NOW THAT SLEEPING DOGS ARE LEFT TO LIE….

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In the words of the Sub-dean elect, Dr Segun Oke, there is bound to be a rancor or misunderstanding between people in a society. Every society is therefore governed by laws binding on all of its members as there is no law without sin. On the other hand, we have the traditions which the society occasionally adheres to, and sometimes it is on this basis, laws are often times formulated and implemented. Both law and traditions are apparently eminent in the running of the association but over the past few weeks, there was nearly a violation of the law and a change of tradition. The notion of having an office swap between the Faculty Legislative Council and the executives was a just a wishful thinking and has graciously been brought to a halt. We can only keep our fingers crossed for any act of objections or comical theatrics from either party. It would however, be foolhardy for any of them to go against the resolute decision that has been made by the highest authority in the association. Now that sleeping dogs are left to lie, shall we begin to pay attention to other things of concern?

While organs in the association had their head locked in a meaningless conflict, some changes—uneffectual changes have been spotted around the faculty. The faculty of Arts is known to be the premier faculty in the institution, but the environs and the output of groomed products begs the question of how premier we are. Most certainly, the faculty has gone beyond refining the curriculum to fit into the twenty-first century demand of graduates and to capture T.H Huxley’s ideal of students knowing something about everything and everything about something. There has been a concern with balancing what is required and what is optional— what should be learned and students’ yearning for elective freedom. There is an upgrade from all of these to include the space that we need as we enlarge the faculty. It is of worthiness that institutions are in the position to look ahead for several decades and plan for a whole cluster of new buildings to accommodate growth. The faculty now has the chance to shape a longer term plan, and to ensure that there is a creation of attractive and functional spaces for our academic programs. With the new construction in view, there are hopes for growth and development in the faculty. But bringing things to a closer scrutiny, there are certain lecture rooms whose chairs needs replacement. It would be recalled that in an interview with the outgoing dean of the faculty, Prof. Ademola Dalysva, in the previous session, it was pointed out that some of these chairs were in dire need of replacement. The Dean, in his honour, had made mention to look into it but what is glaring at us are more seats in disrepair and lecture rooms not worthy of being called lecture rooms. The executives and the Legislative council, in their power, can proceed the management with this neglect as a construction of a new structure should not be at the detriment of other lecture rooms. The FLC, in this instance, will be less preoccupied with thoughts such as buying special seats for themselves because those things are secondary at this time.

It is no telling that the conditions of lecture rooms 37, 38, and 39 and the Faculty Large Lecture Theatre are nothing but an eyesore. Yet, lecture rooms 33, 34 and the Faculty Small Lecture Theatre (Room 32) are just a slight upgrade than the former. The continuous use of these lecture rooms would be against the university’s leading mission statement of expanding the frontiers of knowledge through the provision of excellent conditions for learning and research. At best, these lecture rooms could be described as expanding and aggravating the discomfort of Afasites and students from other faculties that sit on these damaged chairs and write on the rickety tables. For example, out of the 36 chairs in Room 39, twenty of them are bad and serve no purpose but give an ugly view to that lecture room; the entire front table of Room 38 and half of the tables in the second row are completely broken and had been so for more than a semester; and Room 37 had two rows of tables that are no longer firmly fixed to the ground, making swinging moves whenever students settle to write on them while the entire back seats have turned upside down for over two semesters. This is disturbing in an environment that prides itself as the premier faculty. Against all odds, students strive to sit in for lectures while enduring the whole discomfort. No form of good learning and research could be achieved in an environment such as those of lecture rooms in the faculty complex. Yet, it seems nobody’s attention has drifted to refurbishing these rooms. Whichever the case, many lecture rooms in the faculty needs complete renovation so they can meet world standards and truly live to reflect the university’s vision of becoming a world-class institution for academic excellence. These no longer serve any comforting purpose. This is a call to all those that are concerned in the affairs of the assignment to help Afasites by providing better chairs for sitting and strong tables for writing. Faculty of Arts is a leading faculty in the university. Our lecture rooms should not speak against the leading position of the faculty because they need renovation as soon as possible.

As the lecture rooms are in a dire state seeking urgent intervention from those that have the power to do so, the students toilets is nothing to write home about. Since the session begun, there has been little or no supply of water to the male toilet. Even though the water closet system is just a charade (because water are not in any of them), the large basins that serve as water reservoir in the toilet have also been empty for most of this semester. Lack of water supply to the toilet has aggravated the offensive smell that oozes out from it but most certainly, students cannot be laid off from any guilt pertaining to the proper use of the toilet when there is a supply of water. Now that water seems to be missing in the course of action of the toilet use, Afasites in disgust, make do of the unpalatable condition and worsen things. The female toilet is also not an exception from the whole precarious state of the toilet. The ladies have also been left with no choice than to use them as they have been upon resumption. The summary of it all is that the students’ toilets are totally in bad shape and needs urgent attention. Regular supply of water to the toilet to aid proper cleaning of the toilet bowls is not beyond the association and the faculty management. If nothing else is considered, the consequences that such a toilet poses to the health of Afasites makes it an issue that must be addressed for it is better to have no toilet than to have one without regular supply of water and poses health hazard to the users.

Let no executives or any other arm of the association sink into the self-belief that their functionality extends only to ceremonial duties. Approving budget for events, holding seminars and orientation for students are only a fraction of how they are supposed to serve Afasites but by raising salient issues that affect Afasites and acting on them is the highest achievement of being at the frontiers of leadership. Sleeping dogs are made to lie, but the soul of man must be reawakened to duty.

 

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