-By: Toyinbo Olumide
Thousands of welcome messages might have applauded your return back to school- messages from your various executives, fellowships, aspiring executives who will be contesting in various quarters soon and also from thinkable and unthinkable places but that should not debar me from welcoming you back to school. You are welcome back fellas even when the semester seems old already.
During the last break, there were a lot of happenings that could not have been swept under the carpet. Arguably, the most noticed of them all was the increment of fees in the institution. The accommodation fee was increased from #18000 to #30000, also, in some departments, practical fee was added, the clinical and preclinical fees were skyrocketed mightily too. Though, the preclinical and the clinical fees were later reviewed after some sort of revolutionary acts by the medical students and their allies.
The increment raised a lot of controversial criticism through articles and also social media activism from students, even the student leaders- Faculty Presidents, Hall Chairs and co did not keep mute in relation to the issues. They also wrote a letter to the University management to state their displeasure and solicited for a review after a meeting was held with them and the Vice Chancellor as well as some principal members of the school. Though, the action of the students’ leaders-Faculty Presidents and Hall chairs- at the meeting held on the 5th April for them to air their views was deficient in boldness and activism on the part of the students’ leaders if that would have even changed the increment in the fees. That still points to a loophole the Students’ Union could have filled better if the Union exists, though there are also chances of it leading to sabotage too as a result of ‘over-aluta-action’ but it could have been better than what happened. But would it have yield any result?
However, it was quite ironic and partly disappointing that most of the persons voted in- Faculty Presidents, Hall Chairs and co- to stand for and represent students anywhere even in mitigating the oppressors have a lot in common with the oppressors themselves which was and is presently characterised by the hike in dues and the unnecessary payment compulsion for some elements. Though at present, some cannot be reviewed anymore because most students have paid already, some have been reviewed like that of Obafemi Awolowo Hall and also partly Faculty of Law, some are still also trying the process of review as in the case of Faculty of Law but there is still need to talk about it. Hike in the amount paid for basic dues and mounting compulsory payment on the ‘unnecessaries’ are nothing but anti-students, it is against the students. Yet, most of them end up filling their pockets or even spending it on unnecessary white elephant projects without giving out to students the value of the money paid to them.
Arguably, to most students, payment of basic dues is enough, paying for other elements are out of it. Just last year, leaving out the fact that there is a low turnout of students who paid the full Hall dues in Zik Hall, those who paid full Hall dues have nothing to show for it. In the wise of shirt for instance, in Zik Hall those who paid for shirt have got nothing. In the Faculty of Law, last year, it took an extraordinary intervention by the Students’ Council on Legal Aid before the administration was able to vomit the partly misappropriated and arguably, partly embezzled sum of money to get the shirts done and distributed to those who paid, even though some law students won’t still get theirs, coupled with the fact that the shirts distributed were substandard. It is no longer news that the President of that said administration in the Faculty of Law has graduated gallantly with his hands in his pockets. In the Faculty of Education, some amount was paid for magazine, the outgone administration ended up providing very few copies after those who were finalists had graduated. That is another cheat strategy, what about those who paid and will never get because of their evil-wisdom-tactics? Where are the rest monies? Where are the monies paid for all those ‘still-born’ packages in some Faculties, Department and Hall of Residences? Faculty of the Social Sciences is another tale on its own, such is the case of many Faculties and Halls of residence every year. If there will be nothing to show for money paid for shirts, magazines and some others, why must it be made compulsory? Why must it be paid? It ends up being siphoned, wasted or they disappeared? Perhaps, swallowed by snakes or monkeys? Past experiences and precedents will always teach people lessons. There is no need to make payment of full dues compulsory, if there is value for the money paid, people will pay without being pestered.
This is the time to stop harbouring frantically corrupt student executives in the varsity. This is the time to talk out if there is any form of embezzlement, corruption or misappropriation amidst the executives of your quarters, it seems we students are keeping quiet about it. Most of the time, they do not give account of how money was spent to anyone. Some of them will still graduate without being troubled for the wrongs they have done. In most Faculties and Halls of Residence, there is no proper check. This calls for the institutionalisation of strong legislative council in various Faculties and Halls of Residence and if possible, a judicial council. Some Faculties and Halls already have but if they are not that strong, then, there is need to re-institutionalise it. The checks by the Hall management in some Halls are not enough and are most times defective because of inadequate time spend on checking their expenditures. They can always check after proper check by the Legislative council as there is nothing like excess checks.
A proper check can be showcased with the issue happening in the Faculty of Law at present. The issue started with the Executive Council, Law Students’ Society presenting their arrived dues to the House on the 30th April, 2018. The initial plan was that basic dues would be #2000, #500 for chambers attachment and shirt at the rate of #2500. All would be compulsory for everyone with another sum of one thousand naira for Freshers’ welcome for all freshmen. That makes #5000 for stale students and #5500 for fresh students. The Legislative Council unanimously made nothing compulsory asides the basic dues, they also removed the proposed #1000 for Freshers’ welcome claiming there is enough money and sources of money already. This created some sort of tussle between the LSS Executives and the LSRC which became a legal dispute in a short while of its happening. The issue is now before the Judicial Council of the Faculty of Law, the LSS Executives challenged and are still challenging the resolutions of the LSRC amidst some other complexities. This sort of checks and balances is not only to reduce corruption at the local stages but also a training ground for prospective national leaders.
With proper checks, the future of this nation is gradually being secured, the Nigerian youth’s time in governance is soon, if not now.
