By Ayomide Emmanuel
Following the inauguration and swearing into office of the Union officers that held on Wednesday, 9th March 2022. The inauguration which came after six months that they were elected and voted into office.
The Great Ife Union President, Comrade Olayiwola Festus Folahan, Reform in an exclusive interview with the Association of Campus Journalist on Thursday 10, March 2022 discusses his plans and agenda for the Great Ife Students’ Union.
Speaking about how his first day in office looks like, he said " Well, i don't think i have any extraordinary feelings because this is the sixth month after election and which have been doing activities as the Union President". He further explained that before the inauguration, they have been attending to the needs of students when called upon and all this have been doing from there pocket to fulfill there own quota toward the development of the Great Ife Students' Union.
Speaking on speculations that flew around during his campaign that he was a member of the left organization, he answered "the question is that is that who's a leftist?" he further went on to say he doubt if he has heard of the word leftist before.
Speaking on the first thing that he wants to tackles as the president, he said "the transportation issues especially for the Road 7 axis, which he acknowledged that the residents of the Road 7 axis are going through a lot of transportation issues because they are always stranded so many times, both in the morning and in the evening. He however promised that his administration will see to it that a bus is made available for them to transport them to and fro at lesser prices which will be monitored by the students' Union and ensure that all the activities are properly watched.
Consequently he said, the executive body are one irrespective of anything happen and they do things in accordance to their plans and they come together and have meetings everyday to make sure they annex their ideas and be able to present it to the Great Ife Students and also, the major priority of the executive body is the welfarism of the students. He further assures that the Welfare Director of the Union is working on the issues of price exploitation going on on campus.
Dealing with external forces most especially those that have the outlook of "God-fatherism" in relations to how the Union was proscribed the last time. He said he doesn't think the Union was proscribed because of "God-fatherism" but because of bad leadership crisis. However, he said he's not a fan of Godfatherism although he has mentors who advises him and he also has the freedom to weigh every advice given to him and decide which one to use and which one to blot on because they are advice and not like "Godfathers" who wants to impose their idea on someone.
Speaking on how to keep the Union finances strong, the president acknowledged every students is a financial member of the Union on the virtue that there's a union due that have been paid by every students to the school account and as representative of the students, it is their responsibility to demand for the union due and send it to the union account so as to be able to use it for the Union activities after which they will be a monthly report of the money spent by the Union and also the audit committee from the Students' Representative Council will also help in the check and balances because the Great Ife Students Union is a democratic system.
In order to see to the fact that the welfarism of the students at all halls of residences are been maintained and adequately taken of, the hall executives are mandatory to send reports to the office of the President and also whenever there are issues reported to the Central Executive Council, a call is put through to the hall executives to confirm what's exactly going on in the hall of residence.
In relations to getting justice for Heritage which the President made mention in his speech on the inauguration and swearing in day, he affirmed that the case in the court of law and the Union is watching keenly to ensure that the justice is
justifiable.
Speaking on the application of Scientific Maximum Shishi, the President said it will be replaced with application of community service however, parading of offenders will still be in place because while applying SMS on offenders, you have to put in place the health status of the individual. He however commended the student that was assaulted by the town-igboro driver for doing a nice job of snapping him and the plate number of his bus and every students should also emulate this habit so has to make judgment faster.
Sending message to the generality of Great Ife Students', he said "I will firstly like to appreciate Great Ife Students' for entrusting us with this position and we also solicit for their continuous support Truthfully, Great Ife students have been helpful in all ramifications. So, we will also advise them to keep up with what they’ve been doing and also as Great Ife implies that Great Ife remains Great Ife that there are many things that we do outside Great Ife and that helps us to stand out, we should also continue in this lane with our best, we will do what is good at the interest of the Great Ife students. Thank you so much."
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