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Since the early 1970s when the off-campus arrangement for second-year students began to gain favour, friction between students and members of the local community assumed greater notice.
Since the early 1970s when the off-campus arrangement for second-year students began to gain favour, friction between students and members of the local community assumed greater notice. By the early 1980s when State universities adopted the total off-campus system, the stage was set for an increase in the documentation of such incidents. Within the last five years, there has been a rising tide of friction between students and members of some of the host communities where universities are sited. In a number of cases, such frictions have blown up into clashes where lives and property are lost on both sides. A recent case is the Ago-Iwoye event involving students of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) and members of the Ago-Iwoye community.
These frictions have attracted the attention of the Federal Government. Last week, the subject was thoroughly examined at the National Universities Commission (NUC) meeting with a view to seeking ways of eliminating friction points. Staff of the commission and officials from some universities- Ilorin, Awka, Ogbomosho, Akure, Maiduguri, and Port Harcourt participated in the debate/discussion.
The meeting proceeded to first identify the major causes of friction. These include severe over-enrolment leading to accommodation pressure and its attendant psychological stress on students leading to perpetually frayed nerves; cult clashes outside the campus with collateral damage to innocent lives and property of members of the local community; youthful exuberance of students excessively displayed to harm members of the local community; economic exploitation by the local community especially in rent, transport fare, prices of food items and other traded commodities engendering violent reactions from students; spill-over of internal demonstrations by students to outside the university and externalisation of their aggression to the local community by way of blocking of roads, smashing of cars and other harassment techniques; and lack of sensitivity of the host community to the cultural diversity, needs and aspirations of students due largely to illiteracy.
After identifying the major causes, the next question was: Who is to take more of the blame for clashes - students or members of the local community? Those from the office of the Executive Secretary NUC: Sunny Ehioghae, Moses Awe and Dr. Obaje and from the department of academic planning and research: Theo Ogbor, Esther Mmeke and Adeola argued to locate the blame with both the students and the community.
Beyond the issue of causes and blameworthiness is the more important subject of how to eliminate such clashes. The following were the major suggestions that emerged:
Friction and clashes between students and the local community members are highest in the universities that are ranked top ten in over-enrolment. Thus, if student numbers is right and manageable, the pressure on hostels in off-campus accommodation will be reduced. In turn, this will depress the tension that comes with over-crowded rooms and which translates into aggression vented on the host community. NUC is taking steps to eliminate over-shooting of carrying capacity in our universities. This will be a major step towards stamping out problems that are associated with over-enrolment, including clashes between students and the local community.
NUC will request universities to set up community-relations unit (if such a unit does not already exist) to serve as an observatory for early detection of friction points between students and members of the local community. If detected early such problems can be resolved before they get out of hand.
This is a Forum which should meet at least quarterly to deliberate on issues which interface the university with the local community. Members of the Forum will include local community leaders, executive of the students union and the university management. The university should utilise the platform of the Forum to sensitise the local community to the cultural diversity, needs and aspirations of students. In turn, the community leaders will educate students on the culture and sensitivities of the local community. Transactions at the Forum would lead to the significant lowering of areas of friction between the university and the community where it is sited. NUC will encourage all universities to establish such a Forum where one does not already exist.
University managers should take steps towards eradication of cultism on their campuses since this is a potential cause of clash between students and the local community. The Government Blueprint on the Eradication of Cultism is being implemented in this regard. NUC will pray universities to accelerate implementation.
Beginning from 2006, all students who are enrolled in Nigerian universities will take peace and conflict resolution as part of the General Studies Programme. Among other benefits, such training will equip students to be able to cope with divergent views and ideas and to live peaceably with neighbours.
It is found that aggression by some students on their neighbours in the local community arises out of frustration of a bleak job future. This will be addressed through compulsory entrepreneurial studies which will be a significant feature of the university curriculum in Nigeria beginning from 2006.
Many of the clashes involving students and members of the local community are triggered off by illegal students. NUC will request Vice-Chancellors to take steps towards ejecting such students and to maintain a regime of strict control on student discipline.
Universities will be encouraged to utilise the Parent Forum to remind parents of the need for better home training for their children. Further, parents should be requested to pay more attention to the activities of their children especially those who live off-campus.