NIJ: Holy, Sinful or Academic Land?

The Building of Nigerian Institute of Journalism

Despite the rigorous academy sessions of Nigeria Institute of Journalism on student, some students still find time to please God and some displease Him.

Every Wednesday at exactly 12noon which is the stipulated time for lectures to halt unlike every other day where lectures are extended to evening period, some students of Nigeria Institute of Journalism hurriedly pack their belongings and dash to Room 103 and Room 105 in respect to hold fellowship and meeting in the name of 'Worshiping GOD. 

Muslim Student Society of Nigeria NIJ Chapter holds meeting at room 105 and His Grace Assembly NIJ holds fellowship at room 103 respectively.

Meanwhile, other students don't just sit idly in class, some read and study what has been taught in class, some go to cafeteria to get their stomach filled, some sit under the palm trees planted surrounded the Institute football field doing chatty talks, while some pay visit to Big Brother Cafe (BBC) which is directly opposite the School in order to get relaxed after the strenuous academic sessions and other places individual student feels he or she could get comfort, better still, some go home directly.

Investigation reveals that fellowship and meeting are hold in NIJ based on the objectives of keeping students apprise of God's word and staying on course, to develop relationship with God, to grow in knowledge and grace of God, to seek for forgiveness and shy away from sin and to try being as holy as possible.

In an interview with the President (Amir) of MSSN NIJ, Ibrahim Ismail, explained that

"MSSN NIJ is there to advocate to student about Islam, how Allah has set it for his Prophet and how it is to be practiced in order to attain high level of holiness and acceptance from God."

"MSSN NIJ also teaches the student about moral standards, values of virtue, acceptable dressings and attainment of academic excellence and so on, just to mention few," Ibrahim explained.

Speaking with the President of His Grace Assembly Fellowship NIJ Chapter, Anifowose Maria, she explained that the core purpose of the establishment of the Fellowship was to proclaim Jesus Christ to students and staffs on campus.

"It is an establishment to lead people to becoming born again, so that they would live good and exemplary lives through the Spirit of God that is imparted into them when they become born again," Maria said.

Speaking to a 'regular' member of Grace Assembly Fellowship in NIJ, Talabi Samuel, he stressed that fellowship taught students about behavioural standard, how to be focused on priority aims, head tops in education."

An alumnus, Madumere Gabriella, discussed with our correspondent that these fellowship and MSSN meeting are of different units consisting christians and muslims in their respective groups, which sole purpose was to worship in one voice and accord.

"Coming together as a muslims or christians helps you to know fellow brethren, their challenges and help them where they need your help and most especially it is a holy act when you pray together, fast together, worship together and study together Quran or Bible," Gabriella stressed.

However, while some students are attending the religious groups, some are busy drinking, smoking, gambling either within the school premises or within the environ of the Institute. An examplenary place where students get drunk and participate in all these acts is BBC.

In an interview with the Chief Executive Officer of BBC, Mr Adeshina, decribed BBC as a Relaxation and Fun Center.

' He said "this place is serving the purpose of relaxing people and creating the mood of pleasure to customers who patronize me, and it's not just only the students who come here to patronize me but other people within this environment, though, most of my customers consist of NIJ students."

In an interview with the Assistant Technical Officer of NIJ, Qozeem Adeshina, he disagreed totally with the visitation of students to BBC saying that BBC is irrelevant and not purposeful for a student with vision.

"That venue is not meant for a purposeful student, I mean, a real student with vision. A place where fornication, drug addiction, gambling is practied is bad and very cruel in killing dream. In a nutshell, that kind of venue is sinful as Allah and His Prophet prohibited such gathering," Qozeem said.

However, while some students believed BBC to be surrounded with lots of vices, some still view it as a place of relaxation where one could go to after being bombarded with strenous academy activities.

The incumbent Chairman of Student Representative Council, Folarin, explained that BBC was not a representative of vices rather could it be categorized as a place to enjoy, relax, feast and drink after the stress experienced by students after class.

"BBC is not a brothel, it is a bar. To me, BBC is a place outside where relaxation is allowed away from school stress. If you also wasnt to enjoy a different taste of food like Ofada rice and assorted meat and drinks," Folarin said.

To view other topical aspect, the Institute has a building (mosque) behind the main building which is used by muslims to observe their prayers (Solat), but observation revealed that fewer muslims make use of this mosque to pray. When question was thrown to the Amir of MSSN by our reporter that why the low turn out of muslims using the mosque to perfom their 'obligatory solat', he replied that students are more fond of social activity than engaging in religious activity.

"Students find it more interesting to engage themselves in social activities and shy away from their obligations, some are unidentical, that is, they refused to reveal which religion they belong to, so as not to be pestered by the MSSN or Fellowship Excos," Ibrahim explained.

Ibrahim went further explaining that these students knew what was right but just didn't want to have them done. Similarly, Qozeem stressed on the point of 'knowing what to do' but shying away from it.

"Individual activities is just no going area, as to follow the ethic of our faith. Nevertheless, we need to encourage the adoption of Right Discipline and enlighten ourselves on the virtue of Religious Ethic that can influence us for a greater being."

"I am not really satisfied by the poor discipline found within the Muslim and Christian youths. I had taken my time studying the level of ethic employed by diverse personalities and student, as I remain one, it is just absolutely less kind of Ummah the Prophet has described. Let's look inward for better solution than to pick mistake, we are not perfect. The trace of the problem can reflect back to our various homes, community influence, self desires and perpetration of Satan," Qozeem explained.

Just like every other schools, moral vices are exhibited ferociously in NIJ as well. These vices include stealing of books, phones and other valuable properties of fellow students, drinking of alcohol to an extent of abuse, smoking, drug addiction, fornication and examination malpractice.

In addition, Samuel disclosed that there was no place where vices could not be found, even in church, but vices were mostly found in educational institutions like NIJ. "Fornication, involving in drug, cultism, stealing, going to club at late night and so on."

"These asre things that groups like Fellowship and MSSN are trying to put a stop to, and it also creates opportunioty for those that are deep in their fellowship with God to stay steadfast," he added.

Ibrahim and Maria explained that BBC could actually subject students to vices and immorality. Adding that no matter how plenteous preaching and teachings are, if students didn't desist from getting exposed to such environment where evil and immorality acts throve, then, students are prone to acted immorally

Citing examples of these vices from a source who does not want his name disclosed, "students of NIJ are full of it, there was a time students went for after party on pageantry day, at Trace Lounge just like they always do and a female student drank to the extent of stupor and she was taken aback the club to do some stupid things with two guys."

"She didn't just have sex with these two guys, she was also taken home by 4 guys, God knows what happened at the place she was taken to and also, series of examples like that that I can finish mentioning, even BBC tolerates such things."

"Female students are taken to the toilets inside BBC, to do what? of course, to exhibit all forms of rubbish, or do they want to tell me that they went inside the inside the toilet to gist," Undisclosed source expressed.

Similarly, a lecturer of the Institute, Tolu Ojemuyiwa, experienced an extravagant immorality while he was trying to meditate in the toilet, saying he started at least three female voices in the next toilet beside where he was.

"The first girl said 'pull' I was surprised on hearing that and waited till more voices started flying through the toilet with sounds like 'ouh!' 'eew!' and so on, when I could not take it anymore, I cleared my throat and one of them screamed 'who is there?' I answered that it's me, before I got out, they have all vacated the toilet," Tolu said.

Gabriella expressed matching worries that students tend to go extreme and display vices in the name of deriving pleasure and getting favours even to an extent of illustrating homosexuality.

"Because immorality speaks amongst NIJ students. We pretend to be nice in school but when we leave the school gate we become something else, indecent dressings, trying to get close to lecturers and seduce them just because of the mark they want to squeeze out."

Given all these points, one would wonder what kind of Land NIJ is, if one finds oneself in a situation to label it either holy land due to the fact that NIJ accommodates religious group openly, though, few practices religion extensively. Also, when one gives it a thought to label it as a 'Sinful Land' due to high immorality and vice acts displayed by students, one might feel justified.

Gabriella said that the students of NIJ were the ones making it unholy. "The students are making it unholy. It's not making them a better student of the Institute. NIJ is not a sinful land and it's not a holy land but becoming a holy land because of both fellowship in the Institute, with time it will be a better place."

Also, Folarin expressed comparable anguish saying "if NIJ has a fellowship and mosque that student worship at and it is still termed 'Sinful Land', then, I think these religious bodies need to work more, because I think that is their utmost assignment, to ensure that God's presence is observed and people within that environs are not misled into devil's den."

"But they are not vices exhibited that can attract such unpleasant name for the institution. In fact, you will also agree with me that NIJ is a 'Small World' not just literally but apparently. So, whoever intend going wrong will be seen and corrected instantly, he added.

However, some students and staffs disagreed that the institution is either Holy Land or Sinful Land but purely Academic Centre.

"NIJ is an Educational Institute, but some student may be so reckless to stand as bad perpetrators. That shouldn't make the Land sinful," Qozeem said.

Similarly, Ibrahim said "NIJ is an academic Land and not holy or sinful land, it is the students in NIJ can individually be labeled to be holy or sinful being."

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In conclusion, it is agreed by majority that all hands need to be on deck in other to tackle shortcomings of the school, stressing that parents, student and school management need to reshape necessity and continuous orientation included in law. Also, disciplinarian committee should be set up if one has not been in a place yet, reinvigorate it and create stringent rules and laws.