Education

Some students of the University of Maiduguri have been finding their stay in Maiduguri very challenging. Since the resumption of the session in May, 2011,

They were born by the same father and mother, and they show the same traits.

Aftermath of the fuel subsidy protests that paralysed all sectors of the county’s economy for a  week, criticisms have continued to pour on the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students [NANS], over what majority of the students called “betrayal of the trust reposed In them.

They were born by the same father and mother, and they show the same traits. This is the story of two First Class graduates of Achievers University, Owo. 22-year-old Oladunni Ahmed had the best result by graduating with 4.97 CGPA in Biochemistry, while her elder brother, 26-year-old Olumide Ahmed, also graduated with First Class degree in Microbiology.

The two students joined the university the same day, graduated the same day and also came out with First Class honours. The younger Ahmed, who was the best graduating student in the school, also got almost all the prizes available in her department and in the school at large.

Speaking after receiving her honours, Ahmed said her elder brother was her motivation as both of them were in first class grade after the first semester examination they had in the school. Since then, they had always encouraged themselves on the need to keep the pace. According to her, social life was about 20 per cent, while the rest 80 per cent was dedicated to her academic works.

She, however, attributed her success to hard work, dedication and the zeal to succeed in life. Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Johnson Odebiyi, urged stakeholders in the nation’s education sector to kick against the disbursement of Tertiary Education Trust Fund as largesse to federal and state universities. He said if the situation was allowed to stay; it would be to the detriment of private universities across the country.

According to him, the development had not improved funding of public universities, while private ones had no access to loans to either execute physical projects or to hire qualified personnel. He said the development had forced many parents to enroll their children in universities outside the country.

He described as embarrassing to Nigeria, a recent declaration by the Central Bank Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, that 71,000 Nigerian students are currently studying in Ghana, paying about N155 billion as school fees and other expenses.