The effect of the protest that ensued in Akoka somehow found its way into the College of Medicine, University of Lagos in Idi-araba, as it is an extension of the University of First Choice. Where it was said that, all academic activities should be put on hold till all issues on ground is being resolved.

After all this has been said, and the Idi-arabites were been exempted from the all students should vacate the hostels and school premises by the management due to some obvious reasons; some elements still decided to go their own way and continue with academic activities In the school premises, opposing the message sent across by the Deputy Provost, the University’s management as a whole and both the unionism and unison spirit of the students themselves.

The issue of some people saying one thing and others disagreeing has been a long known one, but the part of not addressing pressing important issues together in a right way is really getting out of hands. This brings me to my statement and question, “unionism and unison; which is lacking in CMUL?”

First off, I know unionism exists in the college, at least we hear about COMPSSA, PANS, AMSUL and the likes. And there are CMUL students representatives in the almighty ULSU itself, although some idi-arabites believe that “WHO ULSU EPP” in CMUL and that the ULSU/Akokaites protest was a pointless one and should not involve them (the idi-arabites – when they are the ones with the most suffering) ‘cause whatever is going on in UNILAG is a National issue and the management cannot help (which I believe is a delusion though, ‘cause the reasons for the protest are listed here http://unilagnews.com/2016/04/11/press-club-release-on-the-unilag-protest/).

But now, is there really unionism in CMUL? Where the struggle is realer and deeper, where there is actually no water, no light, no generator, no good bathroom or toilet, where the bed bugs and verminous rats have become bed mates and roommates, around to stay, where all to enjoy is – stay away, smile and suffer in silence. To some extent with actions based evidence I believe there is a form of unionism; might not be the type to protest or carry placards but they are there, strong in their territory and trying their “best”.

Unison, I believe is key to unionism. If unison is zero, unionism cannot really go far, they can only thrive and this is the case of things in CMUL. Where Unionism is trying and unison is dragging them back; unison in cells that makes up the unionism. That is why the union would say, “School management has put a stop to all academic activities” and unison would say “no, we want to graduate before our counterpart, we have to continue our own personal academic activities”, which is really sad.

The unison I am talking about is not that to be rebellious, its unison to pass a message across and not be quiet to keep struggling, striving and suffering in silence while we learn and train. Unison; to see what is wrong and voice it out, unison to make a decision and stand by it, unison to hear a decision and make the best use of it for all, without being biased, unison to hear a decision that would not favour all and stand against it.

In this situation, I have come to see that Unionism, is not actually the problem (not only in CMUL, it cuts across); unison and blindly or ignorantly misplaced priorities are. Thinking just the one-way-trip of graduation at a set time out of school is the ultimate, while damning other things that might come up along the way. But this notion is wrong, because if these other things coming up goes way beyond control, we “all” would be in it together and there is no running anywhere from it (just keep calm and think about it.)

Lastly, in unionism and unison, “clarifications” need to be differentiated from “point making”, and “personal or selfish opinion and benefits” need to differentiate from “welfare for all”.

The post Unionism and unison; which is lacking in CMUL (College of Medicine, University of Lagos) by Oluwakemisola Agoyi appeared first on UNILAG NEWS.

THE PRESS CLUB,
University of Lagos

PRESS RELEASE

UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS STUDENTS PROTEST; THE TRUE STORY

Sequel to several news and propaganda that have infiltrated the media for the past few days regarding the peaceful protest embarked upon by the students of the University Of Lagos and the action of the management, shutting down the school, The Press Club, University Of Lagos has deemed it fit to clarify and present the issues behind the student protest.

It should be noted that the peaceful protest which began on Wednesday was a consensus reached by the various students leaders of the University Of Lagos at a meeting held on Tuesday where issues bothering on student welfare was discussed and it was agreed that there should be a peaceful march to the office of the Dean of Students Affairs to ask questions bothering the generality of students, which could not be answered by the Student Leaders.

THE ISSUES

While the media and the school management has painted water and light as the reasons for the protest by the students, it is imperative that this is cleared and on this note we present the various issues:

1. Scarcity Of Sachet Water: Over the past two months the students of the University Of Lagos has not only witness hike in the price of sachet water but also scarcity of the product, this is due to the monopoly of UNILAG Ventures, the producer of UNILAG Water who have not been able to satisfy the student populace since last year and the situation only gets worse as the day goes by, most especially in the last two months. Students have been grumbling as they have been forced to buy table water which is more expensive, while some who cannot afford it stays thirsty. As a proactive measure, The Press Club, UNILAG released an editorial titled “The Monopoly of UNILAG Waters and the Scarcity Thereof”, which was sent to the Vice Chancellor and the Dean of Students Affairs on the 22nd of March, 2016 via email, but the management is yet to address the issue or proffer solution.
2. Non Availability of Domestic Water: Another major issue that bothers on the welfare of students is the issue of domestic water which has become a night mare for students, due to this issue, students stay on queue for hours before they’re able to get water and most time, majority of the student go to class without taking their bath, or sometimes you see student going out of their hostels with bucket looking for where to fetch water.
3. Hike in Price/Price List: Since the inception of this semester, the students of the University of Lagos have experienced hike in the price of commodities on campus. Though the vendors have most times attributed this to the increase in dollar but we can state that at the time of dollar increase, goods were much cheaper outside the university than within the university. An example of this is Lucozade Boost which is sold outside the school for N200 while it is sold in school for N250. In addition, a bag of sachet water is sold for as much as N200 within the university as against N130 that it’s sold outside the university campus. It is noteworthy that the management has directed that a bag of sachet water should be sold at N120 each but the vendors have refused to comply with this directive giving the excuse that they pay so much royalty for their shops. It is on this blueprint that the union, in order to avoid faceoff between angry students and the vendors who may see this as exploitation and want to take laws into their hands, demanded for a price list that will be pasted round the campus as it has been the norm and which has proven to be the solution to exploitation on campus. The Student Affairs Department is yet to approve the price list.
4. Delay in the Renovation of Shodeinde Hall: The school embarking on the renovation of Shodeinde Hall is laudable and the students have praised the management for embarking on this project. However, the delay in completion of this renovation have given space for questions, rumors and different issues that can be clarified by only the management. Shodeinde Hall was supposed to have been completed by February and the reason for the delay is not known to the students who suffer its close down.
5. Power Supply: While the issue of power has been painted as a national one and have attracted mixed feelings from all and sundry, the implications of the issue of power is enormous than that which will be experienced outside the University of Lagos. The following are the reasons for the above claim:
   • The only accepted means of cooking at the University of Lagos is through electric cooker thus the Students of the University of Lagos depends solely on power to cook. Majority of the students prefers to cook themselves because they don’t buy food from restaurants for many reasons, some of which includes Health, quality and quantity of food at restaurants, while many depend on foodstuff because it reduces the cost of feeding.
   • Water is a basic amenity which its importance cannot be overemphasized. Without power, water cannot be pumped to various hostel and faculties. As such, this has given rise to long queue of students trying to fetch water and many going to classes without taking their bathe. Furthermore, without water the toilets will be in a mess and this can in turn posed different health challenges.

In view of the above, it should be noted that neither the students nor union have demanded for 24 hours power supply, what the students leaders clamored for is that the management should give explanations on why the university still run on two generators which can only supply 30% of the electricity needs of the university community while provision has been made for four. Where are the remaining two that was bought? Are they on the sea: or at the port?, have they been returned? These and many more are the questions that are been asked

6. Medical Facility: The issue of medical facilities are being raised by student as a proactive measure in order to avert negative occurrences in the future. In a community that has more than 35, 000 students excluding staff and other who either transact business, or visitors who troop in on a daily basis, having only one ambulance for medical and emergency reasons is not good enough. Many times, the ULSU Bus is used to convey students in emergency cases which is inappropriate. On this issue of ambulance, what the students have clamored for is that an additional ambulance should be purchased and if it is purchased, why is it not available and when will it be on ground?

CONCLUSION

The aforementioned issues and many more that are not mentioned in this release are the reasons why the University of Lagos Students’ Union Leaders and the student populace embarked on the peaceful protest. The rationale behind the students demanding the Vice Chancellor to address them is because they felt that he is the only one that can be trusted as the Students Affairs Division, especially the Acting Dean of Students Affairs, in person of Dr. Karo Ogbinaka, has not conveyed their messages rightly and the students have lost their trust in him. We would like to state clearly that according to the Constitution of the University of Lagos Student Union, every student has the right to demonstration. On a final note, The Press Club, UNILAG hereby state that the protest was largely peaceful.

The post Press Release of The Press Club, UNILAG on the UNILAG Protest appeared first on UNILAG NEWS.

“Guy, is two weeks now since the school was shut down o”

“Are you serious? Time they run o, you mean we’ve spent two weeks at home fast fast”

“See you! Sit down there, today is Friday na”

“Oga o, how time flyies ”

“The whole thing still looks like a dream to me”

“Do you just say like a dream? You that was shouting ‘this is our school, why will they give us four hours notice to leave the hostel, do they know if we have transport fare, this people are heartless, as for me, am going nowhere no matter what’ only for me to see you packing your bags and encouraging me to do the same”

“Lol, you don’t know anything, you only call yourself a strong man until you get to war; what do you expect? When I received a text from Lag mobile threatening me with police, I have to gbera immediately”

“So you are afraid of the police”

“Eh! This our Nigerian hungry looking police officers, see the way they flooded our UNILAG as if they are going to sambisa forest, you’re now saying I should not fear them, I reject to be another Akintunde Ojo”

“Akintunde Ojo library?

“No, Akintunde Ojo toilet, nonsense question”

“No vex, which one is Akintunde Ojo own in this matter, who is he?

“He was shot at this our same UNILAG Gate by the police during the ‘Ali must go’ protest”

“Wow! Now I see, I never knew o, just knew we have Akintunde Ojo library abi na extension”

“Now you known and also know why I have to pack my bag and baggages after being threatened with the police”

“But come o, what if that mistake had occurred?”

“Which mistake?”

“Police deliberately or mistakenly shot a student”

“Yepa! God forbid, because that would have led to serious wahala, don’t let me tutor you on what happened in 2005 that led to the prescription of the union. What would have happened is unimaginable, VC gan go salo. You heard what happened at UNIPORT na?”

“Yes I heard that police killed two people or so”

“Thank God for UNILAG O, our students are peace oriented, the union also tried in making sure there was no confrontation with the police”

“Yes o for that one, I give them credit. What about that armour tank that forced our gate open, I heard the VC was inside it”

“So I heard too, but am not sure about it, its possibly a rumour”

“But this issue would not have gotten to this extent if the Vice Chancellor had addressed the students, what baffles the students is why he decided not to address them”

“Ha! I don’t blame him o, possibly because he did not want to be another Saburi Biobaku”

“Biobaku hall? or sorry what is it about him”

“God save you, but how come you don’t know history at all, he was stabbed by a student while he was addressing them (students)”

“Ha! that’s hard O, but our VC should know that we love him than to do that to him na, at least, he addressed us during Oluchi’s protest and he was duly protected or didn’t you see the security measures put in place by the union when they said he was coming to address us at staff school? He should have addressed the students.”

“Hehe! Address the students after he has been told that his life is in danger and that the students are planning against him”

“Haba, what are you saying? who is saying the students are planning against him?”

“Are you deaf? or didn’t you watch it on Channels TV when Dr. Ogbinaka said he told the VC that the gate the union want to remove is refering to the VC. If you are the VC and you are told such, will you come out to address any students talkless of protesting students?”

“That’s true O, it didn’t even occur to me, but why will Dr. Ogbinaka orchestrate such fallacy without clarifications, in fact he must be very”

“Shut up, you don’t abuse an elder”

“Elder my foot, infact how come he became the acting DSA overnight”

“I don’t know O, but it seems they said the DSA himself was on leave”

“On leave? No wonder he was saying in the interview with punch newspaper that the students shut down the school for seven days, he also said that students were given till Saturday to vacate the hostels, thank God we have our Lagmobile text on our phones, infact this people can..

“stop there, it is a taboo to call an elder a liar, we should not loose our sense of morals no matter what”

“Okay, I hear you, so is that what gave Dr. Ogbinaka the effontary to say since things are better outside, we should be coming from home? I hope that’s just his own opinion and not that of the management because”

“Don’t worry, the management have our welfare at heart, they won’t do that”

“Okay O, so what’s the next step?

“Next step? Are u asking me, do I look like the VC or the president abi the speaker?

“Sorry, but have you heard any information regarding this whole thing”

“I heard they set up a panel”

“A panel?”

“Yes, or maybe it’s a committee, I sha know that they invited the union executives both the SEC and the SLC to a panel”

“So what’s the outcome?”

” I don’t know o, heard they will submit their recommendations to the senate”

“When?”

“See me see Jamb question O, how will I know, is my father part of the senate?”

“Meeen, make them do fast o, no time to waste time”

“Are you telling me?”

” No, the VC”

The post UNILAG NAWA O: Two weeks Silence after Activities Shutdown appeared first on UNILAG NEWS.

BEFORE I SIGN THIS UNDERTAKING…

…Questions for the UNILAG Management

‘He who asks questions does not miss road’ – African proverb.

‘He who fails to learn from the lessons of history is bound to repeat its mistakes’ – Universal proverb.

Pardon my pretence to wisdom: I have only incorporated those two proverbs because I know that we are Africans, or, in the case of those who have become so Eurocentric as to have no regard for anything African, they are at least universal citizens. But most importantly, I want to preface this article with the fact that necessity, not wisdom, is driving me into writing this; and if perchance I say anything wise or worth ruminating upon, it is because there yet is a place left for the truth even in an era of falsehood, some place for justice even in a disproportionately unjust world, some place for the feeble voice advocating freedom even in the midst of universal tyranny.

Thank you, especially if you have patience enough to read through to the end…

The beginning – and I hope the end too – of this writing is the protest of the students of the University of Lagos and their ‘purported expulsion’. Ok, there is no reason to garb the fact: let us put it bluntly – the expulsion of the students, because of their protest on the 6th and 7th of April 2016. It is no light phrase – ‘expulsion of all undergraduate students’ of the University of Lagos – and I think that is why the management did not explicitly state so. But there is no clearer way of putting it than by saying that students will only be ‘readmitted’ upon fulfilling some conditions: signing undertakings. How can they re-admitted unless they have formerly (and formally) been expelled? Now some facts before questions.

On Thursday, 7th April 2016, the school passed the following news bulletin round the school (please check for the full news as I would only be providing extracts).

“….In order to forestall a further breakdown of law and order on the campus, the Senate resolved to take the following decisions until the situation normalises.

All academic activities on campus are hereby suspended with immediate effect…

A decision to reopen for normal activities will be taken as soon as municipal services improve…”

Even a layperson will understand this crystal-clear message: academic activities were suspended, not students; normal activities will be resumed, not re-admission of students.

(Addressing the Unilag Management now).

This was what you presented to us and the world when you were vacating us from the hostels. Whether you have supporters or opposers, it is on the strength of your representation. Then on Friday (I hope I will ever have some reasons to thank God it’s Friday) 22 April 2016, you posted…

…In preparation for the resumption, students are expected to adhere strictly to the following guidelines:

Students are to complete the undertaking form and get it notarised.

No student would be READMITTED without completing the above process.

Now, could you reconcile these two representations? That you expelled all the students at once in the cloak of restoring normalcy, without letting them know of their expulsion, because you are aware the world would scream at such abuse of power and due process? If this readmission does not render the vacation an expulsion, please kindly explain to me and for those who wish to understand. Note: I have not yet inquired into the invalidity of the purported expulsion, only the representation of it.

Now for the undertaking. (I actually thought at first that it was an undertaker’s form, with its harrowing content!) In paragraph one, I am supposed to pledge that I will pay due respect and obedience to the authorities of the University of Lagos and I will faithfully observe ALL regulations, which may from time to time be issued for the GOOD ADMINISTRATION of the University.

Not to question the propriety of this vow, or your competence at managing the University, what happens when you make policies that in the eye of the reasonable, right thinking persons are not for the good management of the University? For you must admit you are not perfect. Am I then permitted to refuse to obey such rules? Suppose for instance that you insist that no water is to be brought into the school and you don’t supply enough (as usual), if I go outside school and buy bag of sachet water and bring it into the school and perhaps sell to two or three roommates who are dying of thirst, have I violated my oath? Please define ‘due respect and obedience’! Define good administration! I long to know, that I may not disobey!

And for my parents who will sign indemnity form that I will be of ‘good behaviour and conduct’, exactly what am I to infer from that? Leaving aside whether every student have parents and whether some of them are sponsoring themselves – which you have acknowledged through your work-study programme – I ask that I may know: what do good conduct and behaviour mean? That if you were to increase any UNILAG-only commodity like tuition fees, etc, I am not to protest if you refuse negotiation? That I cannot exercise my constitutional right to association without your approval? That I am to accept whatever policy you propose without any form of protestation? If these are your meanings, please make them clear to me that I may know how to start seeking for the black goat in daytime.

As a precondition for entering halls of residence, I am also to sign hall clearance. I am fortunate enough in this regard to have been allocated a hall among the thousands who could not get. You acknowledged the discomfort occasioned by students because of lack of adequate hostels and permitted students without hostels to stay with their friends (correct me if I am wrong). Now that I must carry hall clearance for entrance, what will be the fate of my friends from Anambra and Kano who have nowhere else to stay but school? Will they have to come from Anambra and Kano in order to write their exams every day? In signing my hostel clearance, will I not be signing their damnation? If you must throw the baby away with the water, at least acknowledge the baby’s right to struggle for survival.

You have taught me many lessons, but now I don’t know whether you mean to test me or to unlearn those lessons from me. You derided before me the African kings who in the face of threat and illiteracy signed away their people to the colonialists and slave-masters. Today, you want me to sign away my freedom, even with the full implications glaring at me. Whatever be your motive, I WILL NOT SIGN THIS UNDERTAKER’S FORM UNTIL YOU HAVE MADE YOUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS SUFFICIENTLY EXPRESS TO ME!

And perhaps by now you understand the irrelevancy of talking about READMISSION, because I WAS NEVER EXPLELLED.

The post BEFORE I SIGN THIS UNDERTAKING …Questions for the UNILAG Management by Omenga appeared first on UNILAG NEWS.

Let us for a moment make our way down the memory lane to ‘occupy Nigeria’, a  socio-political protest movement that began in Nigeria on Monday, 2^nd January 2012 in response to the fuel subsidy removal by the Federal Government of president Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday, 1^st January 2012. During the saga, the NLC issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government, promising to halt the economy of the country by Monday, 9^th January 2012.

Quoting Denja Yakubu of NLC verbatim, he said “We are shutting down the Nigerian airspace to local and international flights from Sunday night.” The interesting part of the whole issue is the response of the Federal Government.

The Government commenced a ‘massive mass transit scheme’ aimed at cushioning the effect of the subsidy removal on transportation. We can recall that at last, an agreement was peacefully reached by the NLC and the Federal Government.

Now fast forward to April 7^th 2016, when the University of Lagos students “peacefully” protested against the untold hardship they have been going through. How did the University management respond to this?

Firstly, at early hours of Friday 8^th April 2016, the University management shipped squad of armed men of the Nigerian police force (when I say armed, I am not talking about koboko, I am saying loaded guns, teargas and armored tanks were brought into the school premises).

It is noteworthy that compared to what happened in the UNIPORT recently, the UNILAG students’ protest was a peaceful one and also that for as long as the protested lasted, the VC never deemed it fit to address his students.

Secondly, the acting DSA Mr. Ogbinaka Karo on media chat, vomited lies (I wonder how such people would make heaven?) Next came suspension of the student union and coercion of every students to sign undertaken.  The management after three weeks, called the students back to campus with some stringently insane rules and regulations.

Actually, one shouldn’t have a problem with signing an undertaken. So far as it goes a long way to proffer solution or rather keep one in check. However, this re-absorption oath, we the Akokites are about to sign is nowhere near trying to keep us in check. We are literally signing our souls to the devil. For instance No. 1 declaration states that;

I will pay due respect and obedience to the authorities of the University of Lagos and I will faithfully observe all regulations, which may from time to time, be issued for the good administration of the University.

Going all through to No. 7,

In case of any breach of any of the class of this oath, the senate has the sole prerogative to apply appropriate sanctions.

You can now understand without hesitation that this Management has already assumed the position of a God which cannot be questioned. They are now bunch of IDI-AMINS, so that even when you are on the verge of breaking, keep mute.

It was at this juncture that I concluded that the fundamental human rights of students are about to be destroyed, massacred, trampled on or maybe thrown to the winds.

Even the Almighty God, human beings fail to obey him in toto. Our parents alike, we sometimes challenge them so to speak. But the school wants a set of puppets they control with strings, the school wants us to keep quiet while we die in suffering.

I must confess that the management is made up of just a bunch of clueless entities. Homo-sapiens without human feelings. Well, I don’t really expect much from a Chemical Engineer who obviously does not know anything about Human relation and leadership.

At this point, UNILAG needs a messiah to stop this impending doom as students whose thoughts are clouded with short term benefits are already signing their freedom and rights away into the ugly claws of the school authorities.

I must remind the students that when the chips are down, the school will remind you of what you signed and then you have nothing to do whatsoever other than be a robot playing according to their every command, keeping mute and been eaten from the inside until you die away.

In summary, the question is, in our pursuit for BSc, are we actually living??? So many things are going wrong within the walls of UNILAG that the timid public doesn’t know.

We need a savior to purge this community of evil thus Let the students unite as Great Akokites, let us fight for our rights, we are in school and not in a prison.  Let me end this with something from Eminem (sing along)

“And I just can’t keep living this way, so starting today, am breaking out of this cage.

I’m standing up, I’mma face my demons, I’m manning up, I’mma hold my ground.I’ve had enough, time to put my life together right now”

#GodBlessUNILAG

#GodBlessNigeria

#RestoreULSU

The post R.I.P TO OUR FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS appeared first on UNILAG NEWS.

While the students of the University of Lagos have been anticipating the management’s announcement on the reopening of the school for academic activities, the announcement of UNILAG resumption which came barely two weeks after the activities shut down was accompanied by other notices and directives that has since been receiving copious criticisms from all spheres especially the student populace.

First is the suspension of the union which has left a lot of people in shock coupled with several inexplicable questions such as; on which basis was the union suspended? For staging a protest which was largely peaceful or because of the fallacies that has been spread? Whichever way, it is better that the management come clean on this matter or be laid to disrepute. Throwing the water away with the child is not the solution, it only complicates issues.

The second is the balderdash agenda of the management to silent the students by demanding that students signed an undertaking before they will be reabsorbed back into the system. The questions student are asking is, were they suspended? Why do they need to be readopted? What’s the rationale behind the filling and signing of forms they don’t know its intent? Is it to keep them silence amidst suffering? Is it to make them comply with any rules that will be made without questioning even when it is found wanting?

These and many more are questions raised by students, not forgetting the fact that they have been directed to do all these within a week, the week that precedes their exam. This is also an irony to students’ welfare.

At this point, it is noteworthy that the management have chosen to keep mute on the salient issues that led to the protest. The issues of Shodeinde hall, hike in price of commodities, scarcity of sachet water, issue of pre-requisite and more. Instead of the UNILAG management to address these issues, they have injudiciously decided to thread the appalling path of subjugation.

In line with the aforementioned, The Press Club, UNILAG hereby seize this medium to implore the management to do the needful, instead of the despotic approach which will only complicate issues, they should rather employ dialogue. This can only be achieved by the following:

1. Restore the Union as the suspension of the union is an infringement to our voice and our Freedom of Association. The union will in turn through the legislative council amend the constitution to include conflict resolution mechanisms such as establishment of judicial arm and financial guidelines as spelt out in the recommendation of the committees set up by the management.

2. No union member or student should be subjected to victimization of any sort on account of  the protest

3. Address the issues bothering on the welfare of students that were presented and give adequate solutions

4. Address the issue of undertaking which have been widely criticize and unacceptable to the students; directing them to fill and sign a form by compulsion without understanding the raison d’être behind it is nothing but tyranny, our orientation of the undertaking is that it is to silent the students and bar them from exhibiting their freedom of expression, if our orientation is therefore wrong then we plead that the management do the needful by publishing the rationale of what the oath stands for.

   Except this is done, let the management know that asking students to sign with the threat of exams and their studentship is signing under duress if they sign, thus an infringement on their fundamental human rights which makes it not binding.

We hope that the managements will review their resolution and resort to a more student friendly approach which is what is expected of them.

SIGNED:
The Press Club
University of Lagos

The post On UNILAG Resumption and the Emerging Issues appeared first on UNILAG NEWS.

Contrary to opinions and speculations, the Vice Chancellor and the Senate of the University of Lagos have not acted outside their ‘power’ in vacating the students and setting draconian policies in the school. Their (in)actions are firmly rooted in the University of Lagos Act 1962. Section 8 of the Act empowers the Senate to oversee the ‘welfare’, conduct and DISCIPLINE of the students; and Section 12 empowers the University to make regulations to that effect. Section 20 provides for the discipline of the students by the VC, which may be in the form of restriction, suspension or even expulsion on the basis of misconduct. Misconduct although not defined in the Act, seems to mean academic misconduct, as you may infer from your docket. But the Act empowers the school to discipline on other basis other than misconduct. In essence, vacating the students from the hostels and ‘purporting to expel them’ on the basis of their protest may well still fall under the disciplinary powers of the University. Added to these is the fact that the University has discretion in exercising these powers.

That much is certain and to question it is to question the law. I am not for questioning the law; therefore, pardon me if I do not dwell on the rationale for these ‘empowerments.’

What I question is the overall legal ground of these powers exercised, their arbitrariness and effectiveness – for these are not the same as legality. Oh, I will not be asking questions now: I will be answering them. But before then, some jurisprudential analogies and inferences, or, for those not legally inclined, ‘commonsensical’ inferences.

The subsistence of a legal order is premised not only on the validity – and therefore legitimacy – of the ‘individual norms’, in Kelsian language, but also on the effectiveness of the whole legal system. Simplified, whether a new order brought upon the existing one or the old order survives the onslaught of the new law, depends on the ‘principle of effectiveness’ of either law. Therefore, if the new order effectively supplants the old order, it becomes the recognised legal order; if it fails, it is regarded as act of rebellion under the old order. However, according to Professor Eekelaar, during the interregnum between the new and old orders, some principles survive, and among them is the principle of legitimate disobedience to authority exercised for wrongful purpose.

Forgive the abstruseness, it is an inevitable garb of legal language; I promise you will get the kernel of the legal nonsense by and by. To note, this is not entirely a change in ‘the University legal order’, but as noted, we are only drawing an analogy from jurisprudence.

In every legal order, substantive due process as a fundamental doctrine of law permits a person to DO ANYTHING NOT FORBIDDEN BY LAW and restricts officials FROM DOING ANYTHING NOT PERMITTED BY THE LAW (See Chief Justice Camden’s exposition in Entick v Carrington). Unless there was anything in the school rules and regulations prohibiting students from carrying out A PEACEFUL PROTEST OR MAKING LEGITIMATE DEMANDS FROM THE SCHOOL MANAGEMENT it is ultra vires of any authority in the school to restrict them from doing so, moreso as such authorities are not expressly permitted to restrict the students. Therefore, IT IS OUT OF QUESTION THAT THE STUDENTS ERRED IN CARRYING OUT A PEACEFUL PROTEST TO PUT ACROSS THEIR DEMANDS, whether reasonable or frivolous.

The whole saga of protest and suspension of activities and the new requirement of signing undertakings before ‘re-admission’ may be seen as a revolutionary change, the end result of which is that the University Management tried to impose a new condition of studentship. In this regard, whether or not the existing rules governing the school or the new one purported to be imposed on the student is in consideration, the students still have intact the right to DISOBEY AUTHORITIES EXERCISED FOR WRONGFUL PURPOSE. The new draconian requirements for ‘readmission,’ even if validly made, is not effective enough to ground a condition for supplanting the old system under which the students matriculated.

If at all there is justification for the new order of things requiring signing undertaking before getting into school, doing so would depend on the overall effectiveness of the new legal order. And this depends on whether the new order is accepted as a replacement for the old one. On this ground, I FIRMLY INSIST THAT THE NEW ORDER HAS NOT SUCCEEDED AND THAT ALL ACTIONS ARE TO BE JUDGED ON THE RULES UNDER WHICH THE STUDENTS MATRICULATED AND WHICH THE MEMBERS OF THE MANAGEMENT RECEIVED THEIR APPOINTMENTS.

But JURISPRUDENCE APART…

Every structured society works on the framework that all actions derive from law which are validated by higher norms. We have said that in this regard, issuing the undertaking form is a valid act of the Management because it emanates from the power granted them by the University of Lagos Act, which is a valid Act of the National Assembly. However, it should be noted that what is valid is the process, not the substance; and even where the process is valid, an enactment may yet be invalidated on the ground of inconsistency with a higher norm. Even those not legally inclined will understand the supremacy clause which elevates the Constitution above other laws, so that any law making provisions contrary to the provision of the constitution, or purporting to restrict or remove the rights granted by the Constitution, will be void to that extent of inconsistency.

In requiring every ASSOCIATION to be approved by the Management before any one may join it, the Management has made a rule contrary to the Constitution which grants everyone the right to freedom of association, subject of course to public interest. Unless the Management is able to show that any association is contrary to the public interest and safety, it has no power to restrict the joining of such an association by students as it purports to do under the new law.

Since there was nothing under extant rules restricting the students from making peaceful demands (whether the demands are granted or not) suspending ULSU on the basis of the protest is an improper exercise of the discretionary power of the University, and if it is purported to be done on the basis of the new rules, it would be invalid on two reasons. 1. The new order is not even a recognised dispensation. 2. It would amount to a retrospective legislation. If the school makes a rule prohibiting students from forming any peaceful association for the protection of their interest, it will be invalidated on the basis of inconsistency with the constitutionally guaranteed rights.

To even require that students keep mute and not express their opinion in matters concerning them is a restriction on their right to freedom of expression. This right does not imply freedom of REASONABLE EXPRESSION, so the Management cannot justify itself by insisting that the students’ expressions of concern are unreasonable (and I patiently await an explanation that would render a demand for water and electricity an unreasonable one). It may choose to hear or ignore them, BUT NOT RESTRICT THEIR EXPRESSION.

We have noted elsewhere that it is wholly irrelevant to talk about ‘readmission’ or ‘reabsorption’ when the students have not – under old or new order – been expelled or suspended. But supposing (without conceding) that it is not a misnomer to sign such undertaking, it is still unnecessary for the School to demand it. In a functional legal system, the law does not require you to sign an undertaking to indemnify a victim in a tortious accident caused by you before you are allowed to drive; the law simply stipulates the penalty for reckless driving and implements it in case of violation. In school, you need not sign an undertaking that you will not cheat in an examination before you are allowed to enter the hall; the examination regulation simply stipulate the punishment for cheating and allows you to cheat at your own peril. It is therefore unethical for the School to require signing undertaking as a prerequisite for re-entering school when it could simply state the penalty for certain actions and then leave the students to (dis)obey at their peril. And any such rules must be promulgated, for according to Lon Fuller, an un-promulgated law is impossible to obey.

Of course, all these polemics are moot if the essence of the undertaking is to READMIT the students. It cannot be emphasised enough that on no pretence can it be shown that the students were EVER EXPELLED in order to require their READMISSION.

I therefore submit that legally and ‘commonsensically,’ it is superfluous to require the students to sign any undertakings. In this wise, NO UNDERTAKINGS NEED BE SIGNED BEFORE THE STUDENTS ARE ALLOWED BACK TO THE SCHOOL (assuming we have concurred to expunge the word READMISSION)!

The post UNILAG mis-MANAGEMENT – A LEGAL ANALYSIS by Joshua Omenga appeared first on UNILAG NEWS.

The president of the University of Lagos Students’ Union, Mohammed Olaniyan has lamented that the students of the University of Lagos are only existing but not living due to the living conditions they have been subjected to.

The president stated this on Monday at a press conference organized by the union at the International Press Center, Ogba. Olaniyan revealed that the union was invited by the management to a truce meeting on the 13th of April, 2016 which however to their dismay transmuted into a panel.

“Before we proceed, we deem it expedient to inform you that we received a notice on the 12th of April, 2016, requesting our presence at a truce meeting with the management on the 13th of April, 2016, at the Senate Building. To our utter dismay and disbelief, the supposed meeting transmuted into a panel of inquiry led by Professor Olukayode Amund, the immediate past Dean of Students Affairs. At the panel, certain prepared questions were thrown at the unprepared students’ representatives. Apparently, the panelists were afore-prepared to throw their guests off guard. It is our innocent assumption, that it is not the responsibility of a panel of inquiry to indict or apportion blames to parties. Therefore, that the purported and unpopular suspension of the University of Lagos Students’ Union, was a fallout of the inquiry, is atavistic, and consequently, retrogressive”.

The students also condemn the action of the management that students should sign an oath and an indemnity form to be signed by the parents before the students could be reabsorbed, according to them the student were never suspended, so the directive to sign a form of re-absorption is undemocratic.

‬“Let us state unequivocally that no student was expelled, suspended or rusticated as a consequence of our peaceful protest. Hence, we find it shocking that the school management has decided to re-absorb/re-admit already matriculated students. Besides, it is truism that an agreement entered into under duress and undue influence is voidable at the instance of the influenced party. We, therefore, reject in strong terms the terms and conditions attached to our resumption”

The students also noted that the management are bent on silencing the students through the signing of oath and what he described as the undemocratic suspension of the union as the protest was peaceful and the assertion of the management that the protest was violence has no element of truth.

“As students and social engineers who have been taught by professors, Ph.D. holders and a plethora of intelligent academics, we find it illegal and draconian that the University of Lagos management would suspend the University of Lagos Students’ Union on the basis that we peacefully agitated for our rights. Quite succinctly, section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) grants the right to peaceful assembly and association. We, therefore, find the management’s assertion that the union was suspended because of violence that erupted out of the peaceful protest, unacceptably misleading.

We challenge the management to show to the world what facilities of the school were damaged in the course of the peaceful protest. Without mincing words, we reiterate that we stand for what is right on behalf of the student populace of the University of Lagos, even in the face of gross victimization.”

The students while appreciating those who have intervened in their cause also implored the general public to for the sake of justice support their cause.

“To the entire public, we must resonate that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Today, the gross injustice that we suffer from the hands of the University of Lagos Management is a threat to the entire public. Very sadly and unfortunately, the, University of Lagos, being an Ivory Tower is hellbent on churning out insufficiently equipped graduates.

To this end, we want to appreciate everybody including individuals, press houses, lawyers and other statesmen who have intervened since this struggle began. Your support has been invaluable. We equally want to reach out to members of the public, who are undecided yet on the purport of our struggle, to reason objectively along the lines of democracy, rule of law and fundamental human rights.”

You will recall that the University of Lagos was shut down by the management after a two days protest by the student.

The post WE ARE ONLY EXISTING BUT NOT LIVING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS… ULSU PRESIDENT By Adedayo Moshood appeared first on UNILAG NEWS.

In a recent interview with Dr. Kayode Adebayo, former deputy Dean One of Students’ Affairs and currently consultant to Student Affairs, University of Lagos, Dr. Adebayo highlighted the misadventures of the current ULSU administration and according to him ULSU misled majority of students.

Dr. Adebayo expressed strong disappointment towards the issues created out of “non-existing” issues. The Press Club, University of Lagos brought his points home to be free from misinterpretation. Every statements therefore attributed to Dr. Adebayo;

1. On the shutting down of school: ” it was a violent protest, vehicles of police damaged, individual vehicles, people were slapped and beaten”.
2. On the re-absorption oath: “it only means that when I return to school, I am going to be a good student and a good ambassador of the school. Staff, Students’, everybody signs such document”.
3. On the protest: “People have some other agenda, unfortunately, very few people and the rest of you who are ordinary innocent people are just following. …These small group have the capacity, they are wizards in their own thinking, they can create and manipulate things”.
4. On the re-absorption conditions: “What is guaranteed is, human beings have the right to ask questions, nobody said you cannot ask questions, nobody said you can’t protest”
5. On the admission conditions: “Its criminal to take up two Full-Time studies simultaneously, either in same school or different schools. Professional programmes are are not included, its not a regular school”.
6. Why everybody must be made to sign an undertaking for the protest staged by ULSU “If your leader has his own personal ego, a remote cause of leading you to violence is already established. Where he/she is suppose to use common sense to sort out issues, he will opt for the option of violence. I may as a leader, have a cover up of issues I have committed and I want to use it as a cover up”.”Some of them who have things to answer, at the appropriate time, they will answer questions. It is not impossible that those reasons must be part of why, I think, they misled majority”.
7. On Restoring ULSU: “Nobody is thinking about that for now, what is important is getting settled for academic works”.

He concluded by saying, “The challenge I throw to you – seek the TRUTH, go and seek what exactly transpired. Refuse to be misled and ASK QUESTIONS

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On a welcome note, The Press Club, University of Lagos welcomes you back on campus.

The University has been opened, while closed, we had nostalgia of happenings in school, it is as a result of happenstance that we found ourselves rightly or wrongly in a rather suggestive protest.

After several chains of events; Students re-absorbed, ULSU “suspended”, examination fixed, et cetera. Yet students are back on campus and normalcy returns.

It is on this note that we congratulate the university community, despite all odds and crunched faced, no life was lost on the account of the crisis as it was experienced in other institutions.

We hereby commend the school management for their managerial resolve to prevent break down of law and order, we as well commend the students for being law abiding and their doggedness whilst understanding that the right to freedom of speech remains.

Though protest is over, school opened the suspension of the union is still an issue, the option of dialogue is now seen as the best option which is highly recommended for future grievances.

In view of this, the fact remains that nothing can be compared to an independent student unionism and on this note we call on all stakeholders not to desist from contributing to the restoration of the Union.

We will also like to inform the students that the university has procured a gadget to detect and ascertain the level of substance abuse in students; this commendable act is as a result of the university’s zero tolerance for drug abuse. We hereby enjoin students to desist from drugs as the penalty for this misconduct is expulsion.

On a final note, the Press Club, University of Lagos wishes all students success in the upcoming examination while also stating that we remain resolute as the fourth estate.

The post A WELCOME NOTE appeared first on UNILAG NEWS.

Two short true life stories prompted this piece and countless of instances.

Clearly the subject of tipping is accompanied with guilt and obligatory clouded with issues of class and income inequality. I put this question forward to students of the University of Lagos, what do we think of the domestic keepers in our environment (The School)? The ones in the faculties, hostels, walk-ways, car routes and any other space in the school where they are visible.

It was on a Tuesday morning, after an 8am – 10am class, I figured I needed to ease myself. Getting to the entrance of the ‘Ladies’, the toilet keeper was raining curses at students in Yoruba. A woman in her 5Os I presume, saying: “awon omo oși, ti won ba ri omo bi leyin ile-iwe ni won maa ma wa eni ti won șe kiri” which means “useless students, after graduation, if they are unable to conceive, they will tend to look for the person they have offended in the past time in other to seek for forgiveness”. She later explain to me that there is no water on the floor (3rd floor), she had to go to the ground floor to get water to clean the toilet. Before she got back, some girl already peed on the floor while on her period.

The second story is quite different but in line, a toilet keeper in the faculty begged me for money to eat after using the ladies. I felt pity for her, not for the fact that she is hungry, but for that she doesn’t care about her self worth anymore. She chooses to work hard in other not to beg and yes, she does work hard, cleaning others poos and pees (the most disgusting slash sterneous job if you ask me) and still the hopelessness of this hard work leads her back to begging.

Truth needs to be told, no one is ever happy to wipe someone else’s butt for money, but circumstances, the code of our five unequal fingers that God put to us to crack, which I already cracked to mean : we cannot all have it (for example: wealth) equal in this life. The code of our five unequal fingers also leave us with the need to learn to assist the needy just as stated in the Holy Bible: Proverb 29:7 and also in the Holy Quran: Chapter 3; Aal-e-Imran:92

“The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.”
Proverbs 29:7

“By no means shall you attain to righteousness until you spend (benevolently) out of what you love; and whatever thing you spend, Allah surely knows it.”
Chapter 3; Aal-e-Imran:92

Additionally, many a times I have noticed frowns on their (domestic workers) faces while doing their jobs. Yes, of course, you don’t expect one to sweep from Senate Building to Unilag Pharmacy with a smile on her face. I firmly argue that, I say yes it is possible, when we students pass by them, either rich or poor kids, let’s tip them with kind speech like “well done mummy” and the likes or better still tip them with money politely (for students that have excess). Some of us do not even greet them, I guess they are so invisible.

Please let us imagine the whole of UNILAG not being swept for a week, with all the junks and drinks we love to take and dispose the wrappers and bottles illegally, let us also imagine how we will most definitely find it difficult to walk on a clear pathway. We now see ourselves swaying from side to side to avoid one rubbish or the other. Same imagination goes to the toilet scrubbers.

Therefore, this is how important these domestic workers are, they need motivation, the essence of what they do is way above their salaries. I hope this ideology is pursued by the students aided by the management as well.

Be someone’s sunshine when their skies are grey.

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A discussion panel at the just concluded SCOPI conference has made the call that child marriage should not be accepted.

The conclusion which was made at the 2nd annual policy conference of the standing committee on policy implementation (SCOPI) of the Nigerian medical students took place at the college of medicine, University of Lagos.

The conference which started on the 28th of July, 2016 and ended on the 31st of July, 2016 witness the attendance of delegates from University of Jos, University of Benin, University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Babcock University, Niger Delta University, Lagos State University And Kogi State University among others.

The conference which featured panel discussion, paper delivering among others have in attendance various dignitaries and scholars to include Dr. Modupe Abiola (president of Medical women association of Nigeria, Lagos state branch.), Barr Eliana Martins (international federation of women lawyers), Mr Paul (director, hacey health initiative ( NGO)), Dr. Omolaso Omosehin (Head ,united nations population fund(UNFPA)Lagos liaison office), Dr. Elo Ukaatu (consultant in public health Lagos state college of medicine), Dr. Iyabo Ogunniran (expert in child law, and senior lecturer, faculty of law ,University of Lagos.)

Delegates also visited whispering palms at badagry, Lagos where they met with the chairman of the resort, PROFESSOR FEMI PEARSE; a onetime Provost, College of Medicine and Vice Chancellor of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.

Also, The pioneer NiMSA POLICY STATEMENT titled “ ABOLISHING CHILD MARRIAGE IN NIGERIA”was released during the conference and it is expected that it will be made available to all Nimsaites before the end of the year.

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Adelabu Alexander, MAGIKZ, the University of Lagos rapper and winner of the just concluded Mass Comm Got Talent show has named September 27 as the day he drops his 3 in 1 single popularly known as extended play (EP).

MAGIKZ had performed one of his songs tittled “Mirror,” to emerge winner of the contest. Judges at the contest tested the contestants’ skills and creativity in singing, rapping, dancing, poetry, presentation, use of instrumentals among other yardsticks.

The chief  judge of the contest and Nollywood veteran, Fred Amata noted that MAGIKZ was unique among the contestants for his originality in the art of music and rapping.

The competition was one of the lined up programmes marking the “2016 Mass Communication Students’ Association Week.”

The MCSA president, Onyeka Okorie, said the competition was intended to discover the potentials in young talents within the department.

MAGIKZ, who hailed from Ekiti state, Ijero Ekiti to be precise, is a 100L Mass Communication undergraduate‎.

Speaking shortly at the end of the show, he described the EP as a taste of what the album would look like.

He noted that the EP was inspired by the need to create the awareness that there is a brand called MAGIKZ adding that he has just released a new song titled “Mirror”

Asked his preparations for the EP launch, he said the song would be launched online and promoted on radio stations.

“The song is going to premiere on UNILAG Radio and we are also going to have air play on Kiss FM on same date. Also, we are planning a club launch and it’s really going to be massive,” he added.

He said the reason he embarked on dropping an album was to get a record deal on his side. “That’s basically the plan but I’m seeing farther than me just getting a record deal because from this EP, I could also generate a fan base,” he added.

MAGIKZ is unique for his own genre of music and versatility. “I do Afro fiction, I do rap music, I do R&B. all these put together make my music very unique because I am versatile, I don’t just do one kind of music. You will find it funny I do Reggae music too, but it’s actually coming up later in the project. MAGIKZ is really a complete brand that you will all find exceptionally unique,” he said.

Coping with academics and music career may come with its own hurdles, but MAGIKZ believes education is not the least or what he’s not meant to focus on. “I try not to look at things like music is everything. I still take my education very seriously. I try as much as possible to focus on both of them so, I won’t pay more concentration on one than the other,” he said.

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The Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, on Thursday the 18th of August received the university counselling unit in its faculty on a campaign against the abuse of drugs with the theme “Life as we don’t see it”. The programme which started at the Law Annex by 11am was hosted by the Dean of the Faculty Prof. Atsenuwa.

The programme had in attendance the Dean of Students Affairs duly represented by the Deputy Dean l, Student Affairs, Dr. Karo Ogbinaka, also present was the registrar of student, Student Affairs Division Mr. Yusuf.

The school counselling unit partnered with other organization who are also in on the campaign against the abuse of drugs such as the Paroche reach-out foundation a non-profit making and non-governmental organization with a mission to enlighten young people on the dangers of substance abuse and addiction, it also provides rehabilitation to addicts.

The KB Club, an anti-drug abuse club at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos were in attendance, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) also sent representatives too were of immerse support to the unit in the quest of rooting drug abuse of the university community.

The programme kicked off with the opening prayers followed by a welcome address by the Law Students’ Society President, Mr. Ajayi Adewale, followed by a speech by the dean of student affairs represented by Dr. Karo Ogbinaka and the Dean of the Faculty who actually said that 70 student of the university are on the expulsion list on drug related issues hence the need to sensitize student on the harm of substance abuse and the adverse effect it has on their academic progress and health and family life.

The lecture by the team from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency led by Mrs. Felicia really opened up students understanding to what drug abuse was and it dangers she also gave one of the theme songs of the agency’s campaign against drug abuse, she gave example of drug abuse victims the agency has rehabilitated and also brought hope as addicts can actually receive help and be rehabilitated and be integrated into the society again.

Mrs. Felicia classified drugs into illicit and licit drugs and explained the difference between the two describing licit drugs as drugs prescribed by doctors and are usually called soft drugs while illicit drugs are unprescribed drugs that are harmful to the body and was the main reason for the lecture. She also listed some factors that lead to substance abuse such as peer pressure, unemployment, frustration.

She also described some drugs that are socially acceptable but are harmful to the society or individuals such as stimulants like kola, cannabis sativa (marijuana), caffeine, depressants (sleeping pills), narcotics cocaine and recently hallucinogens which cause loss of the teeth. Pictures of victims of substance abuse was also displayed by the theme and were mostly of show biz and role models. The programme also had survivors of substance abuse who gave account of their ordeals with these harmful substance with some of them been mentally derailed as result of the abuse.

The programme ended by 2pm with an announcement of the grand finale at the main auditorium on the 31st of August and the closing prayer.

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The Gani Fawehinmi Student Chambers, University of Lagos has once again proven the legacy of the Gani Fawehinmi brand at her annual colloquium which held on Friday 19^th of August 2016 at the staff school hall, university of Lagos.

The annual colloquium which featured Alumni Re union, Award, and Dinner was themed:  “Sustainable Development Goals: A Roadmap To Achieving The Nigeria Dream”.

The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo ably represented by Dr. Ade Ipaye while delivering his speech made reference to the eight goals known as the millennium development goals which was as a result of confirmed statistics that the 1000 richest people in the world have greater wealth than 500 million people living  in the least develop countries of the world, similarly the three richest countries in the world has asset that exceed the combined domestic product of four least developed countries. He pointed out that this statistics is what led to the millennium development goals in year 2000. The Vice President also stated that he is proud to be a patron of the Gani Fawehinmi Student Chambers.

In an interview with the Deputy Vice Chancellor; Management Services of the University of Lagos, Professor Toyin Ogundipe, he commended that the event is an excellent one which has made his mark, he however added that seriousness, dedication, and sacrifice is needed for Nigeria to achieve the sustainable development goals.

The Head of Chambers , Mr Akinrinwa Omotayo while speaking with campus life, stated that he believed that with our commitment to the development goals, Nigeria can be taken to where it ought to be “ other develop countries where fully committed to this developmental goals, Nigeria can also move from where it is to where it ought to be with our commitment to the developmental goals”.

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Renowned human right activist and president of the Women Arise for Change Initiative, Dr. Joe Odumakin joined residents of Mariere Hall and Fagunwa Hall of the University of Lagos in a walk against drug abuse campaign to sanitized youths on the need to abstain from abusing drugs.

The anti drug campaign which was part of the hall week activities of the two halls of resident also had in attendance the CEO, Canterbury health Consult,  Dr. Olalekan Makinde, Representative of the Student Affairs Division, Mrs Winter Oluwabukola.

The human right activist, Dr. Joe Odumakin while addressing newsmen made a call to youths to desist from abusing drugs; she also advised those addicted to seek for help.

The representative of the Student Affairs Division, Mrs. Winter  Olubukola while addressing newsmen commends the program as laudable, she said: “many students have different erroneous views about drug abuse, which is why it is important to make them realize that drugs only does damage to them,  the Students Affairs Division are giving  students abusing drug the opportunity to visit the counseling unit of the university to seek help, students who are caught abusing drugs will be expelled”, she added.

Dr. Olelekan Makinde while addressing students during the walk, advised that the youth should not consider drug as an alternative “ do not take drugs, if you have not started, do not go into it” he however advised those already into drugs to desist from it.

The chairman of Mariere Hall, Mr Opeoluwa Akintola, said the anti drug campaign was necessary due to the rising abuse of drugs by youths in the country especially on campus. He however stressed the need for youth to say no to this problem that is becoming rampant in our society.

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The Management of the University of Lagos has announced the appointment of Professor Olukayode Oladipo Amund as the new Director, Distance Learning Institute, University of Lagos.

The appointment as approved by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Rahmon Ade Bello is for a period of two(2) years with effect from Tuesday, August 16, 2016 to Wednesday, August 15, 2018.

Professor Oluwakayode Oladipo Amund is a lecturer of the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of sciences and a former Dean of Students Affairs Division, University of Lagos.

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The faculty of law university of Lagos commercial and industrial department held the maiden edition of its public lecture, the first of its series on Wednesday 7th of September 2016 at the law annex. The program started at about 11:31pm with the opening prayer by professor C.K Agomo the grandmother of the faculty, the program had in attendance professors and lecturers of the commercial and industrial law department and also other departments from the faculty and the university, senior advocates of Nigeria (SAN), principal officers of the university, legal practitioners and students from the faculty. The vice chancellor of the university was present represented by the deputy vice chancellor academics and research professor Toyin Ogundipe.

The welcome address was given by the head of the commercial and industrial law department professor John Abugu, he thanked invited guest for gracing the occasion and official opened the ceremony. The dean of the faculty professor Ayodele Atsenuwa also came up to give a remark and commended the department for convening the program and also appreciated the invited guest for coming too. The deputy vice chancellor of the university representing the vice chancellor also gave a short speech commending the department and faculty for the initiative andalso mentioned that the university would support such programs as this, he further encouraged students to take part in programs such as this as it was more beneficial to protests and enjoined students to learn to respect other people’s opinions. The last dignitary to speak before the lecture was the chairman of the occasion in the person of Mr. Obi(SAN) who finally opened the lecture.

The lecture was given by the guest speaker Mr. Chidi Ilogu (SAN) an expert in maritime law practice with vast knowledge in the field he has many honors to his name academically and social, he is a senior partner in the prominent maritime law firm Foundation chambers and has authored books one of which is ESSAYS ON MARITIME LAW AND PRACTICE IN NIGERIA, he gave a lecture on the topic contemporary issues in Nigerian maritime law & practice he discussed extensively on the topic from policies to law that have been made by the Nigerian government and the extent of its effectiveness, he also talked about the cabotage act and the reasonability of some of the sections in the act for instance on the issues of operation of vessels by shipping companies, he also explained the international standard of instituting an action in maritime law and the international law or order that Nigeria follows. He concluded by recommending reforms in certain areas of maritime law as particularly with the change in the trend of maritime law internationally. The department appreciated the guest speaker and other special guests such as Taiwo Afolabi of SIFAX group a maritime company, the chairman of the occasion plaques for their contribution to the program.

The program ended with the vote of thanks given by professor Adejoke Oyewunmi and the closing prayer.

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In the face of economic recession and dwindling price of the naira to the US dollar, a UNILAG student and photographer, Adebayo Johnson, has volunteered to cover programmes in school while giving models free photo shoots till December this year.

Johnson, a 200 level student of Actuarial Science and CEO of Johnson Blaqq Photography and Diamond Prince Paints on Saturday, started his free photo shoots with about five models taking advantage of the opportunity.

One of the model, Anora Steve, while expressing how happy she was for the free photo shoot, showered accolades on Johnson saying he’s cool and very easy to work with.

“He understands those he works with and they (the models) should endeavour to work with him because working with him for the first time was very nice and I believe they will learn a lot,” she said.

Meanwhile, Johnson who was formerly studying Engineering in the University of Lagos before switching to Actuarial Science has also said that what drives him is beyond economic gains saying they are only temporal.

He said: “a lot of people are doing photo shoots but what makes mine unique is the fact that ‘free’ is attached to it and I am delivering quality in addition.

“I am doing it primarily to give back to the community that has helped my businesses to grow thus far.

“Although money could come at the end, but I’m trying to show them it is not only about the money.

“Since I’m also looking to tap into the market, it is also a form of awareness that I’m trying to create for my business. It is often said that if you want to go fast, you can go alone but if you want to go far, you go with people.

“So I’m looking forward to working with a whole lot of people who can attest that my photos are good and consequently refer me to others.”

Having been in the photography business for five years, Johnson has also expressed desire to push Diamond Prince Paints, a paint manufacturing and application company he founded a year ago to greater heights.

The post UNILAG Student Advocates Selflessness: Volunteers for Campus Programmes, Gives Free Photo shoots till December by Chukwu Daniel appeared first on UNILAG NEWS.

If you asked your mentor for clues on how to become ‘somebody’ in life, I bet there is 90% possibility that amongst so many other points he cited was ‘attending motivational and career talks. It is also noteworthy that there is a plethora of seminars and talks of the aforementioned kinds going on campuses. Plus there are countless number of such audios and videos online. However the question is whether there is any need to apply common sense in putting what we gain from motivational seminars to use.

First and foremost, there is no dispute that attending career and motivational seminars is good especially for undergraduates who are yet to make decisions on how to run their lives and even for  some other people who maybe the decisions they made in the past are not working for. To be precise and concise, the need to attend such seminars cannot be over emphasized. Nevertheless, something we must not forget when we find ourselves in such gatherings is that 8 out of 10 speakers in such seminars are people who have made substantial progress in life and we always tell you what worked for them. With that being said, it’s only necessary that we apply wisdom in what we take home from these seminars. Samuel Taylor Coleridge said, “common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.”  For instance, if a college freshman who makes judicious use of his daytime decides to change his reading hours to night time because a motivational speaker did it while in college and came out with Alpha grades, it’s obvious that his results might not be the same as that of the speaker. More so, because the likes of Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg are not graduates, you now decide that school is of no use and drops out-woe betide you. An old adage has it that all fingers are not equal.

We need to do more than just sitting in every seminar and swallowing all that is being said hook, line and sinker. Sometimes all we need to emulate is the zeal, the tenacity, the industrious nature (to mention but a few) of such speakers and not necessarily the path they towed. It is important that we understand that our destinies hence for the fact that ALiko Dangote succeeded as a business man does not mean you will succeed if you tow the same path. Furthermore, we need to study ourselves, understand what works for us, pin point our strength and weaknesses before deciding what to and what not to apply to our lives.

In Summary, we should never forget that the same society that abhors abortion frowns at teenage parents, the same pastors that preach ‘one family in Christ’ reserves special seats in church for the well-to-do members. Nothing is ever as straight forward as it is said and that’s the more reason we need to be wise. So next time we find ourselves attending career or motivational gatherings, let’s not forget to evaluate every sentence, sieve out the ones we don’t need, plant the ones we need into our lives and give them time to bear fruit. The decision we make today affects our tomorrow.

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