WhatsApp Autocracy- Pope Jay

Over the past weeks, the number of WhatsApp groups I belong to has increased geometrically. Most of the groups I have had to join recently have been due to an unavoidable necessity. And in some of these groups, I have had to be one of the group administrators for various reasons. I must confess, It has been quite an experience: Good, bad and ugly.


I have come to observe that different people join different groups (WhatsApp groups majorly) for different reasons and most importantly without considering the fundamentals that birth most of these groups. Within permissible limits of presumption, I want to believe that a high percentage of users, especially in the older teenage and early youthful stage, join most groups in search of adventure and amusement without any real connection to the main purpose of the establishment of the group.  The aftereffect of this is not far-fetched; it's loads and loads of irrelevant chats, annoying spam and unnecessary “Send To 7 People or die” messages.


Personally, I try to castigate this rather sad decadence of order whenever I can, especially in groups where I can. I am an advocate of purpose; I believe my actions at every point in time should be tied to a particular purpose. As a matter of fact, this is a basic principle for achieving appreciable productivity. Putting this simply, if I join a WhatsApp group to plan an event, the messages and posts on such group should be centred around this purpose, if I want to listen to the gospel, I know where to go.


I have had to offend many people who do not share this perspective. If I create a group for a particular reason and, knowing fully well this purpose, a person decides to spam the group with very irrelevant information, there is a very high tendency that I may 'unintentionally' remove such person from the group. Many people have often called this autocratic and oppressive and this just leaves me to wonder, “Are WhatsApp groups supposed to be democratic?”.


In as much as I appreciate the dividends of democracy et al, I believe it does have its flaws and it is these flaws that make it relatively unsuitable in some scenarios. For instance, there have been issues of administrators removing persons of antagonistic beliefs from general groups and this is condemnable ONLY if it does not agree with the choice of the majority; which according to basic democratic guidelines, carry the vote. However, if I as a person or corporate body create a group and set rules, I reserve the right to dismiss or sanction you if you break these rules. In simpler terms, it’s just like clicking the “I agree” column in the Terms and Conditions section (which no one ever reads) when signing up on most social network platforms, giving the handlers the right to delete your account whenever you break their rules.


Conclusively, I would also want to advise the “Human Rights Activists” who go around fighting when people are sanctioned for breaking rules or basic ethical codes to try to easen up and be a little more patient when trying to moderate some issues, especially the “WhatsApp Activists”. There is such a thing as WhatsApp Autocracy whether you like it or not; in which case it's probably better to just leave the group.          


Pope Jay

OAU Senate Validates August 7 As Resumption Date

The Senate of Obafemi Awolowo University has today resolved to pick August 7 as the date for resumption of students.

After the over hundred days holiday, the resumption dates for students of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife have finally been announced.

Confirming our earlier report, the returning students of the institution have been directed to resume On the 7th August, 2016 while the Fresh students are to resume on the 3rd of August to complete their various registration processes. Lectures commence on the 8th August, 2016.

We wish all students a happy resumption.


Picture Illustration by Pelumi Ponmile

Renovation Commences Barely Two Days After Acting VC's Visit

Barely two days after the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Professor Anthony Elujoba, paid a visit to the various Halls of of Residence on Campus with his entourage, repair works have commenced in several of these halls.

Speaking with our correspondent, some workers who came around claimed they were around for inspection and estimation needed for the renovation as their work would commence anytime from now.

As at the time of filing this report, the repair of doors in Awolowo Hall Block 3 and renovation of toilets has commenced. Electricity supply has also been restored to all Halls of Residence on Campus.

This comes as a surprise to majority of the students who have continued to complained over the years about the de-humanizing state of the University Halls of Residence.

Clearly, this is a strong indication in the positive direction for the Institution considering the current Acting Vice-Chancellor has only spent about three days in office.



Photo Credits - Nairaland

OAU Acting Vice-Chancellor Visits Awo Toilet

Prof. Anthony Elujoba

Earlier today, the newly appointed Acting Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Anthony Elujoba, was on an inspection tour of all halls of residence on the University's campus.

The Acting VC's check on the state of the halls is believed to be in a bid to assess the current situation of things with a view to proper improvement.

Halls of residence visited include: The Angola Hall, Mozambique Hall,  the Muritala Muhammed Postgraduate Hall and the Obafemi Awolowo Hall, where he was said to have personally observed the sardonic state of the toilets in the Halls.

In the company of Professor Elujoba was the University's Registrar; Mr D.O Awoyemi, the School PRO, Mr Abiodun Olanrewaju and the Acting Dean, Division of Student Affairs; Dr(Mrs) L.M Durosinmi.

OAU Acting Vice Chancellor Meets With Ooni Of Ife (Pictures)

On Tuesday, the Ile-Ife born acting Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Anthony Elujoba visited and paid homage to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi Ojaja II.

See pictures below

Photo credit: Oriowo Oyeyemi

OAU Students To Resume August 7

Newly Proposed Calendar For 2015/2016 Session

According to the newly proposed calendar for the 2015/2016 Academic session. The resumption date for students of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife has been put to the 7th of August, 2016. However, the calendar is still up for final ratification by the University Senate on Thursday, 28th July, 2016.

Post-UTME Scrapping; A Panacea Or A Conundrum?

Adeyeye Eyitayo

It is no longer a news that Post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination popularly known as PUTME has been scrapped. It took the intervention of the Federal Government through the office of the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu to put an end to the system, a development which is not unconnected to the fact that the process has been viewed by many to have lacked merit and has served as a means through which institutions exploit admission seekers to generate huge income. 

Before the Post UTME exercise was scrapped there were universities charging as high as six to seven thousand naira for the admission exercise.  An average tertiary institution records thousands of candidates sitting for Post UTME and perhaps if each candidate pays seven thousand naira for the exercise, is this not too much of our ivory towers?  Even after candidates had gone through thick and thin to cough out the exorbitant charges, candidates are still not guaranteed admission.  As a matter of fact, there are instances where some candidates could not sit for the Post UTME exams owing to financial constraints, hence blocking any chance of being admitted.  It's believed that it was on this basis coupled with other things that formed the reasons why the programme was scrapped.

Even though, the scrapping of the Post UTME exercise as well as the introduction of the newly recommended admission screening exercise has been greeted with contentions, many believed that the decision was praise-worthy thinking that the new admission screening exercise would be the type that would avail the both the rich and poor fair admission opportunities.  The new style of screening is more of a "result grading system" giving much importance to candidate's ordinary level (O’level) results coupled with UTME performance.

Taking a critical look at the newly introduced system, one would be forced to ponder if it is not the case of ‘pouring a new wine into an old bottle’.  The non-extant Post UTME as meritless and exploitative as it was perceived to be by many, some now think it's still better if compared with the new admission screening exercise as the later involves a cumbersome and complex system, in which tertiary institutions would have to grade candidates’ O'level results as well as UTME results.

Another contention is that, the additional weight and importance given to O'level results by the new screening style is unwarranted. Reason being that, the bodies conducting these exams have had their images dented with issues of incompetence and ineffectiveness, making people doubt if there exams are still true tests of knowledge. Another unanswered question is whether the newly introduced system would not lead to a situation where candidates engage in several malpractices with an eye on its influence on their admission chances.   This means that the 0'level result is not just a requirement for admission seekers but now a powerful determinant.

Some institutions, in compliance with the new directives, recently came up with their screening modus-operandi which entails pocket-tearing charges. Then why was post UTME scrapped? Was it not because of its exploitative nature?

A renowned University has the following as screening charges totaling the sum of 6,850 naira:

SCREENING FEE - N1,500
EPORTAL ACCESS CHARGE - N5,000
BANK CHARGE - N350

If candidates would still pay charges as high as this, has there been any change at all? Are these charges really relevant? Is this not tantamount to pouring a new whine into a new bottle? Do you think Post UTME shouldn't have been scrapped at all? Is its scrapping a panacea or a conundrum?

Adeyeye Eyitayo is a student of the Faculty of Law, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife and a member of the OAU Peeps Team