“Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) denied a prospective student admission for wearing dreadlocks”.-Ayoola Babalola

“Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) denied a prospective student admission for wearing dreadlocks”.-Ayoola Babalola.

One Mr Ayoola Babalola, a former student of Gateway Polytechnic Saapade (Gaposa), graduated in the year 2019, but now currently a student of the Nigerian Institute Of Journalism (NIJ). He took to his social media handle to report the uncivilized engagements of the Nigerian Institute Of Journalism (NIJ).

Ayoola is a controversial human rights activist that had always been in the lead to protest against bad governance both inside and outside the school campuses. He is known to be the voice of the voiceless and a fast writer to put pen on paper in reporting violations on human rights. 

Meanwhile, Eaglesforesight had earlier reports about similar violation against human rights of this same institute, when students reacted.

READ ALSO: Nigerian Institute Of Journalism Students Fault Obnoxious Policies In School, Demand Change

SaharaReporter makes Eaglesforesight to understand what was actually transpire between the students and the institution.

As an academic institution, NIJ fails in its most basic duties. The approach to education is archaic and improper. Some lecturers of the institution do not even grasp the content of the course, they are patched up as lecturers because the school won’t employ qualified hands.

“I wrote two courses this semester, Environment reporting and social advocacy as well as international relations. Even as a student, I knew the content do not tally with what people talk about on social media and what we see elsewhere, including the fact that the world has left us behind”. Ayoola said

“He said the management also will not employ quality hands on fixing something as basic as websites. The place of innovation is lacking and as an institute of Journalism, we are unable to pioneer key policy changes and structural advancement in the study of Journalism in Nigeria”.

While on phone interview with Eaglesforesight, Ayoola said, the management covers up this glaring failure with the preaching of morality and decency. But they lack decency to admit that an approach that is not civilized is not worthy of adoption. What is morality if it does not involve respect for other people’s choices?

How could you imagine that earlier today, the students affairs office of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism denied a prospective student admission for wearing dreadlocks. This barbaric, neo-colonial and hypocritical rhetoric of morality is insane and unacceptable. Hair styles do not counter professionalism.

It is disgraceful that we have to make this argument in 2021 about whether people should be allowed to wear their hair or not. This is oppression, illiteracy and a brazen violation of human rights to freedom of expression and human dignity.

An academic institution cannot afford to suspend common sense in place of untoward imposition of superstitious morality. It is shameful that NIJ will shutdown hairstyles even though there is no empirical proof or scientific study that links hairstyles with truancy.

Eaglesforesight earlier make a publication reports on how many of NIJ’s students stated that stiffening hair style and hair colour amounts to stiffening a person’s individuality. 

NIJ must be aware that this attitude is retrogressive and not in conformity with global standards. It is hypocritical and colonial. It is uncivilized and has no basis for existence in an academic environment.

The institution cannot run on the emotions or religious inclination of the management, otherwise, the sole purpose of education will have been defeated.

“As for me, my hair style is a matter of my belief and the expression of my individuality and it is a duty to oppose illiteracy and oppression even at the slightest level. NIJ’s management must learn to respect the choices of their student or we will teach them how to do so”. Ayoola said