The Students’ Union election season is here again, and politicians from the main campus will soon know their way to Alexander Brown Hall. Usually, the first and only time they visit the Hall is during their campaigns. If we are lucky, they will come if they are running again the next year.
The 2021 Students’ Union Electoral Committee was inaugurated on 8th September 2021. The SUEC lifted the ban on electoral activities on 13th September. Fliers and BCs have since been rolling out with aspirants bearing nicknames like drug brands. It is only a matter of time before they start showing up in UCH if they have not started already.
As it happened in 2019, it is usually cute when they show up looking like apparent strangers and bending their heads between sentences like they are scared of looking into your eyes. They look like shy pubertal teenagers trying to woo a crush, making you feel all-powerful – like your vote is all they need to win. You throw a couple of questions at them. They respond, most often, unsatisfactorily. Rinse and repeat for the next candidate.
Brownites are not the ones to stan lacklustre governance. As evident from the presidential debate and press night in 2019, no one expected anything dramatically interesting from this administration. Frankly, again, they do not seem to have gone below expectations because were there any expectations? But then, the tenure is clearly not over, and they can pull an 88-minute screamer.
It is, however, interesting how we barely look like a part of the main campus. No one hears from them or what they have been up to. For example, the Hall had an epic battle with COVID-19 over the last couple of months. All we heard was deafening radio silence. Again, it is not like we even look to them for help. They seem to need it more. We do not even hold them to as much standard as we hold our departmental presidents and hall executives.
The ongoing faculty games and UISU cup have been the most exciting events in the university in a very long time. Interestingly, there has been no Sports Secretary throughout the current tenure. It will be pointless to ask how many Uites were aware, much less Brownites.
In conclusion, Brownites, like those black flies causing a nuisance in UI – biting and sucking – aspirants into political offices in the Kunle Adepeju Building will soon be all over us again. This time, remember to ask what plans they have for ABH and why you should vote for them as a Brownite. Watch how clueless most of them will be. Meanwhile, as a Press, we will try and ask some of these questions from the aspirants. Maybe if we commit them to our expectations, we can better judge them when it is time.
