Most of the problems peculiar to Africa, when given a thorough examination, is realizing that a bulk of these problems stem from basic fundamental misalignment. As much as there is richness in the African heritage, there are also elements within it that needs to be reviewed, purged, and some completely jettisoned. But the thickly fortified and nearly impregnable wall of problem that bedevils Africa itself, is to a certain significant extent, Africans. One of the major intrinsic prerequisites to survive in life is adaptability, even with the first major prerequisite, whatever it may be, the inevitability of adaptability in all areas of life remains inseparably intrinsic to it. A lack of adaptability is only a passage to oblivion in most cases. Talking from a linguistic perspective, languages with more adaptability have been seen to have thrived in surviving through histories and still maintaining a certain extent of flexibility in usage today. For example, the English language, as a result of its adaptive nature has become a prominent language by usage, as compared to other less adaptive languages. Less adaptive languages like the Latin language are being regarded as monuments of once upon a time today, relegated to just certain domains. When we begin to adapt, and give rooms for improvement, adjustment, and modifications as necessary, it will only contribute to a general developmental growth and improvement. However, in the case of Africans, it seems one thing predominantly lacking is a substantial amount of necessary adaptability. Africans will prefer to keep doing it the way their fore-fathers have been doing it before matches were ever invented, irrespective of the presence of advanced lighters everywhere, they still do not mind having that nostalgia for the archaic. Living in a time their fore-fathers would have traded everything they had, to have a glimpse of, unfortunately a large number of Africans still clamour for the “good old  days”. If it was as good as painted, then what happened, definitely a subtle lie has been planted somewhere or a subtle misalignment has occurred along the lines. 

A man’s education in the course of his life is supposed or better still, is expected to rest on three basic pillars; moral education, social education, and skill acquisition. Looking at it critically, the school is expected  to cater for two out of these three pillars, which are; social education, and skill acquisition. The burden of moral education and conduct is expected to be borne by the “home of the child that is the man”. Therefore, especially when the major populace of a particular school in a particular region comes from that region, there is quite a probability that their moral elements would have a number of things in common. And talking on a larger scale, there are certain laws of nature that have lent credence of a sort, or have had impact on certain  moral conduct common to every sane tribe, race, or people. The moral or paying homage to an elder one is to a very large extent a global phenomenal moral conduct. And that will further lead to the set-up of certain structures and further ethics as we know it in the world today. Hence, when a particular trait or trend of character or disposition is noticed amongst a substantial populace of a given set of community, it only means one thing, there is a commonality of doctrine or ideas in that region.

Having done a bit of foregrounding, there is this expression, predominantly common in the South-Western parts of Nigeria, which is, “ranti omo eni ti iwo nse”, that is,“remember of the child of whom you are”. This saying is no alien to the hearing of any Yoruba child in a typical Yoruba family, either of affluence, timbre and calibre or otherwise. The origin of this word is not the matter of this piece, however, most times parents will chorus this saying to their children who are leaving home to further their education in the higher institution. Truth be told, in all sincerity, this simple saying has come like a still small voice at the crossroads of destructive decisions of quite a number of students. While some simply ignored this voice to their peril, some recovered and some did not. However, a big question remains, at what point does this saying become just a lying mat of cowardice when a spring board of action, demanding for what is right, and what is human is needed.  

Now, the University of Ibadan, being here in the South Western part of Nigeria, will definitely have more people from the region as it students, hence, by implication the university is peopled by the sort of persons who must have been beseeched to “ranti omo eni ti iwo nse”. Now, care must be taken here, this editorial is not condemning this expression in any form, but only trying to explore certain reasons why certain issues in the University of Ibadan have remained a lingering issue. What makes it baffling is the fact that some of these problems can be looked into by the university management if they so desire to, not all issues demand governmental intervention. 

The issue of the increment in fees in the University of Ibadan has begun surfacing since last session, second semester precisely, just some week before the semester ended. This hike was first spotted on the newly admitted 100-level students’ portal. And in a swift response to this, the Student Union, under the “Host-led” administration made attempts to see to the reversal of the fees hike. Congresses were held on different occasions to see to the fall of the hike in fees, at one of the instances of the Congress, a committee was set up which had its membership made up of members from, the SRC, the student executive council, and an ordinary member from the Congress itself. The purpose of this committee was to carry on with negotiations with the school management on matters pertaining to the hike in fees, from the point the Student Union got to as at the time of the inauguration of the committee. The majority of the student populace was beginning to lose trust in the ability of the Student Union to champion their cause for a fall in fees pleas. It was to this end that the committee was inaugurated. 

Now, with the Inauguration of the committee the students’ hope of light in the tunnel seemed to rise, concerning the fee must fall demands. However, at the verge of the committee kicking-off their activities, the committee’s take-off airplane seem to abruptly crashland at barely taking off from the ground. The modus operandi of the committee was supposed to be confirmed and approved by the SRC. However, as an ordinary draft, that has been painstakingly put together and agreed upon in a corresponding design to the purpose of the committee, at the process of the draft becoming a bill, modifications were done to it at the reading stages. By the time it became a proper bill to be passed for operation, some members of the committee, who is perceived would have been a strong voice in the negotiation process, felt these modifications has forfeited the purpose of the committee, hence it is useless being a member of such committee, and pulled out. And that was the end of that committee. Although, it was eventually discovered that the original submitted proposed modus operandi was modified by the executives in the Student Union council. To what end such modifications were done is quite a question to ask. And just has it happened, the “Host-led” administration could only growl at the situation and at best hand it over to the next administration, to most likely growl in turn. 

So, just as inherited, the “Oloye-led” administration like pups kept whimpering in a growling attempt, to the university’s management on matters of the fee hike. Yes, the meeting with the management cannot be denied, that of the stakeholders too cannot be denied, but the baffling thing is that, the Student Union kept telling students not to pay, yet went silent for weeks, while the count down to a dealing was actively running, with a late payment of ₦20,000, if it was not whimpers from cute puppies, it definitely was even less than a growl. Now, a protest broke out on July 17, 2024, as a result of an internal memorandum from the University of Ibadan’s maintenance service unit, informing the university’s community on the rationalising of electricity. When it was looking like a seeming reality, students of the university rallied themselves into an organised protest, and from just displeasure to the rationing of electricity, the protest spiralled into demands for the fall in the fees hike, an end to the victimisation of the three UI students facing SDC for protesting against the fee hike, and other better living conditions. It was on this wave that the Student Union executives jumped on with their surfboards and simply rode the waves. 

Now, before the time of the protest, the UI’SU executives were active in all things, except the purpose for which they are in existence. Which is to be sensitive to the general plights of students. The association is more interested in embarking on fruitless as zero-impact events than focusing on the major problem facing student of the University of Ibadan, which at this time is the fee hike. The Union would rather dedicate time to see to the flagship of a stomach infrastructure programme, probably so students who definitely will drop out as a result of not being able to pay the hiked school fees will have to strength to walk-out first, then walk home. The Student Union could not see to the successful flagship of a committee to cover up either their tardiness or ineptitude. The most disheartening of all is the cancelled Congress for student cause just reason till this press time. This Congress was supposed to hold the very Saturday that was to precede the unjust trial of the three University of Ibadan students, just for protesting peacefully against the fee hike. Despite the fact that the protest was right in front of the Vice Chancellor while the inauguration ceremony was on going, with both the outgoing and incoming executives being present at the “August ceremony”, the Student Union till today is yet to address the student populace on the matter . And if it was possible, the narrative of the incident would have been misconstrued, and something different would have been spread. But eye witness gave infallible reports of the; bizarre handing over of student to the operation burst force, not for fighting, disturbing the peace of the neighbourhood, vandalising of properties and facilities, theft, or any moral misconduct or any misconduct so far, but for protesting against something that was literally humanly inconvenient. 

Although, there is a temptation for an outsider to get the impression that the Student Union was responsible for the protest. However, it was in no way orchestrated by the Student Union, or organised by the Student Union. In a school where a Student Union exist, students came out on a peaceful protest to show their displeasure, to make their supplications and petitions known in a peaceful manner, but a very questionable sight meets the face, student protesters protesting behind mask faces. This is the University of Ibadan, a higher institution which has these lyrics “Help to build a world that’s truly free.” ending it fist stanza of it anthem, yet students had to protest behind masks, just to voice out that this burden is weighing them down. So much for a free world indeed.

That the Student Union has become a shadow of what it is supposed to be, in itself is one inept exhibition of UI’SU. That there is a fundamental common problem, that has become an endemic within the student body and can even be conceptualised into, unconsciousness, arrogance, and ignorance, is another inept exhibition of the UI’SU essence. An height of the uselessness of UI’SU, and an exhibition of a total ineptitude, is that students came out to protest, and they had to cover their faces. It tells a lot about the university, it tells a lot about the efficiency of the Student Union as a constituted body. It questions the reality of true student unionism.

Wrapping it up, the July 17th students peaceful protest in the University of Ibadan, becomes the first protest in about 7 years since the Aderemi Ojo protest. Ever since, it seemed as though students have been reminded to always “remember the children of whom they are”, of which, in situations where things are not right, would only serve as a coward’s lying mat. Keeping silent when voices are supposed to ring out loud and clear does not interpret as being a rogue or being a “bad child”. The Executive Council of the Student Union, standing up to its responsibility, to educate, to awaken the consciousness, and sensitise the student body, does not and will not make anyone become a “bad child”, it is called nation building in saner climes. That there was a situation during the protest, whereby protesting student had to go to different faculties to oust fellow students out of classes to join the protest is another pointer to the failings of the Student Union. So first, there was a fee hike from “Host-led” administration which extends to the “Oloye-led” administration, which The Union was toothless. A few number of student decided to protest that this fee must fall, they were arrested for exercising their democratic right, the Students Union were silent on this, and eventually the whole fee hike matter. A congress was held preceding the unjust trial of three of students concerning the protest against fee hike, the UI’SU made sure it did not hold, without any cogent reason given until summoning was made at the SRC’s sitting. There was an attempt to ration electricity in the university, the Student Union remained silent, until students could no longer bear it. Students protested, but came out with their faces covered. Now, can it be said that there is a functioning Student Union in the University of Ibadan?