test shortage of time for examination
Over 200 Benue State University, BSU Students of Mass Communication Department, 400 level protested over not being given enough time to complete the examination for COM405 course.
BENUE.COM.NG gathered that the examination which was meant to last for 1 hour 30 minutes was brought to an abrupt end with about 30 minutes left by the Supervisor, Dr. Chile Ngusha Daniel who forcefully asked them to submit their papers.
The students (some crying) who matched to the department chanting “we no go gree” requested the audience of the Head of Department (HOD), Dr. Gabriel B. Ugande, who they believed would solve the problem.
The course lecturer Mr. Ogbu Benjamin Ejuwa, who addressed the students said “the essence of the exam is not for you to fail. Of course you all know I attached importance with your group productions and you all must take my words, you will not fail. This is a practical course.”
He added, “you can come to me with your personal problems and I shall not hesitate to solve them so the relationship we have established within this short time of our interactions must last longer.”
However, most students suggested that a written agreement be made as more often than not, lecturers will promise but tend to deny on the day of reckoning, and promised to continue their protest until their demands are met.
BSU VC: Ortom receives list of nominees, to choose one
The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, last Thursday received the list of three Vice-Chancellor nominees from the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of council of Benue State University, Professor Ode Ojowu.
The list, contained in a letter signed by Professor Ojowu, was handed over to Governor Ortom at Benue Peoples House in the presence of other council members including the Vice Chancellor, Professor Charity Angya and the Registrar, Dr. Timothy Utile.
According to the letter, Professors Nicholas Akise Ada, Julius Begha Ashiko and Moses Msugh Kembe, emerged as candidates for Vice-Chancellor of the University as listed in order of performance.
The letter indicated that the candidates emerged through a screening exercise conducted by the Senate and Governing Council.
It requested that Governor Ortom who is Visitor to the University should appoint a Vice-chancellor from the three listed above.
Receiving the names, the Governor expressed appreciation to the council for conducting a rancor free exercise.
He said he would pray for God’s guidance to enable him select the best candidate out of the three.
BSU: Professor Charity Angya’s Legacy
By Anzaa Msonter (CAMPUS LIFE)
The Benue State University (BSU), Makurdi is set to have a new vice chancellor as the tenure of the current VC, Prof. Charity Angya, comes to an end in November. In this report, CAMPUS LIFE features some of the remarkable moments in the life of her administration and students’ assessment of Prof. Angya’s legacies.
Perhaps, one thing Prof. Charity Angya would be remembered for is the securing of final accreditation for the College of Health Sciences.
Lack of accreditation impeded the progress of the medical students who had spent many years without graduation. At the time of her coming, the Benue State University Teaching Hospital was still under construction, but the students were already losing confidence in the ability of the university and state government to fulfil their obligations to the medical school. Consequently, protests began to erupt from the college. Several such protests were made to the then state governor, Gabriel Suswam, at the government house. The most recent of their protests was in July this year when they staged a protest against the controversial death of one of their colleagues shortly after a professional exam in which he had been asked to withdraw. Her timely intervention and persistent assurance of graduation to the students saved the day. A month later, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) visited the university and granted final accreditation to the medical school.
Another challenge which confronted her administration was frequent strikes by the unions. Apart from nation-wide strike actions by unions like the Academic Staff Union of Universities, internal strikes also paralysed activities on the campus. The most recent one which began in March this year following the failure of the state government to pay the lecturers grew into a larger action when all the unions on the campus downed tools. It was only in July and with persistent negotiations between the governor, Samuel Ortom and the lecturers, that the strike action was suspended.
Other challenges came in the area of infrastructure. Lecture halls were inadequate both in size and number, hostel accommodation was difficult and office accommodation for lecturers was scanty. Her administration and partners have been addressing these challenges.
Various mega infrastructural projects have been undertaken with some completed and others undergoing construction. Such projects include the ICT centre which was constructed and is now occupied, the ultra-modern girls’ hostel donated by then governor, Gabriel Suswam, and the new Faculty of Law building which is also completed and occupied. On-going projects include the Centre for Food Technology and Research donated by the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), a Faculty of Arts building, a twin lecture theatre, the computer centre, the Computer Examination Centre, Vocational and Technical Education building, the Library Complex, physics and chemistry laboratories.
These achievements are not lost on the students as those who spoke to CAMPUS LIFE said they would remember her for them. Aondowase Iyormee, a 200 level Religion and Philosophy student said, “She is putting more financial muscle into construction of new lecture halls and renovation of old ones. She is also building a large library complex which I believe will be in use in the shortest possible time. That library project is the most outstanding thing I will remember her for.” He also advised the in-coming vice chancellor to continue with the work.
“He should take the students as his top priority and also ensure that every department has the structures and lecturers it needs,” he said.
For Christopher Agee, a 200 level student of Accounting, there are many things to remember her for. “When we returned from the strike, we saw a lot of projects going on such as the new library. She also secured accreditation for the Faculty of Law and the College of Health Sciences. I wish her good luck and pray God to take her to another level,” he told CAMPUS LIFE.
Another accounting student, Alfred Aluga said it was the VC’s hard work that prevailed on the striking unions and the government to negotiate a settlement. He however, said more needs to be done: “We are still lacking classroom accommodation. When a department is to hold lectures, you will find students running here and there to scramble for seats. In the halls themselves there are not enough structures and some of the fans are not working. Most times, a lecturer will be talking but only those in front will be able to hear because there is no public address system.”
Christopher Tyohemba, a 400 level Mass Communication student also rated the VC high. “I feel she is the best of all VCs we have had so far. We have more development now than we did before. Take the campus radio station for example, other people couldn’t do it but she has.”
Christopher also had an agenda for the in-coming VC: “The person should try to stop the university from going on strike. They should also build more lecture halls. They should improve on the student-lecturer relationship and improve on our participation in national and international competitions. They should also put some morality in the way our girls dress. They are distracting the males and making us sometimes forget why we are here,” he said.
Mercy Kuityo, a 300 level psychology student said she would miss the VC: “We are going to miss her. She talks to us like a mother.” She also urged the in-coming VC to complete the ongoing projects on the campus.
For Peter Tyeku, a 500 level student of Law, the VC would also be remembered in the area of academics. “The university has produced three or four first-class graduates during her tenure. She has also reduced the phenomenon of spill-over. Before now, students could be made to spill over even if they had only one carry-over,” he said.
A final year student of Medicine and Surgery, Usha Anenga said Angya has raised the bar and the in-coming VC would have a large shoe to wear: “You know, BSU was an amalgam of separate secondary schools and looked haphazard until she came and began raising structures and taking it to the level where it can compete among universities around the world. It is also not coincidence that medical students will be graduating for the first time after 12 years. Her hard work contributed to the college getting accreditation. I have witnessed the regimes of all the VCs on this campus except one and I think she is the best.” He advised the in-coming VC to continue the introduction of new courses like architecture, engineering and pharmacy.
Prof. Angya’s tenure will officially end on Novermber 3 and the process of appointing a new vice chancellor for the university is already underway.
BSU College of Health Sciences Gets Full Accreditation
After 12 years of existence, the Benue State University College of Health Sciences can now graduate it’s first set of Doctors after securing full clinical accreditation by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN.
The news was disclosed by Governor Samuel Ortom at a two-day executive retreat holding at New Banquet Hall of the Benue Peoples House, Makurdi.
It will be recalled that the state government secured a loan of N10bn, part of which was meant for the purchase of medical equipments and others requirements in order to secure accreditation of the BSU College of Benue Science.
It is common knowledge that students of the college have spent 12 years for a course that was meant to last for just 6 years.
Ortom also expressed hope that the state school of Nursing and midwifery will also regain it’s accreditation status which was lost three years ago.
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