The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has been in and
out of the news lately. Regrettably, it has been
more of bad news than good news.
From the sad news of Oluchi Anekwe, the 300
level first class undergraduate student of the
department of accounting who was electrocuted
to death by a high tension cable to the Student
Union protest against the lack of basic amenities
on campus, the 300 level student simply identified
as Jacobs who died after reportedly taking a
poisonous substance, and the perceived ineptitude
of the university management in handling some of
these crises. The only positive from the school
was the sterling performance of Daniel Dada
Ayodele, who graduated with 5.0 CGPA.
After a brief pause from the headlines and twitter,
news frittered in of 17 missing Unilag girls. The
circumstances surrounding their mysterious
disappearance leaves so many questions. What
happened? Twenty girls were supposed to go to
Lekki for a party with an 80k thanks for coming
but they apparently ended up in a White House in
the middle of nowhere and only 3 came back
crying that they barely escaped with their lives!
The next story was just the sheer nonchalant
disposition of the management of Elegushi Beach.
According to an eyewitness account, Funmi
Odusina and Sola Ogunmefun both masters
students of international law and diplomacy lost
their lives at a friend’s birthday party after they
drowned. Their death was complemented by the
absence of lifeguards or emergency medical unit.
Some of these stories snake around young
girls.The first set you may want to say allegedly
disappeared because of their covetousness while
the later was due to the carefree stance of beach
authorities at Elegushi beach.
Unsurprisingly, you do not need to be a student
of the University of Lagos to know that some
female students on campus engage in high-level
promiscuity and refined prostitution. In the
evening on campus, you see female students at
New hall or at the Moremi car park hanging out
with guys or wealthy men-old enough to be their
father. While the guys prefer to have s*x with
them in their cars, these shameless old men
usually ferry them off campus to hotels. In the
same vein, it is not unusual for the students to
attend off-campus parties on the island.
It is just unfortunate that some of these phantom
parties and men who pick them have ulterior
motives that have lead to the reported death of
these students.
This is not restricted to Unilag alone as same
happens across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. But,
the management of some of these schools can
only do little or nothing about it. Students are
adults. You cannot monitor their affairs because
they are expected to manage their lives. This is
another reason parents do not bother to check
their wards in school.
However, with these incidences, monitoring these
students is ever more important as some of them
are literally teething when they are admitted into
school. They are not matured. Hence, they are
susceptible to campus shenanigans.
They tend to get carried away by campus life.
Before they know it, their GP is swimming in the
lagoon, they are strong members of cult groups
and the ladies are deep into junketing with
wealthy men who shower them with irresistible
gifts and mouthwatering vacations.
Having a robust and rounded life on campus is
essential. It is important to indulge. Like many
people say, you must pass through school and
the school must also pass through you. But, in a
bid to satisfy this urge, you must be wise when
doing it. If you want to party, party with
moderation. And if you have to leave campus, you
should be careful with the activities you engage.
The police is investigating the disappearance,
some of the managers of Elegushi beach are in
police net, and the parents of these girls will be
mourning the painful loss. Of course, they will rue
the fact that these deaths could have been
prevented. But who are we to question death? It
could come at any day and time.
In all of these negatives, the Unilag authorities
have always tried to absolve themselves of any
blame. But, as far as the students are carrying
the identity card of the school, it makes the
management responsible. They should be
proactive in protecting the students. For example,
there should be a register for students to sign in
and sign out. All unsavoury or distasteful event
that happens to any Unilag students whether on
or off campus gives the school bad PR. And
many alumni of the school are genuinely
concerned about these horrible headlines. Again
the Unilag management must be proactive.
In the meantime, we hope the 17 girls will be
found which is most unlikely and for God to grant
the family of the girls the fortitude to bear the
loss. Hopefully, students especially girls will learn
from these incidents.
The University of Lagos must not lose its status
as the university of first choice and the nation’s
pride! This bad PR is not helping at all.
Written by:- Adeniyi Ogunfowoke The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has been in and
out of the news lately. Regrettably, it has been
more of bad news than good news.
From the sad news of Oluchi Anekwe, the 300
level first class undergraduate student of the
department of accounting who was electrocuted
to death by a high tension cable to the Student
Union protest against the lack of basic amenities
on campus, the 300 level student simply identified
as Jacobs who died after reportedly taking a
poisonous substance, and the perceived ineptitude
of the university management in handling some of
these crises. The only positive from the school
was the sterling performance of Daniel Dada
Ayodele, who graduated with 5.0 CGPA.
After a brief pause from the headlines and twitter,
news frittered in of 17 missing Unilag girls. The
circumstances surrounding their mysterious
disappearance leaves so many questions. What
happened? Twenty girls were supposed to go to
Lekki for a party with an 80k thanks for coming
but they apparently ended up in a White House in
the middle of nowhere and only 3 came back
crying that they barely escaped with their lives!
The next story was just the sheer nonchalant
disposition of the management of Elegushi Beach.
According to an eyewitness account, Funmi
Odusina and Sola Ogunmefun both masters
students of international law and diplomacy lost
their lives at a friend’s birthday party after they
drowned. Their death was complemented by the
absence of lifeguards or emergency medical unit.
Some of these stories snake around young
girls.The first set you may want to say allegedly
disappeared because of their covetousness while
the later was due to the carefree stance of beach
authorities at Elegushi beach.
Unsurprisingly, you do not need to be a student
of the University of Lagos to know that some
female students on campus engage in high-level
promiscuity and refined prostitution. In the
evening on campus, you see female students at
New hall or at the Moremi car park hanging out
with guys or wealthy men-old enough to be their
father. While the guys prefer to have s*x with
them in their cars, these shameless old men
usually ferry them off campus to hotels. In the
same vein, it is not unusual for the students to
attend off-campus parties on the island.
It is just unfortunate that some of these phantom
parties and men who pick them have ulterior
motives that have lead to the reported death of
these students.
This is not restricted to Unilag alone as same
happens across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. But,
the management of some of these schools can
only do little or nothing about it. Students are
adults. You cannot monitor their affairs because
they are expected to manage their lives. This is
another reason parents do not bother to check
their wards in school.
However, with these incidences, monitoring these
students is ever more important as some of them
are literally teething when they are admitted into
school. They are not matured. Hence, they are
susceptible to campus shenanigans.
They tend to get carried away by campus life.
Before they know it, their GP is swimming in the
lagoon, they are strong members of cult groups
and the ladies are deep into junketing with
wealthy men who shower them with irresistible
gifts and mouthwatering vacations.
Having a robust and rounded life on campus is
essential. It is important to indulge. Like many
people say, you must pass through school and
the school must also pass through you. But, in a
bid to satisfy this urge, you must be wise when
doing it. If you want to party, party with
moderation. And if you have to leave campus, you
should be careful with the activities you engage.
The police is investigating the disappearance,
some of the managers of Elegushi beach are in
police net, and the parents of these girls will be
mourning the painful loss. Of course, they will rue
the fact that these deaths could have been
prevented. But who are we to question death? It
could come at any day and time.
In all of these negatives, the Unilag authorities
have always tried to absolve themselves of any
blame. But, as far as the students are carrying
the identity card of the school, it makes the
management responsible. They should be
proactive in protecting the students. For example,
there should be a register for students to sign in
and sign out. All unsavoury or distasteful event
that happens to any Unilag students whether on
or off campus gives the school bad PR. And
many alumni of the school are genuinely
concerned about these horrible headlines. Again
the Unilag management must be proactive.
In the meantime, we hope the 17 girls will be
found which is most unlikely and for God to grant
the family of the girls the fortitude to bear the
loss. Hopefully, students especially girls will learn
from these incidents.
The University of Lagos must not lose its status
as the university of first choice and the nation’s
pride! This bad PR is not helping at all.
Written by:- Adeniyi Ogunfowoke