By Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
The acting Rector of the Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara State, Dr. Rongbe Afolabi, has appealed to the Federal Government and other stakeholders in the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, strike saga to reach a compromise as quickly as possible.
Speaking at the 28th matriculation ceremony of the institution, Dr Afolabi lamented that the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, has also commenced its version of the strike nationwide, a development he described as not good for tertiary education in the country.
The acting Rector averred that both the innocent Nigerian students, their parents and guardians definitely bear the brunts of these strikes, pleading with the Federal Government to reach lasting agreements with these striking teachers in the tertiary education sector.
Addressing the matriculating students, Dr. Afolabi urged them, his old as well as the entire Nigerian students to shun negative activities capable of destroying their future, which individual parents toiled hard to bequeath to them.
He said, “Do not be enticed by joining the bandwagons of the ‘get rich quick’ yahoo-yahoo. Do not destroy your glorious destiny; do not cut short your life. Please refrain from this path of destruction. It is the blessing of God that makes rich and does not lead to sorrow.”
The acting Rector told the new students that the Polytechnic does not tolerate indiscipline, stressing that any form of misconducts by anyone of them would attract stiff punishments, which at times might mean an outright expulsion where any of the school rules is broken.
Dr. Afolabi emphasized on the dressing code of the Offa Polytechnic, which he said does not allow dress styles like the ‘Malian’ dressing, wearing of tattered/crazy jeans, wearing of rubber slippers, sagging of trousers, tattooing of body, piercing of nose or any part of the body, except the ears for only females.
Others ‘don’ts’ included: wearing of ear rings by male students, hair tainting or colouring of either the hair or attachments.
He added, “These are forbidden on our campuses and serious sanctions await violators.”
Dr. Afolabi also stressed that cultism and hooliganism are prohibited in the school, counselling that “cultists and gangsters get their lives cut short. Avoid actions and attitudes that will lead to confrontation with your fellow students. Be friendly with everyone and be obedient to all constituted authorities without exception.”
He admonished the new students to be security conscious, saying, “The situation in the country today requests everyone to be security conscious. I urge you all to always let your friends, colleagues or room mates know your whereabouts; you should avoid movements in the night.
“Nigeria today is in dire need of young leaders who will lead this country to the promised land. It is therefore the desire of this Polytechnic to train you to be tomorrow’s leaders. A leader of tomorrow must show sign of leadership today, because responsibility is the price of greatness.”
Meanwhile, a Deputy Registrar of the institution, Mrs. Ronke Adeshina, who stood in for the Registrar at the occasion told the matriculating students not to fall for any form of sexual harrasment or request for sex-for-grades/marks by lecturers or bow to pressures to buy books from individuals, stressing that presiscribed books abound in the school’s library.
A total number of 8,000 newly admitted students, running the National and Higher National Diploma, ND/HND programmes in the polytechnic took their oaths of good studentship at the matriculation ceremony.
