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OYI SAMUEL ALECHENU, a 400-level Law student at Benue State University and an indigene of Apa Local Government Area in Benue State, speaks with Olumide Olusegun about his election as President of the university’s Student Union Government, as well as his experiences and other related issues.
What inspired you to participate in student politics?
I have always had a knack for leadership, even before coming to campus. For me, I can summarize my life in two words: law and politics. One of my very profound role models is Professor Yemi Osinbajo (former Vice President). He has inspired me since I was a boy. When I got admission into the university, I became very active in student politics, even from my 100 level. I worked with several aspirants, and most times they came to me because of the influence I had in my class. They reached out to me to help convince my mates to vote for them. This became part of my life right from my 100 level. I remember during the election of the past administration, I became very involved. I served as one of the director-generals of the campaign, and we were the winning team in my faculty. That was where my political journey began. I also served as the chief press secretary to the former student union president, and I had the opportunity to learn a lot about the student union.
Since you emerged, how has student politics shaped your perspective on governance?
I think one of the things that has stood out for me since I became president is the act of decision-making. There have been times when I have been put on the spot, in what we call the “hot seat,” where I had to make crucial decisions. These are decisions that can make or break the union. The decision-making process is one of the things that makes politics very difficult.
Some have said it is very costly to contest for a Student Union Government election. How much did you spend contesting for the position?
I wouldn’t want to mention how much I spent, but I spent a lot of money. Although, not all of it came from my own pocket. My personal fund that went into the election was just N200,000. Every other expense came from people who supported my ambition. My foster father gave over N300,000. The funds I used were also from a competition I led. I took my faculty to an international competition, and we won $400, which was N584,000. As the leader of the team, my share was N200,000. That was how I was able to raise the funds for the election and my campaign. I believe that during my time, I want every single student to be involved in the student union. I assure them of quality representation, where there will be impactful student activities on campus. We want to see our students actively participating in competitions with other institutions and coming out victorious. In a couple of days, the union will partner with an organization, Yiaga Africa, to train potential leaders in our institution. The organization will cover all the expenses for the training. As we speak, we are also preparing for the Student Union Champions League, which will commence on December 14th. We have reached out to several sponsors, including Opay and Airtel, and we are reaching out to different organizations, hoping for a positive response.
Do you see yourself joining mainstream politics in the future?
The major reason why I am where I am is because of the dreams I have. For me, I consider law as my profession and politics as my career. That has been my lifelong ambition. I am sure that after my studies, I will participate in mainstream politics.
Many politicians have taken politics as a business venture. Are you interested in it because of the monetary benefits?
I believe that politics is not a platform to make money but a platform for service. It is an opportunity to serve for the greater good of society. So, I believe people should desist from going into politics for monetary gain.
Some have said young people are prone to abuse political offices because of their tender minds. What is your take on it?
I believe that the formative process of a true leader takes time, and that is why mentorship is important. I have mentors. One of my mentors is the PA (Personal Assistant) to the Commissioner of Land and Survey in the state. Another mentor is the Senior Legislative Aide to the Deputy Senate President of Nigeria. These are well-bred individuals whose wisdom helps me a lot. So, I think leadership requires experience. Many people don’t understand that being a leader is challenging. That is why we sometimes criticize leaders, but we do so because we are not in their shoes. I can tell you that as a student union president, I am seeing certain things that I didn’t see when I was not the president.
You have mentors who are currently in active politics. There is a belief that some politicians use students for their political gain, especially during elections. How would you handle the situation if your mentors want you to use your students for their principal’s political gain?
I will be very frank with you. These people I mentioned are people whose integrity I can vouch for. If you see me doing something wrong, it is not connected to them. In fact, they guide me whenever I am going astray. So, such people cannot do what you are suggesting.
