On the 12th of march, 2021, our Correspondent had an Interview with the Students’ Union President of Adeyemi College of Education. In this interview, the President explains that Unionism has gone beyond hooliganism, that student-leaders must know when to apply diplomacy in their dealings with school management, and when to do otherwise. He also explains the reason why he supported Alopay in the last election, hoping that Asefon will live up to responsibility and change the wrong perception people have about NANS because of some of the activities of some leaders in the past, who turned the association to a commercial enterprise.
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OduduwaNews: Can we meet you sir?
Ans: I am Ayoola Olamilekan Joshua, by the virtue of political nomenclature, friends and family call me, Baba Ipaye, the Students’ Union President Of the foremost teacher trainee institute in the sub-saharan Africa, Adeyemi College Of Education, Ondo.
OduduwaNews: Sir, as the one time PRO of the Union in which you’re currently serving as the number 1 person, what was the electioneering experience, with the fact that many saw the previous President in which you served with as the Management boy, and worst ever?
President Ipaye: I served as the PRO of the Students’ Union, of course, it wasn’t easy because, the executive that I served had challenges, and coming on board as not normal executive but Students’ Union President, so, it was not easy but God has been faithful, very soon, we would be giving the baton to another person
OduduwaNews: Immediately after your inauguration, you wrote to the management about the deplorable state of school toilets, few weeks after, you inspected a toilet project sponsored by the school management, how can you explain your relationship with the college management since many view SUG and Management as two parallel line.
President Ipaye : Thank you so much. Immediately after my inauguration, we wrote a letter to the college management stating the need for us as Students’ leaders and Management to collaborate our efforts together to make life easier for the students that we are representing, thank God, they swang into action immediately and of course, even what we didn’t ask for was delivered. The truth is this, many don’t seem not to understand that the management are also humanbeings, and of course, Students’ Unionism has gone beyond hooliganism, we are in an era when we have to diplomatically demand for our rights. People seem to see the Students and college management as enemies, but then, one has to be very wise in dealing with them, when it’s time to be angry to show them that what they have done is not good, we surely do, and when it’s time to smile, you don’t get angry, and when it’s time to meet diplomatically, of course, you do that, so, the relationship between us as Students’ leaders and the management has been very cordial. Infact, we see them more as a father, because most of them as the college is concerned are alumnus, so they see us as children, not as Students, so most of the things being achieved would not have been possible without them.
OduduwaNews: Combining Academics with Unionism, how has it been. Is one affecting the other, in short, what’s your motivation?
President Ipaye: Combining academics with Unionism has not been easy, it’s easy per say because for my school here, if you want to contest, one of the criteria is at least, you must be on second class upper. You must have atleast have 3.5 cgpa, and of course, we have more than that, though, it has not been easy but there’s always time for everything, there’s time for us to read, and, and there’s time to play Unionism. So, God has been very faithful, and I have been in this game before, I was the PRO of the SU, 2018/2019 academic session, and as at then, my first cgpa in first semester that year I think was around 4.7cgpa, so, it hasn’t been easy, but there’s always time for us to create time for our books and our Academics.
OduduwaNews: In the last NANS Election, you supported Alopay, can you tell us the Politics involved?
President Ipaye: Apart from the fact that Alopay schooled in my hometown, he had his undergraduate in LAUTECH, and I’m from Ogbomoso, and I know him then, he was one of the contestants, I used to see him as the most qualified. There’s nothing political about my move. One, he sees us, the Students’ Union Senators as an important strata in this game, some of these contestants never deemed it fit to come to our different Institutions. Instead of coming through some leaders that will promise him that they will deliver Adeyemi College of Education votes, he sees himself as someone that’s accessible, nothing Political about my support, when I see somebody like that with good qualities of leadership, reasonably, one has to support that kind of individual.
OduduwaNews: Did you learn any lesson from the election?
President Ipaye: Of course, I learned so much from the Election. I learnt that you have to align with the power that be, you know when we got to the election and I saw some things, I was telling my chairman, Asefon will win this Election, looking at the structure of people that are inside the convention ground, you already know who is winning the game. So, we thank God, Alopay is doing fine, our Asefon also is doing fine, they are both willing to serve Nigerian Students, but then, Asefon emerged.
OduduwaNews: Is NANS still an a student Association to be proud of?
President Ipaye: Yes, NANS is still an association to be proud of, but then, there’s always room for changes. Over the years, we have seen leaders that have taken this association of Students to be a point of revenue for themselves and their families, but then, like I said, there’s room for changes which I believe very soon, we would have leaders who are ready to serve Nigerian Students with all truth and with all their strength, and not because of money.
OduduwaNews: What do you think President Asefon should do differently?
President Ipaye: Everybody is waiting for him to do the needful, NANS over the years, we have witnessed leaders that are money oriented and seeing someone like Comrade Asefon, everyone is looking ad waiting patiently for a change, so, I expect him to see that and work towards that, I believe with some of the things he has done over the past few months in Office, he’s worth emulating, and I hope he will succeed in Jesus name.
OduduwaNews: You just said in Jesus Name. You must be a religious person, what’s it like combining religion with Unionism permutations?
President Ipaye: God is number one, that’s why in everything I do, I put God first. If God is before us, who can be against us, this is not religion, it’s about personal belief, that whatever I do, I put God, be it Academics, political or what a view, God is the number one.
OduduwaNews: Is there anything you want the public to know about you, your Association or your school?
President Ipaye: Yes, I’m a rotaractor, i love reading and probably, i love teaching too
OduduwaNews: Any other message to the Nigerian Youth on Students’ Unionism?
President Ipaye: Stay focused!!! Remain steadfast and stand for the truth defending the interests of the students at all time
OduduwaNews: Any message for Nigerian Government, on the poor funding of Education?
President Ipaye: There is always need for the government of the day to stand for what is right, Education is the bedrock of a sane society and the sector seriously needs urgent revitalization , the government should please use their good office to implement and see to the betterment of our educational system as this is the only way to bring about societal changes and development.
OduduwaNews: Thanks for the audience granted.