By Red
Tuesday, 8th of March, 2022 is a day to be remembered amongst the students of Obafemi Awolowo University as the Students' Union Officers were finally inaugurated and swore into office after six months of waiting.
It was a large ceremony held at the Afrika Amphitheater where students came to express their joy and celebrate with the newly inaugurated officers of the Students' Union.
Speaking to ACJOAU correspondent, the Vice-chancellor of the institution, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, with regards to the newly inaugurated Students Union. He expressed his delight over the event where he said, "this is the first time in the history of OAU where the SU election went smoothly without a petition".
Speaking further, he said "On our side as management, we have also tried to introduce some kind of leadership training in some of these things we are doing which we think can assist”. He mentioned that Student Union is very different from what it used to be before, hence, people have to learn for the progress of the universities.
About the ASUU strike, the VC mentioned that the management was not happy about this plight, saying, "but we're happy that the students are still benefitting despite all the happenings”.
Concerning the current division between lecturers in the university, he said "when I entered this university, I knew exactly when I was going to graduate and I graduated the very time I was supposed to graduate, not a day later, and that is what I want for my students”
He made mentioned of his expectations for the current Student Union, saying, "what I expect from them is something that will be of benefit to all students, I want them to concentrate on the welfare of all students and not some personal aggrandizement or promoting themselves and things like that”
He expressed his thoughts warning the SU not to be very careful to avoid being sucked into the general political space in the country. He said, "this is Student Union and it's not based on political parties and they must see it that way”.
He had concluded the interview saying ”I have decided to come here because this is very important to me, so you have to prioritize... we are building the future and whatever you do can make or mar the progress and future of quite a number of students, so you're not just leading yourself, you're leading 30,000 students and whatever you do can either promote them or permanently damage them and this, to me, is very important and that is why we're all here”.
0 comments: