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UNILAG students declare mass protest against fee hike

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UNILAG students declare mass protest against fee hike

Some students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) have declared a mass protest following the hike in tuition fees by the management.

The student, under the aegis of Students Solidarity Group Against Fee Hike, on Saturday, said it had “become imperative to inform the public of a mass protest against fee hike scheduled to start on September 6, 2023, as students, parents, civil society organisation, informal workers, are set to hit the streets to say enough of untold hardship meted out to us.”

The spokespersons for the group, Tosin Solanke said this in a statement  made available to newsmen.

On July 21, 2023, the management of UNILAG announced an increment in the tuition fees of the undergraduate students of the institution, citing “prevailing economic realities.”

The UNILAG management increased the fees from N19,000 to N190,250 for students studying medicine while for courses that require laboratory and studio, the students were to pay N140,250.

The student group, a handful of its members, had on Thursday gathered at Arise TV Complex after marching around the Ikoyi and Falomo areas of Lagos to sensitise passersby to the trend of fee hike in some varsities. They noted that the UNILAG management had failed to call the student delegation for a further meeting.

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They said since the wake of the announced fee hike by the UNILAG management, “we in the Students Solidarity Group Against Fee Hike engaged in a series of actions to enlighten members of the public of the dangers that this anti-poor policy portends for the generality of the people.

“Our argument remains that the responsibility of funding public education can not be shifted to poor students and their parents even in a draining economy such as this. We also maintain that the decision taken by the UNILAG management, supervised by their employers, remains authoritarian and economically inconsiderate.”

“It is also important to state that after engaging in a discussion, and for over four weeks, the UNILAG Management has failed in its promise to reconvene the meeting with the student delegation.”

Contacted, the spokesperson for UNILAG, Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, who asked our correspondent to send her a text message, was yet to respond to the message sent as of press time.

Speaking further, the student group said, “Our lecturers, some of whom are postgraduate students, including those who are sponsors (parents/guardians) to many students, would not be able to afford these fees.”

“The protests will be comprehensive and total until fees are reverted.”

Contacted over the planned protest, the National Public Relations Officer of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Giwa Temitope, said the move was a nice development.

Giwa said, “It’s a nice one coming from them because the fees are unbearable at this time when there is hardship in the country.”

He lamented that some parents had up to two or three students in schools and it would be difficult for them to cater for such wards.

On July 31, 2023, President Bola Tinubu directed the authorities in all federal institutions of higher learning to avoid arbitrary increases in sundry fees payable and where possible defer further increases so that parents and students would not face too much difficulty.

UNILAG students declare mass protest against fee hike

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Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound

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Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab

Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound

The Lagos State Government has rolled out stricter measures to combat noise pollution, requiring nightclubs, lounges, bars, and worship centres to obtain permits for events involving amplified sound.

The measure, it said, aimed to safeguard the health and well-being of Lagosians during the festive season and beyond.

Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, announced this via his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, emphasizing the government’s zero-tolerance stance on noise pollution.

Wahab highlighted that events with amplified sound must be conducted in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect residents from the harmful effects of excessive noise.

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“Establishments such as worship centers, nightclubs, lounges, and bars must now obtain permits for events involving amplified sound and ensure these activities take place in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect neighboring residents,” the statement read in part.

To enforce these directives, the government said it had established a Special Task Force on Noise Pollution under the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).

This task force, in collaboration with the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps (LSNSC) and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), would oversee compliance, arrest offenders, and prosecute violators of noise regulations, it stated.

The statement further noted that starting January 2025, the government would roll out a public awareness campaign to educate Lagosians on acceptable noise levels and the benefits of a quieter environment.

 

Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound

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Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says

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Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as Verydarkman

Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says

Singer, Dammy Krane has stated that social critic, Very Dark Man, is joking with claims that N180 million was diverted from the NGO account he created in October this year.

VDM shocked Nigerians on Friday, December 27 when he released a video claiming hackers had breached his NGO website and moved N180m leaving only N20 million.

The news shocked many Nigerians who took to social media to slam him.

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However, in a post shared on his Instagram page this evening, Dammy Krane claimed that VDM is renovating a school in Jos, and was only joking with the story of stolen funds.

Also, a Human Rights activist, Omotayo Williams, claimed the man VDM showed in his video as an officer accompanying him to Jos is a well-known member of the Kogi State Taxi Taskforce.

Alleged missing N180 million: It?s a prank. VeryDarkMan is renovating a school in Jos - Singer Dammy Krane says

Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says

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Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West

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Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi

Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has expressed support for the proposed implementation of Sharia law in the South-West, emphasizing its historical presence in Yoruba culture.

Oba Akanbi noted that Sharia principles have long been part of Yoruba land, citing examples such as Sharia banking and the existence of a Sharia college in Iwo, Osun State.

He stated, “Sharia law has been in Iwo for over 100 years… It’s the right of Muslims to choose customary law or the high court.”

Recall that the discussion around Sharia law gained traction after plans were announced for the inauguration of a Sharia council on January 11, 2025, at the Muslim Community Islamic Centre in Oyo. However, the event has been postponed indefinitely following widespread public criticism.

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Critics have argued that the Yoruba-dominated South-West, where Muslims and Christians coexist, is distinct from the predominantly Muslim northern region where Sharia is more widely practiced.

Addressing concerns, Oba Akanbi explained that Sharia law is already embedded in Nigeria’s constitution and should not cause alarm for non-Muslims.

“Sharia law is only for Muslims and does not concern others. If any other person likes it, they can convert to Islam, and Muslims can also convert to Christianity. Everyone is free,” he said.

The monarch also drew attention to the challenges faced by Muslims under existing laws, particularly in matters such as inheritance and divorce, where Western legal frameworks may not align with Islamic traditions. “Many Muslims feel disenfranchised… Western education doesn’t understand the ways of Muslim divorce, marriage, and inheritance,” he added.

Oba Akanbi emphasized that Sharia law represents the inalienable rights of Muslims and should not be viewed as a threat to other religions. “No government can deny Muslims their inalienable rights,” he concluded.

Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West

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