old students lift alma mater with N50m projects

    Not less than N50 million worth of projects have been executed in the last three years by the Old Students Association of the Federal Government College, Sokoto for their alma mater, according to its Sokoto State chapter Chairman, Alhaji Hassan Maccido

    He spoke at a briefing.

    The projects include: rehabilitation of two lecture theatres, provision of a 250 KVA generator, rehabilitation of the school’s mosque, repairs of roads, installation of street lights and renovation of the multi-purpose hall (Davis Hall).

    Maccido, who is also Permanent Secretary of the Sokoto State Teachers Service Board, said plans were underway to rehabilitate the college’s sports complex with over N 20 million, while N10 million was set aside to give the school’s recreation centre a face-lift.

    “We had since opened a special projects account for the school and our members have been generously contributing money to the fund.

    “This is our own little way of complementing the efforts of the federal government in funding the college,” he stressed.

  • Fellowship hosts students’ summit

    Covenant Christian Centre has organised a conference for Nigerian undergraduates with the theme: “Making the most of your stay on campus.” The event, which held at the Covenant Place, Orile-Iganmu, Lagos suburb, was witnessed by top-notch motivational speakers who addressed participants on the realities of post-graduate life.

    An official of Airtel Nigeria, Mr Francis Ebuhei, said life was a personal journey where everyone would be responsible to what they get from it.

    The organisers told CAMPUSLIFE that the aim of the workshop was to bring together youths from various institutions to learn the winning formula for success in today’s world.

    Speakers at the summit included the Head, Learning and Development Division, Fidelity Bank Plc., Irunna Ejibe; Executive Director of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Obinna Abajue, among others.

  • Students condemn school closure

    To forestall breakdown of law and order, Ogun State government has directed the management of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ago Iwoye to shut the campus indefinitely.

    In a release by the Secretary to the government, Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa, the decision to close the university was taken in the overall interest of peace and order.

    The government said students threatened to foment trouble as they rejected all entreaties and concessions made by the government on their demands. The government advised parents to call their wards to order, noting that it would not tolerate any act that will disturb the peace enjoyed in the state.

    Some students alleged that they were flogged by policemen deployed in the campus. It was gathered that some students, who wanted to use Automated Teller Machine (ATM) on the campus, were beaten by the police.

    Adeniyi Shofoyeke, a 200-Level Pharmacy student, said: “I believe the total shut down is a misuse of power by Governor Ibikunle Amosun. It is clear he has disappointed the students. The closing down of the school is uncalled for because students have been peaceful in their agitations.”

    The Students’ Union president, Olusegun Ifade, said: “The closure is illegal, unacceptable and uncalled for. Our agitation has been peaceful. We understand that there are some people who want to hijack the struggle, but we are not political. This is purely students’ struggle. We also don’t want the security agencies on our campus. We call on government to re-open our school and withdraw the army of occupation on the campus.”