Electioneering campaigns are over, elections
have been held and the results are known.
Winners are joyous, losers are shaking hands.
Thank God we are not experiencing the
acrimony that has become an after-election
pattern in Nigeria. A situation where there is
always pandemonium and chaos whatsoever.
Two sets of people have evolved: 'the
VANQUISHED and the VANQUISHERS'. To the
VANQUISHED, though you lost the election,
you're not losers. Losing the election doesn't
mean you are not qualified for that post, you
might even be the round peg which fits for the
hole. Believe you me, a great courage you've
surmounted for even stepping and standing out
when a lot of people who could also make
changes sat back blended in. I salute you for
your conviction.
I quite understand how you feel now; you feel
rejected, repressed and jilted. Your feelings are
valid. It takes something out of one when he/she
loses an election, but don't let those feelings
continue to guide your actions or the way you
view yourself. Just because you weren't elected
doesn't change the significance of your heart,
your desires, your passions, your abilities, your
skills, your intentions, or your dreams. It merely
changed your plans.
I can feel your pains of losing the election with
all you put in place for your victory to be
ensured. You printed posters and distributed
flyers; your costly digital banners were firmly
tied at strategic areas. You awash everywhere
with your posters, fliers, banners. You painted
the unpainted fore-walls of our hinterland with
your colour posters . You rolled out drums, danced round
the school under the scorching and baking sun;
rented public address system and you moved
from CAMPUS 3 to CAMPUS 4 and
then finalized your mass publicity at LOVE GARDEN ;
you did that for days.
SOME bought T-Shirts, Round Neck and V-Neck
Shirts, inscribed your name on its all, and
distributed it for your supporters to wear
throughout the days of your campaign. You
bought assorted drinks for groups claimed to be
Stakeholders. SHANTAL Supermarket, COKE CENTRE, COOKIES GARDEN ,
NEW LIFE BAR, and even XTASTEE became a home of
visiting for you, friends and supporters, as you're
being pestered daily by them to quell their thirst
for dishes their taste buds craves for.
You feel all you've spent during campaigns was
to no avail- your time, energy and resources.
Heck NO! You put your hat in the ring, you gave
it your best shot, and you did something that
wasn't easy. All of that, in and of itself, is a
huge victory. Think of all you've learnt, think of
all you've done to stretch yourself. You may not
have met your goal, but you've taken more steps
on the path to growth. Judging from the fact that I have lost an election as such, thus I
know how it feels for someone to lose an
election. It hurts , it makes one feel out of sync
and uncertain. It is an emotional rollercoaster
ride; but I want you to realize that everyone who
desires to be in an elected position will lose out
to someone else at some point. I know, losing
an election is a difficult experience, but it is one
that we can definitely learn from and bounce
back from. I think it takes time to get over it,
but after a while, it's easier to focus on the
learning part and not the losing part.
Perhaps, you have the mind's eye that losing the
election is the dead end to the plans you have
for IMTITES, the Changes and Differences
you wish and want to make, it's high time you
had a paradigm shift. Brothers and Sisters, you
can still work for those things you planned for
IMTITES should in case you were voted in.
You can still make things happen!
If you're passionate and confident enough to run
a campaign on the plans, then you are the one
we still need to make these things happen.
You'll just be working at it from a different
angle. You don't really need to be in a position/
office in order to make a difference; some of the
best leaders in the world don't hold any type of
formal position, yet they are very influential. I
hope you are able to find a new plan and a new
path for the next season of your journey.
Wishing you all the best!
To the VICTORS, the VANQUISHERS, it feels
good to win an election, not even one that was
keenly contested like the just concluded
Students' Union Government Election. I therefore
use this medium to offer my warm and heartfelt
congratulations to you newly elected SUG Excos.
Congratulations once again!
There is no gainsaying that you all campaigned
on solid promises. Well aware, it has become the
vogue of Nigerian politicians to promise all sorts
of good things for the 'common men' only to
ride on their back to power and fend for
themselves. This is one thing that Student
politicians have inherited from our political
leaders. I've used some sessions on this
campus, but a reflection into the past Students'
Union Leaders on this campus leaves a sour
taste in the mouth.
In fairness to them, they all had their constraints
but methinks one of the qualities of a good
leader is foresight to envisage these constraints
and plan to surmount them. It is in this light that
I want you present Student Union Executives to
tackle our problems with a realistic approach. I
need not mention our problems, I guess you
know it all; or would you have campaigned to
tackle the problems you know not about?
I am hoping that you would all do and fulfill your
promises made during electioneering campaigns,
letting you know that IMTITES have lots of
hope in you all. Your election itself shows how
much the people love and trust you. You had
worked hard for this and they appreciated it.
More importantly, one thing is that you all should
do softly with our MONEY. Nobody asked some
of you to spend yourselves dry during
campaigns. And, should in case, after promising
Us to make the INSTITUTION a paradise for Us, you
now use your office to enrich your pockets by
fraudulent means; you terrorize on bluff Us and,
if on the whole, you fail to draw respect for the
UNION, you have no right to complain if you do
not get either the Students cooperation or that
of the Management.
I therefore enjoin you newly elected Excos to
revive, revitalize and rebrand our hitherto
castrated Union. I wish you a successful tenure
and hope that your hard work brings you higher
responsibilities and position in your endeavours
in life. Shalom!!!
EZE IKEMEFUNA MARYJOSEPH
PRESIDENT EEE IMT ENUGU
07034965827 OR maryjosepheze@gmail.com
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