A good will.

Benjamin, PANS president UNIBEN

Politics is a very tricky game. It is like poker. That is, when people appear to be here, they are actually there. Most times, politicians even get confused by their own antics. Thereafter, they lose focus and embark on white elephant projects. They do this to gain cheap popularity and siphon funds.

Many student leaders have come and gone. A majority leave office with a dilapidated reputation. They enter as poor, wretched and humble soul but leave office like a spoilt son-of-the-devil. To be a devil’s child is evil enough but when a devil’s child becomes spoilt, it is an emergency.

But this is not the case for Benjamin Idiakhoa, PANS president 2016. Rather, he focuses on reasonable student friendly projects. His stellar performance breaks the silence in the faculty. His deeds etiolate the rocks and echoes in the caverns. His political affluence is observed by both lecturers and students alike. This is not an age of riddles. Hence pharmacy students don’t need an elucidation on the Benjamin brand. His performance is no longer questionable. He has rose above the fray.

The Dean, inspecting the items

Recently, Pharmacy laboratories received new equipment. This was an act of good will. They were from the Benjamin led administration. The equipment arrived amidst the struggle to clear the faculty name from the sub-standard. The instruments were, 2 binocular microscopes, 2 monocular microscope, 3 cartons of porcelain dishes, and 4 cartons of conical flasks. 8 weighing balances and 100 dispensing bottles.

The Dean, Prof. John Akerele lacked words to express his gratitude. So also were the lecturers in Pharmaceutics. “It is very hard to find students committed to development such as this, I wish all other student leaders cue in this line as this will surely help the pharmacy profession” says the Dean, Prof. Akerele. Benjamin is now a reference student leader. If the dean of pharmacy, in his lofty position could see this as an act of good will, then it is good will.

RIP Stephen Keshi and Amodu Shuaibu

Amodu

Tragedy struck Nigerian football again early on Saturday morning, when former Super Eagles coach and Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amodu Shuaibu, died in his sleep in Benin City, Edo State. His death came just three days after another ex-national team coach and close friend of Amodu, Stephen Keshi, died in the same town.

Keshi

Keshi became the first Nigerian to win the Africa Cup of Nations as captain and coach, after leading the Super Eagles to victory in the 2013 edition of the competition hosted in South Africa. He also qualified Nigeria for the 2014 FIFA World Cup hosted in Brazil.

But humans are hypocrites. They condemn you when you are living and then praise you at death. The NFF never saw anything good in Keshi. Now they sing his eulogies. This is not the kind of spirit we need around here. Hence Gilbert Alasa noted “If you ever doubt the hypocrisy in the human spirit, wait for the day you drop dead. Even your mean, wicked landlord will brand you the best tenant ever.” Remember Stephen Keshi and how he was treated by NFF.

Treat all men as they are. If bad people die and you can’t speak frankly of their evil act, keep your mouth shut. Also, don’t hate good people when they are alive. Keshi resurrected the spirit of National football. Rest in peace Keshi and Amodu.

© Ezekiel Efeobhokhan
500 pharmacy UNIBEN

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PANS Politics.

PANS politics has become a shadow of common sense. This week, we would use a commentary from Victor Obagidi a 300 level student pharmacy student UNIBEN. He has simply packaged the recent happenings in PANS UNIBEN in his short exhortation to political righteousness. Student or not, this piece will teach you how to be rational and objective. Enjoy.

Victor

“Dear Friends,

As funny and annoying as this message might read, please do well to read it comprehensively.

Right from the very first day I stepped into the University of Benin as a Pharmacy student, the experiences till date has been awesome (both positive and negative).

But then, I want to base my writing on my experience with the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students (PANS) UNIBEN politics. I recall vividly when a senior colleague met the innocent me at basement and asked me the state I came from. I replied "Edo state, Etsako East to be precise" and then he smiled at me and said thank God. I wondered why he thanked God because he met an Edo boy. After several minutes of telling me sweet things as how pharmacy is the best course I could have ever chosen, he then introduced me officially into PANS politics with a clear picture of the two major faction existing in the faculty of Pharmacy just like APC and PDP. 

It really sounded interesting although annoying as he urged me to belong to a sect as a result of my state of origin. I laughed and gave him a shocking answer which was a "NO" not because I was proud but because I had spent years building a life of value and I wasn't ready to loose my value to sentiments all in the name of politics. He wasn't happy about my response as he asked me if I had any political ambition in the faculty. I replied "NO, I have no ambition in politics but I have an ambition in Pharmacy which is ensuring that I do the right thing always regardless of who is doing the wrong thing and to take with me, as many people as possible in the right direction"

Did I regret saying that? No... I didn't and will never do. This mandate has made me pay attention to the PANS politics as it is being played and in my opinion, what is being practiced is not politics but immaculate hatred where progress is the alternative forgone for selfish reasons. 

For complete 3years, I have seen a pure example of sentimental politics where ambition rules over the collective vision of the association. I have experienced a system where hatred has become a norm for as long as you are not for a particular set of people. I have learnt first-hand a typical projection of "the best player of the game wins" even if the best player is not the best for the job. I have been fed with delicacies that has an aroma of brotherhood and sisterhood where I should give in to whatever my brother say even when I am convinced it is the wrong thing. I have seen people desperate for positions to an extent that they'll go to any length just to get what they want and a system where the wrong thing has been altered to seem right to make it alright.

Truth be told, we have different view of what politics is and we all have different views on what it actually means but do we know what it actually means? Must we always make it dicey as the environment has painted it for us to see?  Must we make enemies out of this so called politics? Must our colleagues whom we met by the chance of becoming professionals in the same field be our next victim of ridicule all because we want a position? Is our ambitions superior to the happiness of many? Is our desperation more important than the precious life of our colleagues? Is our conscience that dead that we don't really care?

The future looks so bright but the so called politics is projecting a tomorrow that would be full of strive and battles. May I remind you, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) of today started from the faculty level, the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria we see today was built some time ago also at the faculty and the battles being fought among pharmacists also started at the faculty level. Many of us are blindly looking at these sensitive issues with little or no concern as we are living for the now irrespective of what the future holds and these damages are being done gradually.

What is my point? We need to grow as individuals and as a faculty beyond this level where we are to become a team through thick and thin. On this note, I humbly plead to every pharmacy student reading this piece especially the undergraduates like myself who are still in the pipeline of reformation to become pharmacists to embrace unity irrespective of the color, race, ethnicity and relationship. 

Let's join hands to build a better profession we would all be proud of. Let's come together to pursue a common goal. Am I saying we shouldn't support whoever we want to support? No! All I am asking is for a united pharmacists in training who would show love to one another regardless of our individual interest and without pride and prejudice. Let's see beyond what the people before us has painted politics to be. Let's define it our own way so we can get a better unity than we inherited.

I stand to uphold the UNITY of this profession and I beg you to join me in this race by passing this messages across to any pharmacy student you come in contact with. The future of Pharmacy lies in our hands and we must make it the best for those coming behind. Let us all join our hands in integrity as men of honor to SAY NO TO UNHEALTHY POLITICAL DIVISION.

I believe in the great faculty of Pharmacy, 

I believe in the great intellectuals called PANSites, 

I believe in the UNITY of PANSites and 

I believe in YOU.”

Victor Obagidi

300 level Pharmacy UNIBEN.

That was cool, isn’t it? But it is all good. At least, if someone could reason like this, it shows that Kalligraphy is not alone in the struggle for common sense. Let us join hands to flush out these crazy form of politics. Because if this generation continues like this, then we would have vanity and bad government for dinner. 

Happy birthday Eddy Uwoghiren.

Eddy

Sometime in 2012, while my mates were in class, I went to complete an assignment in the cheap and not so popular MTN library. There I met Eddy Uwoghiren, a medical student. He had read one of my article and said he loved it. (Although the write-up was filled with bias). He connected me with his editor and boom, I became like Eddy, reporting for the Nation newspaper. From him, I met Gilbert Alasa, my mentor. Here I am today because of a positive connection with a true patriot. Happy birthday Eddy and many happy returns. I am here today because he was there.

© Ezekiel Efeobhokhan

500 pharmacy UNIBEN

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VALUE SYSTEM

We all run into different people on a daily basis. What we make of them is what they become. But there are some basic truths about relationships we ought to know.

No matter how costly you think you are, you will not be priced more than what the other person can afford. By that I mean; ‘never blame anyone for taking you cheaply’. In every failed expectation in a relationship a large chunk of the blame usually goes to the person who feels he/she is the victim. You should not blame a tomato seller for giving you N2, 000 for a golden necklace. She does know that the necklace is very costly but her pettiness, which is not her fault, cannot allow her afford a higher price. So, instead of running amok because of her low price tag, go to someplace else where your golden necklace would be valued.

Here’s a story on the value of life. Enjoy.

A little boy went to his old grandpa and asked, "What's the value of life?"

The grandpa gave him one stone and said, "Find out the value of this stone, but don't sell it."

The boy took the stone to an Orange Seller and asked him what its cost would be.

The Orange Seller saw the shiny stone and said, "You can take 12 oranges and give me the stone."

The boy apologized and said that the grandpa has asked him not to sell it.

He went ahead and found a vegetable seller. "What could be the value of this stone?" he asked the vegetable seller. The seller saw the shiny stone and said, "Take one sack of potatoes and give me the stone." The boy again apologized and said he can't sell it.

Further ahead, he went into a jewelry shop and asked the value of the stone.

The jeweler saw the stone under a lens and said, "I'll give you 50 million for this stone." But the boy refused to sell. The boy explained that he can't sell the stone.

Further ahead, the boy saw a precious stone's shop and asked the seller the value of this stone.

When the precious stone's seller saw the big ruby, he lay down a red cloth and put the ruby on it. Then he walked in circles around the ruby and bent down and touched his head in front of the ruby. "From where did you bring this priceless ruby from?" he asked. "Even if I sell the whole world, and my life, I won't be able to purchase this priceless stone.

Stunned and confused, the boy returned to the grandpa and told him what had happened. "Now tell me what the value of life is, grandpa?"

Grandpa said, "The answers you got from the Orange Seller, the Vegetable Seller, the Jeweler & the Precious Stone's Seller explains the value of our life...

You may be a precious stone, even priceless, but people will value you based on their financial status, their level of information, their belief in you, their motive behind entertaining you, their ambition, and their risk taking ability. But don't fear, you will surely find someone who will discern your true

value." Respect yourself. You are Unique. No one can replace you.

No matter who we meet. Male or female. Married or single. Benevolent or stingy. Cheerful or sad; No matter their predisposition, they either add to our value or subtract from us. Hence the more reason we are to know which relationship to foster or the one to starve to death. Stay tuned. We will be right back.

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© Ezekiel Efeobhokhan

500 level Pharmacy UNIBEN

Have you ever been into a wrong relationship?

Feel free to share your experience.

Anonymity would be granted if wanted.

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PANS Pageantry: Beauty and the Brain

Beauty and Brain. These two features rarely meet. Hence, most of the time, we find beauties devoid of brains. These ones go around wreaking havoc. Take a look at our celebrities. Many of them are endowed with physiological assets. But they are just clean and empty. They go into marriages and allow trivial things determine the success of their home. Those with beauty need brain. Else they become a bag of beans, no value.

Valerie Obakpolor is one of those rare breeds. She is the new Miss Ultra-Cal-C. She is not just a pretty face but also brainy. She has the carriage of hope and the content of quality. Good enough. Congratulations.

But many ladies need to learn. They need to be taught that values are tangible, and that it supersedes body shapes and contours. It is the content and not the casing that should be prioritized. It is what you are made-of and not make-ups that keeps marriages. Our ladies need to become personalities that create values and sustain visions. Many ladies need a change of value systems.

Change this Change.

Talking about change. It is time to change this warped form of change APC brought around here. We hoped for a better change. But these guys somehow have a funny way of making sad things look pleasant. They remove fuel subsidy and tell us it is sacrifice. Yes, it may be a sacrifice. But they have to pay for it. Pushing the sacrifice to the citizens to pay is not the best option.

Except we want to succumb to primordial sentiments, the increase in PMS is a clear breach of trust. At some point we need to ask ourselves some introspective questions; whether anything has significantly change after this change came into power? It may not be judgment day yet for Buhari and his APC friends. But he has spent more time puffing and huffing about the fight against corruption. We don’t like this change. Please change this change in fuel price.

But God doesn’t change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. See this anonymous post; ‘With the current increase in price of everything, we should be grateful to God that he has not increased the tithe to 15%. It is still 10%. Be faithful and don’t rob God. Even with the economic situation and inflation, the wages of sin has not changed. The price is still death. While the gift of life is still free. Isn’t that wonderful?’

Happy Birthday Prince

He smiles rarely. But whenever he does, it is from the heart. He laughs and does so with happiness. He tries to please yet not everyone gets pleased. He is the class representative of the 500 level pharmacy class, UNIBEN. He is a personification of simplicity. He does not pride himself even if there are myriads of opportunity to do so. He is a scholar yet he does not flaunt his superior airs and credentials. Congratulations Prince Uba on your birthday. Kalligraphy celebrates with you.

Ezekiel Efeobhokhan

500 level pharmacy.

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The stellar class.

The people of Oliha saw great light. The traders, mostly the elderly came in large numbers, and left rejoicing. Pharmacy students always leave a mark; good marks for posterity to pride on. Although, the crowd almost got out of control, yet the students soon controlled them appropriately. Nice.

This rally raised many solutions. It was timely and properly managed. The initial venue had been corrupted by ragamuffins. Thugs were doing what they know to do best; fighting with guns and live bullets. Hence the pharmacy students could not go close to ring road axis of Benin. Else, they administer their drugs to themselves. But the new venue was a better option.

Thanks to all those who turned out for the program. Especially the 300 level class. They are the stellar class. The 300 level class outnumbered all other levels present. Even, they outnumbered the class of the president. It is rarely so. It wasn’t just a miracle to find a class (300 level) committed to such humanitarian service but it was also a terrible reality to find a class (500 level) so unaware, and with such tiny-littleness of willingness to offer humanitarian services. They were like the sycophants in Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. But as Jesus told the Pharisees; ‘stones could replace humans when human’s decides to shut their lips’. The majority of the 500 level class shut their knowledge. Hence they were replaced. 

While we relish the public show of charitable heroism by the 300 level class, we regrettably pine away in the low-down unpatriotic patriotism of the 500 level class. One class has shown unity and indivisibility. The other showed an acute form of accumulated malfeasance. The 300 class were clad in unity and purposeful goals. But the 500 level class were clad in individuality and corrupted love. 

But one is still a political virgin. And the other, is marked with strains of political cleavages; like a virgin raped off her political sensibility. The 500 level class hold strong to a clique of individual orientation. It is a crazy orchestra of broken rhythm in a class consisting of ‘blood brothers.’ Shame. Hope they change and restitute for this pharmaceutical monstrosity. These little humanitarian services we render, sometimes are what protects our sanity in this horror ridden clime that we currently live in.

Talking about humanitarian services;

Prisca Anyakee is a pharmacist. Breaded in the great University of Benin; she has decided to give back to the society. She has emulated the benevolence of Dora Akunyili. She has extended the border of her profession to helping the illiterate, those ignorant about healthy living. If you are an ardent follower of her blog posts you would notice the things posted there are little information that could sometimes be the difference between the living and the dead. Doctors, Pharmacists and other health workers usually ignore such details. Little leavening they say, leaveneth the whole lump.

Prisca has decided to build an educative platform to spread the message about the importance of fitness, skin care, dieting and other necessary indices. Instead of posting obscene comments and statuses, many young persons can apply for mentorship from this amazon. Here is a pharmacist who cares about others. Follow Prisca Anyakee on www.prisschar.blogspot.com.

Ezekiel Efeobhokhan

500 level pharmacy.

University of Benin.

Edo State, Nigeria

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LAURETTA IS PRESIDENT

Many kicked when she first began. They thought it was something that can never reach political efficacy. To them, it would take Armageddon before Lauretta could win. But they were wrong. There was no Armageddon and Lauretta won.

Her supporters waxed poetic; they chanted songs. Some others used graphics. A few stood aloof, mute. But as far as they were concerned, Lauretta must be preached.

Lauretta became a philosophy. She was not just an aspirant. She was a brand. Everyone abandoned their books. Both the scholars and the not so scholarly. To them, even if this was not Prof. Ray’s pharmacology, yet they couldn’t afford to carry this over.

I thought pharmacy was apolitical. But I was wrong. So was also all the political apparatchik who thought pharmacy students wouldn’t abandon their books. We were disappointed. It was a

good disappointment.

Her campaign train alone was made up of more than 400 pharmacy students. Someone, a student from the social sciences, said, ‘if pharmacy students could suspend their classes and books to come out like this for this lady, then they must have seen something in her’.

The crowd was so intimidating that when the campaign got to the faculty of Engineering, they prevented us from passing through their faculty. They were like the Edomites who refused the Children of Israel passage through their country to the promise land. Although Pharmacy students were not coming from Egypt but they were surely en-route to their promise land. Political promise land. The embryo Engineers beckoned to the President of PANS to turn his crowd around. But pharmacy refused. What could have led to a blood bath was addressed quickly. It took the Chief Security Officer to calm things down. PDP and APC supporters ought to learn from these students; it is not all the time you use bullets and axes to settle disputes. Sometimes, words can be cheaper and safer.

PSN also need to draw some quantum of Knowledge from these students. They should know when to join forces to win the bigger battle. Before now, the faculty wasn’t settled, politically. But when a common purpose was seen, they abandoned their differences. That was intelligence. Intelligence is knowing when to lose a battle for the common good. If these set of students join the PSN in coming years, then all the political upheaval currently brandishing the PSN would be gone. It is just a matter of time. Sorry for the digression. Back to Lauretta.

Lauretta expressed her calm and commandeered her campaign. Something is different about her. She knows when to say what to say. Speaking softly and intelligently when needed.

Hear her words to those gender-unequal minds; “To all those who have skepticism about a female being a president. This is for you; ‘Read the Bible, learn about the story of Deborah; behold, another Deborah is standing in front of you today’. I bear the plight of a woman and understands the pains of a man. Leadership is not about gender. Women and men can be good leaders. Watch me as I take UNIBEN to glory and you will thank me later.”

What about Samuel Ugwumba? The self-styled Lena. He is the numero uno of PANS politics. He speaks like a cleric. He connived with his repartee to rejig the mindset of pharmacy students. He is calm and halcyon. Someone has said, ‘If you want to have a quarrel with Lena, never allow him speak first, because after he is done, you may be the one apologizing’. I don’t care what you belief, but if Lena had not stepped in when he did, Lauretta would be somewhere counting her losses. He deserves a standing ovation.

And for the PANS president Benjamin Idiakhoa, he is crème de la crème. With his integrity he sought the support of other faculties. He carries with him the excellent mien of a reputable speaker. He soon lost his voice during the elections. He led PANS into victory. He can now dust his shoulder and breathe an air of relief as he has achieved the not-so-popular.

Time would fail to mention all others. But know this, your names have been written in marbles. You have written the history of pharmacy in UNIBEN. When this page would be open in ages to come, it will be said, you made IMPACT 2016 a reality. Gracias. Lauretta is now President SUG UNIBEN.

Ezekiel Efeobhokhan

500 level Pharmacy