Rivers
RSU Student Leaders Fume Over Assault On Female Student
Students Union leaders at the Rivers State University (RSU) have condemned the alleged use of scissors by two law lecturers to cut the hairs of a female law student (name withheld) in the name of enforcing a dress code.
The student leaders under the aegis of the Law Students Association of Nigeria (LAWSAN), in a letter addressed to the Dean of the Faculty of Law of the university, Prof Christian Wigwe, condemned the assault on the female student, asking the Dean to act on the matter.
The letter signed by the Attorney General of the Law Students Association of Nigeria, Kelechi Nwodo, was titled, Re: Physical Assault, Harassment, Humiliation, Abuse, And Wanton Display Of Arbitrariness Unbecoming Of Legal Practitioners/Lecturers On Students Of The Faculty Of Law, Rivers State.’
The letter, which was copied to the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Nlerum Okogbule, states “My attention has been brought to a distasteful and highly scandalous video emanating from your Faculty which showed an unruly display of aggression, intimidation and conduct likely to cause bodily harm, and disdain for the dignity of students by some lecturers of the Faculty masquerading as dress code enforcers.
“As evinced in the video, the said lecturers, Timothy and Itari, did not only harass the female student, but also endangered her life as the scissors wielded by Timothy in the video could have caused severe and life-threatening injury to the young student in the course of the encounter”,
The association also alleged that the lecturers smashed the phones of students who were said to be recording the incident, which the association described as “a gross display of impunity and embarrassing” development coming from those who should know the law.
LAWSAN demanded that immediate disciplinary action be taken against the lecturers involved, while it also called for compensation for the students whose phones were said to have been destroyed in the process by the lecturers.
Also, the Students’ Union Government President of the institution, Kelechi Omano, condemned the assault.
He said, “Our position is clear; everyone has a right to personal liberty, an inalienable right. Also, the Faculty of Law has rules guiding it, it is expected that students abide by those rules. On the other hand, whether or not a student has violated any rule, it is not sufficient for anybody to take laws into their hands. I feel that those rules should not be taken up by a person but by the law itself.
“I have seen the video, I don’t have the detail yet, but the code of conduct should be followed. The indiscriminate cutting of people’s hair or writing on their shirts, I think that is overrated. That is out of place. The discussion has been ongoing for over 24 hours now. My deputies are not happy about it.
“We have reported the matter to appropriate quarters. The Dean of Students Affairs is in charge. They have invited us for the matter on Monday.”
Meanwhile, the Management of the institution is yet to give details on the issue, The Tide has reliably gathered at the time of this report.
The two lecturers at the Law faculty, Blessing Timothy (Female), and Melford Itari (Male), had allegedly last Thursday, at about 11am, used Scissors to cut the hairs of one female law student,simply identified as Princess Amadi over dress code enforcement.
The Tide gathered that the student was putting on a brown color hair wigg, which was not the normal in the faculty, and was held bound by the male lecturer, while the female used the scissors on her hairs.
When contacted via telephone, Friday evening, the Dean of the Directorate of Student Affairs of the institution, Professor Bright Opara, noted that the management would give report hopefully on Monday.
“I’m just receiving a report from the SUG President now. I don’t have the detail from those involved,” he said.
On what dress codes or hairstyles were available for the students of the institution, Prof Opara said he couldn’t make comment at the moment, “I can’t make comment now until I get the detail of the matter.
“If he (the President) briefs me within the weekend, I will know whether the lecturer stays on campus or off campus, then the student who is involved, I will get the two sides and I will be in a better position to brief the Vice Chancellor and what to say to you thereafter.”
By: Corlins Walter
The Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board (RSPHCMB) says it will commence Supplemental Immunization activities on Saturday, May 3, 2025, to vaccinate children from 0-5 years across the State.
The State Health Educator, Dr. Diana Babbo, who stated this during a sensitisation meeting with Media Advocate for Health, Rivers State, on the update of immunization exercise in Rivers State, said the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) is a re-enforcement of the routine immunization at the health facilities.
According to her, it is aimed at boosting polio immunisation against the circulating variance of polio virus currently threatening the total eradication of polio in the country.
She further stated that there are four pillars of polio eradication, namely routine immunization (administered on babies in the health centre), supplemental immunization activity (supplements to boost the babies), surveillance (searching for children that have weakness in their legs or some oart of their bodies), and outbreak response.
The Health Educator noted that the Novel Oral Polio Vaccination Type 2 (NOPV 2) will be administered to children under the age of 0-5 years, which targets a specific polio still in existence in communities and capable of causing paralysis among the stated categories of children, despite the country being certified a polio-free nation.
Dr. Babbo further stated that this year’s NIPDs will address the high number of unresolved non-compliance cases in the State.
She debunked what she tagged a false rumour by mischief makers which claimed that the vaccines are responsible for the development of autism in children.
She said, “vaccines are not known to be responsible for the development of autism. We’re just hearing that. The truth is that one cannot know everything.
“That aspect that has been found, have we looked into other aspects, such as genetically modified foods, drinks, and milks that our children are taking?
“Have we also looked at genetic compatibility between couples before we now say vaccines are causing x, y, z things?
“Are we looking at the environment where these things are happening, what they are peculiar to?
“It must not be peculiar to all the families, there could be something also that’s happening around that we have not known. Research is evolving, let us not accuse our precious vaccines that have succeeded so far in my knowledge, to keep as many sicknesses at bay.
“The reason we do not have small pox in our world today, apart from the lab (a bio-lab) is because we vaccinated to the point where we were able to move small pox totally out of existence from human beings. We can succeed with that same pattern with all kinds of viruses”.
She stated that the connection between autism and vaccination could merely be coincidence.
Babbo, therefore, urged all parents, churches, and school owners to avail their children/wards the opportunity to be vaccinated against polio the stated exercise.
Sogbeba Dokubo
Engr Obi Fortune, a renowned philanthropist, has donated 80 desks to four secondary schools in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State. The donation is part of his commitment to advancing education in the area.
The schools that benefited from the gesture includes- Community Secondary School Umuoye.
Community Secondary School Akwa- Government Secondary School Ozuzu and Community Primary School Okehi 2 and all the schools got 20 units each of the desks.
Speaking during the brief handing-over ceremony held recently in okehi recently, Engr Obi stated that the donation fulfills his promise to use proceeds from his book sales to procure desks for schools in the LGA.
He disclosed that more desks will arrive soon and expressed his continued commitment to supporting education in the area.
Obi urged the schools to make good use of the desks and called on other individuals to contribute to the educational needs in the area.
This gesture demonstrates Engr Obi’s dedication to improving education in Etche LGA.
A professor of social and political philosophy at Rivers State University (RSU ) Nkpolu Oroworukwu port Harcourt, Prof Agha Eresia _Eke has emphasized that citizenship participation is crucial for achieving true democratic government. He stressed that citizens’ involvement in exercising their basic rights, such as freedom of speech, assembly, and religion, is essential for a democratic institution to thrive.
Eresia _Eke stated this while presenting his inaugural lecture at the 111 university’s inaugural lecture series with the topic “Nigeria Democratic practices:a contextual paradox”held at the university senate auditorium in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
According to him, core democratic values which include:,- Respect for individual rights and freedoms, Protection of human rights and fundamental freedom, Equality before the law, Freedom of speech, assembly, and association, Protection of privacy and personal autonomy.
“Through out history, the problem that has agitated social and political philosophers has been to work _out a model for the realization of the common good of man.
Man has always sought and developed methods and systems of organising himself according to his true nature as a rational being.”he stated.
Eresia-Eke notes that Nigeria is not practicing a true federalism and highlights the importance of a pragmatic approach to democracy, where ideas and solutions are tested and refined in real-world environments.
He emphasized that citizens must hold their leaders accountable and demand respect for human rights, stressing that by doing so, citizens can undertake their civic obligations and responsibilities, strengthening society as a whole.
Earlier in his address, the Vice chancellor of the university, Prof Zeb _Obipi commended the lecturer for his brilliant performance, adding that he has justified and proven that he is a professor in his area of specialization.
The VC averred that the university has been consistent in the inaugural lecture monthly and assured that his administration will continue to continue to keep the trend.