I write this to critically scrutinize the present NAMCOS EXCOS (2018/19) being lead by Comrade OJO OLUWAMAYOWA FESTUS (Phestus). To start with, I can authoritatively say I am one of the people on the fore on this. In 2014/15 academic session, FESTUS and myself were amidst students taken in to the Department of Mass Communication for the Ordinary National Diploma (OND) programme.
It should be remembered that there was a Nationwide ASUU in 2013 (during the former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s regime) which put academic activities at stagnancy till the following year. In The Federal Polytechnic, Offa the 2013 fulltime students were called ‘F13s’; those who were taken in the subsequent year were called ‘F14s’. To this, Festus and myself belonged.
My matric number then (in OND days) was MC/ND/F14/2166.
As expected, there were cases of power tussle between the two batches. We the F14s were always advocated for equality and equity. I was one of the few on the fore on this, for the F14s. The class government was in the hands of Plan (our class rep), Aare, Prince, Classic, Whalentinho, etc. Majorly G7 members, that is if I include MK Prof and Yommex. I was their unarguably foremost enemy (by pen). Their worst nightmare.
I become so, but the blame can be shared partly on them, partly on me, and majorly on physical and human/psychological politics. I used to write revolutionary pieces and have them posted to the class WhatsApp group in those days.
No one could forget the day two “literary brothers” took to the same WhatsApp medium to write me down (against me). Fate had it that I wasn’t online throughout that night -which was so rare of me. It’s was a gloomy Afeez Adekunle (Teddy Kay) that woke me up the next morning and showed me all the ‘lashes messages’ meant for me the night before. I had flat battery then, I recharged my mobile phone to discover that I had been removed from the group (alongside my critics-brothers) on a week suspension, because they didn’t want me to reply them.
Other helmen of the class then are Brother Sjiuade Kolawole, Brother Kola Pupa, Johnny 99, Prince Ademola, Ayomide Ibrahim Temitope (ATM), Kudoro Nafiu (Kudman), Tijani Mr. Appetite (also called ‘Appetizer’), among others.
Back to the lane: to nail our way in clamouring for equity, we decided to choose among us a representative that will represent our interests in the government.
OJO OLUWAMAYOWA FESTUS was our man.
Before his ordainment, FESTUS was a member of the “OJO FAMILY”. We call them so, because our class had a rare case (coincidence?) of more than 5 persons with same surname. They were Ojo Femi Wale, Ojo Olamide Okikiola Esther (Lediy), Ojo Hammed Timilehin, Ojo Olasunkanmi Adedayo (Ayanfe Olodumare) and, of course OJO FESTUS OLUWAMAYOWA. They formed a kind of family in the class then. You go see as them go dey call demselves “mum… mummy…dad…daddy…son… daughter” up and down the class.
Ojo Femi Wale is presently in my class-level (F18).
From the sum-up, it could be deducted that PHETUS represented us and our interests (the F14s) at National Association of Communication and Information Technology Students NACITS) level as Sport Director II, Comrade Jimoh Monday Peter (Arshavin) was Sport Director I.
Thus, leadership role was thrust on the young Master Ojo Festus.
It was no surprise to me he was made the chief servant of NAMCOS 2018/19. In both instances, I am a foreman in his electioneering.
THE MAN PHESTUS
To follow a man is to be influenced (mostly positively) by his personality, policies, decisions and actions. Hence, I can say it anywhere that when personalities of the likes of Festus are being discussed I am coversed with the he who (is) under the light of scrutiny.
His is a politician per excellence. Young and strangers to the political climate of Fedpoffa which we were thrust into in 2014, Festus seemed to have raising above the average man horizons, accepted the leadership role; embraced challenges therein but shared the applauses with some other persons. Those traits are called selfishlessness and team-work in attitudinal dispensations.
It’s a natural cause of joy for parents watching their children grow, same it is when you watch a mate growing into something big, or bigger as the case maybe. I vouche that the OJO FESTUS OLUWAMAYOWA has witnessed and ‘undergone’ cacophony of responsibilities, decision-makings, dilemma-actions that shape him for the present position. Unease truly lies the head that wears the crown.
He is one of the people I know for insightfulness. He do tries to find a compromising (even) ground in difficulties. He makes silence a virtue and for this last mentioned attitude, he becomes a firefield; towards which (but in his case, who) all attacks are launched.
It is no news that undue and undeserving adjectives have been added to his name by some attention-seeking individuals. Be it some other persons apart from FESTUS, those people may use mouth to fan body like a fan, but FESTUS isn’t that kind of man.
Also, someone in his submission recently capitalized on FESTUS’ cordial reception of females to cook up a libelous adjective. Truth is, had that Comrade in pen been observing enough, he would see that FESTUS’ circle of friends right from OND days are males (Ayodabo Sherifdeen {Vado. We used to call him Marcelo), Yusuf Black, Dee Jay Emily) and those that make him an homosexual…??
Lols.
Of course, Mass Communication department students are both males and females, to give attention to a gender than another will still make people raise eyebrows. Suppose, the president is a female. Would it be said she is a flirt if found mostly in the companies of men?
Furthermore, no man is perfect. To say so is to gidified (apotheosised) that person. When we dabble into life of any person, we shall find ‘abnormalies’ – as humans describe flaws in fellow humans. So, it’s humane to say and act imperfectly. To hold anyone on ransom for what/how he said/acted is to hold the nature itself to ransom. Submitted at my table are series of utterances which are considered “non-befitting a president of an association, especially, NAMCOS'”, I titter when I hear this, for if these are not what is called human (imperfect), I don’t know what is called humanity then.
By the He whose Hands my life is I swear, FESTUS has at one time or another asked me about reactions to his administration from my classroom (HND 1 level). He asked me so many a time that I sat him down before the department at PS and told him he should continue doing the good works he’s doing. Because for any action there are positive or negative reactions, to listen to all of them will derailed one from the set agenda.
I was in Osogbo when he was contesting for the presidency. FESTUS took it upon himself to come to me (organized a meeting) at a place agreed upon. He explained to me with so much senses of humility, objectivism and intelligence. I don’t know, but you can ask him if he had rehearsed before he came. Lol. This gave me tidy sum of sense of importance, belonging and encouragement. And I felt fulfilled; ours is what you call ‘friends in progress’.
HIS ADMINISTRATION
This is one episode I am glad to write about, because he has too many achievements that are not visible. To write on them means I am ready to publish another book.
It is uncommon to have a students’ administration having these chains of accomplishments around its neck. But for the sake of brevity, I shall elucidate those mentioned in ‘incentives’ (departmental note books) distributed to the communicators:
” This (NAMCOS Administration) tenure contributed to the development of the departmental studio with meaningful monetary assistance.
“Also, we were able to provide a departmental signboard which aids easy direction to the department.
“….This administration organized a befitting and effective tutorial classes during the period of ASUP strike.
“….The NAMCOS 2018/19 resuscitated and equipped the departmental library with umpteen academic materials to facilitate students’ acquisition of knowledge – which serves as the foundation to the library resuscitation.
“…this tenure ensured that the production of over 1,000 Press ID cards for the new intakes (ND 1 & NHD 1).
“…Our administration also contributed to the purchase of HND 1 Megaphone which aided easy and free flow of communication during lectures.
“We therefore look forward to more achievements even before the expiration of our tenure. Some of such watch-out packages include, NAMCOS Week which is an encompassment of various knowledge impacting, scintillating, enlivening and wonderful activities.”
HIS EXCUTIVES
I feel like I am one of the excos. Why? Because I’m so much in acquittance with most of them.
To start with, I mentored (is it safe to say, I taught) the VP, in person of PAPA AY ( Hassan Saheed A.), how to write poetry in 2018. We never met physically until the first week of June, ’19.
PRO 1 (Adegbite Isiaka Adewale: WHALENTINHO) is one of our class helmsmen back in the OND days. I have mentioned him earlier. Also, funny it may be, but truth is LEXIS (Mansur Olalekan O.) and myself did meet earlier during my days in Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC). Also, together we had transited to the ancient city more than half a dozen times. At a time, it’s became more than coincidences to us. Adeshina Adedeji (WIZKID) is one guy I owe a lot. Even if I die now, I know my spirit will not rest until I reciprocate the good this guy has done for me. Even he himself doesn’t know the good he did (to Jaat). Fadina Oluwatosin (TEEHARD) may think we are a bit apart, but the truth again is: I know so much about this fine communicator than he himself believes.
Lastly, but not the least (in fact, it’s paramount) is the pen wizard. My literary twin brother, co-philosopher… CYPHER!!! Salawudeen Rotimi Muhammad Adeniyi..
Iwo omo olodo Oba. Iwo ko ni’lekun tabi kokoro, eru werewere ni baba won fi nto ile.
Odidere ko je ka mon in Iwo gbe gba lo,
Iwo…Iwo..Iwo…to Odidere pe ti enu re fi kako
Olotan Ikoyi Eso ni won
Ikoyi Eso Omo agbon tin beere ija
Ikoyi Eso Omo agbon tio ri’ku sa
Ikoyi Eso Omo agbon ti n ya’run ote….
Ask Facebook for my documentation on this sage during our OND days this sage. I call it Cyphology (1-4).
It’s already an honour, contemplating to step in his shoes as Editor-In-Chief at NAMCOS level.
Help tell Fatai Hanafi (FAITHFUL), Abdulraheem Olaide (MHIZ SILVA), Ogidan Taiwo (SAMPLE J), Odebode Oluwashina (SHINCOO), Salaudeen Teslim (SATIRE), akindeji Damilare (SOLDIER BOI) and Akande Adesoye (OLASWORLD) that the humble me will very much like to meet them.
MY SUBMISSION
There is no journey without hitches. Even humans complain about multitude, but mysterious ways of works of the Creator. How much humans?
Admittingly, WHALENTINHO wrote that: ” in the beginning, it was though tough and rough, full of trials and tribulations(,) but with Almighty God beside us, we are here today….”
I am versed in the avalanche of steps that led to his emergence; the political climate, machineries, persons, contenders/competitors and much more. My PR sense will not make me reveal those. But I think it should be noted that, for instance, the football audience always know how to play the game better than the players on the pitch. The reason being they are merely onlookers; they aren’t on the field. They know when a certain player should (have shot) shoot the ball to a certain angle with certain agility. Blame them not. It’s because they aren’t the ones (players) on the heat.
Also, no one can do it all. A former governor in one of the South West, Nigeria states did two-term of 8 years before he uttered synonymous assertion. This, we believe, was inspired by the fact that he did all in his capabilities (capacity + ability), yet they weren’t just enough for humanity. Government is a series of efforts, if you do and I do; together we can achieve better.
This PHESTUS-LED administration is still in government on countable days, individuals are warming up to take over different positions in the same NAMCOS, thus it’s hard if not impossible to judge so soon. You can’t say the kind of child(ren) a pregnant woman may give birth to.
OJO FESTUS OLUWAMAYOWA is doing his bits, which are being scrutinized; how much will you do that would be scrutinized??
– Jimoh Taofik Adekunle
July 21,2019
Jimson Jaat Taofik
The M.A.D Writer: Pen Priest
Print Sequence student,
Mass Communication Department,
The Federal Polytechnic, Offa.
Phone: 08144510542
Facebook: Jimoh Taofik Adekunle
Twitter: @JimsonJaat01
Gmail: deskofinsanity96@gmail.com, jimsonjaat86@gmail.com
