There is rising tension in the State owned University, the Niger Delta University, Ammassoma over the directive by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Samuel Gowon Edoumiekumo for about 3,000 final year students to cancel the Christmas celebration and come back to school for their project defence.
The Vice Chancellor of Niger Delta University (NDU), Professor Samuel Gowon Edoumiekumo, had in a circular directed all final year students and lecturers to return to the University campus and commence their Project defense on Wednesday, 29th December 2021.
NAIJA LIVE TV however gathered that most of the affected final students are finding it difficult to comply due to their distance from the institution and their lack of financial resources to return to campus during this holiday season.
It was gathered that many final year students, who reside outside the state and are holidaying across the country, and in some West African countries may face mass failure if they fail to meet up.
Already, stakeholders made up of traditional rulers, Parents and sponsors of students at the Niger Delta University (NDU) have sent a Save-Our Soul message to the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri to intervene and prevail on the Vice Chancellor to rescind his directive and allow common sense prevail.
According to the S.O.S letter, ” We call on the State Governor to prevail on Professor Samuel Gowon Edoumiekumo to rescind his order and for common sense to prevail over his spontaneous directive that all final year students and lecturers must return to the University to commence their Project defense on Wednesday, 29th December 2021.”
“We, as peace loving stakeholders in the institution, are calling on the Governor to use his good office and the Spirit of Christmas which is celebrated around the world to prevail on Prof. Gowon to immediately withdraw his spontaneous directive and allow the students and lecturers to spend the holiday seasons with their families until early January 2022 when universities across the country will resume.”
“The Christmas Spirit and season is a time of love, giving, family unification, and much more which has been celebrated for centuries. People around the world travel to unite and spend time with their family members during the Christmas Holiday Season. Therefore, to spontaneously demand that students and lecturers return to school in the midst of the holiday season to commence their studies is unconscionable and unchristian-like.”
“Across the country and globally, schools are closed for the Christmas Season and are expected to resume in early January 2022. It is no secret that Nigerian roads are unsafe during the Christmas season. Many families do not even have the financial resources to transport their children back to school within this holiday season as they have made such plans for January 2022. We are calling on the Governor of Bayelsa state, His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri to urgently come to our aid.”
Attempts to contact the public relations officer of the institution, Ingezi Idoni, failed as he failed to reply to messages sent to his WhatsApp number.
But a senior lecturer of the Institution, (names withheld) argued that the Vice Chancellor’s intention was good and in order,” what we are trying to do is to ensure that Institution meet up with it’s calenders year and ensure that the final year students meet up with the service year.”
Kindly contact us @ Naijalivetv@gmail.com
Call or Whatsapp: 07035262029, 07016666694, 08129340000
