By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

The management of the University of Benin, UNIBEN, has suspended Students’ Union of the institution.

INFO DAILY reports that the suspension of the Students’ Union may not be unconnected with the incident that happened at the University’s Senior
Staff Club on Friday 12h April, 2024.

In the said incident, students of the university led by the Students’ Union president were said to have invaded an interactive session by staff of the university with the Edo State governorship candidate of Labour Party, LP, Olumide Akpata and in the process demanded a halt of the event, claiming that they (Students’ Union) were not informed of the event.

READ ALSO: Students Attack LP Guber Candidate At UNIBEN, Akpata Fingers Govt Official

The students were said to have behaved unruly at the event and in the process rough handled many of the stuff including a member of the Academic Staff of the Universities (ASUU), who was reportedly beaten merciless and eventually landed in the hospital.

Following the incident, management of the university was said to have set a panel to investigate the incident with a view to unraveling the truth.

Consequently, in a statement signed by A.A. Bobola, Registrar of the university and made available to newsman in Benin on Monday April 29, 2024, said, “after due consideration of the Report by the Management, the Vice Chancellor has approved the suspension of the University’s Students Union.”

READ ALSO: UNIBEN ASUU Threatens To Boycott Resumption Date Over Violent Attack On Member

The statement partly reads: “The suspension which is indefinite, takes immediate effect, that is, from today, Monday 29h April, 2024.

“Accordingly, all Officers of the Students’ Union are to handover all properties of the Union in their possession to the Dean, Students’ Affairs not later 4.00pm on Tuesday 30 April, 2024.

“In the interim, a Caretaker Committee composed of representatives of Faculties, Schools and Institutes has been approved to coordinate students’ activities during the period of
suspension.

“The above directive of the Vice Chancellor is hereby communicated for the attention of
the University Community and compliance of the erstwhile Union Officers as appropriate.”

Six Oba of Benin palace functionaries have been ostracized.

The palace functionaries were said to have engaged themselves in a sacrilegious show of shame and falsehood against the Benin Custom and tradition.

The banished palace functionaries are Johnbull Igbinosun, Iduhonre (Ihogbe), S.E. Aigbiremwen, Efesoghoba (Ogbelaka) and two other Ogbelaka functionaries — Ogbeide Osagie and Osamudiame.

READ ALSO: Oba Of Benin Suspends Six Officials For Posing As Palace Emissaries To Ooni Of Ife

They had falsely claimed to be emissaries of the Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, His Royal Majesty, Ewuare Il, Oba of Benin in the palace of the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; (Ọjájá II), where they rendered a “disjointed account of the link between the Benin Royal Dynasty and the Ooni-ship of Ife at Ooni of Ife’s Palace in Osun State recently.”

A statement signed by Mr. Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Chief Press Secretary to the Oba of Benin on Monday April 29, 2024, said they admitted before a committee led by Chief Ekhoerovbiye Oviasogie, the Uwangue of Benin that they erred against Benin Customs.

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The Uwangue of Benin, who described their action as a deliberate attempt to rubbish Benin Kingdom, pronounced the suspension of the Palace functionaries.

Consequently, they were also stripped off of Benin Royal beads, recognition as palace functionaries and their traditional titles, which were handed over to the ancestors.

The suspended palace functionaries were also barred from parading themselves as Benin palace functionaries and stopped from participating in any traditional rites in Benin.

They were thereafter escorted out of the Palace by Chiefs, including Ewaise (traditional seers) with occipital horns invoked ancestral spirits to bear witness.

Seventy-seven per cent of the 1,842,464 candidates whose 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination results were released by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board on Monday scored less than 200.

Giving a breakdown of the results of the 1,842,464 candidates released, the Board’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede noted that, “8,401 candidates scored 300 and above; 77,070 scored 250 and above; 439,974 scored 200 and above while 1,402,490 scored below 200.”

The Board is expected to announce the minimum benchmark for the 2024/2025 academic session admissions during its policy meeting to be held at a later date.

READ ALSO: 2024 UTME: JAMB Withholds Results Of 64,624 Candidates

Over the years the benchmark for admissions to universities has hovered around 180 to 200.

Oloyede also gave the new format for acceptance of admissions.

He said, “ Either a candidate sends ACCEPT/REJECT on his dedicated phone line to 55019/66019, or a candidate accepts or rejects any admission offer (programme change inclusive) with his/her fingerprint (biometric) at an accredited CBT centre or any JAMB Office.

“The above newly-crafted methods of accepting or rejecting admissions, are aimed at protecting the details of the candidates and upholding the sanctity of the admission process.

“With this new method, the candidates’ registered phone (SIM) is now more important than ever as it is now required to perform even more sensitive operations. We are in discussions with NCC on dedicated student’s SIM with restricted services.”