THAT ALL MAY BE WELL WITH AFAS BUT THE FLAMES SEEM TO BE MORE ENGULFING THAN EVER

John Locke and other philosophers had developed a solution to the problems that exist in a place without government. In a state of such nature, people have the license to act freely. However, their rights would not be protected and they would feel insecure. It was thus argued that people should agree with one another and give up some of their freedom in exchange for protection and security. They should consent to follow some laws in exchange for protection that these laws would give them. Putting in context is our prestigious faculty where hundreds of students and organs of the association co-exist. While hundreds of these students entrust a part of their freedom to these organs, they in return are meant to comply with the laws to protect the interests of those they are meant to serve.

Quite sadly, the chain of narratives since the outset of the session had been sailing on a rocky terrain. Last week, we had only had to battle with the financial statement of the faculty account which had raised quite a suspicious eye on the activities of the executives. There were so many instances of cash received or transactions not reflected in the statement of account presented to the house; quite a lot of things did not sum up. Most controversial of the reports tendered was the sum of N35, 100 released to the Vice President to make up for unforeseen expenses during the freshers’ orientation programme. While the financial secretary may have been rapped over the knuckles for his incompetence and negligence, it beckons on this editorial piece to retract the information on the N35, 100 given to the Vice President by him. Further enquiries made has stated that it could not be proven for a fact yet that the financial secretary had released such funds to the Vice President or that she had made the expenses from her pockets. Duty, however, called on the audit committee and Investigative committee to hit the record books and make due findings.

On Audit and Investigative Committee Report

The audit and Investigative committee respectively led by Hon. Femi Famuyiwa and Hon. Muhammed Salahudeen audited the account of the financial secretary, vice president and that of the office of the social director over the course of the week. While there was no evidence to prove that the vice president had taken the sum of N35, 100 from her pocket to cover for the other expenses she made at the orientation week, several other abnormalities were discovered in the receipts tendered by each of these executives by the committee— some of which were as a result of oversight and negligence. However, they are still subjected to further investigations. It was also discovered that the Memorandum of Agreement being used by the executives in place of a receipt was not serving it purpose. There was no valid evidence to prove that they were actually filled by the supposed persons.

It was also gathered that the social director walked out of the audit and investigative panel because he felt wrongfully accused and told the panel quite blatantly to do their worse since he could not satisfactorily provide answers to some of their questions. A bit of a messy scene it was as the committee had to extend their investigation. When it became apparent to the committee that the executives had been fraudulent or found wanting of misappropriation as the case may be, rumours of suspension and impeachment went gliding in the air. The executive, who may have attributed the scrutiny of their financial expenses to the biases of an affiliated legislative body, made no hesitation to feed the management ears with complains. This action surmounted to a meeting with the Dean who having heard from both parties made an incontestable ruling— that the final reports made by the audit and Investigative committee should be brought to the desk of the faculty officer, the sub dean and himself. He further prohibited any instance of suspension and impeachment of any executive holder in the association.

The Dean’s decision can only be understood in terms of peace and prosperity—the whole idea to cut down any form of sentiments or autocratic rulings and ensure that each arm of the association work in harmony and unity has never been more reemphasized. But where does that leave the ‘just’ workings of the faculty constitution? The actions of imprudent office holders? Past records of misappropriation of funds, suspension and impeachment have never been juicy stories but they were actions taken in sheer accordance to what the constitution stipulates to safeguard the interest of all. As final as the decision may appear, it should be reconsider to give room for the supremacy of the law.

On the inauguration of faculty electoral committee (AFASIEC)

While the conflict between the audit committee and executive played on, the association electoral committee was duly inaugurated on Friday, 29th of November, 2019. It was indeed a laudable move by the CPS to be on track this time with the inauguration (as the constitution stipulates that the electoral committee should be inaugurated no later than the beginning of the fifth week of second semester). Our attention is, however, drawn to the makeup of the electoral committee which by all means of a credible election, should be annulled. Although the CPS did the best they could in scrutinizing those that should be in the committee but their final decision is subjected to bitterness on one hand, and to logicality on the other.

Truth be told, what played out on Friday was a bit of a melodrama. Do we begin with some members of the council who spoke out of order— interjecting at intervals during discourse, presidents who lacked thoughtfulness by sending representatives who were political aspirants or some selected members of the committee who were found ineligible and highly inexperienced for the duty they are meant to serve? Perhaps, the absence of the CPS chairman, Micheal Awoyemi, in the early course of the inauguration had caused the rowdiness and one at this point would certainly appreciate the orderly manner in which the Legislative Council (FLC) operates in it sittings.

In other to address the issue here, it was noted that four members were duly rejected by the council to be members of the electoral committee. According to them, these four members were political stakeholders in their various departments and at such could not allowed to be a member of the electoral committee. These individuals from information obtained were former political stakeholders in their various department and halls of residence. They are Marvellous Gbadegesin (a Classicist and a former Public Relations Officer of the Association), Tijani  Selim (of the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies who was once an honourable and a former General Secretary of the Association), Wasiu Abiodun (an Historian who contested for Lord Tedder Hall Vice-Chairmanship position for 2017/2018 session and the AFAS Presidential position for 2018/2019 session) and Mr Olumide Adefisoye (a Music student who stepped down from the Presidential election that brought the current President to office). What the constitution, however, says about this in Article 41, section two is that the composition of the committee shall reflect a member who holds no political office from each of department/ constituency to be nominated by each president. These four individuals are apparently not occupying any political office at the moment. It was only therefore a matter of ensuring transparency and credibility of the election that they were disqualified by the CPS. For instance, a representative like Olumide who although stepped down from the presidential race last session cannot be fully trusted to be a part of the electoral committee since an aspirant vying for the same office will be emerging from his department this year. To a certain degree, this decision to disqualify them appears justifiable.

The other crisis on the other hand, is that the twelve representatives that were finally selected to constitute the electoral committee lack electoral experience. When weighed, only about three representatives out of twelve had functioned as a member of an electoral committee either at their department or at the faculty level. Most certainly, inexperienced persons should be given the opportunity to be a part of something they are not familiar with but it could prove to be a problem for a successful election since the number of inexperienced electoral members outweighs the experienced ones. At this juncture, we are compelled to assess why presidents of departments in the association could not sufficiently provide eligible candidates. The electoral committee is operational in most departments and at such stage; representatives are selected from each levels in that department to constitute the electoral body. It is therefore quite daunting that presidents would fetch members who have no electoral experience and those with political ambitions to serve at the faculty electoral committee.

That all may truly be well with the association as the partially-experienced-electoral committee kicks off with electoral activities, and the Dean and other members of the faculty management now fully involved in the final decision making process of the association leaving the FLC as a minor in subsequent ones.