Xenophobia: Six Nigerian students cancel trip for robotics competition in South Africa

Six Nigerian students scheduled to represent the country at the Africa Robotics Challenge (ARC) in South Africa on September 28th, have withdrawn from the competition on grounds that their safety is not gauranteed following the recent Xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa.

The students identified as Tirenioluwa Shobande, 18, a 100 level Systems Engineering student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG); Ifeoluwa Aigbiniode, 15, of Yaba College of Technology Secondary School, Jeffrey Nwafor, 15, of S-TEE International School, 19-year-old Kolawole Olatunji, a 100 level Computer Science Education student of Lagos State University (LASU), Toluwanimi Akinola, 15, Dansol High School and Aromolaran Dominion, 14, Supreme Education Foundation, announced their withdrawal from the competition at a news conference in Lagos state today Monday September 23rd. .

The National Coordinator of the competition, Mrs. Remi Willoughby, said that the organizers had informed her of their inability to provide adequate security and guarantee the safety of the students while in South Africa. Willoughby said the organizers hinted that while in South Africa, the Nigerian competitors would neither disclose their nationality nor will they be able to go out for sightseeing for the duration of the competition.

“This competition we are supposed to go for is Africa Robotics Challenge, it is a product of the first Robotics Challenge which we have been going for in the last few years. We planned to go to South Africa for this robotics competition which is basically supposed to be for few African countries and would have held on Sept. 28. However, we will not be attending because of the situation in South Africa currently.

“And the fact that I cannot personally guarantee the safety of the students while there, and with our host telling us that even if we come, it will not be announced. That we have to come quietly and we will not wear our Nigeria T-shirts and that the bus that will convey us will not display our logo of Green, White, Green, so how can we proudly showcase our country? So, we decided it was not the best thing to risk the lives of the students at this time in the name of competition.” Willoughby said

Comments

'I Tried My Best' - Arsenal Boss Arteta Believes He Did All He Could To Include Axed Ozil

The 32-year-old did not feature for the Gunners after lockdown and was subsequently omitted from the club's 25-man Premier League squad. Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta believes he did all he could to give Mesut Ozil a fair shot before he axed the German from his squad. Ozil's name was not among Arsenal's 25-man Premier League squad that was released earlier this month, which followed the playmaker's exclusion from Arsenal's Europa League squad. As the 32-year-old enters the final months of his contract with the Gunners, it now appears likely that he has played his final game for the team. Ozil did play a part for Arsenal last season, at one point starting 10 consecutive Premier League games for the Gunners before the coronavirus lockdown in March. The playmaker did not make a single appearance for Arsenal after lockdown, however, but Arteta has still insisted he gave Ozil every chance to impress before he was omitted from his team. "What I can tell you that I...

Arteta Must Be Strong To Survive Allegri Rumours’ – Arsenal Boss Can’t Show Weakness, Says Smith

The former Gunners striker has urged an under-fire Spaniard to prove that he is the right man for the job and end links to an ex-Juventus coach Alan Smith claims it is “an open secret” that former Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri is being recommended to Arsenal amid their ongoing struggles, with Mikel Arteta told he is going to have to show no weakness in order to “survive” the rumours. The Gunners have continued to stumble out of the blocks in 2020-21, with their worst start made to a Premier League campaign. Inability to establish any kind of momentum has the north London outfit languishing in the bottom-half of the table and glancing anxiously over their shoulder at the drop zone below them. Unsurprisingly, questions are being asked of Arteta’s ongoing presence, with a rookie coach finding out the hard way just how tough life at the top can be. Arsenal have offered no indication that they are contemplating another managerial change, but Smith says potential successors – including ...

Arsenal's £72m Enigma: Arteta Right To Demand More From Mercurial Pepe

The Gunners' record signing may have scored his third goal of the season on Thursday night but his manager wants consistency across 90 minutes. Mikel Arteta’s answer was clear when asked what Nicolas Pepe needed to show in order to earn himself a regular starting spot in Arsenal's Premier League team. “Consistency,” said the Arsenal boss, when quizzed on the Gunners’ record signing, following Thursday’s night’s 4-1 Europa League win against Molde at the Emirates Stadium. It was a game that perfectly encapsulated the enigma that is Pepe. The £72 million ($95m) man was infuriating at times - especially in the first half - but just as he had done against Dundalk a week earlier, he popped up with an excellent goal. He also went on to add an assist for Joe Willock, a late strike which sealed a comfortable victory for Arteta’s side and all but booked Arsenal’s passage into the knockout stages. It was a classic Pepe performance and more evidence of why he remains such a puzzle in nort...

WELCOME TO GIST CORRIDOR

Search This Blog