By: Ayinke

In the ever-evolving journey of life, the intersection of education and faith is a crossroad where many students find themselves. It is a complex and often challenging path to navigate. The decision to either prioritize one’s studies over religious devotion or maintain a balance between the two can significantly impact the course of a student’s life. This article delves into the complexities of managing academic pursuits alongside religious beliefs and argues that finding a harmonious balance is key to a fulfilling and successful student life.

The Unavoidable Dilemma

As students, one is often faced with the dilemma of what to pay attention to. I have heard this saying several times on campus that your purpose or primary assignment on campus is your grades but likewise what are the grades when God is left out? Most academic pursuit is driven by dreams of a promising future, financial stability, and personal growth but still the question remains who crowns all these efforts? In the face of demanding academic schedules, exams, assignments, and deadlines, students often find themselves immersed in a whirlwind of coursework. However, this intense academic commitment can sometimes lead to a dilemma concerning their religious beliefs and practices.

It’s not uncommon for students to grapple with the question of whether they should prioritize their studies over their faith. This dilemma can be especially pronounced when academic commitments clash with religious obligations, such as prayer times, fasting during religious holidays, or the need to attend religious events.


The Fear of Neglect

In the just concluded Freshers’ Welcome TECF, the speaker made the essentiality of religious belief known. In his words, religion is not a thing to neglect in pursuit of academic excellence as God is to be put at the forefront of every of our endeavors.

He further probes the minds of students that for everyone in school, there is a purpose for why God put you there. So, while you run around searching for grades, pursuing vain things you should remember that one day we did give an account of our journey. Funnily enough, we won’t be asked for a CGPA.

So, you may stop to think about it ” Should I focus on my academics alone and neglect my religious obligations?”
And am I trying to say neglect academics and face my religious belief? God forbid that I say such. What I am implying is just below.

Finding Balance

Balancing academic commitments and religious beliefs is undoubtedly a challenging task, but it is not an impossible one. The key to navigating this complex terrain lies in finding a harmonious balance that allows a student to excel academically while nurturing their spiritual well-being.

1. Time Management: The foundation of balancing education and religion is effective time management. Creating a schedule that accounts for both academic and religious commitments is crucial. Allocate specific times for studying, attending classes, and also for religious practices and activities.

2. Seeking Support: Students should reach out to their academic institutions and professors, if necessary, to discuss any potential conflicts between academic requirements and religious obligations. Most institutions are understanding and willing to accommodate students’ needs to ensure they can uphold their faith.

3. Prioritization: Prioritize tasks based on their importance and deadlines. This approach ensures that essential academic requirements are met while allowing time for religious practices without neglecting either aspect of life.

4. Community and Support Systems: Being part of a religious community or student group that shares similar beliefs can provide emotional support and opportunities to engage in religious activities together. These communities can also help students cope with the pressures of academia.

5. Self-Care: Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is vital. Regular self-care practices, such as exercise, meditation, or simply spending time with loved ones, can help alleviate stress and improve overall well-being.

The Consequences of Neglect

It is essential to acknowledge the consequences of neglecting either one’s studies or religious beliefs. Neglecting one’s academic responsibilities can result in poor academic performance, missed opportunities, and even financial instability. On the other hand, neglecting religious beliefs may lead to feelings of spiritual emptiness, guilt, and a sense of disconnection from one’s faith community.

The reality is that both aspects of life are significant, and the neglect of either can have long-lasting consequences. Therefore, it is essential to strive for equilibrium, as it is not merely a matter of choosing one over the other, but of finding a way to integrate both successfully.

Success Stories of Balance

There are numerous real-life examples of individuals who have successfully balanced their academic pursuits and religious beliefs. These individuals demonstrate that it is possible to excel in both areas of life.

Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel laureate and education advocate, is a prime example of someone who combined her devotion to her faith and a relentless pursuit of education. Despite facing adversity and threats to her life, she remained committed to her studies and her faith, becoming a symbol of empowerment and determination.

Similarly, right on this ground of UI, I have seen presidents of fellowships, students in various arms of religious activities ace their academics although I would not say there are not others who didn’t do well but remember religious activities isn’t the problem, balancing it is the problem.
With determination, time management, and a commitment to one’s faith, it is possible to excel in both academia and religious pursuits.

A Fulfilling and Successful Student Life

Ultimately, the pursuit of knowledge and one’s faith should complement each other rather than compete. A fulfilling and successful student life should not entail choosing between these two vital aspects of a person’s identity. Instead, it should involve harmoniously integrating them to create a life that is rich in both academic and spiritual experiences.

Students who manage to find this balance often report a sense of peace, contentment, and a strong sense of purpose. Their academic achievements become a reflection of their dedication and hard work, while their faith deepens, providing them with guidance and solace during challenging times.

In conclusion, the dilemma of balancing education and religion is a common and challenging one for many students. However, it is crucial to recognize that both are essential aspects of a fulfilling and successful life. With effective time management, support systems, and a commitment to self-care, students can navigate this complex terrain and find a harmonious balance that allows them to thrive both academically and spiritually. Balancing the books and beliefs is not an easy task, but it is a worthwhile endeavor that can lead to a rewarding and purposeful student life.

By: Fagbemi Joshua

In this citadel of learning where the spirit of Aluta, like they say, is not on the level or same degree when compared to that of some institution, the context of slugging matters out with the school management becomes impossible. Those who have been bathed and washed by the waters and soap of this terrain prior to their entry to the university sometimes find it so annoying to see the turns and play of events when it comes to battling with school management for student rights.

Would you blame any? In a situation where the predecessors made no move as per the discussions and likewise seeing the kind of scapegoat those who tried such have been subjected to is enough to kill every spirit that propels the energy to raise your head and speak forth against the school authority. Still, those who have been placed to a position where they are expected to shift some tables and make some moves for students’ sake, if such fails to materialize any of this, it is then safe to compel and tag such as incapable.

The university’s Students’ Unionism is in its cold state – no doubt about that – in the sense that they are typically a figure of representation and in some style mainly serve as a link between the university management and students. This can be widely seen in the way and manner responses to questions raised are being answered. It was in a form that simply says, “Don’t worry, we’ll table your request to our Bosses at the administration level for proper deliberation and decision”. The deliberation is only possible if there will even be any sort of consideration.

Thankfully, a student raised a question by asking the Students’ Union leaders of the congress in a bid to get students’ opinions on issues affecting them and negotiate with the school management or demand from the school management? This question as well raised the suspicion of what tends to happen to every resolution reached at the congress, tabling them to the point if they’ll be subjected to negotiations with the school management or make demands from the school management.

Let’s make some explanations and distinctions. When you negotiate with someone, it is like you are prepared to settle for some percentage of what the other person wants but also want to bring in your own interest to the table. Negotiation is just simply making both parties better off from a particular issue. This interprets that if the UI’SU’s plan is to negotiate matters with the school management, that means some of the areas that are not favorable to students will be finally settled for in some way.

On the other hand, when you make demands, you are stating what you want from a discussion and at the same time compelling the other party to go by your demands and accept your recommendations. In this sense, both parties still gain but not at the same proportion. The party who makes the demands gains more than the other party who is being compelled to accept. As a student body who have been vested with the will and power to be a spokesperson and representation for all students of the university, these are expected.

At the congress held on Saturday, October 14, 2023, which was the first in about 5 years, lots of expectations were placed on it. It at first looked like a failed program when the 500 people who are meant to make a quorum that officially stamps the beginning of the congress lost their Aluta voice. A Congress stipulated to begin by 7am was dragged to 10 before it finally kick started. The congress even started without getting the number of people – 500 – meant to kick start the congress which then put a question of the congress’ validity.

Is the Congress a gathering of numbers or a congregation called to make impacts? Series of topical issues were raised during the congress ranging from epileptic water and electricity supply across halls of residences, the payment of lap and studio fee, the extra charge on students for bank fee within the campus, the utility fee saga, increase in price of food in cafeterias to the transportation fee issue. These are issues that have been affecting students and call for an urgent intervention before things turn array.

The most dramatic of all has be be the studio and lab fee where students have been compelled to pay a sum of #10,000 and #20,000 for non-Fresher and Freshers respectively. Some faculties have even gone to the extent of stopping students who are yet to make the payment from engaging in practicals. It is the belief that when you make payment for the funding of a particular concept, what is literally expected from such a stance is improvement – a show of an upgrade from what has been in effect.

Due to the lack of trust – which originated from previous scenes – students typically see studio/lab fee as a way of extortion. Funny enough, some departments even claimed that they did not have anything called studio talkless of having access to any. Considering the situation of the country’s economy, paying a huge amount for a cause who’s impact or manifestations will not be seen is like deliberately throwing your money into a lake of water.

The introduction of a utility fee for all students has been questioned when it comes to showing forth the materializations of the fee. Again, paying #20,000, it is expected that there will be an improvement in both the supply of electricity and availability of water. Frankly speaking, reverse has been the colour of the case. Some even claimed that the situation tends to turn out worse than before. It is undoubtedly believed that when an increment is being introduced, the quality of the context is certainly compelled to increase.

To all these varying issues, the bottom line tends to question what will happen to the yearnings of students after the congress. No one even knows if the numbers of those present for the congress matched up to 500, this is very important as a number below 500 means that the congress is not valid and all discussions might end up locked within the air and wall frame.

Another concern as raised earlier is what happens to all opinions and deliberations reached during the congress. Will they finally get to the appropriate authority for consideration? Will there even be any room for consideration of the resolutions and demands? Will it be substantial enough to say we’ve been left in a confused state where we have no choice than to pay some bills simply because we have to pay?

Come the next few months, it shall be recorded in the history books that a congress was held which failed to yield results – that’s if it doesn’t. Students are eagerly awaiting feedback from the Students’ Union and it is high time the Union proved the congress is a congregation of impacts and not just a gathering of presence and number.

By Seilatolaide
As educators, we are embedded and well trained in the zone of being good future leaders, who direct and inculcate passion and motivation in followers. The most prominent expectation from an educator is to serve as a model to the students, this goes beyond the classroom and tallies around being kept in a position that requires the exhibition of a good leadership skill to attain the laid down objective. This emphasizes the utmost importance of leadership skill followed by good public speaking.
A teacher passes knowledge, morals, values and attitudes to students through communication and portraiture of such a passed attitude. This enhances a proper emulation of such character by the students. A good public speaking skill is wrapped around as teachers take students through lectures. Extending beyond the classroom level is at the seminar or symposium level where presentation could be required.
A teacher with a good public speaking skill will exhibit various characteristics which includes a prepared state of mind of the audience to be addressed. This eventually clears the space for little or no mistakes in the presentation. Furthermore, a good public speaker will portray the spirit of confidence to face a large number of people with various judgments and personality. The impact of this skill has helped educators build a successful career and achieve their goals around education.
Leadership skills and public speaking skills are not mutually exclusive because a hand tool to a leadership skill is communication. A leader will instill motivation, passion and enthusiasm into the follower through the tool of communication. Therefore, a good speaking skill adds a spark to achieving the aim of the leader. A leader whose words can’t be grasped will be left to a lane of futility.
The area that serves as a training ground for expertise in leadership and public speaking skills is the school. The school is an institution where various organized public speaking skills competitions are constituted, this helps in developing the potential great future speaker and bring about a discovery of talent. This inclusion goes far to the university level where students therefore, represent their schools to radiate the honour of their various higher institutions.
In the prestigious University of Ibadan, one of those leadership and public speaking training was organized. The innate potential summit was staged in a bid to build future educators with the process that leads to the ability of being a good public speaker that starts by leading oneself.
Educators are highly looked upon, as the immediate societal growth lies in their hands. They are privileged with the power to change the society with the knowledge they pass and example they show to the younger ones. The huge basket of demands and expectations on them certainly requires educators to imbibe and train the leadership and public speaking skill.

By: SeilatOlaide
Co curriculum activities are those activities outside the classroom engaged by students, these activities are mainly stress releasing activities as students are passionately involved in them to stimulate a better brain functioning and therefore, complement the academics curriculum. Many students come to school with the foremost mentality of tracing the book reading route without any concern for co curricular activities. Little do they know that a balance in social life and academics bring an excellent performance. A balance in the sense that academics is taken as the ultimate priority and likewise engaging in social engagement. Various activities that are regarded as co curriculum includes sport, press, literary and debate, music.
Students benefit a lot from co curriculum activities and eventually find their lifetime earning around those activities. Some students realized their passion for a particular activity would help them strive well in life and this saves their cross to efficient use of those accumulated skills from those activities for a successful life.
There are various co curricular activities to be engaged by students in the University of Ibadan. These include sports like volleyball, basketball, and football. Resulting from various engagements in football, students have been able to win awards ranging from the UISU Seal Cup to departmental and faculty based awards like the NUESA Dean’s Cup. People with passion for writing and journalism can join various Press organizations to build their writing skills and increase their passion for such. This eventually could lead to pursuing a career in Journalism.
Being a speaker is a gift, but a skillful speaking ability requires special training. This paves the way to joining literary and debating clubs so as to build a good speaking skill. Jaw War is a tradition at the University of Ibadan whereby different faculty face each other and the winner eventually gets rewarded. This helps a lot to build other aspects of an individual life.
The inculcation of co-curricular activities to the school have brought about the realization of inner talents of students as they are privileged to discover themselves and bring about a tangible usage of those talents. Co curricular activities add to individual potential and chances to be selected for a job application.
Students are sufficiently built in the area of problem solving skills, leadership qualities, creative thinking, logical and analytical thinking as well as social and ethnic value from social relationships with peers. Job interviewers are interested in students who are embedded with adequate skills and not just knowledge, this proves the relative importance of attaching to the co-curricular activities of the school.
Time management helps throughout one’s life to promote efficient performance and this is one of those skills learnt as a result of co curricular activities. Time is assigned to each of the activities given and as well as academic activities, students’ time management skills help with a balance in both co curriculum activities and academic activities to promote excellence in both the academic activities and that of the extracurricular activities
Students are involved in experimenting with their creations and this eventually results in boosting their self confidence which adequately adds to their job profile. The achievement attained from their activities result into the development of self confidence to excellently perform their task and this also promote the achievement of goals and objectives effectively
Students should be urged to engage in co-curricular activities as it goes beyond just adding the value of developing skills that help in life striving. It impact the ability to secure a good job without fear of competition

By: Ayinke

Introduction
The feminist movement has been a powerful force for social change, advocating for the rights and empowerment of women for decades. While the ultimate goal of feminism is to achieve gender justice and equality, there has been ongoing debate within the movement about whether the focus should be on equity or equality. Both concepts are central to feminist discourse, but they approach gender justice from slightly different angles. In this article, we will explore the concepts of equity and equality in the context of feminism, examining their similarities, differences, and the ongoing strive for gender justice.

Understanding Equity and Equality
Before delving into the feminist perspective, it’s important to understand the fundamental differences between equity and equality. Equality refers to the state of being equal, especially in terms of rights, opportunities, and treatment. In the context of gender, equality would mean that men and women are treated exactly the same way, with no discrimination based on their gender. It assumes that treating everyone equally will lead to fairness.

On the other hand, Equity recognizes that individuals have different needs and circumstances. It involves providing individuals with what they need to reach a level playing field, even if it means treating them differently to achieve the same outcome. In the context of gender, equity acknowledges that historical disadvantages and discrimination may require tailored solutions to address disparities effectively.

Feminism and Equality
The concept of equality has long been a driving force within feminism. Many feminists argue that true gender justice can only be achieved when women are treated on par with men in all aspects of life. This perspective aims to eliminate discriminatory practices, stereotypes, and biases that have historically held women back.

One of the most significant achievements of the feminist movement in pursuit of gender equality has been the fight for legal rights. Over the years, feminists have worked tirelessly to secure equal rights for women in areas such as voting, education, and the workplace. These efforts have led to several significant legal changes

Feminism and Equity
While the pursuit of gender equality remains a core objective of feminism, many feminists argue that equity is a necessary complement to achieve true justice. They assert that simply treating men and women equally does not address the underlying systemic inequalities and historical disadvantages that women face.
Equity in feminism acknowledges that women have historically been marginalized and disadvantaged in various ways, including unequal pay, limited access to education, and underrepresentation in positions of power. To address these disparities, feminists advocate for policies and practices that provide women with the support and resources needed to level the playing field.
For example, affirmative action programs in education and employment are often seen as a means of promoting equity. These programs aim to address historical discrimination by giving preferential treatment to underrepresented groups, including women, to ensure they have equal access to opportunities.
The Intersection of Equity and Equality
It’s essential to recognize that equity and equality are not mutually exclusive concepts. In fact, they can and should coexist within the feminist movement. Achieving gender justice requires both treating women and men equally under the law and addressing the unique challenges and disadvantages that women have historically faced.
For instance, consider the issue of gender-based violence. Equality in this context would mean treating perpetrators of violence against women the same as perpetrators of violence against men. However, equity recognizes that women are disproportionately affected by gender-based violence and may require specialized support services and legal protections.
Similarly, in the workplace, achieving gender equity may involve policies such as paid parental leave and affordable childcare to support working mothers. These measures aim to address the specific challenges women often face in balancing career and family responsibilities while also advocating for equal pay and promotion opportunities.
The ongoing strive for gender justice within feminism, therefore, encompasses both equity and equality. It acknowledges that different situations may require different approaches, and the ultimate goal is to create a society where women are not only treated equally but are also empowered to overcome historical disadvantages.
Challenges and Criticisms
The debate between equity and equality within feminism is not without its challenges and criticisms. Some argue that focusing too much on equity can lead to reverse discrimination or create a sense of unfairness among those who do not benefit from affirmative action programs.
Additionally, the practical implementation of equity policies can be complex, and critics worry about potential unintended consequences. Striking the right balance between equity and equality is a complex task that requires careful consideration and ongoing evaluation.

Conclusion
In the pursuit of gender justice, feminism grapples with the concepts of equity and equality. While both are essential, they offer different approaches to addressing the historical disadvantages and discrimination that women have faced. Achieving true gender justice requires recognizing the unique challenges women encounter and tailoring solutions to address them while simultaneously advocating for equal treatment under the law.
The ongoing strive for gender justice within feminism should not be seen as an either/or debate between equity and equality but as a multifaceted approach that seeks to create a more just and equitable society for all genders. Ultimately, the goal remains the same: a world where women have the same opportunities, rights, and recognition as men, while acknowledging and addressing the systemic barriers they have historically faced.