Prospective and returning students of a Nigerian university have been informed about requirements for acceptance.
Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State has released the requirements for both fresh and returning students, but the newest of the rules is the prohibition of smartphones.
This new rule has caused uproar especially on social media, with some taking digs at it and some expressing their shock.
On ABUAD’s website, the university listed smartphones students as a prohibited item.
”the University would allow students to use telephone but limited to non-smartphones. Any TELEPHONE aside the University’s specification, inclusive of TABLETS or IPADS shall be CONFISCATED and the Student shall be SANCTIONED,” it read on the site.
This isn’t the first time ABUAD has been under criticism over its rule on the use of mobile phones.
The school released on its website May 31, 2011 that camera phones were prohibited for fresh students in its hall of residence for its 2012/2013 academic session. Only Nokia 5030 was to be allowed.
The site said: ”Camera phones e.g black berry, iphone, e.t.c. The only acceptable Mobile phone is Nokia 5030 torchlight phone on which the name of the owner must be inscribed,” it read on the site.
The rules which private universities make for their students to abide by have long been an issue in Nigeria.
Covenant University, Ota, for example, applies a ‘very strict’ dress code to its students, with mobile phones also barred.
ABUAD is the latest private university to declare a rule the public would call bizarre in this technological age.
The information on the site was signed by its Registrar, Christie Oluborode.
Amongst some of the reaction on social media are:
https://twitter.com/faith_hon/status/770266139796598785
https://twitter.com/ThaRedLabel/status/770246930597289987
Going back to 2011?!…is that how to be d fastest growing uni in Africa?? #abuad
— Pedan Esq (@pedan01) August 29, 2016
