by crossriverwatch admin
Comrade Philomina Agweye, a 400 level Vocation and Special Education student of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), is the first female President of National Association of Cross River State Students-World Wide (NACRISS-WW). She bares her mind to CrossRiverWatch on how her life has been a living hell since her emergence as President of the Union.
Excerpts:
CrossRiverWatch:
How do you feel being the first female President?
Comrade Philomina:
It’s a thing of pride, but however, life has not being easy for me. My life has been a living hell since I became the President. May be because of my gender status; I have not been accepted, I have been maltreated, harassed by some persons who claim to be the association’s pillars and owners. I didn’t know that I was chosen amongst my then opponents to come play a script for them. In my first three months, I complied and when I realized that it wasn’t right, I stopped doing it, then, they started using my executive members to fight me, mostly my Vice President, Manyo Juliet who will do anything to make sure I’m shown the exit door.
CrossRiverWatch:
Who are these people fighting you?
Comrade Philomina:
Without fear or favor, let me start by saying that if someone bites your anus and is not irritated by the smell, you should chop-off his nose without minding the flu of his nostrils. Barrister Gilbert Agbor, the former Legal Adviser is behind every challenge I’m passing through since I gave him sack letter. When I came into office, I didn’t appoint new Legal Adviser. I knew he was deadly so I needed to trade carefully. But when his appointment was terminated, he began to strike from all angles. He even vowed to make sure I’m impeached. For the first three months in office, I didn’t see money (subvention), but money was coming into the association. He decides on how the money should be shared. He uses Ubi Emmanuel my predecessor who is his field-marshal to execute his plans. They are using my Vice President, Manyo Juliet to fight me.
CrossRiverWatch:
What do you have to say about the press release from your Chief Press Secretary, Ogar Monday and the union’s Director of Information, Johnson Okam accusing your Vice President of mischievous acts and impersonation of the President’s office?
Comrade Philomina:
Yes, recently, some few people who called themselves students under an unknown name gathered themselves and declared my Vice President as the President. Though, I’m not moved because they acted in error and flagrant disregard and abuse of our constitution. Before such thing is done, it can only happen in a well constituted congress organized by the President as stipulated in the constitution. I have alerted the relevant bodies and security agencies to be aware. Let me use this medium to inform students of Cross River State origin and the general public that the Vice President has no constitutional right to act or operate without the approval of the President, therefore, whoever does business with her, does so at his or her own peril.
CrossRiverWatch:
We hear you are equally having a running battle with nine out of eleven executive members, is that not a vote of no confidence on your leadership?
Comrade Philomina:
They are part of the script I told you about. They are playing along. They believe in sharing the money syndrome which I don’t. As the first female President, I want to leave a legacy worthy of emulation by all and sundry, so I don’t believe in sharing the money. I want to achieve something. If we share the money, what have we to show to the electorate and generations to come as our achievements? If we meet as executive members and take a decision on what to do, the next day, they come and say they are not satisfied with the decision we collectively took. This, they are just doing to frustrate me.
CrossRiverWatch:
It is alleged that the wife of the Governor, Mrs. Obioma Imoke and PDP State Secretary were the people that imposed you on the students. What is the veracity of such allegation?
Comrade Philomina:
Actually, the rumor was not true, because Her Excellency is though very gender sensitive and people would say anything because I’m a woman and she is so passionate about females in leadership positions. That the first lady imposed me on the students is a baseless allegation. She will ordinarily support me as a woman.
CrossRiverWatch:
What are your achievements so far?
Comrade Philomina:
This administration has not achieved credibly much due to the attitudes of my executive members. For instance, there was a project we had planned to execute, a committee was constituted and headed by the association’s financial secretary. Fund was released for the project, but my financial secretary, Edem Awa Ita and some members of the executive took the money to Palladium Hotel and squandered the money on drinks and meat. However, we have been able to distribute school bags; sandals, textbooks, exercise books, pencils, pens and other. We gave stationeries to primary and post-primary students in rural communities in the state. This was achieved under the office of the Director of Socials. We came first in the University of Calabar students’ week-2014. We have equally organized symposium and empowerment program for Cross River State students.
CrossRiverWatch:
What is the way out of ongoing crisis in your union?
Comrade Philomina:
The way forward is for my excos to come back and work with me for the interest of the students. We should love and respect ourselves. Fighting will not help us. Leaders don’t fight leaders, if you fight a leader today, someone will definitely fight you tomorrow. My arms are wide open to embrace everybody irrespective of the past.
CrossRiverWatch:
What prompted your interest in students’ unionism?
Comrade Philomina:
Sincerely speaking, I have flair for unionism. I have elderly ones and friends who were and are still unionists who have in one way or the other influenced me into politics. It all began when I was elected as the Vice President of the National Association of Obudu Local Government Students and subsequently an Honorable member representing the faculty of Education at Students’ Union Government Parliament, University of Calabar, where I was the Secretary of a Committee and today I have found myself at a higher platform.
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