DO BA LE: Cultural or Counter-Cultural

The subject of ‘Do ba la’ is currently controversies among OAU students. Some see it as culture and others see it as degeneration. Afolabi Oni, just concluded his final examinations in OAU writes.

For students in part six Medicine, they do not know when it all started. It gained ground day by day, just like the Bamboo tree and now is a pronounced and prominent act in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. This is an act of demanding for respect from any artiste or invited guest in OAU as they are told to prostrate before they perform at all, if a male and go on bended knees on the ground if a female. This is usually echoed by boys residing in Awolowo hall who do not only come to the event ground to be entertained, but also to entertain their fellow students with their aroism in other to ensure that there are no dull moments. They encourage well performing artiste and dust their hands off for the artiste that isn’t getting the audience attention as sign that his absence on stage is needed.

On the 27th of November, 2010, EniObanke music festival was stage in OAU and organized by beautiful Nubia (Segun Akinlolu). Beautiful Nubia started singing from amidst the students and when he moved to the raised platform, he said, ‘Greeting’. Awoites and other students demanded that he should prostrate but he continues with his performance. Upon being asked to prostrate and when the tension had increased, he said, ‘In the yoruba culture, only a bastard will prostrate for someone younger than him, I know my age, I am over 42.’

The President of the Student Union Fredrick Joel came up stage stating categorically to beautiful Nubia with all humility, that it is a tradition in ife for any artiste to prostrate as a sign of paying homage to the students. He however said if that connoted sense of disrespect to Beautiful Nubia, Joel and other Central Executive Council officials prostrated to Beautiful Nubia right on stage and advised him to do the same to the students. Beautiful Nubia called that he coming back on stage to perform but that Pa Olandowo Julius should perform. All these happened after Jimi Solanke had performed.

Students sensed that it was just an antic and that Beautiful Nubia wanted Pa Olandowo Julius to play before they packed there things and left. In the cause of the tension as he wasn’t given audience by students who wanted him to prostrate, Beautiful Nubia said, ‘Okay, you want me to do ba le, let the Chairman of Awolowo hall come, I will do ba le for you. Sebi u want do ba le.’

Another member of his crew who beautiful Nubia felt has a right to express himself said, ‘This is not the culture in Ife, and it is degeneration. It wasn’t like this when we were here.’ The programme came to a halt when beautiful Nubia left the stage after inviting the next guest artiste and some of his crews were packing some musical instrument. Arguments continued as the Director of Socials and Culture, Babawale Olayinka countered what the President said and did say that it was not cultural and he was on the side of Beautiful Nubia. Some students asked him if he did prostrated or not before presenting his manifestos to the students as all the aspirant didn’t only prostrate but also affirmed that it was a tradition.
Adeolu Adesakin, 300level student of Sociology and Antropology criticized Babawale for supporting an artiste against the students, based on the fact that he has a personal relationship with the artiste. However, Ola Osebikan disagrees that to say do ba le is a tradition is subjective and restrictive. He recommends that it should be done away with as it is anachronistic.

After minutes, the President of the Students’ Union, Fredrick Joel appealed to students’ as well as Awolowo hall Chairman and they both prostrated again to fraying nerves asked Beautiful Nubia to apologize to the students and continue with performance. Beautiful Nubia apologized for his perceived harsh tone, arrogance and use of ‘provocative’ words and said they where all perceived as he didn’t do it on purpose but was just misconception. This calmed down the students and he didn’t do ba le but still performed ‘arewa’. Olando Julius thereafter preformed to the thunderous applause of the students and Beautiful Nubia was carried should high by Awoites after the show.

The students are not just interested in your do ba le but humility on stage. The cry for do ba le is just to send signal to the artiste that he is not in control of the stage but the students. The last time an artiste was in charge of the stage, was in the early 1991, when Shina Peter was in Amphi theatre to perform and he requested that a lady to suck his male genital on stage. The female student was however rusticated after the show and nothing was done to Shina Peters. Students after the incidence resolved to demand respect from artistes and guest irrespective of where they come from.

Many have raised eye-brows saying that it will discourage popular artists from coming to OAU, as TU-Face Idibia said in an interview with Babawale, ‘Why would you think I would like to prostrate at any show? Nigerians need to respect us; we are on the same level with Artistes they see on Channel O and MTV base. We deserve some respect. Should it be Akon who will ask him prostrate?’
Adeabgo Matthew replied Tuface that it is just pride that will not make you yield to the demands of your audience. The audience opinion needs to be respected. Should Akon come to OAU, he will prostrate. When Tuface further asked, ‘What will I tell the world when they see the pictures on facebook and twitter?’, Adeagbo replied that Tuface that he should tell them that he is respecting the people in their own way, it is not debasement, but humility.
Although, the controversy continues among students whether it should be struck out or not, but for now, pending the congress, that is even if subjected to debate at the level of the congress because it is beyond the parliament, artiste and guest coming to OAU should not forget to prostrate upon the students request.



08036126690

MOURINHO DYMISTIFIED

The el-classico as it is fondly called is the match between FC-Bacelona and Real Madrid was played on the 29th of November, this year at a time students of OAU students were writing their exams, yet they shunned their books to watch and discuss the el-classico. Afolabi Oni writes.

It was the talk of the town, the bone of contention and the bull’s eye of discussion in especially the male halls of residence in Obafemi Awolowo University. Many agreements ensued as sweated justifying reasons why either of the club will win.
Most English premiere League fans were not unsupportive for Real Madrid (The Galacticals). For FC Chelsea fans, many of them were supporting their former team coach, Jose Mourinho, who is the current team coach of Real Madrid and by extension supported Mardrid. For the Manchester United fans, they have soft spot for their former play-maker and striker, Christiano Ronaldo who now plies his trade with Madrid. For the Gunners fans (Arsenal FC), it was time to revenge their 4-0 defeat to Barcelona at the Quarter final Stage of last session UEFA champions’ league, and they want Madrid to help them out.
Others that aren’t English clubs fans reminded Barcelona Fans that, Portugal defeated Spain 3-0 and most Barcelona fans are part of Spain’s starting eleven and Christiano Ronaldo is of Portugal and the playmaker of Real Madrid. This same fate may repeat itself with Barcelona losing.
In the rooms, many predicted a loss for FC Barcelona or at most a draw in camp nou, the home of Barcelona. Many Barcelona fans refused to wear their jersey due to the many persons that gave it to Real Mardrid. All T.V. rooms in all halls of residence was already crowded as at 8pm for a match that to commence by 9pm.
Even Mozambique Hall girls were watching the match rather than their usual African Magic or MTV. When Campuslife asked Ibukun Olaiya, a 100 level student of Nursing, residing in Moz, she said, ‘I don’t like watching football, but there has being to much talk on this match. I have examination in tomorrow, but I will read overnight. Even if I go to the library now, I wouldn’t concentrate and I will only be deceiving myself.’
Adefemi Olayinka, the Assistant Secretary General of the Students’ Union said, ‘My father just called me now, he said that I shouldn’t read but that I should go and watch the el-classico. I don’t support either of the clubs but any football lover will not miss this match.’
Calls were exchange with distance friends in places like Lagos as many praised and prayed for their team, but none of them could play. The match analyses on supersport Charles Anazodo and former super Eagles forward gave it to Real Madrid because of their team coach, the special one, Jose Mourinho and the fact that, the last time Mourinho met Barcelona, he triumph over Pep Guardiola, the Coach of FC Barcelona (The catalans), also coupled with the fact that Mourinho was an assistant coach in Barcelona when Guardiola was a player.
At the start of the match silence filled the TV room and everyone was doing a study of the match. The first real chance came in the 3 minute for the Catalans as Lionel Messi, world best player as he beat cassila only to hit the woodwork, may Barcelona fans screamed at the close effort and were better optimistic that Barcelona will win.
At exactly 7 minutes into the match, there was power outage and students ran to new buka as if they where changing successive lecture to a small class that can contain only 150 students but a class size of 1500 students, which is a common sight in OAU, especially for courses like EGL 101 1nd CHM 101 among others. Some wanted to watch the match in Fork and Finger at the students’ union building that had their generator on, but they cared less about corporate social responsibility and they switch off their TV set and removed it inside and brought a spoiled plasma TV out all because they don’t want their restaurant to be overcrowded. The Union president, Fredrick Joel was called and he went inside to tell them to bring the TV out. Although he was lobbied to watch the match inside like other CEC official like the Welfare Director, Ige Ayodele and Adefemi Olayinka, the Assistant Secretary General at the expense of his fellow students, but he rejected. Joel begged the students to allow the persons eating to sit while they stand and the students obliged. Just five minutes after the TV was switch on, electricity was restored and all the students went to the TV room as Joel, switched on the TV’s in the Students Union building.
The students that had seen online that Barcelona had scored unreplied goal concluded the first half. They goals came off the feet of Xavi and Pedro. The goals continued in the second half as David Villa put two into the back of the net and substitute, Jefferson rounded off the match as he sent home the cross from Bojan, another substitute. Lionel Messi, made three assist although didn’t score. The special one, Mourinho was quite although the match.
Wole Monebi, a two hundred level student of pharmacy asked, ‘Who said Mourinho is not a special one, isn’t losing unreplied goals to FC Barcelona special? The match was one sided, but that doesn’t mean that Barcelona has won the league.’

Students’ reactions to the emergence of Aregbesola

It was jubilation and expectation galore for some students of Obafemi Awolowo University, especially indigenes of Osun state at the declaration of Rauf Aregesola at the Appeal Court Ibadan as the winner of the 2007 Governorship election, Afolabi Oni, media practitioner and 400level student of Education English writes.
The political atmosphere in Osun state weeks before the 26th November judgment had being tensed as many cannot await the verdict that will determine if election will hold for the office of the executive Governor of Osun state come April 2011. Just two days before the declaration, some students had photocopied and pasted copies of releases of Aregbesola Rauf and Osun defender in halls of residence.
For OAU students, it was time for justice as students who registered for the 2007 general election but where not campus are yet to be awoken from the fact that over 30, 000 votes were gotten from Ife. More so, the fact that her former students’ union president, Akinola Saburi’s arrest cannot be disconnected from the political imbroglio made OAU students more interested. More so, the fact that her former union President, Akinola Saburi had to spend three and the half months behind the walls of Ilesa prison was another motivating factor for Students. He was arrested on his was to testifying in the law court assert the fact that OAU students were not on campus during election and over 30, 000 votes from OAU was out of place. On the 26th, many students were gathered at the Students’ Union building waiting for the verdict. Despite the fact that it wasn’t broadcast live, students’ exchange calls with friends and relatives and upon declaration it was jubilation galore as expectations are high.
Speaking with the formal students’ Union president, OAU, Alaje Paul an indigene of Irewole Local Government, a four hundred level student of Economics said, ‘The greatest crime that any man can ever committee is to steal the people’s mandate. If you don’t steal the people’s mandate, you can’t have the opportunity to steal the people’s money at the expense of basic infrastructure that the people need to make life more comfortable. While we celebrate the return of the stolen mandate, we shouldn’t forget to chastise the thief in other to serve as deterrent to other politician.’
While many are happy, others aren’t, Awoyeye Opeola, a two hundred level student English and Social Studies, Osun State college of Education, Ilesa is pessimistic about the new government, he says, ‘Politicians are all the same, we celebrate their emergence and they do nothing. If he can take after Babatunde Fasola, then I can start celebrating. Let him, solve the problem of LAUTECH upon assumption into office, let him reduce the school fees of Osun state University between thirty and fifty thousand, let him bring Law and order to Osun state and halt the problem of environmental pollution. Let him organize competitions at all levels of education; oratory, debate, essay among others for indigenes in Osun State. Let the people’s basic needs be met, then, we can have cause to celebrate,’ he challenged.
The President of Federation of Origbo Students’ Association of Nigeria, Afolabi Kolawole, a student of OAU, said, ‘The verdict by the appeal court is a pointer to the rebirth of justice in Osun state, and at the same time, this shows oppression to our common existence. Imagine few cabals, ganging up and being in custody of our mandate. At a point we lost faith which is now renewed by the judiciary. This judgment is an indication to the total collapse of the PDP.
Oluyomi Olaoye, a 100 student of Sociology and Social Statistics said, ‘Politics to me is a film and the script writers are the cabals. While Omisore’s Senatorial Election was annulled, due to electoral irregularities, better called electoral mal-practices, he did contest in the rerun and won yet again. These cabals know what they are doing. They just want to give Oyinlola enough time to campaign in his senatorial zone, Osun East. We have started seeing the postal and Omisore, who has started campaign for the governor of the State, will be compensated with a ministerial appointment, probably the minister of finance, because he is currently the Chairman, house committee on finance. They decided to lose Osun state Governorship for a more juicy meat.’
Opeola further added, ‘Oyinlola has nothing to lose, he has collected loan that is more than enough for his campaign and I am sure that the Aregbesola will be declaring the debt incurred by Oyinlola. The truth is that the Owaobokun of Ijesaland will now have more political relevance in the state because he supported Aregbesola more than the Oni of Ife who was always on the side of Oyinlola. The silence that was forced on him based on the several insults of Oyinlola will be broken.’
‘That students spend four years on campus only to receive bursary once in OAU is disgusting. A bursary that cannot cater for the needs of students for a month (N5, 000) is expected to last for four sessions. If this vices is corrected the celebration will be worth a while. But for now, let us thank God that the stolen good is back, and we hope it wouldn’t be stole again. If Aregesola doesn’t perform, it would mean that Oyinlola Olagunsoye stole illegally while Aregbesola is stealing legally. Legally or illegally, stealing is stealing,’ those were the words of Demola Adeyeye, a 400 level student of Crop production and Processing, OAU.