MUST OLAYINKA GO???

What happens when you grow up going to a farm instead of watching cartoon network? Easy! You never get to learn from Spiderman - with great power comes great responsibility. Two weeks ago we wrote on ‘Consequences of War here’ and described ‘the war’ we are fighting as ‘Justice Vs Veto-power’. Of recent we’ve tried to make our articles interactive but una no gree comment,  stop reading this. Stop reading!! Rebellious, abi? If you know you are not going to comment, oya close this article. This is not something like a joking stuvvs. Lol! But really, endeavour to comment, the question for today is where is the line? The line between competence and intentional ignorance, veto-power and dictatorship? In Falz’s voice, is this a military regime?

It’s  5 weeks into this war and with more than 90% of the halls vacated, the VC's next move especially over the past week is to embarrass us all till we all ask to be rusticated for a semester so we won’t be part of this era or beg for resumption like that Tunde guy who begged incessantly for resumption and got death threats in return. But really, Will we become like Tunde eventually?

The first step our VC took was to do a media chat but not with any national media franchise but with DIAMOND FM, whom he can easily intimidate. It seemed like a good idea until he opened his mouth and kept talking like an unsharpened pencil, not blunt but pointless. ‘It is the student that is on strike not Ui…’, then why is the decision of resumption not in our hands? ‘…only lectures have been suspended not academic activities since lecturers are still thinking’, excuse me sir, plix are you not a lecturer? Why are you not thinking? ‘The session will end December 25’, how is that possible without a resumption day fixed?

The interview didn’t really seem to embarrass us enough so he went to Facebook and announced his decision to hold a PTA (PLA) meeting on the 7Th of June. PTA what? After this how do you expect us to diss or try and argue with undergraduates of Covenant University? Let’s not talk about Great Ife now, we’ve lost without a word said. What’s next? Open day/visiting day?

 Let’s get a bit serious now, on Monday the 30th of May a meeting was meant to hold amongst students and alumni members at SRC Chamber of S.U.B to discuss ‘the way forward’. By 9am, the school management ordered Abefele to lay siege to the Student Union Building to prevent the meeting that was to hold by 10am. They also ordered the arrest of any student union leader found there on the basis that the school is closed to students and as such students have no rights to hold meetings within the school premises. But would you fault them? they ordered that students vacate the premises yet students were found on campus, you should bear in mind that a group of student leaders anchoring a meeting on “forbidden grounds”is enough to put pressure on a somewhat dysfunctional management to act disorderly. But should it have resulted to arrest?

 The response of the students on ground was that the SUB is an exclusive right of the student community and the university has no power to determine what happens there as memorandum of the closure of the school addressed to students only states classrooms, lecture theatres and halls of residence. And the school premises belong to the federal government and neither the VC nor school management. But if your father gives you pocket money, don’t you call it your money and claim responsibility to how it’s spent? I think the same logic applies here too.

Tcool, a former SU president was arrested on the orders of the school management being a student union leader. When he was asked to leave SUB, he said “I can’t ask the VC to leave his office”. Heard the youngest Abefele officer shouted "Oshey! Punchline!!" (I swear it happened).  He was taken to the Sango police station and later released - believe it or not the police is your friend.

Another interesting side of this intriguing tale is the phone call between the VC and the so called alumni member. As usual the VC kept repeating what he was saying and almost admitted like he knew he didn’t have the right to order the arrest. However the call did reveal something, what’s it? It shows that the much maligned VC is an open person, easy to reach and simple to talk too. Now that questions the proud image he seems to have, not coming to address us during any of the protests and all the power play. That begs the questions; who are the VC’s advisers? Is he just a figurehead like our former President?

To those 400L and 300L student meant to be on IT, plix go and edit your IT letter. For the girls getting old, plix go and get married or try not to get pregnant. Our able brothers, plix go and look for work. Tcool, plix we sef wan graduate like you. 100L students, plix don’t forget your matric number. And if you’re still reading, well you will soon get tired.

We are just 6 months into a 5year tenure if we stay mute now, we will one day need to find the voice speak again. If we turn the other cheek, we will keep chopping slap like Ade. Let’s support those on the war front with #OlayinkaMustGo and do remember to keep UI in your prayers. But I ask again, it’s been 48 hours after #OlayinkaMustGo trended, what have we achieved?  What has changed? Must Olayinka really go? A meeting was held on Tuesday between the VC and the media, not diamond fm this time, where he explained the different plights facing the school and limitations he has in solving those problems.  Personally, we feel he would be a good VC if he solved 2 problems; his relation with students and get rid of his advisers if there are any.

What’s your take on this? Let us know in the comment section. FYI, giveaway happening very soon here on UISTT.
Aluta Continua Victoria Ascerta!!!