AN OPEN LETTER TO THE STUDENT UNION PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, ILORIN

Monday April 18th; 2016.

The President of Student Union,
Kaduna Nzeogwu Building,
University of Ilorin,
Ilorin,
Nigeria.

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE STUDENT UNION PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, ILORIN

Mr. President, with great humility, extreme sobriety and solidarity, I implore you to go through this correspondence with great sense of objectivity and give it a swift demonstration. Mr. President, a friend of mine said and I quote “Students' activism can no longer be perceived in our schools, perhaps Students Unionism died with Abacha”. I exclaimed, and been an intellectual, I queried as to why he made such proclamations or rather assertion. My better
by far President, He said and I quote: “I have travelled far and wide and I have been kept apprise of all the happenings on Nigerian campuses” and his summary goes thus:

My idea of the Students' Union Government was a union which comprises a group of students with similar goals and objectives echoed in one voice. Alas, my definition or description of Students’ unionism has long been reviewed by
the Students' "unionists" as a body comprising of students who delve mistakenly into school politics to amass wealth for themselves, drive around our campuses in luxury van, and live in well furnished rooms despite the lamentable state of fellow student welfare status. Students' unionism has been typical of an oxymoron because studentship in recent times has dissociated itself from the essence of unionism. It is quite
lamentable and laughable that problems in higher institutions brews up as the population of students increases in tens over the years. The offices of students' union officials have become too juicy, leaving Nigerian students in
the hands of leaders who are shoddier. Leadership ought to be purpose driven
and not that which is backed by financial appetite.
He went further, as he quotes Albert Einstein when been offered the position
of Israel presidency, he declined the offer saying “he lacks the natural
aptitude to handle official matters’’. The case of student’s leaders in our era
today is quite different from what we originally envisaged, as they are
sponsored by godfathers in schools' governing council or "over graduate
students". "The Over graduate students" are those alumni you see on our
campuses who come to our campuses to invest in students' union elections,
all these has given rise to mediocrity in students' union government.
The interference of school authorities in students' politics is also a plague to
students' activism, the level of tribalism and nepotism that plays on our
campuses is colossal as certain positions are reserved for students of host
communities. Often times on our campuses there are clashes between
school's anointed candidates and the Oba's as the case may be. The palaces
have become determining factor of the lives of young students who are
christened "leaders of tomorrow". The deplorable state of our hostels, Lecture
theatres and other school infrastructures as of today is not only due to the
bad governance of the Nation; A portion of it is given birth to by the Student
leaders we have on our campuses; As they have refused to speak for the
students who have no other choice than finding comfort in bed bugs ravaged
mattresses, over crowded hostel rooms, bad toilets and open air bathrooms
(student have their bath outside).
Students' Associations in the Departmental and Faculty levels are the most
handicapped on our campuses, their objectives are simple - host faculty and
departmental football competition, produce T-shirts and collect dues from
which a good proportion of the dues collected leave students' coffers to
faculty deans and Head of Departments. These faculty leaders ought to
channel the challenges of their students to the Student Union Government
when they can no longer contain the pressure. Contrary to the objective of a
sane students' union, leaders protect their GP's to the detriment of students
they lead. Victimization of students has become common epidemic on our
campuses where students are victimized for not dancing to the tune of greedy
lecturers and sexually voracious lecturers who have revolved their offices into
hotel rooms, when these innocent young women die of abortion their families
become pained and when their wombs are destroyed, they become prey to
their future husbands.
The students' leaders have not been able to tame these unscrupulous
elements in the name of academics. Arise Oh Comrades! We must not be
dumb or feign ignorance of these plague, thousands of students united cannot
be defeated by a few potbellied administrators who know of our plights but
have not been informed with cries and demonstrations of angry students who
have not enjoyed the true benefits of studentship.
The school is a micro reflection of the larger society and if we fail as
intellectuals the society will die. We must not wait on our "leaders" but on the
miraculous spirit of "Aluta". Let the unschooled man not say thank God I
didn't go to school. We must talk, write and stood firmly on been an objective
intellectuals. Let us all sing Aluta Continua, Victoria Ascerta...
Mr. President, as we all know this is better by far, and as we all bellow for a
best by far Student Union, I believe the above claim are characteristics of
Student Union on various campuses of the federation less that of University of
Ilorin. In making myself more objective I will implore you once again to
correspond and deliberate with all other Central Executive Council members,
the Senate Council and the Judicial Council to respond swiftly to the following
questions as I strongly believe your swift response to them will amount to
promoting University of Ilorin as a peace loving university. Before I come
forward with my questions sir, I will like to tender my appraisal towards
student welfarism as being duly deserved by some of your executive
members. The case of Mr. Ridwan Adegbola of Faculty of Law, as it was been
attended to by the Vice President, College of Health Science after been beaten
to coma deserves an applaud, as it was a display of welfarism at its peak. I
will also like to applaud your administrations contingency plan towards curbing
criminal activities at Oke-Odo and some strategic places off campus. We
implore you all, to keep striving and keep achieving.
Mr. President, my questions goes thus:
1. Invoking Article 5 of the Student Union Constitution, the union is said to
constitute in hierarchy, The Congress, The Central Executive Council (CEC),
The Senate Council (SC) and the Judicial Council. It is quite unfortunate that
“The Congress”, in which its welfarism is the sole responsibility of the Student
Union at large as been derided. It is clearly stated in the constitution, that
“The first Ordinary Congress shall be held in the first semester and the second
congress shall be held in the second semester before the expiration of the
office of the CEC” – Article 6A item 4. Why as the Congress being sidelined?
Am sure you won’t be wary of the power of the congress as depicted by
Article 6C once you are not putting a square peg in a round hole. Mr.
President, Can you please tell us all where and when the last congress of the
Student Union was being held?
2. According to Article 12A item 5 of the constitution, “The Senate President
shall be the chief interpreter of the constitution”. Mr. President, I will like you
to indulge the knowledge of the Senate President of Student Union Senate
Council, the Chief Judge and the Attorney General of the Judicial Council of
the Union as Article 15F item 1 of the constitution gave them the privilege to
respond to questions raised against the viability of the constitution. I will be
questioning the viability of the constitution as regards the following portion of
the Constitution relating to electioneering process :
a. Part II of the Electoral Act, item 10 (II) C – “The members shall be any
matriculated students who have spent at least (2) academic sessions”
b. Part VI of the Electoral Act, item 24 (b) – States that a person shall be
eligible to contest for the office of the President of the Student’s union if “He
must have spent at least (2) complete academic sessions”
c. Part VI of the Electoral Act, item 25 (b) – States that a person shall be
eligible to contest for the office of the Vice-President (Permanent Site) of the
Student’s union if “She must have spent at least (2) complete academic
sessions”
d. Part VI of the Electoral Act, item 26 (b) – States that a person shall be
eligible to contest for the office of the Vice-President (College of Health
Sciences) of the Student’s union if “She must have spent at least (2)
complete academic sessions”
e. Part VI of the Electoral Act, item 27 (b) – States that a person shall be
eligible to contest for the office of the General Secretary and Financial
Secretary of the Student’s union if “He/She must have spent at least (2)
complete academic sessions”
Mr. President, Mr. Senate President, Mr. Chief Judge and Mr. Attorney General,
Please tell us all why and how the constitution should sidelined some student
from contesting even though they are in the same level with UTME
Contestant? The question raised in here, is a matter of urgency and one which
demand swift, objective and peaceful response as “all Direct Entry applicants
of the University” are been obviously sidelined and dis-enfranchised of their
basic right to contest for all those posts in question. That is our own view, and
we anticipate that you and all in question as to this regard will prove us all
wrong.
3. Article 10G item 3 of the Constitution state clearly that the Welfare
Secretary Permanent Site and College of Health Sciences “shall ensure that
the sanitation in the university be conducive for the health of the members”. I
will like to bring to your notice that which is of no news to you sir, that the
most provoking toilet facility on the school campus is located in the most
strategic place on campus, the arena where at least 50% of the school
population take their daily meal – Our dear Bukateria (BUKA). With great
sense of been health conscious Sir, even a dead man will come to live if he
visit this toilet. Sir, as if that is not enough, it is of no news to you too that
toilets in various faculties are in a very bad shape. I will also like to inform you
of the fact that most of the toilets on the campus “walk-way” are nothing but
a swimming pool in which you have to swim in your way to put them to use. It
is of no news that university of Ilorin Student always go on queue to get
anything, Sir, it is retrogressive for student of the “better by far” University to
go on queue before making use of the toilet even at the school Central
Mosque; On this note, I will be grateful if you can provide us answers as to
why the Male toilet of Block 1 (Walk-Way) is always on lock down? Also, have
you not been kept apprise of all this? If yes; why are we still in this mess?
Because, it might have not come to your notice that student are now nursing
toilet disease despite the fact that they have paid for this services and some
are spending more than they should as they have to go off campus to answer
the call of nature all because they are wary of toilet diseases.
4. Article 10F item 5 of the Constitution as stated in black and white that the
Financial Secretary of the Student Union “shall publish the union’s account as
it stands every month throughout the session, and paste such publication on
all faculty notice boards with the supervision of the Public Relation Officers”
of the Union. Why as this role of this portion of the Constitution not being
played by the two offices in delegation? Are there any clandestine and
surreptitious motives as to this regards?
5. Article 20C item 2 and 3 of the Student Union Constitution depict
respectively that “Thirty five percent of the total revenue shall be used for
capital project” and “Thirty five percent of the total revenue shall be used for
other expenses”. Mr. President, can you please devour us all with what the
Student Union is having in plan as regard this portion of the Constitution? Mr.
President Sir, we are all aware of the fact that we were all coerced to make
payment for “Sweat Shirts” which am sure almost the entire school populace
never bargained for; Sir, are you aware of the fact that we will make such
payment beforehand? If Yes, When are we going to have the so called shirt? If
No, what have you done to balance the situation as regard the sweat shirt?
6. Invoking Article 20D item 2 of the Student Union Constitution, “Copies of the
approve budget shall be conspicuously (evidently, visibly and noticeably)
displayed on all notice boards for a period of at least two (2) weeks from the
approved date”. Mr. President, You and I both know that this portion of the
constitution as not been put to practice. My question to this regards include:
a. When and where was the budget sitting of your administration being held?
b. If we are to assume that there was a budget sitting and this crucial portion
of the constitution is being devoid. Can you please explain to us the motive
behind why the entire member of the Union are not being breastfeed of this
crucial information?
c. If it is not in your positon Sir, as to providing answer to (a) and (b) above,
whose obligation is it to have bring to all member of the Union the budget of
the Union for the Session as stated in Article 20D item 2 of the Student Union
Constitution?
7. Mr. President, I will like to bring you up to speed as regard the issue of
nothing more than a hundred and eight (108) duly matriculated student of the
just concluded admission exercise of the University, in which each of those
student are tagged to have secured their admission via a fraudulent means as
proclaimed by the University Student Disciplinary Committee (SDC). Mr.
President, as at this present moment, either those student are guilty or not,
you have not issued any presidential concern to those who have elected you to
sing out their voice in case situation of this caliber surfaces, I presumed that
is a blow on your presidency. As I have stated earlier on, they were all duly
matriculated and we both knew what that depicts. Can you with great sense of
welfarism tell us all why you have kept this under the carpet as if it is not an
issue that needs sagacious treatment? Mr. President, as we all know that fact
will always speak for itself, I have made my findings and I have been
convinced beyond doubts that not a single soul out of the afore mentioned
One hundred and Eight (108) student in question was duly admitted. I made
cross reference with Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB)
database so as to be sure of my sources, and also, I am convinced beyond
doubt that Nigerian University Commission (NUC) knows nothing about this
student’s admission as it was neither authorized by them nor JAMB; as regard
this fact, and as we all know the country at large is in its trying time and as
we all are facing corruption to its last root, that it should be uprooted, I am
given the University Management an unreserved prestige, kudos and
appreciation for laying good example as to the fact they have shown vividly
that the acclaimed “probitas doctrina” was not an accident of history. They
have shown a great character. Mr. President, you and I both know that the
total number of student in question were not involved in the engineering
process of this shameful situation. My sources proclaimed that it was
orchestrated by some Staff of the university and as at this present moment
some have been apprehended. Mr. President, on behalf of the entire Student
populace of the university we want you to provide us the full details of all
those who are involved in this shameful act as you and I know they want to
drag our good name into a dirty mud. Lastly sir, It is disheartened that after
series of encounter between all the Student’s in question and the SDC, the
fate of any of those student as not been revealed to them. Are they going to
be rusticated? Are they going to be expelled? Are they going to continue with
their programme? Are they going to be refunded? This are questions I keep
asking myself, Mr. President, being a progressive minded intellectual of this
great citadel of intelligential I believe you can make a plea on behave of this
student, as that is the only reasonable approach for both side in question as
to this regard. Mr. President, please liaise with the Dean of Student Affairs,
the Dean of each of the faculties each of the student’s in question belongs to,
their HOD’s and if possible their Level adviser. I strongly believe it will reap a
good fruit. Mr. President, I have been in contact with some of the Student’s in
question and I have gathered that some among this student’s if not been
pardoned by the University will never see the four walls of the University, I
mean never in their lifetime. They are hoping if the university could cut them a
deal, place them in the University remedial school or in any of the school
programme, or even ask them to go and rewrite JAMB/IJMB, and if they were
able to seat and pass another JAMB/IJMB, the University will offer them
admission as a price for all the ordeal they have witnessed as regard this
issue. Mr. President, I am sure the plea is not going to be something easy, but
I will be very grateful if you can give my advice a trial and history will never
forget you tried your best even when it seems no way out, and the children
and children children, of every one of the student in question will never forget
your impact in their life.
Mr. President, like you have always encouraged us all not to be defeated by
our sense of observation and as one of your presidential candidate, before you
were being elected into office, proclaimed that we should all try in our possible
best not to lose our sanity. Sir, with great sense of not being defeated by our
sense of observation and not losing our sanity. On behalf of the entire student
populace of the University, we request your acknowledgement and swift
demonstration’s as regard the content of this pen pal.
May Allah (God) bless University of Ilorin,
May Allah (God) bless Kwara State,
May Allah (God) bless Nigeria.
From a concerned and observing pen pusher, I remain humble and I will never
fumble.
Akeukanwo Sulaiman Abiodun Al-Qalam (The-Pen)
300 level, Department of Computer Science,
Faculty of Communication and Information Science,
University of Ilorin,
Ilroin, Kwara State.

The SU President (Alao Idris AKA. Observation) Response:

RE: AN OPEN LETTER TO THE STUDENT UNION PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, ILORIN

The attention of the Office of the President of the Student Union, Comrade  Idris Alao has been drawn to an open letter written by one Akeukanwo Sulaiman Abiodun, a 300 level student of faculty of Communication and Information Science, who claimed to be a concerned and observing pen pusher, purporting to be advising the President on the issues raised in the letter, and at the same time requesting "your acknowledgement and swift demonstration as regard the content of this pen pal"

We want to put it on record that, since Mr. President took the baton of leadership, he has been working with the moral will and the intellectual competence to bring about a positive change in the affairs of our union. The President, as a leader created the ambience for his cabinet members to work unobtrusively and devoid of executive meddlesomeness. The president has been at the fore front of canvassing for intellectual unionism. So, the President will welcome any form of advice from any member of the union, in as much as such advice is reasonable, logical, constructive, objective and properly channeled. The president will not condone anything short of credibility!

It must be noted that the presidency took the pain to read through the pages of the letter, and would have loved to respond to the issues raised, but the writer was discovered to have created more problems than the solutions he intended to offer. There is no doubt that he made the down-to-heart statements and suggestions, statements so replete with sweet nothings and boyish optimism that they fail to inspire the deep as much as they remained outrightly impracticable even for the frivolous. And God forbid the time when the Presidency will bear with such immeasurable indecency.


Just as Williams Shakespeare once said of life, Mr. Akeukanwo's letter is no more than a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. In style and in substance, there was neither hint of sophistication nor cosmopolitanism in his statements. The statements can be likened to a vibrating air conditioner without a compressor, which can never cool the house. 


The title of the letter reads: "An Open Letter to the Student Union President, University of Ilorin, Ilorin" but reading through the letter suggests that the writer has someone else in mind other than the President. An example is the statement that reads in the third page of the letter thus: "Mr. President, Mr. Senate President, Mr. Chief Judge, Please tell us all why and how the constitution should . . .". The writer ought to have been cleared on his choice of addressee as the presidency will not labour in vain responding to a letter that is not addressed directly to the office of the president, and no other. Besides, the writer has stayed in the University long enough to have known and internalized that the head of the Judiciary is addressed as Chief Justice and not Mr. Chief Judge. What more, the Judiciary is headed by a female. 


More so, the grammatical blunders in the letter are such that the presidency cannot overlook. The president was very much embarrassed. The blunders pervaded every page of the letter, and were so disturbing and alarming that the statements became so incoherent. So incoherent are the statements that a reasonable man would find it difficult to comprehend what the writer was driving at. As if that was not enough, the writer in the third page of the letter also requested the President "to indulge the knowledge of the Senate President of Student Union Senate Council, the Chief Judge and the Attorney General of the Judicial Council of the Union . . .". We want to state with certainty and with every sense of responsibility that the office of Attorney General of the Judicial Council of the Union is not known to the presidency. This and other blunders were such that cast doubts on the academic brilliance of the writer. Mr. Akeukanwo would have saved himself the ridicule and avoided embarrassment that followed, had he not posted the letter on the social media. To be frank, Mr. Akeukanwo's communication was laden on asininity and hasty generalisations. 


We however advise Mr. Akeukanwo to engage the service of those who have the expertise in writing to help him present his ideas in a logical and reasonable manner that would be devoid of avoidable grammatical blunders. He may have to take a refresher course in GNS 111, where he would be equipped with the basic but simple rules of grammar.


Having said this, it must be pointed out that the office of the president is open to all forms of advice that would contribute to the progress and development of our Union. The President would not relent, no matter the level of the distraction, in his effort at ensuring a positive change in our Union.

Signed:

Olaleye Olalekan Nurudeen
(S.A. on Media and Publicity to the SU President)

Mr president, u must be stupid for such response

pls note,,the president has given a speech saying his media adviser never contacted before issuing d statement,,,, he has given another speech,apologizing and attending to the letter properly

Special adviser on media doesn't know what it takes to handle that kind of office