As part of the efforts to evaluate all aspirants vying for positions at the Students Union level, the General Secretary aspirant, Olowu Segun, was given a writing exercise to test his abilities especially because this is relevant for the office he is running for.
Question: Allegations have surfaced that the Union has received a sum of money at the expense of students’ interests, raising serious concerns about financial transparency and accountability. As General Secretary, write a press release of not less than 500 words to not only debunk these claims but also restore student trust, ensure financial openness, and prevent such controversies from undermining the credibility of the Union?
Press Release: 19th February, 2025.
Debunking The Allegation That The Union Received A Sum of Money At The Expense Of Students’ Interest
“Warm greetings from the Kunle Adepeju building, this is a press release from the Students’ Union executive council to tackle and debunk the recent claim or rumour going around in the university community, that the Students’ Union executive council has received a sum of money at the expense of student’s interest.
“To start with what actually happened, it is true that the state government actually decided to distribute some amount of money to various students’ union governments in various universities in Ibadan due to the forthcoming election. Although, some students’ union executive council have decided to collect this sum of money, since it is a palliative for the students.
“This is to state to the general public that the executive committee of the university of Ibadan Students’ Union have deliberated and decided that we do not want their sum of money. This is because the government, having seen the recent developments in the educational sector; the decline in the quality of education and did not attend to this or provide solutions to these problems affecting education, decided to come out to share some amount of money for several students’ union executive committee of different schools.
“We want the government to know that we do not want that type of money at this current time and we also want the students to know that the students’ union executive council has not received any sum of money. We want the government to also know that their immediate interference in the educational sector is what we need right now, that the current situation of the education sector is affecting our students and also the students of other schools and we stand in solidarity with them.
“We will also like to encourage other Students’ union executive council of other schools, that they should join us in this, by rejecting the government palliative and standing firm and conscious with our interest and that they should revamp the educational sector for our benefit, the students’ benefit and lastly for the nations benefit.
“To the students of the University of Ibadan, we want to let you know that we, the university of Ibadan students’ union executive council, still stand firm with the interest of the students and we are unshaken in doing this. We are still fighting for your interests and rights as a student body.
“Lastly, this is to state emphatically to our students, which are the students of the university of Ibadan that the purpose of this press release is to let you know and to also assure you that we are transparent with all our dealings and activities even in terms of finances and that we are accountable to you. This is also to restore your trust in us and also to ensure financial openness while preventing this type of controversy from undermining the credibility of our union. We are still together in this struggle of fighting for our interest and our rights. Aluta Continua!
Signed
Segun Olowu,
General Secretary,
University of Ibadan students’ union.
