Education
Be Focused, Muslim Scholar Tells Students
A Muslim scholar,
Mallam Sanni Abdul-Hafiz, has called on members of Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) branch to be focused on the tenets of the early muslim in order to make themselves and society better.
Mallam Abdul-Hafiz, who made the call midweek as a guest speaker at the MSSN’s programme, titled “Jihad week,” told the students that if they must be successful, they “must be as far away from vices as the early muslim were”.
In his presentation titled “steadfastness in the life of early muslim,” Mallam Abdul-Hafiz noted that the crux of the presentation was a quest to re-direct the muslim towards the right path.
“It is about trying to re-direct muslim to the law, that for them to be successful, they must let their own commitment to the religion resemble that of those first set of people who embraced the religion (Islam) from the beginning.
“This is in terms of their moral uprightness, commitment, unwavering understanding of the faith, the teaching of Islam, the worship of Allah, dresscode of Islam and the character of truthfulness,” he said.
Abdul-Hafiz, a laboratory technologist at the university of Benin (UNIBEN) further stated that it also includes “shamelessness in the face of oppression and all the numerous vices rampant in the society today.
“The early muslim were never part of any vices, evils and atrocities. So, if the muslim must be successful today, they must not indulge in vices,” he said.
On his part, the President of the UNIPORT Branch of MSSN, Jamiu Jabaru, noted that the programme, “Jihad week is aimed at encouraging members of MSSN to be steadfast in striving in accordance to the will of Allah.
The World Jihad, he said has been widely misconstrued to mean “Holy War” describing Islam as a religion spread by sword or violence.
“This is not true “he said “there is no where in the Koran that the world Jihad is translated to mean Holy War. For you to do the word, Jihad means that you should do what is right.
“As a student, what I am doing here (UNIPORT) is Jihad, because I am striving and also struggling for betterment, not only for myself but also the society at large.
The part three student of mathematics and statistics used the opportunity to advice muslim parents “to send their children to where they will learn about their religion (Islam) for them not to be among the ignorant ones that are causing problems in our society today”.
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, emphasised the need for students to go beyond academic achievements during the university’s 43rd Convocation ceremony.
The theme, “The University Culture In Practice, The IAUE Experience,” highlights the importance of embracing cherished traditions and intellectual values that define great universities.
Prof. Onuchuku encouraged the new graduates to work hard and persevere, noting that their convocation marks a new beginning in their careers and personal lives. He emphasised that they must prove themselves worthy of the certificates and prizes they have received.
According to him, out of 2,887 first-degree graduands, four made First Class, 403 secured Second Class Upper, 2,030 got Second Class Lower, and 450 graduated with Third Class. Additionally, 1,492 postgraduate students graduated, including 306 PhD holders.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), praised the university’s commitment to academic excellence and institutional maturity. He commended the Acting Vice Chancellor for achieving full accreditation for 47 academic programmes and implementing the NUC’s Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards.
The administrator urged the new graduates to uphold the positive values instilled in them by the university and strive for continuous knowledge and improvement.
By: King Onunwor
The Niger Delta Students Union Government, Rivers State Chapter (NIDSUG), has suspended its planned protest against the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) state office in Port Harcourt. The suspension followed an intervention by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju.
The students had planned to protest on Thursday, citing alleged neglect by the NDDC, particularly in welfare and capacity-building programmes for students from the state. However, after the police intervention, the students agreed to participate in a roundtable discussion with the commission to address their concerns.
NIDSUG leader, Comrade Loveday Njoku, expressed dissatisfaction with the commission’s alleged exclusion of students from benefiting from its programmes. He presented a seven-point demand, including the reintroduction of scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Njoku emphasised that education is crucial for community development and urged the commission to invest in the future leaders of the state.
The students warned that if their demands are not met, they will resume the protest and occupy the state commission office until their demands are addressed. Despite previous attempts to reach out to the commission’s management team, the students claimed their efforts were unsuccessful.
By: Akujobi Amadi
As part of efforts to improve the welfare and overall quality of education for students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the Sole Administrator, Sir (Dr.) Clifford Ndu Walter DSSRS, FCAI, JP, paid an unscheduled visit to Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi.
During the visit, Sir Walter expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of the school and its surrounding environment. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the development of the education sector, stressing its critical role in nation-building.
“I have visited the primary school in Ogbogoro, and now I’m here at the Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi. I am not satisfied with what I’ve seen,” he stated, indicating that more surprise visits to schools would follow.
To address the issues, the Sole Administrator directed the Council Engineer to commence process for rehabilitation of the school.
The visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at conducting on-the-spot assessments of educational facilities to determine the level of intervention required by the local government council.
Dr. Walter also assured the teachers of his unwavering commitment to revamp the school and improve the learning environment for both staff and students.