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Tag: UNICAL

  • Eagles hold first training session today

    Eagles hold first training session today

    •To have the remaining sessions at UJ Esuene Stadium

    The country’s senior national team, the Super Eagles will have their first training session this morning at the Abraham Ordia Training Pitch at the University of Calabar(UNICAL). The training  session will start by 7.30am and it will be conducted under the supervision of head coach, Stephen Keshi and his lieutenants – Daniel Amokachi, Valere and Ike Shorounmu.

    Besides today’s training session , the Super Eagles will have their subsequent training sessions at the UJ Esuene Stadium – the venue for the Saturday’s AFCON clash.

    Eagles’ Team Coordinator, Emma Attah made this known to SportingLife at the Transcorp Hotel base of the team yesterday in Calabar.

    “We are going to train at the Abraham Ordia Stadium inside UNICAL by 7.30am tomorrow (today) but we shall have our subsequent training at the venue of the match after tomorrow’s (today’s) session.”

  • Day of rage at UNICAL

    Day of rage at UNICAL

    Violence broke out at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) last week when the Electoral Committee stopped the Students’ Union Government (SUG) election. In the ensuing melee, a student was hit by a stray bullet and the election was cancelled. STANLEY UCHEGBU (Accounting) and FRANK EJEAGBASI (400-Level Medical Physiology) report.

    It all started peacefully. Amid fun and excitement, the University of Calabar (UNICAL) students went about casting their vote. Suddenly, the Electoral Committee stopped the Students’ Union Government (SUG) election and all hell was let loose at the 25,000-capacity Hogan Bassey Pavilion.

    Shots were fired to restore order. But, in the ensuing melee, Ndifreke Ukpong, a 400-Level Education Administration and Planning student, was hit.

    The Electoral Committee’s stoppage of the election, while many students were still on the queue to vote, sparked the unrest. The protesters accused the committee of trying to skew the exercise in a candidate’s favour.

    The university security personnel were ordered to take the ballot boxes to the Old Senate Chambers for counting with the candidates’ agents. But the disenfranchised students protested and started chanting: “We want to vote, we no go gree; we want to vote, we no go gree.”

    The aggrieved students trailed the security personnel, who tried to make a detour, on seeing that the Old Senate Chambers would not be convenient for the counting of votes. They turned towards the New Arts Auditorium (NAT), while the angry students kept following them and chanting.

    As they approached the Faculty of Social Science block, CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the security personnel fired into the air to scare the protesters. Some students defied the shooting and stayed behind to know where the ballot boxes were being taken.

    It was gathered a student was hit by stray a bullet, leading to a bedlam as people scampered for safety.

    An eyewitness, who claimed to be standing beside the victim, said: “The security man that fired the shot held the gun, facing down. The bullet rebounded and hit the student standing beside me. Even, the victim did not know he was hit; I drew his attention to his bleeding body. Then, people ran towards him and rushed him to the hospital. I thank God because it could have been me.”

    The incident heightened tension on the campus, with students raring for a showdown. Riot policemen were invited and a former SUG presidential aspirant, John Etim, was arrested. His arrest angered students, who hurled objects, including stones, at the policemen to free their colleague. John was later released.

    A Law student, who did not want his name in print, condemned the deployment of policemen to “deal with defenceless students”.

    The SUG president, Bassey Eka, pacified the annoyed students. Bassey pleaded with them to be peaceful, promising that the union would investigate the incident. He requested the students to follow him to the Hogan Bassey Pavilion to take a stand on how to go about the matter.

    At the pavilion, Bassey said: “We cannot employ violence to seek redress for a perceived injustice. We demand that the election be nullified until we know the condition of our colleague, who was shot.” Students agreed that the election be cancelled.

    The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof James Epoke, who visited the pavilion to address the students, apologised for what he called “accidental discharge”.

    He assured the students that the victim would be taken care of and announced the cancellation of the election.

    At 6pm, the victim was brought back to the campus after treatment. He was taken round the hostel for students to know that he is not dead.

    The rescheduled election will hold tomorrow. Students are calling for transparency in the process.

    Dr Anozeng Igiri, the Electoral Committee chairman, said the management did not have a candidate in the election, promising the panel would follow constitutional provisions in discharging its functions. “We don’t have any interest in the process or whether any candidate belongs to a department or state of origin. We have the duty to conduct a free and fair election that will ensure a legitimate students’ union executive is presented to the students,” he said.

    The four cleared presidential candidates are Emmanuel Ajang, Faculty of Law; Justin Ilefa, Faculty of Management Science; Emmanuel Akobi, Faculty of Clinical Science and Nelson Akobi, Faculty of Science.

  • Murder on campus

    Murder on campus

    Hoodlums suspected to be students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) have killed Dr Godwin Iwatt, a lecturer at the Department of Microbiology, known for his uprightness and principle. STANLEY UCHEGBU (Graduating student of Accounting) and EMMANUEL OGAR (Graduating student of Electronics and Computer Technology) report.

    •Unknown gunmen kill ‘strict’ lecturer

    It was 2:30pm last Tuesday and the Department of Microbiology of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) was brimming with life. Some students were writing their examination; others milled around, chatting.

    Suddenly, gunshots rang out from an office. There was bedlam. Exam supervisors, lecturers and students ran out of the exam hall. Some ran into the Centre for Educational Services (CES) building; others ran into the nearby Physics Department

    When all was calm, a lecturer, Dr Godwin Iwatt, was found in a pool of his own blood. He was reportedly shot at close range by two assailants suspected to be students of the institution. The assailants, CAMPUSLIFE gathered, escaped from the scene immediately.

    The Head of Department (HOD), Dr B. E. Asikong, who rushed to the scene, found Dr Iwatt screaming for help. He was rushed to the medical centre from where he was transferred to the UNICAL Teaching Hospital (UCTH).

    Days after he was said to be responding to treatment, Dr Iwatt died from injuries sustained in the attack. He was said to have been hit on his left thoracic cavity.

    When news of his death hit the campus, the department was paralysed. The late Dr  Iwatt’s colleagues gathered to mourn him. Students were shocked.

    Why must Dr Iwatt be killed? Could it be because of his straight-forwardness and discipline? These are some of the questions students were asking.

    The late Dr Iwatt taught Virology and Microbial Ecology. He was described as “too strict”. He was recently appointed the university’s Examination Officer.

    Before the incident, it was gathered that Iwatt received several threat messages from unidentified persons. A source told our correspondent that, two weeks ago, some people visited the late Dr Iwatt’s private laboratory to attack him, but  he “escaped miraculously”.

    Johnpaul Otobong, a 300-Level Zoology and Environmental Science student, told CAMPUSLIFE that he overheard some students a few weeks ago saying the late Iwatt boasted in the lecture room that nobody could kill him.

    The late Dr Iwatt’s home was attacked by unknown assailants the night before he was killed in his office. But he was said not to have reported the incident to the security unit.

    “With all the threats, we still don’t know why an educated man of the status of Dr Iwatt would toy with his life. He never deemed it necessary to report the threat messages he had been receiving to us,” a high ranking university security officer said.

    The Chief Security Officer, Mr Boniface Adie, declined comments, referring our reporters to the Information Officer, Mr Effioing Eyo.

    Eyo, in a statement, confirmed that the late Iwatt was shot at close range in his office by two unknown assailants suspected to be students of the university. He gave their ages to be between 22 and 28. He said the assailants took  to their heels immediately and mixed with other students.

    He said: “The problem we have at the moment is that we have not yet ascertained who the assailants are. We learnt that the assailants did not only threaten the late Dr Iwatt, they also threatened another lecturer, Dr. Maurice Ekpenyong, in the same department. It is disheartening that a lecturer has been sacrificed so brutally in the course of carrying out his duty. The murdered lecturer was only abiding by the school’s rules and regulations.”

    The management has vowed to apprehend the unknown assailants.

  • All hail the beauty king, queen

    All hail the beauty king, queen

    Onyinyechi Ebenyi and Moses Imeh have won the University of Calabar (UNICAL) beauty pageant organised by the Students’ Union Government (SUG). STANLEY UCHEGBU (Graduating student of Accounting) reports. 

    She walked with measured steps, smiling and waving to the excited crowd. She gathered her light blue flowing attire to ease her movement. As she sat on the ‘throne’, a gold-rimmed crown was placed on her head to announce her ascension.

    Onyinyechi Ebenyi, a 200-Level Medical Laboratory Science student, is the new queen of the University of Calabar (UNICAL). To her left was the king, Moses Imeh, a 200-Level Pure Physics student. The excited crowd applauded the Mr and Miss UNICAL as they were unveiled at a show organised, last weekend, by the Director of Socials of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Williams Usese.

    Usese said the event, with the theme: Sustaining moral sanity in Nigerian youths, was to showcase intelligence and beauty of students.

    It was a night of glamour and entertainment as thousands of students and their colleagues from the Cross River State University of Technology (CRUTECH) trooped into the Main Bowl of the UNICAL Cultural Centre for the variety night show.

    The SUG executive members were led to the show by the president, Bassey Eka, and his deputy, Mercy Mbakwe. Promise Owai, the Speaker of the union parliament, led members to the event.

    Campus comedians, including Robby Ekpo and Josiah Eghrudje, dished out hilarious jokes. Hip-hop artistes and acrobatic dancers dazzled with various stunts as music blared from the speakers of DJ Vicky Jay.

    Fashion designers had a field day, showcasing beautifully-sewn attires at the show.

    The pageant was sponsored by Spark Shopz, Multi Choice and Nigeria Breweries.

    The contest was in three stages; with 30 contestants participating in the male and female categories. In the first stage, contestants appeared in cultural apparels and took to the runway with synchronised steps, displaying their culture. The audience applauded their performance.

    Their skill was tested in dances, television presentation, drama and singing in the second stage. The judges shortlisted 10 contestants in each category.

    At the final stage, female contestants appeared in sleeveless designer gowns; their male counterparts were in corporate wears. They were asked to pick questions from a group of questions to test their intelligence.

    Having answered all questions correctly, Moses and Onyinyechi beat other contestants to clinch the Mr and Miss UNICAL titles. The judges, among whom were former Mr and Miss UNICAL, Iferi Young and Sophia Dijeh, praised the contestants for their intellect and talents.

    Prizes were presented to the winners by the union president, his deputy and representatives of the sponsors.

    Bassey hailed the students for turning out en masse for the show, praising them for showing maturity by being peaceful. He urged the winners to use their crowns to bring development to the campus and boost students’ morale.

    Mary Agnes, a member of the Nigeria Union of Campus Journalists, was delighted by the show’s success, saying: “The show was exceptional; the exhibition and performances by artistes, especially the acrobatic dancers, were mind-blowing. It was quite a wonderful event.”

    Giving the vote of thanks, Williams said: “This event started as a dream and vision; but today, that dream has become a reality and I am grateful to God for its success.”

  • 15,000 bag degrees at UNICAL

    15,000 bag degrees at UNICAL

    No fewer than 15,000 graduating students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) bagged degrees at the institution’s 27th convocation last week. STANLEY UCHEGBU (500-Level Accounting) and EMMANUEL AHANONU (Political Science) report.

    The University of Calabar (UNICAL) held its 27th convocation last week. Thousands of graduands and their parents thronged the campus for the ceremony, which was held at Abraham Ordia Stadium.

    President Goodluck Jonathan was represented by the Supervising Minister of Education, Mr Nyesom Wike.

    The Vice-Chancellor, Prof James Epoke led the procession of principal officers, including Deans of Faculties, Heads of Departments and Directors of Units. They were received by a crowd of graduating students and their families. The university security personnel and members of Man O’ War command had a hectic time controlling the crowd.

    In his address, the Pro-Chancellor, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, whose speech was read by Prof Epoke, said the institution was determined to pursue productive collaborations with renowned universities in the world to maintain its culture of excellence.

    Welcoming the graduands and their parents, Prof Epoke said the university was graduating the highest number of students. According to him, a total overhaul of the process enabled the school to clear its backlog of graduates. No fewer than 15, 037 graduates bagged degrees. Prof Epoke urged the graduands to be good ambassadors of their alma mater.

    President Jonathan, described higher institution as an engine room of development, saying universities remain a fertile garden where ideas are germinated to change the world. The president said education remained a cardinal programme of his administration’s Transformation Agenda. “My administration has continued to lay emphasis on education as the bedrock for any national development and advancement,” he said.

    Jonathan said his government established new federal universities to ensure every state in the federation has federal presence and to enable qualified candidates have access to university education. He added that funds had been expended to develop and revitalise the existing universities.

    The President frowned at frequent disruption of programmes in universities by strike by academic and non- academic unions, stressing that each time there was strike, research activities are truncated and academic calendar disrupted.

    He said funds had been released to meet the infrastructural needs of the higher institutions through TETFUND and other agencies, stressing that it will be the duty of various unions operating on campuses to reciprocate government’s commitment by embracing dialogue as means of addressing any issue that may arise.

    The President congratulated the graduating students for being found worthy in character and learning, saying the graduates had joined the pantheon of distinguished alumni of the university, who have made their mark in various spheres of national life. He urged them to use their knowledge in entrepreneurship to be self-reliant and create jobs for others.

    After President Jonathan’s speech, the University Registrar presented the graduating students for award of classes of degrees. They first set to be called was National Diploma awardees. They were followed by Bachelor degree Doctorate and Master’s degree recipients in that order. Wike shook hands with Master’s graduates to congratulate them for their feat.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that only a student, Onyeka Nkiruka Okonkwo of Department of Human Kinetic and Health Education in the Faculty of Education, graduated with a First Class degree. He had a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.61. There was a drama, however, when She was called out to receive the award from the Tony Elumelu Foundation. He was absent at the ceremony, provoking laughter from the crowd.

    Another best graduating student, Essiet Akanimo, who studied Medicine and Dental Surgery, received the Tony Elumelu Foundation award, which was established to encourage hard work and academic excellence.

    Emmanuel Shebbs, one of the graduands and a CAMPUSLIFE reporter, said he had anticipated the day since he left school last year. He said: “I thank God for seeing me through the academic hurdles, which I used to see as a hard nut for me to crack.”

    Another CAMPUSLIFE reporter, Mrs Chinenye Okonkwo-Amaonye, who graduated from the Faculty of Education, said: “I am happy to be one of the lucky graduates. My gratitude goes to God and my parents who sponsored me for all this years I was in school.”

    Parents of the graduating students could not hide their joy. “I am happy to be the father of a medical doctor who has just got his certificate,” said Albert Mbutu, who sold his land to fir his son to study medicine.

    Most of the graduates, who spoke with CAMPUSLIFE, described the ceremony as the end of academic struggle.

     

     

  • UNICAL to graduate 15,000

    Fifteen thousand students will be graduating at the University of Calabar’s 27th convocation, the Vice-Chancellor Prof. James Epoke has said.

    Epoke, who was on a visit to the paramount ruler and grand patriarch of the Qua and Ejagham nations, HRM Ndidem Thomas Ika Oqua III, said the convocation would award certificates to diploma and postgraduate diploma, masters as well as Ph.D degrees to deserving students in across various disciplines.

    The event would also include awards and prizes for academic excellence.

    Epoke, who was represented by his deputy (Academics), Prof Austin Obiekezie, said the management was in the palace to inform and invite the monarch and in line with university tradition.

    Oqua solicited for a continued harmonious and cordial relationship with the institution. He also prayed for job opportunities for the soon-to-be graduates.

     

  • UNICAL wins varsities’ debate

    UNICAL wins varsities’ debate

    The University of Calabar (UNICAL) has won the All Nigerian Universities Debate Championship (ANUDC), which it hosted.

    The theme was: Corruption, insecurity and national development.

    Nine universities participated in the competition. The Dean of Students, Prof Eyong U. Eyong, who is the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, said many schools could not participate in the contest because of the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike.

    On the first day, a training session was held for the debaters. It was chaired by the Speaker, Cross River State House of Assembly, Hon. Larry Odey.

    The convener, Prof Eze Bassey, praised participants for putting up for the competition. He encouraged the debaters to be bold during their presentations. He said the aim of the event was to promote the spirit of debate and dialogue, noting that they were vital to solving societal problems.

    The Vice Chancellor, Prof James Epoke, said the university was committed to promoting teaching and learning by exploring avenues that will boost the exposure of the students and give them opportunities to participate in national and global competitions.

    The ceremony featured the formation of the Nigerian Debate Council (NDC), whose membership was drawn from the participating institution.

    It had six rounds, quarter final, semi-final and grand finale. Team UNCIAL emerged the best in three rounds while the University of Port Harcourt contingent won the fourth.

    The debate topic for the grand finale was: This house shall take the decisions of the national conference to the National Assembly for ratification.

    After the grand finale, Archibong Emmanuel and Aka Augustine, both of Team UNICAL, won the first position with 1980 and 1978 points. Team UNIPORT and Imo State University (IMSU) were first and second runners-up.

    The University of Lagos (UNILAG), Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Cross River State University of Science and Technology (CRUTECH), Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU)and University of Uyo (UNIUYO) won fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh andeighth positions.

    Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, Nkemakolam Agommuo of Team MOUAU, said he had problem with the style of the debate.

    “The parliamentary debate format is new to us. It is not readily in use in this part of the world. We are not used to it. I hope that next time, we shall have enough time to develop more on the format,’’ he said.

    Aka Augustine of Team UNICAL described the debate system as an international.

    He said: “The format is an international standard. In UNICAL.

    It is the standard we use to train our debaters. Universities need to invest in the intellectual development of their students by adopting international best practices just as we do here in UNICAL.”

  • How a UNICAL graduate is coping with ASUU strike

    How a UNICAL graduate is coping with ASUU strike

    On Wednesday, last week, a non-governmental organisation, Foundation for Partnership Initiative for Niger Delta (PIND) took reporters on a tour of the United Ufuoma Fish Farmers Association’s cluster of fish farms in Ekpan, Delta State.

    The visitors were amazed by the size and scale of activities of over 500 farmers.

    The Mr Fischer Ogugu, President of UUFFA and members told exciting stories of their travails and triumphs.

    However, there was no story as gripping as that of a final year statistics student of the University of Calabar. When our reporter met Emmanuel Umukoro on that sunny Wednesday afternoon, he was obviously worn out from a hard day’s work. With his customary red cap perched on his head, he smiled and exuded satisfaction that spread through a striking face atop his muddy, weary body

    He was one student who is making the best out of a bad situation. He has spent the past four months, since the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) embarked on strike doing what he was doing on that Wednesday afternoon – earning valuable extra money that could take some burden off his parents shoulder.

    “My mum is a petty trader and my dad is a tailor,” he said. “Sometimes I don’t even think about my parents when I want to pay my house rent. I don’t disturb my parents because the money is like change to me, so I pay it on my own. Not that they cannot pay it, I just decide to do it on my own because as we say in Warri language, ‘na small small them de follow this thing’ (In life, it is easy does it).”

    The young energetic man had been doing what he was doing that day for the past four years. But as he recalled, the journey did not start very smoothly. “I can remember vividly the day I came to this place. I (had) just finished my secondary school in 2008. I said instead of staying idle, let me come here and find something to assist myself.

    “I found out that so many activities are happening here. After a hard day’s work I and my younger brother managed to make just N350. I told myself I would never come back,” he recalled with a gentle smile that lit up his dark skin.

    “I came again in 2009, a friend brought me back this time and after that day’s work again I was paid N3,500. I was so excited. And I said that money is really good.

    “There are so many things to do here, like packing of the fish, carrying loads. Carrying loads pay more; it pays quickly and very well, too.”

    In spite of his fortunate position, Umukoro was concerned that there were students and other able-bodied youths like him who do not have such opportunity.

    He said his relationship with the NGO has been particularly eventful and interesting. “I have worked with PIND. The first (demo) pond they started, I was the person that stocked it. I remember the doctor (PIND official) that started the pond, he was a UNICAL graduate, and when he met me, he was very happy and said I would be the one to stock the pond. The first fish they used I was the one that carried it and when they harvested, I was the person that sold the fish.

    Reflecting on the lecturers’ strike, he said: “This place has really helped financial so many times. I have been here for the past four months since the ASUU strike. I make an average of 1,500 daily and about 45,000 monthly.”

    But what really does he do? A lot, he said. With over 10 tons of catfish harvested and sold daily, there are so many things for Umukoro and dozens others like him to do at the farm. Hundreds of fish sellers, hoteliers and caterers from with the town, Warri and environs as well as from neighbouring and faraway states troop to the farm daily.

    Our checks revealed that about 100 youths from Ekpan and other parts of the twin cities of Effurun and Warri are engaged daily in the farm and similar ones in Ekpan, New Layout and Ugboroke area of the city.

    “My work here has really helped me in the sense that I don’t have time for negative thoughts. I can’t imagine myself thinking of evil things. When I leave here I go to help my parents and by the time I get home around 10 or 11pm, I am usually too exhausted to think of anything.

    “I am comfortable when compared with my counterparts from similar background who do not have this kind of opportunity to work. I was speaking with a colleague the other day and I asked him what he was doing, he said he was teaching. I asked how much does he earn and he said N7,500. I joked that he should just come here and I would pay him without doing anything and we laughed over it. He (his friend) said that I was speaking as someone who has made money. And when I told him the minimum money I make monthly is N30,000 he was really surprised.”

    This young man’s story is an example of how self-help projects in the Niger Delta with support from government and NGOs can help provide employment and reduce youths restiveness.

    With the UUFFA intervention and other similar projects across the region, PIND has started on the right track.

     

  • ‘Climate change: 1.5m million Nigerians may be displaced by flooding’

    With global warming and the potential sea level rise in the Atlantic Ocean, between 600,000 and 1.5 million Nigerians may be displaced in coastal areas, the Vice-Chancellor of the Botswana International University of Science and Technology and Professor of Environmental Engineering and Science, Prof Hilary Inyang, has said.

    Delivering a paper on “Coastal marine system: Propagation and Management of Hazards and Wealth” at the International Conference on Oceanography at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Cross River State yesterday, Prof Inyang said the atlantic ocean has been swallowing portions of Bar Beach at the rate of 16 feet per year.

    The conference organised by the Institute of Oceanography of UNICAL had as its theme “Climate Change and Coastal Areas Sustainability in Tropical and Sub-Tropical regions.”

    Inyang said it is estimated by the UN framework convention on climate change, that a modest sea level rise of 0.5 mm would cost a 35 per cent loss in the land area of Nigeria’s Niger Delta.

    Storms will also increase in intensity as the sea surface temperature (sst) rises to levels above 27 degrees centigrade, with the possibility of tsunami type impacts in the coastal areas, he added.

    He said each year floods destroy thousands of acres of farm land and other ecological resources in both upland and coastal areas of Nigeria.

    Also speaking a member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Mrs Helen Esuene, emphasized the need to protect and restore Nigeria’s lost mangroves as a means of checking the growing menace of climate change in the country.

    She attributed effects of climate change in the country to the continuous destruction of mangroves which protect the country’s coastline.

    She said efforts were been made in the Senate to ensure the passage for the proper management of the country’s mangrove forest.

    She also sought the establishment of a mangrove management commission.

    Director of the Institute of Oceanography of UNICAL, Prof Francis Asuquo, said climate change had become a worldwide menace and efforts made to bring it under control appeared not to be yielding much result.

    He said not daunted by the situation, they had moved to brainstorm with experts from all over the world in the conference over the phenomenon.

    The Vice Chancellor of UNICAL, Prof James Epoke, said the institution would continue to organise training and research programmes to expand the climate change knowledge base, and encourage policy actions that would help mitigate climate change and enable the human communities, especially in coastal areas.

  • Varsity teachers divided over strike

    Varsity teachers divided over strike

    Varsity teachers met yesterday on the campuses to discuss President Goodluck Jonathan’s offer to end their more than four months strike.

    According to the operating guidelines of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the local chapters are expected to vote on whether they agreed with the proposal and that the strike should end or whether they disapproved and the strike should continue.

    Decisions reached on the various campuses are to be taken to tomorrow’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which will take a decision after aggregating the opinions.

    Opinions were divided yesterday, although many ASUU chapters failed to disclose their decisions.

    The University of Lagos (UNILAG), Lagos State University (LASU), University of Calabar (UNICAL), Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Federal University of Technology Minna and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso chapters voted that the strike should end. Some of them, however, gave conditions.

    The University of Jos (UNIJOS), the University of Benin (UNIBEN) and the Nasarawa State University chapters voted that the strike should continue.

    UNIJOS chapter chairman Dr. David Jankam said members did not see any substance in the dialogue with the Federal Government to warrant calling off the strike.

    He said: “We have just rounded off our meeting. As a matter of fact, our members voted overwhelmingly for the continuation of the strike.

    “I can also confirm to you that five of the eight universities that make up the Bauchi Zone of ASUU have also voted for continuation of the strike, and the general saying is that the government has not shown any commitment so far.

    “We started the meeting by briefing our members on issues resolved with the Federal Government in the last meeting with the president of ASUU.

    “But in responding to the briefing, our members observed that the main issues that led to the strike were not discussed at the Aso Rock meeting.

    “As such, my members said President Jonathan is taking them for a ride by trying to divert attention from the core subjects of the strike.”

    Jankam went on: “I will now convey the resolve of our branch to our national president at the NEC meeting tomorrow.”

    Shedding light on how the meeting will decide the mater, he said: “If the majority of the chapters vote for its end, it will be called off, but if majority of chapters vote for continuation, so be it.”

    The congress of the Union at the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna was divided, with majority of the members supporting the suspension of the action. Others would want it suspended with some conditions met by the government.

    The minority demanded that in calling off the action, the leadership of the union should insist that no member is victimised for his roles in the strike. They also insisted that government should indicate in the final agreement that the 2009 agreement was due for negotiation and the payment of the balance of their academic earned allowances.

    As soon as Dr. Fatai Jimoh briefed the congress of the outcome of the meeting between President Jonathan and the union, the house was divided, with the majority of the members pushing for suspension.

    The few dissenting voices argued that the union should not fall prey to the government’s ploy. They cautioned that the union cannot take the government for its word, maintaining that if the union had to embark on a strike after series of correspondences and strike in 2011 that led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2012 were not honoured.

    But majority of the university teachers said the plight of the students and their parents should be considered.

    After an exhaustive debate, the congress directed its chairman to convey to the National Executive Council meeting holding tomorrow at the Bayero University in Kano that the union could consider suspending the action, but insisted that the three conditions be met.

    Chapter chairman Dr. Fatai Jimoh, who initially refused to divulge the outcome of the congress, later said: “I have the mandate to take the decision of the congress to NEC. But, if you insist to know, majority of our members called for the suspension of the strike but with the government fulfilling three conditions.

    “Don’t ask me the conditions, because we don’t want it yet in the public domain. All I can tell you is that the strike is still on, until the NEC of the union decides otherwise.”

    The chapter chairman also refused to assess the impact of the action. He said: “As long as NEC has not suspended the action, it will be premature to assess the success or otherwise of the action. When the strike is called off, I’ll give my candid assessment.”

    At Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, ASUU chair Comrade Yahaya Badeggi said: “The congress at IBBU Lapai resolved that the strike continues until when the National Executive Council of the union decides otherwise. We know they are still negotiating. We shall abide by the decision of NEC.”

    On the gains of the action, Badeggi said: “I make bold to say that the action has produced some positive results. From the N100 billion released, our university got N450 million. This would not have been so but for the strike. I believe that at the end of the day, the university system will be better for it.”

    The following are the decisions at the various ASUU chapters on the strike.

    •University of Benin (UNIBEN). Members unanimously voted for the strike to continue because the Federal Government’s offer omitted some vital segments of the 2009 agreement;

    •University of Lagos (UNILAG) teachers want suspension of strike, but will await further directive from the national body after meeting tomorrow in Kano;

    •University of Calabar (UNICAL) lecturers voted for the suspension of the strike;

    Nasarawa State University, Keffi. ASUU chair Dr. Theophilus Lagi, said: “I can assure you that all members present at the congress today wanted the strike to continue because the documents from the government failed to address the grey areas in contention. We believe there is nothing practicable in the government’s offer, even with the N200 billion it promised to release. Before we can suspend the strike, all unpaid salaries of our colleagues must be paid and there must be solid assurance from the government that no member will be victimised after the strike is eventually suspended;

    •Ahmadu Bello University (ABU). When the issue was put to vote, the majority of members wanted an end to the strike, with the agreement that the government must sign a binding document on how it will release the N1.2 trillion it promised to release. They promised to abide by the decision of the NEC in Kano;

    •Delta State University (DELSU) members want suspension of the strike.

    •Ekiti State University (EKSU) lecturers would not disclose the outcome of the congress until after the NEC meeting tomorrow;

    •Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso (LAUTECH). The ASUU local chairman said he would not disclose the outcome of the congress but a lecturer who attended the congress said members were okay with the offer of the government and wanted the strike to end;

    •Lagos State University (LASU) chapter supports the strike suspension.

    A source who is from ASUU-LASU executive, but pleaded not to be mentioned, said the chapter only gave certain conditions under which the strike should be suspended.