THE NATION THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2012
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CAMPUS LIFE The Centre for Women, Gender and Development Studies (CWGDS), an organisation at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), held a tree-planting seminar to mark the World Environmental Day. FRANCIS EGWUATU (300-Level Mechanical Engineering) and MOHAMMED SANI (400-Level Public Health) report.
Going green
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HE World Environment Day is commemorated every June 5. The day was set aside by the United Nations to enlighten people on human activities harmful to the environment. Countries organised seminars to sensitise people on environmental issues that day. Nigeria was not left out as the Federal Ministry of Environment held a workshop themed Green economy: Does it include you? Also, the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) marked the day with a two-day event penultimate week, by Centre for Women, Gender and Development Studies (CWGDS) led by Dr Ihuoma Asiabaka, the Acting Director of the body and wife of FUTO’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof Chigozie Asiabaka. CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the programme could not be held in June as initially planned because of the death of the immediate past VC of the university, Prof Celestine Onwuliri, in the Dana plane crash on June 3. The theme of the programme was Sustainable environment for healthy and socio-economic development of Nigeria. It centered on tree planting, grassing and sanitary inspection of buildings and lectures. The event was declared open by Prof Asiabaka, who emphasised the importance of protecting the environment from activities that make it unsafe for humanity.
•Some of students at the tree-planting exercise
He added that FUTO, as a Federal Government institution, was involved in making the environment clean, safe and free from unjustified exploitations. He charged the participants, who included students and members of staff, to move against negative exploitation of the environment. After his speech, Prof Asiabaka led FUTO principal officers to plant trees and grass at designated locations.
Three lectures were delivered to mark the day. The first was by Prof. Moses Iwuala from Biotechnology Department. He spoke on Strategy for a Healthy and Sustainable Environment for the Socio Economic Development of Nigeria. He said though Nigeria was endowed with natural resources and a vast landscape, there are ways the nation could tap the resources without affecting the natural composition of the environment. He urged gov-
ernments to step up efforts to end pollution of the Nigerian soil by dumping of toxic materials and exploration. Mr Augustine Ebisike, registrar, Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON), spoke on The Place of Women in Community Sanitation. He stressed the importance of sanitation, saying women were central to the achievement and sustenance of environmental sanitation in various communities.
Olabisi Agberemi, a specialist with United Nations International Children Emergency Funds (UNICEF), Abuja, spoke on Basics of Community-led Total Sanitation. He spoke on strategies for communityled sanitation, listing diseases associated with poor sanitation in Nigeria. In her address, Dr. Asiabaka said: “The environmental sanitation in FUTO has been a great challenge to the university administration. However, the present administration in its quest for excellence has resolved to tackle the poor environmental sanitation in the school through awareness, beautification, proper waste management and total re-orientation of staff and students.” The VC’s wife announced the activities for the day, which included inspection of classrooms, student hostels, laboratories, workshops, cafeteria, toilet facilities and surroundings of all buildings, grassing of the environment for beautification and erosion control, tree planting for beautification and aesthetics, economic value, erosion control, environmental purification and as wind breakers. Patrick Asuoha, 200-Level Financial Management Technology, told CAMPUSLIFE that he was thrilled by the lectures. He said the lecturers highlighted major points to improve the environment. He said he would use the information from the seminar to ensure cleanliness. Susan Dike, a 300-Level student and governor of Hostel C, said she had been taught how to befriend the environment in another way. Susan, who planted ornamental plants during the programme, said it was her first time to do such work, adding that she was looking forward to planting more plants on campus and her home.
The Urhobo students at University of Calabar (UNICAL ) held their day, celebrating the culture of Urhobo nation. EMMANUEL SHEBBS (500-Level Political Science) reports.
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ENULTIMATE week, it was a day of culture at Malabor Square as the National Union of Urhobo Students (NUUS), University of Calabar (UNICAL) chapter, rolled out the drums to celebrate its cultural heritage. Adorned in various traditional attires, the students moved round the campus to announce the event. It was attended by Urhobo elite from Delta and Cross River states, among whom were Japhet Utuama, personal aide to Deputy Governor of Delta State; Major Eseoghene Omoniyi of the 13 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Calabar; Hon. Oma Djebah, Senior Adviser on Foreign Relations to the Delta State Governor; Deacon Isaac Ikogho, chairman of the Urhobo community in Cross River State; Dr. Victor Fischer, Dr Matthew Kwode, Ralph Igugu and Prof Eyong Eyong, UNICAL’s Dean of Students Affairs (DSA), who was represented by Emmanuel Emori. The chairman of the day, Deacon Ignatius Edema, who was represented by Mr John Odeh, noted that culture is a binding tool that brings people together and makes them to remember their tradition. “It is good that from time to time, we come together to have a reflection on our culture; to make us remember where we started and think about our future,” he said, commending the students for organising the event. He urged them not to let the spirit die. The chairman’s speech was followed by the breaking of kolanut, which was traditionally observed ing Urhobo. The elders noted that kolanut and its god does not understand English Language.
•Ejaron
•The troupe in Urhobo traditional dance steps
Urhobo students’ day of culture Afterwards, came the dancing session, which featured the union’s troupe. The students, who dressed to reflect traditional Urhobo style, displayed various dance steps of the Urhobos. The session was led
by the president of Urhobo students, Oghenetejiri Ejarogan. In his address, Oghenetejiri thanked his colleagues for their support since March 2010, when he assumed the leadership of the
union. He also thanked the Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, for ensuring the payment of bursary and scholarship to the state’s students. He proposed a toast to the Deputy Governor, Prof
Amos A. Utuama (SAN), on his 65th birthday. The highpoint of the event was the Miss Urhobo beauty pageant, which was won by Miss Faith Ogbuema. The first runner-up was Miss Ochuko Akatugba. Speaking with CAMPUSLIFE, Faith promised to use her position to better the lots of Urhobo students, especially the female members.