By Cornelius Ellah
100 level students of the College of Health Technology in Calabar (COHTECH) have been working as cleaners of the institution for disrespecting Cross River Governor, Senator Ben Ayade.
The students are said to have deserted their seats while Mr. Ayade, represented by his deputy, Professor Ivara Esu was addressing them at the 11th matriculation ceremony of the institution.
And, LINCORNELLAH’S Blog reports that the memories of posts matriculation punishment may last longer than the thrills of the ceremony as they have been working as cleaners, clearing garbage and ensuring the general cleanliness of the college.
According to eyewitnesses at the matriculation ceremony, most newly admitted students vacated their seats to take pictures with their friends and families when the Deputy Governor was reading his address at the occasion. The students reportedly failed to exhibit the kind of humility that is usually associated with fresh students of tertiary institutions.
A Lecturer in the College who craved anonymity said that it got so embarrassing that: “The Deputy Governor almost threatened to ask that the admission of these students should be revoked.”
The Lecturer added that whereas most persons want to have a personality like the Deputy Governor in their midst, newly admitted students of the College shunned him completely.
He said: “The man being a teacher and former Vice Chancellor understands the concept of discipline. He expected everyone to listen to him. This is why he got angry and said ‘I am talking, but these people are not listening. This is their occasion. I am here because of them. Yet, they are not here.”
The Lecturer described the conduct of the students as “witchcraft”. He said that as a result of that “uncivilized and decadent behavior,” the College’s Management held an emergency meeting after the matriculation ceremony and resolved that the students should undergo punishment for a period of one week.
They have been clearing garbage, scrubbing dirty spots from walls and ensuring general cleanliness in the College. Affected students have also been exempted from lectures throughout this week, as part of that punishment.
However, the punishment does not affect newly admitted students of Departments of Computer Science and Public Health respectively, as they were reportedly seated and well behaved, throughout the duration of that ceremony.
But, an affected student who preferred anonymity said that they left their seats at the matriculation ceremony because “the sound system was bad”.
She said: “We couldn’t even hear anything. We were just following people. When dem siddon, we siddon. When dem stand, we stand. But we couldn’t take it anymore. People stood up to go and take pictures because they couldn’t hear anything and the place was boring.”
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