More than 650 Nigerian students enrolled at ESM University in Benin Republic have reached out to President Bola Tinubu, seeking urgent intervention following the Nigerian government’s decision to derecognize the university.
The recent directive from the Federal Government, which bans Nigerians from enrolling in certain universities in Benin and Togo, came after authorities discovered that over 22,500 graduate certificates issued by these institutions between 2019 and 2023 were fraudulent.
On Thursday, a large number of students and their parents staged a peaceful protest at the residence of Pastor Chibuzo Chinyere, the General Overseer of Omega Power Ministry (OPM), in Port Harcourt. These students, who are beneficiaries of OPM scholarships, expressed deep concern about the impact of the ban on their mental health and academic future. They pleaded with President Tinubu to reverse the decision, allowing them to continue their studies.
Hycenth Ikechukwu, a final-year Business Administration student, voiced his distress upon learning of the ban just as he was about to complete his studies. He emphasized that ESM University was accredited by the Nigerian government when he enrolled in 2019.
“We are pleading with President Tinubu to intervene and instruct the Ministry of Education to revisit this abrupt decision that could derail our lives. It is unjust to force someone in their final year to start afresh at 100-level in Nigerian universities after investing years of effort and substantial funds,” Ikechukwu said tearfully.
Moses Joseph, a 200-level Computer Science student, urged the government to facilitate their transfer to universities within Nigeria, suggesting that they be allowed to submit their academic transcripts to continue their education locally. “I am even willing to start from 100-level if that’s what it takes,” he added.
Another affected student, Wisdom Nweze, highlighted the negative impact the university’s derecognition has had on her mental well-being, calling on the federal government to find a resolution to the situation.
Justin Hycenth, a blind widow, expressed her deep disappointment, revealing that her son’s scholarship to study abroad had been jeopardized by the government’s decision. “I implore the government to take immediate action and reverse the ban,” she pleaded.
In response, Chinyere disclosed that the 650 affected students are part of a larger group of over 4,000 OPM scholarship recipients studying in countries such as the U.S., UK, Canada, Turkey, Ethiopia, and Cyprus. He noted that the church had verified ESM University’s accreditation and that its graduates had previously participated in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
“Based on the ministry’s confirmation, we decided to enroll students in the university. OPM has invested more than N500 million in these students at ESM University, and it is unfair to invalidate our investment and their efforts,” Chinyere stated.
He further explained that OPM chose to send students abroad due to the challenges of gaining admission to Nigerian universities, citing the difficulties associated with passing JAMB and Post UTME exams.
“Rather than banning the university, the Federal Government should consider strengthening regulations surrounding foreign education. It will be challenging for us to continue sponsoring students, especially those in their final year, if this policy remains in effect,” he cautioned.
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