“We hear the very respected and admirable former Registrar of the College, Ms. B.C Amapakabo while paying her tribute to the late former President of the Alumni Association of the College, Pastor Martins Oluwafemi, say, “Martins was a just man, who believed in his course, and stood firm to it till death, and that brought the Alumni to the level it is today”. Many who spoke were not far from it, in fact, Pastor Martins was described as a great fighter of just course, who hated injustice and compromise. Even the venerable former Rector of the College Pa. Okufi confirmed it, and said, ‘a great man has gone but the hope is the good legacies he left behind’”
-August 1, 2022, News/Editorial
ABUJA-As quoted in a book, ‘Understanding the Mind of MALCOLM X: “our lives begin to end, the day we become silent about things that matter”- Martin Luther King”. That means, some who remains mute to what matters to them are already a walking corpse, while those, who speak the truth to power and authority to what they considered aberration are not only alive even when they die, their legacies remain.
Attending Pastor Martins Oluwafemi’s Wake keep on June 30, 2022 at the Alumni Hall of the College, which we considered a duty, as a media outfit that once honoured the late President with African Gold Merit Award.
While we share the view of the immortal Malcolm X, when he said: “We must understand the politics of our community and we must know what politics is supposed to produce. We must know what part politics play in our lives. And until we become politically mature we will always misled, lead astray, or deceived or maneuvered into supporting someone politically who doesn’t have the good of our community at heart” This is the problem of Nigeria but, should we now continue in isolation or pretend that all is well. No, all is not well. Likewise, all is not well with the Alumni Association of Yabatech.
We hear our very respected and admirable former Registrar of the College, Ms. B.C Amapakabo while paying her tribute to the late former President of the Alumni Association of the College, Pastor Martins Oluwafemi, say;” Martins was a just man, who believed in his course, and stood firm to it till death, and that brought the Alumni to the level it is today”. Many who spoke were not far from it, in fact, Pastor Martins was described as a great fighter of just course, who hated injustice and compromise. Even the venerable former Rector of the College Pa. Okufi confirmed it, and said, ‘a great man has gone but the hope is the good legacies he left behind’
Now, this is our very concern. Yes, the Alumni has not lived up to its expectation but have tried her best within the limited resources and abilities, especially in membership drive, partnership to build Solid Data Base Network (SDAN) for her Alumnus, utilization of opportunities, financial ability, business partnership, and workable condition with the College management due to indifference in shared ideas. Now that, the late President has been given befitting burial a month ago, his death should therefore unite all entreaties with a roundtable discussion on how to move the Association forward so that, the great privileges accrued to the Alumni from the College can be restored, and a workable relations established while hoping that the Association when restructured and repositioned through reconciliation, can take its rightful place. All entreaties as regard to the past shortcomings should be humbly taken to the dustbin. Also, all the serving executives should be bold enough to establish a formidable encompassing committee for election, jettisoning all bottlenecks that may prevent interested alumnus to contest for any position. Importantly, all the serving executive must not be dropped after the election just like that, they should be automatically endorsed as Board members while some should take special place at the board. This is to sustain unity and continuity as a body.
Meanwhile, before establishing the idea to conduct general election, there should be wide publicity across board, and possibly organize preliminary seminal to test the association’s strength of membership’s interest across the nation. In fact, the College management led by the able Rector, Engr. Femi Omokungbe should play a vital role to this, by joining in this campaign to revive the Association and bring all together for the sake of development and unity.
Thus, the Alumni in her wisdom can begin to think how to utilize the opportunity and capacity by at least, having her yearly annual lecture and award in memory of the fallen heroes, like Unachukwu and Pastor Martins. At this point, the Association needs cooperation, understanding, and love, as it continues to mourn their current fallen president, Pastor Martins Oluwafemi. No need for faction or aggrieved group or individuals but the need for collective will for the great glory of the Alumni with the main goal to contribute for the growth of the College that has produced most eminence across the board, who are also excelling in their endeavours.
However, Spirit of Nationalism is what is paramount now. The late president has done his best, which we must all acknowledge without hate or envy. This is the time for all to come together from all social classes whether Jew or Pharisee, Scribe or gentle, just as John Kenneth Galbraith (1908)-The Affluent Society,1976, said: “These are the days when men of all social disciplines and political faiths seek the comfortable and the accepted; when the man of controversy is looked upon as a disturbing influence, when originality is taken to be a mark of instability, and when, in minor modification of the original parable, the bland lead the bland”
Conclusively, all men should draw all together and forget about the past, while focusing on reconstruction and reconciliation among all parties, whether College management or the Alumni leaders.
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