The Concerned Members Of Ekiti State University Alumni have stated that the purchase of the expression of interest form by their alumni amounts to seeking relevance and cheap recognition from the Ekiti State Governor and was a misplacement of priority.
In a statement issued by Gabriel Olalekan Soyombo Esq, for and on behalf of the Concerned Patriotic Members of the Ekiti State University Alumni, they said, “The concerned members of the Ekiti State University Alumni body, in our pragmatic affinity woke up to the news of the purchase of expression of interest form for the governor of Ekiti state, His Excellency Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, by some selected echelon of the association, particularly those in the leadership saddle using the name of our cherished association structure to achieve same. The purchase of interest form for Ekiti State Governor by the paraded leadership of the body reflects unseriousness, lack of vision, misplaced priority, policy somersault and a joke taken too far”.
“While we are still at a loss at the parameters considered to arrive at such a ludicrous gesture, as to where, how and when was such ought to be all inclusive decision was taken by the mass Alumnus members, we make bold to say, that such a carry out does not represent the opinion and wishes of our Alumnus home and abroad, but a self seeking political moves and a micro managed sacrilegious agenda of the merchandise who seeks relevance and cheap recognition from the Governor. A come across strategy of the reactionary in sycophancy. University Alumni all over the world cannot and never be an extension of a Governor’s office. A university is an international centre comprising different races and backgrounds across the world and as such, represent both national and international interest.”
“While there is no denying the fact that Governor Oyebanji is an Alumnus of our Alma mater, it should be however noted, that the Alumni Association being a fulcrum of progress and unification of the past students of our Great university across diverse profession, social categories and academic background, should not be more than an arbiter that gives moral and social support to all within the association enclaves devoid of discrimination of any kind, and not a platform for hungry politicians and contractors who use their influence in the association to seek relevance and recognition for their political fortunes. Our Alumni is more than creating local content for any politician and the shenanigan of purchasing expression of interest and nomination form by giving a semblance of popularity to a co – alumnus, a contestant who also doubles as a sitting Governor. This leadership unbridled adventure smacks of the association credibility and its admiration amongst her peers all over the world. It is not only ridiculous, but unthinkable for the current regime of the Association reducing the international wings of our Alumni Association to the orgy of local politics of Ekiti State, thereby becoming more unfortunately, that a gesture which started as a ploy of politicians to deceive the people about their popularity has now being taken to such a denigrating height by an international body whose watchword should be honour, excellence, decency and integrity.”
“If the Ekiti State University Alumni pocket is that steep, would it not have been more obligatory for them to set up a trust fund that would help indigent students who daily drop out of that university due to prohibitive school fees amidst other asyphixiating expenses clamped on them by the same spineless administration of Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji as the Ekiti State Governor.”
“The lowest school fees in that campus is around 100k, while minimum wage paid, despite being 70k has been eroded with heavy taxation and excessive inflation with accompanying joblessness, thereby making a vast majority of the teeming masses in abject penury, a situation impacting heavily on the populace amongst which are Ekiti State University students. An Alumni Association, which indulges in such an exercise of extravagance infertility in the face of poverty impoverished community dominated with over 55% of younger ones is not more than a visionless Association existing outside the value of her purpose. Those who are seeking relevance and political powers should exit EKSU ALUMNI platform immediately as we have many of her members home and abroad who still espouse the value of association’s excellence, and who still place value of her national and international significance above microcosm considerations. Our Association is greater than those who see it as extension of their economic interest. Cooperative Associations, Indigenous Association and even political parties structure is available freely for those who wants to better the lots of their political career. EKSU Alumni is a preserved body for the exclusive engagements of members collective value on the shore of national and international interests.”
“An Alumni association that is humane, progressive and forward thinking in this contemporary times will be seeking for creative ways of ameliorating the misfortune social conditions of her members, and not by opening his vault for an overfed Governor because of political patronage. The EKSU Alumni Leadership should borrow a leaf from other prestigious body of other universities and make national and international policy engagements their priority for her members benefits and not by reducing the global emblem of the Association to Local content creation for the politician. We are not opposed to individuals in the association supporting political candidates of their choice, every individual enjoys such privilege. But using the name of our Alumni to settle political interest will not be allowed by us – the patriots and the genuine ambassadors of the university, whose records as students and beyond echo progressivism and patriotism. We won’t allow pusillanimous and reactionaries elements in the system to bastardize the image of our respected Alumni Association on the altar of local partisanship” the statement concluded.