₦airaland Forum

Former students of the College of Nursing Sciences, St. Charles Borromeo Specialist Hospital, Onitsha (CONSO) are raising serious alarms over what they describe as extreme and unexplained fees imposed during clearance and convocation.

Graduates report being asked to pay:
• ₦150,000 for clearance, and
• ₦195,000 for convocation, with ₦80,000 refunded only if they attend.

Many insist these fees were never properly explained, have no clear breakdown, and are far higher than what other nursing schools charge.

Several complaints point toward the office of the Provost, Mrs. Aniedu Theresa, as being connected to these decisions.
While the allegations remain unverified, the consistency of student testimonies has raised major concerns about possible financial exploitation.

Affected students are calling on:
• NMCN,
• Anambra State Ministry of Health, and
• relevant oversight authorities

to urgently investigate the situation and clarify whether these fees are legal, approved, and transparent.

The College of Nursing Sciences, St. Charles Borromeo Specialist Hospital, Onitsha (commonly known as CONSO) has recently come under scrutiny for its exploitative financial practices targeting nursing students and graduates. At the center of these practices is Mrs. Aniedu Theresa, the provost of the institution, who appears to be orchestrating these excessive fees.

Graduates and ex-students have raised alarms over the mandatory payments imposed for clearance and convocation, which far exceed the normal fees approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN).

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The Alleged Extortion Scheme

Based on testimonies from multiple students and graduates, the school currently demands:
• ₦150,000 for clearance – far above standard clearance fees in Nigeria, which typically range from ₦5,000–₦20,000.
• ₦195,000 for convocation – attendance is mandatory if graduates wish to receive partial refunds.
• Refund of ₦80,000 – only if the graduate attends convocation, effectively coercing attendance.

This practice has created significant financial strain on many students who are already burdened with tuition and living expenses. The convocation, which should be optional and celebratory, has been turned into a profit-generating tool.

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Role of Provost Mrs. Aniedu Theresa

According to insiders, Mrs. Aniedu Theresa has personally authorized and enforced these charges. Students report that she uses her authority as provost to intimidate graduates who question the fees. Multiple official notices and receipts confirm that these payments are being strictly enforced, leaving students with little choice but to comply.

This raises serious ethical concerns. A provost’s role is to ensure fair administration, uphold student welfare, and comply with regulatory guidelines. By allegedly enforcing illegal fees, Mrs. Theresa is violating both the trust of her students and the guidelines set by NMCN.

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Violation of Regulatory Guidelines

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) regulates all nursing and midwifery institutions. Standard practices include:
• Clearance fees that cover administrative processing (usually less than ₦20,000)
• Optional convocation ceremonies
• Transparent financial policies

CONSO’s current charges far exceed these norms, making the school’s practices illegal under NMCN standards.

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Impact on Students

The financial exploitation by CONSO has led to:
1. Severe financial stress – Many students and families struggle to meet these inflated demands.
2. Coerced convocation attendance – Students who do not wish to attend the ceremony are still forced to pay indirectly.
3. Frustration and distrust – Graduates feel betrayed by the very institution tasked with guiding their professional journey.

Students report feeling helpless and silenced, fearing retaliation if they speak out.

⸻

Call to Action

This situation requires urgent intervention. We recommend:
1. Investigation by NMCN – The council must examine CONSO’s fee structure and enforce sanctions if necessary.
2. Intervention by Ministry of Health, Anambra State – Ensure students are not exploited financially.
3. Public awareness – Students, graduates, and concerned citizens should share experiences, screenshots, receipts, and circulars to document these practices.
4. Accountability for Provost Mrs. Aniedu Theresa – As the person allegedly behind these charges, she must be held responsible for policies that exploit students.

The Provost, Mrs. Aniedu Theresa, is personally behind the outrageous and illegal fees being forced on nursing graduates:
• ₦150,000 clearance fee
• ₦195,000 convocation fee
• Refund of ₦80,000 only if you attend the convocation

This is not approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN). Clearance fees are normally ₦5,000–₦20,000, and convocation is optional.

Mrs. Aniedu Theresa is using her position to exploit students financially, and many graduates are being intimidated into paying. This is pure extortion, plain and simple.

We are calling on:
• NMCN to investigate and sanction the school
• Ministry of Health, Anambra State to intervene
• Other students/graduates to share receipts, circulars, and proof

Students, let’s stop this abuse. Share your experiences and evidence below so the provost cannot continue her exploitative practices in secret.

Hello Nairalanders,

I am writing this because the exploitation happening in some nursing schools needs to be exposed publicly so it can reach the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), the Ministry of Health, and the general public.

The College of Nursing Sciences, St. Charles Borromeo Specialist Hospital, Onitsha (CONSO) is forcing ex-students to pay outrageous and unapproved fees:

💸 Clearance Fee: ₦150,000

💸 Convocation Fee: ₦195,000

💸 Refund of ₦80,000 ONLY if you attend convocation

This is pure extortion.

Convocation is NOT supposed to be compulsory. Clearance fees in nursing schools across Nigeria are usually between ₦5,000 – ₦20,000, not hundreds of thousands. Nowhere in NMCN guidelines does it state that schools should force graduates to pay for convocation before being cleared.

To make things worse, students who don’t pay are being threatened that they will not get their clearance or processing done.

This is highly unfair, exploitative, and financially draining for many students who struggled through school already.

Why This Needs to Go Public

Many schools are now using “convocation” as a new tool for extortion. If students don’t speak up, the exploitation will continue and even spread to other nursing schools.

What We Want
• NMCN to investigate these illegal fees
• The Ministry of Health to step in
• The school management to stop extorting graduates
• A refund for all unapproved charges

If you attended this school or know someone who did, please share your experience below.

Attaching screenshots, receipts, or circulars (you can hide your name) will help strengthen the public record.

Nigeria cannot continue like this.

Nursing students deserve better.

NMCN, please hear our cry.

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