Kunle ADELABU
The Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly and the representative of the Ikorodu Constituency I, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, and the Rector of the Lagos State Polytechnic, Mr Samuel Sogunro, have charged students of the Polytechnic to start seeing themselves in the mirror of what they want to become in future.
The Rector and the lawmaker made this statement at the Inauguration/Orientation Progranmme of the 2018/2019 Legislative Session of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC), Students Union Government of the Lagos State Polytechnic, held at the Ikorodu Main Campus of the institution on Wednesday, December 12, 2018.
Hon. Agunbiade was the guest of honour and guest lecturer at the event.
The ranking lawmaker delivered an inspiring lecture on the theme, “The Picture Perfect”, at the 700-Seater Auditorium venue of the event which was filled to its capacity with students, teaching and non-teaching staff of the institutuon and guests.
He also charged the 76 newly sworn-in representatives of the students to conduct their affairs respectfully and maintain the legislative excellence instituted by their predecessors.
The new representatives shall be joining other 57 old honourables in the Chamber.
Hon. Agunbiade, a former Students’ Union leader, enjoined the students to always sing the union anthem with sobriety and honour which are traditionally associated with it, while also warning them against adulterating its slogan.
“I have watched with dismay how union anthem is sung sitting down. The anthem must be sung with sobriety and honour with the unionists on their feet.
“As student leaders, you must also search for positive adjectives to chant as slogans and stop using those meant for garages and touts. That is the only way to represent positively and maintain the discipline, tradition and honour of the struggle.
“As student leaders, you must be articulate, well-read, respected and honourable. You must ensure that your engagement in union activities do not hinder your future progress but rather enhance it.
“There is a need to bring back ideological orientation into students’ unionism on campuses in order for the student leaders to be properly guided in their conducts.
“You cannot have a perfect picture of yourself if as a student leaders, you belong to a cult group.
“You need to learn the procedure as leaders and members of the Students’ Representative Council. Whatever you do today shall form the perfect picture of what you are going to become tomorrow.
“You don’t need to be abusive, disrespectful and violent to the management in the pursuit of your demands.”
Using himself as a good example of the impact of engaging in campus unionism, Hon. Agunbiade stated that, “You need to start seeing yourself as student leaders in the image of what you want to become in future.
“I was the Welfare Director in my days at the Lagos State College of Education after which I went into teaching. I later went to the Lagos State University to study law. Right from my 100 level, I was in the Students’ Representatives Council and in my 400 level, I aspired to be the President of the Students’ Union Government but was denied the opportunity.
“But despite the denial, I still went ahead to assist those that denied me the opportunity of serving the students. These people prevailed on me to stand-in for the election in my final year and I won.
“My first programme after I emerged as the SUG President was ‘LASU Against Cultism’ which was a very successful outing but I innocently asked students to wear white and black attires during the programnme which made a particular cult group to abduct me. My saving grace was the research I had done before and after my emergence as a students’ leader. I was able to identify this particular group and had my way with them.
“My regime was during the turbulence period of cultism brutal engagements and I recorded the most protests but at no time was LASU shut. I conducted the union in a way that did not betray the trust of the students nor jeopardize my own future.
“I want to admonish you that without perfect students, there will be no perfect society. There is a need for students to have good orientation and learn the procedures while on campus so that they can be better prepared to make our society a better place.
“You should let your demands be clothed with a lot of humility and respect. You must always consult and consolidate before you confront. And when you do, it must be a meaningful confrontation with tact and discipline.”
Hon. Agunbiade, who promised to visit the members of the SRC during one of their sittings, also charged the students to cultivate the habit of watching their representatives during sittings.
He also enjoined them to support their leaders by paying their Union dues.
While pledging his continuous support for the LASPOTECH Union and the institution, the lawmaker promised to donate proper gown to the Office of the Speaker of the Students’ Representatives Council and Chief Judge of the Union.
He also informed the cheerful students that the institution’s management is working with the Lagos State Government in ensuring that affordable hostels are constructed within the school premises.
Also speaking at the event, Mr Samuel Sogunro, the Rector, Lagos State Polytechnic, stated that members of the Students’ Union, whom he described as leaders of the students, are part and parcel of his administration.
The Rector, who was represented by the Deputy Rector (Administration), Dr Olateju Olateju, also enjoined the student leaders to work together with the management of the institution for the betterment of the school and the students.
“Without the students, there will be no teachers; without the teachers, there will be no students; without the teachers and the students, there will be no management. All of us must at all-time sit down together to analyze issues and agree on the way forward”, he appealed.
Speaking on the theme of the event, the Rector stated:
“The perfect picture of what you want will be developed by you. As students, you have the opportunity of becoming whatever you want in life if you actually have that picture in mind.
“You need to define your role models; the person that you are emulating and pursue your dreams with ‘I can do spirit’. Hon Agunbiade is a good example of that kind of role model. He has attained great legislative achievements because of his determination.
He enjoined the students to take advantage of the ‘NotTooYoungToRun’ Bill to get actively involved in community development and politics.
“You must get involved in ensuring that there is a credible election in your areas. If, as Nigerian students, you have not painted the perfect picture that your voter’s card will go a long way in ensuring a credible election, then, you have not started.
“Free education will not be made from heaven but through political engagements and it is those that are in political offices that usually determine the policies for the masses. This is why it is imperative for you to get involved and ensure that credible people are voted into offices”, he charged the students.
Mr Sogunro commended Hon. Agunbiade for being a vibrant and articulate representative of the people and for having the development of the youths at heart, while also calling for support for his re-election.
The Speaker of the Union, Rt. Hon. Balogun Babatunde, explained that the invitation of Hon. Agunbiade for the inauguration and orientation programme was meant to prepare the new representatives for the task ahead and also inspired the generality of the students.
