I still lack some of their ideological nitty-gritty to be called a leftist fully -- LEV

NCB: Good morning sir

LEV: Good morning. It’s my real pleasure to be here.

NCB: You’re welcome. Could you please introduce yourself and tell us about your background, including your academic program and by extension, any involvement in student activities?

LEV: My name is Olugbade Majeed Abiola, popularly known as Majeed Lev. I am studying Art and Social Science Education, Faculty of Education. I’m in my penultimate year.

I’m the second son of Olugbade Family, born and raised in Okeho, Kajola Local Government. After my Primary and Secondary School Education, I gained admission here and since then I’ve been fully involved in Students’ Unionism and have through writing and action risen and stood against any anti-student politics and have been standing up for the tradition, culture, basics and fundamentals of Great Ife Unionism. I was a Parliamentarian representing the Faculty of Education at the SU (Student Union) level during the last administration.

NCB: What fascinated you about politics?

LEV: First, I don’t do student politics, I’m a unionist. I engage in Students’ Unionism. The different is that politics is more of student governance but Great Ife Unionism is a pressure group, just like Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), ASUU, NLC and the likes and you will agree with me that instead of ruling, majorly, Pressure groups fight for the interest of her members. NUJ fights for Journalists, ASUU fights for Lecturers and that is the reason why Great Ife Union is SU and not SUG. We collectively stand for one another and protect our interests and right.

My instinct does tell me to protect, defend and fight for the rights and interest of others. The world is full of people that are ready to prey and suppress others but it is now the responsibility of some of us to prevent that and in addition, provide them with what they need at a certain period of time. Selflessness and being one’s brother keeper is one of my major motivation to Unionism. And we shall not relent on that.

NCB: Do you see any difference between activism and leftism ?

LEV: Activism is just engaging in agitation for a political or social purpose. You can be an activist without necessarily be a leftist. We have Human Right Activism, Animal Protection Activism, Gender Equality Agitators Workers’ Right Activism, Pan-Africanist, Students’ Activist etc., and they are not necessarily leftists.

Leftism is an ideological guided form of activism that believes that the fundamental problem of the society is capitalism and class based society that we are. They believe in Socialism propounded by Karl Marx as a suitable paradigm to better society. We can now find them among students, workers and just ordinary masses.

All leftists are activists but not all activists are leftists, in summary.

NCB: What do you call people that sit at the left wing of a ruling cabal ?

LEV: Personally, I see leftists as an ideological guided personalities. We need much of them in the society for the community to be better. They believe in what they do and stand by what they believe in.

NCB: Are you one of them?

LEV: I’m very close to being one because of how passionate I am to defending and protecting people’s rights and human dignities, but I still lack some of their ideological nitty-gritty to be called a leftist fully. I’m more of a realist when it’s come to suitable paradigm for better society I have my reservation. As a student, I’m more of Unionist than a leftist.

NCB: Apparently; you were sitting at the left wing of the just concluded administration, (correct me, if I am wrong), what were their shortcomings you frown at?

LEV: People that are very close to me know me very well that I criticize only if you do anything that I believe is actually wrong, either constitutionally, traditionally, or contrary to what the Union represents. I commend a lot more than criticize, far more. But since you ask for the shortcomings.

The previous administration focused more on political shoots than students’ interest. They are good people with good heart and beautiful things to offer but they got digressed to being political. They got lost in political game and neglected the basic principal of Students’ Unionism which is the interest of the students. They also let outsider intervene in the Union more than necessary. Now the rest is history.

NCB: What is your vision for the Students’ Union, and how do you plan to achieve it?

LEV: A union of the student by the student and for the student.

A student-centered Unionism that priorities the students’ interest. We make students our major priority and the students’ welfarism. And that is the major summary of my manifesto, below are others:

We bring the leadership of the Union closer to the students through door-to-door, heart-to-heart discussion with students, congresses and opinion box.

I, if elected as the Union President will make myself closer to the students. Their need is my need, their clamour is my clamour, their want is what I must do, their wishes are my command.

My vision is to give back to student, what belongs to them. Make Students’ Union, Students’ Union.

NCB: After studying the manifestos of all the presidential aspirants, it is evident that both you and the other candidates share the same ideologies, particularly in prioritizing security, accommodations, and inclusiveness. However, what sets you apart? What unique factor do you bring to the table?

LEV: One is to identify issues as seen from the other aspirants side, the other is the willingness to be ready to execute but also blend to the will of students as time goes on. But most importantly, to tackle the issues that prevent this manifesto from getting implemented.

If you were at the manifesto, I explained everything. The basic needs of the students are not much at all. Transportation, Accommodation, Security, Welfarism etc., and all candidates will write this to their manifesto and ready to execute them. Last year manifestos too were full of promises and everyone will say they will do everything, but later fail to do them. After I delivered at the manifesto, you will remember I told my co-aspirants that if these were not addressed, no plan or policy will be implemented.

People that are into the system understand this better. So, what make me exceptional is the ability to tackle all the constraints that resist candidates from performing when they eventually emerge. And, as a matter of fact, I will perform wonderfully well. And that is what differentiates my candidacy.

NCB: What achievement have you done successfully that you can pinpoint to authenticate your personality as regard the future promises ?

LEV: Yes, as a Parliamentarian. I stood on the constitution of Great Ife. I stood by the tradition. I stood by the Union believe, custom and moral value. I stood by the students’ side despite all the challenges.

NCB: In what ways do you plan to engage with the university administration and advocate for student rights and interests without any conflict that might probably lead to strike?

LEV: It is not necessary we are at loggerheads with the management. As I said at the manifesto, we both have a diplomatic relationship.

Students don’t want anything that will disrupt the academic calendar this time around and as I said, I am for the student interest and student interest only. So, all efforts and diplomatic approaches that won’t lead to academic calendar disruption will be employed.

And for both management and the students, we want smooth running of the calendar, so we will reach a reasonable agreement when issues arise.

NCB: Getting bed spaces on the e-portal is claimed to be completed within 5 minutes or thereabouts (correct me if I’m wrong), and students still manage to secure spaces even after the widely proclaimed exhaustion of bed spaces. Firstly, do you agree this is true?

LEV: Yes, I do.

NCB: How do you intend to solve this problem, if elected?

LEV: We will firstly make statistical confirmations of total number of bed spaces in each halls of residence; how many are given out, how many are hoarded and why are they hoarded. Why are students not given equal access of balloting. Then, we will make our stand known to the management that we want students back on campus by establishing #BackOnCampus agenda#.

We will meet with the VC who is a listening and understanding man and the Dean of Students’ Affairs too, stating emphatically the victimization students face off campus, our torment, our agony. Besides, not all students are interested in school hostel but those that are in need of it should not be denied access to it.

NCB: Are the results for the finalists across the faculties being delayed? Do you perceive this as a problem that should have been addressed by Unionism, and if so, what are your plans to resolve it?

LEV: Yes. I will do my duty as stipulated in our constitution Article III, Section 23, Subsection 2. That the Union president shall oversee duties of other CEC.

The issue you just raised is an academic issue and constitutionally, it’s the duty of the Vice President that will be elected.

I’m not a messiah or hero that take all to himself, there is constitutional duties and boundaries.

If elected, I will surely implore the Vice President to look into all academic matter they are numerous of them which I will not like to enumerate much like issue of psychology stress and depression caused by academic frustration, delay in result processing and unwarranted mass failure and issues of carry over students. But, all these are duties of VP as head of Academic Committee as stipulated in our constitution but I will implore the VP to look into that, scrutinize it and call for my help and intervention when need be.

NCB: Thank you very much for your time. Have a wonderful day, and good luck with your ambition.

LEV: Thank you too. It’s a pleasure to be on this great platform again.