INTERVIEW WITH THE SUG PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES

JingissLoaded met with the SUG President{Chris Emakunu}, Speaker, Student House Of Assembly{SHA} and the Financial Secretary of the Federal University Of Petroleum Resources Effurun for an interview on issues concerning the school. The President in his usual friendly manner welcomed us.

Q.CAN WE GET TO KNOW YOU MR PRESIDENT?

A. I am humbly my self Christopher Emakunu,a final year student of Physics Department and by Gods special grace ,the Student Union Government President ,FUPRE chapter.

Q.MR PRESIDENT BEEN THE STUDENTS UNION PRESIDENT IS NOT SOMETHING EASILY ACHIEVED BY EVERY DICK AND HARRY. WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO CONTEST FOR THIS POSITION?

A.  .Well ,when I came to this school as a 100level student, the way and manner I saw the SUG been ran,did not go down well with me .The SUG was ran as if they were nominating or appointing Senior Prefects, Labour  Prefects and other types of prefects ,to manage the offices like it’s a Glorified secondary school type of led Government, and ever since then,I had the calling that when I get to the appropriate time ,I will go in there just to contribute ,my quota so as to ensure that I Redefine the name SUG as far as FUPRE is concerned. That was why during my campaign, my slogan goes with THE WIND OF CHANGE, and if you have seen the Fupre Writes Magazine, you would see it, re branding student Unionism in FUPRE. So this are some of the passion that made me go into it because today in Nigeria, people sit down in their Bed Room, cross their legs and start insulting the Government of the day. Just the way many people watching match cross their legs in their table and start blaming Messi and Ronaldo that they were supposed to cross the ball this way or that way, if you think its easy, why don’t you go into the field and cross the ball to score the goal. So these days, we have too many persons that don’t want to participate in the politics of the day but yet they are the major people who carry the activity of castigating people. If you think you have a better idea about the system, why don’t you come out and put in that idea you think you have. So out of that burden, I felt by Gods grace and his Divine wisdom in me, I can make a little change even if I cant change the whole system. The little thing I could do with my own limited time, I should bring it in and put the Student Unionism in a platform that all least every other person coming after me can ride on. So that was the driving force that moved me. When I came into this school ,the body in associated myself with was a Christian body. I was the first president of the WCF[Winners Campus Fellowship]here in FUPRE and by Gods grace not that we are trying to take glory, like I have always said and told people that if I try to take glory let God strike me down, because everything I am today and what I would become ,I ascribe all the glory to God almighty. Just that at a point we say certain things, not that we say them to glorify ourselves, its only God that has the glory. By Gods grace, there was nothing like WCF when I came into FUPRE I pioneered it and today by Gods grace, we are having the third WCF President now but I was the first WCF president. From the WCF president I became the President of the  JCCF[joint campus Christian fellowship] it’s a body that controls all other campus fellowship. I was also at the point of pioneering the NAS[National Association For Science Student] because when I came in during my 100level,I heard of NUESA I asked my self why there was an association for faculty of engineering and non for science, that was how I started it we where able to get constitution from the dean, I was also in that course when I emerged as the SUG president. So if you look at it, we have contributed our quota in many ways in this school. I left as WCF president and contested for SUG president, that should tell you the kind of background I came from, its not a rough background, its not like am crazy about politics, I just felt I should bring in the needed change i felt I could bring in. At first,Non of the Christian community allowed me to contest, Deeper Life ,RCF ,WCF Mountain Of Fire, House Of Mansion, they said presido ,you are going no where because you are our general leader. But I was able to tell them that even the Bible says that when the Righteous rule, the people rejoice and the problem we are having today is bad leadership, so after a lot of prayers, they allowed me go. Even during the last administration, I served as a member in the SHA, representing physics department while I was in my 300level so by Gods grace from there I got little experience that I put together to take this school to the next level.

Q.DURING YOUR CAMPAIGN,YOUR SLOGAN WAS WIND OF CHANGE,YOU ALSO MADE A LOT OF PROMISES TO FUPRITES ,HOW WELL HAS THIS YOUR WIND BLOWN TO REDEEM SOME OF THESE PROMISES YOU MADE?

A.  You see, like I always say, before my emergence as the Student Union President, there were many things in fupre that wasn’t right even some of the 100level students that resumed on time in the school hostel by my appointment as the president knew they had issues of light that even the diesel that was supplied was so minimal. After I was sworn in as the SUG president ,the following day, I used my money to buy diesel and brought to this hostel when the students complained of water, and after that day, there was increase in supply of diesel . Before I came in as the  SUG president, the whole school was in total darkness. As I speak to you today ,we are connected to NEPA light. So the name wind of change is not just a name that came on its own, it’s a kind of Gods divine name. Now by Gods grace ,I will tell you that that name is working. If not for delay in Government ,that is the SUG secretariat been built, it has never happened in the history of any Government as long as FUPRE is concerned.

Before I came in as SUG president, we use just two weeks to write exams, but you can recall vividly that during the last semester exams, three weeks was used, exam was spaced.

Before I came in as SUG president ,there was no accreditation, especially in the engineering. Most engineering students where afraid of graduating. But now FUPRE has been accredited. Meaning as they are graduating, they are going for service.

Most time I tell people that I don’t believe in gra gra  Government, I believe in dialogue, because in the ALUTA language ,we have three series, the last is what we call confrontation ,the first two series are consultation and consideration. It is when this two first have been put in place that you can get the last one confrontation .But most leaders don’t consider the first two. All they consider is just confrontation  and nothing good comes from violence because no matter how much you fight and riot ,you still end up going to the round table, so why fighting and rioting when you still end up going to the round table to dialogue . So it is this two level that I have applied that has assisted us to move this far, at least there is two signboard notifying students to do the right thing, as far as I am concerned, the wind of change is definitely blowing round the school. My tenure is one of the most difficult tenure, in terms of finance, struggle and everything else, but we are still soaring and pressing on even with out funds.

Go and check the budget of the Student Union and see how much they are giving the president, if I should tell you, you would weep, but that didn’t discourage me from contesting because I knew all I want is to make a change.

Q. DURING THE FIRST SEMESTER HOLIDAYS A FINAL YEAR STUDENT WAS SHOT DEAD RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL HOSTEL,WHICH CAUSED DELAY IN RESUMPTION WITH TWO MONTHS AND SOME WEEKS,WHAT THE SCHOOL DID WAS TO MOVE THE STUDENTS TO ANOTHER HOSTEL.DOES THAT MEAN AS STUDENTS WE CANNOT LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY OUR SCHOOL IS LOCATED IN BECAUSE OF THE FEAR OF BEEN SHOT DEAD BY INDIGINES,IS IT THAT THERE IS NO SECURITY IN UGBOMORO,AND THERE IS NOTHING THE SCHOOL CAN DO ABOUT IT?

A.  Quote me anywhere, FUPRE is one of the most secured universities in Nigeria, that’s if not the most secured.

How many universities have you gone to and you see the army around the school and even inside the hostels ,when you go to other schools, you don’t see this kind of security there. As far as this university is concerned, it is fully secured. If I must let you know, this kind of thing doesn’t happen alone in FUPRE, it happens anywhere all over the world,any where a school is located, there must be some school, student or community issue, just that the one we are facing here is kind of perculiar in a way, but as far as am concerned, FUPRE is secured, just that it’s the Warri nature of a thing . Even the homes we stay armed robbers do visit ,even a course mate of mine, he was at home in Lagos and he was shot if maybe he was in school now, people would have said a different story.

Simply put, it is God that protects, we human cannot protect ourselves ,we only pray to God for protection. But as far as am concerned, FUPRE is one of the most secured school in Nigeria its just that people cant see it. Humans are insatiable ,human wants are so many and you cant tend to actually please everybody individually the way he/she wants to be pleased, we cant assign a student to one police[laughs],its not possible, but as far as security is concerned, we are trying our best.

Q.  THE SCHOOL MANAGEMENT PROMISED TO INSTALL AND ATM MACHINE INSIDE THE SCHOOL SO AS TO EASE THE STRESS OF STUDENTS GOING INSIDE AGBARHO TOWN TO WITHDRAW MONEY,THE ATM MACHINE HAS BEEN PUT IN THE SCHOOL ALREADY,BUT UPTILL NOW STUDENTS HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO WITHDRAW FROM IT. WHAT IS THE SUG DOING ABOUT IT?

A.  If you say you have not been able to withdraw money from that ATM,den I wpould say that’s a lie,because I have withdrawn money from that ATM.

We went to the school management and pleaded for ATM, and by Gods grace, the ATM came. But one thing I would tell you is that that ATM you are seeing there uses network. It uses the same school network that you are using to browse, so sometimes there if failure in network. And again, they are just fixing the ATM. Proper look at it would tell you that it has not been properly installed. It is still in the test running period. In just the shortest period of time, it would be resolved.

Q. IT WAS RUMOURED THAT THE SUG WAS GIVEN 1M NAIRA TO TAKE CARE OF THE SCHOOL STADIUM FOR THE DEPARTMENTAL SPORTS GAME. BUT ALONG THE LINE THE MONEY WAS SQUANDARD BY THE SUG AND WHEN THEY RETURNED TO THE SCHOOL MANAGEMENT FOR MORE FUNDS,MANAGEMENT REFUSED TO ALLOCATE MORE.

A.  [Laughs]

How I wish we actually had that one million naira ,I don’t think we would have been here by now, I would have been in Amsterdan . Anyway rumours are allowed ,by Gods grace, the Financial Secretary and the Speaker are here today ,it therefore means that the Student Union Government is complete here.

At least the Financial Secretary can tell you if one million naira was allocated or not,and the Speaker can also confirm if I was probed or not for embezzlement of funds.

My brother, that field you are seeing there, management contracted it out to company for clearing and they would be paid on a monthly basis. When we where planning our students week, the stadium was very bushy and couldn’t be used, so we went to the VC and begged him to tell the men to clear very fast, because we want to use the field for sports after the clearing we discovered that the place wasn’t smooth for sports, we contacted management again, and that was how the stadium was cleared. The clearing of the field in school is purely management issue. SUG is not involved[claps hand].

 Q.  WHEN THE POST UME RESULT WHERE RELEASED,ASPIRANTS WHERE FORCED TO PAY THE SUM OF 3000NAIRA BEFORE THEY COULD HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR RESULTS. THIS LEVY WAS WIDELY CONDEMED BY ALL AND SUNDRY,THE SUG INTERVENED AND THE PAYMENT WAS STOPPED. MR SPEAKER ON BEHALF OF THE SUG PROMISED THOSE THAT PAYED THE 3000NAIRA THAT THEIR MONEY WOULD BE REFUNDED. BUT UP TILL NOW, NEITHER THE SUG,SCHOOL AND MR SPEAKER IS SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT THE REFUNDING.

A.   Young man, the issue of 3000 naira, when it came up, if we where bad leaders, we would have folded our hands and say it has nothing to do with us. I personally troubled the Post Ume committee ,headed by the Deputy Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Damisa that the issue of 3000 naira that its not an issue that we can take. After a lot of heat from the SUG, that was when it was stopped and sincerely they promised that they where going to make refunds. Now I want you to know one thing, that in government, protocol is very very  long, due process to do things is very long. The way dem take dy collect money, nor b the same way dem take dy pay am. Fupre is definitely going to pay that money.

But presently, the school is having financial challenges, they are yet to recover from their financial challenges . let me bring this to your notice, so that you guys would understand very well.

In the last employment exercise that fupre did, FUPRE did over employment. For example the budget of 2014 was made in 2013 and if for example ,FUPRE budgeted 2m for 20 staffs for the 2014 budget in 2013, now getting to 2014 they employed more staffs, increasing the number of staffs from 20 to 45. How do you expect that 2m budgeted for 20 staffs to be enough for 45 staffs? That’s exactly the problem fupre is facing now.

The money allocated to fupre can no longer carry the financial burden of the school. That was why when they wanted to relocate the hostel ,it took so long because they had to borrow money because of heat from union.

SPEAKER CHIPS IN;   I thank the President for giving me the opportunity to air my mind.

First thing I would say ,is that 1m naira was never allocated to the  SUG, for students week.it was 500,000naira that was allocated for the students week. But at the same time, I want to make you understand that as we speak now, we are yet to see the 500,000 naira, but then students week must take place weather they like it or not. The questions you people should ask,is where do you intend to get your funds from to make sure the week is a success.

Concerning the refund of post ume  money, sincerely speaking, we are doing our best. But just as Mr President said, everything must follow due process, take it or leave it, the money would be refunded.

Q. MR PRESIDENT,WHAT ARE THE PLANS THE SUG IS HAVING FOR THE STUDENTS WEEK COMING UP NEXT WEEK?

A. Jingiss, thank you very much for that question. Let me just tell you this,2014 session of Students week has delivered already, and we have been successful. We have been trying our best, and definitely ,we would keep trying our best to the end. See, Good or Bad, this students week is going to be the best FUPRE has ever experienced. In the previous Administration, they have been been 500,000 naira for students week alone. But now we where allocated just 500,000 naira for students week and sports. If we are to share the money say 60% to students week and 40%to sports. Meaning students week would be managed with just 300,000 naira and 200,000 for sports. And even uptill  now, we are yet to see the money. But no matter what, students week would commence on Monday.

Q. FINALLY MR PRESIDENT,WHAT ARE SOME OF THE EVENTS WE SHOULD BE EXPECTING COME THIS MONDAY AS IT MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE STUDENTS WEEK?

A.  By the grace of God, the students week would be declared open by the Acting Vice Chancellor Professor Damisa on the 24^th of November from 11am down.

After the decleration ,we would be having some series of seminers and talk on Financial Management amongs  student, then there would also be a talk on security, then there would also be a seminer on making money from the internet, its not Yahoo oo[laughs] legitimate source of making money from the internet.

Then on Tuesday would be our old school day and hostel day. Each hostel would be bubbling. There would be lectures in the morning. but as you come ,come in your old school wears, to let the lecturers know that things are happening.

On Wednesday of it would be burn fire night, it would hold in the school, and there would be enough suya in the school a cow would be going down that night.

Then on Thursday would be our campus blast, its going to be flexing all the way, there would be music and dj to entertain. just free your selves ,invite your babes from other campuses, even those girls you have been liking in fupre, it would be a right time to tell them you love them, spend some money for them, who knows, she might say I do.

Then on Friday night would be Miss Fupre, you would get to see your fupre girls on their bump shots, come and see miss hot legs. Even Miss back and face.

Then on Saturday of it would be our ethnic day. Come and represent your culture.

Then on Sunday of it would be the grand finally where we would be having our thanks giving. The packaging is so tantalizing that you just cannot wait to unfold it,because I believe its going to be a super pack. After it ,you would always remember the SUG president ,the Speaker, The Financial Secretary and Even the treasure Ozaria[SMB] and others.

Q. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME MR PRESIDENT.

A. You are welcome.