THE RECENT JAW WAR SUCCESSES RECORDED BY THE FACULTY OF ARTS L&D: AN EFFECT OF CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP?

YUSUFF, UTHMAN ADEKOLA

No. Not a bit!
Truth is one phenomenon of life which is clearly visible to the one who seeks to see it. Definitely, it is only when one intends to have one’s eyes shut against the truth that one would say that the Faculty of Arts Literary and Debating Society has not been performing well or have not done so. Indeed, recently, they have gallantly engaged in various battles of wits at the ongoing war of words (Jaw War). And, at these battles of logic, they have really proven their mettle. They have not only flexed their intellectual muscles, but have also ruptured every dissenting veins crossing their lane. Notwithstanding their eventual loss to the Faculty of Education in the semi-final, the Faculty of Arts L&D remains worthy of celebration. As a consequence, however, the arising bone of contention here is whether or not the recent successes recorded by the Faculty’s L&D have been a result of change in leadership. To this, I have said no and not even in a bit could it be so.

Ladies and gentlemen, before the present Hameed-led administration of the L&D, it was Awolusi Gideon popularly known as Temmy Gista who headed the society. It is true that while Temmy Gista sat on the administrative throne of the Faculty of Arts L&D, the society witnessed a saddening wave of hiccups. It is true that the society was the centre of derisive discussions. It is true that Faculty of Arts was usually seen as nothing but a breed of walkover when in public speaking events especially Jaw War. It is also true that Faculty of Arts was a weakling who only managed to squirm their way into the quarter final, at least once alone. It is as well of pure truth that the Faculty of Arts Literary and Debating Society enjoyed little or no respect from the students of the faculty. Also true is the fact that all the foregoing has become improved in the current administration. Nonetheless, what is untrue is for anyone to say that this is a result of change in administration. I daresay: it could be because of any other thing except change in leadership.

Let me begin by first bringing the spotlight of my argument on the issue of participation. In this regard, the faculty’s L&D administration under Temmy Gista witnessed an impoverished level of membership. Not so many people were ready to participate in the society’s activities, unlike it is the case with the current administration. And, to this, we know already what consequences should arise thereon. We know that, definitely, membership as well as adequate participation define the soul of any association, organisation or society. We know or should rather know that the result of lack of membership inevitably is lack of choice in picking representatives/speakers during competitions. And the ultimate consequence of this? Need we bother mentioning that failure, abject failure, is of course the most magnanimous of all eventualities that would come greeting?

Indeed, the discussion in the foregoing explains one of the problems faced by the previous administration, but which the current one does not really encounter, in comparison. Despite attempts at creating awareness, especially during events organised by AFAS, about the chance of joining the faculty’s L&D, membership paucity still remained an adamant bane for the previous administration. However, the opposite of this scarcity of membership is the case with the current administration. The present one has experienced a Faculty of Arts L&D whose existence has been fertile as a result of participation. This thus shows that the improvement is not really a matter of change in leadership, but merely a result of more students’ participation in the society’s activities.

Another point that must be noted is that this present administration has only seen the faculty sail to the semi-final where we have finally encountered a deadlock. The previous administration, on the other hand, did see the faculty reach the quarter-final where they as well met their dead-end in the Jaw War. Upon these facts, we can much safely conclude that the difference observable between the two administrations, especially in relation to the Jaw War Competition, is not of a spectacularly wide berth. This thus shows that not much can truly be said of improvements, when juxtaposing the previous and the present regimes. Since one has only taken a single step ahead of another, what convincing claim can thus justify the reflection of true betterment? None, I say. So, now, even beyond the talk of improvement due to the change of leadership, there arises another question: how better improved has the L&D been now?

In general, I reiterate again with utmost conviction that the recent Jaw War successes recorded by the Faculty of Arts Literary and Debating Society were not a result of change in leadership. The successes were rather a sheer consequence of the availability of a wider circle of choices brought about by a broader level of participation and membership. Again, since the present train of speakers have made the semi-final their point of stoppage while the previous ones did reach the quarter-final, it becomes obvious that no apparent line of difference separates the two regimes. I therefore remain faithful with my point. I REST MY PEN!
Mojoyinola Abd’Afeez Ajibola

Definitely!
In a society or an organization where dictatorship rules, underdevelopment develops very strikingly. Idi Ami of Uganda, Mobutu of Congo, Paul Biya of Cameroon, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and our very own Abacha of Nigeria were all tragedians who had displayed tragedy on the stage of Africa. They all ruled by gagging any dissenting voice. They ruled above the law. Thus, followers do not like their strategies, plans and their aims and objectives.  They boycotted the meetings and protests. If you, dear reader, seem not to get the gist, I will call on Temmy Gista to gist you what actually happened during his reign. It was a season of confusion and handicap of ideas. He ruled for 3years (or thereabouts) without any achievement to lay claim to. My co-scribe may come here to tell you that it is not for the change of administration that the Faculty of Arts recorded some successes in the L&D. But is that argument sufficient?

No. Some of us who are penultimate students or those in the final year now, knew very well that Faculty of Arts was not in the book of success when it comes to JAW WAR. It was only in 2015 that Faculty of Arts won Jaw War. And that time, Temmy Gista was not the President of the L&D. For the years he occupied the position of the L&D President: no achievements. Oh, sorry, last year we got to the quarter final wherein the representative from philosophy spoilt the whole show by attacking his opponent rather than presenting a logical argument. This should be expected from a leader who is concerned with politics. Those years, he was very preoccupied with his ambition and self. That’s Temmy Gista for you. At least, it would have been better if he had transferred this power to the L&D. But, no. He chose what he liked. So, if the recent successes recorded with the faculty of Arts is not for the change of Administration, then what is?

Unlike the current President, Hameed Sowemimo who carries everybody along, Temmy Gista is a man of all. He stood on his own and nobody dared to challenge his authority. Like the Yoruba’s would say, one hand cannot carry a load on the head, it is two or more hands that can and a stick of broom can’t sweep the floor clean. Temmy Gista’s administration was a personification of Temmy Gista himself. He wanted to do everything by himself. Meanwhile, from the first day faculty of Arts delivered their speeches, one would have known that the lost glory of the Faculty is back. It was said that they had been preparing for about a month or thereabouts for the speaking event. That is what a leader does, he plans ahead of the war. 

Even though Faculty of Arts do not make it to the final this year, it is very clear that they put their efforts in winning this year’s JAW WAR. Our speakers from the first stage till the last showed the highest level of commitment to winning. All this spirit of aiming to catch success did not come out of a vacuum, it is for their leaders who had instilled the spirit in them from the very first day of Jaw War. 

However, my co-scribe may come here to tell you that because AFASites were not interested in the Faculty L&D, that was why Awolusi-led administration fell on the altar of failure, without any successes to lay claim to. If I ask, who likes to sleep in a house that is rotten? Who will join an organization that has not shown any sign of adding good things to his/her life? Who will join an L&D where only Jaw War brings all together? Who will want a dictator to be his/her leader? 

Hear what the members of the L&D during his administration said in an article titled “The Ousting of Robert Mugabe- A Lesson for Temmy Gista and the L&D” published last year: 

“One of my major concern is Temmy Gista’s refusal to step down as the President for three years now, lack of time for the society, lack of transparency, his inability to bring good ideas and make brilliant decision which has resulted into the retardation and stagnancy of the society. We the members of Faculty of Arts L&D have written to TLDS for their interference, especially that Temmy Gista should step down with immediate effect. We told TLDS that plans were currently being made for effective leadership in Faculty of Arts L&D. For the second round we lost to Faculty of Public Health, the Second speaker Temmy used was someone who never attended any of our meetings, an amateur that does not have a good speech. We can infer that maybe he wanted us to lose for doing that because there were better speakers with better speeches on ground. He is power drunk by not wanting to leave the presidency of organization. He was actually supposed to hand over to Yemi who is now a finalist as at last year which he didn’t and he is obviously not planning to hand over again. As it is now, he doesn’t have time for the faculty’s L&D” 

So, dear readers, judging by this statement could the recent successes from the Faculty L&D be said to be a result of change of administration?

Sowemimo Hameed, the current Faculty of Arts L&D President

The former Faculty of Arts L&D President, Temitayo Ishola (Temmy Gista)