Agbowo, a clumsy neighborhood, occupied mostly by students of the University of Ibadan, has been the target of attacks by criminals, and other children of darkness. In the dead of the night, these never_do_wells would invade the neighborhood, strip people, mostly students, of their possessions and sometimes snuff out their lives. This became a daily reality due to the dysfunctional approach to the menace of these outlaws by the stakeholders involved. Let’s not forget the crummy road opposite the university gate which led three souls of students to the world beyond.
These circumstances became the herculean burden borne by the newly elected SU executives headed by Adeyinka Adewole, a.k.a Mascot. As a leader, whose welfare of students is his concern, he began clicking on avenues via which the Agbowo crises can be nipped in bud. According to him, he had consulted the stakeholders involved; landlord association, heads of Police divisions around the University, and representatives of the state government. The state government representatives, in the usual manner of the Nigerian government, paid lip service to the crises and went lax over the loss of student lives.
Again, more souls were divorced from their bodies by these wolves in human skin. They seem to have been emboldened by the lackadaisical attitude of those involved in securing lives and properties in the Agbowo/Barika neighborhoods.
Being at their wit’s end, an open, terse, and impertinent letter was written to the state Governor by the Student Union leaders. The letter was greeted with torrents of criticisms from students and some alumni whose minds are devoid of the gravity of the situation in these crime-infested areas. The letter got the reactionary attention of the state government and they acted, performing their duties. The state government met with the student representatives and discussed with them, ways to solve the problems.
This piece is not scripted to dwell on the morality of the letter. I leave the content of the letter to the pontificating moralists to debate upon. What intrigues me is the letter of apology written by the executives, seeking the pardon of the Governor over the previous letter written out of anger and frustration. This points to a vital lesson in leadership. At times, as a leader, one gets so frustrated and one lashes out against perceived lackadaisical people but one must be lowly enough to acknowledge one’s frailties and make amends. And such is the case of the letter of apology written to Governor Seyi Makinde dubbed GSM.
Fingers have been pointed, criticisms have been made and a resolve has been reached.
However, to be constructive, what lessons can be learnt for the better leadership we desire in the SU and the nation at large.
Firstly, though the letter seems harsh the writers are forgiven as the letter had its desired effect. However, there are some reservations. We should note here that no matter what happens in the school of leadership, sanity should still be maintained. The mark of a true leader is the ability to use words effectively without sounding rude or uncultured. The bane of many leaders today who became despised by the people they lead stems from their careless use of words. Effective communication is key to the doors of transformational leadership. A leader must be able to put a leash on his emotions.
Leadership is proactive. The SU would not have needed to resort to the use of unpolished words if the state government had been proactive enough over the security anomaly in the neighborhoods of Agbowo/Barika. Proactivity prevents the escalation of crises. The SU President, Adeyinka Adewole, claimed to have written several letters to the office of the Governor but received no reply and the condition of Agbowo/Barika areas kept worsening. Lives are at stake. The youth came to Unibadan to learn and not have their lives, destinies, dreams, dreams, and visions truncated by anti-society elements masquerading as humans. The previous executives, chaired by Akeju confronted these problems but had no lasting solution. A seat in leadership is not to answer to a label and be knighted with formalities but a seat of servanthood. Here, the government of the state should and must heed the voice of those they lead. Proactivity comes to the fore here.
One thing that should be learned and implemented is the investigation of these attacks. There is a plethora of questions that have been left unanswered. Who are the criminals engaged in these maladies? How do they operate and how can security operatives get them behind bars? The criminals are not ghosts, demons, and neither are they spirits. They are humans. Blood courses through them and I believe they can be captured. And the law, in its sense of justice, can deal with them. An investigative committee should be created to look into this matter and proffer cogent solutions. Collaboration with local vigilante groups will also help in effectively addressing the problem.
As a leader, one must exhaust all avenues before setting out to do the last thing. Even in the face of that, one must still be calm and collected. Critics, in their usual manner, will wag their tongues but they, most times, are not worthy of attention. It is hoped that the SU President has learned this lessons.
Lastly, the University authorities also have a role to play in securing the lives of students. Most students indeed live off-campus but it should be noted that they are students of the University of Ibadan. And that is enough reason why the authorities should be concerned.
IBN YAHWEH
