THE NATION THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2011
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CAMPUS LIFE
Poly elects new union leaders New leaders have emerged for the Student Union at the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State. ‘TOSIN AJUWON and OLAWOLE OLASUKANMI (HND I Mass Communication), who monitored the election, report.
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HE Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, was agog when students went to the polls to elect leaders for the Students Union Government (SUG). The election, described as the best in the history of the institution, saw many candidates jostling for various positions. It all began with the manifesto day at the School Pavilion where contestants engaged in a war of words. Each had two minutes to read out his or her manifesto while students were also given the opportunity to ask questions. Expectedly, the event was not without drama. Some of the aspirants quoted American and British statesmen like Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill. Aristotle, Plato and other Greek philosophers were mentioned randomly. Some also quotes were muddled up and the authors also mixed up, but their supporters were either too carried away or ignorant to notice. Before the manifesto day, the Dean of Students Affairs (DSA), Mr. George Umoru, advised the students to comport themselves and desist from violence during and after the election. The Auchi Polytechnic Electoral Commission (APECO), also gave directions and guidelines on how •Continued from page 29
•Nelson
Respondents from the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, are divided on whether to support ASUU or government. Darlington Eghosa, in 400-Level Chemistry, said: “I agree that it is wrong for the government to renege on the agreement it had with ASUU, but the body should also be considerate about the plight of students. “Will embarking on another strike really solve the problems on ground? Many of us have been delayed already and are eager to graduate. I’m appealing to the body to call off the strike and dialogue with government once again.” Marian Okitikpi, a 300-Level Library and Information Science student, is the daughter of a lecturer. She said: “I am in total support of the strike; it is the only language the government understands. If lecturers don’t go on strike, nobody would listen to them. My prayer is that after this warning strike, ASUU should not begin an indefinite strike until I have written my second semester examinations in October.” From the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, Damilola
the election would go. On the day of election, students trooped out in large numbers to exercise their franchise. The institution’s security personnel, in conjunction with some para-military clubs such as Man-O-War, Savannah, Red Cross and Faisal Security Guard were stationed at each polling unit and strategic locations to maintain law and order. Voting started about 9:55am, following an instruction from the APECO Chairman, Mr. Sunday Afolayan, to the presiding officers in various units. While the students voted, Afolayan, accompanied by other electoral officers, toured the various polling units. Later in the day, the presiding officers began to collate results under the watchful eyes of students and agents of the contestants. The exercise ended about 9:30pm. APECO said Louis Osaro, with 2,718 votes, was elected President; Queen Sunday, 1,706 votes, VicePresident; Kafeel Sanni as Secretary-General; Harrison Ossai, 1,684 votes, Director of Welfare. In a chat with CAMPUSLIFE, Afolayan charged the winners to work hard in ensuring that the challenges confronting students are addressed, “just as they promised during their campaigns”.
•APECO chairman, Mr. Afolayan (right) announces the results as agents and security personnel look on.
•Students keep watch over “ballot boxes” as collation goes on.
Our blues, by students Adejola, in 300-Level Computer Science, said the educational sector is in disarray. “Our leaders do not want to breed literate people as tomorrow’s leaders. When enough is not invested in education where do the leaders come from? At last year’s independence, Boko Haram struck. Now, it has become even worse. There is nothing to celebrate in this country. Even life has become very unsafe.” Temi Ipinmoroti, a 400-Level Geology student, said: “A society where politics has taken the order of the day; it has eaten into the education sector whereby if you are not part of the know-how you can’t be in the doing process. They have made it a ping-pong game, using the most important and vital sector for their selfish end. They can’t pay lecturers well; the lecturers in turn pour their aggression on innocent students whom they either collect money from or force the girls to go to bed with them. And students now know they just have to play by this just to pass which leads us to having quack graduates.” Abisoye Biobaku is in 200-Level History and International Relations. “The last one year has been full of intrigues, suspense, legislative indolence, executive incapacitation and judicial face-off. Nigeria has been confronted with serious problems that I doubt the competence of the current administration to lead the country to any height”. Ife Makinde, 300-Level Mass Communication: “Nigeria at 51 is not worth celebrating. Millions of naira were spent on the last celebration and no improvement. The nation remains static and while the government said our (GDP) is rising, there is no improvement in the lifestyle of the man on the street. Our president should take drastic
measure on issues affecting our welfare.” Students of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, pride themselves on their “aggressive political consciousness and awareness”. They also expressed feelings. Gbenga Awoseye is in 500-Level Law: “Nigeria at 51; a good people, yes. But good enough that Asia’s small scale industries grow big on our backs, flooding our own country with their overly under-standard products such that getting a genuine original has become a Herculean task. A great nation? Definitely no!” Oluwaloseyi Babaeko is of the department of Local Government Studies: “I love Nigeria and I am proud to be one despite her shortfalls! However, it is crystal clear that there is urgent need to readjust our collective socio-political ‘potentiometer’ to a reasonable socio-political voltage as our dear nation clocks 51. I have no doubt that Nigeria will be great and Nigerians will smile if governments at various levels are committed and sincere. God bless Nigeria.” For Gbenro Oladipo, in 300-Level English, there is nothing impressive about the country and the leaders. “No nation in the world can experience corruption at its peak, bad leadership of the highest order, superlative insecurity and still be as ‘sane’ as we are. Some nations of the world didn’t experience a quarter of that before they fell. Our greatest impediments are the idle old men at the seat of power. They suck. “We embraced democracy without building the institutions and discipline that go with it. This is one of the most terrible things that happened to this country. It is time we stopped running rat races.”
•Some BUK students in class.
Some students come from privileged background; others have always looked for their needs, including food. ZEENAT IBRAHIM (400-Level Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano) examines the plight of students who come from humble background.
Plight of indigent students
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GROUP of 300-Level Mass Communication students of the Bayero University, Kano (BUK) was seated, waiting for one of their lecturers. This gangly fellow, a classmate, walked in. Midway into the classroom, he collapsed. Pandemonium broke out. “It was a most pathetic and pitiable sight which I pray never to witness again,” said one of the girls in the class. “We were confused; while some said he was sick, others began to scream that a bomb had been detonated by the dreaded Boko Haram sect.” Eventually, some students went to his aid. It was gathered that the
boy had not eaten for days. He fainted because he was weak. Many students, from poor homes, go through very hard times to keep body and soul together. Sadly, it is those who are frivolous or get entangled in criminal activities that tend to get more attention. This gives the impression that a considerable number is “managing” considerably well. The scenario painted abobve is not isolated. There are several unreported cases of severe hardships being experienced by indigent students on the campuses. •Continued from page 34