Until The End - A Story Of An Open University Graduate
By: Abdulrazaq O Hamzat

My names are Abdulrazaq Oyebanji Hamzat popularly known as Mr.rights.

A graduate of Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution from the National
Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). Am called Mr.Rights not because am
always right, but because i always stand for truth and human rights.
It all started in 2007, i heard about the National Open University of
Nigeria (NOUN) in Abuja and without doubting the integrity of the
institution, I enrolled right away. The school also didn’t disappoint
me, as after few months of my application, here comes my admission
letter. You are offered a provisional admission to study B.sc.
Communication Technology my letter reads.

I applied for Communication Technology and I was offered my admission
without any stress or help from any quarters. It is almost
unbelievable. That’s the quality of the institution, making you do the
unbelievable.

In other institution across the country, students mostly pay bribe to
get admission, they start on a faulty foundation, but in Open
University, we start with truth and sincerity. This is a major credit
and a way to start with the right mind set. No lobbying, no begging,
you don’t have to know anyone, you chose your desired course and gbam,
you get it. The process is 100% open, fair and credible. This is the
kind of spirit that can build a good and prosperous society. As the
name implies, Open University, I know it is special, it is ‘’first of
its kind’’. and by being a student in the institution, I am positively
and uniquely special.

I came into NOUN proud,purposeful and visionary. While there are
challenges obstructing mine and the school’s vision, I knew we (I and
the management) could solve it together if I am patient. So because of
this, i invested a lot of time and energy in knowing about the school
and many other information i believe could be helpful to students. I
give out these information to ensure that students don’t make
unnecessary mistakes. I carry everyone along and in my little way and
soon, lots of my colleague rely on me for any vital guidance or
information about school. At a point, instead of going to the school
for information, they come to me.

Additionally, sharing information with my colleagues in school is not
my only hobby, I took it upon myself to educate Nigerians through the
various online medium about the Open University. I became active and
vibrant online, dishing out vital information to the public and
recruiting students for NOUN. I was always online, correcting wrong
perception about the school, answering questions from people both
prospective and existing students. I have my phone number and email
address all over the internet. Since 2008 and even after graduation,
hardly can a day passby without me receiving at least 1 call seeking
information about NOUN. Some times, I get up to 20 calls in a single
day.

Without trying to exaggerate my activities, I would say that, I have
through my numerous engagements online, directed over 1000 students to
become NOUN students. This is apart from providing vital information
and guidance to existing students. In fact, I recall that through my
online activities, many who had earlier withdrew from the school due
to some complications and inadequate responses from the counselors
re-enrolled back and they mostly rely on me for guidance. Many of them
would say, it seems I know more about the school than their study
centre counselors.

Let me use this opportunity to call the attention of NOUN management
to the need to empower counselors with vital information. The school
need to always retrain the counselors, as they are the most important
officers. When they give wrong information, its hard for students to
get back on track. They should be re-orientated and provided with up
to date information about the school processes and daily needs of the
students. Many students had been wrongly misled by some counselors, I
was a victim and I suffered and paid dearly.

As a result of such misdirection, I wasted many years and at last, I
had to change my course. I applied for a change of programme from B.Sc
Communication Technology to B.Sc Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution
after I took transfer to another study centre.

Furthermore, many things have improved in NOUN since its
establishment. Those who had earlier withdrew from the school due to
various challenges would certainly jump back at it if they are aware
of the numerous improvement it has recorded since their departure.

Although, there are still much challenges that should to be worked on,
but despite that, the school is indeed improving every day. While most
students in NOUN today may not appreciate the current situation, those
who experienced the tougher and rougher period in NOUN back then would
certainly commend the management for such a giant stride within a very
short period.Professor Vincent Tenebe, the current vice chancellor
must be commended. For example, there was nothing like instant
admission before, you have to wait for some months before getting your
admission, but today, everything has been made more easier. You get a
provisional admission letter immediately you apply.

Also,there was nothing like E-exams or online Tutor Marked Assignment
(TMA), but today, we have E-exams and online TMA where students get
instant result to their TMA and exams.

Again, there was nothing like online courseware (the online course
material) that students download in case they couldn’t get the printed
course material, but due to the improving nature of the school, NOUN
now has online course material as a remedy for those who couldn’t get
the printed material. Also, back then,NOUN do take 1 full year or more
to write first semester examination, but now, the school calender is
stable as students complete their two semesters in a year and even did
3 semesters a certain year. You will agree with me that NOUN is
certainly improving. While it is true that more improvement still need
to be done by the management, but you can’t find any institution that
is being better managed than the National Open University of Nigeria.

Issues of NYSC and Law school are prominent on the list of to do’s by
NOUN management, it must also ensure adequate availability of printed
course materials, empower the various study centers to be more
responsive and timely and finally, NOUN management need to officially
ensure the formation and recognition of a student association in line
with best practices in other Open universities across the world. NOUN
students must be organized, yes, they must be associated via a
nationally integrated student body dully recognized by the school.
This is the practice in other open universities across the world
including UK, China and others.

In the course of my numerous engagements,it occurred to me more than
ever that, the students need a voice and a platform to develop
themselves. Students need a platform to meet and share ideas. They
need people to talk to about their problems. Yes, students must create
a voice for themselves through an association. Freedom of association
is a universal right, it is a right guaranteed under the constitution
of Nigeria. As a result of constant thinking of how best to create a
platform for NOUN students, Congress of Noun Students (CONS) emerge.
It was a perfect solution to my concerns. When we resolved to start
the Congress of Noun Students (CONS), we talked to other students
about it and virtually everyone supported the idea.

Finally, the Congress of Noun Student (CONS) was established in 2012
and ever since, the story hasn’t remained the same. Students were
being helped, information is circulating, people are getting
direction, we are solving our own problems, we are sharing information
about our difficulties and studying in NOUN is becoming more easy. To
be able to engage the management on issue of student association with
intellect, the congress had developed a charter, which contain best
practices as seen in other Open universities across the world.

Before now, students have an impression that in other open
universities, there is no room for student associations, but with a
well researched document titled charter of demands. All over the
advanced world where Open university exists, there are student
associations contributing to the development of the school. We picked
U.K, India and China as case studies. In U.K for example, student have
representative at the institutions senate. That representative is
appointed by the UK Open University Student Association. With such an
expository document, it is impossible to claim Open university
students cant have a student association. Besides, Students
Associations in Open Universities in other countries are playing major
roles in popularizing the school and making the public recognize its
capacity. Through the activities of their Open University Student
associations, the public are able to access the quality of its
students.

I want to urge the management to re-consider it stance and allow
students have a central student association. If we are asking NYSC to
allow NOUN students participate in what other institutions are
participating in, if we are asking law school to accommodate NOUN
students like it accommodated other students, certainly, the
management shouldn’t be denying students a right to have a recognized
student union.

Similarly, I along with some colleagues whom I meet at the Center for
Peace and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) founded the Peace
Studies and Conflict Resolution Students Association (PESCORSA). These
people worked day and night to ensure the association became a reality
and through the understanding of our study centre and other students,
we made it a reality. Within 3 months of establishing the association,
we hosted the first ever Peace Summit in Partnership with Center for
Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin.

This is a landmark achievement which we believe our colleagues shall
continue to improve on in coming years. The resources spent is beyond
account, the time, energy and sleepless nights is also uncountable.
Other departments in the school felt challenged by our timely action
and are all working to learn from our example.

Also at the summit, we launched a project called child of peace (COP),
with its motto, educate a child (EACH). It is a campaign against
violence and out of school children in Nigeria. Child of Peace (COP)
is a project conceived to reverse the downward trend of out of school
children in Nigeria. The project is to campaign for the identification
of out of school children from less-preveleged homes and return them
back to school.

It is in my dream that in a not too distant future, an association of
Peace Personalities shall be established in form of the Nigerian Bar
Association (NBA). I look forward to such a day that it would become a
reality and we can all be re-united. My philosophy of life is that,
even if you cannot make the world a better place for all, at least,
make a life better for the world to
benefit. If you cannot feed the whole world, try to feed just one
person. If you can’t end poverty in this world, end ignorance of one
person by providing information and education. And even if you are not
educated enough to do this, try to always give people positive advice
to better their lives.

Don’t sit down while condemning people standing, you should standup to
understand their position. Even when you are standing with them in
distress, be the hope that is holding them up,not the falling pillar
that would bring them down. Even if you can’t stand up with them in
distress, in your sitting or crawling position, raise your voice up
with them and give them hope to stand up tall. You may not have stood
up with them shoulder to shoulder, but your voice may become the
needed tool to keep them standing firm.

Finally, let me conclude this writing by telling all NOUN students in
confidence that by the grace of God, you are special. By being a
student of this first of its kind University, you are indeed a very
special person. Don’t betray the specialty in you by acting contrary
to your rightful being. And talking about quality, you are unmatched.

You are first academically and must be better in conduct. You are from
Open University, the first of its kind university.

You can follow the writer on twitter @Abdool101

So long a story. abeg summarize the thesis.

Just in case!

hum