A few years ago, I used to watch a particular season movie called ‘Robin Hood’. While I had a strong aversion to season films due to the length of time that each season took, as well as the high level of suspense that transpired between episodes and seasons, I just couldn’t develop any form of dislike for ‘Robin Hood’. It had the right combination of witty comments, action, as well as history which I love so much. Infact, ‘Robin Hood’ was the first (and only) time that I completed an entire season of a movie.
Now, I’m sure that you are wondering what all these has to do with you; or maybe perhaps you are wondering how this particular information would add naira wads to your account(s).
Well, I remember vividly a particular episode in ‘Robin Hood’, when the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham and his sidekick, Sir Guy of Gisbourne went to a particular hamlet and started cutting out the tongues of the villagers when they could not (or would not) give useful information pertaining to Robin’s whereabouts. The question, ‘Has the cat got your tongue’, (which means to figuratively ask why an individual continues to remain silent to questions he/she is being asked) was literally used to great effect when the Sheriff had the tongues of the villagers cut out by his minion-like soldiers.
Basically, whenever I muse over the question, ‘Has the cat got your tongue?’, I can’t help but start to picture the status quo of the Student Association of my department (i.e, University of Ibadan Physiology Students’ Association, UIPSA) which is, as it were, without a Public Relations Officer (PRO).
While this is sad, due to the fact that there’s no means of communication between the association executives and the UIPSAites (especially the freshmen that need to be carried along), it also puts a lot of strain on the current crop of excos, as they have to exhibit a great degree of flexibility and versatility to ensure that the office of the PRO isn’t sorely missed.
On the long run, this scenario might turn out to be a blessing in disguise, since it would make every exco stronger. At the same time, this scenario could be equally damaging and detrimental to the level of concentration that each exco is devoting to his/her duties. Remember, UIPSA is preparing for its 25th anniversary celebrations and the accuracy needed to target the much desired success can’t be gotten haphazardly. Hence, the more reason for the need to have each exco concentrating primarily on the optimal performance of his/her duties.
However, in my opinion, I can’t blame the current crop of excos for UIPSA’s ‘tonguelessness’. Neither can I blame the Association’s Electoral Committee for it’s high standards (I think it was a minimum CGPA of 3.0 for all posts in the cabinet) which eventually chased some aspirants away.
I am going to place the entire blame at the feet of UIPSAites for their disinterested disposition to departmental politics, and also to the department at large. I feel UIPSAites treat the department and the association as the case of the goat that is owned in common which almost always dies of hunger.
