NAOS: Jacob Damilare Hands Over to New Executives, Reels Out Achievements

277
Spread the love

Leadership is not just the ability to occupy a position but  it is the ability to make positive impacts. This has been my watchword.

All glory must be returned to God for a successful administration he has enabled us to pilot in National Association of Okun Students (NAOS NATIONAL). An Association that commands maximum respect in the leagues Student’s Associations in Kogi State and Nigeria at large.

Leading an Association made up of five out of the Seven Local Government Areas in Kogi West Senatorial Districts successful, is an achievement that calls for every sensible leader to return all glory to God almighty and also appreciate every single efforts put together by groups and individuals within and outside the State.

The Promise I made to Okun Students while I campaigned for their support to lead this noble Association was basically centered on the ; Rebirth, Reformation and Redefinition of the Association.

Putting the Association on a very enviable scale was indeed a priority that myself and team of Executives ensured was achieved. Although it cost us a lot. But at the end, we could still achieve it by ensuring discipline was inculcated into the Association especially as it was evidence in the process that brought upon a new administration that has succeeded ours. A process whereby academic excellence was promoted via the demands of provision of academic details (results) from institutions by candidates as duly required by the Electoral Committee Guidelines which we ensured was followed.

My administration ensured that candidates who vied for National Position in the Association, made a provision of their academic details duly signed by their examination officer of their various departments as a way of proving to us that indeed they are legible, competent, academically and morally fit to lead the Association especially to ensure that they have not been in any way found wanting security wise. This process can be faulted by anyone but it clearly shows how committed and respected the Association as grown to become as what is not obtainable in Tertiary institutions can not be obtainable in the Association likewise.

If we can preach academic excellence to Okun students and we encouraged them by facilitating scholarships for them, it therefore means that succeeding executives must promote academic excellence by leading with examples.

My mentality to Student’s Unionism is all about making positive impacts. Using the office to lobby and make the welfare of students a priority.

We were challenged with financial constraints since no fixed amount was coming into the Association either from Government or individuals as Subventions but we could survive and achieved a lot because we  remained focus, committed and highly undistracted and we never allowed our financial constraints weighed us down.

My administration would not have been successful had I not enjoyed unquantifiable level of supports from my team of Executives, other Student’s Associations; National Association of Kogi State Students (NAKOSS NATIONAL), National Association of Nigerian Students, Joint Campus Committee Of NANS, National Association of Ebira Students For Kogi Central Senatorial Districts, Igala Students Association for Kogi East Senatorial Districts, Students Union Governments (SUGs), groups and individuals both within and outside the state and most importantly Kogi State Government under the Leadership of His Excellency Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

We saw Unionism beyond protest and embraced lobbying as a tool that enabled us facilitated projects for our students both within and outside the state. We ensure the corrupt minds, perception some persons have towards student’s unionism was jettisoned and redefined as they were meant to be convinced in rendering assistance to us having seen our level of positive differences.

The level of relationship we enjoyed from Okun Traditional Rulers, Okun Development Association National, Okun Development Association (Southwest Zone), Okun Youth Development Association, Okun Youths for Change, Kogi State Chapter of National Youth Council of Nigeria and Office of the Yeye-Oge of Okun Land, is much applaudable. We hope that this administration that has succeeded us will build on it.

Permit me to say when others were blinded only to see protests and unproductive fights with the state government as a way for them to achieve their goals, we were open to seeing progress as we humbly lobbied from the government while we achieved our targets. Hence, we had no reason to stage unnecessary protest when we already had our ways of tendering our requests and they became priorities for the government and executing them was also achievable. The Government Deserves uncompromising accolades for prioritising student’s welfare in the State.

It may interest the general public to know that our achievements for a period of one year in office includes the following:

1. Facilitated for the payment of School fees for Five Okun Students in Kogi State University at a cost of 46,550.00. Forty Six thousand Five hundred and fifty Naira  for each student. Proudly sponsored by Kogi State Commissioner of Finance Hon. Asiru Asiwaju Idris

2. Facilitation of Postgraduate Scholarship to Four Okun Students at a cost of 130,000.00 One hundred and  thirty thousand naira for each student proudly  sponsored by Hon. Abubakar Ohere, Special Adviser to Kogi State Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs

3. Facilitation for the payment of Law School Tuition fees for a cost of 300,000.00 three hundred thousand for an Okun Student, proudly sponsored by Barrister Babatunde Irukera

4. Facilitated for the payment of 2019 Jamb Registration for 400  Okun Students proudly sponsored by the following persons in their orders of sponsorships;

(A) Hon. Henry Tuesday Abimbola sponsored 340 slots  shared across Yagba Federal Constituency according to his discretion

(B) Hon. Kingsley Femi Fanwo sponsored 30 candidates shared in Takete-Ide Community, Mopamuro LGA

(C) Hon. Dr. Mrs AYOADE Folashade Arike Sponsored 20 Candidates shared in Ife-Olukotun Community, Yagba East LGA.

(D) Barrister Babatunde Irukera Sponsored 10 Candidates shared across the Five LGA in Okun Land

Note: All these slots were shared according to the discretion of sponsors

5. Facilitated Scholarships of Fifty Thousand naira (50,000.00) each to 16 Okun students  on second class Upper Cutting across two institutions namely 8 Students from  Federal University, Lokoja and 8 students from Kogi State University proudly sponsored by Kogi State Commissioner for Agriculture Hon. Kehinde Oloruntoba

6. Lobbied, facilitated and played active role in the execution of the Fanwo Titilayo Memorial Scholarship In a Quiz and Essay Competition worth over 700,000.00 Seven Hundred Thousand Naira proudly Sponsored by Hon. Kingsley Femi Fanwo for Mopamuro Local Government Indigenes

7. Executed the Maiden Okun Students Essay Writing Competition and Awarded The following Prizes

A. Fifty thousand Naira(50,000.00) for first Prize
B. Fifteen Thousand Naira (15,000.00) to Second Prize
C. Ten Thousand Naira (10,000.00) to third Prize, while 2,000.00 was given as consolation prizes and issuance of certificates to participants.

This Essay was marked by Nigeria Union of Teachers, Kogi State Chapter, Lokoja Headquarters. God Bless Nigerian Teachers.

And this Essay Writing Competition was proudly sponsored by the following persons

I. Engr. Perry Awe
II. Dr. Toyin Akanle, Mni
III. Lord Bishop Atomode
IV. Hon. Jerry Omodara

8. Facilitated payment of School fees for no fewer than 15 Okun Students in Kogi State College of Education Technical, Kabba which was proudly sponsored by Hon. Mrs Amupitan Bolanle, Kogi State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development.

9. Visited Some NAOS Local Chapters in the Southwestern part of Nigeria.

10. Conducted a Peaceful Miss Okun Beauty Pageant.

11. Lobbied and successfully facilitated a car for the winner of the 2018-2019 Miss Okun Nigeria.

All thanks to the following Okun sons and political leaders; Hon Taufiq Isa, Kogi ALGON Chairman, Chief APS Arogundade, MD/CEO SIDMACH TECHNOLOGIES, Segun Ajijola alias Osese, Hon. Sunday Tolorunleke, Kogi State Commissioner for Commerce and Industries.

A first of its kind gift to Miss Okun since the inception of NAOS.

12. Proposed the construction of 500 Pairs of Wooden Reading Tables and Chairs for public schools in the five Local Government Areas in Okun Land. A letter submitted to KOGI-SUBEB

13. Facilitated for the payment of Senior Secondary Examinations Certificate(WAEC/NECO) enrollment fees for no Fewer than 15 Students from Okun land proudly sponsored by Hon. Adewale Victor Omofaiye the  Member Representing Ijumu Local Government, Kogi State House of Assembly

14. Facilitated for the Medical Bills of one of our Okun Students who is suffering from bladder malfunctioning system. This facilitation has yield the following financial support from these persons;

A. Barrister Babatunde Irukera supported with 100,000.00 One hundred thousand Naira
B. Mrs Funmilayo supported with 100,000.00 One hundred thousand Naira
C. Rt. Hon. Speaker Kogi State House of Assembly Hon. Matthew KOLAWOLE on a directive instructed that the patient be taken to the hospital for surgery with immediate effect and all medical bills be billed on him.

15. Facilitated the Completion of  Payment School fees for a particular Student from Kogi State University proudly sponsored by some former Presidents and a Senate President  of This Association namely;Comr. Adekunle Ola alias Pure,  Comr. Ogbeni David Oni Sunday and Comr. Aledare Oluwatobi alias ODA

16. Established and maintained a cordially progressive relationship with Kogi State Government under the leadership of Governor Yahaya Bello which brought about the following for the association;

I. A Sharon Bus being the first Car the association will ever have since its 15 years of existence.
II. Open door for dialogue and clarification on matters that concerns Okun  Student’s Welfare including bursary and its payment.
III Ensuring that all Okun Students who registered for Kogi State Student’s Bursary and had technical problems received their credit alerts.
IV. Joint Kogi State Student’s leader’s dialogue with Kogi State government and Kogi State University on the need for the reversal of the “No Schools, No Examination” Policy as communicated to students through a memo from the School management and the dialogue yielded Success as the policy was cancelled to favour our students for the particular session we advocated for.
V. Lobbied the Yahaya Bello led Kogi state government through Edward Onoja to interfere and take responsibility of the medical bills of a student of Kogi State University who had a fatal accident immediately after the completion of her final year examination on the 17th of March, 2018 from the department of Sociology and this was given total attention.

Partnership in the execution of programs

1. We partnered with National Association of Kogi State Students ( NAKOSS NATIONAL) On the campaign against Drug Abuse, Child Trafficking, Thuggery and Cultism in Kogi State where stationeries and other souvenirs was shared across the three Senatorial Districts

2. Partnered with NAKOSS NATIONAL, KOGI NANS JCC, National Association of Ebira Students (NAES) and Igala Students Association (ISA) on the campaign for Good Governance In Kogi State

3. Partnered with NAKOSS National and Action-Aide international to organize a program on “World Peace Day”.

4. Partnered with NAKOSS National, All SUGs in Kogi State, National Association of Ebira Students, Igala Student’s Association on a public hearing to kick against the proposed Executive Bill Presented to Kogi State House of Assembly for Kogi State Bursary Board to be merged with Kogi State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. That is, we agitated that the Board be left to function independently and to the glory of God it was upheld.

5. Active participation in the 2nd Edition of the Rt. Hon. Matthew Kolawole Quiz and Debate Competition for Secondary Schools in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area

While I served as the National President of National Association of Okun Students,  I was also conferred the honor to serve as the interim Secretary General, National Association of Kogi State Students (NAKOSS NATIONAL) being the apex Kogi State Student’s Union umbrella for a period of one month while we managed the Affairs of NAKOSS National as the Caretaker Committee until we conducted NAKOSS National election and inaugurated the Moses Omeiza Audu alias Troy NAKOSS 2017-2018 Led Administration.
AWARD BAGGED

While I served as NAOS National President for the 2017-2018 Administration, I bagged the First of its kind Award from National Association of Kogi State Students (NAKOSS) National Secretariat as the;”Most Outstanding Students National Tribal Head President of the Year 2017-2018″.

I was also conferred an Award of Recognition from National Association of Okun Students (NAOS) Kogi State University Chapter for my Tremendous Support for Okun Youths In Kogi State University.

I want to convey special appreciations to all Okun sons and daughters who supported our administration either directly or indirectly, family and friends. You all are wonderful.

Special regards to Chief Edward Onoja and Abubakar Ohere for supporting our administration even though they are not from the Okun extraction. Special appreciations to all my critics. You all made me strong, and charged me to beat the expectations.

Special appreciations to Comr. Juwon Moses Oloruntoba and Comr. Ajagun Opeyemi alias Okun Boy. I appreciate your full time supports.

To all past Presidents and Senate Presidents as well as other stakeholders in this our noble Association, I remain grateful for all the roles you  played in ensuring we got to this length.

Lengthy appreciations to Kogi  State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Mrs Rosemary Osikoya, Commissioner for Youths and Sports Hon. Salisu Ogu Sani, The Special Adviser to Kogi State Governor on Youth Empowerment, Sports and Students Affairs, Hon. MD Eseyin, The Senior Special Assistant to Kogi State Governor on Students Affairs, Hon. Joshua Omonu, The Special Assistant to the governor on Youth Empowerment Kogi West, Hon. Banji Austin Aiyelabowo and Special Assistant on Pension Matters Hon. Taiwo Orebiyi, Federal Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission, Kogi State, Deacon Olusuyi Otitoju.

Unreserved accolades and appreciations to all Okun Political Appointees in the Kogi State Government.

To my immediate Mopamuro Constituency and Yagba Federal Constituency, I am personally grateful for the whole supports you showered on me amidst all odds.

To all Local Government Administrators in Okun Land, we remain grateful for all your supports.

To our ever supportive Local Government Students National Presidents and NAOS Local Chapter’s Presidents, we appreciate you all.

We are not perfect but we hope to have left positive impacts in the lives of Students and we hope we have fulfilled our campaign promises of Rebirthing, Redefining and Reforming the face of Student’s Unionism for others to emulate.

In Conclusion, ee came, we saw and we conquered.

To my successor Comr. Ehinmoro Abolaji (National President) and Comrade Opeyemi Julius (Senate President), I will leave you with the words of my immediate predecessor Comr. Habeebu Ibrahim to me: “The Success of my administration is dependent on the successful performance of you being my successor”.

Remain focused and undistracted, only then shall you conquer your fears. Do not come and raid in the Association. God bless you.

Signed:
Jacob Abraham Damilare
Immediate Past National President, National Association of Okun Students (NAOS) 2017/2018 Administration.

Exchange of Okun Student’s Leadership Baton: An Address by President Jacob Abraham Damilare As He Hands Over to a New Administration Ably Led by Ehinmoro Abolaji As National President and Opeyemi Julius As Senate President.


Spread the love



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *