OAU Idol: The Untold Story

By Gracious Egedegbe

It must be said at the onset that the purpose of this article is not to malign the organisers, contestants and other stakeholders in the OAU IDOL competition. This writer writes with a clear conscience and only seeks to x-ray issues and present them as they are.

THE TOLD STORY
Ordinarily, the purpose of OAU IDOL, which is in its second season, can be said to give young talents on OAU campus a platform to explore their potentials as well as win prizes. From all appearances, the competition fills the need to create a platform where students with talents in music may display themselves before a large audience and may well be on their way to fame and stardom.

THE UNTOLD STORY
While the above may be regarded as true and valid, certain concerns have been raised over the execution of the competition. These issues will be addressed in subsequent paragraphs.

The first issue is the use of contestants to sell tickets. Although this writer is yet to interact with the organisers, it could be safely assumed that this is done to guarantee two things. First, that the competition attracts a large audience. Second, that the organisers are able to make ‘enough’ revenue from the sales of ticket. The immediate wisdom in the use of contestants to sell tickets is found in the fact that friends and sympathisers of various contestants will feel obliged (emotionally or otherwise) to purchase tickets to the program in order to show confidence and solidarity.

However, they fail to realise that when they ask contestants to sell large amounts of tickets at a time when recession is in the air, they make the contestants vulnerable. Because these contestants have been made to sell a target amount of tickets within a short period, they are forced to employ different strategies. This might not really put the male contestants in much inconvenience depending on individuals; however, the females have a lot to deal with. In a sexually charged society, putting ladies in the salesperson position puts them in a position where they have to confront different kinds of males in order to meet their set target.

This exposes females to unscrupulous individuals who would use that opportunity to make demands on the ladies or at the very least use it as a means to unsolicited demands. A female’s contact information may been seen as a cheap price for getting sales. Nevertheless, when the information is being used to pressures the female into relationships she would ordinarily not subscribe to, and then there is a problem.

Finally, the use of contestants to sell tickets in order to increase their chances of winning defeats the spirit of the competition. From all appearance, out would expect a free and fair competition where standards related to music would set the rule. However, it would seem that good marketing skills might be needed for one to win the competition. This will no doubt probably dampen the enthusiasm of those who were not able to meet up with sales target. Because of their inability to sell tickets, they may feel their chances of winning are reduced and perform below par. On the other side, those who are probably able to meet or even surpass their targets may feel they have done a lot and just sing to earn few other points.

The argument is simple: the introduction of these sales of tickets dampens the integrity of the quality of expected performance of contestants, judging system and the entire competition.

(Gracious Egedegbe is a student of the Faculty of Arts, Obafemi Awolowo University and a member of the OAU Peeps Team. He tweets at @IamTheGray)

NiMechE OAU Extends Essay Contest Deadline

This is to notify the general populace of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Faculty of Technology at large that the deadline of submission for the Essay writing contest organized by Mechanical Engineering Department has been extended by two weeks.

The new deadline date for submission is now January 27th, 2017.

This is to allow more time for participation.


Adedeji Oluwatobi
NIMechE PRO

Obembe David
NIMechE Gen-sec

Ilesanmi Babatunde
NIMechE President


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"Smelly Feet"- 'Dami

For some people, taking off their shoes in someone's home or  in a public place is forbidden because it could cause some sort  of discomfort among people around. This is as a result of having smelly feet.

     Smelly feet, also known as Bomodosis is when a foul odour is emitted into the air after pulling off one's shoes. It is a common thing which could happen to anyone. Two things occur in the existence of smelly feet: sweat and  bacteria. The cause of this foul odour is not the sweat, but the bacteria that thrives in the moist environment. Hence, It is not the sweat from the gland that smells but the bacteria which causes this.

Causes Of Smelly Feet
Smelly feet could be caused by various reasons which people in the society care less about and these are:

1) Poor personal hygiene:  An individual who cares less about his personal hygiene and doesn't take hygienic measures could possibly suffer from smelly feet.

2) Putting on the same pair of shoes everyday:  An individual who puts on the same pair of shoes everyday is at the risk of having a smelly feet since sweat soaks into the shoes and one puts them on without allowing it to dry.

3) Hyperhidrosis: This is  a  medical condition whereby a person sweats excessively and unpredictably even if the whether is cold. Such is also at the risk of having smelly feet

Ways Of Preventing Smelly Feet
1) Wash feet thoroughly and regularly with soap and water especially between toes.
2) Get rid of dead skin on the feet and keep toe nails trimmed and clean to reduce bacteria
3) Do not wear the same pair of shoes all the time.
4) Make sure clean socks are put on regularly.
5) Sprinkle your shoes with odour fighting powder such as baking soda
6) Spray your feet with antiperspirants before pitting on your shoes.
7) Avoid getting your shoes wet.

(Ayantayo-Ojo Damilola is a student of the Faculty of Arts and a member of the OAU Peeps Team)

OAU Acting VC Meets With Students, Adjourns Meeting

In what some students have termed a partial fulfilment of one of the acting Vice Chancellor's promises, the number one man of the university, Professor Anthony Elujoba met with students of the institution today.

The seemingly impromptu meeting was very brief as the Acting VC had to adjourn it till further notice due to the low turn-out of students and the absence of the Deans of most faculties.

Elujoba however used the medium to appreciate the students for their loyalty and support for his administration. He also thanked the students for the peace maintained within the university community since he assumed office.

Just immediately Elujoba was confirmed the acting VC of the institution by President Muhammadu Buhari late last year, he promised to meet with students of the institution at the Amphitheatre and hold discussion with them.

The town hall meeting today had in attendance very few students. The notification of the meeting was very late and only a few students got the notification on social media.

Federal Government Begs SSANU, NASU, NAAT To Suspend Strike

FG has pleaded with the non teaching staff unions in the universities that embarked on strike yesterday to suspend their action in the interest of the nation.

The three University unions, the National
Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, Non Academic Staff Union and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU started a five-day warning strike yesterday over the inability of the Federal Government to implement the 2009 Agreements with the
unions.
The Joint Action Committee, JAC, of the unions in a statement issued in Abuja, stated that the warning strike had become necessary to make government take necessary action to fully implement the 2009 FGN/Non-Teaching Staff Unions Agreements it freely entered into with the unions.

The Federal Government through the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige in a statement appealed to the three unions to suspend their action in the interest of the nation.
Ngige said, “I wish to assure that the Federal Government is ready and willing to fully dialogue with the members of these Trade Unions, operating under the umbrella of Joint Action Committee. Government has already opened an unhindered channel of communication with all stakeholders and shall maintain this.

The Federal Government therefore, expects that the Trade Unions should suspend the strike before the re-scheduled meeting (January 18, 2017) to make way for untrammeled discussions. “It is important for Trade Unions to embrace dialogue in the pursuit and attainment of the economic and social interests of their members anchored on equity and natural justice.
“I hence thought it necessary to remind the
Trade Unions that there is nothing like a “warning strike” in our National Industrial Relations System, NIRS, a strike is a strike and is subject to all the rules governing strike in the world of work.

“Accordingly, the provisions of Section 43 of the Trade Disputes Act, CAP. T8, Laws of the
Federation of Nigeria, LFN, 2004, will apply
regarding the law of “no work no pay by workers/employees notwithstanding any other circumstances in any section of the Act.

“Once more, I wish to appeal to the trade unions to embrace dialogue as the Federal Government is fully committed to peaceful resolution of what the unions termed “Full Implementation of 2009 FGN/Non – Teaching Staff Union’s Agreement.”


Source- Punch Nigeria

NASU Strike Slows Down Activities On Campus

Sequential to the announcement of a one week strike by the National bodies of the Non-Academic Staff Union, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and some other pressure groups regarding the non-implementation of the 2009 agreement between the Unions and the Federal Government, the OAU Chapter of these unions have embarked on the 5-day warning demonstration leaving a big void in the operation of several activities of the University.

A visit to the Faculty of Pharmacy revealed that most of the practical classes scheduled could not hold due to the absence of Laboratory attendants in the Faculty, the general Secretariat of the Faculty was also locked.

The Hezekiah Oluwasanmi Library, which is also the place of refuge for many students who have time differences in between lectures, was also not in operation today as its usually wide open doors remained tightly shut throughout. A visit to the several other Faculties further revealed their very much hindered operations.

We hope that the Federal Government would attend to the aggrieved union before the demonstration spirals into a full strike action.

OAU Peeps News Agency Inducts New Members

Miss Adeyemi Adenike

Miss Adebayo Faith

Mr Olaoluwa Joseph

Group Photo of some members of the OAU Peeps Team After the Event

OAU Peeps News Agency on Saturday 14th of January, 2017 inducted new set of members into the Agency.

The event which was held at the Junior Chambers International (JCI) Secretariat in Fajuyi Hall, Obafemi Awolowo University was graced by prominent figures in the business of Campus Journalism on OAU Campus.

Distinguished campus journalists who attended the event include Miss Faith Adebayo (the General Secretary of the Association of Campus Journalists, OAU) and Miss Adeyemi Adenike – the Editor-in-Chief of the Icons News Agency.  Others are Mr Ojelabi Jesujoba (PopeJay), the Editor-in-Chief of OAU Peeps News Agency and Mr Olaoluwa Joseph – the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Megaphone News Agency.

The invited guests at the event spoke at length on the need for the new inductees to imbibe the virtue of true campus journalism in every aspect of their practice.  The new inductees were also admonished to never be part of partisan journalism or be allowed to be used as tools in the hands of some mischief makers.

The new inductees and other campus journalists present were also educated on the etiquettes of true journalism and the need to be truthful in whatever situation they found themselves irrespective of whose ox is gored.

In his welcome address, Mr Ojelabi Jesujoba (PopeJay) welcomed the inductees to the fold and also congratulated them for being worthy enough to be part of the Agency.  He tasked them on the need to take the Agency to greater heights while at the same time enriching themselves in the experience of true Campus Journalism and its embodiments.

Presenting his workshop papers, Mr Joseph Olaoluwa hammered on the need for journalists to always check their facts right before reporting to avoid such flaws that may lead to libels and slanders.  He also advised the inductees to seek information on journalism by reading books and journalism articles and also by attending seminars, workshops and conferences. 

Miss Adenike Adeyemi of the ICONS Organisation, educated the audience about the prospects of turning events into news while analyzing the concepts of planned and unplanned events.

The ACJ-OAU representative at the event, Miss Adebayo Faith admonished the new inductees to be good representatives of the News Agency in particular and of Association of Campus Journalists (ACJ), OAU at large in the course of their journalistic activities.

The program also featured the administration of the Induction Oath to the new inductees by the Deputy Editor-in-Chief (Administration), Mr Adigun Olayemi Paul.