With just twenty-two days left until students of the University of Ibadan elect a new set of leaders at the Students’ Union Executive level, and twenty-nine days till the Students’ Representative Council Elections, it’s essential to reflect on lessons gleaned from the current set of leaders. Much has happened since April 20th 2024, when the Union’s Executive Council was elected. If considered medically, that adds up to about nine months, time for a normal pregnancy to have progressed from conception to delivery. “What has Team Amelioration delivered?”. But it’s insufficient to make that sole request as what follows is arguably more important. “What can we not afford a repetition of and what must be improved on?”.
At the moment, swathes of the electorate, including supporters of aspirants for the offices at the Kunle Adepeju Building appear less interested in addressing issues that have affected — and still are affecting — the Union, and more interested in spamming fliers, stickers, and copy-pastas in as many groups as possible. Aspirants have refrained from acknowledging these flaws, for fear of retribution, instead engaging in a circle of sycophancy; celebrating the last days of Team Amelioration via posts on X and status updates. One-on-one conversations with would-be officeholders follow the same patterns; an introduction, declaration of intent, request for votes and appreciation. No mention of salient issues that should be addressed. Some take it further, asking for Hall of Residence or Faculty and then playing the partisan alignment card. If recent manifesto nights are anything to go by, we might be looking at a situation where aspirants ignore these flaws altogether and have no plans to correct them. Consider this a contribution towards preventing such an outcome.
Swinging Between Inaction and Indecisive Action
We’ll begin by addressing the lack of defining action and in some cases total inaction, that characterised the outgoing tenure. On May 13th, 2024, four students protested the school fee increment right in the middle of the inauguration of the Students’ Union leadership at Trenchard Hall, with placards raised, disrupting the ‘President’s address’ section of the ceremony. The four, three of whom are UItes: Aduwo Ayodele, a third-year History student, Olamide Gbadegesin, a post-graduate African Studies student, and Nice Linus, a third-year Law student, were forcefully carted away by Operation Burst personnel. Allegedly, when they arrived at the station, the second-in-command of the security unit told them [the arrested four] that the University Management said it was a case of violence between two cult groups. They were eventually released that same day.
The Union’s role in this story is twofold. First, when the arrest took place, the Executives intervened minimally, watching as these four were bundled away. If we must even excuse that as being beyond their power, then we arrive at the second; the matter of their release. As individuals in the know later mentioned, the SU had little to do with their release. This demonstration involved UI students, yet the Union representing these students was absent.
In some circles, this inaction was excused as a product of the Executives’ ‘freshness’ in office and being ill-suited to handle such an emergency that early. However, not only were these three queried in the months that followed, but they also faced a Students’ Disciplinary Committee panel. There was no assurance of support from the Union’s leadership, save for forced resolutions at the July 16-17 protests to protect the ‘UI Three’.What we learnt was simple: students viewed the demonstration the same way Management did, as an act of ‘gross misconduct and unruly behaviour’, and were uninterested in showing camaraderie at the venue and elsewhere. It also showed that the Union’s leadership, tasked with correcting such misconceptions and defending the right of students to protest, was unwilling for the most part.
This pendulum swing between inaction and appropriate responses was a mainstay all tenure. On June 8th, 2024, the Students’ Representative Council remarkably rejected the basic dues increment proposed by the Council of Faculty Presidents and Hall Chairpersons. This was ‘one-upped’ a day later when the Union’s Task Force, led by the House Secretary, Elemide Daniel, was stationed at the Gate to prevent extortion of freshers by transport workers; one of the more admirable decisive actions taken to combat a recurring problem. However, such routine checks failed to recur consistently throughout the tenure, an aberration considering the price changes. There was also insufficient publicity on the lines to call for complaints regarding transport. Then there was the silence following the June 13th announcement mandating all students not to pay the new school fees displayed in the payment portal. Many were left confused and in limbo, a state worsened by insufficient communication and updates on the negotiations, plus the absence of a firmer stance in that regard. Three months later, in September, when the Union Executives took on the task of raising funds for indigent students who needed to meet the September 20 deadline, it was via a hurried four-day effort that achieved 225,200 Naira of a 50 Million Naira goal. This even required prompting by students online and offline. There’s faith, there’s wisdom, and there’s whatever was displayed by expecting a 50 Million miracle in fewer days than it would take to write a Medical Board examination.
It’s a measure of the consistently inconsistent responses that there still are examples. The Alexander Brown Hall and Ayodele Falase Hall debacle, in its 91st Day, hits home more for us. The Union Leaders had to be cajoled to speak publicly in November and waited another fifty-six days to make another announcement. To their credit, the protest effort was a commendable one. To their discredit, it was late, and at a time when both Halls were operating at subpar capacity. The final example of this ‘pendulum swing’ is the response to the defacing of property by their replacements-to-be and aspirants for other positions in the University. Complaints have been made as far back as November, calling for appropriate action to curb the eyesore that these fliers and posters had become. It’s soon-to-be February and the closest thing to a response on this was a release made yesterday cautioning against defacing property at the Students’ Union Building, never mind the destruction going on elsewhere.
We could go on for a few more examples, leaving our readers more tired than they were at the beginning of this article, but the point is that this is recurring until the end. It’s not a trait we want to witness in the workings of the next administration. Decisions must be taken to protect the interest of students and they must be taken quickly. UI’ SU Leaders must be proactive. It shouldn’t have to take legislative call-outs or long-winded rants by students on social media to realise that certain policies require adjustment or outright replacement.
Also, the incoming Executives must fight for students’ rights to express themselves. Leaders shouldn’t have to wait until arrests take place to intervene. If possible – and it is – there should be no arrests in the first place. Not all protests will occur with the support of the system. Protests with support from the system even default the essence of the term, ‘protest’. It follows that these bearers of various agendas understand, and are beyond willing to step up as is required. On the issue of welfare, time is more important than is acknowledged. Regardless of how good the intent of the Union Executives is, it’s the outcome they will be judged by. Start fundraising efforts early. Initiate plans and set up any committees that are required. Publicise early too. And for the love of all things good, ABH and Falase residents are not in another country. Treat matters affecting students here with the urgency granted to those on the main campus. This has zero to do with the absence of Executives from the UCH Campus on the council. It’s about intentionality towards Clinical students’ affairs.
Regard for Students
The test of respect for electorates often has little to do with the words of leaders but with their actions. During election season, tag lines and campaign jargon paint the student populace as gems that must be buffed, shined, and treated with utmost care. Sometimes, this even lasts beyond election season, with flowery language in public statements and releases masking the appraisal of voters that exists for these leaders. It’s a good act. But almost always, the magic fades and the cracks appear in their propagandist glory.
It took some time for these cracks to reflect for the current Executives, about two months to be specific. On July 1st, 2024, they announced Project Stomach Infrastructure 1.0, an amazing – quite frankly – initiative aimed at feeding 1,200 UItes every month, in partnership with SBJ Food and Drinks and at no cost to the Union. This initiative remains one of the best the University has witnessed in a long while. It’s timely, of measurable impact, and primed to be remembered as a legacy project. Unlike many other programs, it’s one with longevity, still going strong six months later. Nevertheless, as was rightfully called out, ‘Stomach Infrastructure’ was an unbefitting name for such a welfare program. It arguably revealed exactly how Executives feel about the students this program is aimed at; as ‘charity cases dependent on their benevolence’ rather than ‘fellow students to whom welfare is an obligation’. The phrase’s etymology hearkened to a point in Nigeria’s democratic history where the distribution of bags of rice for votes attained a peak of institutionalisation, and to have that be the title of the Food Bank initiative was worrisome.
Four days earlier, the Union had postponed a Congress scheduled for 29th June 2024, to an indefinite date, despite announcing three days prior, on the 27th of June, the agenda for the Congress. A UCJ Features story confirmed that the postponement was due to the President’s absence (He was on a trip to Abuja). If nothing else in this article bothers you, this should. That action outrightly defied everything the Union stands for constitutionally, and customarily, and dare we say, it was not commonsensical. As expected, the Executive Council caught flack for the action and Congress proceeded as was required. However, a combination of low turnout — partly orchestrated by political actors within the university — and insufficient show of force from the SRC meant the Congress did not hold.
This postponement was a foreshadowing of what was to come. Towards the end of an August 17th, 2024 Congress, the President, Aweda ‘Oloye’ Bolaji, General Secretary, Ogundijo Japheth, and Speaker, Matthias Busoye, abruptly walked out on students gathered at the SUB Foyer. Not only that but when resolutions of the Congress were eventually published, there was a notable omission of the third resolution from the sitting. To summarize the issue (read the full IndyPress report here); a petition was filed on the 21st of August, and the SRC Disciplinary Committee sat on the 25th, determining Oloye, Japheth, and Matthias guilty of disregard and disrespect for the Congress, as well as omission of Congress resolution. Their recommendations, which included a letter of apology, a 5,000 Naira fine, and 48-hour community service at the Jaja Clinic for Oloye and Japheth, and only a letter of apology for the Speaker, Matthias, were adopted at the fourth ordinary sitting held on 16th November 2024. As you read this, only the letters of apology have been provided. Both the President and General Secretary termed the fine ‘outrageous’ with the President offering a physiotherapist-demanded rest of his right arm as the reason for the inability to complete the Community Service, in his 5th December, 2024-dated letter to the SRC. It’s been well over two months and these disciplinary actions still have not been undergone.
The lessons in this section are as clear as the SUB Field on a cold Monday exam morning. To the incoming leaders, respect the sanctity of Congress! Congress has the greatest power in the Union. No one, not even the President, has a right to disrespect that power. Students can not make time out of their day to attend a Congress meeting concerning pertinent issues only to be met with disregard. Even before that, Congress has to be recognised as the ground for addressing select issues affecting the Union. It is too vital to the survival of this Union to be discarded. Also, when it comes to programs for students, your intentions are only as valid as the execution of said program. Whether it’s a skill empowerment program or a basic seminar, treat every detail with a healthy respect for fellow students in mind. There is a level of empathy required at this level of leadership, an understanding of human relations and due process. Failure to abide by this will only spell trouble for your tenure. You can trust the student community to respond in kind to any such misstep. If they do not, trust the watchdogs of the populace to hold you accountable.
Speaking of watchdogs, in July, while the debate on the Congress raged on, the President took to his WhatsApp status to accuse the Press of allowing themselves to be tools in the hands of those who sought chaos. As we showed, this was far from the case, and an assumption that Campus Journalists not only lack knowledge of the full scope of happenings but are also somewhat exempt from the blowback of any bad decisions that are taken. To the incoming leaders, recognise that we are students like yourself. We are affected by issues like school fee hikes or transport fare hikes like everyone else. And so analyses proffered aren’t from a place of isolation, but actual, first-hand contact with these challenges.
The SRC and PRO
We’ll conclude with the legislative arm of the Union and the actions of a specific office. This is not to say that all other offices are not as important. They are. When one takes into account the number of activities and policies subject to these other Union Executives, it becomes a wonder why, during election season, so much focus lies on the Presidency. But that is a matter for another day.
The Students’ Representative Council for the 2023/2024 Session can best be described as a gathering of the extremes of a temperature scale. Some Honourables showed admirable understanding of the needs of their offices, engaging in debates on the floor of the House, and insisting on due process even when it seemed negligible. Some attended as neutrals, opting for centrist positions, and pitching their tent with the majority when it came to votes. Some merely made up the numbers in various committees and sub-committees, exhibiting as much understanding of their roles as Honourables as the cleaners that tend to the SRC Chamber. This hodge-podge resulted in a Council that oscillated between active and tepid. The SRC was swift enough to respond to actions like cutting down the initial 17.6 Million Naira budgeted for the UI’ SU Week, an increase of about 12.9 Million from the 2023 edition. Bear in mind that even the final figure of 11.6 Million was frowned upon by sections of the University, with attendees at the Variety Night still having to pay a 1,500 Naira entry fee. There was also an overwhelming response to the previously mentioned Basic Due increase proposed by the Council of Faculty Presidents and Chairpersons. So yes, swift and decisive.
There were lows as well. While these were barely damaging to the Union, they were heavy enough to warrant attention. A prime example is the aforementioned July 29th Congress postponement which just a faction of the House, Ẹgbẹ́ Májẹobàjé, was vocal against. A united front on the floor of the House would have ensured the will of UItes stood strong. It would have ensured the SRC served its oversight function as clearly stated in the Constitution guiding the affairs of the Union. It might also have been a deterrent to the Executive Council to prevent similar occurrences.
For incoming Honourables, it is mandatory that your lawmaking is indeed Law making. Reject dissuasion from student leaders who would rather protect their friends in the Executive Council, than obey the law; prioritising saving face over saving the dignity of the Union. It’s not enough to win the election to serve, or to campaign for the office of Majority Leader, just for the majority of your leadership to be wonky, or even worse, absent. Take responsibility. This is also a charge to hold others accountable in the Chambers. While contesting for SRC Leadership positions last year, aspirants promised to do all sorts for the growth of the House and the Union, by extension. In a not so surprising turn of events, these Honourables, have failed to honour their promises, like the Clerk, Honourable Shoge Quadri of the Great Independence Hall, who promised to purchase SRC Notice Boards and replace faulty ones in all the Halls of Residence on campus. If fellow Honourables can’t be held accountable, students can not trust you to act independent of the Executives, and slowly but surely, the slip towards rubber-stamp status will begin. Then again, that’s with the assumption that UItes will suddenly pay attention to the resolutions of the House.
Finally, the office of the Public Relations Officer. We harp on so much about the duty of this office being more than just publicity, contrary to what many have conflated it to be. How the PRO is the ‘image maker’ of the Union and why it’s important that image is upheld and improved on when it has to be. What many do not acknowledge is that this extends to both major and minor incidents. For instance, following the destruction of Heritage Park on November 21st, 2024, many expected clarification from the Union. This clarification came in part from conversations the President had with Press bodies on campus. However, there was still the expectation of an official clarification via social media or a public statement. The next day, the Union’s X account made a post confirming reports that the felling of trees was to make way for new Infrastructure. This was questionable enough, since little resistance came from a body that should have represented students’ concerns about the decision. In the rest of the post, there was then an attempt at humour, calling the park, ‘a hunting ground for convocation rice’ among others and ‘asking for our thoughts’ as students. The following day a post asking students to share their favorite memories followed.
A socially conscious PRO, and Executive Council, by extension, would not have permitted such posts. There was no hint of the graveness of the situation. No indication of the decision being ill-favoured by students. Such posts betray the purpose of the Union as a collective, failing to project the image of a student body saddened by this environmental injustice. To understand that this was not just a conclusion from the Press, read through comments and quotes on the tweets. It was an initial out-of-touch post, doubled down on a day later to show that the first was no mistake. We can be grateful that such insensitive posts were in the minority all through the tenure. We can’t however look away from such a lapse at such a pivotal point in the University’s history.
The incoming PRO has to be cautious about the sort of posts that go up on any of the Union’s social media accounts. Seemingly light-hearted posts about ‘Halls with wife-material’ — eventually deleted — or ‘Halls with the better cafeteria’ should be left to accounts that do not represent the interests of five thousand-strong students. Slip-ups like reposts of cryptocurrency pages should be avoided by all means. There simply is no margin for such errors at this level. Scrutiny of social media handlers and regular performance assessments must be incorporated to avoid preventable gaffes. If the question, ‘Does this speak well of the Union?’, can not be answered confidently when making a post or a public release, revisiting the drawing board is only rational as a follow-up.
Tomorrow, the Union celebrates the remembrance of Adekunle Adepeju, a man whose death has come to define so much of what this Union is truly about. To the would be office holders, when you gather tomorrow to celebrate the life of this martyr, ask yourself if you are upholding the tenets he was gunned down for. To the electorate, ask yourself if your chosen aspirant upholds these tenets.
Those who wrote and edited this, are awesome!🥺