NIJ STUDENTS' WEEK

NIJ STUDENTS” WEEK

By Blessing Oladunjoye

Lagos

            The news of the acceptance of the students’ week to take off by the school management brought joy to yhe hearts of the student of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism.

            The happiness in the hearts of the students knows no bound, as the students’ week was the first ever social activity that took place in the institution.

            Monday 18th- 24th of July which was scheduled for the students’ week was lecture free, and it gained the presence of many students.

            The students’ week started with a religious programme on Monday, thereby committing the entire programme into the hands of the creator. The Christian students started with the praise concert in the Institution’s main auditorium, while the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria in the institution engaged themselves in a seminar.

            Social activities alone were not allowed to fill the  hearts of the students as debates were organized. Students were selected from each class to represent their class for the debates. Whereas, the competition among the classes made the debate interesting.

            The provost of the Institution, Dr. Mrs. Elizabeth Nkem opened the exhibition room. Thereby, giving room for the exhibition of artistic works, pictures, and adverts.

            Students were made to enjoy the rest of their day with the playing of indoor games like: Ludo game, Card game, Scrabble, Drafts, Chess among others. Infact, a marginal line was drawn between the novice and the experts.

            The second day of the students’ week in NIJ started with a debate among the students. The debate titled: Freedom of Information Act: will it enhance civic participation or deepens investigative Journalism? was properly discussed by the debaters, to the extent of finding it difficult to figure out the winner. But the fact is that in every competition there will be a winner and there will be a looser. The representative of the ND2 class emerged as the winner.

            The second day was the cultural day, whereby, students and lecturers were dressed in their cultural attire. Each class represents a particular ethnic group, in which they presented some activities for the ethnic group they were representing.

            The presence of the Former Governor of Lagos State, chief Lateef Jakande, the chairman of Igbos in Lagos State and some important personalities graced the occasion of the cultural day.

            Students’ can forget all about education or their academics when it comes to social activities. To avoid this, the third day of the students’ week which was Wednesday was the academic segment of the programme.

            On this day, Mrs. Abike Dabiri Erewa was present to educate the students on the function of the Freedom of Information Act, and how it can be well used by the members of the society.

            The football match between the Students and the Lecturers really made the day wonderful, as the lecturers defeat the students with 4-0 points. This was surprising, as majority believed that the students would won the game.

            Students were made to remember their secondary school days on the fourth day of the event, as they were dressed like they were in secondary school. Lined up on an assembly according to their heights, different classes, boys separate, and ladies separate. The students matched from the assembly ground to their various classes.

            Few hours later, the dressing of the students changed from their school uniform to crag as they left the school compound to beg for money.

            The grand finale of the event took place on Friday with exquisite dresses on both ladies and guys. Beauty pageant was conducted and Miss Grace Nora emerged as Miss NIJ and Mr. Patric emerged as Mr. NIJ. Students that are well dressed and well behaved were awarded marvelous gifts.

            The students’ week in the mind of the students of NIJ was meant not to come to an end as they were hoping for more and more of it.



Mrs Abike Dabiri with the students of NIJ
picture by Blessing Oladunjoye



            With this, the clamour for social activity to take place in the school as come to an end because the activity has taken place and it will continue to take place.

Student dressed in her cultural attire on the cultural day.
picture by Blessing Oladunjoye