Protesting students bring UNILAG to a halt

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) yesterday staged a solidarity protest rally that paralyzed academic activities at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka.

The rally saw protesting students carrying placards and hurling insults at management of the institution.

The UNILAG Senate had recently rusticated some executive members of University of Lagos Students Union (ULSU) for allegedly spearheading the protest that shut down the institution for several weeks in April.

The rustication terms which ranged from two to four semesters had earlier been protested by some of the affected students but with little or no effect in getting the varsity’s management to change its decision.

At the protest rally held at the institution’s Senate building yesterday, NANS representatives asked the management to rescind its decision, insisting that the rusticated students’ union leaders had not done anything unusual in mobilizing their colleagues to protest harsh conditions under which they were studying.

PTI WILL BE DIGITALIZED

         

"May I intimate you about my vision for this great Institute. My aim is to transform it to a world class Institution and a nationally responsive Institute for the Nigerian economy and Environments. PTI will be digitalized and it will be a place of new beginning"  This statement was made by Prof. Sunny Iyuke, Principal/CEO of Petroleum Training Institute Effurun, Delta State during the inauguration of the new Students Union Government Executives for 2016/2017 academic session on the 20th of September 2016.

Prof. Iyuke promised to review the HND, ND and  Certificates programmes of the Institute, and also ensure that they are upgraded to the needs of the oil and gas sector locally and Internationally. "To raise the status of learning development in the Institute, Machinery has been Put in place to mount Post Graduate programme in oil and gas engineering in Collaboration With International Universities. This programme, all things being equal, will commence in January 2017. Following, a Master of Art in the field of ICT policy will also be mounted." Prof. added

The new Principal urged the student leaders not to use the union to foment trouble or for their personal aggrandizement. Rather, to foster mutual relationship with Management to move the Institute forward. He subsequently enjoined them to shun violence among fellow students and to abide by the
oath of office. He further advised them to see themselves and the other students as equal. In his words, “Your position as elected officers does not elevate you above any student. You must exhibit a high sense of maturity and take the entire students as your subject without discrimination in your daily assignment, bearing in mind that discipline and unity are the prerequisite for a successful tenure”.

Prof. Iyuke who described himself as a friend of students congratulated both  winners and
losers in the students' union elections and commended their spirit of sportsmanship, while admonishing the new SUG executives to endeavour at all times to represent those who elected them, adding that a very high
burden of trust has been placed upon them as he swore in the newly elected Students’ Union Government (SUG) officials for the 2016 /2017 academic session with a charge to pursue dialogue and consultation in the resolution
of issues in other to move the Institute to greater heights.

The high point of the event that was anchored by the head of Public Affairs, Mr. Brown Ukanefimone and witnessed by  top management staff was the administration of oath of office by the Principal on the SUG Executives members.

In his acceptance speech, the newly sworn-in President, Mr. Theophilus Ukuyoma, on behalf of the SUG executive paid glowing tribute to Management for conducting a fair and free election. Theophilus displayed pictures of some areas in the Institute that needed urgent attention as he charged management for quick intervention whenever the need arises without considering any protocol. The new President expressed his willingness to work with Management. “We promise to work hard and do our best to maintain the uniqueness and good name of the Institute, we promise also to work in harmony with the Management to ensure that we have a successful academic session”, he stated.

CONGRATULATIONS!

The Actualizers Team (TAT ) says congratulations to the newly admitted students into Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun.

Please ensure that you don't pay any amount to any individual person. Always make the necessary enquires through the contact on PTI website www.pti.edu.ng.

Wishing you all success in your academic programme in PTI.

Student leaders involved in an accident

It was a bad day for all the tertiary institutions in Delta State as the bus
conveying some of their leaders somersaulted on their way back from NANS convection held in Gombe state. Gbenga Ojo reports.

Delta contingents left Delta State on the14th day of June 2016 to participate in the National Association Nigeria Students (NANS) convection held on Monday at the Pantami stadium in Gombe. The Delta delegates comprises of Petroleum Training Institute Effurun, Student Union Government President, Comrade Isaac Oshivire, Joint Campus Committee secretary  comrade Onokpite and National Association of Polytechnic Students {NAPS} Senate President, Comrade Isaiah Friday, NAPS Senate Clerk Adedotun olomolatan, NAPS Senate Chief
Whips, Comrade Akara Caleb, College of science and Health Technology Mosogar
SUG President,Barnabas Sualla, Delta State Polytechnic Oghara SUG President, Onorode Odjewedje. Federal College of Technology Asaba SUG President, Comrade Jude K, College of Education Warri SUG President, Bikpelle Emmanuel, Ogwashukwu  Polytechnic SUG President, Ekhator Emmanuel, Petroleum Training Institute Effurun, Student Union Government Public Relation Officer, Comrade Nathiel Obulor and NANS zone B action and mobilization, Chuckwudi Maka Y and some others.

The convection was inconclusive and on their way home, they had an ugly
incident due to two tyres of the bus that conveyed them got busted, forcing
the bus to somersaulted, leaving four students injured  around 8:16am at the
entrance of Bauchi.

Speaking with NAPS chief Whip, comrade Akara Caleb told The Actualizers Team that “we thank God that there was no loss of life and the injuries sustained by some of us were minimal.” The Student Union Government President, Comrade Isaac Oshevire said we took the injured students to the University Teaching hospital in Bauchi just to ascertain that there are no internal injuries.

The new Principal of PTI Prof. Sunny Iyuke who met the students at PTI liaison office in Abuja also thanked God that there was no serious injury as he mobilized the
students back to their various campuses.

NANS is the umbrella body of the over 40 million Nigerian students, at home and in the Diasporas. Founded initially as NUNS (the National Union of Nigerian Students) in 1963 before transforming into NANS, the organization is fundamentally at the fore of constructive advocacy for decent, qualitative and affordable education at all levels in Nigeria. It is Also committed to the struggles for democracy, freedom, equality, fairness, justice and progress. NANS is a democratic organization, whose election are governed by convention and constitutional provisions. Leadership ascension in NANS is via a credible, keenly contested and transparent
democratic process.

INSEARCH OF KNOWLEDGE…

Thousands of students from different institutions of learning across Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Canada were camped in Gboko, Benue State for Christian student’s congress. Gbenga Ojo was there.

The popular belief that youths of these days are after money was faulted as
thousands of students comprises of secondary school leavers, under graduates, youth corps and fresh graduates paid a huge sacrifice by chocking themselves up in hostels while some slept outside, under trees, in the tents and in the laboratories just to be in attendance for this year students’ congress at Bethany Resort, Peace House Gboko in Benue State Nigeria, from 28th day of April to 2nd day of May 2016 in search of knowledge for a greater future.

“Time is like a burning candle that reduces with every passing hour. As a student you must be familiar with the use of time in your daily academic pursuit. Time once spent can never be retrieved. Between
the times you were born and when you die, lay the tasks that will make up your
history here and will also affect you in the life to come. It is expedient that you engage this day that is set before you which is your time for exploits.”This was a welcome statement from the host, Mr.
Gbile Akanni as he declared the congress tagged The Set Time for your Exploits opened.

The congress that was inaugurated in 2008 put the students through great
messages from bro. Gbile Akanni. He said whatever you give your time to, you have eventually give your life, Mr. Gbile charged the students to shun cultism and immoral act, he demanded for their resignation
from any wrong groups they belong.

Bible study section was introduced as the students were shared into smaller units, followed by Drama, discipleship seminar,
practical marriage seminar. Also a Professor of Animal production, Prof.
Oluremi Oluwabiyi from University of Agriculture, Makurdi in Benue State
took the students over an academic seminar, which he tagged Excellent in
Academic. The Prof. described Determination, Discipline, Discreet and
Diligent as tools for academic excellent.

The climax of the congress that has free feeding and free internet services was practical exploits seminar where some speakers including Mr. Adeoye Adegorite from Canada gave practical experiences of their success. Professor of Economics and Dean of Student Affairs of University of Jos, Prof. T Ogburu drew the curtain of the section as he urged the students to petition any lecturer with debauched acts.

A 500 level student from University of Uyo, Joseph Akpah said the Program is such a rewarding experience of God. That is a must to attend for every student.

An HND 1 student from Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun Petral Okorefe
said “I believe the program was organized for me, because I learnt so many things including how to ignore unnecessary relationship.”

Paul Istifonus, a 300 level from the department of Mass Communication
University of Jos said the congress has helped him to change his perspective of things. He said he thought he was living to an expectation, but he realized that God wants more.

Another 100 level student from Nnamdi Azikwe University (UNIZIK), Awka in
Anambra State, Okechukwu Sopulu chukwu from the department of Library and Information said the program is a well arranged place to be for every students which might want to grow in any aspect of life both spiritually and academically.

Mr. Gbile Akanni released the students as soldiers on a mission to take over there various campuses in his closing remark.

Everyone that witnessed the congress including a 300 level student of
Geography from Adeyemi College Ondo, Ondo State prays never to gain freedom
from the upshot of the congress.

PTI Holds Student 's week

Students at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State, have marked the 2016 SUG week with Mr. Macho contest, Beauty contest, indoor and outdoor games. GBENGA OJO captures the highlights.

The events at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, started with
a rally. Expectedly, students turned out in large numbers, sporting all kinds of attire, to dance round the school premises, it was the first day of the Students' Week, a Monday which ended up with an opening ceremony of inter departmental football match.

Tuesday was the “Old skool Day” where boys turned to men and ladies turned
to girls. It was interesting as many old school songs and outfits were displayed.
Wednesday was the Rag Day. As early as 6am, many students had started leaving the campus dressed like real mad men. Off to Effurun town and Warri metropolis they went, in search of money. Some came back very late in the evening smiling with fat pockets while others came back like wounded lions, grumbling of “stingy people”. “O boy na wah oh! Na only N500 I fit make since morning, dis Buhari time self” complained by a particular boy who
warned that his name should not be published. A poor man is indeed an angry
man. No one seemed bothered by the fact that Rag Day originally meant to raise
money for the poor has become an acceptable way for students to enrich
their pockets. The same day, before some came back, they had used the proceeds of their ragging to buy new wardrobe.

Later Wednesday evening was bonfire night where the popular DJ Walter thrilled the students in attendance with good music. Thursday was tagged “Jeans and Jersey day”, it was a thrilling moment as the student came out with colours of various Europe football clubs, making the
campus very colourful.

The atmosphere was mechanized and electrified on Friday as Mechanical
department won the final of inter departmental football match while
Electrical also won the final of inter departmental basketball match.

It was on Friday evening that the unforgettable Miss PTI and Mr. Macho
Contest held. A lot of talents and varieties were displayed. Choosing a symbolic Kings and queens for festivities is an
ancient custom in Europe in which beautiful young women symbolized their
nation’s virtues and other abstract ideas, with the purpose of promoting the
self-esteem of the contestant. Girls who compete feel a sense of belonging
with other contestants, and the larger pageant community.

The contestants came up one after the other in different outfits and costumes that best described their day-today activities and culture. A contestant hijacked the show as she danced and rapped in a potent and romantic style. The audience, which was spellbound, yelled
and screamed in appreciation. The boys also were not left behind as they flex their muscles, each with the intention of being the “Macho Man”.

The high point of the occasion was when the winners were announced: Mirabirth Oodo (Industrial Safety and Environmental
Technology) and Gideon Ejukorlem (Mechanical Engineering) emerged Miss PTI and Mr. Macho for 2016/2017 session.

The beauty queen told The Actualizers Team how her confidence and the experience she got from her last contest (PTI Miss Fresh) where she lost,
gave her the victory. She returns all the glory to God Almighty and appreciates all her friends for their support.

The SUG Vice President, Henry Obinna, who was the organizer of the event,
said: “It was not easy to organize such an event. Finance was our major challenge, due to the situation of the country right now, getting a sponsor was very cumbersome, but we thank God that the program was successful.”

Memorable union poll at PTI

Students of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) in Effurun, Delta State, have elected leaders in a process described as free and fair. GBENGA OJO reports.

The Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) in Effurun, Delta State, last weekend, came alive with Students’ Union Government (SUG) elections. The election came after
weeks of electioneering, which made the campus tense. Prior to the polls, the aspirants moved round the faculties
and departments to canvass for votes. The campus was covered with posters and banners of various shades, but
none  contained detailed programmes. Students vowed not to vote for any candidate who did not show how he
would achieve his programmes.

The electioneering took a dramatic turn when some faceless students pasted a list of aspirants they labelled as “arrogant” and “stingy”. While some of the aspirants
rendered free haircuts and tutorials to students, Others offered free fumigation in hostel rooms, clearing of drainages, sweeping of corridors and supplying
generators to hostels to enable students charge their phones.

To ensure the salient issues of the election were not lost, The Actualisers Team (TAT), a campus press club, organised a debate for the four candidates vying for the
union president. They were Theophilus Ukuyoma, Success Ogbe, Joseph Omezi and Wesley Onokpite. Students listened to the candidates and assessed their
manifestoes. Some of the aspirants were booed for their ‘bad grammar’. Theophilus, was, however, named Obama, because of his command of the English language. Wesley, a physically-challenged person, got the audience excited during the manifesto when he said: “Deformity of
a man is the deformity of his mind and not his physical deformity.”

The highpoint of the event was the sudden change of the music being played at the debate from hip-hop to worship songs. This doused the tension during the
debate, as aspirants and their supporters went on their knees to ask for divine intervention in the election.

The election held last Saturday across the faculties of the Institute. Members of the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) and National Association of
Polytechnics Students (NAPS) monitored the process to ensure transparency.
When the voting ended, Students’ Affairs Officer Prince Audu Shakamele, declared Theophilus,  HND 1 Mechanical Engineering student, president-elect. Wesley, the physically-challenged candidate and Welding Engineering and Offshore Technology (WEOT) student,
came second.

Others elected were Vice President, Jeremiah Bass; General Secretary, Evans Eriamiatoe; Social Director, Obasuyi Osayande; Financial Secretary, Ernest
Ememeruria; Assistant-General Secretary, Daniel Udomah, Treasurer, Blessing Monye; Public Relation Officer (PRO), George Anadi; Sport Director, Anthony
Igbigbi, and Welfare Director, Cyril Obiora.
Shakamele praised Wesley for displaying “uncommon courage” to contest the election, despite his physical condition.

The Students’ Affairs Officer placed Wesley on scholarship as reward for his courage. Students’ Representative Committee (SRC) member-elect
for WEOT, Amadi Nyekachi, promised to pay Wesley's school fee in the coming session.

In an interview with CAMPUSLIFE, Wesley said he lost the ability to walk when he was two. He said he had never allowed his disability to affect his ambition to be a
professional welder. He said: “If intellectuals are to be counted on this campus, I would be one of them.”
Independent Students Electoral Committee (ISEC) Chairman, Daniel Omeife, expressed satisfaction with the
outcome of the election, stressing that process was not easy.

Rita Chukwu, a student of Electrical Electronics Engineering, described the election as free and fair, urging the losers to accept the results in good faith.
Joseph Omezi, a presidential contestant, said he was satisfied with the outcome of the process, saying: “I lost the election, because Theophilus touched the areas I
could not get to.” The president-elect, Theophilus, thanked students for
electing him, promising to execute his programmes.

I Don’t Regret My Action —UNILAG Student Rusticated Over Facebook Post

A 400-level student of the University of Lagos, Olorunfemi Adeyeye, talks about the Facebook post that led to his rustication with Punch. He said he did not regret his action even though he was
rusticated from the university. Read the interview below...

Were you part of the University of Lagos Students’ Union executives recently suspended by the school management
for their roles in a protest in the university?

No, I am neither a member of the University of Lagos Students’ Union nor a member of the Students’ Representatives Council. I am only a concerned student. I
also made it known to members of a panel inaugurated by the university management when I was invited that I was not a member of ULSU or SRC but only a concern student.

What department and level are you?

I am a 400 level student of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Department of Building.

Your Facebook post titled, ‘The Senate of UNILAG: A conglomeration of academic ignorami was believed to have earned you rustication for four semesters; approximately two academic sessions. Did you bargain for what happen after the post?

I was prepared for it. The whole thing started after the resolution of the Senate of the University of Lagos. Some of
us saw this coming. The resolution was anti-student. You do not make a resolution without the consent of the people it will affect. The resolution of the Senate came after the Peace fulfillment protests we had on campus on April 6, 7 and 8, 2016. On
April 6, it was the union executives who went to the office of the Division of Students’ Affairs to ask that the students
should be addressed. But no one came to talk to them. On the second day, it was agreed by the student leaders, the
faculty and hall executives that a protest be staged. The protest was about poor welfare. At the time, there was a
fuel scarcity in the country and the union executives were using the union’s bus to convey students from Yaba to Akoka. This happened for weeks. The protest was
peaceful.

I think the problem was ego. No member of the management came to address the students for two days.
On the third day, it was a siren of police cars and an armoured personnel carrier that woke us at 6am. We were also sent text messages to vacate the halls of residence by 10am as academic activities had been suspended. The student leaders saw the directive as draconian. We all
insisted that we would not leave the campus.

A student mounted the armoured personnel carrier playfully and the police officer in it drove head on until it hit the school gave and its roof opened. The student was not injured and after
sometime, we decided to go home. We were at home for three weeks. Later, the management asked us to resume for examination and that there would be rationing of electricity from 7am to 7pm. All students were also told to sign an indemnity form with our parents and take an oath before we could be reabsorbed into the university. The union and its constitution were also suspended. This is a union that was just reinstated after 10 years of proscription. I saw all these as failure on the part of the Senate and an attempt to curb and crush the union. All
these made me to pick my pen and write about the Senator of the University of Lagos. I later posted it on my Facebook
page.

In the post, you specifically mentioned some lecturers and the vice-chancellor of the institution who you accused of certain failings in the discharge of their academic and leadership duties respectively. What was your motivation?

I was not pushed by any allure of social media. I did it because I was convinced that there was administrative failure. I am of the opinion that a citadel of learning should provide solutions. It should be a place where policy-makers should run to for ideas and a place of solution for the
society. But what we have in the university today is far from that.

What happened after the post?

We were allowed to sit for examination and after it ended, those targeted were called to appear before a panel one after the other. It was done that way so that it would not appear as ‘scapegoatism.’ I was sent a letter to appeal before a panel on allegation of social misconduct. The
panel was called ‘Special Senator disciplinary panel on the recent students’ protest.’ I explained what I meant in the article to members of the panel. It was later that I got a letter rusticating me from the university for four semesters.

What was your first reaction when you got the letter of rustication from the university?

I did not feel any way. I read it and saw that I had been rusticated.

What are you doing to appeal the management’s decision?

On ethical grounds, I would say the reversal of the rustication should be at the discretion of the university management. But on legal grounds, I pray that the reverend comes soon. We are in court already. The case will come up on October 10th. Besides, I wrote a letter of appeal to the pro-chancellor and chancellor of the university. I explained all that happened. Others executives of the union also did
the same.

Do you regret your action?

I cannot regret doing what is right. Some people told me that it is proper to be anonymous when posting such an
article. They also urged me to deny the post and say that my account was hacked. I see that as ‘quackery of activism.’ The decay in our society has got to a level that if one is addressing issues, it is also important to face personalities. If I had been anonymous, none of the issues I
addressed in the article would be taken seriously. I want them to understand that the rot in the society starts from the education sector.

Did you receive telephone calls and text messages from friends and colleagues that you should delete it after the post generated reactions?

Nobody did that. After the post, I sent a friend request to the Acting Dean of the Students’ Affairs who accepted my request. He saw the post and shared it. I later sent him a message saying, ‘thank you for sharing the truth.’ At the panel, the members said they got it from the DSA and I think he showed it to them.

Did you envisage how long the battle for your reinstatement would last?

I did not really. But I know that it is a struggle that I am in for as long as it lasts.

Is this post about the university the first you posted on your Facebook page?

I have not directed any post to the university. I always write on general issues. There was one titled, ‘What is great
about great Nigerian students?’ It was about academic docility though I mentioned the university there. I think this
post generated reactions because it was directed at the university.

How are your parents reacting to the development?

Initially, I could not tell them but when I told my sister's husband, they got to know. They said I had ‘killed’ them. But now they are calm about the whole matter.

Are they urging you to sort things out quickly?

As good parents, they are seeking ways to apologise to the university authorities. But if they do that, I will be unhappy. At this stage, the university management will use it against me. They used the apology tendered by one of the rusticated union leaders against him. When I was leaving
the panel, they said I was not remorseful and that other rusticated students had written letters of apology. But none of them was pardoned. I know that pleading guilty in court will not make the judge
to set free the accused. If anything, it will only make his or her conviction easy.
I am a writer of conscience and did not post the article because I want popularity or anything. Even in the appeal I wrote, I did stylistic and semantic analyses of what I meant in the article. It is really appalling that in this clime we see
it as disrespectful when a young person tries to plead with an adult to do some things in certain ways. It has got to a
situation in Nigeria where university management sees itself as demigod. The philosophy now is that every protest
must be met with a punishment. It is wrong.

What are you doing now pending the resolution of the matter?

I am sensitising people on the environment. It is about humanitarian work. I am also starting a project on the
environment as an environmental scientist. It is not part of what I learnt in school, it came as a result of self-
education. We mistake schooling for education. We go to school in order to know how to read and write. But getting
education is about the norms, ethos, ethics and values that an individual is able to imbibe through schooling to develop
himself first before transferring them to the society for development.

Source: Punch