EDITORIAL: WHAT IS LOST MAY NEVER BE LOST AGAIN

Congratulations to all medical students of the University of Ibadan who will become volunteers at the University College Hospital’s staff clinic and Jaja Clinic shortly. You all are the real heroes. Your labour of love will not go unrewarded, or maybe it will.

For those who are a little lost, the Press night, Manifesto night and Election held over the weekend. A lot was said and a lot was promised. It would seem that one of the presidential candidates in his concern for quality health care delivery for students of the University, thought it wise to volunteer medical students as ad-hoc staff at Jaja clinic. Apparently, medical students are not doing enough and should be more involved in saving lives, as they all vowed to do on career day in secondary school. Oh, rest easy guys, your services would only be within a previously agreed scope by the management.

Greatest ABHites [sic], alas, we who thought ourselves to be wise have been proven to be otherwise. How else do we explain the failures of our past hall wardens, hall chairmen and the general hall management in providing adequate accommodation for medical students? It only took a man from UI who wanted to become the president of the Students’ Union a couple of weeks to come up with a long-lasting solution to our long-lasting problem. In his words “I’ll speak with the hall management to create more spaces and reserve it for the 300L medical students”. One is left to wonder, “what have we been missing?”

Well, to the Association of the Faculty of Clinical sciences Students [sic], one of the candidates for the position of General secretary also came with good news for us, a partnership with our association’s General secretary to foster inter-faculty association. Rest assured, the Faculty of Clinical sciences would not be left out in the new administration, as even the aspirant for the position of the Vice President has grand plans for us, including but not limited to, a support fund amounting to 10% of the budget of our academic committee. Of course, the proposed sponsors of the said support is none other than the alumni of the Association of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences Students

Still on upgrade, greatest ABHites, hold your breathes as one of the presidential candidates has promised to help fix the issues with Jaja Annex, of course, you don’t need to visit the clinic whenever you feel ill but don’t worry, it will be fixed, regardless. All that’s needed is to keep speaking with the management till something happens. And when that does not work? He said he is going to partner with organisations to run the clinic. You know, similar to how we pray until something happens a.k.a Operation PUSH, Greatest ABHites, who would have thought?

The UI Students’ Union elections held on Saturday, 9th October, 2021 and the results were announced on the same day. The next voices of the students have been elected, while we rejoice with them, we beg to ask “Will these voices speak for ABHites and the Association of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences Students?”

Perhaps, the executives of the Alexander Brown Hall would not mind a sit-down with the candidates as they seem to know a lot about issues they clearly know nothing of.

It is not news that over the years, the clinical students and Brownites alike, have been somewhat neglected and forgotten as far as the Students’ Union is concerned, which is why it came as no surprise albeit disappointing when the candidate for the position of the Public Relations Officer came to ABH, the home of great minds, and thought it wise to refer to Brownites as ABHites, an identity as much foreign as it is distasteful. What a great way to speak for us and represent us. Administrations come and go, and every year, we hope that what was lost would be found again.

Regardless, Brownites will continue to thrive, as is evident by the results of the first leg of Jaw War. Yeah, we earned that bragging rights.

In other news, Jaw War continues today, Brownites are encouraged to keep up with the support, even as we battle for the crown.