By Ishola Balogun
*Students beg, Parents react…* School
declines comment
*I’m not aware — Prof Okojie, NUC boss
About 200 students may have been
expelled by the authorities of Covenant
University, Cannanland, Ota, Ogun State,
recently for what was described as
“disregard of paramount core values.”
Frustrated and angered by the
development, some of the affected
students who gave account of what
happened battled emotions while
narrating their situations to Saturday
Vanguard recently. They however
pleaded with the school authorities to
tamper justice with mercy in order to
save their future.
Saturday Vanguard investigation
revealed that out of the figure, about
126 were expelled for not attending the
‘departure service’, meant to sign off
from the school after the end of the
Semester and Matriculation of students
on November 30. Five other students
were thrown out for smoking while
unconfirmed source said additional 60
got the same fate for violating other
rules bordering on the University’s core
values. A few others were given four
weeks suspension for failure to sign the
head count that was conducted a couple
of weeks earlier.
A letter of expulsion signed by the
Registrar, Ntia Ubong, a copy which was
made available to Saturday Vanguard
stated that the affected students
contravened Chapter 1, section 30, page
40 of the 2010-2014 Student Handbook.
We gathered that the massive expulsion
was predicated on the anger of the
Chancellor, Bishop David Oyedepo who
was said to have been infuriated after
seeing students loitering around when
they were supposed to be at the Chapel
for the Departure Service.
He was said to have personally chased
students to the Chapel and ordered for a
search into all the halls and colleges to
fish out those who did not attend the
service.
Several attempts to get the school
authorities comment on the issue
proved abortive. The Instituion’s
Corporate Affairs Head, Mr Igban
Emmaunel also refused to comment as
calls pulled through to him were
unanswered and text messages not
replied.
How it happened
A few of the affected students gave
account of what happened to Saturday
Vanguard at different points. The similar
accounts go thus: “On November 30, the
last day of the semester, preceding our
December break, there was also a
Matriculation for the 100 level students;
in fact some students had their last
semester exams on that day, some of
them finished around 3:00pm while the
matriculation started around 8am. Some
students retired to their rooms to relax
while some engaged in some other
activities jubilating the end of the
semester.
“Some also got drinks from the
matriculating students. Even as these
were going on, some students who
finished around 3pm retired to their
halls. By 5pm, they announced that we
should get prepared for the ‘Departure
service’ which was to start by 8pm. Some
students were already seeing their
parents off while some of us were just
trying to relax to get off the stress of the
exams.
“Most of us hadn’t gotten through the
tiredness of the sleepless nights of the
exams; so, some us stayed back in our
rooms. The departure service is usually a
day before we go home and it is usually
presided over by the Chancellor. Before
the commencement of the service, they
used to lock up the main doors of the
halls so as to prevent cases of theft. I
was not bothered since there were a lot
of us in the hall. Some minutes past 8pm,
they switched off the light and all of us
in the hall went into our rooms. Because
of the darkness and the cold, I slept off
immediately.”
He continued: “The persistent knocks on
the door woke me up and I realised that
they had come to search for people who
had not come to service. Before I
realised what was going on, I found
myself with other students numbering
about 30. They took down our names
and counted us to make sure that no
one was omitted. They said the
Chancellor was at the service and we
refused to come. I heard them talking
about other halls and they asked us to
wait. I didn’t take it seriously because I
never believed in my widest imagination
that we would be expelled. We were
later asked to go to our various halls.
“Some of those who went into hiding
were lucky as they were not found.
Shortly, those who went for the service
returned and told us there was poor
attendance at the Chapel and how
students were diving in through the
windows, scampering for seats. In fact,
one narrated to us how the Chancellor
jumped through the window to vent his
anger on some students who had
jumped in,” he stated.
Another expelled student also gave
similar account of the incident. “I
couldn’t go to the service because, I was
not feeling well which was as a result of
the stress of the exams we had just
finished. After a while, I managed to go
but I heard that they started driving
people back around 7:30pm while the
service was to start around 8pm. I was
surprised because the rule was that
you’ve got to be seated 15minutes to the
service. Again, it was never made
compulsory, but they tried to get
students out of the halls to prevent cases
of theft. So, because I was not feeling
well, I went back to my room because I
needed to rest for a while.
“I thought it was a joke when they said
we are in for expulsion because we
failed to come for departure service. I
have never done anything contrary to
the school laws. I have never faced any
panel before and neither did I have any
unpleasant case in my file. I never
thought it was real until letters were
handed to me the following morning.”
Giving account of how letters were
handed out to them, the visibly troubled
student said: “By 6am, they announced
the names of those who were caught in
halls and colleges. Usually after the
departure service, one can sign out from
there and go but because it ended late
and no one could travel, students had to
wait till the following morning. But the
hall officer told those of us whose names
were written down that if we leave, we
should be considered gone from the
university forever. That gave us an
insight into what was likely to come as
punishment. By 7:45am, we were called
once again to go downstairs for our
letters. Those who collected theirs before
mine were crying and I wondered what
the punishment could be until I read the
letter stating I was expelled from the
university.”
Bishop Oyedepo
At the Chapel
Another student who found his way to
the Chapel also told Saturday Vanguard
that while the Chancellor was being
driven past, he noticed that students
were loitering at about the time they
were supposed to be seated at the
chapel. He said that this apparently
infuriated him and he alighted from his
car and chased students to the chapel
with knocks. “I saw him, alighted from
his car and chased students to the
chapel; I quickly found my way to the
hall. Not quite long after, I saw students
jumping in through the windows. It was
a big commotion. Even the chancellor
was going after those who jumped into
the chapel. Later, he addressed the
students saying he was very
disappointed by the behaviour that the
students were not seated 15 minutes
before the service.”
Another account had it that while the
Education Secretary, Prof. Aize Obayan
was addressing the students, the
students were murmuring, then the
Chancellor immediately took to the
microphone and said: “if I hear the voice
of any student, the curse of the Lord
shall fall upon that one.” The chapel
immediately went dead silent.
Our source who was also late to the
service stated that the Chancellor later
directed that those students who did not
come to the service would be purged
out saying they did not belong to the
school. Our source stated that at the end
of the service, he prayed for the students
in the hall.
Another source in the school hinted that
at that point, the Vice-chancellor pleaded
on behalf of those who were absent but
the Chancellor insisted they must be
purged from the school.
Our source told Saturday Vanguard that
the Vice-Chancellor while addressing
the students announced that a search
would be carried out in all the halls and
colleges to find out those who failed to
attend the departure service, advising
them to wait behind.
Saturday Vanguard investigation
revealed that out of the figure, about
126 were expelled for not attending
the ‘departure service’, five were thrown
out for smoking marijuana, twenty-five
final year students and undisclosed
number of lower level students were
caught violating rules bothering on the
University’s core values. We also
gathered that a few others were given
four weeks suspension for failure to
sign the head count that was conducted
a couple of weeks earlier. Some of the
students opined that failure to sign the
head count was even a greater offence
which implied that the student was not
in the school at the time of the exercise
but yet got a four-week suspension.
The private university is known for its
strict rules and discipline such as not
allowing the students to use mobile
phones within the school’s premises,
while it is mandatory for students to
always bring their bible to the chapel.
Parents react
A few parents who volunteered
information spoke to us on condition of
anonymity fearing that their children
might be victimised in case the issue
was resolved amicably. One of them
said with bitterness that it is
unacceptable, adding that the expulsion
was not commensurate with the offence
deemed to have been committed. He
urged the school authorities to rescind
its decision adding that the future of the
students is at stake.
“For me, it is not acceptable. These
students were not given fair hearing.
Expulsion should not be a punishment
for failure to attend service. We all agree,
it is a Christian school but failure to
attend church service could be due to a
lot of reasons. I gathered that some of
the students even finished their exams
about 5pm that day. So, those people
that finished at that time had barely
three hours to prepare for the service.
But stampeding them to congregate for
service and then expelling those who did
not come is a decision taken too far. For
me, if there was poor attendance, I think
the authorities have a responsibility.
They have not been fair in putting the
service so close to the examination. Even
God will not do that.”
He however commended the Chancellor,
Dr. Oyedepo on his vision towards the
education of Nigeria children especially
when the government institutions are
failing, but urging him to tamper justice
with mercy.
Another parent who was afraid of the
press noted that he was still studying
the situation and would not want to
comment but noted that he was reliably
informed that some group of parents
made frantic efforts to meet with the
Chancellor on the issue but without
success. It was not clear the level of the
efforts made. He further hinted that
some students have not told their
parents about their expulsion, still
hoping that the issue would be resolved.
He lamented that his child had been
having sleepless nights, going through
mental torture unjustifiably. “I agree
that discipline must be instilled in the
students but it should not be aimed at
destroying the life of the students.
Expulsion is too great a punishment for
non attendance of a departure service,
without even a warning especially when
the students hitherto, had not been
found wanting,” he stated.
What the Student Handbook says
The Covenant University Core values
border on Spirituality, Possibility
Mentality, Capacity Building, Integrity,
Responsibility, Diligence and Sacrifice. On
the spirituality aspect, it states: “The
Christian ethos underguard our activities
and conducts at all time and every
student of Covenant University is
expected to exhibit character traits and
dispositions of a Jesus-centered
heritage. The Jesus – factor centered
approach to all issues is non-negotiable
and central in the pursuit of our
mandate in raising a new generation of
leaders and in the realization of the
objectives of our purpose.
To this extent therefore, students will be
committed to maintaining a high level of
spirituality and shall act in such manner
as to facilitate their spiritual growth as
well as work out ways to evolve and
implement a spiritual development plan.
Attendance at Chapel Services is a
compulsory part of students’ spiritual
development where a bible and
notebook are essential kits for the
service. Students are expected to
demonstrate a deep reverence for God at
all times.”
The school declines comment
Several attempts were made to get the
school authorities comment on the issue.
The institution’s Corporate/Public Affairs
Officer, Mr Igban Emmanuel Kalu declined
comment. At first, several calls were
pulled through to him but he refused to
pick his calls. When the reporter
persisted, he later picked but said he
was driving and could not answer any
question. But few hours later, other calls
pulled to him were unanswered. A text
message was sent to his phone and up
to the time of writing this report, he did
not reply.
I’m not aware —Prof Julius Okojie, NUC
Executive Secretary
The Executive Secretary of the National
Universities Commission, NUC, Prof Julius
Okojie said he has not been briefed on
the matter.
Prof Okojie stated this during a
telephone conversation Saturday
Vanguard had with him a few days ago.
“I am not aware of any expulsion by
Covenant University; I will ask the school
authorities. Right now, I am not in
Abuja, I left Abuja few days ago and until
I return to Abuja and find out details
about the matter, I cannot comment on
it,” he said.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/12/covenant-university-expels-200-students-for-not-attending-church-service/

Old news

another recent one or the one of a few weeks ago? Hmmm.. I tire for this advance secondary school. Its as a result of all these stringent rules that their students misbehave at the slightest opportunity. I remember three of my room mates in Nysc camp are from convenant. Na them de close Mammy every day. Always drunk and misbehavin

When you make laws very strict, people are bound to default them, no matter the sanction. This is just an advanced secondary school, let them operate their modus operandi as they wish, and by virtue of being a student there, you're bound by their constitution.