MY BOND (THE T-9 MODE)

Without a string of events to bind us into one indivisible whole, our desire, aspiration and general wellbeing might be exposed to some elements of destructive forces which would continuously distance us from reaching our desired goals, first as students of this great citadel of uncompromising learning, a conducive learning environment devoid of malicious societal inhibitions and a rebranded LASUSU that represents our collective interest and wishes.

Thus, this day I offer you, enlightened students of Lagos State University (Africa’s emerging megavasity) myself via this document entitled “MY BOND” envisioned towards creating a CONVENANT and PROGRESSIVE LASUSU that would be guided by diligence and commitment to serve the entire lasuites especially to the detriment of all negative forces.

For us to achieve the height envisioned for LASU as Africa’s emerging Mega varsity in the 21^st century, we have under-studied what we lack and provided a futuristic and institutionalized developmental mechanism embroiled in the proposed T-9 mode plan. The T-9 mode philosophy is an ideology philosophy channeled towards completely attending to the problems and aspirations of an average LASUITE. It’s a plan meant to accommodate the yearnings of students, enlighten them and to encourage everyone to be part of the rebranding process the T-9 Mode outlines.

The T-9 MODE encompasses THE NINE major programmes our administration if elected would endeavour to realize. The ‘T’ represents each project as would be outlined below:

T-9 MODE

The Threshold (Shelter): Being the first T in the T-9 MODE phenomenon, THE THRESHOLD which translates into absolute welfarism for the entire LASU would be channeled towards taking care of the most germane concerns of an average LASUITE. These concerns have been outlined to include transportation, security, hostel accommodation, conveniences (toilets), sports, recreational provisions etc. It should be noted that only our collective efforts can liberate us from the stagnancy being experienced in the aforementioned areas of our human endeavours but if elected, we intend to attend to the problems with methods as explained in the following paragraphs.

Security: Be safe is a known trade make of a comrade amongst us today. Your safety is my convenience. It is only when you are safe that I can conveniently take a nap at the corner of my hostel room. We have seen issues of police unlawful brutality of our students, Agbero’s mindless maltreatment of our female students – our future wives and mothers. We have seen man’s inhumanity to man through the attitudes and actions of secret cults both on campus and in our make-shifts hostel. At one point or the other some of us have been victims of the aforementioned oppressions. It saddens my mind a great deal, which creates a more important reason why we should not look on nonchalantly. I have come to understand that the only way to safe ourselves from ourselves be it in Iba, Agboroko, Estate, Volks, Market Street, Iyana-Iba, Ojo, Idi-Orogbo, PPL, Ijanikin, Iyana-Ishashi etc is to stand up to the challenge and face it fearlessly squarely. Thus, this administration when it comes to power through your vote would see to the defense of your rights and liberties, we would through a collaborated effort, set machineries in place that would allow you to walk and walk tall in your hood and school.

It shall be zero tolerance on cultism and non-student gangsters on campus, I know its not going to be an easy task, I know the challenges involved and am ready to lay down all my resources for your own safety. I know it’s achievable and not impossible, it happened during the time of Com. Tunde Salawu (RIP) and so many other comrades have giving their lives amongst which is Lukmon Anjorin a.k.a BARRY WHITE. The question I would only raise is are you ready? All we need dear brothers and sisters of great learning is the elimination of fear! Our administration, through connections given by those who believed in what we want to achieve would set up a private/independent security outfit along with LASU students to comb their neighbourhoods of this savages in human’s cloths. Also, we would liaise with the state government/police command to station anti-riot police squad in strategic places. Ours would not be a situation whereby we pay security vote and yet cultist reap us off our belongings in Iba and Estate and almost everyday. I believe it is attainable because I believe in you.

Conveniences (Toilets): There is no gain saying again the deplorable state of our conveniences (toilets) in LASU most especially in Faculty of Science, Social Sciences and Art. I have taken my time to go through these facilities and could only cover my eyes in shame. This administration if elected would finance the bringing of Mobile Toilet that would be maintained by private companies as a short time means of assuaging our needs while and it intensify pressure on the university management to upgrade and attend to some of the existing facilities. There is even one facility opposite the school of Transportation that has been under lock and key since I resume as a student of this school, we shall ask questions and God’s willing, we shall get answers that would benefit you.

Recreation (Vision for ABE-IGI): Abe-Igi popularly referred to as the TREE OF LIBERTY is a well known heritage of the Student Union Movement where we converge to fight our different causes. This tree invites us a great deal, every politically conscious student either from FMS, Sciences, School of Transport, Art, Law, Education and Social Sciences always want to have a feel of this place as a platform to socialize but some unscrupulous elements are trying to deny us this heritage. Today, Abe-Igi has lost its feel and unification strength. Look at the place and tell what you see – cult boys hanging in strategic positions, smoking and harassing. Our administration if elected would endeavour to change this ugly trend. We shall bring new meaning via beautification and mass re-orientation. With your support and vote, we shall endeavour to bring the place to a standard recreational avenue where we shall not only be comfortable but would be at peace with nature and ourselves. A proposal has been drafted to be given to SHODEX GARDENS (the company presently handling major beautification projects in Lagos State). With you on board, it is possible.

Sport: Sport is life. As a form of effective participation, my administration when elected had put in place a machinery that would see to the organization of the first ever LASUSU OLYMPIC GAMES, where all available sport visible within the University would be carried out with mouth-watering prizes. We shall also organize LASU SUPER FOUR for teams in the Premier League, Serial A and Laliga. These events would again re-establish our commitment to a student – private partnership for the enhancement of the general good. There is need for LASUITES to enjoy the dividends of LASU being the University of a Mega-City.

THE TRANSPORTER: Our administration after being duely elected by your individual and collective votes would as a matter of urgency attend to the issue of transportation because it is germane to our being in the four walls of LASU. The other day, I was at the school of Transport and I was moved by this simple but most coherent caption “Freeze Transport, Freeze the economy”. In my own view, transportation is the bedrock of our existence. Without transportation, the world would obviously have been apart and development would never have come. Thus, our administration, your administration would urgently attend to the commuting of students from Oshodi via Mile 2 to the University school gate. On this route alone, over 10,000 lasuites ply it daily. Same goes for Badagry - Okomaiko and Iyana-Ipaja to Iyana-Iba. We must understand that movement of students to LASU is based on the tripod of these routes. It has come to our understanding that the four Marcopolo buses (2 in Ojo, in Epe and in Ikeja) cannot adequately cater for the teaming LASU commuters. Thus, our administration would set in motion through a well structured private-public initiative with individual’s and transportation gurus.

A ‘MASS-STUDENT TRANSIT’ dedicated to these routes at a most affordable price of N50 would be brought to being. The buses would be stationed at strategic points to enable easy loading and off-loading. For the sake of God, man and peaceful coexistence, hijacking of buses and having mis-understanding with public bus conductors creates a bad name for the University and us in general.

On the two Marcopolo buses within the Student Union armpit, there is no gain saying, that we have been over exploited in the cause of using what belongs to us. From experience, we have been made to close to N20, 000 in some case, for movement within Lagos (Sultan beach), this my administration would definitely reconsider what belongs to us should not be deprived us. There are far other means we can make earnings on that bus to the benefit of the entire LASUITE through “PRODUCT ENDORSEMENT”. Campus-shuttle modalities would also be considered by this administration.

THE PLATFORM

In the course of my transverse and reading, I have come to understand that the obstacle to our collective development and willingness to fight for our rights is the knowledge at our disposal. Thus, the third T of the T-9 Mode phenomenon has been structured towards attending to our knowledge build-up. My administration through the votes which you all hold as a private right if elected shall organize lecture series in collaborations with media organizations, Civil Liberty Organization (CLO), Non-governmental Organization (NGOs), Embassies, Multinational cooperation (MNCs) etc to discuss contemporary issues affecting our collective development. It is believed that through this medium, students would be better enlightened on issues generating discuss within the state, country and the world in general and enhance their studentship via-a-vis propelling the image of the university in proper light.

THE WEEK (UNION WEEK)

Through your vote, when elected, we shall organize a Union week like no other; it shall be a week of intellectual discourse, enlightenment and fun-fare. Through the office of the SOCIAL DIRECTOR, we shall organize the first LASU ALL STUDENT CARNIVAL, through the office of the Sport Director, we shall organize the first ever LASUTHON (Marathon for LASU student/staff) fully supported by Telecommunication companies. Furthermore, through the office of the Welfare Director, we shall organize a FREE MEDICAL CHECK-UP for students/staff in conjunction with the MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND LASU HEALTH CENTRE. Through the office of the Public Relation Officer (PRO), we shall organize a MEDIA CHAT to reposition the image of LASUSU, LASU and youths in general. Also, through the office of the Legal Director, we shall organize the 2^nd Gani Fawehinmi Lecture, all these and many more shall be incorporated into the Union Week.

THE MODERATOR/THE PEN PUSHER

The spirit of reading, writing and public speaking in Nigeria’s Tertiary University has greatly waned. In the compulsion to build a viable nation and true leadership, my administration if elected through your vote would organize a writing/public speaking competition that would be sponsor by selected private individuals and cooperation for the benefit of the Lagos State University students.

THE COMMUNICATOR

It is an obvious fact that a state university of LASU’s magnitude deserves a means to propagate its own ideologies, show case its product and lauder its image when dented, thus, my administration would champion the cause of bringing to operation the non-function LASU Radio, we shall hasten the process of how to get the radio station up and running after looking at all the pre-conditions and technicalities that has obstructed the process. For crying out loud, what is the essence of a school of communication if they cannot praticalise what they learn in class? Also this information oriented administration of ours bent on informing the public, would design a functional LASUSU website with the bio-data of interested students, their articles and current news and information about the University and student.

Again, if elected into office, our administration through the office of the PRO would be producing a consistent publication of LASU FOCUS to bridge the communication gap between the LASUSU Executives, the University Management and the entire students. It would be an avenue for students to express themselves and have a say in the administration.

THE FORUM

This is another initiative our administration would bring on board as a basis to know what peculiar challenges each faculty, indigenous association or religious bodies are facing in the cause of their stay on campus. The forum would be a once in a month meeting with faculty Presidents, indigenous Association President e.g. IBILE Forum, and leaders of Religious Association e.g MSSN and LCC.

THE PEOPLE’S PARLIAMENT

This is also a feedback mechanism that our administration would be doing once in two months to know the reaction of students to our programme, it would also be an avenue for us to account for our stewardship and promote an open government devoid of mal-administration.

As part of our administration’s effort, we shall also organize a one day mock session of the University Senate with the view to bring to the enlightenment of the student what is being done in the University Senate. It should be noted that the Senate is the highest echelon of policy making for University, thus, decisions reached at the mock session such as Issues affecting students welfare e.g. I.T problems, Security, hostel, would be made into position paper and send to the main senate as wishes of the general public.

THE ENTERPRISE

The last T on the T9 mode is geared towards empowering and awakening the entrepreneurship skills among the student of this great citadel of learning. Greatest Lasuites, my administration your administration will create an enabling environment for students to showcase their commercial skills. On our part the Union would establish different business ventures that will be run and managed by students, also the services that would be rendered will be at a subsidized rate.

VISION FOR THE ARCADE

The arcade is suppose to be a place where every student would have the free will to enter and relax after a hard day’s work but we see today is a sit of power that student are not willing to near, by the grace of God and humanity, these shall change if elected into office. The arcade belongs to all of us and until we start showing interest in what belongs to us we might not get there. Thus, for the Union arcade, we shall do a restructuring that would make the place more appealing to students.

HOW FASHINA BROKERED TRUCE BETWEEN LASU STAFF UNIONS, FASHOLA(online product)

How Fashina brokered truce between LASU staff unions, Fashola
…Govt action aimed at averting NUC, JAMB sanction
By GABRIEL DIKE
Tuesday, January 11, 2011

•Fashola

Three times the staff unions of Lagos State tertiary institutions met last year with Governor Babatunde Fashola to deliberate on the issues in contention but thrice their discussion ended in a deadlock until the December 31, 2010 truce, brokered by Dr. Dipo Fashina, former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), led to the suspension of the four-month-old strike.
Following the failure of the government to get the staff unions in the state’s tertiary institutions back to work, Governor Fashola, Daily Sun learnt, contacted the former ASUU boss to mediate in the face-off that led to the closure and disruption of academic calendar in the four state-owned institutions: Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Ijanikin and Michael Otedola College of Primary Education (MOCPED).
Before the crucial meeting, both parties had stuck to their guns, with Governor Fashola insisting that the state cannot pay the various agreements signed by the national bodies of the unions with the Federal Government, while the unions’ leaders insisted that the state has the resources to meet their demands much so with N18 billion being realized monthly from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). Noting that poorer states have implemented the demands, they insisted on continuing with the strike until their demands were met. Thus the strike lingered on until December 31 when the issues in contention were resolved and the strike suspended on Tuesday and Wednesday, January 4 and 5, 2011.
Investigation by Daily Sun shows that on December 31, Dr. Fashina and the Ibadan Zonal Co-ordinator of ASUU, Prof. Akin Ajisegiri, arrived Government House, Marina, Lagos with four union leaders, Dr. Kabir Akinyemi (LASU ASUU), Mrs Funmi Sessi (Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) LASU), Mr.Yakubu Jubril Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU- LASU) and Prince Adekunle Adenuga (LASU NAAT?).

LASU – The ball in Fashola’s court(from Vangiard Newspaper)

THE Lagos State University (LASU) has been embroiled in crisis for over three months now. The students are at home as a result of their lecturers strike to force government to implement a 53% salary increase agreed upon during ASUU’s prolonged strike last year.
Apart from this, some of the radical lecturers are also insisting on government sacking of their Vice Chancellor, who has been accused of so many “misdemeanours”, including running a second  term in a university that has a one term tradition.
It is, however, very unfortunate that Gov. Babatunde Fashola, who is also visitor to the university allowed matters to degenerate to such ugly length due to his non-challance and complete disregard for public tertiary education in Lagos State.
The LASU snub started about a decade ago when the Lagos State Government completely abandoned LASU to its fate. And today it is another great testimony to Nigerian corruption that Lagos State University has not been de-listed from Nigeria universities. It is true that the tertiary education regulatory body – the National Universities Commission has de-accredited several courses in LASU but has shied away from closing it down completely to allow Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) carry out corrective surgery on the comatose University.
Lagos State University as of today is like a glorified secondary in a 17th century setting. The grandeur, ivory towerness and charm of modern universities are absent in LASU. I do not know of any secondary school (even a Lagos State public secondary school) that can compare with LASU’s decadence and rot. While Lagos State public schools have doors and louvers, these components are a rarity in LASU.
The door ways have no doors, the windows have no louvers. The rustic and perilously hanging ceiling fans have not worked for over a decade. The environmental stench drifting even into the classrooms is overpowering. Lecturers offices are not much better than the afore described classrooms.
To compound matters for both students and lecturers, beggars of various shapes and sizes have made LASU classrooms and lecturers’ offices havens for improved daily revenues. This can be very shocking information to other undergraduates but Great Lasuites” have taken this aberration in their strides.
Remuneration and welfare packages for LASU lecturers are better kept secret to prevent the hearer suffering a breakdown. What do we expect from a university where a professor of 20 years standing gets just about N293,000.00 monthly, including allowances while his counterparts in other universities (mostly Federal universities) get well over N600,000 monthly from an initial N520,000 monthly pay.
So where does the LASU lecturer derive his drive and enthusiasm for work from. Ask LASU lecturers and workers, there is neither drive nor enthusiasm to propel workers to strive for excellence in a state that lays claim to excellence in all spheres of endeavour.
LASU lecturers should unite with their Vice Chancellor to present a combined strength to challenge government’s unwillingness to invest in infrastructural improvement of the school. The VC too is helpless in the face of the Governor’s intransigence and unwillingness to modernise facilities on campus. That no LASU VC has completed a second   term is not compelling enough reason to sack a VC whose hands are tied by government unwillingness to develop tertiary education in the state.
It is highly regrettable and unfortunate that Gov. Fashola is heeding the advice of his conservative political godfathers whose private universities’ admissions will swell as a result of the LASU crisis or any crisis in the public University system.
It is unbelievably shocking to note that Gov. Fashola who is a 1987 Law graduate from the University of Benin, a Nigerian university, can be so impervious and insensitive to global appeals to see reason to reopen this gloried secondary school called university.
Most observers jubilated when Fashola became governor because most of us identified him as our “own home grown” who knew the problems of our universities rather than some who imported their degrees through an address in Oluwole area of Lagos Island.
Today, Gov. Fashola could have had a fantastic curriculum vitae which has been badly rubbished by his unwillingness to solve a very simple crisis which needs only a WILL to solve. This inscrutable stance is understandable when we realise that in Nigeria today, nearly every governor or the wife has a university or is directly or remotely connected to the proprietorship of private universities. And so for the private universities to grow, the public universities must be unfunded to create an atmosphere of confusion and indefinite strikes.
Nigerian leaders are not well educated on the intrinsic value of education for the total development of its citizenry and economy. Education is the only lifetime you can throw at a drowning man to rescue him. It is the only social fabric and infrastructure that can guarantee an assured tomorrow.
President J.F. Kennedy of America once said: “Our progress as a nation cannot be swifter than our progress as a nation”. That is, education is the bedrock and surest index for development in the American society. That is why Harvard, Yale and Massachusetts Institution of Technology have overtaken British universities in global rankings.
Horace Mann a great philosopher postulates that “a human being is not in any sense a human being, till he is educated”.
Henry Peter Broughman says further: “Education makes people easy to lead, but difficult to drive, easy to govern but impossible to enslave”. But it was the great and famous Greek Philosopher – Aristotle who hit the nail on the head. He said: “Educated men (and women) are as superior to uneducated men (and women), as the living are to the dead”.
So of what economic benefit are millions of “living dead men” to Lagos State. Today Lagos State is the world’s capital of Area Boys.
In fact, the Lagos State government has now recognised Area Boys and given them uniforms of many colours, starting from the congenitally corrupt LASTMA officials to the crude and undisciplined KAI officials whose modus operandi outdates Shakespearean times and the Governor is aware of all these.
Governor Fashola should move his priority from roads and housing to education because it is the only enduring legacy that will outlast our roads and houses. I have seen wonderfully adorned roads and boulevards but truly they do not last, just like the Chinese constructed culvert along LASU-Iyana Iba Road which collapsed just after construction.
True, Lagos indigenes and elders should prevail on Babatunde Fashola to leave an enviable record on education that will transform the image and economic strength of the presently average state to one of the greatest economies in the world. After all, California is the world’s fourth largest economy in spite of the fact that it is a dependent state within America.
Lagos State can be like California if we make education our priority. Gov. Fashola can do this by unconditionally reopening all closed tertiary institutions in Lagos State and investing heavily on education.
Mr. ABIMBOLA THOMAS, a commentator on national issues, writes from Lagos.

I WENT TO LASU FOR SELF-DEVELOPMENT –– PASUMA

I went to LASU for self-development –– Pasuma
By OLABISI DEJI-FOLUTILE
Friday, 13 Aug 2010
MAY we know your academic background?
I attended Muslim Mission Primary School, Mushin, Lagos State, between 1973 and 1979. Then we used to spend complete six years in primary school. It’s unlike these days when you can go to secondary school in Primary Five. From there, I moved to Nigeria Model High School, Idi-Oro, Mushin, and was there between 1979 and 1984. Since then, I have been pursuing my musical career. I didn’t go to any higher institution until I became a star. I later went to the Lagos State University to learn communication skills and how to relate with my fans.
What was your experience as a pupil in a community primary school in those days?
I was still young then. I started school at six years old. I would dress up in the morning, my mother would give me money to school; life then was simple. We just moved from home to school. Sometimes, we would go to the field to play football. I loved to play football a lot, such that I even thought I would become a professional footballer.
Did you also do this among your friends?
Ah, I did that very well. There was a woman in front of our school gate who sold rice, beans and dodo (fried plantain). We called at her shop every morning before going into the school compound. Sometimes when we got to school late, the prefects would prevent us from entering the school compound unless we were given some strokes of the cane and because I wouldn’t want the prefects to beat me, I would just stay with the woman selling rice till closing time. After school, I would just go back home, pretending as if I learnt something in school. I did this until one day when my father asked me to show him what I did in school that day. There was nothing to show him because I didn’t attend class. He gave me some serious beating in return. My father was educated, and he was a general manager of a company in Apapa, Lagos. Consequently, he wanted all his children to have university education; he wanted us to be doctors, professors and lawyers, so he was really strict with us. That was how I stopped the habit of staying away from class. I realised that it was better to allow the prefects to beat me than to receive my daddy’s beatings.
What was your best food in school?
I love rice and beans from childhood, but I stopped eating beans when I discovered that I was allergic to it. Even now, I can eat rice three times a day for a whole week. I only change my diet just for the sake of it.
What was your best subject in school?
I loved maths a lot.
What did you find interesting in maths?
I just loved the subject. I remember I also loved English Language and Biology.
At what point did you decide to pursue a career in music?
Actually, when I was in secondary school, during inter-house sports, I and some friends would gather together and sang for those participating in different games. Of course, I was just singing for fun then, but the year I left secondary school was the year Wasiu Ayinde released the album titled, Talazo Disco (Tala ’84). The album was everywhere and I just thought that I, too, could sing. So, I decided to go into music.
Were you ever involved in inter-house sports?
I played football for my school. It was called the Principal’s Cup. We went to UAC Stadium (now Teslim Balogun Stadium) in Surulere. It was very interesting. I felt good playing football. Things were rosy then. I had friends and I wasn’t thinking of any responsibility.
Who was your best friend? Are you still in touch with your school mates now?
I am in touch with just two of them. One of them, Tunde Fajobi, is in the United States now; while Kemi Ajetumobi is in England. I still keep in touch with both of them.
What course did you study at the Lagos State University and how was life on campus?
I read English at LASU. I had Diploma in English Language. I didn’t go to the university to obtain certificate; I just went there to learn how to communicate with my fans. You know, as a star, I appear on TV shows and interact with people from various segments of the society. I should be seen to be up to the task, you know. I also attended LASU to learn how to behave towards my fans. I did a part-time course in the English Language Department and I was there for just one year.
Why did you opt for just a diploma course? Do you plan to go for a degree programme later?
I opted for a diploma course because that was what I could afford to do, considering my busy schedule. For now, I don’t think I can spare the time to go for a degree programme. I have many things to do: I am busy with rehearsals, shows and tours, and I am satisfied with the diploma course. One of the reasons for going to the university was to prove to people that Fuji musicians are not miscreants; that Fuji is not gutter music and that one can be educated and at the same time be a Fuji musician.
Were you a happening guy at LASU? Did you have friends among the students?
I had a few friends, but I wasn’t someone you would describe as the ‘happening guy’ on campus. In fact, I was usually very careful. I made sure I went from my car straight to class. If I hadn’t done that, I would have had to spend much money, because once people recognise me, I would have to drop something.
Did you face any form of harassment, particularly from female students/fans?
I won’t call it harassment. In most cases, the girls would be waiting for me outside the class to obtain my autograph. People might want to see that as harassment but you know, it is a way of showing that they appreciate me.
What was your relationship with your lecturers?
Sola Fosudo was my lecturer. He was always troubling me. Sometimes, he would just come to class and ask me to stand up for no reason. Then he would tell the other students that he just wanted them to know that I was also his student. He was also a good adviser; he always encouraged me that I took a good decision by coming to LASU.
How did you prepare for examinations, considering your busy schedule?
It was tough, but I am an indoor person and that helped me a lot. Any time from 10pm, I am in my house and I don’t receive visitors any time from 8pm. Once it was 10pm, I would just retire into my room and read for two hours before going to bed.
Was thers instructions.
If you want to advise your fans, what advice will you give them?
I have already done that in one of my albums. I will tell them to go to school and be educated. It is very important. Today, I am a prominent musician in Nigeria, and I have no regrets. I am proud to be a musician.
Have you met any of your teachers either in primary or secondary school after graduation?
I still look forward to meeting any of them. I have never met anyone who told me that he/she was my teacher. Perhaps when they see me on television, they tell people around that I was once their pupil, I don’t know; but I sincerely look forward to meeting any of them.

Dis-accreditation of Courses by NUC Compounds LASU Crisis

The recent accreditation exercise by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in the nation's tertiary sub-sector saw some institutions losing many of the major courses. TAIWO OGUNMOLA reports that LASU is on the brink of crisis as a result of many of its courses, which were denied accreditation by the NUC visiting panel.
Accreditation of courses for Nigerian universities by the National Universities Commission (NUC) is to respond to the challenges of enhancing quality of university education in Nigeria. The NUC began the accreditation in 1990 to ensure conformity with minimum standards and quality education.
The accreditation exercise done by NUC in 2005, was found to have increased from 12.6 in 1999, to 48.5 in 2005, while the one for programmes which were denied accreditation decreased from 17.9 in 1999, to 9.5 in 2005.
Federal universities had more programmes with full accreditation and less programmes with denied accreditation status. State universities had less number of programmes with full accreditation and higher number with denied accreditation status. Generally, the results showed that accreditation status of most academic programmes improved in subsequent accreditation exercises, meaning that the deficiencies noticed were remedied. The number of programmes that were denied accreditation resulted to reduction in the number of vacancies for student admission.
The most recent exercises were held in 2009/2010, and two programmes, Masters of Business Administration (MBA) of the University of Abuja and Architecture of Caristas University, Amorji-Nike, Enugu were closed down by the commission. The most affected among the universities visited by the accreditation team is Lagos State University (LASU), where major courses were denied accreditation. The affected courses include; Business Administration, Economics, Banking and Finance, Sociology, Accounting, Management Technology, Law, Political Science, Chemical and Polymer Engineering and Marketing. One other institution affected was Redeemer University, Mowe, Lagos which had 14 of its course programmes denied accreditation status.
The information concerning the de-accreditation of courses was published in The Guardian newspaper of 8th October, 2010. However touched by the sensitivity of the issue, a Lagos lawmaker in the House of Assembly, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade raised the issue at the plenary session. In their reactions, the lawmakers expressed worry over the denial of accreditation of 10 courses in LASU being the only state university in Lagos who had earlier suffered setback in the academic activities due to incessant strike by the lecturers. Agunbiade who noted that the students are again back at home due to strike embarked upon by lecturers, pointed out that the aftermath of the strike may lead the students into prostitution and other forms of vices.
He added that when he put calls across to some lecturers of the institution to find out the cause of the denial of accreditation in some courses, "I was told that it has to do with insufficient infrastructure in the school and overcrowded classrooms among other complaints", Agunbiade said. The lawmaker explained that there is the need to look into the education with a view of finding a lasting solution to the sector.
The deputy speaker, Bola Badmus-Olujobi and Babatunde Ogala from Ikeja constituency who both decried the situation, suggested that the house should call on those in charge of the education sector to come and explain to the house the cause of the de-accreditation.
The majority leader, Taiwo Kolawole explained that the denied accreditation in some courses is a disgrace to the state. "I believe that the incessant strike by lecturers could be responsible for the denied accreditation", he added.
After the decision of the House members to summon the deans of faculties of the institution and also visit National Universities Commission, the students last week staged a protest to the Lagos state House of Assembly to call the attention of government to their problems.
One of the students, Toriola Abiodun who spoke with LEADERSHIP explained that the news of de-accrediation got to them through their union President, Dada Shadrack and it was confirmed by the newspapers.
He said; "The courses were Law, Business Administration, Economics, Sociology, Marketing, Political Science, Management Technology and others, only two courses were left. This and other reasons prompted us to make the peaceful protest". Toriola added that most professors in the school have gone to other universities due to in-house problems the school are battling with and that graduates from the institution could not secure jobs. He urged the state government to find a lasting solution to their predicaments.
The Union President, Dada Shadrack told journalists that they want government to address their problems as a matter of urgency, adding that the future of this country is at stake. "If 10 courses were de-accredited in LASU then what are we doing in the school? This is the only university Lagos has and nothing has been done to avert the problems we are urging Governor Fashola to address the issue", he added.
Addressing the students, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade assured the students that Lagos House of Assembly has set up 3-man ad-hoc committee to meet NUC on the dis-accreditation. The lawmaker urged the students to assist the House on what the problem is and come back to present their facts on the issue. The house also summoned the school's vice chancellor, deans of all the faculties affected by the denied accreditation, academic staff union of universities (ASUU) LASU chapter to appear before the house next Tuesday. The majority leader, Agunbiade and Wahab Alawiye-King, the house ad-hoc committee chairman on education were also mandated to get across to the NUC to find out the cause of accreditation denial.
The members were disturbed on what actually prompted the denial in 10 courses, this and other issues calls for visitation to NUC members in Abuja but the lawmakers also promised to call on the stakeholders in the state to find a lasting solution to the education problem in the state. The students during the protest visited media houses to inform the public on what their grievances were but it was known to the lawmaker who attended to them that they did not come to cause problem despite the fact that the Assembly entrance was blocked by their vehicles. All effort to speak with the Vice Chancellor of LASU proved abortive but the Public Relations Officer of the institution told LEADERSHIP Education that whenever she has any information related to the issue she would contact me.
It would be recalled that the Union and students had earlier called for the removal of the Vice Chancellor, Lateef Hussain but were stopped by the House of Assembly's intervention.
In a 76-page document entitled "My Achievements at Lagos State University 2005-2009" Hussein said his achievements centered on LASU's attainment of a modern and well managed institution which placed premium on academic excellence and the moral integrity of the students and staff of the institution.
In achieving this target, the VC said that his four years in the school so far had witnessed the establishment of a modern information technology system that had enhanced e-registration, examination result checks, effective data base, VSAT, identity card projects and IT laboratory. But the story was different when members of Lagos Assembly summoned both the students and unions. They proved that he has not done anything as far as LASU is concern.
The VC and other deans of faculty were billed to appear before the House last Tuesday 26 October, 2010.
Apart from LASU, other institutions affected by the de-accreditation by NUC were University of Lagos (UNILAG) with these courses Radiology, Education economics, Business studies, Technical education, Home economics and Insurance. University of Abuja, Delta state University, University of Uyo, Covenant University, Tai Solarin University, University of Nigeria Nsukka among others.

STRIKING WORKERS THREATHEN FASHOLA'S RE-ELECTION

The four week-old industrial action by staff unions in four Lagos State tertiary institutions took a new dimension as they threatened to vote against Governor Babatunde Fashola in 2011 polls for failing to implement their demands.
Union leaders at a protest rally organized by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), LASU chapter warned Fashola and his political team of the political consequences of not meeting their demands before the 2011 elections.
Former chairman of SSANU, UNILAG chapter, Prince Oriwaye Adefolalu, said Fashola should be called to order and if he fails to retrace his steps, staff unions, students and doctors who are also on strike would not vote for him during 2011 election.

He urged the staff unions in Lagos State not to relax until their demands are meant but asked the workers to use their political weapon to vote out the present administration noting that because of the crisis, a week national strike is in progress nationwide.

The chairman of SSANU, LASU chapter, Funmi Sessi, asked Fashola to heed the voice of the striking workers or face the political consequences in the 2011 poll while insisting that the demands of the workers were their rights warning that “the struggle has just started”.
Sessi carpeted the claim by Fashola that resources are limited to meet their demands and warned him that he is joking with the vote of workers of the state tertiary institutions and possibly, those of the striking doctors.

The Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Mr. Olatunji Arowolo, was more categorical as he asked striking workers in the four government owned tertiary institutions and the medical doctors not to vote for Governor Fashola in the 2011 polls.
He warned the governor that the Joint Action Committee (JAC) coordinating the activities of the striking workers would mobilize their members and possibly the medical doctors to use their votes against the administration, noting that these institutions are nothing to write home about as they lack facilities.
The chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), LASU chapter, Dr. Kabir Akinyemi, said the protest rally is to ensure that the state government implements the agreement and urged the staff unions to stand firm in the struggle.

The Chairman, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Mr. Adeyemi Adesanya, described the demands of the workers as a just one and that the agreement signed by the Federal Government/COEASU is binding on state institutions and Fashola was part of the Council of State.
Adesanya warned against intimidation by the government and asked the workers to vote wisely in 2011 polls while the Chairman of National Association of Academic Technologist (NAAT), LASU branch, Mr. Adekunle Adenuga, said the gathering was to tell the world that staff unions in the state are being oppressed.

LASU unions hold rally against embattled VC

LAGOS—Academic and non-academic staff of Lagos State University, LASU, held a protest rally yesterday, seeking the implementation of the FGN/ASUU Agreement 2009 and the sack of the embattled Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lateef Hussein, whom the Lagos State House of Assembly had passed a vote of no confidence on and urged Governor Babatunde Fashola to remove him from office.
As early as 10a.m., workers, lecturers of all the tertiary institutions in Lagos State had gathered at the Eyo Square in the centre of the campus anchored by Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSNU, LASU chapter chairman, Ms. Funmi Sessi to begin a solidarity march which took the striking workers to the Badagry Expressway slightly affecting traffic flow.
Among the protesting unions were Academic Staff  Union of Universities, ASUU; SSANU; National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT; Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, COEASU; Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, MOCOPED; Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP; Non-Academic Staff  Union, etc.
Addressing the mammoth rally, SSANU-LASU Chairman, Funmi Sessi, praised the courage of the workers in fight for their rights, insisting that they will not give up their rights, even with traitors on the prowl.