EDITORIAL: POMPEII CRUMBLES!
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The culture of magazine publications on campus has been a robust one. In the University of Ibadan, it cuts across every organization; receiving sound contributions from student writers. Literary consciousness permeates the whole campus, with every organizations spicing up its events by churning out publications. However, too many hands have spoiled the broth for so long. This over-saturation has culminated into a defeat of the entire purpose of literary and or journalistic publications all over the campus.
As the mouthpiece of the studentry, UCJ started its own magazines. This initiative is as old as the union itself. There are two major magazines, viz: Campulse Matheir e and The Heartbeat. While the former focuses on events beyond the circumference of the U.I community, the latter launches its fangs into the heart of UI-centric events.
Since its maiden edition, The Heartbeat has stamped its footprint in the U.I Community. It has delved into rich investigative journalism, featured interviews with top guns within the university and so on. While appreciating the concern to promote dissemination of deep intellectual reportages and sound articles about things going on in the university, it has also provided an avenue for ‘less-serious’ issues like entertainment, sports and gist.
However, between 2013 and 2015, there was a brief lull in the annual publication of this tabloid. Hence, we must laud the spirited vision of Mr. Oredola Ibrahim, UCJ president for bringing back The Heartbeat. We must admit that the entire process of coming up with this edition was indeed arduous. There were several setbacks. It is at this point we foremost direct our gratitude to the Almighty God who took control. Thanks also go to the members of the Tabloid Committee: the Editor, Agbaakin Oluwatoyosi Jeremiah, Kanyinsola
Ladies and gentlemen of the University, whether we admit it or not, our journey is a collaborative one. It is true and unfortunate that the journey has suffered tragedies. Students Unionism is a history written with blood; and the legionnaires who fought to keep the fort together might have laboured in vain. The fact that our union still remains what it used to be debuts every attempt to varnish its sombre image. In fact, the story has changed for worse. We can continue to blame our woes on the management from now till Armageddon. It is not out of place to cast aspersions on the management for not changing the system which they passionately strived to do during their time as students of this same university. It is not inappropriate to blame power-drunk administrators who take pleasure in victimizing students for expressing their inalienable fundamental human rights to speech, expression, et. al. It has been said times without count that this same people clamoured for less-important welfare during their days such as the protest against government’s decision to alter the diet from turkey laps to chicken breasts.
However, we cannot turn a blind eye to our own shortcomings as students; failures of students’ leaders and our individual failings. The return of Students’ Unionism in 2011 during the tenure of erstwhile Vice Chancellor, I. F Adewole gave the students a fresh opportunity to start building the fallen walls of our Jerusalem. We can whine all day that the school deliberately clipped our wings by refusing to give our unionism the total nerve it needs to fledge itself to lofty heights. But this argument is just similar to the Biblical servant who was given 1 talent, and rather than invest profitably, he chose to bury it. In our own case, we didn’t just bury it. We violated, desecrated and mobbed it. And now the union bus has parked up, rusting under rain and sunlight. It is therefore pertinent that we admit our failures not as leaders of tomorrow but as leaders of today.
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For illustration, the electioneering climate in U.I is a case study. It is here that the democratic process has been used, misused, abused and reused. From character assassination to deliberate defacement of building in a bid to outdo political opponents with solicitous posters, to the intrusive morning jingles; not to mention fake personalities worn as masks so as to penetrate the hearts of voters, it is official that the gown has won the mudding duel against the town. Donors of the Union are now hesitant and sceptical about doling out funds basedon their experience with self-serving and kleptomaniac union executives. It will be a tautology to state that no administration ever came up with a comprehensive blueprint to overhaul the union from its path of retrogression. Rather, the Kunle Adepeju Building has become a temple where students’ leaders come to worship wealth and fame at the expense of responsible delivery of their mandate.
To the University management, perhaps, enough has been said. But too much ink can never be spilled towards correcting ills. The fortune of the university has spiralled down. It is only tragic that the school thinks all is well simply because of occasional favourable rankings by N.U.C and other domestic commendations. The reality is that the school has failed. While it ought to be battling in the Premier League, its club managers beat their chest of how formidable it is in a third division league. They however occasionally blame the ‘club-owners’ over inadequate funding whenever students raise their voices over infrastructural decay and poor welfare. This only begs the question as to the competence of the so-called grey supremacists appointed as administrators in confidence of their acquired knowledge and ability to make way where there is none. But excuse is a cheap currency in the banking hall of mediocrity.
the management is so devoted to preserving its reputation, it must start performing its responsibilities. It is time we forewent the ego in pursuit of all-rounded development of our university to attain global standards. Adopting the Buharic phraseology, this school is no-man’s land and at the same time it is our commonwealth. Hence, by necessary implication, the management must work hand in hand with the students in building this citadel to Babel altitude. The management should participate more in students’ events, for only then will it unearth the power laced in this special population. It is undoubted that programmes like JAW WAR gives glitter to the sombre hopes of this nation; for therein you discover the intellectual depth of a UITE beyond his academic capacity.
The culture of freedom of expression and the press must also be promoted. Journalism is a profession as old as man. It serves to inform, reform and watchdog power holders to check power abuse. The absence of these three responsibilities stunts the growth of any society. The management must therefore be receptive to constructive criticism. It must not kill pens with the swords because whether they like it or not, the ink will continue to be spilled in defence of the truth and our freedom.
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It is ironic that this same people who out of unguarded loyalty have SDC LETTER-eager fingers when it comes to stemming the rights of students are the same people who evince lukewarm disposition towards genuinely defending the Ivory Tower. They see nothing wrong in punishing ‘erring’ students but don’t deem it fit to put in place the basic conditions of learning. In fact, military dictators will be tempted to take a diploma course in the art of autarchy to hone their expertise. It was the Mote case that revealed the ego of the school, an ego they so mask well under the guise of discipline. This ego is so thirsty that it is never sated. It keeps hunting for fresh blood to gulp and students to pounce on.
While other universities in other nations are aggressively pursuing projects to help their immediate community and the world at large, the Premier University is preoccupied with fettering the intellectual burst of her students. This they do in a style rivalled only by the Big Brothers in George Orwell’s’ 1984. They instil unhealthy fear into the studentry. Were the academics delivery superb, one would overlook the disciplinary excesses and adjust so as to finish one’s degree sdc-free. But we all know the story. Our facilities are overstretched like a bow, almost to the point of snapping.
Chinua Achebe indeed said, ‘a man who doesn’t want to see a strange footprint in his backyard must surely fence it up’ if
The school must embrace a Yoruba adage that says ‘agbajo owo lafii soya, owo kan o gberu sori’, i.e. : collaboration is essential. Any pursuit towards developing the university will be incomplete if not a stillbirth if it excluded the rich human resources of the studentry.
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Olatunji Haleem, Editor-in-Chief
Jeremiah Agbaakin, Editor, The Heartbeat
Amos Adejimi, Deputy Editor-in-Chief
Adejobi Son-Simon, Managing Editor
Tobi idowu, Political Editor
Opeodu Pascaline, Arts Editor
Rufai Sideeq, Photo Editor
Ajibike Oyindamola, Tech Editor
Busayo Qudus, Features Editor
Ebenezer Oyedeji, Sports Editor
Jumah Mujeeb, Cartoonist
