Education
NANS, NURSS Mourn Slain UNIPORT Students
One week after the brutal murder of four students of the
University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) in Aluu Town, the National Association of Nigeria Students
(NANS) and the National Union of Rivers State Students (NURSS), have described
their death as painful and shocking.
In a “Save Our Souls” message, the NURSS National President,
UNIPORT, Mr. Warmate Awoloye, told The Tide in Port Harcourt, that the students
were trying to get over the shock of the death of about 40 students in Mubi
Polytechnic, in Adamawa State.
Awoloye said little did the students know that another evil
attack could be lynched on four students of UNIPORT in the same October of
2012.
He recalled that in 2010, UNIPORT lost about two students.
According to the NURSS President, those killers took laws
into their own hands by killing their fellow human beings for mere allegations.
He said the union has utterly condemned the act and shall
not saddle themselves with why they were killed.
He maintained that justice must prevail and enjoined the
authorities concerned to ensure that all those involved in the brutal murder of
those four students are brought to book.
He described their death as unfortunate since according to
the NURSS National President, “we cannot hear from the dead”.
It would be recalled that the Student Union Government (SUG)
of the University of Port Harcourt, had issued a two-week ultimatum to the Aluu
Community in Ikwerre local government area of Rivers Sate to provide to the
security agencies, the killers of the four “UNIPORT students”.
The SUG President, Maxwell Soye Nyamabo, gave the warning
during a peaceful demonstration by students at Choba.
The Tide also recalls that at a press briefing last Tuesday,
in Choba, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Joseph
A. Ajienka, had identified the three students out of the four that were
murdered as Biringa Chiadika Lordson, a 200-level – threatre Arts student, with
Matric No. U2010/1805036, Ugonna Kelechi Obuzor, 200-level Geology student with
Matric No. U2010/5565149 and Lloyd Toku Mike, a 200-level Civil Engineering
student with Matric No. U2010/3010094, while the fourth, Tekena Ezikena, was
yet to be identified as a student of the university.
Eunice Choko-Kayode
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.