Journey Through The Undergraduate Lengths: Exploring The Art and Heart of A Rough Growth (2)
L-R: Ibukunoluwa Dada, 34th UCJUI President, Ojediran Temitayo (Herald), 2021/2022 Assesa Press Editor-in-chief and UCJ PRO2, Mashika, 2021/2022 AFAS Press Editor-in-chief
In the previous slide, which was the first part of this account, I made a stroll on my conviction and state of mind prior to my undergraduate entry, plus the ugly and beauties of both my 100 and 200 level days . In this column, it will (of course) be a privilege to walk you through the dots and lines of my 300 and 400 level counts.
THIRD YEAR
It was on February 14, 2022, Valentines Day, that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarked on its long 8 months strike. Earlier that day, the famous UI ‘confidential document’ - Book of Life (A document containing particulars and CGPA of all UI non-final year undergraduates) had leaked as usual where everyone had known their fate and as well put on the faith glamour that all is well. The strike was later called off on Friday, October 14, 2022 following series of unproductive and meagre productive round table discussions. For me, it was a period where I summoned some courage and resumed to factory work. During those months, I was reading few 300 level courses I can personally comprehend and also doing little random stories where I could only submit a number for Peacepace Initiatives. Through the UCJ Internship opportunity (prior to the strike), I had earlier secured a slot to intern at Nigerian Tribune. Why I failed to make that count can only lie on the Teaching Practice exercise. I later regretted not merging both when I knew what I missed.
Upon resumption in late October, everyone found it hard gaining back that academic and student enthusiasm. The first few weeks were a period of refreshing which perhaps affected the flow of academic processes. I recall I found it difficult to comprehend most lines in my note and Economics materials. Knowing 300 level to being the most difficult level, I knew there was a big fire on the mountain. Getting used to my normal night reading was not easy. For the rest of my academic pace, it seemed I lost the night reading momentum with that long strike. I was still doing night readings, but not as active as I always wanted. Maybe walking back to that factory stunt was a wrong move that dealt a huge blow on my academic chase, maybe not. Perhaps age? I couldn't tell either.
I encountered several difficulties in Economics courses. Taking 6 Economics courses for the first time in a semester lent a mocking hand. I was putting in the efforts, but it wasn't seeming like I was injecting any. I wasn't deceiving myself at all, I knew a lot was wrong in which there was no time for me to ponder and correct the imbalance. Academics was firing on, I was taking 6 additional courses in education plus 1 GES, it was as if I wasn't the one all these while. Stretch of classes from morning till evening, the little breaks in-between were for me to relax my small brain. CAs in form of tests and assignments started flowing in, before I knew it, exams came in knocking. Staying off campus wasn't helping matters either with couples of power supply issues. I will later end up to have 1A, 2Bs and 3Cs in my Eco courses, while resting on Education courses for the little forceful smiles of faith upon my masked troubled mind.
In my favourite campus journalism, as the Features Editor 1 for Assesa Press, I was doing very fine. I had started collecting and editing articles on features, opinion, politics, health, technology and also writing editorials, news and poems (our best poet graduated the previous session). Earlier in the semester, Herald had informed me of being the next Assesa Press Editor-in-chief. So, in some part, I was already doing some Editor-in-chief duties, using that to prepare myself ahead of the task. The opportunity to set up board publications was one I will later be grateful for in my final year. To that golden chance, God Bless Herald!
As UCJ Politics Editor, it was a different experience. At first, having a couple of fine writers from various Press organizations in my desk was a nervous stance for me. I didn't know how to put them to work and task them to duties. But, as always, I was putting in effort. The UCJ Website which encountered a series of issues during the course of the session prevented the desk, and all desks, from being productive as they should have been. But the most we can do, we put in our best to turn in quality stories. The epileptic publication issue will later cause a dent since consistency, which I always swear to, has been defeated.
Additionally, one thing I was also grateful for as the Politics Editor was the experience and room to learn. I was attending every SRC sitting at the Senate Chamber which allowed me to take notes of UI Students’ Political dimensions. For some plenary sections, I ponder and laugh. Some, I get furious at the back and forth of honourable members spending 2 - 3 hours on an issue which will later not get resolved. For every plenary section, you have to be prepared to spend your whole day and mark out every task you might have pre-scheduled for that day.
I had joined Education Book Club during the semester, a novel reading club founded under NUESA by the President, Geogeana Reuben and headed by Ogunnika Abosede, becoming the first Coordinator of the club. During the course of the semester, I had been connected to Mr. Fela Yomi Layinka, the founder of City Scenes Magazine, where I had interviewed the Oyo State Speaker, Rt. Hon. Debo Ogundoyin and worked on the cover story of the first City Scenes magazine in February 2023. For this, I extend my gratitude to Isaac Boluwatife (Senator Reformed) and Ojo Aderemi (former UI'SU President).
In second semester, the 2023 general elections had also shortened the semester. With 8-9 weeks left for normal lectures before exams, activities were flying again. As the second semester is known to be filled with a number of events and activities, I didn't allow myself to be swayed, although it was tough. I had joined the UCJ Famous Five Award Committee in the first semester where we deliberated on Awardees, criterias for such and other aspects of the event which was later held simultaneously with the Induction Ceremony in April. As part of the UCJ Fact Checking Team, we also fact checked the 2023 Jaw War Rounds, still headed by Tijani Abdulkabeer.
The decision to contest for the UCJUI General Secretary position was not one I had in mind for long, not even at the onset of second semester. It would be at the UCJ Senate Sitting for the selection of the electoral committee, headed by the ‘strict’ John Okafor (Indy Press Editor-in-chief), that I will ponder on contesting for the position. I recall receiving text messages from Tobi Odeyinka, the UCJ Editor-in-chief, and Herald, Assesa Press Editor-in-chief and UCJ PRO2, on vying for a position in UCJ Executive arm. The former encouraged me to pick up the General Secretary form while the later prompted me to take up the one for Editor-in-chief. Based on what I had conceived earlier that day, I decided right at that spot to extend and render my humble service for UCJ and contest for the next UCJUI General Secretary.
I will be declared as the elected General Secretary of the Union (unopposed) on Tuesday, May 2, 2023. I recall raising up my two hands in jubilation in a STE 302 class at the Faculty of Education LLT with Olaoluwa Daniel, my roommate congratulating me. On Friday, May 5, 2023, Herald passed the batton to me as the next Assesa Press Editor-in-chief. There, Obadina Seilat and Omolara Blessing as Features Editor 1 and 2 respectively and Awomodu Josephine and Aremu Hamdalat as News Editor 1 and 2 respectively. At that event, I was awarded the Most Active Press Member of the Year. Seilat will walk up to me after the handing over to express her fears at this role, all I said with an unclear mind as usual was “don't worry, we are in this together.”
The following day, Saturday May 6, 2023, which was the UCJ UI Dinner/Awards/Handing-Over Ceremony, I was sworn-in as UCJ's General Secretary alongside 7 other amazing individuals to make up the Tobi Odeyinka-led 35th UCJUI Administration. At that event, I was also awarded as the Most Energetic Campus Journalist, which happens to be its maiden. ASSESA Press had won the award of the Best Departmental Press that night only to be re-awarded to ACLAS Press the following day with an explanation of a prior mistake with evidence. In mid of July, Ogunnika Abosede passed the charge to me as Education Book Club's Coordinator and earlier in the month, I had been selected as a facilitator under Narrative 4 Africa (an organization that encourages telling of deepest story to embrace courage and empathy but to defeat sympathy and fear).
My final year was starting to shape as the toughest for me, taking all these roles into consideration. There have been fears that I might slack in any of those duties. Karshams and Blessing Opeyemi have messaged to ask how I intend to cope. I promised both that I will do well to manage and also that Assesa Press will never suffer in all of these edges. Of course, it didn't, it flew high instead. In academics, I had been swallowed by the 300 level sharks, but not completely. I managed to raise my head in that deep ocean, ending with a 3.41 CGPA.
FINAL YEAR
I didn't have much space to rest my head at my father's residence and take bites of my mother's delicious meals during the session break. I had stayed back in school after the teaching practice exercise to prepare myself for the big set of roles ahead. With the state of my CGPA, I was determined to put in all the grease and sweats I could to make the first class list. I had spent the break reading through the Faculty brochure and entering people's dm on extra guaranteed A courses I could take. I later ended up taking 4 extra CEF courses across the session with a mind that they have to yield me nothing but As. Of course, I was prepared to read on extra mile.
With 13 new members in Assesa Press during the course of the semester, faces like Kawthar, Gabriel (Biggy), Anita, Femi, Japheth, Adeola, Tobi, Eniola, Jumoke, Dorcas and so on, articles were flowing in. I had informed everyone of the foresight at onset - winning the Best Departmental Press Award. Everyone knew what to deliver every week based on their roles, this to an effect of new desk creation such as Specials, Technology, Business and Yoruba Poems. We also revived the story desk during the course of the journey. We ignited a culture of weekly meetings (one I learnt at IndyPress) in order to create a bond and family like atmosphere. To me, Assesa Press is a family, a home and a learning hub. At some point, I placed Assesa Press above my primary duty - Academics.
With I at the helm of Education Book Club affairs, I had to maintain the club’ standard and raise the bar. Having completed the recruitment process earlier in the semester, I had introduced reading of Novels such as Crime Fiction and Adventures. We read books such as Efuru, Behind Closed Doors, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives, One of us is Missing, Light Seekers and others. As the coordinator, I have to ensure I encourage members to read and set up reading timetables plus book review dates. One of the toughest thing as a Leader is making people do what seems difficult for you to do at that moment. At such point, you sacrifice alot as you engage in task that you aren't meant to do at that time. I recall forfeiting academic reading sessions to read novels in order to flow well and anchor book review nights.
The ability to cause people to deliver is a gift every leader must possess, if they want to be successful at all. This start from first being a follower to those you lead. Most times, being a leader means you are the least, because a leader serve others and not as it seems the other way round. To make others do things, you need to act and show them how you want them to deliver. This was my strategy across boards.
Obviously, those periods were my toughest period as a human being. Dedicatedly discharging my duties as UCJ General Secretary, rolling out a series of publications at Assesa Press with stressful hours of editings, being at the driving seat in Education Book Club and not leaving behind academics was a fierce experience. At that point, together with the Nuesa Press Editor-in-chief - Taofeek, we had created a committee that worked on reviving Press organizations in Education which I headed. That move brought about the resuscitation of ADE Press and Larissa Press (thanks to Tosan). The Committee was also keeping tabs on other Press organizations in education so as to ensure all is well with publications and as well saddled with the responsibility of training Press members.
My reading hours had greatly decreased at the mid of the semester, I couldn't meet up to my normal reading hours. Some days, I don't read at all yet I do TDBs everyday. Most nights for Assesa Press, some to read novels and assignments, little on reading notes. Prior to this level, I always cover the last lecture note before the next class. But at this point, I was not only skipping studying time, I was missing notes and skipping some classes, mostly Faculty courses. I recall we were meant to have a CEF 413 test on a Thursday afternoon where I was transporting a cotton rod from Agbowo to UCJ Secretariat about 10 minutes to test with no preparation for that exercise. Grace will later dine with me to get the test postponed to another day.
Actually, I had beautiful experiences. The UCJ Media Tour to Lagos, the joy of publishing weekly rolls of articles at Assesa Press (there was a week we published 31 articles in total), the room to learn within the UCJ circles, meeting new people and having to come in contact with scenarios that were previously unclear. Within that period, I had (with other 9 Education students) engaged in a-three week Service Learning program at Immanuel College under the tutelage of Dr. Tolulope Gbadamosi, a darling lecturer and supervisor in mother form.
L-R; Wale Olaogun, 2021/2022 Nuesa Press Editor-in-chief, The Scribe, Kareem Shamsudeen, 2018/2019 Assesa Press Editor-in-chief, 2020/2021 UCJ Editor-in-chief.
During my last semester, it was tougher managing all these tasks. At some point, I had to introduce a personal reminder so as not to miss out on my daily tasks and classes, though I still ended up skipping some lectures. UCJ events were approaching, politics times were around the corner, projects had added up to the task list, meetings upon meetings were piling up, my push for first class was still boiling within me and not letting off Assesa Press because the momentum was high.
As the end justifies the means, I knew it's time to put in additional efforts in all areas. I faced issues, I mean problems. One was the bullying I received during the Nuesa Press saga and also some at Assesa Press upon a number of controversial publications (which were expected). I reflect on my actions most times and realize that to fight for truth and stand for what is right is like one soldier against 100 iron armies. You are made to cry sometimes and feel as if you are doing the wrong thing. Sometimes, you wonder what the definition of truth is. You even think that truth is a mirage because it's too quiet. But, the fight for truth is always a strong cause. Later, those against you will bow because they know you are onto the right cause; as they say, truth will always prevail! Actually, the thing is we know ourselves and the bad behavior we portray but we flag off when we are rebuked for such or act at being disadvantaged when nemesis comes calling.
Someone knew of all my worries and fears and she could better relate as she read through these words. Kawthar will encourage me to push on and stay focused to what I believe in. Exactly what I did. I wasn’t allowed to be swayed or puppeted. I kept on delivering the wonderful works (smiles). Towards the end of the semester, I had started setting up the next Editorial board of Assesa Press, I had introduced new roles such as Online Editor, Managing Editor and Deputy Editor-in-chief, these were roles I managed together with the Editor-in-chief role in my first semester. But I had decided to create such with temporary Press members so as to make things easier for the next Editor-in-chief. I had known the next Editor-in-chief at the start of the second semester but was skeptical if that individual could put in the amount of effort I did.
As the semester was starting to draw the curtains, I had been shortlisted for some awards such as Nuesa Pressman of the Year, Kola Tunbosun Prize for Best Graduating Campus Journalist, Campus Journalist of the Year, Best Investigative Story and Editor-in-chief of the year. Assesa Press had also appeared in the Best Departmental Press and Most Innovative LPO shortlist. I had expectations on these awards, but not too high. I knew I had put in the effort but I didn’t want to bank on expectations as I am weak hearted in handling all sorts of disappointments.
Assesa Press won the UCJ Best Departmental Press Award, a very clear stance, with our sister Press organization, Larissa Press, winning the Most Innovative LPO. On personals, within all those nominations, I will only go on to win the Nuesa Pressman of the Year Award, an award that has mostly been won by Nuesa Press Editor-in-chief. Not that I wasn’t heartbroken to some extent, but I was thankful for the growth, experiences and recognition I had received so far. I knew I had put in my very best and that was my prize - self conviction.
I handed over the Editor-in-chief role to Omolara Owolabi, Eniola as Deputy Editor-in-chief and Features Editor 1, Femi as Features Editor 2, Hamdalat as News Editor, Anita and Japheth as Managing Editor and Online Editor respectively. In UCJ, the Tarre Tosanwunmi led 36th Administration will take the mantle from us as I passed the General Secretary role to AbdulHakeem who had been elected through a bye election. In Education Book Club, I handed over to Atilolaoluwa, who I believe will drive the club to a new level based on her profound interest towards the club.
Unfortunately, I received the greatest disappointment upon realising that I didn’t make the first class list. I had unofficially rushed to the department the next day after the Senate List only to realise I ended up with a 3.47 CGPA, no bit of thanks to Eco 492 where I had a surprising and shocking score of 48. Out of 16 courses, I had 11 As, 4 Bs and 1 D. It was a painful experience. Very disappointing. In all dimensions, I praised myself for pulling such a result amidst my toughest session ever.
Now, when I recall these experiences, I can only but be thankful of all the rough walks. Putting these experiences into writing was only to inspire readers and encourage all that consistency is key to growth. In all your doings, ensure you put in your best form.
Laus Deo.
