-By: Legal Ninja
On the 8th of November 2016, millions of Americans went to the polls to have their say in one of the most significant election in history, the fifty-eight quadrennial American Presidential election. The contest for the 45th President of the United States was between the Democrat former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton who served in the US Senate and was the First Lady at a time and the Republican Donald Trump. Of course, we all know the winner today.
It is apparent that in the Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan the election season has come upon us once again. This is evident with the hundreds of broadcast messages on WhatsApp groups, campaign pictures on WhatsApp statuses, text messages from aspirants and certain law students launching their well-ironed suits and blazers with their default expressions now loving smiles and eager handshakes. Yes! the campaign ban has indeed been lifted.
The yearly LSS election has always proved to be quite interesting and a true test of individual character, creativity, tenacity and ability to greet as much Law students as possible every passing day. On the 4th of July, history will once again be made as we come together to decide the 33rd President of the Law Students’ Society.
This column will refuse to delve into the intricacies of other aspirants in this election and would in fact shut its eyes to the fact that three candidates are tugging and lugging for the position of the Assistant General Secretary while the more important positions of Vice President and General Secretary have been left uncontested. Rather, we are more interested in the Presidential race between two persons from the 400-level class – Dara Olaniyanof the R.E.A.L Team and Victor Olanipekunof the New Dawn.
The 2018 LSS Presidential Election indeed reminds me vividly of the American Presidential Election held in 2016 which was described as the “dirtiest Presidential Race since 1972”. For those who followed this election, we can remember distinctlyhow Trump called Hillary a nasty woman and called on Russia to hack her emails and during a debate, he argued that she should be jailed. On the other hand, Hillary questioned Trump’s state of mind, reminded voters of his womanizing behavior and claimed he was inexperienced and reckless while describing half his supporters as a “basket of deplorables”.
The annual LSS election on the other hand has over time proved to be a constant battle of intellectuality over mindless jabs and digs on individual personalities, after all we are compulsorily made to take the popular philosophy 102. We have been taught from our first year the lack of need for ad hominem statements which attack an opponent’s character rather than real contentions. Thus, while there have always and would always berumours or misconceptions spreading about one candidate or the other, Law students honourably try to stay clear of ad hominem statements.
However, I would like to display a few of interest campaign messages I have found on a WhatsApp group and you are free to draw your conclusions on whose personality the attack is thrown at and what they mean.
To prove these messages are not being misunderstood, or the wrong conclusion has not been drawn, especially from direct assertions that the real team is fake, the proponent of this agenda had to send out a publicity message as provided below, stating that he was not privy to personal attacks on his opponent.
It is high time the foundation of this election stop being based on attacks on persons, whether they are eloquent or ineloquent, whether they are Mr. World or Mr. Universe, whether they are rich or poor and whether their plans are fake real plans or dark new dawns.
Intellectual Law students, especially the Year 1 students who have been reported to be fighting amongst themselves over the presidential candidates, have you heard the plans of the agenda you support? Beyond the affiliations and sentiments, have you taken out time to listen to the objectives and plans of both teams? If you have not, then you should know you are one of the major causes of stagnation and lack of development in the world today.
There is no doubt that the Law Students’ Society is in need of a new dawn and real plans. Yes, we need a victor and we need the society to “dara”. But we can only have one LSS President and the success of the next one year depends on our ability to choose the right and most capable person with feasible plans.
Last election, a candidate proposed to restock the Law library and two years ago, another promised to buy fans and speakers into the LLT and SLT. Today, the faculty of Law remains the way it has always been and all we are left with are unfulfilled expectations, shattered hopes and annual disappointments.
The duty to vote the right candidate and vote the right agenda lies solely on each of us. The Press night and Manifesto night holds on the 2nd and 3rdof July and on these nights, incomprehensible and laughable plans will be heard. It is up to every law student notwithstanding their levels,to attend these events and decide the better candidate objectively. For the good of the future of the Law Students’ Society, common sense needs to be restored in this election.
Till the next publication…Fino a prossimasettimana…La liberta di opinione!!
