THE NATION THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2012
35
CAMPUS LIFE
My view on professors’ retirement age U
NTIL recently, the issue of the retirement age of lecturers in Nigerian universities has been a contentious one. There has been the radical insistence in some quarters, especially from the academia, that retiring the university teachers at 65 is a callous waste of the nation’s manpower. Some argued 65 years is too early to retire a lecturer still bubbling with physical energy and mental vigour, saying should experienced university teachers be retired at that “prime” age, then whatever remains of the glory of university education in Nigeria would decline irreversibly. As rational as this point of view may seem, one thing is clear: it hinted at a parochial interest. The argument portrays young lecturers as tenderfoot in the job of the academic. The proponents of 70 years retirement age fear that
vacuum that would be created if experienced teachers leave the ivory tower after meritorious services may not be filled by these budding lecturers. If this argument is worthwhile, then it shows that these seemingly indispensable professors have failed. For, a good leader should be able to raise a worthy successor even before he retires. In the present case, these professors, in my own opinion, have the responsibility of raising dependable successors who would take over from them. But it appears this is not the case. This perhaps explains why the call for raising retirement age was vociferous. But how do we want the young lecturers to grow and fill the positions left by the aging professors? This is not good, because in most universities, the positions of heads of departments and deans are exclusively reserved for professors.
Our young lecturers should be encouraged to aspire to the pinnacle of their career. This cannot be achieved if there are no vacancies for them to fill, a situation that may discourage some of the agile lecturers to look elsewhere since they are denied the opportunity to excel. Therefore, the exit of these young teachers from the academia would not equally augur well for our education system. It was James Garfield who noted that “next in importance to freedom and justice is popular education, without which neither freedom nor justice can be maintained.” T.S. Eliot (1888-1965), one of the most celebrated English poets, was more concerned about the functionality of education when he noted: “It is, in fact, a part of the function of education to help us to escape, not from our own time – for we are bound by that – but from the intellectual and emotional
limitations of our time.” But Kevin Rudd seems to weave Garfield’s and Eliot’s views and arrived at a single position, which ultimately captured the importance of education, especially in the modern era. He said: “Education is a tool of social justice as well as a fundamental driver of economic development.” It bleeds my heart that among all the challenges that our university system is experiencing, the 70 years retirement Bill for university teachers was passed into law on January 18, 2012 ahead of other problems bedeviling the sector. I make bold to say that the law will be a threat to the educational system. People who have attained the age of 60 to 65 can no longer be counted as those capable of handling students effectively in academic activities. One believes that at that age, they should retire and
By Betty Ubani bettydeboldeva@yahoo.com
be given all the benefits and entitlements that would make them to exclaim: “thank God that I have retired after raising those who will fit into my position.” Betty, is a student of Dramatic Art, OAU, Ile-Ife
Campuses should be included in anti-corruption war
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ORRUPTION, the virus that has eaten deep into the fabric of Nigerian life, is now looking like a Pandora’s Box that cannot be closed again. Corruption is manifesting itself in the lives of both young and old, king and his chiefs, chairmen of companies and the subordinates, school managements and students. Even, with the setting-up of antigraft agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practice Commission (ICPC), corruption is waxing stronger every day. Yet our leaders pretend not to see its manifestation in our national life. Even when they do, they prefer using a stick and carrot approach in combating this growing menace.
By Akindotun Akintomide akinsdotman@yahoo.com
Every Nigerian has continued to point accusing finger at the top, I would not say they are wrong. But, do they also know that corruption happens in our homes, private offices and higher institutions of learning. The corrupt practice witnessed on campus is just a small model of what is obtainable in larger structure of the government. Many students usually contest for various positions in sundry associations on campus, not because of genuine interest and authentic vision; they contest for positions in schools to chop of our contributed money we pay as dues, which are meant to serve us a purpose. Too bad. Last session, in Petroleum Training Institute, Effurum, corruption al-
legations were levied against some executive members in the Students’ Union Government (SUG) and this may delay their graduation, if they are found guilty. My point is: if the SUG executive officials on campus could mismanage funds that was gathered from the little stipend given to us by parents, there is no doubt they would steal billions of naira when they get to office as high as Nigeria’s presidency if they are opportune. The students of today would later become presidents, governors, senators, ministers, heads of various public and private parastatals in years to come. If corruption continues to thrive in the campus without anybody or agency stopping it, there is no doubt that future is dim for this country. We need many messiahs that would redeem our country’s image among the league of nations, to im-
about the future of this country. We must keep our eyes gazed at SUGs and other student associations on campus to monitor the hanky-panky games being played by the so-called tomorrow’s leaders. In doing this, we must not be indifferent but rather proactive to remove corruption out of our campuses. If campus is overlooked in the battle against corruption, then the future looks dicey for Nigeria, the land of our common destiny. If taken as a sole task, I believe we can all find a solution to this problem. I heard someone softly saying it is impossible. Always be positive. It begins with you, it begins from campus. Akindotun, HND 1 Welding and Fabrication Engineering Technology, PTI
One course every student offers
Misnomer called Valentine’s Day
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HE Saint Valentine’ Day is such a memorable day many people look forward to. Its approach makes people, especially the young, to feel nervous. Millions of people ask: from whom will I get a gift? Who will be my Val? A lady who has many boyfriends chooses one to be her Val and a guy with many girlfriends chooses the most beautiful among the flock to go out with. What should I buy for my lover? If I get expensive gift, for how long will I pay off my debt? These are some of the questions that always come to the mind of people who religiously observe the lovers’ day. Despite these concerns, Valentine’s Day remains very popular, especially among the youths. In fact, the commemoration of the day has become festival of sort, in which period many red colour adorns everywhere as though Christmas is around the corner. One begins to wonder: how does unjust death of an Italian saint become a festival that promotes immoral behaviour in a black society? Many readers may, perhaps, disagree with the point of view being expressed here. But if we collectively look at the issue dispassionately, it will be discovered that the disadvantage is more than the gain. First, St. Valentine was a Roman Catholic priest that lived in third century. He was killed by the Roman pagan authority of the time for his belief in Christianity. Years later, precisely 496, Pope Gelasius officially declared February 14 to be the feast day to celebrate this martyr. Valentine’s murder had nothing to do with courtship and there was no particular day on record on which he was killed. Moreover, St. Valentine was a Catholic adherent, who, by norm, was expected not to marry nor have any sexual affair with a woman. However, today’s celebrants of Valentine’s Day claim that it promoted love, unity and harmony in the society, hence they commemorate the day with orgy sexual activities. Meanwhile, should married couples choose a
prove our fallen standard of education, fight against poverty at the grassroots level, tackle the problem of insecurity and political instability among others in other to have a formidable Nigeria where everything works. The question is: Even with the level of corruption on campus, how can we become messiahs and solve all this generational problems? It is obvious that our leaders have failed us and have also succeeded in sowing the seed of corruption into the minds of the present generation of youths. If Nigeria must work, the mind of the youths must be freed from the virus of corruption. This will not happen if we begin to preach sweet words but to enforce the war against corruption on the campuses and prosecute offenders. This is a clarion call to all concerned
By Kehinde Saka howolabee@yahoo.com particular day to declare love for one another? Also, if the priest (St. Valentine, that is) were to be alive today, he would not have approved of premarital sex as is being done by unmarried lovers who observe the day. No doubt, the celebration has made the cases of HIV/AIDS increase, with many losing their lives as a result of alcohol intake on the day. Yet, there is no verse in the Holy Qur’an and Bible that supports such immoral feast. According to a recent research, it is estimated that during Valentine’s Day, 7.5 million condoms are used within a minute in the United States. It is 2.5 million here in Nigeria and it is certain that majority of the people that use the condoms are not married. Now, how does a celebration that promotes premarital sex be of benefit to our society? Whether we are Christians or Muslims, it is a must that we show love to our neighbours and spouse every day. There should not be a baseless festival to vow our fidelity to our lovers. My message to fellow Nigerian students is that we must abstain totally from decadence that is fast becoming way the norm here. Don’t let us push our enjoyment beyond the regulations of the Almighty God that created us. Let us all say no to immoral activities on Valentine’s Day. Kehinde, 300-Level Zoology, UNILORIN
ROM my very first semester in higher institution in 2007, I have come to appreciate the way the school arranges itself through effective curriculum and corresponding time tables for every faculty, department and organisation, to help define her academic calendar. By the time I got to 300-Level, I had observations regarding the curriculum and timetable. This is what I want to share with readers and I will hit the nail on the head. Schools under the umbrella of Academic Staff of Union of Universities (ASUU) in Nigeria have never failed to incorporate in their curriculum, the course we have come to know as “ASUU Strike” and it has become a compulsory course that every student must take at one point in time or the other, sometimes repeatedly, as the case may be. It is noteworthy that it has become very obvious that virtually no academic session goes by without the course being recommended for students to study. There is no exact time for the course, because schools fix in the course on their calendars when the need arises. What informed this uncertainty is that lecturers must convene a meeting where timing will be adopted. The occurrence has become so frequent that one has lost count of periods students have been made to take this otherwise compulsory course. In 2007, the course was taken for three months. In May 2008, we experienced oneweek tutorial (warning strikes) on the course twice, the cause of which was as a result of a range of demands, including an improved salary scheme and reinstatement of 49 lecturers who were dismissed in University of Ilorin many years ago. In June 2009, it was an indefinite arrangement which was as a result of disagreement between ASUU and the Federal Government on an agreement they reached about two and half years ago. After another three months of
By Ugbochukwu Egwumba ugo4now@yahoo.com
going through the course, the government signed a pact in October 2009 with ASUU and the course ended. Now, I considered this one most frustrating for me: schools in Southeastern part of Nigeria (my school inclusive) went for another round of strike. It was six months of “carry over” course, sorry strike, as if we have not had enough of it. This was in 2010 into 2011. As we sat down to resume normal work after the Southeast strike was called off, ASUU announced another warning strike and later indefinite action. It started from December 5, 2011 to February 2, 2012. Some schools, like my school, even extended the resumption date beyond the ASUU date. This course has become so monotonous over time and is no longer funny to students. And we know that in no distant time, we will have to offer it again against our will and this makes people like me to hate the country in which I have found myself today. Does this have to continue as a trend? Can’t ASUU lock an agreement with the government and stop its agitations once and for all? Is the government of the day not willing to see to a better Nigeria by ensuring that the educational system is taken more seriously and given priority attention? Or do we have a “cabal” that holds the future of this country to ransom? Does the country derive joy to see leaders of tomorrow (which I happen to be one) sitting at home when they are supposed to be studying? I am tired of going through this course all over again. Something should be done about this. The education sector must be saved from unprofitable strikes such as the ones ASUU always embark on whenever it is feeling being cheated by the government. Ugochukwu, 500-Level Electrical and Electronics Engineering, IMSU