INTERVIEW WITH THE ASSESA PRESIDENT

ASSESA PRESS: Good Morning, Can you introduce yourself?
ASSESA PRESIDENT: My Name is Amoko Rebecca. I am a 400l student of Arts and Social Sciences Education,Political Sciences option. I am also the president of Assesa.

ASSESA PRESS: How has it been so far in office? ASSESA PRESIDENT: It has not been easy but I am hopeful with God everything will go well as planned.
ASSESA PRESS: The mode of learning is different completely now, how are you coping with the new development?
ASSESA PRESIDENT: The new normal has been challenging. Power supply is very poor where I stay so I got a power bank, the network in my house is bad, I get a place where the network is strong so I don’t miss out.
ASSESA PRESS: Your tenure has started and you have spent couple of weeks in office. How many of your manifesto have you been able to achieve?
ASSESA PRESIDENT: Hmmmmm, None in my manifesto but there are other remarkable things not in my manifesto that have been carried out.
ASSESA PRESS: You can mention those things please
ASSESA PRESIDENT: We have organised some online Programmes that will help the fresh intakes succeed despite the challenges of the new normal. A whole lot of them find it challenging to cope with. These are what we have done:
Constantly orientate them on the fresher’s group.
We introduce them to their senior colleagues who guide them on the right courses to choose, because quite a number of them are choosing wrong combination of courses.
We also introduce them to mentors who are readily available to help them through any challenges they may be facing academically.
We also invited a first class student of the department to advise them on how to achieve academic success.
ASSESA PRESS: What is the cooperation Level of your other executives?
ASSESA PRESIDENT: I don’t want to talk about this. Thank You.
ASSESA PRESS: Assesaites are complaining about the mandatory Departmental dues, what are you planning to do about it?
ASSESA PRESIDENT: Thank you for this question. I will take my time to explain in details. The basic dues were made compulsory for all because it is an obligation of all member of the association and it has the backing of the department constitution.
There are reasons why other dues were made compulsory. Firstly the dinner dues was made compulsory for finalists so they can have an avenue to come together and have fun and have last moment of their first degree in university of Ibadan together so they can have good memories and smile when they remember.
Secondly, It was mandated for all freshers to pay for shirt because we need them to preach the gospel of the department as you know the department is a new department, so how can we do this when student wear the department T-shirt others get to know the department exist. Even some students are surprise when you tell them you are in Arts and Social Sciences Education because they are not aware. When they wear it even those outside UI get to know the department. We cant make it compulsory for stalites and finalists because they have all gone through the process of what I call preaching the gospel of the department through the T-shirt. Dinner was made compulsory for them because its an avenue for them to meet other student from other Unit and also mix with other levels because you know department is unique we hardly know ourselves. ASSESA PRESS: The students Union stated that only basic dues should be made compulsory. But you still make all dues compulsory for the fresh Assesaites. ASSESA PRESIDENT: We are giving them the grace to pay at most second week of second semester. Any student that doesn’t pay by then doesn’t want to pay not because they don’t have the funds, because the time frame is enough to gather the money. ASSESA PRESS: What are your major challenges running this tenure? ASSESA PRESIDENT: The major challenge is low turnout of tutors to teach the fresh intakes. The Academic Secretary and I have been working hard to get tutors but to no avail. Im using this opportunity beg stalites and finalists to be of help to the fresh intakes.
Also, the turnout in the payment of dues is very low.
ASSESA PRESS: Any advice for the fresh Assesaites?
ASSESA PRESIDENT: They should strive for the best in their academics regardless of the
Challenges they are facing as regards the virtual lectures.
ASSESA PRESS: Give us your parting shot.
ASSESA PRESIDENT: I want to thank all ASSESAITES who voted me as the 4th President of Assesa. I want the general Assesaites to know that I haven’t forgotten all my promises and will work tirelessly to achieve them. Thank you for having me.