GREAT IFE STUDENTS' UNION AND THE NEED FOR UNITY - IJIYINKA IJIWOLE SOLOMON (JK)

“Our aim is not the victimization of the might but the actualization of the right” - J.F. Kennedy

 Revolutionary greetings to all great Ife students. It is imperative at this point in time to look critically at some of the challenges being encountered by our high flying union in the recent years. These difficulties which is fast dwindling the consciousness of students and also breaking apart a wide population of students from Students’ Union on OAU campus. This is more than to be a doom, especially looking at the pathetic nature of the union considering the seclusion of a noticeable amount of students.

The founding principle and prime purpose of existence of the union which primarily is to unify all students despite their diverse school of thought towards promoting our general welfare seems to have been jettisoned. No doubt, most of the few politically conscious that are actively participating in the union have misplaced priority and progressively deviating from the genuine tenets of the union. Personal and selfish interests of groups, individuals and even organizations as the case maybe have become the order of the day.

 Twisting and bending the union’s principles is not just breaking the students apart in reasoning and doings, it doesn’t just increase the apathy the students have for the union, it has also increased our union’s susceptibility to attacks of the university management. This vulnerability include but not limited to unholistic closure of the school on protest against some animalistic act of the university management, unethical suspension of the Students' Union activities or even the proscription of the union at the extreme cases, tyrannical suspension of students union leaders and student activists to mention few.

  Since the unity of our mass has been threatened, the charming supremacy that lies within our collectivism becomes missing. We take aggressive decisions with unfounded strategies, all to unavails. The fact remains that it is possible but a great task to overpower the oppressive tools of the management against the development of the union and the integration of student ideas. As a matter of sincerity, more commitments and consistency is needed for a united oppressed to liberate from the constraints of their oppressors. What then is the fate of a vast divided union like great Ife Students’ Union?
Yet our welfare keeps deteriorating, still, more anti-students' policies keep occurring. When then are we going to get it right. GREAT IFE REFLECT!!

 As a union of purpose, centered at protecting the interest of its members, we must not fail at any point to identify with appropriate definition of the interests of students with correct order of priority on the principle of modest utilitarianism. This principle will help us cater for the mass at the same time creating a good notion for the union in the heart of the students. This might look tedious to achieve, but with strong leadership will in attaining this modern height of operation, it is not impossible. For our union to see the light of the day we must channel more force, focus more energy and input a great lots of momentum towards the unification of students. Our strength lies in the readiness of our mass to salvage our generation from clampdowns, the readiness will not come in place if the required unity is lost. Power of coercion should not be one of the means through which we get members involved in Students’ Union activities. Almost all students if not all should have a clearcut understanding, unflinching readiness and undaunted commitment towards the cause of the union. This is fighting with the students and not just fighting for the students.  

  Peace and unity is the stepping stone for good developments. We can always achieve the honorable community through proper welfare as a common cause for all students no matter our political philosophies, religion doctrines or social desires. Through unification of students and alignment of their ideas therein, the struggle ingredients that lies in unity of our mass will yield our desired results. UNITY, HARMONY AND PEACE, all these I wish for our hallowed union. Great Ife must soar again. The height of modern unionism is attainable. A dawn of modern unionism is here.
                                                                      IJIYINKA IJIWOLE SOLOMON [JK]
400 level student, faculty of Technology