UNIBEN lecturers block student’s graduation for 3 years, say ‘too busy’ to compile records
denied graduation for three years despite
meeting all academic requirements, and
his lecturers and examination officials say
they have been too busy to compile his
records.
Temidayo Awoyemi, 26, had eagerly
hoped to fulfill his dreams after
graduation from the school's department
of chemistry. He has spent three years
since completing his studies, without
graduation.
Officials in his department and faculty say
they have had no time to process his
records for the last two years.
The faculty checker, Professor Anthony
Imiavan, in charge of scrutinizing
students' records, confirmed to PREMIUM
TIMES that the student had no case to
keep him from graduating.
A spokesperson for the school told this
newspaper the case was "strange", and
assured it would be resolved quickly.
Despite that assurance, the school has yet
to act on the matter more than a month
after.
Long wait
Like many other students of the school,
Temidayo's problem began in his final
year when his department said his West
African Senior Secondary School
Certificate was not in its records. At least
five other students in his class had the
same problem.
After losing the 2012/13 school session to
a six-month strike by Academic Staff
Union of Universities, Temidayo hoped he
would be quickly let go the next session
once he provided a copy of the missing
certificate.
He submitted the certificate to the
chemistry department and began to wait
for clearance since 2013/2014 session.
Two years after, he is still waiting for the
school to process his result for
graduation.
The process of clearing him requires the
approval of his course adviser, Wayne
Omagamre, faculty checker, Professor
Anthony Imiavan; the Head of
Department, Professor James Okuo; and
Dean, Professor Sunday Omosigho.
The officials consistently say they have
been too busy to attend to the case, the
student told PREMIUM TIMES.
"Even after the course adviser claimed
that he had done his own aspects of the
work, the faculty checker, Prof. Imiavan,
especially, has refused to check my
results for years now for whatever
reasons I don't know," Temidayo said.
"From my understanding, the department
has no problem with my result. I don't
have any criminal record. But I don't
know why the officials have refused to
process my result."
The university's spokesperson, Michael
Osasuyi, said the case was unusual. Mr.
Osasuyi assured that the matter was
receiving vice chancellor's attention.
"The various authorities that are
concerned with this matter are now
working on it. Once the vice chancellor
gets a report on it, you will be able to get
a feedback," Mr. Osasuyi promised more
than a month ago.
This reporter visited the school three
times within a month, but got no feedback
indicating there was progress on the case.
When contacted, Mr. Okuo, who is the
HOD, visibly angry, questioned this
correspondent's interest in the case and
ordered him out of his office.
Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES by phone,
the faculty checker, Prof Imiavan
admitted the student had no case, but that
"an individual does not approve a result
alone". Thereafter, he hung up and
refused to respond to subsequent calls.
The University of Benin has lately been
dogged by scandals involving harassment
of students by lecturers.
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