Opinion

 

Of the trees blocking our pathway to Invicta

Dr. Who (I am a conscious FATSSSAite)

It gives me great pleasure to once again make an appearance this semester. Today, like always, I feel concerned about the deafening inertia of the faculty student leaders on one of the pressing infrastructural intervention affecting all and sundry.

There is cause to worry about the possibility of the pathway leading inward to the Faculty of Education from the Faculty of the Social Sciences being barricaded by trees in the not-too-distant future. Such apprehension is borne not just because of the series of projections tending towards such doomsday scenario, but also because recent rainfall and its effect on the fast growth of these trees reasonably point to the beginning of the projections. 

The growing concern being expressed by FATSSSAites over the discomfort and irritation they experience each time they ply this route should not be overlooked. Much as it seemed to have taken the faculty by surprise, the overbearing growth of these trees is outrightly unfortunate, unnecessary, and absolutely avoidable considering the huge fund the faculty recently expended on Amapiano chill picnic. 

The ugly scenario is no longer mere conjecture but a reality now happening right under the seraphic watch of the Invicta team. Twenty-first century governance or leadership has grown beyond some mere holier-than-thou virtues and sanctimonious intellectual superiority, to a people-oriented and service-maximized clime.

It should be remembered that in a land where there exists no city justice, the people of the jungle must inevitably bear the responsibility of administering justice in the manner they best deem fit. In other words, when the ideal is not available, the available becomes ideal. The ideal situation is for leaders to produce the dividend of governance and promote and protect the social, economic, and political wellbeing of their people as may be commensurate with the provision of the laws of the land. However, this is far from what is obtainable in our faculty given the deafening silence of the faculty leaders to attend to this challenge.

If after this conscious call nothing changes, then they can’t be trusted and we must seek viable alternatives. An orphaned calf, the Kenyans say, has no choice but to lick its own back.

I hope our supposed leaders are not seeing this matter from the same prism as our home-grown politicians who will not repair a road until their family encounters misfortune from the developmental lacuna. And that’s why if Nigerians desire the instant repair of a road, all they need do is pray that a Senator’s kin should die or be seriously injured from an accident there the next day. And whoala! If their prayer is answered, magical and radical transformation is bound to ensue. Similarly, let’s not wait until a member of the executive council or legislative arm gets bruised by these trees. Put yourself in the victim's shoes and you will find that they are tighter than they seem.

Please do not get me wrong. I am in no way advocating for lawlessness. I am only saying it is in the best interest of the people, at this point in time, not to fold our arms until these trees become stumbling blocks on our way to Invicta. 

Veritas Omnia Vincit!