WHERE DO WE GET IT WRONG ON OAU CAMPUS? - MATTHEW EDACHE

I recall in 1986 that the University management of OAU under Prof. Wande Abimbola took the
names of the ten editorial members of PETALS,
the fiery campus magazine I edited with two other students for suspension accusing us of
being the brains behind the 1986 Ife protest where the university was to have its convocation and the Military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida was expected as the visitor.

The convocation arena at Oduduwa Hall was filled to capacity before we marched at the gate to start protest songs against Babangida’s
regime and demanding especially the release of then Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, President, Mr. Paschal Bafyau and some of his officials who were detained over Labour’s opposition to the plan by the military junta to increase pump
price of petrol.

We were suspended indefinitely. The legal firm of Mr. Alao Aka-Bashorun assigned Mr. Femi Falana to tell
the court that the University rule book empowers the Vice-Chancellor to discipline any student who
has been “found guilty” of an offense but that we were not tried not to talk of been found
guilty.The judge agreed and asked us to return to school armed with a “perpetual injunction – Comrade Yinka Odumakin, a renowned seasoned activist.

The recent released piece of Comrade Yinka Odumakin captioned: Fuel Hike Price: Sorry, I
won’t be at Ojota should be a cook cake to eat by any patriotic
Nigerian. The piece encapsulated the decline of journalism on OAU Campus and the power of
cabals in influencing the decision of the state.

The fulcrum of my commentary here is the journalism aspect. It is very obvious that only
few News agencies run commentary or editorials on their platform while investigative journalism has fade away.

ACJ always claim the association
is not a News agency. But can easily churn out release about unconfirmed scandals, how do we believe the earlier claim? this is totally upside
down logic. Recent laughable regulations introduced by the Association the aspect of
banning online journalism has ridicule journalism on campus.

Like Yinka Odumakin assert, that he edited a fiery campus magazine while on campus that send spine to the brain of authorities. My
question now is, do we still have any magazine on campus let alone a fiery one that will not
expose rots in the union, the financial recklessness on the part of the management? Do we still have News agencies or platforms that will not only enlighten but educate our students even on national issues?

I am however using this medium to urge the ACJ to review, and independent Platforms to review
their operational activities while the Bleeding Pen will take up running commentary on weekly basis.

Matthew Edache, For Bleeding Pen
https://bleedinpen.wordpress.com/2016/05/23/where-do-we-get-it-wrong-on-oau-campus/