Covenant University expels 200 students for not attending
Church service
About 200 students may have been expelled by the authorities
of Covenant University, Cannanland, Ota, Ogun State, recently for what was
described as “disregard of paramount core values.”
Frustrated and angered by the development, some of the
affected students who gave account of what happened battled emotions while
narrating their situations to Saturday Vanguard recently. They however pleaded
with the school authorities to tamper justice with mercy in order to save their
future.
Saturday Vanguard investigation revealed that out of the
figure, about 126 were expelled for not attending the ‘departure service’,
meant to sign off from the school after the end of the Semester and
Matriculation of students on November 30.
Five other students were thrown out for smoking while unconfirmed source
said additional 60 got the same fate for violating other rules bordering on the
University’s core values. A few others were given four weeks suspension for
failure to sign the head count that was conducted a couple of weeks earlier.
A letter of expulsion signed by the Registrar, Ntia Ubong, a
copy which was made available to Saturday Vanguard stated that the affected
students contravened Chapter 1, section 30, page 40 of the 2010-2014 Student
Handbook.
We gathered that the massive expulsion was predicated on the
anger of the Chancellor, Bishop David Oyedepo who was said to have been
infuriated after seeing students loitering around when they were supposed to be
at the Chapel for the Departure Service.
He was said to have personally chased students to the Chapel
and ordered for a search into all the halls and colleges to fish out those who
did not attend the service.
Several attempts to get the school authorities comment on
the issue proved abortive. The
Instituion’s Corporate Affairs Head, Mr Igban Emmaunel also refused to comment
as calls pulled through to him were unanswered and text messages not replied.
How it happened
A few of the affected
students gave account of what happened to Saturday Vanguard at different points. The similar accounts go thus: “On November 30, the last day of the
semester, preceding our December break, there was also a Matriculation for the
100 level students; in fact some students had their last semester exams on that
day, some of them finished around 3:00pm while the matriculation started around
8am. Some students retired to their rooms to relax while some engaged in some
other activities jubilating the end of the semester.
“Some also got drinks from the matriculating students. Even
as these were going on, some students who finished around 3pm retired to their
halls. By 5pm, they announced that we should get prepared for the ‘Departure
service’ which was to start by 8pm. Some students were already seeing their
parents off while some of us were just trying to relax to get off the stress of
the exams.
“Most of us hadn’t gotten through the tiredness of the
sleepless nights of the exams; so, some us stayed back in our rooms. The
departure service is usually a day before we go home and it is usually presided
over by the Chancellor. Before the commencement of the service, they used to
lock up the main doors of the halls so as to prevent cases of theft. I was not
bothered since there were a lot of us in the hall. Some minutes past 8pm, they
switched off the light and all of us in the hall went into our rooms. Because
of the darkness and the cold, I slept off immediately.”
He continued: “The persistent knocks on the door woke me up
and I realised that they had come to search for people who had not come to
service. Before I realised what was going on, I found myself with other
students numbering about 30. They took down our names and counted us to make
sure that no one was omitted. They said the Chancellor was at the service and
we refused to come. I heard them talking about other halls and they asked us to
wait. I didn’t take it seriously because I never believed in my widest
imagination that we would be expelled. We were later asked to go to our various
halls.
“Some of those who went into hiding were lucky as they were
not found. Shortly, those who went for the service returned and told us there
was poor attendance at the Chapel and how students were diving in through the
windows, scampering for seats. In fact, one narrated to us how the Chancellor
jumped through the window to vent his anger on some students who had jumped
in,” he stated.
Another expelled student also gave similar account of the
incident. “I couldn’t go to the service because, I was not feeling well which
was as a result of the stress of the exams we had just finished. After a while,
I managed to go but I heard that they started driving people back around 7:30pm
while the service was to start around 8pm. I was surprised because the rule was
that you’ve got to be seated 15minutes to the service. Again, it was never made
compulsory, but they tried to get students out of the halls to prevent cases of
theft. So, because I was not feeling well, I went back to my room because I
needed to rest for a while.
“I thought it was a
joke when they said we are in for expulsion because we failed to come
for departure service. I have never done anything contrary to the school laws.
I have never faced any panel before and
neither did I have any unpleasant case in my file. I never thought it was real
until letters were handed to me the
following morning.”
Giving account of how letters were handed out to them, the
visibly troubled student said: “By 6am, they announced the names of those who were caught in halls and colleges.
Usually after the departure service, one can sign out from there and go but because
it ended late and no one could travel, students had to wait till the following
morning. But the hall officer told those of us whose names were written
down that if we leave, we should be
considered gone from the university forever. That gave us an insight into what
was likely to come as punishment. By 7:45am, we were called once again to go
downstairs for our letters. Those who collected theirs before mine were crying
and I wondered what the punishment could be until I read the letter stating I
was expelled from the university.”
At the Chapel
Another student who
found his way to the Chapel also told Saturday Vanguard that while the
Chancellor was being driven past, he noticed that students were loitering at
about the time they were supposed to be seated at the chapel. He said that this
apparently infuriated him and he alighted from his car and chased students to
the chapel with knocks. “I saw him, alighted from his car and chased students
to the chapel; I quickly found my way to the hall. Not quite long after, I saw
students jumping in through the windows. It was a big commotion. Even the
chancellor was going after those who jumped into the chapel. Later, he
addressed the students saying he was
very disappointed by the behaviour that the students were not seated 15 minutes
before the service.”
Another account had it that while the Education Secretary,
Prof. Aize Obayan was addressing the students, the students were murmuring,
then the Chancellor immediately took to
the microphone and said: “if I hear the voice of any student, the curse of the
Lord shall fall upon that one.” The chapel immediately went dead silent.
Our source who was also late to the service stated that the
Chancellor later directed that those students who did not come to the service
would be purged out saying they did not belong
to the school. Our source stated that at the end of the service, he
prayed for the students in the hall.
Another source in the school hinted that at that point, the
Vice-chancellor pleaded on behalf of those who were absent but the Chancellor
insisted they must be purged from the
school.
Our source told Saturday Vanguard that
the Vice-Chancellor while addressing
the students announced that a
search would be carried out in all the halls and colleges to find out those who
failed to attend the departure service, advising them to wait behind.
Saturday Vanguard investigation revealed that out of the
figure, about 126 were expelled for not
attending the ‘departure service’, five
were thrown out for smoking marijuana, twenty-five final year students and undisclosed number of lower level students were caught violating
rules bothering on the University’s core values. We also gathered that a few others were given
four weeks suspension for failure to sign the head count that was conducted a
couple of weeks earlier. Some of the
students opined that failure to sign the
head count was even a greater offence which implied that the student was not in
the school at the time of the exercise but yet got a four-week suspension.
The private
university is known for its strict rules and discipline such as not
allowing the students to use mobile phones within the school’s premises, while
it is mandatory for students to always bring their bible to the chapel.
Parents react
A few parents who
volunteered information spoke to us on
condition of anonymity fearing that
their children might be victimised in case
the issue was resolved amicably. One of them said
with bitterness that it is unacceptable, adding that the expulsion was
not commensurate with the offence deemed to have been committed. He urged the
school authorities to rescind its
decision adding that the future of the
students is at stake.
“For me, it is not acceptable. These students were not given fair hearing. Expulsion should
not be a punishment for failure to
attend service. We all agree, it is a Christian school but failure to attend
church service could be due to a lot of reasons. I gathered that some of the
students even finished their exams about 5pm that day. So, those people that finished
at that time had barely three hours to prepare for the service. But stampeding
them to congregate for service and then expelling those who did not come is a
decision taken too far. For me, if there was poor attendance, I think the
authorities have a responsibility. They have not been fair in putting the
service so close to the examination. Even God will not do that.”
He however commended the Chancellor, Dr. Oyedepo on his
vision towards the education of Nigeria children especially when the government
institutions are failing, but urging him to tamper justice with mercy.
Another parent who was
afraid of the press noted that he was still studying the situation and would not want to comment
but noted that he was reliably informed that some group of parents made frantic
efforts to meet with the Chancellor on the issue but without success. It was
not clear the level of the efforts made. He further hinted that some students
have not told their parents about their expulsion, still hoping that the issue
would be resolved.
He lamented that his child had been having sleepless nights,
going through mental torture
unjustifiably. “I agree that discipline must be instilled in the
students but it should not be aimed at destroying the life of the students.
Expulsion is too great a punishment for non attendance of a departure service,
without even a warning especially when the students hitherto, had not been
found wanting,” he stated.
What the Student Handbook says
The Covenant
University Core values border on Spirituality, Possibility Mentality, Capacity
Building, Integrity, Responsibility, Diligence and Sacrifice. On the
spirituality aspect, it states: “The
Christian ethos underguard our activities and conducts at all time and every
student of Covenant University is expected to exhibit character traits and
dispositions of a Jesus-centered heritage. The Jesus – factor centered approach
to all issues is non-negotiable and central in the pursuit of our mandate in raising
a new generation of leaders and in the realization of the objectives of our purpose.
To this extent therefore, students will be committed to
maintaining a high level of spirituality and shall act in such manner as to
facilitate their spiritual growth as well as work out ways to evolve and
implement a spiritual development plan. Attendance at Chapel Services is a compulsory part of students’ spiritual
development where a bible and notebook are essential kits for the service.
Students are expected to demonstrate a deep reverence for God at all times.”
The school declines comment
Several attempts were
made to get the school authorities comment on the issue. The institution’s
Corporate/Public Affairs Officer, Mr Igban Emmanuel Kalu declined comment. At
first, several calls were pulled through to him but he refused to pick his
calls. When the reporter persisted, he later picked but said he was driving and
could not answer any question. But few hours later, other calls pulled to him
were unanswered. A text message was sent to his phone and up to the time of
writing this report, he did not reply.
I’m not aware —Prof Julius Okojie, NUC Executive Secretary
The Executive
Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Prof Julius Okojie said
he has not been briefed on the matter.
Prof Okojie stated this during a telephone conversation
Saturday Vanguard had with him a few days ago. “I am not aware of any expulsion
by Covenant University; I will ask the school authorities. Right now, I am not in Abuja, I left Abuja few days
ago and until I return to Abuja and find out details about the matter, I cannot
comment on it,” he said.
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