OAU Releases Another Admission List

Our correspondents have gathered that the Obafemi Awolowo University released another batch of students admitted into the institution yesterday, 4th May 2016.

Expectant Candidate are thence advised to recheck their admission status on the OAU e-portal.

OAU Staff School Resumption Greeted With Trio Protest

Teachers, parents and students of the Obafemi Awolowo University Staff School have protested the non-payment of their four month salaries and the increment in the school fees of the students respectively.

Leading the teachers in the protest, the chairman of the Senior staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), OAU chapter, Ademola Oketunde has called on the university authority to look into the new school fees proposed for the students.

Also reacting to the development, a parent said the increment is too astronomical. For children of Staff, the fee was increased from N1,600 to N20,000 and for children of non-staff, it was increased from N2,500 to N20,500.

Responding to the development, the university Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olanrewaju has said the decision to increase the school fees was unanimously agreed on by the Management and the Parent Teachers’ Association (PTA) of the school so that the school authority can meet its obligation to the teachers. He however described the protesters as a microscopic few among others who have accepted the ne fee regime.

NISD Final: OAU Battles UNILORIN

Obafemi Awolowo University is set to lurk horns with the University of Ilorin in the final of the third edition of Nairaland Interschool Debate Competition which comes up on the 8th of May, 2016.

This edition which is the third edition kicked off on the 19th December, 2015 with 25 tertiary institutions. It kicked off with essay submission stage where 16 schools qualified for the second stage out of the 25 schools that registered interest.

The second stage which is the elimination stage saw 8 schools dumped out leaving the other 8 schools to advance to the quarter final. OAU edged past Ibadan Polytechnic in this stage.

OAU and Lagos State Ubiversity, LASU were pitched against each other in the intellectual battle while Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and University of Ilorin were placed side by side to battle for a position in the finals.

OAU v LASU game was a hit, although it was held during the examination period; 28th of March, 2016, OAU debaters were still able to defeat LASU (the winner of the first edition). Based on someone’s view, “LASU did a great job, but their rebuttal is not as strong as that of their counterparts from OAU.” The best 3 debaters from the round were taken from OAU v LASU match and in which, OAU took the first and second positions.

On one hand, having failed to progress into the finals of the previous editions and holding onto third position for two consecutive times, OAU according to her debaters and fans is set to break the jinx of third position while University of Ilorin, on the other hand, will be ready to utilise her opportunity as she has always been kicked out at the preliminary stage.

Nairaland Interschool Debate competition started in 2013 during the six month ASUU strike. During this period, some individuals came together to organise a platform where undergraduates will task their brain in researching, learning and developing their debate skills cum rebutting skill. The main aim of the competition is to give students avenue to learn.

The progenitor of this debate is Fynestboi, who happens to be the moderator of Education section of nairaland.com, and the current President of National Association of Philosophy Students (NAPS OAU). The debate started under the guidance of some Nairaland prominent personalities: Jarus, Tgirl4real and Obinoscopy. Fattbabakay, is also a prominent individual that has helped in the realisation of the debate competition.

One team out of these teams will join the likes of LASU and FUNAAB as the winners of this debate competition since its inception in 2013. Representing OAU in this edition are Emmaculate from the Faculty of Law, Miracy from the Faculty of Law and Temitayo from the Department of Public Administration.

OAU came second runner-up during the maiden edition in 2013.

OAU Freshers Fear Over Inability To Secure Accommodation

Following the activation of the request for accommodation for the Freshmen of the Obafemi Awolowo University, on Wednesday, 27th April 2016, many of the fresh students have not been able to secure accommodation on campus.

It was discovered that the portal started to bring the error message that "the Bedspace allotted to your faculty has been exhausted" in about 24 hours after its activation. This was mostly first experienced by the female fresh students and later by the male.

Ife, a female fresher in the College of Health Sciences lamented about the development saying "I don't know what to do now, I have been trying to get bedspace since last Thursday without any success and my Dad really wants me to live on campus".

Another female student, Grace also expressed disappointment at the inability of the relevant body to provide her with accommodation even after paying the required tuition fees.

However, it should be recalled that a similar incident occurred last year even though the portal was later reactivated for Bedspace request. Our correspondents have however initiated visits to appropriate quarters to know the exact state of things and the hope therein.

Leicester City Win EPL Title

Leicester City have been crowned Premier League champions for the first time in their history following Tottenham's failure to defeat Chelsea on Monday, the 2nd of May, 2016.

Tottenham FC played a 2-2 draw at Stamford bridge against their fellow London rivals which paved the way for Leicester City FC to open a seven point gap with two games remaining.

Leicester City FC also called the Foxes will now wait till Saturday 7th May 2016 to officially lay their hands on the trophy with a game against Everton FC.

Things Great Ife Students Would Miss This Break

By Adeyeye Eyitayo

There is no doubt about the uniqueness of Great Ife and part of this uniqueness is that there are some conventional happenings peculiar to Great Ife students which one may not come across in other varsities.
The university is in her fifth week of academic standstill owing to the annual sabbatical leave embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union amid the sessional break.
It is just certain that Great Ife students who have been on recess for over a month now would have missed a couple of happenings they experience on daily basis while on campus.
Below are some of those happenings:
1.BUS DRIVER PALAVA
"WOLE PELU CHANGE EMI O NI #20 CHANGE O" i. e., “enter with your N20 note I don't have change”.
For those who stay off campus, I believe they would have missed this daily chant by shuttle bus drivers on campus.  Great Ife students would bear me witness on how frustrating it can be when you are already late for a morning class and on getting to the car park you encountered your "Sodom and Gomorrah" who says you will not go for that class unless you have a #20 note.
As much as you try to meet up with the class by trying other buses if the driver would have "change”, you get ejected and disqualified for not having #20 with you in the other buses too.
Trust me it can be so annoying!
Also, after having a long and busy day in class and all that you could think of is to get to your apartment and retire for the day. You get to the car park again just to discover that you have N20 war to fight again.  This time around it may be so brutal because you might be under the unfriendly sun for couple of minutes trying to figure out a way out.
Those who stay off campus would agree with me that N20 note is a must-have else, one would be grounded at the park irrespective of the thousands you have with you.

2.PASSPORT PHOTOGRAPHERS
As if that's all about the struggle, on getting to campus, the struggle continues again.  Most people who usually alight at the first bus stop will testify to the fact that passing through the “motion ground area” can be disturbing, be it in the morning or any hour of the day.
Here at the “motion ground”, there are hordes of passport photographers who take the job as their means of survival.  Probably, this is why the competition is so stiff such that, mere sighting you from afar, the photographers will start shouting "bros passport"; "passport bros"; "sister passport wa o" (all meaning – “take ur passports here”). 
Even when you are in your worst attire, they will still beckon on to you, then you will begin to ask within you, if I'm to take passport, will it be with what I'm putting on?
These mobile photographers are known for the habit of seeing you off as you journey through motion ground.

3.  PHOTOCOPY MERCHANTS

You thought the struggle is over?
Smiles, the struggle still continues.
Just immediately you traverse from motion ground, climbing the stairs, before you is a swarm of photocopy merchantmen rendering their business chants at you as if you are all they have got for that day. Your case becomes complicated perhaps you hold an A4 paper.
Their "business incantation" goes like this:  "bros shey photocopy ni" "sister photocopy" (meaning – “do you want to make photocopies, sister, is that paper for photocopying?”)
This set of people are so unique because you get to see them all over the academics area and halls of residence inclusive. You may not escape them in a day.

4.  WHEN TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED

A non-OAU student would imply that when two or three are gathered, God is there.
Well, in the case of Great Ife students especially those who stay in halls of residence it may mean another thing to them.
Whenever you see two or three people gathered, just know that an intellectual argument has engulfed.

5.THE FEAR OF PASSING THROUGH AWO HALL

The fear of passing through Obafemi Awolowo Hall (Awo Hall) is the beginning of wisdom for the female folks.
Most female students usually get scared of entering or passing through Awo Hall as a shortcut that links to other strategic places such as Fajuyi Hall and New market.  This is not because carnivorous animals are there to eat them up but because of "Aro" which they may fall a victim of.   "ARO" is simply an act of making someone a laughingstock.
To see a lady pass through Awo hall, most especially during evening time, is usually the best time for Awo hall guys and a time for comic relief after a busy day.
I'm sure after that evening, such a lady would make an eternal vow not to pass through Awo Hall again.  The aroic Awo guys would have missed this wonderful experience.

6.SPORT COMPLEXISM
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places"
I’m very sure this has been the driving force behind so many Christian brothers and sisters on OAU campus.
Non OAU student must be very careful if their friends tell them they went to the sport complex because it doesn't mean they went to do sport.
As against its natural usage, the sport complex has been turned to a spiritual battle field.  You dare not go there and "do rubbish" else, the fire of the Holy Ghost might roast you.
Most students that patronizes of the complex do not even go there for sport but for spiritual warfare.  On a typical Friday afternoon, you will notice thousands of Muslim brothers and sisters journeying through the sport complex to religious ground to have their Jumat at the University's mosque.
Then you would wonder if those who claimed OAU is the most religious varsity in Nigeria made no mistake at all.

Full Text: May Day Speech By President Muhammadu Buhari

Great Nigerian Workers!

Great Nigerian Workers!

I bring you greetings.

It is with great pleasure that I honour the invitation by the two Federations of Trade Unions, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to attend the 2016 National May Day celebrations. As you all know, this is my first outing in this forum which has a long and historical tradition that are noble and progressive. The efforts of all the heroes past who had fought for the workers of all nations to have a ‘voice’ in determining the course and direction of both national and international issues affecting the state of their being, are commemorated today, the first day of May all over the world. Labour remains unarguably an important element in any policy, programme and project propagated for national development.

This year’s celebration is significant in a number of ways. First, it marks the first May Day celebration under the All Progressive Congress (APC) Administration which brought an end to the sixteen (16) years of national squander, bad governance, unbridled corruption and economic woes by the previous administration. Second, it is coming at a time when the whole world is experiencing some form of economic crisis or the other.

For us whose main foreign exchange comes from oil, the global decline in the price of oil has further exacerbated our economic crisis. The resultant effects of this are noticeable in government dwindling resources, reduction in operational capacities of most companies especially in the Oil and Gas Sector, threats of workforce reduction by multinationals and the escalations of volatility amongst others. These developments no doubts, have socio-economic implications for the economy as well as the working class. I therefore appreciate the theme you have chosen for this year’s National May Day celebration – The Working Class and the Quest for Socio – Economic Revival. A quest it is, and the realization of the revival is not farfetched. It only requires reasonable time to remedy the maladministration and put forth a change so desired by all of us.

I make no excuses as this Government of the APC is determined to tackle headlong all socio – economic ills that have troubled our nation and we shall evolve solutions to emerging threats to our well being and the realization of sustainable development as well as growth anchored on equity and social justice.

Development must be sustainable for it to benefit society in general. It is therefore the responsibility of those in the citadels of power to align themselves with the working class who make development possible by generating and sustaining the momentum of positive change. That is why the present Administration has sought and will continue to seek the hands of Labour so that together we can attain the enviable heights of progress in our beloved country.

It is for this very reason that I aspired to become President which the Nigerian people have now made a reality. This Administration shall effect positive Change in the lives of average Nigerians, to ensure that the downtrodden are elevated and most importantly to fight the intense pain of corruption which has enriched the very few to the detriment of the majority of Nigerians who groan under the overwhelming weight of poverty and all the superstructural and infrastructural maladies resulting from corruption.

In this fight against corruption, I need you all to be very willing partners. Fighting corruption in the Public Service in particular, requires the workers to play major roles by cooperating with the Government.

I have listened to the speeches made by both the Presidents of the TUC and NLC. By the speeches, you have without any equivocation affirmed  your faith in the greatness of Nigeria as a nation. The challenges facing Nigeria have been highlighted and I assure you that they shall be accorded due consideration. It is worthy to note that solution to some of those issues and requests are already been considered and would be made public in the near future. The times may be tough, but we Nigerians are by nature resilient and strong and it is that nature that propels us to overcome adversities and still thrive as a nation.

Let us use this National May Day to celebrate the workers and Nigeria as a Nation. There will always be challenges in the life of a man and what defines greatness is the way and manner such challenges are tackled and overcome. I assure you, great Nigerian workers that this Administration is able and willing to constructively handle the challenges.

In so doing, I request your cooperation and understanding, as partners in progress. The need to ensure a conducive atmosphere devoid of incessant industrial actions becomes paramount to ensure no loss of man – days and accordingly promote high productivity which is perquisite for sustainable development based on increased investments, creation of jobs as well as protection of jobs. I further assure you that working together, this Administration protect workers rights and shall promote incentives for great productivity and hence greater prosperity.

Thank you and I wish you all happy May Day celebrations.

God Bless.