NASU To Continue Strike On Monday

The Non-Academic Staff union of Universities, OAU Chapter has revealed that their protests still continue tomorrow 13th June, 2016.

Speaking with one a Campus Journalist of the Insider News Network, Comrade Wole Odewunmi, NASU OAU Chairman has said,

“Our protest will continue tomorrow (Monday) and will not cease by God’s grace”..

This is of course following the scuffle of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, OAU and the school management concerning the appointment of Prof. Salami as new Vice Chancellor of the institution with NASU faulting the selection process as illegal.

Activities on OAU campus has been held still since NASU commenced their protest since Tuesday, June 7th,2016. Freshmen have been unable to continue registration at their Various Departments and Faculties due as a result of this.

There are speculations that the Non-Academic Staff Union would remain on strike till the next hearing of the Case in court which is slated for the 17th June, 2016.

June 12 Anniversary: Osun Declares Monday Work-Free

Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has declared Monday, June 13 as work free-day in commemoration of the 23rd anniversary of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.

This is according to a statement signed by the Director of Media, Publicity and Strategy, Semiu Okanlawon.

Governor Aregbesola affirmed that June 12 most symbolises democracy because it was the date of the unequivocal affirmation of the unity of the country by Nigerians across all divides.

Meanwhile, civil society groups held a rally in Osogbo, the state capital to promote their view that June 12 should be regarded as Democracy Day instead of May 29.

The group, comprising civil society organisations, students and market women walked from Ayetoro area to Freedom Park and later moved on to Olaiya junction singing and chanting songs of democracy.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the rally, some of the human rights activists, Waheed Saka and Rasheed Ropo argued that the June 12, 1993 presidential election gave birth to democracy in Nigeria.

They noted that it remains the freest, fairest and most credible election in the history of the country.

Asides calling for a posthumous declaration of Abiola as a President of Nigeria, they also asked President Muhammadu Buhari to implement the “farewell to poverty” manifesto of the late MKO Abiola.

They urged the federal government to tackle the various challenges facing the country headlong.

Sunday marked the 23rd anniversary of the day that has come to be recognised as a defining moment in the history of Nigeria’s democracy and the struggle to break the grip of military rule.

Popularly known as June 12, it commemorates the day in 1993, when the then military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida annulled the country’s presidential election.

Widely acclaimed to be the freest and fairest in the country’s history, the poll is believed to have been won by business mogul and philanthropist, Chief Moshood Abiola.

No reason was given for the annulment of the election, but it triggered a series of upheavals and protests across the country that eventually forced General Babangida out of office.

Chief Abiola later died in custody on July 7, 1998 following his arrest and detention by the regime of General Sani Abacha, for attempting to actualise his mandate.



Source - Channel TV

Controversy Continues As Omole Prepares To Exit Office

The Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife has continued to remain in the headlines of major news prints and online media in the country following the alleged illegitimate appointment of Professor Ayobami Salami as the Vice-Chancellor of the Institution by its Governing Council.

The appointment which sparked serious protests of disapproval from the Non Academic and Senior Staff Unions of the Institution was however backed by the Academic Staff Union of the University which claimed that the process very much followed due process and as such was not in any way illegal.

Keeping in mind that the Non Academic Staff Union had earlier secured a court injunction to stop the process earlier this year when the new Vice-Chancellor should have been an announced and had also disrupted the book launching of the incumbent Vice-Chancellor who was accused of some financial inadequacies and for imposing the current Vice-Chancellor (Academics) as his successor.

However, the Non-Academic Staff has since the announcement of Professor Salami as the new Vice-Chancellor dragged the case back to court where the University Management has claimed not to have announced Professor Salami as the new Vice-Chancellor. Following the adjournment of the case to the 17th of July, 2016, members of the OAU community continue to anticipate the outcome of the court case as Professor Bamitale Omole also prepares to bow out of office.

Immediate Past Mozambique Hall Leadership Gets Special Recognition

Miss Adetayo Adetorera Hannah, the immediate past chairperson of the  Mozambique Hall of Residence and other members of her administration were specially acknowledged, yesterday 11th June, 2016 during the Hall's Orientation programme held at the Basketball court within the Hall Premises.

Miss Hannah, popularly and politically referred to as Annadiva was recognised based on the exceptional work she and her team did over the one year tenure. The Hall Warden also praised the Annadiva led administration most especially for the financial accountability of the hall under her leadership.

Also present at the event was the Vice Dean of the Division of Student affairs, Dr Afolabi, who handed plaque and cash prizes to the awardees. He also further stated that the legacy must be maintained, stressing further the need to reward students for other worthy acts asides academics.

Some other awardees at the event included staff members like Mr Iyiola, Mr Olawale and Mrs Akinbobola.

Credits- Spicebolt

Many OAU Graduates Not Eligible For The FG N-Power Programme

Following the recent launching of the Federal Government's N-Power Programme which seeks to assist the vast unemployed graduates of the country in skill acquisition and garnering of work experience, indications have emerged that Obafemi Awolowo University graduates of the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 academic session are not eligible for the programme.

Barring any personal issue, OAU graduates from the 2013/2014 session are currently serving through the Stream I or 2 of the NYSC Batch A Service. One category of those exempted from applying for the N-Power Programme is the current crop of serving Corps members. That way, these ones have been screened out.

Also, those who finished their programmes during the 2014/2015 academic session are not also eligible because they have no certificate to tender for application. One of the requirements for application is that applicants should be a Bachelor's degree holder or Higher National Degree holder.

However, we have also been able to gather that the N-Power Programme, specifically the teaching positions in the programme would only allow participants be under the scheme for two years after which, another set of graduates are to replace them. The duration of the different skills offered by the programme is not yet known.

In the mean time, application for the programme has been billed to start by 11:00pm today.

OAU Freshmen Win Big At JCIN Spelling Bee Competition

The much anticipated spelling Bee competition organized by the Junior Chambers International Nigeria, Obafemi Awolowo University Chapter (a non-governmental organization) held on Friday night at the popular Anglomoz car park.  The event was in line to welcome freshmen into the great citadel of learning by the JCIN, OAU.

It was sponsored by one of Nigeria’s leading communications giant, AIRTEL Nigeria, and has as media partner, OAU Peeps News Agency. 

The competition saw 20 contestants engage in a battle of word-spelling wits, spanning through three rounds.  At the end of the rather tight first round, 10 contestants were eliminated and the other 10 moved through to the second round.

The second round was quite interesting as the judges had to provide words after words for the ever-ready contestants, who were not looking like they would misspell.  The second round produced three contestants; for the final round.

The third and final round saw BALOGUN GEORGE – a 100 level student of the Department of Microbiology, with tag number 10, emerge victorious. 

Winners at the competition went home with various delightful prizes ranging from an electric fan, electric blender, toaster, Oge Fashion designer bags and wristbands, bag of rice, bottles of vegetable oil, Airtel-branded water bottles, recharge cards, and GG branded designer shirts and others.  Contestants who didn’t make it to the finals were also rewarded with various consolation prizes.

Other side attractions at the event include the presentation of praying mats to two of the audience by Airtel NG who were major partners of the event.  The audience was also entertained by performances from various indigenous OAU artistes.  The event eventually wound down with a fun-filled dancing contest that really thrilled the audience.

Post UTME Scrapping: The Cart That Cannot Drag Any Horse

Like a very high number of Nigerian students, I had the undesirable privilege of writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination more than once. The first time I took the Examination, I had above the 200 average score, however, looking back now, I wouldn't want to exactly use the term; “I passed” to describe this feat which at the time was quite monumental for me. The reason for this is not far-fetched; it’s simply because the score was eventually as useful as the letter “P” in the word Psalm. All the two hundred and thirty four marks I had gotten did for me was qualify me to write the Post UTME examinations at the Obafemi Awolowo University, which I had either out  of ignorance or severe love for the school (or a little bit of both) filled as both first and second Choice Degree Awarding Institution. Again, like most fresh Nigerian Secondary school leavers, I had picked Medicine and Surgery as my most preferred course of study and Microbiology as an alternative. I then proceeded to write Post UTME Examination and luckily for me, I passed. If only passing was enough. The Obafemi Awolowo University, at least until the recent cancellation of the Post-UTME ran an admissions system where the score considered for admission was a weighted average of the UTME and Post-UTME Scores. However, apart from this every course had a Cut-off mark prerequisite which actually was the set bar for any admission on merit (Even though the “mago mago” factor can not be totally removed). The average of my scores was not near to the lofty cut-off mark for Medicine; in fact, the difference between the two scores was enough to give one a good lesson on humility.

I took the UTME again. And having learnt one or two things from my past experience, I avoided the gates of Medicine and opted for her immediate neighbour, Pharmacy. Again Dibu’s feedback made me look stupid, though I again had more than 200 marks, my score was less than the year prior. However, my Post UTME examinations were not similar to the year before. I passed very well and in fact, my eventual average score was just enough to put me in the merit list. The Post-UTME which was just another hurdle a year before became my saving grace.

Several comments and criticisms have trailed the Scrapping of the Post UTME Scheme. Some have claimed it is a good decision as the scheme was only a nonnecessity that hindered students from gaining admission over the years. Perhaps this is true but checking again, with the Post UTME, higher institutions continue to admit students annually, these days even more than their resources. Scrapping Post UTME would not increase the number of admission spaces, if the real problem is not faced, majority would still remain unadmitted every year!

Maybe Scrapping Post UTME would help improve the credibility of the admission process considering the reduced bureaucracy, but I believe it should be preceded by a qualitative reorganisation of JAMB and the UTME. The timing of the cancellation is probably what makes the decision itself seem so Controversial. The Minister of Education, who has been under the rocks just popped up to make the announcement and crawled right back. This just complexifies the situation because the 2016 UTME has been concluded and many schools were already making plans for their Post UTME. I think the Minister just placed the cart before the horse and left Nigerian schools and Students in it. I wonder where this cart would drag the horse to.

Pope Jay

Cartoon Illustration- Pelumi Ponmile