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Tag: University of Calabar

  • Son of UNICAL Dean kidnapped, lecturer shot

     

    The son of the Dean of Graduate School of the University of Calabar, Onyebuchi Okwueze, has reportedly been abducted from the staff quarters of the institution by unknown gunmen.

     

    Okwueze, a 24-year old first year student of the department of Banking and Finance was abducted on Wednesday.

     

    A statement by the Information Officer of the school, Mr Effiong Eyo, made available to our reporter in Calabar read, “Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers yesterday (Wednesday) stormed the premises of the Dean, Professor Emeka Okwueze who was unavailable at the time of the attack, broke into his house and made away with his Plasma television and his 24 year old son who was the only one at home.

     

    “The gunmen who were said to have begun their operation at about 8.15pm also inflicted injuries on a lecturer in Physics department, Dr. Anthony George and his wife who were driving in and got caught up in the attack. While Dr. George was shot on his right hand, his wife sustained bullet injuries on the left knee. Both are however responding to treatment.

     

    “Though they made unsuccessful attempts to gain entrance into the stretch of houses accommodating staff within the wing of buildings, the gunmen however smashed the mirror and front tyre of a Mercedes Benz vehicle belonging to a Professor in the College of Medical Sciences, Prof Chucks Ejezie.

     

    “It will be recalled that in the month of May this year, kidnappers invaded the same wing of buildings and took away with them the son of a Deputy Registrar, Barr Ekpenyong Iniama and the wife and daughter of Prof Wilfred Ndifon of the College of Medical Sciences, both were later released.

     

    “In a bid to checkmate future occurrence of the event, the Deputy Chief Security Officer of the Institution, DSP Jarlath Abang disclosed that several security measures were put in place by the management of the institution in conjunction with the Cross River State Government.

     

    “The measures covered and implemented in the joint initiative include among others , demolition of all shanties at the waterfront by the Cross River State Government,  prohibition of fishing and farming at the water front, displacement of illegal occupants and constant patrol of the quarters both by security operatives on foot and vehicles.

     

    “The Deputy Chief Security Officer attributed the delay in the distress call as a major reason for the kidnappers’ tentative gain.

     

    “The Vice Chancellor of the Institution, Prof Zana Akpagu visited the homes of the Staff who were affected by the attack and commiserated with them over the unfortunate event and assured them of management concern over their welfare and pledged to do all within the purview of his office to ensure the release of those kidnapped and also catch up with the kidnappers.

     

    “He also promised to work with the relevant security agencies to ensure continued safety of lives and properties on campus.”

     

  • UNICAL bursar suspended over alleged fraud

    UNICAL bursar suspended over alleged fraud

    The bursar of the University of Calabar, Mr Peter Agi, was Monday suspended by the management of the institution over allegations of fraud among other accusations.

    A letter to Agi, signed by the Registrar of the institution, Moses Abang, obtained by The Nation in Calabar Monday read, “In an Emergency Meeting of Management held today, August 22, 2016, Management considered recent developments on campus especially your arrest by the Nigeria Police vide letter no. AB:3621/CRS/DFA/VOL.T/123 of August 17, 2016 on allegations of fraud, forgery and threat to life, it has become imperative that you step aside as Bursar and clear yourself of these allegations.

    “Furthermore, Management observed that you have been impersonating the Vice Chancellor on the CBN e-payment platform by making final approvals and payments, a duty that is the responsibility of the Vice Chancellor who is the Chief Accounting Officer of the University.  Bank transactions and alerts are still being forwarded to the immediate past Vice Chancellor, Prof. James Epoke without the Vice Chancellor’s knowledge.

    “Again, you absented yourself from office without requesting any of your Deputies to act for you, thus creating a vacuum in the administration of the Bursary.  Rather, in a circular of 18th August, 2016, you requested members of the University community who need you for official business to do so by reaching you on your phone number.  This is absurd and not acceptable anywhere.

    “To further compound matters, you have as well:(1) Deliberately orchestrated measures aimed at ensuring that the University loses accreditation of its Medical Programmes by refusing to purchase buses for the Departments of Public Health and Community Medicine.

    “This is a major requirement for accreditation and Council had directed you several times on this yet you bluntly refused to comply. (2) Deliberately refused to purchase official car for the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) 8 months after he was appointed into office.  You have ignored several Council and Management directives on this. (3) Deliberately refused to purchase official car for the Dean of Graduate School even when the Graduate School designed measures to internally generate revenue for this purpose.

    “You have consistently ignored Management’s directives with impunity. (4) Bluntly refused to pay TETFUND contractors who have successfully executed jobs and rendered services to the University even when such contractors have been cleared for payments. The consequence of this is that while other Universities are already making progress and accessing the 2015 allocation, the University of Calabar cannot exhaust the 2013 allocation to qualify for the next tranche. (5) Illegally mobilized and brought into campus a group of non-staff/students including suspected cultists, some of whom have been charged to court.

    “These your “supporters” violently molested staff and beat up Journalists who were at the scene of the incident and even damaged their camera (as stated in the security report and reported in the media). (6) Unilaterally granted press interview on matters relating to the University without clearance from appropriate authorities. (7) Callously and with utter disregard of Vice Chancellor’s directives by refusing to pay staff entitlements even when due process have been followed before approval. (8) You were issued a query on August 17, 2016 Ref. UC/R.45A to offer explanation on your misdeeds on Campus on Monday, August 15, 2016.  When your staff told you that you have a mail, you requested for the content of the mail to be read to you.

    “Thereafter, you requested for the letter to be brought to you.  You read the letter and returned it through the same staff to your office and directed that they should inform whoever cares that they could not deliver the mail to you.  As a follow up you left definite instruction with the security man in your house not to receive any mail meant for you. As a consequence, the other copy mailed to you by courier was rejected by your gatemen.

    “These actions of yours are a clear manifestation of an orchestrated and deliberate design to bring to ridicule, the image of the University of Calabar and indeed to cripple its progress as an institution. Management cannot continue to close its eyes on these misdeeds and allow the University to crumble.

    “Management has therefore resolved that you should be placed on suspension. You are therefore suspended as Bursar of the University of Calabar with effect from Monday, August 22, 2016. You are to handover immediately to Mrs. Atim Mensah who is the most senior Deputy Bursar while Mr Joseph Odum is to take over the previous duties covered by Mrs Mensah. By this letter of suspension, Council is being briefed accordingly.”

  • Why democracy is failing in Africa – Maitama Sule

    Why democracy is failing in Africa – Maitama Sule

    Former permanent representative of Nigeria to the United Nations and elder stateman, Alhaji Maitama Sule, Wednesday said democracy was failing in Africa because the culture of the people was not being taken into consideration in shaping it.

    Speaking at the opening of the first Faculty of Arts International Conference of the University of Calabar at the Conference Centre of the institution Wednesday, Sule, said, “In Africa we have been having problems with democracy and I believe it is because we have not taken into account our cultural background in shaping our type of democracy.

    “Is the American style of democracy the same as that of Great Britain? Is the British the same as France? Is France practicing the same as Russia? Until we take our culture into consideration in shaping our own democracy, we shall not succeed and continue to have problems. The democracy we are practicing today is not Afrocentric, but Eurocentric. We are not practicing our democracy along the lines of our culture.”

    The Conference had as its theme, Globalization and Democratic Values in Africa: Perspective in the Humanities.

    Sule also emphasized the need for justice for everyone in a democratic setting.

    He said, “I believe in democracy. At the end of the day it is justice for all. The president has to do justice to all irrespective of background. Justice should be done to whosoever deserves it. That is democracy. Justice is the only way that we can follow to achieve greatness and it should be done to all and sundry. The world should never be government by force and fear and power. Justice is what this democracy wants.”

    Vice Chancellor, Prof Zana Akpagu, said the topic for the conference was very apt, especially in view of the fact that the world was now a global village, as anything that happens in any part of the world affects every other part.

    “Nigeria is still grappling with democracy, but we will get there and we can only get there through discussions like this, and for us as an administration we are ready to encourage any efforts that are geared to enthroning the culture of intellectual discussion. We are ready to promote academic excellence through seminars and conferences like this,” he said.

    Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Prof (Mrs) Dorothy Oluwagbemi-Jacob, said democracy is a cherished value and it is particularly appealing to those whose yearnings for freedom, equality and justice are daily frustrated.

    Oluwagbemi-Jacob said genuine democracy creates space for incentives to increase the productivity of the people, make provision for social welfare services in education and health to enable people produce more, as well as make it possible for the people to choose their representatives to governmental decision-making bodies.

    The Dean said globalization studies call for an interdisciplinary approach comprehensive enough to capture the ‘big picture’, and hoped the Conference would provide answers to the link between globalization and democracy.

    Among dignitaries who attended the event as well as made contributions were former Senate President, Ken Nnamani; former Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu; former governor of Anambra State, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife; former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Idongesit Nkanga; and Rt Hon Nduese Essien among others.

     

  • Gone Too Far excites UNICAL students

    Gone Too Far excites UNICAL students

    •As Kate Henshaw, Rita Dominic others attend screening

    There were just several exciting sides to the screening of Gone Too Far, a film written by London-based Nigerian filmmaker, Bola Agbaje, at the Conference Center of the University of Calabar, Tuesday evening.

    The movie screening was part of the ongoing Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), taking place in the tourism city, meant to mentor students of the Theatre Arts department of the school.

    The presence of Nollywood actresses, Rita Dominic and Kenshaw, their counterpart from South Africa, Xolile Tshabalala and several other celebrities threw the school into an unusual mood, and as the movie was being played, the laugher, giggles and occasional applause gave credits to the filmmakers and organisers of AFRIFF.

    Sponsored by the British Film Institute (BFI), Gone Too Far, the British film by Nigerians, explores racial disparity among blacks in the white man’s land. Directed by Destiny Ekharaga, the film features British-Nigerian teenager Yemi (Malachi Kirby) who is ashamed to let his peers know that his just-arrived, socks-and-sandals-wearing Nigerian brother Ikudayisi (OC Ukeje) is his biological brother.

    The underlining message in the comic film climaxes with an exposé of the folly of denying one’s identity in a bid to feel British among fellow Africans, even when the British don’t see them as one of their own.

    The film was produced by Poisson Rouge Pictures and the British Film Institute.

    The students turned out en masse, scrambling for photo ops with Kate Henshaw who is also known to be aspiring for political office in the State’s House of Assembly, as well as Rita Dominic, the producers of the movie and Chioma Ude, Founder/CEO of AFRIFF.

    “We are absolutely delighted at the reception given to the film,” said Agbaje, who disclosed that it was the first time the film was showing in Nigeria, after it showed at the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) few months back.

  • Don: Nigerian children lack nutrients

    Many children are said to be lacking micro and macro nutrients.

    A Professor of Paediatrics, University of Calabar, Emmanuel E. Ekanem, stated this during the Pharmacists Annual General Meeting, held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State

    Speaking on The role of trace elements and vitamins in Neuro-cognitive and Immunological development in childhood.

    Ekanem said almost half of the children in Nigeria have one form of macro or micronutrient deficiencies. “There are certain nutrients we call micro nutrients. These nutrients required in small quantity are very important for the intellectual development of the child and to resist infection.

    “The very important ones are Vitamin A, D, Iron, Zinc, Iodine and Vitamin B group, etc. When these things are deficient in the child, the effect will show in the child’s intellectual development and cause poor attention which will make the child not able to concentrate in school.

    “People may think that the child is a naughty child but the child may just be deficient in iron. The same goes for a number of other nutrients like zinc required for intellectual development and the child’s immune system.

    “So, the child must be replete or must be supplied with these nutrients very early in life. Breast milk will always be the best to supply nutrients in the first six months of life but we must add these nutrients to the other feeds of the child as the child grows up.

    “The first two years of life are critically important. But if you miss that window period, the intellectual deficiency will continue into its adolescence and adult life. Therefore, we need as recommended by World Health Organisation, micro nutrients and vitamin mixes that will supply the Nigerian child these micro nutrients in adequate quantity.”

    Prof Ekanem noted that an indigenous multivitamin- Reload, has met the standard of World Health Organisation and that is comforting, that parents and healthcare givers can use to address the problem.

    According to Prof Ekanem, the most notable thing about Reload Multivitamin Syrup is that it meets the World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria for micro-nutrients and vitamin mixes, for optimum intellectual and neurological development of the child. The new infant multivitamin drop and syrup are formulated with an enriching taste to reduce the possibility of nutritional deficiency in kids.

    According to the Chief Operating Officer, Pharmacy Plus Limited, Obi Chukwuemeka, the Reload Liquid Range comes in three ranges: Reload Tonic which helps recuperating children as well as the Reload Kidz Syrup and Reload Infant Drops that have been formulated to enhance a healthy diet and help ensure that kids get the nutrition they need every day.

    He said: “Nutrients play a crucial role in helping children live and grow healthy. It is often difficult for them to get all the nutrition they need through diet alone. Likewise, it can be challenging to find a multivitamin that tastes good enough for them to take every day.

    “Reload Tonic, Reload Kidz syrup and Reload Infant Drops are tasty liquid multivitamin supplements that kids like to take. Because they are liquid, these supplements are quickly and easily absorbed by the body, greatly reducing the likelihood of nutritional deficiency.”

  • 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.

     

     

  • Faculty disrupts exam for registration

    Faculty disrupts exam for registration

    Final year students of the Faculty of Education, University of Calabar (UNICAL), were shocked when officials of the faculty kicked them out of examination halls for failing to complete their registration. The incident led to confusion in Pavilions 1, 2 and 3, where the students were writing their exam.

    The officials, led by the Dean of the faculty, Prof Florence Obi, stormed the exam venues and ordered students to vacate the halls for incomplete registration.

    Distressed Honest Mfon, 400-Level Educational Administration and Planning, told CAMPUSLIFE that the faculty officials were doing the right thing at the wrong time.

    “There was no official information prior to the ejection of students from exam halls. Why didn’t they tell us before we entered the halls to write our exam?” she queried.

    Some of the affected students said the disrupted paper was the reason they were still on campus, saying postponing the exam to a later date would subject them to hardship.

    “Our foodstuff have finished and we don’t have any money with us again. How do they want us to survive?” one of them lamented.

    According to Prof Obi, the action was to make students to know that departmental and faculty registrations are compulsory, adding that many of the students had not paid their dues.

    The course lecturers urged the students to be calm, promising that the exam would be rescheduled to a later date.

  • NOA flags off campus campaign

    NOA flags off campus campaign

    The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has flagged off the Do the right thing, a campus-focus and student re-orientation for students of University of Calabar with a lecture titled Nigeria Tertiary Institution of Learning, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: Implication for National Transformation.

    Declaring the event open, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. James Epoke lauded the agency for the programme adding that doing the right thing to transform Nigeria as the slogan of the body says begins with an individual and building a nation full of hope.

    He advised the students to love their country and always ask what they can do for their country and not what their country can do for them. He advised them to shun all social vices that can jeopardize their study.

    Prof. Epoke charged the government to provide the amenities that can enhance learning in the tertiary institutions to enable them function efficiently and effectively and to enable them be patriotic.

    In his welcome address, Mike Omeri, Director General, NOA commended the large turnout of students and staffs at the programme and urged them to emulate the steadfastness and tenacity of the legal luminary whose contributions had impacted positively on the society.

    Presenting her Keynote address on Nigeria Tertiary Institution of learning, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow; Implications for National Transformation, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili said that Nigeria institutions have demonstrated its belief that once there is strong research and development system, the nation’s economy will also be strong because of its conviction that research and innovation are key drivers for economic growth.

    “For the economy to grow, a nation must invest in research and innovation at the tertiary institutions” Ezekwesili stated

    Prof. Muhammed Tawfiq Ladan of the department of Public Law, Faculty of Law, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Kaduna state in his presentation on “The Imperative of industrial harmony and Academic Excellence in a Productive Educational System” said that the challenge facing the Nigerian educational sector include incessant industrial dispute, brain drain, poor financing of quality education, cultism, corrupt practices and abuse of trust.

    He noted that academic excellence cannot be achieved without improving funding and quality of education in the country adding that promoting visionary and disciplined leadership in the educational system is the key to conducive environment for learning devoid of corrupt practices and indiscipline.

    Prof Ladan charged the federal government to increase annual budget allocation to education from 8.4% ( 2012) or 8.7% (2013) to at least the UNESCO minimum benchmark of 26% or Africa best practice on investment in education ( Ghana’s 31% in 2012, better utilization of funds, tracking and monitoring of the use of the resources for education by multi stakeholders forum and lastly reduce the monthly or annual take home pay of all political officer holders to the 0.5million  package of a professor as a way of showing their patriotism and commitment to academic excellence and industrial harmony for the betterment of all.

    Other Keynote speakers include Prof. Femi Odekunle, Professor of Criminology and Anti Corruption crusader, who spoke on the Dimensions and Implication of Moral Decadence in Nigeria tertiary institution of learning, Ene Ede, Principal, Equity Advocate Abuja,  the role of tertiary institution of learning as a veritable resources  base for nation transformation, Comrade Jude Imagwe, Senior Special Assistant to the President Youth and students matters who spoke on the challenges of value reorientation in Nigeria tertiary education system and Emeka Eluem Izeze, the Managing Director and  Editor-in-Chief, Guardian Newspaper.

    The event featured a drama presentation and cultural dances by the university performing company.