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UNILAG Promised Us Medicine But Gave Us Botany – Candidates

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Fresh admission controversy has hit the University of Lagos as some candidates are accusing the authorities of high-handedness, CHARLES ABAH writes

For no fewer than 57 candidates, who participated in the 2015/2016 Foundation programmes that would enable them to study Medicine and Surgery at the University of Lagos, this September seems to be the longest month that they have ever witnessed in life.

In fact, since September 9, these candidates have not known peace, considering what they called high-handedness of the authorities of the university.

According to them, having passed all the necessary qualifying examinations that would enable them to proceed to the medical school, having spent hundreds of naira in terms of tuition and other sundry fees – undergoing a foundation programme – the authorities of the university are now scheming to abort their dreams.

Already, they have written to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rahamon Bello, demanding that the authorities should urgently look into their case.

In the letter dated September 20, 2016, the candidates, under the auspices of 2015/2016 Foundation MBBS, noted that denying them admission to study medicine in the ivory tower would be akin to a miscarriage of justice.

They copied the registrar of the university, director, School of Foundation Studies, provost, College of Medicine, as well as the Joint University Preliminary Examination Board in the petition.

Parts of their letter read, “The School of Foundation Studies admitted over 800 students into its programme with a promise that those who scored AAA (16 points) in all their courses shall be admitted to 200 level to study Medicine. We were asked to pay a huge sum of money – about half a million naira.

“The university tested us with a curriculum and at the end of the exercise, 87 of us obtained the required A’s. As if the management was happy about the less than 10 per cent pass, it came out with another fresh directive, which seems to call a ball that went over the bar a goal. The university said that it could only admit 30 students.

“Are we now being told that the university is nothing but a business centre and the JUPEB programme is nothing but a fraud? We hereby demand justice. This is but a rape on the collective intelligence of Nigerian students and an attempt to reduce the citadel of learning to a mere business venture. No sane society will let this go unchallenged. The university should provide reasons why, despite the recession in the country, parents will be made to cough out such whopping sums on empty promises.”

Our correspondent gathered that each of the candidates paid non-refundable acceptance fees of N25,000; N350,000 tuition; N7,500 medical insurance; N25,000 for examinations; N700 for syllabus, and N850 for biometric identity card. Besides, the candidates made personal arrangements for their accommodation for the one year that the programme lasted.

Beyond the fees, the narratives by some of the affected candidates and their guardians are the type some people will describe as touching.

“I have a B.Sc in Nursing from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. I graduated in 2009. No fewer than 800 of us enrolled for this programme last year and only 87 of us obtained the required three A’s to study medicine. With this, admission to the college of medicine would ordinarily be automatic but the authorities are changing the rules mid way into the game. This is not so in other universities.

“To study medicine in many other universities, one requires only 13 points, but here we all obtained 16 points. Yet, the authorities of UNILAG say they do not have space for us. I know how I struggled to make these grades. I know the psychological stress that I passed through to enable me to achieve this success. This programme nearly cost me my marriage as I struggled daily to cater to my husband and two teenage children.

“Why would I suffer the consequences of lack of space when they admitted so many candidates in the first place? The Federal Government needs to intervene in this matter; otherwise, we shall spend another year at home due to no fault of ours. Today, the authorities are asking us to go for such courses as fishery, botany, cell biology, psychology. Please, when has it become a crime to pass an examination? After having a degree in nursing, they expect me to start another course in fishery,” the candidate, who craved anonymity for fear of victimisation, said.

For another candidate, Adesewa, the decision of the university management will cut short her dream of becoming a medical doctor. The young lady, who said she obtained her WASSCE in 2013, noted that she had forfeited other admission placements just for her to study medicine.

She said, “I abandoned the admission I got to study Bio-Chemistry at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State in 2013 just to study medicine. In 2014, I sat for another UTME and obtained 68.75 aggregate marks. The cut off that year at UNILAG was 70 marks. In 2015, I enrolled for this foundation programme. Now, see the frustration I am facing again.”

But the Director, School of Foundation Studies, Prof. Oluwole Familoni, said the university did not promise any candidate automatic admission for medicine. According to him, both the candidates and their parents knew ab initio that the university had limited spaces for medical students.

He added, “There was no assurance of automatic admission for any candidate. Of course, we could not have done that because the regulators, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, would not allow us to admit more than 100 students.

“Agreed, the 87 candidates did well, they cannot force the authorities to admit them all to the College of Medicine and that is why we have given them the option to enrol for other programmes.”

On why the institution enrolled hundreds of candidates for the programme knowing that it had limited spaces, Familoni said it was a competition thrown open for all interested candidates.

He noted, “We could not have enrolled only 30 candidates for the foundation courses because we have only 30 spaces for them. It is akin to seeking employment in an organisation. Every firm has the right to select from the millions of applicants, those it considers suitable.

“We did not force them to purchase the forms. It’s a pity that they want to destroy the image of the university. They can go to court if they feel so aggrieved. Some persons tried it recently and they lost the case in the court. You cannot force any university to offer you admission.”

But a retiree, Mr. Joseph Taiwo, who said that he sold some of his personal effects, including his car, to ensure that his son sail through the foundation programme, noted that his family had not been in lively spirits since the news got to them.

He added, “When we initially received a report that he was among the few that obtained three straight A’s, we went for thanksgiving in our church. But that bubbling situation has died down in my home. We have all been wearing a mournful look since September 9 when news filtered that only 30 of them would be offered admission. Ordinarily, I would have sent him overseas to pursue the same course but I do not have the wherewithal.”

Appraising the development, the Coordinator, Education Rights Campaign, Mr. Taiwo Hassan, said the handling of the situation by the university was wrong.

“What UNILAG has done is very wrong and unacceptable. It amounts to changing the rules in the middle of the game. What the university has done is a violation of the rights of the students and I urge the affected foundation students not to take this lying low. They should stand up and organise themselves to challenge this injustice legally and politically. No one should accept that nothing could be done about this.

“As far as the ERC is concerned, we believe that this routine violation of students’ rights by UNILAG is one too many. Early in the year, about 102 undergraduates, who came into the university through the UTME for Medicine and Surgery were treated in the same way. Now is the time to say enough is enough to the impunity of the authorities,” the ERC helmsman said.

Sahara weekly online is published by First Sahara weekly international. contact [email protected]

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CELEBRATING A DISTINGUISHED STATESMAN: AMB. DR. BEN U.W. AMADI HONORED ON HIS BIRTHDAY FOR LEGACY OF VISIONARY LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE

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*CELEBRATING A DISTINGUISHED STATESMAN: AMB. DR. BEN U.W. AMADI HONORED ON HIS BIRTHDAY FOR LEGACY OF VISIONARY LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE

 

*Global* – Colleagues, dignitaries, and citizens across nations today join in celebrating *Amb. Dr. Ben U.W. Amadi*, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Atlantis, as he marks another year of impactful life and service on this special day.

#### *A LEADER DEFINED BY EXCELLENCE AND SERVICE*
Described by peers as a remarkable personality and visionary leader, Amb. Dr. Amadi’s unwavering commitment to excellence, leadership, and service continues to inspire many across nations. His tenure as Deputy Prime Minister has been characterized by strategic diplomacy, principled governance, and a relentless pursuit of progress for the people of the United Kingdom of Atlantis and its international partners.

#### *A LEGACY OF WISDOM, CHARACTER, AND PROGRESS*
Those who have had the privilege of knowing and working with Amb. Dr. Amadi point to his wisdom, strength of character, and passion for progress as defining qualities. Under his stewardship, initiatives focused on cultural advancement, information integrity, and cross-border collaboration have gained significant momentum.

“His leadership is not measured only in policy, but in people transformed,” said a senior official from the Ministry of Information & Culture. “He leads with clarity, compassion, and an unshakable commitment to the greater good.”

#### *HONORING YEARS LIVED AND LIVES TOUCHED*
On this auspicious occasion, tributes are pouring in from diplomatic circles, civil society, and the private sector, honoring not just the years he has lived, but the lives he has touched, the legacy he is building, and the greatness that lies ahead.

From youth mentorship to international alliances, Amb. Dr. Amadi’s influence extends beyond titles. His work continues to shape discourse around sovereign dignity, cultural heritage, and responsible leadership in the 21st century.

#### *STATEMENT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER*
While no formal statement has been issued by Amb. Dr. Amadi today, his office conveyed gratitude for the outpouring of goodwill and reaffirmed his dedication to the mandate of service entrusted to him by the United Kingdom of Atlantis and its citizens worldwide.

#### *ABOUT AMB. DR. BEN U.W. AMADI*
Amb. Dr. Ben U.W. Amadi serves as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Atlantis. He is widely recognized as a distinguished diplomat, strategist, and advocate for cultural and information advancement. His leadership philosophy centers on excellence, ethical governance, and building institutions that outlive individuals.

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WITH LOVE TO WAZIRI by Chief Femi Fani-Kayode

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POLICE SHOULD LEAVE FEMI FANI-KAYODE ALONE

WITH LOVE TO WAZIRI by Chief Femi Fani-Kayode

 

“I will not respond to Kashim Shettima because he is disrespectful. I am older than him and I have more experience in governance than he does, so I will not respond to him. It is not part of our tradition in the North to disrespect elders. You cannot look at someone who is senior to you in both age and accomplishments and start taunting him. That is not our tradition, so I won’t engage with him.”- Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Wazirin Adamawa, 13th April 2026.

 

My dear Waziri,

You know I love you very much and have expressed admiration for your efforts from time to time over the last 36 years since I have known you.

You will recall that we first met under the auspices of the now defunct September Club in 1989.

 

You attended our meeting as a mentee and loyalist of the late and great General Shehu Musa Yar’adua who we all reverred, loved and admired. It was a great event and those of us that hosted you and the General, despite being so young at the time, learnt so much from his wisdom and experience and your unalloyed and abiding devotion and loyalty towards him which was glaring for all to see.

 

Despite that, I am constrained to write the following.

With the utmost respect and in spite of your cultural sensitivities permit me to remind you of the following and to offer some unsolicited counsel.

You said you cannot answer Vice President Kashim Shettima because he is disrespectful and because you are older and far more experienced than him.

That is strange coming from you because I seem to recall that between 1999 and 2007 when we were in power you openly insulted, disrespected and led a full scale rebellion and unrelenting mutiny against President Obasanjo who was not only your boss and our leader but who also had far more working experience than you and was much older.

The only reason you cannot answer Kashim is because you have nothing to say, you have no answer to his challenge and finally, unlike you ever were or could be, he is totally and completely loyal to his principal and our leader President Tinubu.

As Vice President you could not find the courage to do same. As a matter of fact from day one of the 8 years that you were VP till the day we left office you were plotting to remove OBJ from his seat with the help of other dissidents and make yourself President. What could be more disrespectful than that to an elder or anyone else.

I am a living witness to the whole thing and I am pleased to say that you failed.

Please do not invoke age and experience as a reason for not responding to others when they criticise you. You forfeited that right long ago.

It takes courage and character to be loyal. Kashim has that courage and character but you never did.

Outside of this I wish you well in your endeavours sir and I hope and pray that you can resolve the grave challenges you are facing in your party so that you can meet us in the field of battle and we can trounce you at the polls in 2027.

Permit me to conclude with the following observations.

You said the following to Charles Aniagolu of Arise Television yesterday:

“I know Goodluck Jonathan very well, he is a decent young man but also inexperienced, which contributed to his failure to manage the affairs of the country”.

You refer to a man that has lived on the earth for 68 years and that has had the privilege of not just enjoying the position you once attained as Vice President but also went further than you to become President as a “young man”?

 

I am astounded by the sheer arrogance of your words.

 

This is all the more so given the fact that you are only 11 years older than him if reports about your age are to be believed.

You went further by saying that Jonathan was “inexperienced” and “he failed”?

 

You forgot that during Jonathan’s time Nigeria had the fastest growing economy on the African continent and did so much more but I leave it to his former Government officials and Ministers to defend his record in public office and prevent you from distorting and revising history and attempting to rubbish that record.

 

What I will say though, as the Director of Jonathan’s Media Presidential Campaign Organisation in 2015, is that he was a loyal Vice President to President Umaru Yar’adua and that he never betrayed his principal, coveted the latters office or tried to rubbish his legacy.

I can also attest to the fact that he was not only humane, gentle, restrained, kind and compassionate to a fault as a leader but that he also did his very best as President at a difficult time when bombs were being dropped all over the North in order to discredit and destroy him and his Government by the usual suspects just as they are attempting to do to Tinubu today in an attempt to bring him down.

Jonathan also displayed virtues of leadership and decency towards his followers the likes of which you cannot possibly imagine, match or emulate.

Through thick and thin even during the most challenging years when many of us faced savage and unrelenting persecution he abandoned none and he stuck by his friends and supporters which is more than I can say for most leaders.

 

These qualities cannot be taken away from him by anyone, least of all your goodself.

When a man that is incapable of trust, loyalty or fidelity runs down a man like Jonathan who embodies and epitomises all three it is not only painful but also unacceptable and even if the whole world sits by quietly and allows you to get away with it I will not.

 

I am glad that the Center for Responsible Governance (CRG) responded to you effectively on this issue and defended the honor of Jonathan and I subscribe to all that they said in their communique. I commend them and I salute their courage.

Most important of all is the fact that Jonathan had the courage and decency to walk away from power and hand it to President Buhari on a platter of gold after he lost the election in 2015.

If nothing else you must at least commend him for that.

 

Given your obsession with power and craving for it, I wonder whether you would have done the same.

 

It is obvious that despite all your efforts to cobble your platform together you are already anticipating a crushing defeat in next years election and your grave fears and desperate disposition are betrayed by the words you spoke at your so-called party Convention a few days ago where you said the following.

 

“It is clear that INEC is being used in this country. Let the Federal Government know that we fought the military to bring democracy to this country and we will f!ght the Federal Government to restore democracy.”

You can smell your defeat coming and you know that your ambition to be President of our country is slowly melting away like an iceberg that is approaching the tropics.

Like the mighty ship they called the Titanic your ambitions are about to crash and sink and you are already looking for excuses and threatening fire and brimstone.

Please do those of us that care for you and that respect you a favour by learning to lose with dignity and accepting the virtue of humility because all power comes from God.

When you lose, and lose you will, it will not be because of INEC but because you are running against a man that is far better than you in every shape and form and every way and manner.

It is also because God resists the proud and exalts the humble.

Please leave INEC out of it and prepare to accept the failure that is your portion and that is coming your way.

As for your threats to “fight the Federal Government” when the inevitable happens I can only say that good luck to you and advise you that at your distinguished old age you should know far better.

 

Whichever way I doubt anyone is losing any sleep over your threats because your assertions and allegations against INEC are not only baseless but also utterly (forgive me for using these words) asinine and nonsensical.

 

Outside of that they are also very dangerous and may affect the stability and peace of our nation which is precisely what you are attempting to achieve.

 

I advise you to desist from this reckless course sir and shun those around you that are advising you to tread it because it will not augur well for you or for them.

 

You are a respected democrat and not a lawless anarchist who seeks to scatter the entire table and pull down the entire house simply because you cannot have your way.

That is not you and you are far better than that. When you lose, kindly take it in good faith, move on and either try again in 2031 or retire from politics accepting that God never intended you to be President.

 

There is absolutely no shame in that because you have already achieved so much and established a strong and enviable legacy.

Please do not destroy it all out of blind ambition and the desire to get what God has chosen not to give you.

Nigeria has been good to you. Please do not try to set her on fire.

Back to the point.

My dear Waziri, both Kashim Shettima and Goodluck Jonathan were loyal to their bosses and you were incapable of doing the same.

 

That is where the story begins and ends. Ambition is like a drug that blinds and kills slowly.

 

I am sorry to say that this affliction has seized you since 1993 and appears to have become even more pronounced today otherwise you would not even dream of opposing the candidacy of President Bola Tinubu after all he did for you over the years after you were driven out of the PDP for your treacher in tatters and disgrace in 2014.

 

Both the late President Muhammadu Buhari and Tinubu housed you in their new party at the time, rehabilitated you and gave you a new lease of political life only for you to leave them, go back to PDP and oppose them by running against their party for the Presidency six years later in 2019.

Not only that, after you lost the 2019 election you thoroughly destroyed the same PDP that took you back, forgave you and gave you a platform to run on by dividing the party along regional, religious and ethnic lines.

You violated and destroyed its zoning formula by insisting that its presidential candidate (which of course had to be your goodself) must again come from the North in 2023 and you attempted to truncate, destroy and bury the aspirations, political career and trajectory of men like Governor Nyesome Wike who had not only funded the party for years but had welcomed you back into its ranks with open arms in 2017 and supported you for the Presidency in 2019.

Forgive me for saying so but loyalty and commitment to a collective and common cause does not appear to be your forte sir.

The Bible says “He who repays good with evil, evil will never leave his house”.

I do not wish you or yours evil but kindly consider this.

Both Goodluck and Kashim repaid their boss’s good with good whilst you repaid your boss Obasanjo’s good with evil and that is precisely why they have risen and will continue to rise to greater heights than you ever will.

Finally in the same interview with Charles Aniagolu you said the following about your colleagues in your factional ADC party.

“Kwankwaso, El Rufai and Tambuwal are not as popular as I am”.

Again forgive me for saying so but the truth is that you have displayed such a lack of humility, such arrogance and such a glaring display of hubris with these words.

 

I wonder how those three names you mentioned all feel about what you have said about their popularity or lack of it.

 

Clearly this is the beginning of the disintegration of the ADC.

By the time this is all over you may well end up having ten factions in your party and not just three.

 

One thing is clear in all this and that is the fact that you sir are loyal to your ambition and to no-one and nothing else.

 

It is only a matter of time before your new found friends in the ADC appreciate that and see you for who and what you really are.

 

I come in peace and I wish you well sir.

 

 

(Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, the author of this essay, is an Ambassador Designate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a former Minister of Aviation, a former Minister of Culture and Tourism, a former Special Advisor to President Olusegun Obasanjo on Public Affairs, the Sadaukin Shinkafi, the Wakilin Doka Potiskum, the Otunba of Joga Orile, the Aare Ajagunla of Otun Ekiti and a Legal Practioner)

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‘Mojoyin Fadaka: A Quietly Rising Voice in Nollywood* 

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*Mojoyin Fadaka: A Quietly Rising Voice in Nollywood*

 

 

 

Since her debut in 2023, Mojoyin Fadaka has been carving out a steady path in Nollywood—one defined less by noise and more by intention. Rather than chasing visibility, she focuses on growth, craft, and understanding the depth of each role she takes on.

 

 

 

 

Trained at Del York Creative Academy and KAP Film and Television Academy, Mojoyin built her foundation on discipline as much as talent. For her, acting is not just performance but preparation and emotional awareness—an approach that continues to shape her work across film and television.

 

 

 

 

Her growing filmography includes titles such as *Instead Of Love*, *Crazy Wives*, *Campus Queen*, *The Last Paycheck*, and *Between The Rails*. Across these projects, she has worked with respected figures in the industry while steadily expanding her range and screen presence.

 

 

 

 

Beyond acting, Mojoyin also explores storytelling through writing, a passion that influences how she interprets characters. She is drawn to roles that feel authentic and meaningful, avoiding shallow portrayals in favor of emotional depth and purpose.

 

 

 

 

Her versatility is further strengthened by her ability to perform in English, Yoruba, and Pidgin, with ongoing efforts to learn Igbo. She is also developing physical skills like boxing and swimming to broaden her adaptability for future roles.

 

 

Mojoyin Fadaka: A Quietly Rising Voice in Nollywood* 

 

Influenced by performers such as Viola Davis and Kehinde Bankole, Mojoyin describes her approach as instinctive—focused on allowing emotion rather than forcing it.

 

As Nollywood continues to expand, she remains focused on consistency over pressure, growth over speed. For Mojoyin Fadaka, the journey is not about rushing ahead, but building something lasting—one role at a time.

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