PRESS STATEMENT,

10/11/2019

On 2 November 2019, a news report made by Sahara Reporters informed the public about the sordid expulsion of a student-activist, Mr Ifemosu Michael Adewale.

According to the letter conveying the expulsion, the management alleged "You would recall that in July 2019, you posted an open letter on the Internet to the Vice Chancellor of the school in which you raised allegations and misrepresentation of fact about the university." (The picture format of the open letter is available at the bottom of the letter).

But contrary to the school's claim, it is clear in the letter that the gentleman took initiative to constructively engage the supposed "chief servant" of the institution - Vice Chancellor ( though they do not see themselves within the prism of service but of deification) - with the mind that those issues can receive due attention of the management in solving the problems that are evidently faced by the majority of students in Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.

Issues that bordered across the welfare, security and worse the nonchalance of the management to solve these problems while they (staff and management) afford themselves the alternative reality, were raised in the letter. Adewale also challenged the decision making practice of the school that violates the 2013 Agreement with the Federal Government in order to cushion the culture of internal corruption which is further displayed in the ASUU's refusal to be incorporated into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information Scheme. His highly admirable sense of stakeholdership was further displayed in the latter paragraphs of his letter as he intelligently proffered solutions to the problems he highlighted with an obvious hope for solvency.

His criticism, however, was not received in good faith. Adewale had committed a great offence against the supreme Code of Conduct in Nigerian Universities. He had done the unthinkable. He should have asked Adekunle Adebajo of his curious experience in University of Ibadan in 2018 when he released an investigative report on the state of the University's infrastructure. For which offence he bagged one year suspension.

Nigeria's higher institutions pride themselves in the extent to which they are able to thwart the expression of the students. It threatens the sovereignty of the schools from the society that built and employed its workers - oh no - Rulers. School managements understand that the students cannot be kept in shackles for too long before visionary individuals like Adekule Adebajo of UI or Ifemosu Adewale call them out, damning the possible consequences. This is why the school management would go any length to maintain the climate of fear, not minding what ever measure it may require - including the ban of student union.

This act by the management of FUNAAB is nothing short of shameful. And we are glad to inform them that the times are different. Students have been historically helpless, and schools have taken a despicable advantage of their vulnerability. However, NOT ANYMORE.

HELP Foundation for Students have taken up this case. In our interview with Mr Adewale, he confirmed the news report and also informed us of his appeal to the judgement of the School's senate. We have initiated a social media campaign - #JusticeForAdewale - to this effect in order to expose the case to the public as part of our approach to solving the problems of unsafety on West African campus.

Our legal team are taking necessary steps towards provision of legal aids to the victim of this disgusting show of impunity by FUNAAB's school management. We appreciate the public for their support and the student-community for their resilience. It is time to send back a message to our schools that the times are different, students are not anymore HELPLESS.

Signed:
Olympus Ade-Banjo
President, HELP Foundation for Students.
info@help4students.org.ng

PRESS STATEMENT
10/10/2019

Firstly, we express our profound gratitude to BBC News Africa for the investigative report that was released earlier this week. The video documentary which exposed the prevalence of one of the very elements that narrate the experiences of students in West Africa – sexual harassment. We owe a huge gratitude to the team of brave ladies and men led by Kiki Mordi to uncover this menace that has eaten deep for decades into Nigeria’s higher education system.


Nigeria since the beginning of this year have experienced her largest suicide occurrences with over 90% of the suicide cases – that rank Nigeria top position in the world – is found among the student population. While many still in the shock and mystery that our future leaders resolving to taking their own lives from the daily news, we were yet faced with the issue of mass shooting of students by the police in Ekiti and Nasarawa just late last month. We need not talk about the routine of kidnaps and daylight robberies of students by agents of SARS, EFCC and School Securities. Now this.

This “scourge” as was termed by the honorable Speaker of Nigeria House of Rep, Hon. Gbajabiamila, in his tweet reaction to the release of the video has been a grave concern to the student population and a big blow to whatsoever we call a value system as a region or individual nations. UNILAG in reaction to the saga released a public statement of the suspension of two of the university senior lecturers incriminated in the video with the names: Dr. Boniface Igbenuhue and Dr. Samuel Oladipo. They condemned the act and re-affirmed their “zero tolerance for sexual harassment.”

However, it takes more than public empathies from our public officials and empty slogans of “zero tolerance” from school managements to salvage the mess our higher education system has become or mitigate the harms – physically, psychologically and economically- that the regressive norms on our campuses have caused in the lives of the majority of our schooling youth. Much cases from the past were exhumed that, to our surprise, were followed by vain “suspension” statements of involved lecturers with no criminal trial. Other students spoke of their ordeals in the department by the level of stigmatization the victim get from staff and fellow students owing to the mass repercussion inflicted by other lecturers of the “ cult of department’s male lecturers who brag about the numbers of students they have each slept with and the ones they are planning to”, said one of the students.

In our random interviews with students, the documentary videos and the interactions online since the incident, we have been afforded various perspectives to the fabric of the issue using real life experiences of victims. How the system of our campuses are built strategically to enslave our students and shut their voices. How the schools create ambient environment, or rather “cold rooms” to favour the culture of sexual slavery. How parents have been extremely relaxed and insensitive to the quiet agonies of their wards. How a lack of proper orientation leave the students in helpless and defeatist admonitions. And ultimately the lack of a reliable criminal justice system to protect the safety of students and achieve them closure when they are violated.

In reaction to the release of this revelational video and the need to change the narrative of shift blaming on the victims of sexual abuse on campus, our public relations team initiated a social media campaign – #COMEOUT – to create a platform for past and present victims of sexual abuse or harassment by lecturers in West African higher institutions to reach out for help. Immediately, we started receiving complaints from all over Nigerian schools that indict scores of lecturers and administrators. We created casefiles for all victims and their alleged abusers for further investigation and appropriate prosecutions.

As a foundation established with a singular mission to be the voice of students seeking their safety and development, we want to thank the public and especially those who since have joined our campaign in encouraging victims to come out for justice. We charge everyone to join in our fight for students in our region and most especially in Nigeria. “This fight is not just for the past and present victims whom we rage to give justice, but to secure the future of our children, we need to create a safe and progressive education” –

SIGNED:

Olympus Ade-Banjo, President HELP Foundation for Students.

HELP Foundation, an advocacy group, has called on teachers to comply with global trend of using digital aids to disseminate lessons to students.

The call came as Teachers Day is celebrated October 5, in more than 100 nations to
acknowledge, evaluate and enhance instructors as well as to have a general teaching assessment.
"World has long upgraded to digital and so must all aspect of our society, with education
sector taking the fore front and receiving due attention."

This was contained in a statement by HELP Foundation President, Mr. Olympus Ade-Banjo,
adding that, "there should be provision of digital learning aids in classes, espcecially at basic levels to boost teachers capabilities to give a solid back ground to pupils as they journey in their quest for knowledge in the ever-increasing complex society."

Teachers Day 2019 is commemorated with the theme "YoungTeachers: The Future of the Profession."

HELP also celebrated African teachers and lecturesalike" who defiled odds and up hold the integrity of education by denying themselves of the unfair previleges that the present retrogressive school system affords them."
"We should also laud lecturers who see the potentials in youths and are committed to igniting
them, amidst the darkness of unsafety and uncertainty that define our higher education experience.

"We join our hopes with theirs that soon, we shall all have the education of our dream.One
where professionalism, justice and development are its banners and will be envy of the world." Quoting joint message by UNESCO, the International Labour Organization (ILO), UNICEF, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Education International, HELP Foundation said, “Without a new generation of motivated teachers,millions of learners will
missout, or continue to miss out, on their right to a quality education. With teachers being underpaid and undervalued, attracting and retaining talent is a challenge."

Olakunle Adeniyi
Director of Public Relations,
HELP Foundation for Students.
04/10/2019
Nigeria
Email: info@help4students.org.ng
Website: www.help4students.org.ng
Telephone:+234-8162-332-709

HELP FOUNDATION PRESS RELEASE
28/09/2019

Re: Sacking of ABU staff members for sexual harrassment

We commend the management of Ahmadu Bello University for this move to restore sanity to the education sector. The level of impunity availed to University staff by the reason of our archaic education system has gone beyong 'alarming" to "fatal".

In the hope that the culprits were duly investigated before now, we commend the reaction of the school management as a step in the right direction towards salvaging our higher institutions from the shackles of sexual harassment, extortion and all other forms of abuse on the rights and privileges of students.

Nonetheless, it is not done yet until justice takes its full course on the perpetrators of this crime. We urge the school to do that which is honorable by handling the perpetrators of the crime against the dignity of students and the integrity of our laws, to a court of competent jurisdiction for a proper trial.

Law and order cannot be contained within the disciplinary protocol of a university. No university or institution for that matter is empowered to take the place of the enforcement of law and order, other than the Court of justice.
We therefore urge the school authority to hand perpetrators to law enforcement agencies and be brought to book.

Only then can true closure be attained for the students who have fallen prey to the schemes of these evil people that ravage our institutions. Sacking criminals only for them to get job in the neighboring institution, the next day, as have been the common practice in the University disciplinary process cannot solve the problem of unsafety on campus and cannot deliver us the deterrence we need as a society.

We are on the lookout for the choice the management of ABU will make as commensurate response will come from us on it as soon as possible. The times are different now. There was a time when no one cared what happened to millions of students on campus and the integrity of our institutions, but now there is HELP Foundation and we passionately care.

Signed:
Olympus Ade-Banjo
President, HELP Foundation - Nigeria
info@help4students.org.ng