BY: Kea

Charity begins at home; we have been told a thousand times. Going by this saying, do we then say the acts and behaviours of people we see in power show that they have been ‘bad’ from home? In the country at the moment, so many news of looted nation’s treasury are flying around and it makes one wonder, what exactly had gone wrong? Let’s not go too far since we are within the university community.

The last session witnessed a series of shocking events of ‘misappropriation of fund’ in almost all the faculties within the school and of course, the faculty of the social sciences was not left out. Amazingly, our great department was not found wanting. It left me in deep thoughts. I began to wonder if misappropriating funds had become a normal routine.

The last Administration in the department was not left out in the misappropriation of fund spree that was rampant on campus then. It was quite disheartening that such happened. It was sadder that the offender barely went off the hook unpunished. This is hardly surprising since that had always been the case, offenders probably knew they would just take a few backlashes and everything would be back to normal.

My belief has been, ‘the school politics is bedrock of all politics’. As students of Political science department, I thought we should know better than to play dirty games. If such ‘mishaps’ can occur at this level, what then does the future hold for us? Why are our leaders of tomorrow taking after our leaders of yesteryears? If this is the case, is there hope for us, as a nation?
Since the university campus has often been seen as an important site for the politicization of young people and it is without doubt that the department politics is an important way to ‘groom’ or prepare one’s self for the larger society. However, if at this level, we have become like our corrupt leaders, then, something is very wrong somewhere.

There is no such thing as ‘keeping out of politics’. Politics is everywhere and at every level, it is inevitable and as such, every individual is invariably involved in politics. And do you know you have a great part to play as an individual? Yes, you do! It is as easy as just making your opinion known. It is the duty of you and I to call our leaders back to order, it is our duty to ensure there is checks and balances in their administration.

The new administration has been sworn in, which means, their constitutional duties according to the NAPSS constitution has fully began. Here is where we have to come in, to ensure that they are on the right track and we don’t get slapped in the face again. It would be a very sad case if history repeats itself under our very nose. We, as NAPPSites must make sure this administration perform its duties and deliver on its promises to our optimum satisfaction. Let us not be quiet this time.

“You may fool all the people some of the time, you can even fool some of the people all the time but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time“- Abraham Lincoln

It would be quite hard to become victims again, as our eyes have been smacked open. As the department press organization, we have the greatest weapon, and we intend to make use of it.

However, it is important to note that being bystanders all of the time would never proffer solutions, being active would. We own the department and it is our duty to make sure it retains its glory. But how can this be, when we always flee from active participation in politics. As students of politics, it is very much expected that the race to become our leaders be a very competitive one. As you all know, ‘things gotten on a platter of gold’ are barely cherished but ‘things fought for‘ and handled with great care.

The words has been said, it is now up to us to do the right thing. Our future begins from here. Let’s build it on a good foundation. Be not quiet; Be involved!