OPINION : REINSTATEMENT OF OAU SU, TO BE OR NOT TO BE?
REINSTATEMENT OF OAU STUDENTS' UNION, TO BE OR NOT TO BE?
ARE WE INDEED READY FOR IT?
By Ogundokun Doyinmola Joshua
Ready or not, it is the right of students to have a body that represents them, a body gives them that voice of unification and purpose in all ramifications. Just like ASUU, NASU, SSANU, NAAT, COEASU, NLC, TUC, the Students' Union is also important as students have a right to peaceful assembly and association as enshrined in Section 40 of the Constitution. Thus, it is only imperative that we start advocating for the reinstatement of the Union now as it's better late than never.
HOW WE GOT HERE
The management suspended the activities of the Union a year ago citing cases of violence and unruly reports contained in security reports. This report was aided by the political bad blood that existed between the Students' Representative Council(SRC) headed by Falayi Temitope(T-bams) and the Executive Council headed by Oyekan Ibukun(Dr IBK) which led to different shades of impeachment in the Union.
The infighting of the VP, Jacob Tosin(Emerald) and the Director of Social, Adebayo Emmanuel(Lamba) in respect of expenditure of funds released by the management also added fuel to the fire.
What broke the camels back was the allegation of cultism leveled against some members of the Executive Council coupled with corruption and controversies that followed after the purchase of a Student Union bus by the Executive Council without the approval of the Students' Representative Council
SUSPENSION OF THE UNION; THE DIRECT OPPOSITE OF WHAT GREAT IFE STANDS FOR
Indeed the suspension of the Union is a direct opposite of what Great Ife stands for, especially in contradiction of the Great Ife anthem. Words like ; 'we are conscious, vigilant, progressive; aluta against all oppression; forward ever backward never; for learning and culture, sports and struggle' are nothing more than mere words any longer. Where thus lies our consciousness, vigilance and progressive mind without a Union? We are always very proud of Great Ife students doing very well in the outside world whether in politics or in the different career most have chosen, some if not most started as Union leaders where they hone their skill of diplomacy, service, welfarism, activism among other skills, where they is the formidable platform for the training of future leaders?
Although, some students will say 'the Union was never suspended, the VC can't suspend or suppress our Union as we are the Union', this is not only laughable but incorrect. What is a Union without a structure recognised by the management and forces of the outside world?
Although, the VC has been quoted to have said he's willing to reinstate the Union as he doesn't want a docile campus like Unilag and UI, which are the main reason he didn't dissolve the Hall Executive Council but the million dollar question is, are we really ready for this? I know many students think that the only thing the Students' Union is good at is disrupting the school's academic calender and nothing else, in fact some said since the suspension of the Union, the academic calender has been very stable. This is actually not true as the aim of the Students' Union is not to disrupt academic calendar but to represent the students, give them a voice, voice out their needs, wants; seal deals with private/public bodies for the benefit of the students with welfarism being the watchword.
Students have indeed learnt from past mistakes which have seen the Union suspended time and again, diplomacy now the key word, cordial relationship between the EC, SC and HEC is now the condition and upholding the Great Ife constitution is now the guideline.
Don't get it wrong, this piece was not inspired based on personal aggradizement because this is my last semester but because our Union gives us that unique Identity, it binds us together, Unites under one umbrella. Thus, it's high time we advocated for the reinstatement of the Union. Let's reassure the management that the Union is not its enemy, if anything, the Union brings students closer to the management. We are all stakeholders in the University, the management wants the best for its students inorder to boost the University's chances on education rankings, while the Union seeks better welfarism for the students. We are all on one page, aiming for one purpose which is in relentless pursuit of all round excellence for the students and staff of the University.
In conclusion, I commend and appreciate the University for the painstaking efforts in renovating various halls of residence, although some students have termed it as 'renopainting' as other things such as toilets and water system are yet to be attended to but I believe this is just the beginning of good things to come as 'Rome was not built in a day' and 'the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step', all will be attended to very soon, I hope. The management should also listen to the plea of students for the construction of new hostels as students have continued to face untold hardship while living off campus. Hardship in terms of insecurity, susceptibility to flood which destroyed their properties and transportation crisis.
I also appreciate the management for the quick and timely response to the issue of cultism on campus heeding the voice of students. However, it is rught to state at this juncture that the University can't fight this alone, the management needs the support of mass of students with the Union at the forefront to combat this menace and reduce it back to zero level just as it has always been since the time of George Iwilade(Africa).
ARE WE INDEED READY FOR IT?
By Ogundokun Doyinmola Joshua
Ready or not, it is the right of students to have a body that represents them, a body gives them that voice of unification and purpose in all ramifications. Just like ASUU, NASU, SSANU, NAAT, COEASU, NLC, TUC, the Students' Union is also important as students have a right to peaceful assembly and association as enshrined in Section 40 of the Constitution. Thus, it is only imperative that we start advocating for the reinstatement of the Union now as it's better late than never.
HOW WE GOT HERE
The management suspended the activities of the Union a year ago citing cases of violence and unruly reports contained in security reports. This report was aided by the political bad blood that existed between the Students' Representative Council(SRC) headed by Falayi Temitope(T-bams) and the Executive Council headed by Oyekan Ibukun(Dr IBK) which led to different shades of impeachment in the Union.
The infighting of the VP, Jacob Tosin(Emerald) and the Director of Social, Adebayo Emmanuel(Lamba) in respect of expenditure of funds released by the management also added fuel to the fire.
What broke the camels back was the allegation of cultism leveled against some members of the Executive Council coupled with corruption and controversies that followed after the purchase of a Student Union bus by the Executive Council without the approval of the Students' Representative Council
SUSPENSION OF THE UNION; THE DIRECT OPPOSITE OF WHAT GREAT IFE STANDS FOR
Indeed the suspension of the Union is a direct opposite of what Great Ife stands for, especially in contradiction of the Great Ife anthem. Words like ; 'we are conscious, vigilant, progressive; aluta against all oppression; forward ever backward never; for learning and culture, sports and struggle' are nothing more than mere words any longer. Where thus lies our consciousness, vigilance and progressive mind without a Union? We are always very proud of Great Ife students doing very well in the outside world whether in politics or in the different career most have chosen, some if not most started as Union leaders where they hone their skill of diplomacy, service, welfarism, activism among other skills, where they is the formidable platform for the training of future leaders?
Although, some students will say 'the Union was never suspended, the VC can't suspend or suppress our Union as we are the Union', this is not only laughable but incorrect. What is a Union without a structure recognised by the management and forces of the outside world?
Although, the VC has been quoted to have said he's willing to reinstate the Union as he doesn't want a docile campus like Unilag and UI, which are the main reason he didn't dissolve the Hall Executive Council but the million dollar question is, are we really ready for this? I know many students think that the only thing the Students' Union is good at is disrupting the school's academic calender and nothing else, in fact some said since the suspension of the Union, the academic calender has been very stable. This is actually not true as the aim of the Students' Union is not to disrupt academic calendar but to represent the students, give them a voice, voice out their needs, wants; seal deals with private/public bodies for the benefit of the students with welfarism being the watchword.
Students have indeed learnt from past mistakes which have seen the Union suspended time and again, diplomacy now the key word, cordial relationship between the EC, SC and HEC is now the condition and upholding the Great Ife constitution is now the guideline.
Don't get it wrong, this piece was not inspired based on personal aggradizement because this is my last semester but because our Union gives us that unique Identity, it binds us together, Unites under one umbrella. Thus, it's high time we advocated for the reinstatement of the Union. Let's reassure the management that the Union is not its enemy, if anything, the Union brings students closer to the management. We are all stakeholders in the University, the management wants the best for its students inorder to boost the University's chances on education rankings, while the Union seeks better welfarism for the students. We are all on one page, aiming for one purpose which is in relentless pursuit of all round excellence for the students and staff of the University.
In conclusion, I commend and appreciate the University for the painstaking efforts in renovating various halls of residence, although some students have termed it as 'renopainting' as other things such as toilets and water system are yet to be attended to but I believe this is just the beginning of good things to come as 'Rome was not built in a day' and 'the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step', all will be attended to very soon, I hope. The management should also listen to the plea of students for the construction of new hostels as students have continued to face untold hardship while living off campus. Hardship in terms of insecurity, susceptibility to flood which destroyed their properties and transportation crisis.
I also appreciate the management for the quick and timely response to the issue of cultism on campus heeding the voice of students. However, it is rught to state at this juncture that the University can't fight this alone, the management needs the support of mass of students with the Union at the forefront to combat this menace and reduce it back to zero level just as it has always been since the time of George Iwilade(Africa).
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