₦airaland Forum

The Executive Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko has today announced automatic employment offer to willing best graduates of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko.

During the conferment of Degrees and Award/Prizes at the 6th Convocation ceremony of the institution which held at OBJ Hall, the governor who is an alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University admitted that it is the duty of the government to encourage graduands with brilliant academic performance and as such offered the First Class students automatic employment. He further stressed the need for the graduands to keep aiming high even as he wishes them well as they go into the labour market.

"Its is the responsibility of government to encourage achievements of brilliant minds. I am happy to announce automatic employment to willing best graduates to Ondo State Civil Service.

"I congratulate the graduands and i wish them well as they go into the labour market.

It will be recalled that the Obafemi Awolowo University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bamitale Omole in what seems like a contrasting decision announced the stop of automatic employment for graduands who make First Class honours from the university.

GogetterMD:
BH has pledged alliance to Daesh(IS), so it's more of a splinter terror cell of ISIS in west Africa. Now they want to form a coalition to cut ISIS down to size (much like the MNJTF), you are here claiming islamization of Nigeria. Like say more than half the population of Nigerians ain't Muslims before.
Now that help is minimal and we need as many hands as possible to put an end to this scourge once and forall, CAN is here spilling balderdash.

P.S. before you start shouting and screaming Arab nations, don't forget that Isreal is also an Arab nation

Ewetola Michael Adeboye, 23, is the overall best graduating student of the Obafemi Awolowo University in the 2013/2014 academic session, having finished with a CGPA of 4.85 from the Department of Mathematics. He tells OAU Peeps News Agency in an exclusive interview about what it took him to come on top.

Can we meet you sir?
My name is Ewetola Michael Adeboye, a graduate of the Department of Mathematics. I hail from Oyo state.

You were pronounced the overall best graduating student during this year's convocation. What CGPA did you graduate with?
4.85

Wow... That's awesome. When you wanted to enter the university, did you choose Mathematics?
Sure, it was my first and second choice.

So you mean you wanted to study Mathematics? Why were you passionate about Mathematics?
I just like it and I find it interesting.

What was your prior performance in Mathematics relative to other subjects especially during your secondary school days?
It was excellent just like the other subjects too but I enjoyed mathematics the most.

This suggest your excellent performance did not just begin. When did you start leading your class?
I started leading my class right from my Primary school.

Did you take any decision as a fresh student then that helped you in the course of your study?
Not really, it has always been my habit to give my best to whatever I do.

That’s impressive. One would naturally think you are a genius or that it runs in the family?
Yes

Did you hear stories about Obafemi Awolowo University that could be discouraging when you resumed school?
Yes, I heard of how in Obafemi Awolowo University, you will have to read to have an F.

So what was your reaction to this?
I was not scared. I also met some of my senior colleagues who counselled me that smart work and not just hard work is all I need to get my desired grade in any course.

Was it in your plan to be the best graduating student when you got admission?
No, but I started considering its possibility when I was in Part two because my Part one results were encouraging and I felt that if I could step up my game, I may emerge as the Best Graduating Student, but it was not really my target, I just want have a good understanding of my course.

What was your CGPA in Part 1?
4.80

What was your lowest grade?
E

What was your reaction to this when you saw the result?
A little bit disappointed but not too bothered because it was a Special Elective course.

How many hours did you invest in sleeping and studying per day?
I read for an average of 3 hours and sleep for about 7 hours per day during weekdays while the reading hour during weekends is about 7 hours.

Were you involved in any extracurricular activities?
Yes, I was a Departmental Representative Council (DRC) member in my Part 2, the Academic Committee chairman of my department in Part 4 and I was also involved in fellowship activities.

Which fellowship did you attend on campus?
Baptist Students’ Fellowship (BSF).

At what point did you know you would be the best graduating student?
It was in my Part 3 when I had A's in all my courses.

Wow... How did you feel when you got to know you graduated as the best student?
I was happy and grateful to God.

Apart from being the Best Graduating Student, you won other prizes, what are they?
I received five prizes ranging from departmental to faculty and the university prize.

1. Professor A. F. Oluwole Faculty prize for the best graduating student with the highest CGPA in the Faculty of Science
2. Tola Olukilede prize for the best graduating student in the Faculty of Science
3. Professor(Chief) Reuben Olafenwa Ayeni memorial prize for the graduating student with the best all round performance in Bsc Mathematics program
4. Ife North local government prize for the best student in the department of Mathematics
5. Tola Olakilede Agent of change prize for the final year student in the university with the highest cumulative grade point

What is your advice to the current crop of undergraduates especially the fresh ones among them?
I implore them not just to work hard but work smart, prioritize understanding of every course over grades and avoid cramming at all cost even as you develop a habit of consistent studying.

Have you received any job offer since you graduated as a result of your sterling performance?
Not yet.

Congratulations once again Michael and we appreciate you for your time, what is your words to the OAU Peeps crew?
I have been seeing your posts on Facebook before now. Keep up the good job.

The Students’ Union of Obafemi Awolowo University has condemned the announcement of a mid-semester break by the University Management which orders students to vacate their Halls of residence.

Addressing journalists today in a Press Conference on OAU campus, the Public Relations Officer of the Students’ Union, Ojedokun Emmanuel a.k.a Immanuel Kant said the school closure is unwarranted and unjustifiable. He said the Management has not pointed to the Monday demonstration of students as a reason for the school closure rather speculations that the students are planning to disrupt the upcoming convocation of the university and the coronation of the new Ooni of Ife where the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari and the Queen Elizabeth of England are expected to be present.

“The Management did not shut down the University because of our protest which was nationwide but because they speculated that the students may want to disrupt the convocation and coronation of the new Ooni of Ife which is far from the truth.

“We are Intellectual Fighters for Emancipation and at no point would we stop the coronation of the Ooni. As a matter of fact, we see it as a cheap blackmail which holds no water” Immanuel Kant said.

The Management of OAU late yesterday evening announced that the students should vacate their hostels latest 12:00noon today, Wednesday for a mid-semester break. The University authority in the Press Release announcing the break did not state any reason particular reason for the break.

The President of the Students’ Union, Omotayo Akande a.k.a TY in his own remark said the Union has concluded plans to write back to the Management stating their position and asking the reason why the Management will embark on a mid-semester break without carrying the university stakeholders including the Students’ Union along. He also stated that the Union is demanding the immediate re-opening of the university.

It will be recalled that the University announced the first mid-semester break in about the last three years during the last semester in the midst of the NASU-Management face-off. This will be the second mid-semester break in this session.

The Management of Obafemi Awolowo University has decided to shut down activities on campus till further notice. This is most likely to be in connection with the protest the students embarked upon on Monday that brought the university to a stand still. The students protested the deplorable welfare condition they are subjected to.

Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States (the fourth Thursday of November). Since the early 2000s, it has been regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season in the US, and most major retailers open very early (and more recently during overnight hours) and offer promotional sales. Black Friday is not an official holiday, but California and some other states observe "The Day After Thanksgiving" as a holiday for state government employees, sometimes in lieu of another federal holiday such as Columbus Day.

In Nigeria, this day has also been adopted by several online stores to sell promotional goods. For 2015, some of the leading online stores have announced their Black Friday sales programme; Konga will have theirs on Thursday, 26th November, 2015 and Friday, 27th November, 2015. Another leading store, Jumia will have theirs on Friday, 27th November, 2015.

As at Wednesday, one of the leading online store, Jumia has disclosed the expected discounts for various categories of their goods. In the release, goods ordered from the Health & Beauty category will attract 70% discout. Also obviously having a huge discount is the Cameras & Electronics category with 65% discount. Others include the Women’s Clothing and Men’s Clothing with an expected 60% discount each, Women’s and Men’s Accessories will also attract 50% discount even as Men’s Shoes and Women’s Shoes get 55% discount. Phones and Computing categories will also attract 20% discount each. Konga, another top online store is yet to reveal its own discount although the store has insisted on a ‘Yakata’ fall sale.

Sale during Black Fridays are usually on first arrived, first served basis because of the huge traffic of online buyers who are always willing to participate in the greatly discounted sales. If the statistics released by Konga on its Black Friday 2014 (Yakata Sales) is something to go by, the store had 5x the amount of its usual daily traffic recording a maximum 1,659 orders placed within an hour. The same record revealed that over $3.5M (N600m) was made in the sales last year.

Even with the statistics from several online stores recounting the success of the Black Friday sales last year, the experience recount of many social media users who participated in the sales in 2014 was not palatable as some even find it hard to believe the sales happened. Some went hard on the online stores tagging it scam as they were not able to place their orders successfully within the stipulated period.

Read tips on how to beat traffic on Black Friday

By David Adetula

Campus Journalists from various tertiary institutions across the Nigeria were gathered at Obafemi Awolowo University for a 2-day Campus Editors’ Summit (CES) which discussed the possibility of a common ground for politics and journalism in Nigeria.

The event which had several campus journalists including editors and reporters of different campus media outlets from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), University of Ibadan (UI), University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), University of Science and Statistics (USS) and other institutions in attendance started out with a Pre-Summit Conference and hang out at Best Friend Hotel in Ile-Ife where the aspiring professional journalists had the opportunity of meeting one another and exchanging contacts in preparation for the later which held on Saturday, October 31st at the Pit Theatre of the institution.

Guest Speakers at the event included Mr Richard Mammah, the Editor-in-Chief of the Pan-African Newspaper and Mr Tunde Dairo, the media aide to Senator Babajide Omoworare and also a former Public Relations Officer of the OAU Students’ Union. The speakers in their different speeches acknowledged the important role being played by journalism to the social development and sharpening of the society which is directly governed by politicians.

Richard Mammah in his lecture delivery rode on the horse of history down to the periods of colonial era when the media was a strong tool used by the prominent Nigerians and activists then to agitate for a politically-free state of Nigeria which yielded. He however did not give a yes or no answer if journalism and politics should tangle.

“Friends, colleagues, can the media be separate from the politics of the era? Again I say yes and no. As a variable part of that society and culture, it is an integral part of, it is automatically embedded, but as a profession and vocation that is beholden to objectively chronicling, dissecting and critiquing the same social, political and cultural currents of the day, it is expected to rise above the fray, and in the manner of Caeser’s wife, come to equity with clean hands.

“Thus, while the media cannot be just distant and aloof, it also cannot be abrasively partisan. It is a vocation of good sense, integrity and forthrightness; and the moderator for it when it then decides to jump into the arena is then to ensure that it is absolutely beholden to serving the larger interests of the greater good of the greater numbers of the people of the South West and Nigeria.” Mammah said.

Senator Omoworare’s aide who was represented by Mr Kingley Ogunne aka Osemele substantiated that though the morals of Journalism and Politics are not the same in this part of the world, nonetheless, they can never be two parallel lines.

“The morals of journalism are not the morals of politics in this part of the world. Some politician are not absolutely truthful in their action, when a journalist make any report in error, admittance and correction with a corrigendum may not be a difficult measure to adopt but a politician may find it absolutely difficult to do same.

“When you criticise management or student leadership for any ill or wrong, it is not just for the fun of it but to force them to effect change or the entire system is changed. Is this not a political result?

“Ideal politics and practice of ideal journalism are of no serious deference, while one is service to the people, the other is a social barometer to gauge and monitor societal developments. Will it not the be save to conclude that it is best to bring the virtues, morals and standard of journalistic practice on board our political engagements if we intend to rectify the ill?

“Politics and journalism can never be two parallel lines, they can never do without meeting, and they are not separable in the real sense of it.” Tunde Dairo submitted.

The 2015 edition is the maiden edition of the Campus Editors’ Summit and first of its kind in the Nigerian tertiary education sphere. The summit was hosted by Association of Campus Journalists, Obafemi Awolowo University.

Illuminatus:
Thanks, Dave. What I don't get is why nothing is being done yet? When we get a repeat of ALUU4? I guess it's too much to expect that undergraduates to understand the graveness of jungle justice. Sigh.

Moreover, what's this SMS? Sounds like Trial by Ordeal...

By David Adetula

In an exclusive interview with OAU Peeps News Agency, the Lord Chancellor of the Judicial Council of the Obafemi Awolowo University Students' Union, Justice Joshua Olorunda has described the process suspects are being tried in OAU as crude, barbaric, unreasonable and animalistic and calls for vituperation.

Joshua Olorunda, a Part 5 student of the Faculty of Law in his opening response insisted that his opinion on the matter is personal and does not necessarily connote the exact position of either the Judicial arm of the Union which he leads or that of the Students' Union. Responding to a question on the way he sees the process trials are undertaken in OAU by the Security Committee of the Students' Union, he stylishly blamed the inadequacy of the SU Constitution on stipulated punitive measures for criminal offenses for the lapses.

The Lord Chancellor said “When I became the Lord Chancellor of the Students’ Union, the former Lord Chancellor told me that everything he fought during his tenure was to scrape the process evidence is been gotten from students who have been accused and non-students alike but he failed.

“When I came into office, I had started this, It is unfortunate that I wrote a correspondence to the Parliament on my views on how suspects are been tried my but it was not read. I don’t know why. The process suspects are been tried is barbaric, it is unreasonable, it is animalistic; It calls for vituperation. The most annoying thing is that people look up to me as if I have direct jurisdiction on it.

"The issue of the Judicial Council not having power to try theft cases is even still debateable. No part of the Constitution has directly given the responsibility to any organ of the Union".

Justice Joshua however related the functions of the Security Committee to that of the Police in the mainstream world who are still responsible to the judiciary. He noted that the non-provision of the ways suspects are been tried and punitive measures for 'convicts' necessitated the function been handled by a Security Committee that is not also provided for in the constitution of the OAU Students' Union. The Lord Chancellor though noted that not all cases are taken to the court in the mainstream world especially when they are trivial but said the Police have the right to take cases to court.

The Lord Chancellor also lamented the tradition of extracting information under duress from suspects in OAU. He acknowledged some instances where some suspects are beaten and given animalistic treatment in a bid to force them to confess but eventually turn out that those persons are innocent. Also on the 'Scientific Maximum Shishi' (SMS), Joshua wants students of OAU to accept the global best practices on trials of suspects. He wants SMS to be reduced to the bearest minimum and other punitive measure like community services added to it.

Students of Obafemi Awolowo University in recent days have continued to campaign to strongly agitate for the review of the way suspects are been tried and the punitive measures for various criminal offenses. In lieu of this, some students have recommended a referendum at faculty levels to aggregate the possible way forward as it will be opinionated by the students.