I take great inspiration from the wise saying, "a man must not swallow his cough because he fears to disturbs the sleep of others". For some time now my ink has gone on a momentary hibernation not because there were not pressing issues to write about but rather because I wanted to amply wait, study and gather some more evidences before I lace my words together to drum home what I have observed and gathered. Remember I was not on campus in the first semester of the academic year. I did my internship service in the Upper West Region of this country, the more reason I couldn't assess well, the activities of the current leadership.
In this literary meal, I will journey my zealous readers through happenings on campus which suggest how hopeless students are towards the capabilities of students' leadership. My article doesn't seem to castigate anybody rather it seeks to put out the bear and verifiable facts objectively.
I must state without mincing words that students in our tertiary institutions more especially the University of Education Winneba, Kumasi, have their hopes being lost in every year. This year, 2019, is no exception. The picture that I used for this publication was taken at the manifesto reading ground today. You can see the number of students who were present at this all important SRC activity. The ground was virtually empty. This is very sardonic.
Lucidly, I sincerely want to be objective and charitable in preparing this literary meal for my cherished readers. We have had very few leaders on this campus who truly put up a deep spirited defence to uplifting and raising the standards of students leadership in our tertiary institutions. Mr. Eric Dumenu, former NUGS president, Mr. Abdulai, former Accounting Students' president, Mr. Dapilah Hasheem, former SRC Counsel Attorney, Mr. Alale, former NUGs Secretary, Mr. Clifford, former Speaker of Students' Parliament, Mr. Dakurah Albert popularly known as Dakus, Mr. Equity former Bar president among others were distinguished and visionary leaders who sincerely spared no efforts of theirs to fighting for the course of students. I can vividly recall a perennial furniture crisis which was widely used by many aspirants as their major campaign policy to garner votes from students. Now, the competition and the helter-skelter movement of furniture by students seems to belonging to the past. A lot of battles have been fought by these gallant men and the likes of Mr. Andaban, Mr. Adingo and myself (Derbie Raphael) to put this seemingly challenge to rest.
Notwithstanding the spirited efforts put up by these distinguished leaders, a cross section of the students populace at the time still expressed loss of hope in students leadership.
As I speak, the issue is more deteriorating. This, I think is a common knowledge. My encounter with an appreciable number of students led to this conclusion. Let me hasten to add that campus activities being executed by leadership further point this fact. The spiritless participation of students in the ongoing departmental, halls and other Association's elections bear witness to that assertion.
What is more surprising according to the students is the performance of the Charles Tagoe led administration. Let me assure my readers that I will devote a full time and a full folder of mind in no distant time for the current administration. The Charles led administration was undoubtedly dubbed "the transformer of COLTEK" but the signs seem bleak. Most students have concluded that he has failed us, well I may keep my opinion for now until I come out with a full folder on his performance. The current SRC president assured students in the last Local Assembly and in a recent open forum that was organised that all his promises will come to fruition. I personally, still have a modicum of hope in him to deliver. Why I hold my breath on him is that he seems to be following all the procurement processes to awarding contracts. The procedure according to him, is cumbersome. We will not accept that as an excuse when he finally fails to deliver. He must get his share for disappointing students. A man who crossed a great river to marry a wife must be ready for the risks of night journey by canoe to his in-laws funeral. The convenient game theory of political deception on this campus must stop.
We sincerely don't expect Mr. Charles to tow the line of his predecessor who won on the "Yes, We Can" slogan and ended up disgracing himself and the entire student body. I think his administration actually drained all the little hope that students had at the time resulting in total lost of hope in students leadership on this campus.
His Excellency Charles Amartey Tagoe promised to restore that lost hope and was the node and the little light seems off completely, the reason why most students will not take part in some students related activities like SRC elections. This year's SRC elections is most likely to record the highest low turn out of electorates if the current executives fail to redeem students interest. This is evidenced by the participation of students in the vetting of SRC aspirants. Students were completely nonchalant about the whole event and that was a signal to what will happen on the day of election. I am not a prophet of doom and I'm far from being one at any point in time.
Your tenure has almost ended yet you keep reassuring us. When water last too long in the mouth, it turns into saliva. We cannot continue to accept your assurances. You need to step up your game. "If you follow too much the sweetness of honey, you will find its bitterness". The likes of myself and others will not sit aloof and the covinient game theory of political deception to gain roots on this campus. The total zero-sum politics must end now. Enough is enough!
Derbie Raphael
0240371356
derbieraphael@yahoo.com
