POLY Mirror
Sequel to the earlier publication made on Monday’s morning 27th July, 2020 broadcasting the above event, Press Council’s representatives were present at the event as the
The Polytechnic, Ibadan Student’s Union Government led by Comrade Fadare Blessing distributed the provision to shortlisted students at the Student’s Union Building.
The distribution of the palliatives was supposed to start by 10am Tuesday 28th July, 2020 according to the time given to the students and some had to leave. A few others complained bitterly that the SUG wasted their time. Some showed lack of faith in the existence of any palliatives.
Eventually around past 12, the Welfare Director II, Comrade Olayinka Olatunji Sulaimon addressed everyone present and he said the palliatives will be shared firstly to the students that filled the survey form sent out a few months ago and each student must present his/her ID card. The Welfare director I, Comrade Fatimah then proceeded to call out the names of the students that filled the Survey form and the distribution of the palliatives began. A pack containing 3 Spaghettis, 2 macaroni, 3 noodles, a pack of salt or sugar and biscuits was given to each student.
After a few people were given, an argument ensued. The executives of the Faculty of Engineering were not pleased with the way the palliatives were being shared because they assumed that they were being treated unfairly. Apparently, based on the survey list, only 5 students from the faculty’s names. Whereas the Faculty of Financial Management Studies had over 14 students. They reproached the Union for revoking the survey link under 24 hours.
The Faculty of Engineering Executives wanted the Palliatives to be shared equally amongst all faculties or it should be shared by percentages. The Chairman of the COVID-19 Palliatives committee, Comrade Fasesan Toheeb, a student from the said faculty brieflt stopped the distribution of the palliatives. After lots of deliberations and arguments, it was later agreed that after all the students whose names were on the list gets a pack, the rest would be distributed equally amongst the faculties for students whose names were not on the list.
The Union senators (SRC) seemed disconted, as they felt they ought to have been carried along and consulted regarding the organisation of the programme of the palliatives distribution. Which would have aided a more compact organization that would not have been attempted by certain circles. However, they have adulation to the executives and the President for a job well done.
Press Council correspondents, interviewed some beneficiaries, amongst them is Afenifere Yussuff Babatunde from the Faculty of Engineering, HND 2 shared his view, saying. “The link should have been made more viral, my faculty didn’t hear of this and that is the reason we are few in number, they should at least make the link very more broad.”
Also, Temitope from the Faculty of Science showed gratitude to the government for reaching out and giving ears to calls of students.
Speaking with one of the students present at the event.
Miss Lawal Opeyemi a student of the department of Micro-biology who didn’t fill the survey form but got to know about the palliatives from a friend, she said, “the SUG isn’t well organized. They didn’t prepare well enough for the distribution of the palliatives.”
There was argument concerning the pallative awareness, the survey link was made public even the press council helped in creating the awareness too. So, while this went on, we reached out to Mr. Akinpelu Ahmed, The Public Relations Officer of the Students’ Union. He gave us a lengthy account as follows;
“The SUG was rebuked for not widely broadcasting the information about the student palliative collected from the state government? I, personally broadcasted it through my channels, abd so did Press Council.
The SUG shared the palliative received from the state government by distributing it to the least privileged students stuck in campus and close environs. We also gave to Faculty association presidents. At least, they collected 10 each. We satisfied them.”
He continued, “I’ll like to reiterate that, neither the SUE nor the SRC knew about the pallatives talk until it was available, Comrade Fadare single-handedly fought for the pallatives on the behalf of the students.
Then he bemoaned the needless influx of students, who were far at home in their parents’ house into the campus in a bid for palliatives He lamented that the palliatives was only meant for those stuck in campus due to the lockdown.
“How we planned on sharing it? We are planning to invite students around to come and collect it. So traveling from Lagos is totally wrong. Imagine, I heard some girl travelled from Egbeda in Lagos to come an collect the palliative.”
We asked for little clarifications on the Union committee for the COVID-19 palliative distribution, and he said. “Fadare was the acting chairman because he was the one the championed it right from the beginning. However, Comrade Fasesan Toheeb, a student of Electrical Engineering Department, was appointed Chairman by the Students’ Union Government to represent us at state level. Initially, we the Union planned on financing this from the SUG budget, but we realize that students have not been paying enough dues. That was why we couldn’t do that kind of thing for them. Yet fare did not stops the limit he has to fight forward, he told him he went to the state government, he was asked to bring one student each. Has the acting NANS district Chairman then, that was why it was very easy for him.”
We then asked for his thoughts on the previous palliatives distribution that led to controversy, he exhaled and said. “They gave all institutions in Oyo state 100 bags of palliatives. We have many school on Oyo State, Fadare was the acting chairman of the NANS JCC OYO STATE. When they shared the palliative only five bags reached polyibadan and it was shared enough for five faculties. The remaining bags was given to the National indigenous.
After the 5 have been shared the president did not stop, he keep fighting for the school hopeful he got more palliatives, he called his executives and told them, they came to the school and share it.”
We were finally able to reach the SUG president, Comrade Fadare, and he address. “They brought in about 100 bags and they were divided as it is in the pictures above.”
According to him, about 150 students filled the form on the link and he promised that even students that didn’t see the link would also be given since the palliative is meant for all students and not for those that opted in alone.”
He stressed how strenous the fight was, “We had to visit lots of people from the SA to the governor, the commissioner for education, Oyo State and many others before this new sets of palliatives were given to us.”
Finally, Press Council contacted the Chairman of the Palliatives distribution committee, Comrade Fasesan Toheeb, and he gave us a demographic status of the programme. “Actually, many students were here today. Unfortunately, some weren’t from around the campus. But the exact number of incentive given was around 160. We found a way to share it so as to ensure it’ll be enough for everyone present. And thankfully, no one complained.”
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