EMERALD SPEAKS ON THE STATE OF THE UNION

EMERALD  SPEAKS
ON THE STATE OF THE UNION

•ON THE CONGRESS OF JULY 12, 2017

“The major objective of the democratic society is to draw the popular masses into governance and to teach them how to rule"   - Isaac Asimov

Since the wake of the staff unions declared solidarity for the former Acting Vice-Chancellor, tensions had peaked, our welfare condition dragged into the mud of the leadership tussle at the controversial trial of Prof Anthony Elujoba.
The mass of Great Ife students must be highly commended for drawing out in mass and insisting by their direct effort on an immediate recovery in the distribution of light and water on campus. The popular march down to the power station directed for the emergency congress at the Sports complex. The immediate improvement in welfare is therefore a victory for the mass of students. A victory for the culture of direct democracy, upon which our Union was built.

…..but where was Emerald, why was the moderation carried out  by the SEC GEN, instead of her?

In the light of my current responsibility as the Acting President of the Union, I was in charge of the whole organization, planning and implementation of the events marking the remembrance of  George Iwilade Afrika, and the rest of the July 10 1999 martyrs.
In the light of an early bed of disunity weeding fast the historical calling of this administration, hands were few that could work, support was scarce for the stretch of duties necessary for the success of July 10. My attention was glued all through to every minute activity that held, every present observer and passerby witnessed this.  The next morning after July 10 bonfire came with the news of Great  Ife students gyrating in solidarity with Prof Elujoba, at The Ede High court during his trial. These present students were uncoordinated, they could soon come to clash with present security operatives and sour the good name of our union, over a controversial trial at which by then, Great Ife students Union had not taken a position. A dutiful leader should not due to a conceived misdirection, leave out his followers from coordination. I rose and some other students with me down to Ede, and after the court sitting, we brought home the partaking students in a coaster bus. All these activities, being concerted caused the breakdown in my health status after returning from the court sitting.  I relocated to town on July 12, to rest. I had since been on medication for malaria and menstrual cramps. The emergency congress got to me on the sickbed. I salute the quick response of my amiable SecGen, who stepped in to the leadership for moderation. The battle for the development of our welfare had just been started, still ongoing, yet to be won.

ON THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE CONGRESS

The resolutions of the Congress were presented before the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Ogunmodede, yesterday night where I was present. The Parliamentary sitting today shall put to debate the outcome of that rather cold deliberation, with the university management.

ON PROFESSOR  ELUJOBA’s COURT  TRIAL

“Feeling without judgment is a washy draught indeed: but judgment untempered by feeling is too bitter and husky a morsel for human deglutition”   - Jane EYRE

The Congress resolved duly that our Union cannot afford the disgraceful weight of protesting against the Probe of a former University Vice-Chancellor by the EFCC. It called for an extension of the Probe, to include Professor ‘Tale Omole’s regime and even further aback.  We can truly worry on the fact that over 30 different petitions written against the Omole regime could spark no single reason for Probe, whereas a single petition against Elujoba moved into indictment and trial-incarceration by the EFCC. 
Workers solidarising with Elujoba cannot drag us into the mud of blind solidarity.
Let the Staff unions approach through the option of a join Congress of All Unions.
It is a permanent principle of the Union to declare solidarity to the struggle of sister unions, and workers everywhere. We demand therefore to be made to know, how and why and to what extent this cause is primarily a workers cause.
                                                                                                                        
JACOB TOSIN GRACE
                                                                                                      EMERALD
                                                                                                   ACTING PRESIDENT
GREAT IFE STUDENTS’ UNION