A one-day workshop was recently organised by HEN Foundation, United Kingdom forstudent leaders in the University of Ibadan, Oyo State Nigeria. Participants were drawn from the present Students’Union Executive Council, Student Representatives’ Council and Halls of Residence ExecutiveCouncil among others.
The Hen foundation’s organised leadership workshop was in collaboration with the Student Union University of Ibadan and school management. Dean of Student Professor Keye Abiona, Former Super Eagles player and La Liga ambassador Mutiu Adepoju, Deputy Dean of Student Dr. Demola Lewis, Dr. Dayo Kayode, President, Student Union Segun Akeju and hundreds of student leaders attended the workshop.
The theme of the workshop: “Student Leadership in the 21st Century – The Critical Interface Between Student Government and University Administration”.
At the occasion, the Vice-Chancellor who spoke through the Dean of Students, Prof. AdekeyeAbiona, pointed out the need for all hands to be on deck in ensuring that students leadershipreflect the reality of the 21st century and adopt the consultation approach as against confrontation inresolving age-long issues confronting the University system from time to time.
Resource persons at the event spoke passionately from their wealth of experience, each callingfor civility in the process of agitation.
In contributing, Mr. Mutiu Adepoju, ex-super Eagles/ International player charged the studentsto be disciplined, dedicated and determined in the pursuit of their academic pursuit as well astheir individual ambition.
He charged them to smartly discover their hidden talents as he drew from his vast experience ofhow he combined his academic with his football career which started in his undergraduate dayswhen he played for the then IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan.
In his contribution, Dr. Dayo Kayode, a current affairs Analyst, charged the students to adopt a standpoint of crusaders as against the well-known activist approach, which is seen to be prone to confrontation in the process of agitation.
He submitted that “civility in agitation will make them a crusader and this will help them in achieving their ambition” adding that jaw jaw is better for the 21st century as against the war-war approach of the past.
Miss Bukola Alada made a case for the promotion of gender equality in the Students’ Union activities. She posited that gender quality is not about equal gender representation in activitiesbut having a mindset for equal opportunities without bias.
She frowned at dashing females with a position as this will be counter productive and against the principle of merit.
The President, HEN Foundation and President, UI Alumni Global Network, Mr. Jamil Eniola spoke on the topic “Student Union, a Critical Interface for Visible Synergy between the Studentsand University Administration, Internally and Externally”. His presentation addressed thestudents and the University management collaboration.
He called for a policy review in correlation with the 21st-century leadership patterns andmethodologies. The Hen President recommended maintenance/provision of basic infrastructures like uninterrupted water supply via an eco-friendly medium (solar technology);reconnecting alumni across the world via the global network and funding of the University’s research progrmmes/centres of global standard among others.
He further suggested that every member of the union whether in government or not should notsee him/herself as an apostle of democracy but participants in the promotion of the overallinterest of the nations’ education system stressing that the students union should be given a littlemore freedom to run its affairs with minimal supervision and those who defraud the union shouldbe held accountable with severe punishment given to them.
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