By: Flair

“Information is not knowledge” – Albert Einstein. It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. The world we live in today has become so delicate that a supposedly genuine intention or opinion could be misconceived by the readers or listeners and in most cases both if not appropriately ratified. This is one of the beauty of “good” journalism. At the heart of journalism lies FACTS which is essential for accuracy and reliability. Facts don’t fail, facts don’t lie, and facts have inherent defensive mechanism. However, opinions in most cases are subjective and clouded by sentiments and prejudices.

Over the weekend, specifically on 13th July, 2019 at exactly 9:32 PM on the WhatsApp page of NAPSS UNIBADAN (Fact!), a self-proclaimed NAPPSites on behalf of an illegally constituted movement under the umbrella; “200L POS SURVEILLANCE GROUP” dole out a number of demands to the newly inaugurated executive council of the department.

It took concerned NAPPSites no time to respond to these demands either in good fate or otherwise. The information put across was simple and lucid but ridden in information and not knowledge.

Of course everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas. However, history and fact has shown us that no freedom is ever truly free.

Examining the demands of the so-called surveillance group objectively, the statement below led to more questions than answers:

“…..even sound enough that most of them could brilliantly galvanize the students’ interests with their well cooked and organized manifestoes, despite one out of five were completely out of this box”. The question therefore is, who is the one out of five?

I was taken aback when the surveillance group affirmed the press organ of the department is “completely incapacitated” and “was only in existence in name not in action”. This is an adulterated disillusion of the real fact and an indictment on all the sacrifices and commitments made by all members of the Press organ. On the contrary, the press organ was tremendously revitalized and reinvigorated by novel minds and fresh ideas.

Knowledge and not information is the panacea to an articulate and pragmatic comprehension and analysis. Regardless of rebuttals or intents, the 200L POS Surveillance Group is and remains an unconstitutional body and their activities should be consider as such. The Political Science Students’ Press Organisation is a sanctified and neutral body who seeks to protect the fundamental laws of the department and we stand against an act of illegality by any individual or group.