On Thursday, December 14th, 2023, The office of the President of the Great Ife Students’ Union its PRO, made a press release about an offer opened to all OAU students to contest in an initiative themed ‘Claim the President’s Seat for 2 Days’. According to the Press Release, at the heart of this initiative lies the commitment to amplify student voices, encourage active participation, and foster a deeper connection between the student body and its leadership.
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Yusuf Taiwo Michael, a 100-level law student won the challenge to be the Great Ife Students Union President for 24 hours. Yusuf Taiwo Michael who is the current registrar of the freshmen in the Faculty of Law resumed office earlier today around 9 am as he was given the role to be the leader of over 30,000 Great Ife students.
Speaking with ACJOAU Correspondent, Yusuf Michael expressed his joy and he said could not believe he won the challenge until he received a call from the President of the Students’ Union earlier this morning affirming the decision. Guiding him through the activities and roles of the President is the Chief of Staff to the President of the Students’ Union, Luqman Abdulfatai A(Adefat), who will be there to put him through and guide him in some of his activities. ‘I was very happy, I didn’t believe I could achieve that but I know that with God all things are possible’, he said.
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“My utmost priority will be to put my people first, I want to address the welfare of the Batch B student the most, majority of them are yet to resume, and there are already plans for test. I need to sort that out through the office of the Dean of the Students’ Affairs and the office of the provost of the college and this will be passed across to the Deans in all other faculties to halt tests in the classes that might attract marks so as not to affect them.” He said. To actualize this, a call has put through to the Dean of Student Affairs and a meeting has been scheduled between him and the Dean.
Speaking further on his plans, he said he has decided that he will tour the eight halls of residence for undergraduates to see the facilities and problems of each of the hostels and he wll make sure that a temporary solution is provided. ‘Problems as regarding the soak away, the issue of water and all other things shall be settled, funds are needed to actualize these projects, I’ll see to it that these plans will be actualized’.
To the generality of the students, ‘I want everyone to know that we all are on the campus for a purpose, so, students should not derail from the purpose of being on campus, strive to actualize the Aluta that is in the Great Ife anthem, be great in all doings and be the best in academics, never allow low self-esteem to spoil the dream that you have’.
Speaking to the elected Students’ Union President, Akinremi Abbas Ojo (LoRdFem),he said that his administration has been trying all they could to guarantee the welfare of the Students’ of Great Ife Community. ‘We might not be perfect but the results are there’, he said. According to him, the initiative was as a result of students’ interest in politics at a younger level and there is no plan yet for the 2.0
LoRdFeM further clarified that ‘the 24 hours President has the power to do office work, it is not like it is an elected position, it was just an initiative by the office of the President, just administration and office work; attend to the issue or reports of the students. He does not have the power to call a meeting of the larger management of the University, the highest he can go is just the DSA. He cannot call a Congress, he can not parade a student for any offense, and he does not have the power to sign cheques or take withdrawals from the Union’s account.