Changing the Face of Students Unionism

Twenty-two schools participated in a leadership development
contest, seeking to change the orientation of students on unionism.
The event was held at the University of Ibadan (UI), reports EKENE
AHANEKU (400-level Medicine, Imo State University).

Twenty-two schools registered for the contest, but only one went
back with the trophy. The contestants were Students’ Union
Government (SUG) leaders from 22 universities. They gathered at
the University of Ibadan (UI) for this year’s edition of Students’
Leadership Development Tournament (SLEDT).


Imo State University (IMSU) students won the contest. The event
started with the arrival of three delegates each from the
participating universities led by their deans of Students’ Affairs.
The opening session started at the Trechard Hall, with the
organiser, Femi Titilayo Kings, giving tips on how the contest would
be conducted. He said the event would create a platform for the
participants to develop their leadership skills and make them to run
student-oriented administration.

Ex-SUG president of Osun State University, Adekola Adeagbo,
shared his experience with the participants, urging them to see their
participation in the contest as an opportunity to restore the old
glory of students’ unionism as a movement for academic and skill
development.

At the end of the first round, five universities qualified to the semi-
final. The host institution, UI, dropped at the first round along with
UNIOSUN and the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM).
IMSU, The Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) and
Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, and
University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) moved to the final round.

Delegates from FUAM were allowed to participate in the final round,
having garnered the highest number of votes on the online
platform.

Abiodun Folawiyo, Chief Executive Officer of Shoespeed, spoke to
the participants on how to become independent through
entrepreneur. He told the delegates to develop their entrepreneurial
skills while they serve students.

He said: “You must define your purpose in life so as to have clear
vision of who you want to become in future. Today’s effort is to
germinate love, peace and motivation.”
Another speaker, Mr. Ugo Obasi, spoke on how students’ leaders
could make themselves relevant.

The final round started at 4pm at the UI Senate Chambers, after the
remark by the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Idowu Olayinka. Delegates
from UNILORIN opened the session with their presentation; they
were followed by delegates from FUAM, IMSU, IBBU and FUTO in
that order.

The contestants’ presentations were based on the vision for
unionism, continuity, accountability, peace, productivity,
sustainability and entrepreneurial actions. Some of the participants,
who had best presentation in each category of the debate, were
rewarded.

IMSU delegates were adjudged the best in entrepreneurial action,
accountability and continuity, while FUAM won Most Influential
Union award.

The judges announced the IMSU delegates as 2016 SLEDT
champions, winning the best SUG of the year. The runners-up were
IBBU and FUTO.

IMSU was represented by union president, Chukwuemeka Nwanna;
his deputy, Sandra Odunze, and a member of parliament, Ekene
Ahaneku.

The IMSU’s Acting VC, Prof. Adaobi Obasi, hailed the students,
saying: “I am not surprised, because I know what my students can
do.”

She added: “This is one of the reasons why we insisted that there
must be students’ unionism to build our students for leadership
roles. IMSU has produced unique students. The management is
proud of this achievement. We will continue to encourage students
to aim for excellence.”

IMSU’s Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof. Anthony Okere, said: “These
students are wonderful. They got the information about the contest
10 days before the event and they emerged the best. This is a
testimony of culture of excellence deeply rooted in the Imo State
University.”

Source: The Nation