Bingham University, a private university owned and managed by Evangelical Church of West Africa, now called Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), has placed a ban on visitors on campus.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Samuel Leonard Fwa, made this statement today at the Students’ University Chapel. “Till we decide on a day, no visitors will be allowed in school. If we could do it in secondary school, we can do it again”, he said.
The decision was as a result of a visit to a group of students called GOK (gathering of kings) from one of their leaders.
LEADERSHIP gathered that GOK is a Christian group that holds meetings outside the school premises and is independent of the institution.
They had been warned on several occasions to stop as other gatherings other than chapel services are not approved by the authorities.
The matter was then reported to the school authority when the students didn’t heed the warnings.
The students are having a hard time receiving the decision of the VC.
According to Nonso, a student of the university “it’s not fair. It’s better to say we shouldn’t go out, but not letting visitors in, is not cool”.
Adi, another student, lending her voice to the matter, describes the VC as “dictator.”
Emeka blames the students for this new development saying, “Most students misuse the opportunities given to us in school.”
However, in Ada’s words, “it’s not fair that they’d punish the whole school because of GOK. It’s bad enough that they haven’t been letting us out of recent. Now nobody can visit and they won’t sign exit slips for us except we are fainting. We are allowed three exits every semester. If I have three, why can’t I use them when I want or need to?” she said.
Meanwhile, LEADERSHIP got feedback from a few stakeholders.
According to Evangeline Udenyi, a writer, “schools don’t just come up with rules like that if there is no cause for it. Still, there should be a balance. If the ban is for security reasons, reschedule visiting times and monitor them”, she said.
In Emiene Abimaje’s view, the decision doesn’t make sense. “I believe the students are adults and it is bad enough that they have restrictions on even coming out to see their family as frequently as they want, though to an extent, it helps them concentrate better, but to cut-off visitors… it’s no good for them emotionally and socially”, she said.
Reacting to the issue, Michael Medubi, an engineer said, “I think this policy is a bit heavy handed and is a case of cutting off your nose to spite your face. A university is supposed to mold not just an academic juggernaut, but a wholesome individual. Now while the definition of a wholesome individual may vary from one institution to the next, based on their unique values and particular world view, you cannot escape the fact that a university should necessarily be an enabling environment for mental, social and psychological growth, exposure and expression. That’s why it’s a university”
“Don’t deprive the entire school, and all who will come into it henceforth, from their very limited link to exposure and the wider society, like the social conditions weren’t stringent enough already”, he added.
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