‎When I was in university, there was a guy in our hostel who always woke up around 5 a.m. Every morning, he would dress neatly, pack his bag and leave before most of us were even awake. He always had food, clean clothes and somehow never needed to borrow money. We assumed his family was wealthy or that some rich uncle was sponsoring him.

‎

‎One morning, out of curiosity, I decided to follow him. I was shocked when I discovered that he wasn't going anywhere special. He was working at a bakery. He would work early in the morning, finish his shift, clean up, change into his school clothes and head straight to lectures. He kept it hidden because he didn't want people mocking him for working while studying.

‎

‎While some of us were sleeping or complaining about how difficult university life was, this guy was quietly sacrificing his comfort to build something for himself. He worked throughout his university years and saved as much as he could. By graduation, while many of us were busy searching for jobs, he already had money saved to start a small food business.

‎

‎He started small, but he stayed consistent. Today, that same guy owns three restaurants. The person we thought was simply enjoying life because he had a rich uncle was actually working harder than most of us we just didn't know it.

‎

‎That experience taught me something I'll never forget: never laugh at someone's humble beginning. You don't know what someone is sacrificing behind closed doors or what they're quietly building for the future.

‎

‎Have you ever underestimated someone because of where they started, only to be surprised by where they eventually ended up?

The most painful or difficult experience students face in university. 👀🎓

Sometimes, we pray and wait so long that we begin to wonder if anything will ever change.

Then, when we least expect it, help comes from somewhere we never imagined. A door opens, someone shows up for us, or we find strength to keep going when we thought we had nothing left.

Not every testimony is about having plenty of money or getting everything we want. Sometimes, simply finding peace and having the strength to face another day is a testimony on its own.

Let's share our testimonies. What's one thing God has done for you that reminded you He hasn't forgotten you?

Your story might be the encouragement someone needs today.

University introduces you to all kinds of people. See if you recognize these:

1. The Assignment Friend: Close to you only when a deadline is near.

2. The Gist Friend: Fun to talk to, but you'd never share a real problem with them.

3. The Free Food Friend: Appears the moment you open your pot or bag of snacks.

4. The Quiet Course mate: Barely speaks, but shows up when it truly matters.

5. The Competitor: Smiles with you, but hides notes and past questions.

6. The Day-One Loyalist: Been there since first year and still has your back.

7. The Network Builder: Knows everyone, and teaches you how to grow beyond your circle.

The goal isn't to label everyone. It's to know who to trust with what, and to be the kind of friend you wish you had.

Your turn, students: Which type are you? Which one have you met the most?

Drop your answer in the comments and tag that one friend who fits a category perfectly.

One thing university teaches you, sometimes the hard way, is that being surrounded by people doesn't mean you have genuine friends.

You may have people to laugh with during lectures, gist with after class, and walk around campus with, but when life becomes difficult, you begin to understand who truly cares.

Sometimes, the people you help with assignments, share your food with, or stay up late talking to are not the ones who will stand by you when you need support. And sometimes, the quiet person you barely talk to becomes the one who shows you genuine kindness.

This doesn't mean you should suspect everyone or stop making friends. University is also a place to meet people who will inspire you, open doors for you, and remain part of your life long after graduation. Just learn to appreciate people without forcing connections. Be kind, but have boundaries. Support others, but don't destroy yourself trying to please everyone. Most importantly, don't measure your worth by how many friends you have. At the end of the day, a few genuine people are better than a crowd that only shows up when everything is going well.

Let's talk, students. Have you ever discovered that someone you considered a close friend wasn't really there for you when you needed them most? What did that experience teach you?

People see you going to lectures, submitting assignments, and preparing for exams. They see a student trying to graduate, but they don't always see what it takes to keep going.

Sometimes, the challenge isn't understanding what the lecturer taught. It's figuring out what to eat before class, how to pay for handouts, where the next transport fare will come from, or how to stretch the little money you have until the end of the week.

Some students are dealing with family problems, emotional stress, and the pressure to succeed, all while pretending everything is fine. Others smile with their friends but spend the night worrying about their future.

The truth is, being a student is not just about passing exams. It's also about learning to survive, making difficult choices, and trying to build a future when the present is already demanding so much.

That's why we need to be kinder to one another. The student who misses a class may be facing a challenge you know nothing about. The quiet person in your department may be fighting a battle they cannot explain. A little support, encouragement, or even sharing useful information about an opportunity can make a real difference.

If you're currently struggling, don't feel ashamed of your situation. Ask for help when you need it, make use of available opportunities, and take things one step at a time. Your current circumstances are part of your story, not the whole story.

Let's talk honestly.

If you could remove just one major challenge students face today, what would it be: financial pressure, poor learning facilities, academic stress, or uncertainty about life after graduation? And why?

Some students attend lectures on an empty stomach. Some struggle to pay fees, buy handouts, or afford transportation. Others carry family problems and personal battles nobody knows about, yet they still show up and keep trying.

If you're one of them, remember this: struggling doesn't mean you're failing, and a difficult semester doesn't mean your future is over.

Don't be ashamed to ask for help when academics become difficult. Learn to manage what you have, seek legitimate opportunities, take care of your mental well-being, and stop comparing your journey with that of your classmates. Everyone has a different starting point.

You may not have everything figured out today, and that's okay. What matters is learning from your mistakes, making adjustments, and taking the next right step.

Your struggles are real, but they don't have to define your future. Keep pushing, even when progress feels slow. One difficult season doesn't have to determine how your story ends.

Your background may explain your struggles, but it doesn't have to write the final chapter of your story.

What's the biggest challenge students face today: financial pressure, academic stress, family expectations, or fear of the future?

You finish school, your NYSC posting comes out, and you’re probably excited because you’re about to start a new chapter. Your family is happy for you, your friends are wishing you safe travels, and you’re already thinking about camp.

Then you hear that 20 prospective corps members travelling from Oyo State were reportedly abducted in Imo.

Honestly, this is scary. These are young people who are simply trying to serve their country. Nobody should have to worry about losing their life or being kidnapped just because they are travelling to orientation camp.

NYSC is meant to bring young Nigerians together, but their safety should come first.

If you were a prospective corps member today, would you still feel comfortable travelling that far for camp? What do you think NYSC should do differently?

Sometimes, being a student feels like having five problems and only one solution: "God abeg."

You have lectures to attend, assignments to submit, tests to prepare for, bills to pay and somehow, you're still expected to look like everything is going fine.

The funniest part? When your lecturer announces an unexpected test, but your biggest concern is how to get transport money to school.

Let's be honest: What's that one thing about university life nobody prepared you for?

Let's hear your experiences. No pretending here!

Sometimes, everybody sees you going to lectures, laughing with your friends, posting pictures and living your normal student life. But nobody really knows what you're dealing with behind the scenes. Maybe school has been stressful. Maybe money has been tight. Maybe you're worried about your results, your future, or how you're going to make things work after graduation. And sometimes, all you need is a place where you can speak freely without being judged. So, forget the pressure to pretend everything is fine. As a student, how are you REALLY doing this week? Are you happy, stressed, tired, motivated, confused, or just taking life one day at a time?

No pressure. No judgment. Let's hear from you.

Be honest, no forming.
At the beginning of the semester, you’re feeling like you’ve planned everything perfectly. Foodstuff is complete, money is still entering, and you’re telling yourself, “This semester, I’ll manage my money well.” Then somehow, school starts moving fast…
Before you know it,GBAM the foodstuff don X, your account balance is doing hide and seek, and you’re calculating how many days are left before the next money comes.
So, which time of the semester does your own survival mode normally begin?

A. First 2 weeks — I don suffer

B. 3rd–5th week — things don change

C. Around mid-semester — God abeg

D. Near exams — na pure survival

E. I don’t even know, I just survive somehow
And tell us your number one student survival hack when money and foodstuff finish

By admin

The Senate of Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Anyigba, has approved the expulsion of six 100-Level students found guilty of gross examination misconduct after they paid a lecturer to let them re-write an exam at his private residence. In a separate action, the Senate also approved the withdrawal of nine other students over poor academic performance and failure to register for two consecutive semesters.

The decisions were taken at the University’s 167th Regular Meeting of Senate, held at the University Auditorium.

How the Malpractice Was Uncovered

On 1 July 2026, University Management moved on credible intelligence that a lecturer was coordinating students to re-write an examination at his home. Security operatives arrested Dr Maji Okpanachi of the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, along with a number of students, at his residence near the Police Area Command Office on Idah Road, Anyigba. Exhibits were recovered from the scene.

The case was referred to the University’s Examination Misconduct Committee, which corroborated the security report through confessional statements from both the lecturer and the students, as well as other records. The committee found that the students had re-written BOT102 (Introduction to Plant Science) days after the original exam, each paying Dr Okpanachi N10,000 for the arrangement.

Senate approved the expulsion of the following students of the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology:

Itodo Ojonugwa Jeremiah – 26PL1071

Olloh Kizito Ojoajogwu – 26PL1033

Okpanachi Favour – 26PL1065

Abdulkadiri Senusi – 26PL1031

Umar Imran – 26PL1038

Lawrence Salami – 26PL1124

Dr Okpanachi has been referred to the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee for further disciplinary action under the University’s established rules. A ninth case, involving Jude Ojoajogwu Itodo (26PL1068), was referred back to the Examination Misconduct Committee for further investigation.

In a related but unconnected matter, Senate approved the withdrawal of nine students on academic grounds.

Withdrawn for failing to register for two consecutive semesters:

Suleiman Salamatu – 22SC1059, Social Studies Education

Abdullahi Hossana – 21BF1003, Banking and Finance

Anaja Victor Anome – 21BF1043, Banking and Finance

Emmanuel Arome – 21BF1075, Banking and Finance

Odutola Nancy Oluwanifemi – 21BF1138, Banking and Finance

Olarewaju Segun Abayomi – 21BF1147, Banking and Finance

Withdrawn for poor academic performance:

7. Adam Safiyat – 24MC1065, Communication and Media Studies

8. Musa Favour – 24MC1086, Communication and Media Studies

9. Umolo John Philip – 24MC1192, Communication and Media Studies

Reacting to the decisions, Vice-Chancellor and Chairman of Senate, Prof. Salisu Ogbo Usman, reaffirmed the University’s commitment to academic excellence, discipline, integrity and quality assurance, stressing that PAAU would not tolerate any act that compromises the credibility of its academic and examination processes.

He commended the committees involved for what he described as thorough and painstaking investigations, saying the outcome underscored the University’s resolve to strengthen accountability and protect the integrity of its academic system. Prof. Usman also urged students to remain focused on their studies, maintain high standards of conduct, and comply fully with the University’s academic and examination regulations.

The affected students have been directed to surrender all University property in their possession, including identity cards and other official items, before exiting the institution.

Source: KogiReports

By AriseNews

SOJA demands separate investigations into the sexual misconduct allegation against a UNIZIK lecturer and the reported mob assault.

A human-rights and justice advocacy organisation, Speak Out for Justice Advocacy Ltd/GTE (SOJA), has demanded an impartial, two-track investigation into the controversial incident involving a lecturer of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, warning that the alleged sexual misconduct and the subsequent mob assault must be treated as separate but equally serious matters.

SOJA, in a statement signed by its Founder and Executive Director, Hameed Jimoh, condemned the reported stripping, physical assault and public humiliation of the lecturer, describing the incident as a disturbing descent into “jungle justice” that must not be allowed to replace due process.

The organisation said the alleged sexual misconduct must be thoroughly investigated and, if established by evidence, prosecuted in accordance with the law, but stressed that no allegation—even one involving sexual misconduct—gives students or members of the public the authority to physically punish an accused person.

“An allegation is not a conviction. A suspicion is not a judgment. A viral video is not a court of law,” SOJA said.

The statement followed the circulation of video footage purportedly showing a group of young men, reportedly students, assaulting the lecturer, forcibly removing his clothing and leaving him exposed while further physical aggression was allegedly inflicted on him.

SOJA said reports that UNIZIK had condemned the incident as a mob assault and commenced an investigation made the matter particularly disturbing because of the university’s responsibility to uphold discipline, human dignity and the rule of law.

The rights organisation insisted that the lecturer’s fundamental rights remain protected regardless of the allegation against him.

It cited Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which guarantees the right to the dignity of the human person and prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

It also invoked Article 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which protects the dignity of the human person and prohibits degrading treatment.

SOJA argued that these protections do not depend on whether a person is popular, innocent or accused of wrongdoing.

“The protection of dignity is deliberately framed in universal terms,” the organisation said, stressing that even a person eventually found guilty of an offence remains a human being entitled to lawful treatment.

‘Even if allegation is true, mob justice remains wrong’

The group was emphatic that its condemnation of the alleged assault should not be interpreted as a defence of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment.

It said that if investigation ultimately establishes that the lecturer committed sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, abuse of academic authority or any criminal offence, he should face the full consequences prescribed by law and applicable university regulations.

But, it added, punishment must come through competent institutions rather than a mob.

“The seriousness of an alleged offence cannot justify the abandonment of the rule of law,” SOJA stated.

The organisation consequently called for those who allegedly participated in the assault to be identified and subjected to appropriate university disciplinary procedures and, where applicable, criminal investigation.

SOJA’s central demand is for authorities to conduct two distinct but connected investigations.

The first, it said, should establish exactly what happened between the female student and the lecturer before the confrontation and determine whether there is evidence of sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, assault or another offence.

The second should identify those who allegedly participated in the lecturer’s physical assault, stripping and humiliation and determine whether their actions constitute criminal offences or breaches of university regulations.

“Neither question should be allowed to swallow the other,” SOJA warned.

It said an investigation into the alleged sexual misconduct must not be used to excuse the mob assault, just as investigation of the alleged assault must not be used to suppress or trivialise the female student’s complaint.

“The complainant deserves protection. The accused deserves due process. The truth deserves an impartial investigation. And society deserves justice,” the organisation said.

SOJA also called for the immediate preservation of all evidence connected to the incident, including original video recordings circulating online, CCTV footage, mobile-phone recordings, photographs, medical records, eyewitness statements, identities of persons present at the scene and relevant university security records.

It urged authorities to go beyond treating the incident as a collective disturbance and identify individual participants in the alleged assault.

The organisation further appealed to the university and relevant authorities to ensure that the female student who made the allegation is protected from intimidation, retaliation, ridicule and harassment.

At the same time, it cautioned against treating the allegation itself as proof of guilt.

“The fact that an allegation requires investigation does not make the complainant a liar. Equally, the fact that a complaint has been made does not automatically establish the guilt of the person complained against,” SOJA said.

SOJA said the incident also exposed the need for universities to establish reporting mechanisms that students can trust.

It argued that where students believe complaints of sexual misconduct will result in victim-blaming, institutional cover-up, intimidation or retaliation, they may resort to dangerous informal methods of confrontation.

The organisation urged universities to ensure that sexual-misconduct complaints are handled promptly, confidentially, independently and fairly.

It also called on students to reject mob action, urging anyone who witnesses sexual harassment or assault to raise the alarm, get the alleged victim to safety, contact university security, report to the appropriate authorities, preserve evidence and seek medical or legal assistance where necessary.

“But do not become a mob,” SOJA warned.

“Do not beat the suspect. Do not strip the suspect. Do not humiliate the suspect. Do not torture the suspect. Do not become the very thing you claim to oppose.”

SOJA called on UNIZIK Management, the Anambra State Government, the Nigeria Police Force, the National Universities Commission and the National Human Rights Commission to ensure that the entire incident is investigated comprehensively, impartially and transparently.

It said Nigeria’s obligations under international and regional human-rights instruments, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, reinforce the need for effective protection against violence, degrading treatment and denial of justice.

The organisation urged Nigerians not to treat a viral video as a complete account of an incident, noting that footage may establish what happened within the recorded period without necessarily revealing events that preceded it.

However, it maintained that any apparent assault and degrading treatment visible in the footage warrants immediate investigation and accountability.

It however warned that the fight against sexual harassment and sexual violence must not itself become a justification for abandoning the rule of law.

“No allegation of sexual misconduct justifies mob violence,” it declared.

“No lecturer is above the law. No student is above the law. No human being should be stripped, beaten or humiliated by a mob.

“No victim should be silenced. No accused person should be convicted by the crowd. No university should permit jungle justice within its environment.”

Source: Arise News