By Emmanuel Akinwale
FATSSSA Press: Can you do the honours of introducing yourself?
The SU President: I’m Aweda Bolaji, a 500-level student of veterinary medicine, the president of the students union.
FATSSSA Press: All right. Could you provide more details on the resolution passed by the Students Union stakeholders regarding the new school fees?
(The SU President proceeded to sharing an image of the resolution with the FATSSSA Press correspondent)
The SU President: This is the resolution, sir.
FATSSSA Press: How does the Students Union intend to handle potential repercussions from the university administration for students not paying the new fees?
The SU President: We’re working towards getting a favorable fees before the deadline so our people can pay up before the deadline.
FATSSSA Press: Can you elaborate on the online campaign mentioned in the resolution? What platforms will it utilize to ensure the campaign against fee hike is effective?
The SU President: We plan to utilize platforms like Twitter, WhatsApp, and other social media platforms.
FATSSSA Press: Regarding the online campaign, experience has proven that the online campaign in tackling prevalent issues regarding the University of Ibadan has not been significantly effective. Don't you think repeating the same process in exhibiting dissent against the fee hike will yield the same less-significant outcome?
The SU President: I don’t think it has been ineffective. Plus, the fact that we didn’t get what we want the last time doesn’t mean we should not do it again, we just have to do it better.
FATSSSA Press: Regarding doing it better, I presume you are well aware that most students of the UI community did not actively participate in the previous online campaign compared to the existing population of students on campus. To this very end, how do you intend to amplify this online campaign, especially with the plausibility that some UIites may not even engage in the online campaign to ensure that this time, the outcome would bring about change?
The SU President: In the meeting, we enjoined student leaders to encourage the students to engage in whatever we’re doing as a union and that is what will change. Our strength is in our number, if everyone can get on the trend, we will achieve more.
FATSSSA Press: Regarding the freshmen, as you know, the freshmen are new to the system and are not well-acquainted with the essence of the Students' Union. What strategies, therefore, will be employed to sensitise freshmen about the importance of adhering to the union’s stance on the fee hike?
The SU President: Same as above, engagement of student leaders, making them understand why we should stand together.
FATSSSA Press: As you have said, the strength is in the numbers but given the number of stakeholders expected and the lower numeric turnout, is this a clear indication that not all stakeholders are in support of the stance of the union in challenging the school management as regards the fee hike? Similarly, how do you intend to ensure all hands are on deck heading forward and that it is not a situation of “retreat before the battle is won”?
The SU President: We’re working to make sure all hands are on deck sir.
FATSSSA Press: Can you give more specific details on how you are working to achieve this?
The SU President: We’re working actively by carrying everyone along including those that were not around.
FATSSSA Press: How do you perceive the lower numeric turnout? Is it an indication that some stakeholders are not in support of this movement? Also, for some of the stakeholders to be absent from a meeting of such magnitude, what gives you the assurance that they will fully support and amplify the cause of the union in their respective jurisdictions?
The SU President: The low turnout is due to the fact that we just resumed and not everyone is on campus. Those on campus came for the meeting.
FATSSSA Press: In reverting to the online campaign, why prioritise the online campaign over physical protest? Is it sparked by the fear of precedence as regards protests in the UI [University of Ibadan] environ?
The SU President: The online campaign is not being ‘prioritized’ over physical campaign [protest]. It is simply being explored as one of the possible means as physical protest is a last resort.
FATSSSA Press: Does this mean you will engage in physical protest subsequently if the online campaign proves to be ineffective?
The SU President: If that’s what the Union - which includes all the students, myself and yourself, agree on.
FATSSSA Press: Going back to the resolution, it was stated therein, that, the "...union create[d] a committee to critically review the school fees and work on the strict timeline on achievable goals and reduction of school fees". The question goes thus, who are the members of the committee constituted to review and propose a more workable fee structure?
The SU President: Student Leaders.
FATSSSA Press: What are the main factors that this committee will consider in proposing a new fee structure and would the resolution help alleviate the "fee hike' going forward even after your administration?
The SU President: Looking at the arguments the school management will come up with and gathering enough facts and figures to tackle them. Rendering the stance of the management invalid would help. If subsequent administrations that will be voted in competent by those they’d govern do not derail, yes.
FATSSSA Press: Have there been any official responses from the university administration regarding the union’s resolution and actions?
The SU President: When you say ‘official’, you mean?
FATSSSA Press: Have you gotten a response from the school management following the dissemination of your resolution?
The SU President: The school management as a whole to the new administration, nope.
FATSSSA Press: As you said earlier, the intention is to resolve this fee hike palaver before the deadline for school fee payment. However, given the possible delay on the part of the University management in negotiating a compromise, if you are not able to achieve this, what is the alternative especially as it concerns students who adhered to the SU instruction?
The SU President: That’s why there’s an alternative measure now to drive a reaction from the school management even before the deadline. The alternative, by that time, if at all, would be reached by the coming together of student leaders again.
FATSSSA Press: What measures will the union take if the university administration refuses to negotiate or lower the fees?
The SU President: That would be what the Union - which includes all the students, myself, and yourself, agree on.
FATSSSA Press: This is not clear enough as a correspondence to the question. Make it more specific.
The SU President: The Union is not just the executives. The Union includes all the students. Hence, the measures that would be taken, if that happens, would be reached depending on what the people want.
FATSSSA Press: How do you envision the long-term impact of this fee hike and the union’s response to the relationship between the student body and the university administration?
The SU President: The long-term impact is more economic hardship on we [us] students, the country is already tough and this adds to it which might lead to [an] increase in dropouts.
FATSSSA Press: With this, we have come to the end of the interview. Thanks for your time.
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