Chukwudi Onyeka
Emerald speaks on O.A.U Union Brouhaha
TODAY · FRIENDS
THE TRUE STORY
EMERALD SPEAKS
There was a Gang-up, I was detained against my will, taunted, over powered and severely beaten by Lamba (the Director of Socials) in the presence of the president of the students union and other union executives.
Great Ife students, I am making a public statement to you for about the fifth time in this semester, however this time it is from my hospital bed at the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital, Lagere Ile-Ife. It is my sincere prayer that the voice of our conscience, courage and a discerning heart for the truth will stir Great Ife students out of our inertia to stand for what is right. I would hereby give my account of the events of Tuesday night the 5th of September 2017 as I am only now medically able to speak coherently after the debilitating physical battery and injury I suffered on the ill-fated night in question. I will no longer spear words because it has become a life threatening situation.
DONT NUMBER ME WITH THE THIEVES! I AM FIGHTING CORRUPTION AT MY LEVEL
First, I want to put it on record that the several physical assaults and political victimization that I have suffered against my person since the beginning of this administration and master minded by DR IBK (Students Union President) and his cohorts since we emerged as union officers has been for no other reason than the simple fact that we have different interests. My interest has and will always be that of Great Ife Students, however the other camp is neck-deep in self-serving interests. On the night of the manifesto, Great Ife students will remember that one cardinal point of my campaign was that our union should not be in the hands of political godfathers and self-serving union leaders whose chief interest is their belly and pockets!
Great Ife Students will remember the bus scandal and the embarrassment it caused our union. At several Central Executive Council meetings, I opposed the entire bus project and the approach adopted to the whole thing. Alas, I had to go home on a brief medical trip and within the very short stay (3 days), the news of the scandal was everywhere. Money had been withdrawn without parliamentary debate or a budgetary allocation and we all know the rest of the story.
I have done everything within my power as a person to act maturely and to put across perspectives, opinions and dissent in a manner that will not tear the union apart, that is why many people say I have been quiet, but I have never been quiet! I have made several releases, in print and also on social media. I have spoken with persons and with groups on these ailing values of our union and a lot of people have said I have not been energetic enough. The opposition (yes there is an opposition and it is the students union building itself) have been touting that I am trying to use my popularity to rival the president; while political analysts (both from the progressive right wing and left wing) were of the opinion that I needed to take more political action and seize the stage, but I didnt want to look like a power grabber. I wanted a united and virile union and this left me with no support base and made me a loner! There is little just one individual can do to carry out institutional changes. Then followed the political manipulations to subdue me, psychological pressure, sexual pressure, veiled (and actual) threats, and lying propaganda in the bid to taint my image, discredit my person and politically subdue my voice for truth. It is not that I have been a fool all along, but now that the real enemies of our union are today in the union building itself and relentless in their sinister goals, I have decided to declare a full vocal and political war against all forms of oppression, violence and other social vices bedevilling our union. May the days ahead test our sincerity of heart, purpose and action.
THE TRAGIC EVENT OF TUESDAY NIGHT
A central executive meeting had be THE TRAGIC EVENT OF TUESDAY NIGHT
A central executive meeting had been called and it was scheduled for 5pm. I arrived at some minutes past 5pm and was told that the meeting had been rescheduled for 6:30pm. I had written my last paper that day and didnt sleep well over the night as I was doing some final revision for the 8am paper. After finishing by 11am , I was of course a little tired and had to also attend to other activities I had outlined for the day; so hearing that that the meeting had been rescheduled made me complain that we needed to respect timing. I waited and the meeting started a few minutes to 7pm. The major issue for discussion was how to spend the ₦3.8 million that was paid into the union account. All the deliberations pointed in the manner and character of the bus scandal, as there were all kinds of phantom projects being proposed and I was convinced that these projects were just white elephant projects for the diversion of funds. I disagreed with most of the deliberations on two grounds;
The nature of such capital projects required budgetary allocation and parliamentary vetting. Talking about money in this manner simply projected a picture of another shady and dodgy attempt to pilfer funds for personal aggrandizement.
If at all money was to be spent, I felt that a project like that of the freshmen getting their orientation package was a more realistic, expedient and resourceful use of funds, particularly since these freshmen had paid dues. A lot of noise has been made that I was seeking N1.4 million for the project and they have tried to mislead the public with the N1.4 million figure, but we are talking of printing the union constitution and preparing a magazine for well over 3,000 freshmen. If you break it down, it amounts to N406 per fresher for a constitution, magazine and a file jacket and it still doesnt cover the cost.
We are saying that the values, intelligence, vibrancy and ideological content of our union is waning, how else do we resuscitate these values if students dont even have a constitution? Or have a written medium through which they could further be educated containing robust essays, debates, the historical strides and heritage of the union, documented in the form of a magazine. Our unions documentation is poor and it has been the tradition of my predecessors in office to give such an orientation package as a way of closing the gap; only that this time I wanted a more even spread of these materials so that more freshmen could have these tools. These things are not my personal projects, it is the unions project and responsibility. It only falls under my constitutional responsibility as vice-president.
I disagreed with the deliberations on principle and this time I was going to be firm and show my plain displeasure. I also wanted it to be clear that my disagreement would go public because I didnt want my image soiled with the pack. It was clearly another bus scandal in the offing and I didnt want to be a part of it! At this point of disagreement, the arguments got so intense and seeing that I was alone, I told other members of the Executive Council that I wasnt going be a part of such a meeting anymore and so I got up to take my leave. Enraged by my audacity and the implications it portended, the Director of Socials (DOS) made for the door and blocked me from leaving. The insinuation that his move was friendly is not only false but an unfortunate story for the image of the union. I and the Director of Socials have not been in good terms for some time now because of my principled stands and he had even threatened very recently to beat me up any day we meet off campus as my own was becoming too much. His blockade was aggressive, provocative and very hostile. The president also instructed that all exits be locked and that I had to be a part of the meeting at all cost. I began to raise my voice that I was being held against my will. I insisted I was leaving and at that point feeling thrI insisted I was leaving and at that point feeling threatened and unsafe I got into a struggle with the DOS at the door. In other to make me comply, he pushed be aggressively several times and at some point hit me severally and pulled me back. While I was being rough handled, I became conscious that I was the only female in the room. These other union officers were all males and had an agreeing point and I was the only one opposing their plans in that meeting. They taunted me as the DOS was hitting me. I began to scream in alarm, people around the students union building premises heard my voice and made attempts to force their way in, but they were prevented by the president who told them that everything was okay and that a meeting was in session. At this point I became desperate and no longer felt safe at all. I began to look for anything around me to defend myself with. Everyone in the room made jest of me and the president said and I quote Leave them alone, it is two fighting. I say it boldly, it wasnt two fighting, I was being humiliated consciously. They saw my effort to get a weapon to defend myself with and asked what I could do even with it.
I eventually got hold of a bottle because that was the only thing I could lay hold on in self-defence. People were banging at the door outside so as to come to my aid until the speaker of the parliament found a way to force his way into the room to salvage the situation. In the meantime, I had been butted in the head, the bottle had been collected from me in a rowdy manner that gave the DOS the opportunity to keep hitting me. My left arm almost got fractured, my legs were hit severally. I was hit on the face, on the chest seriously and battered all over. My nose was bleeding when I was being carried out of the scene and I couldnt support myself anymore and was rushed to the Health Centre. I was admitted immediately and given first aid and other attendant treatment. By the morning I was referred to Seventh Day Adventist Hospital (SDA) Ile-Ife because of the on-going NARD strike. I was admitted at the casualty ward of SDA. I was in severe pains from the brutality and my entire body was sore from intense aches as the doctors and nurses will bear witness. I was given several pain relievers to relieve the trauma but even at that, I was and I am still in pains even as I speak. I am still at the hospital at the time of making this release.
THE LIES THEY HAVE TOLD
That I stabbed the Director of Socials
This is a lie! I eventually couldnt use the bottle because I was overpowered while the DOS roundly dealt with me. The president in company of the DOS and other excos came to the health centre one hour after I had been admitted at the health centre and everyone present will testify to the fact that he had no injury on him whatsoever. He was bouncing around while they all teased at me. The injury on his arm is self-inflicted for propaganda sake.
That the DOS was hospitalized.
Another lie! On Wednesday someone reported the incident to the police and a policeman accompanied the complainant to effect an arrest on the DOS. He resisted arrest and argued that he was a union officer and that the issue was strictly a union affair being handled by the university security unit. The police contacted the university security unit which then said that the police should go ahead to exercise its jurisdiction. By the time the police got back to his place, he had absconded. If he was hospitalized, how was he able to do all these? Why was he at home? We all know that no one can be in two places at the same time. You cant be hospitalized on Wednesday as the media reports indicated and also be at home on the same Wednesday. It is a make believe to mislead,
That I started the fight and was aggressive.
Another lie! The fact speaks for itself. I am not a lunatic. I couldnt have just picked a bottle to injure somebody after he had made what they call a friendly gesture to persuade me to stay in the meeting. They planned to concoct a good story and flood the press while I was still in shock, so that by the time I would be coming back I would be on the defensive. This is what they have done and the public must be discerning enough not to be misled. I have been medically unfit to give any comprehensive statement until now, and even now it is a big struggle, but I had to force this out even in great physical, emotional and psychological trauma. This violence must not be covered up! I was the only woman in that meeting and was powerless against the pack. I was intimidated, threatened and an opportunity was created for the DOS to vent his pent-up grievances on me through assault and brutal battery.
URGENT DEMANDS
I request that the press/media be more fair and balanced in its reportage. I have had to grant several press interviews from my hospital bed even in serious physical discomfort so that the narrative can change, the danger of a single and persistently re-cycled story is grave and inimical to justice, equity and an egalitarian society. The first person to get to the press should not be given the stage absolutely and there is a need for Editors of Newspaper houses to screen the efforts of their student reporters, as many of them are still learning the rudiments of professional journalism and do not know the place of patience in handling casualty cases of this nature. A lot of balance could have been brought to the reports if they listened to impartial eyewitnesses apart from the members of the central executive council or at least getting sufficient information from
That the general public and relevant authorities take an interest in the matter.
That the university authorities take a principled approach to the matter by setting up a panel of enquiry to probe into the issues and to deal punitive measures for such aggressive and violent abuse.
That proscription of the union is defeatist and an unprincipled way of treating the misbehaviour of a few bad eggs as against the over twenty-five thousand (25,000) students whose interests the union and its three arms represent. Instead punitive measures should be taken to curb and curtail such unbecoming crude and crass behaviour of members of just one arm of the union.
That the security unit of the university be more professional in its handling of security issues especially as they relate to student leaders. The nature of calls I have received, impressions and carriage of certain members of the security unit to my mind doesnt inspire sufficient confidence. The leadership of the security unit visited me at the hospital and in fairness to them, they helped in facilitating some of the processes at the hospital; but there are two things I will quickly state here as pointers to my impression. First during the visit of the unit to the hospital, there was no visible initiative on their path to take forensic evidence even if it is photographs, but I later learnt that they were led by the president to the presidents office where they took photographs of the scene of the incidence under the guide of the president who is a party linked to the circumstances in question. Secondly, many of these students who have shown persistent verbal and physical threats have been reported and are known to them, yet they hobnob in an unprofessional manner with some of these persons. Yes, a student environment has its peculiar challenges and terrain, especially O.A.U with its very vocal approach to issues of public interest and the often flashpoints of controversies that often come up, however, there are clear-cut instances of pure hooliganism by certain bands of people that they turn a blind eye to.
That the president of the union is complicit in this matter in holding me in his office against my will even when I raised alarm, expressed my displeasure against the hostage made frantic efforts to leave.
That Great Ife Students need to appreciate that there are need for urgent reforms in our union on such issues That Great Ife Students need to appreciate that there are need for urgent reforms in our union on such issues as regularizing congresses, parliamentary sittings and deepening our fused direct and indirect democracy method. The security committee of the union needs reforms, clear terms of reference, code of conduct and more credible system of recruitment. We need to create a supporting statute to the Constitution that will make detailed provisions on essential conventions of the union, values, standing rules for conduct of union officers, congresses amongst a plethora of issues.
I will also immediately and concurrently file a petition before the students Judicial Council on this issue, and will also bring it to the notice of the SRC that there is need for better oversight functions, more organized parliamentary sittings and more robust debates on issues of students interest. Up till this moment, the budget for this session has not been passed and this in itself is bad for the smooth running of the union. That my initial suspension was hitherto baseless, lacking in merit, vindictive, shoddy, politically motivated, carried out in bad faith and in gross contravention of the principles of natural justice, equity and good conscience, and as a result must be revisited and reversed. Failure to do this will lead me to the Judicial Council on the matter and where the Judicial Council delays, I will opt for a competent court of law. I am now willing to take legal actions against the house where it fails to do what is right. I will do this for posterity sake particularly in a system where people are willing to trifle with the integrity and future of a person so as to massage their political egos and immediate crave for a plate of portage.
Great Ife students, I salute your intelligence, resilience and courage in the face of the generational task that we have on our hands. I will make subsequent releases in pursuit of justice and developments that will stem from this resurgence towards a saner union. We must restore our values, sense of decency, distaste for violence, hooliganism and financial recklessness.
I leave you with the words of two great men
Whoever careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted in important ones
-Albert Einstein (19th century scientist)
Justice, sir, is the greatest interest of man on earth. It is the ligament which holds civilized beings and civilized nations together”
-Daniel Webster (18th Century U.S. statesman)
AMANDLA AWHETU!
Signed:
Tosin Jacob Grace (Emerald), vice-president of the students union
Cc:
The General Nigerian Public and Obafemi Awolowo University Community (Staff and students)
The Vice-Chancellor through the Division of Students Affairs, Obafemi Awolowo University
Division of Students Affairs, Obafemi Awolowo University
Security Unit of Obafemi Awolowo University
Students Representative Council of Obafemi Awolowo University
Students Judicial Council of Obafemi Awolowo University
Area Commander of the Nigeria Police, Ile-Ife
National and Campus Press and Media Houses

Naso

Lying liar
keep lying
don't stop lying

Who get time to read all this

lalasticlala.. we need a balance report pls.

bolaji73:
lalasticlala.. we need a balance report pls.

I'm not surprised at all..... But mind u, be careful of his report cos there's most likely probability he's getting it from fynestboi who's part of the executive present while the battering of the girl was on

Lalasticlala

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** Who would we na believe**DOS and presido another side story buhari no do these one just 3.8milion

from what i've read so far, i think the fight is a political fight as a result of clash of interest between Dr Ibk and Emerald and they are looking for means to justify their action by coming to social media and tell us story that will make us believe that their actions were right.