About 200 students have been expelled by the authorities of Covenant University, Cannanland, Ota, Ogun State, recently for what was described as “disregard of paramount core values”.
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 Vanguard stated that the affected students contravened Chapter 1, section 30, page 40 of the 2010-2014 Student Handbook.
Vanguard 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.
A parent of one of the affected students 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.
| Bishop David Oyedepo |
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 Vanguard 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 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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