Be The Best Conference To Begin Today

Be-The-Best Conference is an initiative that seeks to empower students across Nigerian tertiary institutions in light of our observation that adjusting to LIFE AFTER SCHOOL is an uphill task for most people. The conference looks to enhance survival instincts and independent ability, soft skills, practical knowledge, forward thinking and values that is generally required to thrive within the society after graduation.

Date: 3rd & 4th February, 2017

Time: 3:00pm & 9:00am

Venue: Oduduwa Hall, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife

Gate Fee: FREE

Facilitators:
Alex Goma
MD, PZ Cussons, Nigeria

Onyeche Tifase
MD/CEO, SIEMENS, NIGERIA

Ayo Daniels
THE LIGHTHOUSE, NIGERIA

Program Highlight:
Life After School
The Brand Called "YOU"
Relationship/Marriage
Career & Business Enterprise
Interview Nuggets/CV Writing
Live Aptitude Test for final year students

Register at:
http://www.bethebest.ng

Rate Professor Anthony Elujoba's 6-month Vice Chancellorship

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DemoCrazy: The Abraham Lincoln Parody - Pope Jay

We all have our high moments; that particular point in time that just defines the rest of our lives. For Isaac Newton; it was watching that apple drop, for Franklin, it was that wet moment in the rain when the lightening flashed, Archimedes wasn’t even dressed in his moment, For Barack Obama; I think it was “The Speech That Made Obama President”. History lovers would agree that for Abraham Lincoln, it was that hot Thursday Afternoon in November 1863, yes; The Gettysburg Address! Apart from the fact that that speech went on to become one of the most famous in American history, I believe it also put Lincoln in the eternal hall of fame of democracy, a proof of this being the fact that the last words of the address are the most widely used to define the entire concept of “Democracy”. Sometimes I try to picture Lincoln giving that address; the confidence in his voice, his proud stance, the smirk on the corner of his face as he carved his words deep into time itself, if only Grandpa Abe knew that about Seven score and fourteen years after, in an academic estate somewhere in Central Africa on a cool Wednesday evening, a jester would make a mummer’s farce of the words he spoke.

Democracy, even beyond Lincoln, has gained a lot of popularity. As a system of government, it is perhaps the most popular in the world today. And apart from nations, many other institutions have tried to implement, or at least simulate, its workings to an extent. And just maybe to some reasonable extent, the system has succeeded. This is not to say that the system is without its flaws: As a matter of fact, many times the decision of the majority is not always the best but then again, doesn’t every good thing come with its sour side. Democracy is a system that aims to give every man an equal voice, irrespective of the diversities that seems to drive us as far apart. Democracy is not a respecter of skin colour or other physical properties, it doesn’t discriminate based on intellectual capabilities; a fool’s vote is worth the same as a sage’s vote (even though it is often difficult to decipher who is which). And as much as I don’t always agree with the outcomes of the democratic process, I believe it still remains the best system of governance for the mere reason that it keeps a society in check!

So the Electoral Commission of the Obafemi Awolowo University Students’ Union decided to allow only students that have attained a CGPA of 2.5 and above be officers of the Union and I found this quite interesting, for the mere reason that it apparently shatters the very building blocks of the democracy we seem to be quite passionate about. And almost all that have endorsed this stance has done so on the premise of the statement; “How would someone who has less than a 2.5 CGPA be able to cope with leading our Union?” and more than even the decision, I believe this statement to be comical. We might as well say people with less than 2.5 CGPA do not have the intellectual capability to vote and leave them out of the whole process. And as much as I agree that some minimum benchmarks be in place to set some standard, I do not believe threading the CGPA lines once again is the way out. If the University would still recognize students with less than 2.5 CGPAs as her students and the Union would still tax them as her members, it is definitely not democratic to say these students do not deserve a chance at the leadership of the Union. Who knows? The electorate might even find them more capable than the so-called CGPA Intellectuals. Sadly, I am but one of many and the best I can do is state my opinion and hope persons of like minds (whether contrary or similar opinions) can critic and share their opinions. Just maybe, we’d be able to work out something from this Academic Aristocracy or as I’ll like to call it; DemoCrazy.

"Man The Mic Is A Big Deal" - Timi Agbaje

  Timi Agbaje, a well known event compere, entrepreneur, and the organizer of the much anticipated oratory training event; "Man the Mic", in an interview session with OAU Peeps News Agency enlightened us about the aims and how much result he expects from the programme.

     In the interview, he stated how much he expects "Man The Mic" to be successful because of the huge efforts and resources put into it. According to the Compere, there are about fifty participants and this already meant success for the organizers. He was also certain of a ninety-percent impact if not hundred on the participants due to the fact that the facilitators were professionals in their line of work and that it wasn't only their lessons but also their lifestyle and achievements would go a long way to motivate the participants.

 With just a day to go, find the Press Release from the organizers below;

"Press Statement on Man The Mic

The programme MAN THE MIC holds tomorrow Friday at Moot Court in Faculty of Law, OAU .  The venue was shifted in order to accommodate the anticipated audience.

Then participants of Man The Mic are expected to arrive at 11am whilst the programme will start by 12pm. Prompt arrival is very important!

Facilitators are Nancy Isime of Hip Tv, Don Tee, Mc Simbal, Asiri, Ayo Atitebi, Biyi Ajayi, Mc Gollie. Features include

Networking sessions, certificates, questions and answers, insights etc

Forms are still available for sale!

History is about to be made in grand style. Don't miss this ever

Call 0813 114 5829 for details!"

Political Science Students Hold Round-Table Talk

The Obafemi Awolowo University chapter of the National Association of Political Science Students (NAPSS) on the noon of Wednesday, 25^th January 2017 held a political roundtable.



The talk which was held at the Social Sciences Lecture Theatre was centered on the theme; “Anti-Corruption War: Political, Legal and Economic Perspective” featured distinguished speakers which came with different approaches to the topic. Immanuel Faith, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Economic Students Association (NESA), who represented the President of the department spoke on the Economic effects of the Anti-Corruption War, stating that the main purpose why corruption was a bad thing for any economy was that the money embezzled was often hidden out of the country and thus reduced the total amount of money in circulation. Ayogu Chinedu, however, approached the topic from a more practical perspective as he lauded the ongoing fight against corruption in the country by the President and Mr Salam Rasak also came to give his opinion which did not totally agree with the prior.

Mr Agunyai S., a lecturer in the department of Political Science however rounded off the debate as he clarified that President Muhammadu Buhari was not at all fighting corruption but was only facing a few corrupt politicians in the country and although, the President had a personal repute of truth and integrity, his approach to the said Anti-corruption fight might not be the most effective.

OAU: Electoral Committee Lifts Campaign Ban, Imposes CGPA Bench-mark

After weeks of waiting, several students of the Obafemi Awolowo University were quite shocked when the Electoral Commission sealed the inclusion of the 2.5 CGPA requirement in the electoral guidelines for the conduction of the Students’ Union elections for the 2016/2017 Academic Session.

In the congress which was the first of its kind since the suspension of the activities of the Obafemi Awolowo University  Students’ Union, the ban on campaigns was lifted and the guidelines were spelt out by the commission.

 The dates of the Elections were also announced at the floor of the congress.

However, things got rather comical when the Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Fadele Olusola, upon the declaration of the 2.5 CGPA requirement started to run out of the congress, whilst singing the Great Ife anthem. Certain persons have come out to claim that the actions of the chairman were to ensure his security, but then some other perspectives believe that the Chairman and his Committee might have had a personal agenda at the congress as the meeting did not, as a matter of fact, represent the true intentions of the Great Ife Students. 

 It is noteworthy to remember the 2.5 CGPA requirement was hotly debated at the last union elections as despite the fact that it disenfranchised certain candidates, several other candidates were allowed by the then Electoral Commission to contest. The controversy eventually led to the matter being taken to the Congress where it was resolved that the criteria being alien to the Union’s constitution be scrapped. Hopefully this time, the commission sticks to its word. More details on the guidelines and Calendar to be released in due course.

 

OAU Extends Elujoba’s Vice Chancellorship Tenure

The newly constituted Governing Council of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife has commenced the appointment process for a substantive Vice Chancellor for the university.

The Chairman of the Council, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, made this known while addressing newsmen after inspecting some facilities in the university on his first assignment in the institution.

Among the facilities visited were post retirement lodge, hostels, Information Communication and Technology centre, new Senate building, Centre for Distance Learning and the university’s dam.

He said that the new governing council was ready to ensure rapid development of the OAU.

While stating that the appointment of the acting Vice-Chancellor of the OAU, Prof. Anthony Elujoba, has been extended, the Governing Council Chairman stated that the appointment process for a substantive Vice -Chancellor of the university has commenced.

He said, “We are going to do all that we can to bring all the unions together. We don’t belong to any group but we will ensure cooperation with all unions.

“The Senate in its wisdom unanimously recommended the acting Vice Chancellor tenure extension and it has been granted.

“However, the process of appointing an acting Vice Chancellor has begun. Very soon, the advertisement for submission of applications will be seen in newspapers.”

After the visit, he lamented that most infrastructures in the university were decaying.

“They (the infrastructures) are very urgent and need to be fixed as soon as possible. It is urgent, I have never seen them that bad. I do not know how students survive under this condition. It is not possible to learn and study well under the kind of decay we saw there,” he added.

He assured that a forensic audit of past administrations would be embarked upon to clarify allegations of misappropriation and mismanagement levelled against the past administration.

He promised to harmonise all the unions in the institution as a way of moving on to engender a peaceful calendar year for the students.


Credit: Channels Television