THE DANGER OF HALF-TRUTHS : THE UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN MANAGEMENT AND FALSE PROPAGANDA

By Abayomi Ahmed O.

Good Morning Nigerians. Good Morning World.

My attention has been drawn to a bulletin (special release) issued and circulated by the University of Ibadan management on the 25th of April 2016 titled ‘DISTURBANCE OF PEACE ON Campus BY NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN STUDENTS (NANS) JCC, SOUTH WEST, ZONE.’

It is very important to reveal to everyone that the particular bulletin in question is highly fraught with falsehood, incoherence and illogical exaggerations aimed at escalating apprehension in the school community and also reducing the graveness of the school management’s many failures and discordant inconsistencies.

The rustication of the student, Mr. Tunji Epeti Michael (a.k.a MOTE) is an unjust one as it is very obvious IN every circumstance surrounding it, and especially in a letter sent to him by the office of the University Registrar titled ‘NOTIFICATION OF VICE-CHANCELLOR‘S DECISION ON THE ALLEGATION LEVELLED AGAINST YOU’. The school management alleged that Mr. Tunji led a protest, and also was part of the protest. The definition of an allegation still remains ‘asserted but not proved’. The school management actually has no proof of his alleged ‘leading’ of the protest. If they have, I challenge the SDC to bring forward such a proof as an urgent matter of honour and already questioned integrity.

Also, it is strange that a person or student can be punished for an action which is NOT an offense. Leading a protest is NOT an offense in the school and therefore should never attract a punishment. Worse still, a peaceful protest was the case as no’ property was destroyed nor person injured. If there is any proof of the above, I challenge again the highly esteemed SDC to provide proofs to defend its integrity and reposition our confidence in it.

The SDC also called the 14-day appeal option ‘due process’ when it is crystal-clear that 14 days from that date will only leave 7 days to exam and the SDC (senate) will not have any sitting within that period till after the exams which will make the victim (of victimization) miss the examination. Due process indeed!
We should realize that errors do not simply cease to be errors just because they are ratified into law.

It is also worthy to note that the University Of Ibadan branch of NANS JCC belongs to the higher body NANS JCC SOUTH WEST, therefore, it is not wrong for there to be a solidarity from the mother-association. The same way ASUU and NASU zones can be in solidarity with ASUU or NASU UI branch.
Additionally, the Students who came to take part in the solidarity protest against the management’s high-handedness and mismanagement DID NOT force their way in. This is just an exaggeration by the school management to divert attention away from their own excesses. Did NANS come to protest in the University last month? There was never force in any case.
Any proof of force or violence in the mode of entrance should be provided to protect the integrity of that misinformation.

On the issue of distruption of peace and paralysis of academic activities, I would love to quote Jane Addams who said, “True peace is not merely the absence of war, it is the presence of justice.” Question is, was there ever any peace when injustice pervades the entire system?
It remains laughable and ridiculous that a school management who has failed to provide for the basic welfare of students, such as power and water supply can talk about paralysis of academic activities. Academic and even social activities have been way back in paralysis perpetually since students cannot cook and eat, bathe and wash, charge laptops, phones and lamps etc.
What is more paralyzing than the agony of lack of basic amenities in a school that claims to be ranked First in Nigeria and Eighth in Africa. Obviously, this is an undeserving and false ranking award. A mere mirage. A case of complete ignis fatuus!

I would like to strongly advise everyone in the University Community to be very careful about any information coming from the school management as they have constantly used the various media at their disposal to misinform the general public on many occasions, proofs abound. The management uses this media as propaganda at various times. The management usually makes use of the devious half-truth mechanism most times to deceive the public and spread propaganda. We should all understand that a lie that is half-truth is the darkest of all lies and he who uses it is a craftsman of destruction. Let us be wary of such practices.

I would finally like to advise the school management to lead by example in Justice, Truth and Wisdom as they ought to be torchbearers in these rather than abandoning their conscience and fear of God as He has promised a great punishment and torment for whoever errs. It is evident that the management has failed us. An educator should consider that he has failed in his job if he has not succeeded in instilling some trace of a divine dissatisfaction with our miserable social and academic environment. We desire no apology, we desire only positive change. One day we would all die and all that will remain as our legacy will be our actions and inactions. This can be good or evil. Let us choose wisely.

My definition of a totally useless society is one in which truth becomes a crime and falsehood attracts applause.