Being a Welcome Address Delivered by the Chairman, NASU, Polytechnic Ibadan Branch, Comrade Ibraheem Adekunle Akande, at the Grand Finale of the NASU Week 2022 on Wednesday, November 23.
Protocols
NASU General Secretary,
Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology
Members of the Governing Council, the Polytechnic, Ibadan
The Rector, the Polytechnic Ibadan and members of the Management Team,
Directors and Deans,
Respected NASU members,
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
It gladdens my heart to be here this morning and to welcome you all to the second edition of the Polytechnic Ibadan NASU Week, a union programme that is very unique, educative and highly Interesting.
All thanks and adorations to the Almighty God, who has been my Alpha and Omega, since I took up the mantle of leadership of this union. It hasn’t been easy; I had witnessed the good, bad and the ugly, but God has made me to overcome all the challenges. I say thank you, Lord.
Each time any issue arose, the voice I usually heard is “Dont look back, God will do it,” and He has never forsaken me.
Leading any union is a big task and very challenging. If you have cause to meet your father at the council or management level, where you would need to agitate for the rights of members, you will put family aside and face the business of the union to get things that will better the lives of your members, even at the detriment of council or management. But immediately after you might have gotten it, you need to close ranks and make sure your inter-personal relationship with the individuals involved is cordial, because if you are at loggerhead with the council and management,
getting things for your members would be difficult, except in some cases where we find people of low quality leading the council or management, which they may not understand the rudiment of union activities.
Achievements:
As a leader of union, my team has lost count of our achievements in office, because we had recorded lots of achievements that have changed the lives of members positively. In the recent time, some members of this union were converted to the academics, and they have promised to remains financial members of this union as a show of appreciation to NASU. Sometimes ago, NASU was tagged “Junior Staff Union,” but to the glory of God, this branch of NASU is having 371 members, 15 junior staff and 351 senior staff. This happened as a result of the relentless effort of my team in making sure members were elevated and this has shown to the world that, the only union for the Non-Teaching staff is NASU and I am hoping that this will change the orientation of other egoistic members of the non-teaching staff of the Polytechnic, Ibadan.
Challenges:
Part of the challenges is the theme of this Week, because this insitution is not funded very well and this has been addressed by most of the scholars who delivered papers in the ongoing Week 2022 programme.
The Conference Centre of this institution serves as an IGR unit in the past, but the reverse is the case now; and if we are not careful, the hall will become history.
Administratively, the council and management needs to be more humane in dealing with members of staff and they should do away with double standards in the appointments, promotions and implementation of policies.
The Polytechnic, Ibadan Governing Council:
The governing council of the Polytechnic, Ibadan consists of people that don’t have better understanding or know the rudiments of union activities, except very few individuals within the members of the council.
We appreciate the members who are doing their best for the members of staff and I am thanking you for the good you had done unto us, while we shall never forget the bad you collectively done unto us.
Management of the Polytechnic, Ibadan:
I, on behalf of the union appreciates the management led by Prof Kazeem Adekunle Adebiyi, for his relentless effort in making sure there is peace everywhere in this institution. I am not surprised that you are behaving well, you should, because you are a member of this union, and members of NASU would always do well at all levels they find themselves.
You have been doing well in the area of insecurity, but we want you to intensify your effort and eradicate all the social vices rocking this institution, especially among the students.
Award of Recognition:
The union will never collect money from individuals for the purpose of award. We gives awards to individuals, who are useful to this union due to his or her antecedents within and outside the Polytechnic, Ibadan.
If you want to earn NASU Award of Recognition, start doing good to members of this union, possibly you may be the lucky one in next year’s NASU Week programme.
Conclusion:
I thank members of this union who gave me the mandate to represent them at all levels; I appreciate members of the governing council and management, who manage my excesses in the course of agitating for the rights of workers; and others who appreciate my naughty nature and the workings of trade unions.
Special thanks to Prof. Samuel Gbadebo Odewumi, who always responds to the call of this union, thank you and God bless you.
Great NASU, I welcome you all to the grand finale of NASU Week 2022 programme. May the Lord spare our lives to witness more and more.
Thank you all for listening.
Long live NASU!
Long live the Polytechnic, Ibadan!!
Long live Oyo State!!!!
Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria!!!!!
Aluta Continua, Victoria Ascerta!!!!!!
