The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Yabatech

  • ‘YABATECH is still on strike’

    ACADEMIC Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) of the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) has denied the rumour that the institution has pulled out of the on-going nationwide strike embark on by the union.

    ASUP chapter chairman, Adeyemi Aromolaran, said the institution reamined shut, adding that the chapter was committed to joining hands with other polytechnics in the country to demand better education system for students.

    Shola Orisalade, HND II Civil Engineering, said: “Its nine months now since the whole crisis began and government seems not to be concerned. ASUP is committed to finding lasting solution to the mess created by the government. I will be very happy if the college could decide to pull out of the strike.”

    The Speaker of the Students’ Union legislative arm, Joshua Akinjayeju, said the strike had paralysed the educational pursuits of many students.

  • YABATECH ASUP to protest lingering poly strike

    The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) Chapter, on Monday said it would protest on April 8, to sensitise the public on the polytechnics’ six-month-old strike.

    Mr Adeyemi Aromolaran, Chairman of the Chapter, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the protest was to draw attention to the Federal Government’s lukewarm attitude to its demands.

    He said the union was not bothered by the government’s `no work, no pay’ directive, describing it as an old policy, which would not yield any positive result.

    “Majority of our members have vowed to continue with the strike, in spite of the no work, no pay threat.

    “We have been expecting such directive; it is the only weapon that government always uses to frustrate union members,’’ he said.

    Aromolaran said, however, that few members of the union were afraid of the threat, adding that a majority of the members were solidly in support of the struggle.

    “ We have been able to eliminate the fear from the mind of the few members, and we will continue with the strike until our demands are met,’’ he added.

    Aromolaran expressed the members’ readiness to surmount any pressure from the government to discourage them from carrying on with the strike.

    “The threat will not yield any result for the government, as we are determined to fight the battle to finish.

    “This is not the first time such a directive will be issued; but in the end, the government will still pay the money; so, what is the need for the threat,’’ the chairman said.

    He said the union would study the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) drafted by the Presidential Committee in March, adding that the document would determine the union’s next line of action with government.

    “The document will decide our next line of action; the union will study it and see if it is favourable to its members’ cause.

    “The union will call a National Executive Council meeting by the middle of April to take a stand; we cannot suspend the strike without a NEC decision,’’ he said.

    Aromolaran urged the government to consider the impact of the lingering strike on the students, whose time was being wasted by the lingering strike.

    “Government should stop toying with the future of the students; it is a sign of government’s insensitivity to polytechnic education, if it allows the strike to linger on,’’ Aromolaran added.

  • Poly students protest ASUP strike in Lagos

    Poly students protest ASUP strike in Lagos

    Polytechnic students in Lagos State took to the streets yesterday to protest the on-going strike by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP). The strike is in its ninth month.

    They disrupted traffic flow along the ever-busy Ikorodu Road, causing a gridlock that extended as far as Yaba on the Lagos Mainland.

    The students, under the aegis of Concerned Students Against Education Commercialisation (CASATEC), began the protest by 9am at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH).

    They displayed placards with various inscriptions like: “We are tired of staying at home”, “We want to go back to classroom”, “Spend money on education, not on confab”, “The idle mind is the devil’s workshop”, “Education is a right not privilege”, and “We are tired of watching Africa Magic”.

    Hassan Taiwo Soweto, National Coordinator, Education Rights Campaign (ERC), who led the students in the protest, said the strike had affected them negatively.

    “We are out in the streets to show our displeasure at the ASUP strike and for the government to meet our demands; we are tired of staying at home and also most of the students are now engaging in immoral acts,” he said.

    Another ERC member, Adeeko Kehinde, said: ‘’Government should meet ASUP’s demands instead of spending millions of naira on National Confab. Also B.Sc certificate should equate HND because apart from spending more years in school than the university students, our experience, if not more, will be equal to theirs.”

    Deputy Coordinator, ERC, Lateef Adams, said the aim of the protest was to appeal to the Federal Government to implement the agreement it signed with ASUP, adding that failure to implement the agreements would lead to the continuation of the protest.”

    “As responsible students, we cannot stay at home and watch the strike continue. This is the first phase of the protest; it will continue next week if the government refuses to implement the agreement before next week,” he said.

    Also the coordinator of ERC, YABATECH branch, Lateef Ibrahim called for unity and collaboration among the students to continue with the protest despite criticisms from some quarters.

    When the students got to the top of the bridge at Maryland, they played music, danced and stood there for sometime, while vehicle users were forced to watch their antics until they dispersed after about an hour. They hijacked five empty BRT buses which conveyed them back to YABATECH.

    Some pedestrians and policemen praised the students for their courage and hoped that the government would listen to them and act on the situation.

    Mr Joshua Ayokunmi, Speaker, Student Union Government, YABATECH, urged government to end the strike to save the future of youths studying in polytechnics.

    Ayokunmi said the protest was to draw government’s attention to the yearnings of the students who were being affected by the strike.

    “We are protesting to show our frustration and we do not support the strike. We are not happy with the government because the strike is being prolonged unnecessarily. We want the government to meet the demands of our lecturers so that we can go back to school. We are pleading,” he said.

     

  • YABATECH CU holds send-off

    The Joint Midday Departmental Fellowships of the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) Christian Union (CU) have held a send off service for her outgoing executives.

    The yearly service is to celebrate and give awards to past students who had served in union at various capacities, and to also to usher in the coming ones.

    No fewer than 120 executives were awarded prizes, with over 100 incoming ones inducted into the body in the three-hour service, which featured praise and worship songs by the union’s main choir, Original Love Choir, and prayers by the new presidents.

    Delivering the message for the day titled: Running the race in and out of school, the outgoing president of the union, Tope Ibiyemi, charged the incoming executives to be more diligent and patient in their service to God.

    “Let us do more than what our previous executives have done. Be good examples in your classes and departments and let us run this race with patience with all our hearts to God throughout our service and even when we are out of the school.we should not be notorious or behave like the world,” he said.

    The president of the union, Abiodun Oluwafemi, a HND 2 Civil Engineering student extolled the qualities of the out-gone executives, describing them as great men and women.

    He said:” We thank God for a glorious service and mostly for the out-gone executives whom I regard as great men and women because they have in so many ways supported the move of God in Yabatech and we will continuously rejoice over them.

    “God has been helping us. We will work towards our vision. We have already outlined what to do by the leading of God spirit which would help us to work in unity and carry everyone along, and I know we would impart lives as we will follow our vision.”

     

  • ‘Politics not a man’s show’

    ‘Politics not a man’s show’

    Simiat Arikawe is a student-activist par excellence. She is the first  woman Students’ Union Government (SUG) Speaker of the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH). During her tenure, she convened the maiden Lagos State Tertiary Speakers’ Forum (LSTSF), which hosted politicians, including House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji. TOLULOPE OGUNLEYE (Computer Science, Lagos State Polytechnic) profiles  Simiat, who has just returned from the United States where she attended a leadership training.

    Call her iron lady, you may be right. Call her a gentle reformer and progressive student-activist, you may not be wrong. Simiat Arikawe, the immediate past speaker of the Students’ Union Government of the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), brought these attributes to bear during her reign as the head of students’ union legislature in the college.

    She recently led a group of youths to Virginia in the United States on leadership training sponsored by the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji. Following her return, she took the gospel of responsive leadership to youths. The training, she said, gave her “more drive and energy” to pursue a value-driven platform to empower youths to invest their energy in promoting good governance through participation in governance.

    The leadership training, she said, enhanced her leadership trait and gave her basic knowledge of political dynamics and how to build capacity for good governance.

    She urged other political office holders to imitate Ikuforiji’s gesture in giving back to the society, saying “building human is building the nation.”

    Simiat, who initiated Lagos State Tertiary Speakers’ Forum (LSTSF), said she believes student unionism could be used to drive good governance, noting that engaging the youths to execute violent causes could be reduced if they are mentored and given a role to play in the society.

    Listing her achievements as students’ union speaker, Simiat said she recommended the use of legislative gown and wig by 65 members of the legislative arm of the union.

    On what influenced her interest in campus politics, Simiat, a graduating student of Accounting, said she was motivated to offer selfless service to his colleagues. Initially, she did not want to get involve in campus politics because she felt her chance to be elected was slim. But students in her department pressured her to represent them. Banking on popular support, Simiat took up the gauntlet and ran for a seat in the legislature.

    She led members to the Ogun State House of Assembly to observe plenary session, an outing that opened the eyes of first-time members to the business of lawmaking. Their encounter with Rt. Hon. Suraj Adekunbi, the Speaker, was an unforgettable experience for members. Simiat also led her colleagues to the Lagos State House of Assembly and National Assembly to observe legislative procedure. The students met with Speaker Tambuwal and discussed various issues.

    She also organised the maiden parliamentary summit, which brought all leaders of the legislative arm of the Students’ Union Governments in the Southwest to converge on YABATECH to discuss leadership challenges.

    How does she feel leading people? Simiat replied: “It is challenging when you lead people of different characters because you just have to be calm and be a good listener. As a leader, you have to render yourself as a servant and imbibe the habit of team work.”

    Simiat’s vision is for the youths to assume leadership position in the country.

    “My goal is to see the youths taking charge of the country’s leadership. We have the potential to take Nigeria to the next level but many youths have sold their rights to politicians, who gave them arms in return. We want to change this notion. In my own capacity, I want to engage them in a way they will see themselves as partners in leadership and development.”

    What is her advice for women, Simiat said: “Ladies must participate in politics and stop seeing it as a man’s show.”

  • YABATECH Rector begins second term

    YABATECH Rector begins second term

    The Rector, Yaba College of Technology, Dr Margaret Kudirat Ladipo, has pledged to consolidate on her achievements during her first tenure.

    Speaking when workers and students came to congratulate her on the renewal of her appointment for a second term of four years, she pledged to take the college to greater heights.

    The Rector said she would ensure that the college improves in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda, with emphasis on access to quality education; conducive learning environment, good staff welfare and zero tolerance to cultism.

    She added that the premier institution was determined to be the leading polytechnic in Africa in providing first rate academic, professional and entrepreneurial education to positively impact the technological and socio-economic development of Nigeria.

    She thanked the management team, workers and students as well as the new governing council for making her first tenure remarkable.

    Dr Ladipo’s first tenure lasted from December 10, 2009 to December 9, this incomplete year.

     

  • YABATECH Rector gets second term

    YABATECH Rector gets second term

    The Federal Government has reappointed Dr Margaret Kudirat Ladipo as the Rector of the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), as for a second term of four years.

    The chairman, governing council of the college, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, who made made this known in his address at the 28th Convocation of the institution, said the second term will take effect from next month.

    Babatope said Dr Ladipo’s reappointment was well deserved as there was ample evidence that she worked assiduously to improve the college since she assumed office in December 2009.

    He described the Rector as a unique example of a administrator whose activities are 100 per cent in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda.

    Dr. Ladipo was born in Kaduna into the Abdu Ibiyeye family of Offa on April 6, 1961.

    She had her primary and secondary education in Kaduna before proceeding to the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria also for first and second degrees in Chemistry and Polymer Technology. She aslo obtained a Ph. D in Analytical Chemistry from the same university.

    Dr. Ladipo began her working career in 1982 as a graduate assistant at ABU and left in 1984 to Kaduna Polytechnic to take up appointment as Lecturer III.

    She joined YABATECH in 1986 as Lecturer II and rose to become a Chief Lecturer in 2002.

    She served as Head, Department of Polymer and Textile Technology from 1994-2000 and became the Director of YABATECH Consult (the business and consultancy arm of the college) in 2005, a position she held until her appointment as Rector.

     

     

    She has been a member of numerous committees in the college, some, in the capacity of Chairman and received several commendations for contributions and achievements in the course of her work. She is a member of intellectual bodies, social societies, NGOs and Fellows of many professional bodies.

     

  • FG reappoints Ladipo as Rector, YABATECH

    FG reappoints Ladipo as Rector, YABATECH

    The Federal Government on Wednesday reappointed the Rector, Yaba College of Technology, Dr Kudirat Ladipo, for a second term in office, commencing from December, 2013.

    This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Adekunle Adams, Public Relations Officer of the institution, on Wednesday in Lagos.

    It quoted Chief Ebenezer Babatope, the Board Chairman of the Institution, as saying that the re-appointment was well- deserved.

    The statement said there was ample evidence that the rector had worked assiduously and brilliantly for the general improvement of the college since her assumption of office in December, 2009.

    Ladipo, 52, holds a Ph.D in Analytical Chemistry from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

    She joined the Yaba College of Technology in 1986 as Lecturer II.

  • YABATECH holds 28th Convocation

    The Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) will graduate 7,540 National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) holders during its 28th convocation next Thurday.

    At a pre-convocation briefing last Friday, the Rector, Dr Margret Ladipo said the graduands consist of 3,740 students who finished in the 2010/2011 session and 3,300 who completed their studies in the 2011/2012 sessions.

    Giving the details of the convocation programme, she said the ceremonies will be launched with a special Jumat service to be held tomorrow, while a commendation service will come up on Sunday, October 27 at the college chapel. The convocation lecture and exhibition will hold October 29), and convocation on 30.

    Attesting to the quality of graduates trained by the college, Dr Ladipo said the college’s entrepreneurship programme ensures the students are well groomed for businesses.

    “The whole essence of entrepreneurship education is to produce competent graduates who would be academically and economically endowed with requisite skills to become self-employed and ultimately employers of labour. This will serve a dual purpose of promoting the dignity of labour and drastically reducing the legion of the unemployed in our society. The realization of the stated goals would eventually help to checkmate the growing incidence of youth restiveness and resort to criminality,” she said.

    The rector said the convocation lecture titled: Synergy in technical, vocational and entrepreneurial education for industrial growth: panacea to survival of small/medium scale business” be delivered by Dr Umar Bindir, Director-General, National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), is a clarion call by the college to identify with the drive towards redeeming the economy and also re-awakening their collective commitment to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), which has been identified as a tool for accelerated industrial development and growth of Nigerian economy.

    The lecture will be chaired by the Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Education Aminu Suleiman.

    During the convocation proper, Dr Ladipo said two distinguished Nigerians, Chief Mrs Folorunsho Alakija, President and Chief Executive Officer, Rose of Sharon and Dr Nuru Yakubu, National Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), will be conferred with the honorary fellowship award of the college.

     

     

    “It is undoubtable that these eminent people have been very successful in service to this country and humanity. They have served the nation with love, faith and selflessness. It is in this regard that the college has decided to give honour to whom it is indeed due”said Mrs Ladipo.

    Mrs Ladipo said the Special Guest of Honour is the Supervising Minister of Education, Barrister Nyesome Wike.

    BT

  • Protest disrupts activities at YABATECH

    Protest disrupts activities at YABATECH

    Students of the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos, yesterday grounded activities in the institution, following an attack on a student by suspected cultists on Wednesday.

    A National Diploma II Business Administration student, simply identified as Chinazo, was attacked with machetes. He was deeply cut in the head.

    The incident occurred at the Complex Hall’s common room, while students were watching a European Champion’s League match.

    Eyewitnesses said a group of suspected cultists stormed the room and prevented students from coming in or going out.

    They said the victim, who was unaware of what was going on, wanted to go in to watch the match but was prevented by the cultists. He challenged them and was attacked. The victim was rushed to a clinic on the campus, where he was treated.

    An eyewitness said: “The guy did not know they were cultists and tried to challenge them. They pounced on him and boxed him to a corner, hitting him with cutlasses on the head.”

    The students regrouped and chased the cultists out of the campus.

    Yesterday, the Students’ Union Government (SUG) officials led students to protest the attack and vandalised the Complex Hall.

    They locked the campus’ gates, preventing workers from coming in.

    The protesters demanded to speak with the Rector, Dr. Margret Ladipo, who was said to be absent at the time of the incident.

    The Nation learnt that the Dean of Students’ Affairs, Mr. O.T. Raheem, who tried to pacify the students, was pelted with sachet water.

    The school’s security personnel watched helplessly as the students barricaded the main gate.

    Policemen deployed in the school were also pelted with sachet water and stones, but they did not fire any shot.

    A member of the Students’ Union Representative Council, who did not want to be named, accused the management of indifference to their plight.

    After some hours, Dr. Ladipo addressed the students. She described the incident as unfortunate, saying the culprits would be brought to book. She said the management was doing its best to tigthen security on the campus.

    Dr. Ladipo said a panel would be set up to probe the incident and expose the culprits.