Nigerian university bans Neolife, sends strong warning to students
Nigerian university bans Neolife, sends strong warning to students
The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) has placed an outright ban on Neolife and the Faith Heroic Group (FHG), both of which are deceptive retail health and wellness marketing organisations.
In an official notice issued by the university management and signed by the Registrar, C.O. Adeleye, the institution said the decision followed growing concerns over the groups’ operations and their impact on students.
According to the statement, the university’s attention was drawn to the activities of the Faith Heroic Group, which authorities said had begun to generate unease within the campus community.
It noted that the group’s methods of recruitment and overall operations created “serious discomfort, fear, unnecessary tension and unwarranted pressure,” adding that such actions were disrupting the peaceful academic environment the university strives to maintain.
The school stated that the group was not registered with the institution and that its activities were not in the best interest of students.
“All activities of the FHG and NEOLIFE are hereby proscribed with immediate effect,” the statement read, directing students to steer clear of any involvement with the groups across university campuses.
The management also issued a stern warning, stressing that defiance of the directive would come with consequences.
“Failure to comply with this directive will attract serious penalty in line with the extant regulations of the University.”
FUTA not the first
This is coming a month after Emmanuel Alayande University of Education in Oyo State also threatened disciplinary action against any student working or recruiting for Neolife.
Through a January 7 memo, the university management announced the proscription of the organisation, saying its activities were impeding the academic progress of their students.
“The university management has been informed of the illegal activities of a group called NEOLIFE, which has been recruiting students to join their businesses,” Wole Akinlabi, a media officer for the school, wrote.
“Unfortunately, the conduct of the organisation, as alleged, is humiliating, as well as affecting the academic progress of students involved, and so many students who have joined and tried to opt out have faced harassment and torment from the so-called NEOLIFE.”
What you should know
Neolife came under intense public spotlight recently when many past marketers and their relatives started recounting their ordeals while working for the company.
The conversations particularly focused on how the marketing firm was aggressively penetrating schools to recruit students and distracting them from their studies.
In 2022, a report from the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) revealed how the firm lured many young people with mouthwatering job offers, only to soon realise they had been victims of a pyramid scheme sustained by false hopes and illusions.
A Punch report also showed how some people were deceived by the firm, which eventually brainwashed them into believing they could acquire substantial wealth quickly and become millionaires in a short time.
The system sold them the illusion that they could earn millions of naira monthly if they invited more people to join. This rapidly increased desperation.
Some marketers ended up in debt and prostitution. It is common to see young people walking the streets marketing health supplements. Occasionally, some would resort to begging for money to eat, for transportation fare to return home, or even board a vehicle without paying.
How can students better identify opportunities that support and not derail their academic journey? Share your views in the comment section.
