OspolyDecides ’21: Ospolites Will not get it right if mediocrity triumph excellence—Comrade Dudu

 

Enoch Oyedibu

 

A former president of the faculty of Sciences, who was also a member of the SRC and as well, the former aspirant in the 2018/2019 academic session of the Students Union Government, Comrade Ogunrinade Obaloluwa has said ospolites might not get it right if they keep celebrating mediocrity over excellence in the course of choosing and electing student leaders in the polytechnic.

 

Comrade Ogunrinade Obaloluwa, a former students-leader of the faculty of Sciences, famously known as Dudu Osha, speaks on the ineptitude, haphazardness and the shaky ways of the Union leaders and the aspirants towards the political posts on campus, in this interview with PIJAONLINE.

 

PIJAONLINE: Can we know you?

 

Comr. Obaloluwa: I am Ogunrinade Obaloluwa John—a graduate of FST,2019. A top member of the SRC during my ND days representing FST constituency. Also, An aspirant in the 2018/2019 academic SUG election where Hope later emerge and a one time Faculty President of Sciences.

 

PIJAONLINE: There are a lot of puzzles yet unsolved and a lot of puzzles not known at all in the Ospoly Political repertoires. Can you tell of any of this and why they are present in its politics?

 

Comr. Obaloluwa: “Student Union Elections are won by responsible students, a student who is bright academically and have the spirit of activism. A personality students will believe, you’re going there to truly serve.

 

“Money doesn’t win elections during my ND days and days before me.

 

“Nowadays ‘unserious’ students with sugar-coated mouths and sponsored candidates who are been raised to weaken the Students’ morale are those contesting…

 

“…Student-leaders who aren’t fit to lead a class much less of thousands of Ospolites.

 

“Alliance never did any harm but just that students have yet to see outward. Alignment and realignment is an integral part of politics. The reason I work on alignment during my reign was just to deliver the best and it worked.

 

“Moreover, I, being, the Chairman Faculty President then had discussed the need to hand over a well composed government after we left.

 

“Ospolites student might not get it right for a long time if they keep on celebrating mediocrity over excellence.

 

“Politics of *Omo wa ni , eje kose*”—meaning, it’s our child, let them do it—nepotism, “must stop so that we can progress, they must support men and women of vision not those who have no agendas.

 

“That’s the puzzle.”

 

PIJAONLINE correspondent: ‘A personality student will believe you are going there to truly serve’ can you expatiate more on this?

 

Comr. Obaloluwa: “What you don’t have you can’t give. Reason for manifestoes is to drill aspirants, to know their foot print, who were their antecedents, what do they have for the students’ community, what they promised, is it possible? Can they acheive it?” How would they achieve it? Without these properly put in check, emerging as a leader in any Union is as tasking a blind to show ways in the dark.

 

PIJAONLINE: “How can these be achieved during manifestos?”

 

Comr. Obaloluwa: “5mins manifestos won’t help the students community,” rather, “excessive debate, rigorous screenings can only do.”

 

PIJAONLINE: “Were these put in place during your regime?”

 

Comr. Obaloluwa: “Yes during Hope regime he faced a lot of stuff; opposition from Faculty Presidents, Departmental Presidents and from the opposition party.

 

 

“When the legislative fail in their duty as the watchdog, presidents took that opportunity.

As well he was never left alone to the governance,” even after he emerged as the president.

 

PIJAONLINE: “Thank you for this, let’s quickly look at other germane topic.

 

What are the historical facts you know that can help the union politics adjust from its lapses?”

 

Comr. Obaloluwa: “Politics of those days, student community no dey leave am alone to leadership.” Meaning, ‘student community don’t usually play aloofness to the leadership.

 

“Organisation on campus like CRM , CDHR and Pathfinder no dey leave am alone to student leaders. They do things in unison. When you carry students along, they will support you when you beckon on them.”

 

PIJAONLINE: “Who are the CRM and co?”

 

Comr. Obaloluwa: “They were Comradic organisations before they were then proscribed by the school management because they were always against their satanic and draconian form of policy. They were proscribed on 2013/2014.”

 

PIJAONLINE: “until further notice?”

 

Comr. Obaloluwa: “Yes, but I learnt the current DSA gave those organisations right on campus to register with students affairs, but ain’t sure they did.”

 

PIJAONLINE: “Do you now think they are not supporting the union or have they gone extinct because, personally, I haven’t heard of any of them?”

 

Comr. Obaloluwa: “Comrades are rare now

We are left with ‘COME RAID’ but we still have few who are loyal to the course and haven’t derail from the tenets of their organisation.”

 

PIJAONLINE: “Do you think those ‘comradic’ organisations can be reinstated since their existence is said to be alienated to the management?”

 

Comr. Obaloluwa: “Only the Student-leaders can push for that, but they won’t support because they know it will be bone in their neck”—a gorget to their throats.