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Children now more interested in entertainment than reading – Akpokeneme

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Dr Tony Akpokeneme, the Convener, Abuja Book fair, has described as worrisome Nigerian Children’s preference for entertainment events than reading and scholarship.

Akpokeneme said this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Tuesday, in Abuja, against the backdrop of the maiden Abuja Book fair and exhibition by Flomat Book Ltd.

He said that over the years, the priority that should have been allotted to education and health was not adhered to as such the two critical sectors fell below recommendations.

While growing up, it was a thing of pride to cite the numbers of books and titles one had read over the holidays, he noted.

“But, what we have today is the latest gadget, latest Samsung, I-phone and the latest movies on Neflix which are the types of discussions we have these days from our children.

“No wonder in essays, our children and even adults do not make proper statements like “four”, instead they write “4”, “you” is now “U”, and tenses are mixed up, due to lack of reading culture,” he lamented.

He stated that when some University graduates spoke, one would wonder if they actually went to school as they claimed, adding that this was the challenge the country was presently faced with.

Akpokeneme said that the country could not afford to fold its arms and allow things to degenerate, stressing that he would contribute his quota by educating the nation through the book fair.

He said that the business of selling books go hand-in-hand with the business of educating a nation and that was why he was passionate about the need for a reading culture in the country.

Akpokeneme said that because it remained a national dilemma, and not just limited to children, the issue should be confronted headlong.

He stressed that education would go down drastically in the country if it was not prioritised, the aftermath of which would be a total lack of readership.

“A situation where lecturers strike incessantly and they do not see it to stop the bleeding, there will definitely be a general decadence of a reading culture.

“It is entertainment we see companies and individuals struggling to sponsor, therefore it is time for us to put our action where our mouth is,” he said.

 

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Education

Bamidele Urges Academic Integrity at FUTES Iyin Ekiti Matriculation, Pledges N200m Annual Research Grant

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Senate Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele
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The Senate Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, has urged pioneer students of the Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences (FUTES), Iyin Ekiti, to uphold academic integrity and discipline as they begin their academic journey.

Bamidele gave the charge  during the maiden matriculation ceremony of the institution, where over 1,500 students were formally admitted into various programmes.

Addressing the students, the lawmaker stressed the importance of education in national development and called on them to key into the vision behind the establishment of the specialised university.

He recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the establishment of FUTES on February 20, 2025, to advance agricultural, technological and environmental studies, with the goal of producing job creators and problem solvers.

Bamidele expressed optimism that the take-off of the institution would contribute significantly to Nigeria’s ambition of becoming a leader in specialised technology and production in Africa and on the global stage.

As part of his support for the institution’s growth, the Senate Leader pledged an annual N200 million research grant to boost its academic development, in addition to other supports he had previously extended to the university.

He commended the Governing Council and Management of FUTES for ensuring the smooth and timely take-off of the institution.

Bamidele also expressed appreciation to the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, for his support for the project. He thanked traditional rulers, including Oba Adeola Adeniyi Ajakaiye, the Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, as well as clergymen and other stakeholders for their contributions to the successful launch of the university.

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UNIBEN Bans Sign-Out Celebrations, Warns of Severe Sanctions for Violators

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UNIBEN Gate
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The management of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Edo State, has banned all forms of sign-out celebrations by graduating students.

The announcement was contained in a circular issued on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, by the university’s Registrar, Ademola Bobola.

According to the statement, the decision followed a management meeting held on Monday, where the institution reaffirmed an earlier Senate resolution prohibiting such activities on campus.

“The management declared that no sign-out celebration of any kind, including signing on T-shirts and playing of music, will be tolerated,” the circular read.

Bobola warned that any student found violating the directive would face severe disciplinary actions, including rustication, expulsion, or withdrawal of certificate.

He added that the university would not condone any form of disorderly conduct, unauthorised gatherings, or parading of vehicles during or after examinations.

The Registrar also announced that unauthorised vehicles would be barred from entering the campuses during the last week of the second-semester examination.

In addition, the management prohibited large gatherings around faculties, schools, or institutes after examinations and directed photographers not to set up photo stands or galleries for such purposes.

Bobola further advised parents and guardians of final-year students to stay away from campus premises, particularly on the last day of examinations, to avoid any breach of the directive.

He urged members of the university community to adhere strictly to the management’s position, warning that violations would attract “severe disciplinary sanctions, including withdrawal of certificate, rustication, and expulsion.”

 

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OAU Medical Student Dies by Suicide After Failing Exam Twice

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The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, has been thrown into mourning following the death of a part-two medical student, Ajibola Ibitayo, who reportedly took his own life after failing an examination for the second time.

In a statement on Thursday, the university’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abiodun Olarewaju, said Ibitayo, with matriculation number DEN/2021/023, was a student in the Faculty of Dentistry. The results of the last semester examinations, released on Wednesday, indicated that he would have to repeat Part Two for another academic year, having already repeated the class once.

According to the statement, the student, whose father is a medical doctor, allegedly injected himself at his parents’ home in Ejigbo, Osun State.

Saddened by the incident, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Simeon Bamire, appealed to parents and guardians to help young people understand that setbacks are a natural part of life and not the end of their aspirations. He urged students to see failure as a redirection toward greater achievements.

Bamire prayed for comfort for the bereaved family, the Faculty of Dentistry, the College of Health Sciences, and the entire university community over the tragic loss.

 

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