By Jubril Olalekan
It is no news that electoral/political activities on campus have commenced in full since the lifting of the prior ban placed on it. These activities cut across different levels or sects in the university of ibadan, from the students union (su) level to the faculty, and even across departments. Posters and stickers perch on the walkways, on walls, on trees like wondering birds seeking succour – it tells of nothing other than the obvious – the aspirants want to ring their names either in your conscious or subconscious minds in respect to the coming election. I say – may their roads or plans come to fruition.
It is a common knowledge that to be certified as an aspirant who is fit to contest in an election, there are some necessary criteria you must meet, one of which is that your cgpa must be strong enough; but how strong exactly?
In the premier faculty, faculty of arts, election ban was lifted some weeks ago, meaning aspirants are now free to campaign and do what they could in line with the constitution of the faculty to ensure that they secure the respective positions they are vying for. In respect to that, an electoral committee was then appointed, the association of faculty of arts independent electoral committee ( afasiec), to take charge and see to the success of the 2021 faculty election. The committee swung into action after the swearing of oath since there is only a little time left to organise and prepare for the election.
One of the things that the independent electoral committee agreed upon was the minimum required cgpa for all aspirants, which was pegged at 2.5(second class, lower), a decision that later went south because it did not resonate with the dean and the sub-dean of the faculty. Unfortunately, the broadcast message for the minimum required cgpa which was unanimously agreed upon by the committee had been circulated to the public both on social media and on the faculty notice board. However, displeased with the decision of the committee, the dean and the sub-dean introduced a new minimum requirement (3.0, second class upper), an action that met with disdain and counter reactions from the students.
The students fulminated at this new development as it led to the disqualification of some aspirants who they believed had spent and had been spent in preparation for the election. This then raised the question on the supposed “independence” of the afasiec. “if they were truly independent, how can the dean and sub-dean meddle in the decision of the committee?” And moreso “does a high cgpa guarantee effectiveness and efficiency?” Many whispered in silence.
Speaking on the new requirement, the faculty of arts sub-dean, dr. Tunde blavo stated; “the change was made to ensure that the faculty produces leaders who are not mediocres,”. Furthermore, corroborating his point, the dean of the faculty, professor. A. Oyeshile maintained that “our studies is our primary assignment on campus”. In other words, it is needful that as students we see to it that our academics does not suffer while we engage in the goose chase of other things.
Subsequently however, a meeting was scheduled with the stakeholders which involved the dean, the sub-dean, the cps members and the faculty representative committee (flc) on the 2nd of september, 2021, seeing the incessant pressing by the students from the faculty. To this end, a compromise was reached and the initially agreed minimum cgpa requirement, 2.5, was restored as the new requirement, although with a clause that 3.0cgpa will come to effect as the minimum requirement from the aspirants as from next session.
