The Nation Newspaper

Tag: UNN

  • Residents seek attention on security, power

    A cross section of Nsukka residents in Enugu State yesterday urged the Federal Government to prioritise security, power and agriculture.

    They said the step would boost the economy.

    A public servant, Mr. Harrison Urama, said giving priority to the sectors would enable the Federal Government consolidate on the achievements made.

    “If government consolidates on the achievements made in these vital sectors, it will help to improve the economy and secure life and property.

    “New industries will spring up with steady power supply and our youths will establish small scale businesses.

    “With adequate security, foreign investors will find it attractive to invest,” he said.

    A farmer, Mrs. Philomena Ukaegbu, said attention to agriculture would provide enough for the citizens and export.

    She said: “Before the advent of oil, agriculture was a major foreign exchange earner.

    “Some of the first generation universities, for instance, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), were built with proceeds from agriculture.

    “With adequate investment in agriculture, many jobless youths roaming the streets will be engaged.”

    A secondary school teacher, Mr. Desmond Eze, urged the government to ensure that insecurity, especially the Boko Haram insurgency, was solved.

    “Insurgency in the North caused by the Boko Haram has robbed families of their beloved ones and rendered people homeless.

    “If the Boko Haram problem is not solved, conducting election in the affected states in 2015 will be risky and difficult.

    “Inasmuch as the President Goodluck Jonathan administration has done much to end the insurgency, it should not relent until peace is restored,” he said.

  • UNN boils over suspension of council chairman

    Three trade unions at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), have demanded the reinstatement of the Governing Council Chairman, Dr. Emeka Enejere, who was suspended on Tuesday by the Supervising Minister for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike.

    The leaders led their over 1,000 members in the protest, carrying placards, reading: “Pro-chancellor must come back”, “Enejere must come back.”

    Comrades Ifeanyi Abada, Godfrey Ugwu and Onwu Anthony of ASUU, NASU and NAT, who briefed reporters, decried the leadership style in the institution.

    They said: “We have to reiterate that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, is in ruins. The story of the university today is the story of maladministration, financial impropriety and recklessness, contract splitting and money laundering.”

    The unions noted that Dr. Enejere had been discharging his functions effectively and challenged him to explain the justification for suspending Enejere.

    The unions demanded the reinstatement of Dr. Enejere.

    The university workers shut down offices and joined the protest.

  • FG suspends UNN chairman of governing council

    The Federal Government on Tuesday in Abuja suspended Dr Emeka Enejere, the Chairman/ Pro-Chancellor of University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Governing Council with immediate effect.

    This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, the Special Assistant on Media to the Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike.

    The statement said that the suspension was announced by the supervising minister of education.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Enejere was appointed as the Chairman of UNN Governing Council in April this year

  • UNN sued over alleged unauthorised PG programme

    The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has been sued for its alleged admission of students for a programme it was not authorised to run by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

    The suit was filed by one of the about 400 intending students, who applied for the programme, paid over N220,000 and was admitted into the Master of Art (MA) programme in English to be run from the school’s Abuja centre.

    The plaintiff, Sunday Essienekak, said in a statement of claim that sometime in 2010, UNN advertised in a national daily and on its website, for interested candidates to buy forms from a designated branch of Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank) for admission into its postgraduate programme to be run in its Abuja centre.

    He said he bought the form at N11,000 which he paid into an account with number: 6020020178 belonging to a firm, C & T T22T Services Nigeria Limited, who acted as the school’s agent for the transaction.

    Essienekak said he was issued a postgraduate form and brochure after payment. After going through the admission procedure stipulated by UNN, he said he was issued an admission letter for the programmme.

    The plaintiff averred that on receiving the admission letter, he was made to pay N230,500 as registration fee and bank charge into the same account. He also exhibited copies of receipts he said the school issued for the payments.

    He said he later went to the named centre, where he was equaally given a registration number: PG/MA/AL/0066. He said he was, however, surprised when, on completing the admission process, the school could not start lectures and had failed to do so till date.

    The plaintiff stated that upon enquiry, he discovered that the NUC did not authorise UNN to run the programme in Abuja. He also said he found out from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) that the school’s agent – C & T T22T Services Nigeria Ltd, in whose account with Bank PHB, funds were paid – was not registered.

    He is praying the court to ,among others, compel the school to refund all he paid, 7.5 per cent interest on the amount paid; N1million as general damages, and N350 as cost of prosecuting the case.

    Essienekak also wants the court to compel NUC to investigate UNN and its agent in respect of the programme, and make a declaration that the purported admission offered by UNN and the fees it collected were “illegally perpetrated to con the plaintiff to lose his finances.”

    Sued with UNN are its alleged agent, C & T T22T Services Nigeria Ltd and NUC.

    The NUC has denied authorising UNN to run the programme and for which it collected money from subscribers.

    NUC, in a statement of defence filed by its lawyer, O. N. Iroaganachi, said: “No accreditation has issued from her to the first defendant (UNN) in her (NUC’s) statutory duties as a regulator to either run the programme described by the plaintiff in his claim and or any other programme closely associated with it.”

    It also said neither UNN nor its alleged agent “obtained the permission, leave or authority of the third defendant (NUC) in the discharge of her statutory obligation to run the programme as described in plaintiff’s claim, leading to his purported admission.”

    NUC urged the court to strike its name from the suit as no cause of action had been established against it.

    But UNN raised an objection and prayed the Federal High Court, Abuja, before the case was initially initiated to strike it out for lack of jurisdiction.

    In a motion on notice filed by its lawyer, Ejike Ume (SAN), the school argued that the plaintiff’s claims are within the contemplation of Section 251 of the Constitution, and that it revolves around issues of simple contract between parties.

    Ume queried the legitimacy of the inclusion of the alleged agent in the suit, when the plaintiff had said it was a non-existent entity. He argued that an agent cannot be held liable for the action of a known principal.

    When the case came up Justice Ademola Adeniyi agreed with Ume that since the case relates to a dispute from a simple contract, his court lacks jurisdiction.

    Justice Adeniyi, however, refrained from striking it out, but elected to transfer the case to the Abuja High Court.

     

     

  • Protest rocks UNN

    Protest rocks UNN

    They had their plan well laid out. It was to strike when the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in Enugu State resumes. They thought the school would resume last Monday, following the Federal Government’s directive to the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to return to work or consider its members sacked.

    The Orba community has, for long, had an axe to grind with the UNN. As the school’s host, the community had reached an understanding with the UNN authorities when the institution was being established over 50 years ago.

    Under the pact, it was agreed that UNN would provide electricity, potable water for the community, grant admission to those qualified and give its youths job. The community claims that the university has reneged on those promises. So, it set aside last Monday to air its grievances, thinking that the school would have resumed.

    Even though some students were in school, they never bargained for what happened that Monday. Just like others, they were looking forward to the return of their teachers and colleagues.

    In preparation for the school’s resumption, they had gone to their lecture room to read. To ensure law and order, the police maintained presence on the campus, with an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC).

    Suddenly, a crowd of youths and women from Orba community besieged the campus, protesting what they described as “failed promises” by the UNN management.

    Despite the police presence, the protesters marched on some offices, including the Vice Chancellor’s to register their displeasure over the continued blackout in their community. They said they came to disrupt academic activities.

    Some students and staff hurriedly left the campus. The protesters arrived at the school as early as 8am.

    As they moved round the campus, they chanted solidarity songs in Igbo, which went thus: “We are tired of empty promises from Bartho Okolo; the university must restore electricity in our community.”

    The demonstrators said since the school was established in their community, the Governing Council has not delivered on its promises to them.

    Those who spoke to our correspondent, complained that the management give admission to qualified people from the community.

    A protester said there had been no employment for residents, which he said went against the agreement reached with the government when the school was founded.

    He said: “We had an agreement with the UNN that they would provide the community with uninterrupted power supply and that is the only thing we enjoy from the university. But other promises, such as, pipe borne water, employment and admission quota for our youths have not been implemented so far. We are tired of their promises. The electricity, which is the only thing we are benefiting, was cut off three weeks ago. This is making life unbearable for us, which is why we are here to disrupt the school resumption. We want all these issues to be addressed.”

    Another protester said efforts to bring the community’s grievances to the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Barth Okolo, were futile, adding that officials in the VC’s office always turned back the community’s representatives, with the excuse that the VC was not in.

    “One of them told us that the Vice Chancellor has never stayed up to three months in the office since he was appointed and advised us to look elsewhere for solution to challenges facing the community,” a protester said.

    The protesters, who blocked the entrance to the VC’s office for over six hours, said they would continue to demonstrate on the campus until electricity and other agreements between the management and the of host community were implemented.

    The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof Malachi Okwueze, who addressed the protesters, said the management would look into the matter and inform them of its decision.

    One of the community leaders, Mr. Robinson Ezeugwu, said they could not reach the Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime, to intervene in the matter. He said several letters the community wrote to the Vice Chancellor were not endorsed for action. He said the residents would continue the protest until their grievances were addressed.

    Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, Communication Secretary to the Vice-Chancellor Mr. Gabriel Ndu said management was doing its best to resolve the issues, adding that the grievances would be addressed when the school council sits again.

  • State of public schools’ hostels

    “Oh my God! But this is not what we bargained for.” That was the exclamation of a student on entering a hostel’s toilet in one of the public varsities. The complainant was not a fresher, but what must have made him to decry the sorry state of the hostel’s toilet? Was it what he bargained for?

    Upon gaining admission into a higher institution, a prospective student would definitely imagine how life on campus would be. He would fantasise about campus activities, both academic and social. He would also give some moments to how life in the school’s hostel would be, having heard a lot about campus life.

    As a fresher, he would be preoccupied with thoughts of meeting various characters, most especially, those with whom he would live in the same room as roommates. The wonderful time he would have, those he would be assigned the same room with — the good; the fear of the possibility of living with the bad, and the risk in being with the ugly would occupy his thought.

    Despite these realities, everybody still wants to experience life on campus. But would the condition of the hostel life and its environment be fair to student?

    Getting close to some schools’ hostels, one is welcomed by grass from which an awful odour is oozing. Some schools’ toilet walls have been covered with all sorts of graffiti, some of which are written with faeces. Moving into the hostel room to discover the number of students allocated the same room is another thing that makes one unhappy. A standard room of four students may be assigned five to seven students. And this is common in boys’ hostels.

    Most university hostels lack the basic amenities necessary for the survival of the students living in them, thereby making academic environment unaccommodating for students to achieve success. Poor power and water supply has become a tradition on campus, which has made some impatient students to stage violent protests to disrupt academic activities.

    Those that attended the public institutions in 70’s and 80’s would be in a better position to tell the story of the dwindling glory of tertiary institution’s hostels. The deplorable state of the toilets and bathrooms is now stale news to the public. While the poor management of these facilities by the authorities and Students’ Affairs Units makes them to deteriorate to a horrendous state, most of the facilities are hardly renovated even after realising huge sum from the rent of the hostels. This decay has resulted in an unhygienic environment, and thus a threat to the health of students.

    Nevertheless, most students still prefer to stay in hostels rather than off-campus. This is because of the experience it affords them, which ranges from learning how to live with people of different characters and philosophies diplomatically, and how to manage limited resources.

    The cogent reason that makes students to want to live in school hostels is that, it stokes their interest to study hard. Thus being in an environment where one always sees his fellow students going in and out of library makes him equally to study consciously. And even the most unserious student would be moved. In other words, it brings about encouragement and motivation for a student. In addition, school hostels are affordable and secure for students, except in institution where security is weak.

    The National Universities Commission (NUC) and other boards overseeing tertiary institutions should henceforth include adequate students’ accommodation facilities as one of the requirements for giving any higher institution a license to operate. Every institution should have an accommodation for at least 80 per cent of its students. They must also have provision to expand the capacity with growth in students’ population.

    Though it is not compulsory that students should live in the school hostels, a comfortable and conducive option should be provided for the interested ones.

    The nature of the environment in which a human being grows up contributes to his behavior. Three to six years study duration is enough time to imbibe good attitude as character. And hostels have mixtures of good and bad attitudes; depending on the standard it is kept. A ghetto-like hostel has a high tendency of producing uncultured graduates. But neat, uncongested, conducive and secure hostels with necessary amenities create an enabling environment for improved academic performance. Graduates of high respect, patriotism and good-naturedness are produced from this system.

    However, if the government and the school authorities are incapable of providing these facilities for students, then the private sector should be allowed to do it. While strict measures should be put in place with the view to ensure that best services are made available to students in terms of rate affordability.

    An ideal school hostel provides a platform for improved experience on interpersonal relationship, exchange of ideas and innovations and an environment for productive brainstorming among students with the ultimate goal of excellent academic performance. It is a brooding nest for future leaders of different professions, and should be made capable for that responsibility.

    The sorry state and miserable situations in school halls should be brought to an end. The clamour for the adoption of global best practice should also be extended to the management of the hostels. The government and elite should make the hostels to be like a place they would like their own children to live in. Thus, the glory of the public schools’ hostels must be restored to produce good-nature future leaders for the country.

     

    Kingsley, 400-Level Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, UNN

  • OAU tops web rankings

    The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, is on top of the latest rankings of the best universities in Nigeria and eighth in Africa.

    According to the rankings computed by the Cybermetrics Lab of Spain, the research council that manages the Webometric world rankings of universities, OAU leads the ranking of 125 institutions rated in Nigeria.

    Nine other institutions in the top 10 of the rankings released last Monday are The Federal Polytechnic, Auchi (AUCHI POLY), University of Ibadan (UI), University of Lagos (UNILAG), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUUNAB), Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), University of Benin (UNIBEN), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria and the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN).

    A release by the Public Relations Officer of institution, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, noted that while the university has maintained its position as the first in Nigeria, it has moved up seven places in Africa in the latest rankings.

    Reacting, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Bamitale Omole, attributed the feat of his administration to the unparalleled research output, administrative acumen, technical know-how of workers and focused leadership.

  • ‘Arts important for development too’

    A professor of Art History, Ola Oloidi, and Art Criticism has called on the management of tertiary institutions to recognise the contributions of art courses to national development.

    Oloidi, of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), who made this call while delivering the 6th Annual Lecture of the School of Environmental Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), said it has become necessary to avoid programme translocation and save the disciplines in the Arts from extinction.

    In his lecture titled “Knowledge Scientification in Nigeria’s Tertiary Institution: Implication for Art and Technology,” he canvassed for synergy and cross-fertilization of ideas between the arts and sciences.

    Oloidi said: “In modern technology, sciences and arts are inseparable. Scientists produce the means, while artist/designers produce the form; making art the flesh and science the soul of not only modern technology, but also industrialization.”

    Lamenting the negative effect of the scientification process in the arts or arts-related disciplines, he said Fine or Applied Arts also known as Visual Arts which has impacted positively on every area of human endeavor, especially manufacturing, has been most dangerously affected at the expense of creativity and design technology. This has reflected in re-christening of Art related disciplines to the sciences thereby systematically initiating those Arts courses into the elitist cult of science.

    Speaking further on the importance of arts-related disciplines in contemporary society, the don quoted The New Book of Knowledge, which stated that “art is one of humanity’s oldest inventions”.

    “It existed long before a single farm was planted, before the first villages were built. Art was already thousands of years old when writing appeared; in fact, the letters of the alphabets were pictures,” he said.

    Summing his lecture up, the don said no nation can experience industrialization without the unity of art, science and technology because production of industrial products and other designs must always start with sketches or linear drawing; graphic designs, floral design, fashion design and lighting design. All these designs put together bring aesthetic to human being and the environment.

    Earlier in his address, the FUTA Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adebiyi Daramola, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof Adedayo Fasakin said the theme of the lecture was fascinating in the sense that beauty of science is the way it replicates scientific knowledge.

  • Alumnus to UNN: release my transcript

    A 2003 Mass Communication graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Chukuemeka Chukwudi, has appealed to the authorities of the university to release his transcript.

    Chukwudi told The Nation that despite repeated efforts, he has been unable to get his transcript from the university since applying in 2010 – with the authorities claiming that his file was missing.

    He said: “I graduated from the Department of Mass Communication, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in 2003. My matriculation number is 98/88473. I applied for my transcript in 2010, but discovered at the Records Department that my results file, with which my transcript would be processed, was missing.

    “I understand that some files were lost in transit in 2008 in the process of digitalising results – a project that was eventually abandoned. I have visited the university three times since then but to no avail. Unfortunately, the school authorities are not showing genuine interest in my case.

    “All I want from the management of UNN is my transcript in one way or the other, since I am not the one who lost my file.”

    When The Nation brought Chukwudi’s complaints to the university’s attention, the public relations consultant to the university, Mr Chido Nwakanma said the institution would act on the matter.

    “UNN administration has taken up the matter of the complaint by an alumnus. The fact of the matter is that the university has since last year launched an online portal for transcripts. Several alumni have used the i-Transcript service. Indeed, all those registering for Postgraduate programmes now are availing themselves successfully of the service.

    “The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Bartho Okolo has directed the relevant officers to unravel the problem concerning Mr Chukwuemeka Chukwudi. He has given them a one-week timeline to submit a report showing the way forward. UNN regrets any inconvenience Mr Chukwudi has suffered but we assure that the matter would be treated expeditiously,” he said.

    However, Chukwudi is not convinced. He lamented that a letter he wrote to the Vice-Chancellor complaining about the issue in 2011, was declared missing.

    “I am not convinced that the public relations people have taken the matter to the Vice-Chancellor. My reason is this: On August 5, 2011, I registered a letter in the offices of the VC and Registrar. I was shocked on July 31, 2012 when the Secretary to the VC expressed total ignorance of the letter,” he said.

     

  • Overhauling transcript processing

    Overhauling transcript processing

    The problems of processing transcripts should belong to an old era. It should not be part of 21st century administration of tertiary institutions that desire to be respected the world over.

    With our institutions fighting for relevance on the international scene, there necessarily needs to be an overhaul of how they are run. Their managers need to start adopting best practices from the universities that are topping the world rankings.

    One area that needs complete overhaul is the way transcripts are processed. Our graduates have suffered unnecessary hardship trying to obtain their transcripts for further studies or employment after completing their programmes. Like Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo noted in a lecture he delivered at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abuja (FUNAAB), many have missed admission opportunities because of the lousy procedure involved.

    To obtain transcripts, the practice should be that the institution in need of it applies to the institution that produced the graduate. However, because most of our institutions have not evolved effective ways of managing these processes, that system does not work for many.

    Foreign and even local institutions instruct Nigerian graduates seeking admission to obtain the transcripts and mail to them. Such candidates have to travel to their alma-mater, most times having to obtain permission from their employers for several days Leave to attend to the matter. When they get to the institutions, they are made to follow a procedure that would require them to move from their departments to the exams and records unit, to the registry, and other places. Along the line, they have to grease several palms to facilitate the search, movement, transfer of the files containing their academic records to the appropriate officers for computing. Then when ready, a sealed document is meant to be mailed to the address of the institution that needs them. Today, many collect the transcript by hand, and of course, they open the envelope to see the document.

    If that is all that they need to do to get their transcripts, it would have been bearable. But it is not. Most times, there is a long waiting list for those applying for transcripts, so, those that follow the laid down procedure may as well wait indefinitely for their applications to be processed. The ‘smart’ ones find their way. They get the document out faster by influencing people they know to intervene or parting with some money. They are forced to deal with very unpleasant workers along the line who think processing the document is a favour they do for the graduates and not the jobs they are paid to do. This way of thinking is very wrong. Workers in our institutions should be made to do their jobs and not frustrate students. Some of them have become tin gods in their offices, threatening students with all manner of actions, or ignoring them completely as if they are irrelevant.

    Chukwuemeka Chukwudi is one person who can relate to the frustrations that result when the document is not issued on time. As a matter of fact, the 2003 graduate of Mass Communication from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) is yet to get his transcript since applying in 2010. He has been told his file is missing. Period! All efforts he has made for three years have proved abortive.

    If it were in other countries, whoever was responsible for misplacing his file would have been probed and disciplined. If he is not sacked, he would face disciplinary action. But it is not so in Nigeria.

    How can a student spend four years studying at an institution only to be told his entire academic records are missing and nothing can be done about it? Our students do not deserve to be treated so shabbily. It is time management of our tertiary institutions stipulate code of conduct for their workers and provide avenues for students to seek redress.