Adebajo, UI student threatened with rustication, wins ‘Fisayo Soyombo essay contest

Adekunle Fisayo Adebajo, a 400 level Law student of the University of Ibadan UI), has emerged winner of the second edition of ‘Fisayo Soyombo inter-university essay contest, hosted by the Union of Campus Journalists (UCJ), UI.

Adebajo is the subject of disciplinary action by UI’s Student Disciplinary Council (SDC) over his piece — UI: The irony of fashionable rooftops and awful interiors — criticising the university management’s fragile renovation works, published by TheGuardian in April.

Presenting the award on Saturday, Francis Egbokhare, a professor of Linguistics and former director of the university’s Distance Learning Centre, said the contest was a very good way of encouraging writers from all universities across the country.

Endowed by Soyombo, president of the UCJ in 2007 and current editor of TheCable, the contest asked undergraduates to answer the question: Is Muhammadu Buhari genuinely fighting corruption or hunting opposition leaders?

According to Oredola Ibrahim, the outgoing president of the UCJ, Adebajo, who won the contest, led Afam Ikeakanam, of the same faculty of law, by less than one point.

Another law student, Olayanju Phillips, of the Osun State University, came up third in the keenly-contested competition.

Soyombo, whose executive council pioneered the inter-varsity essay competition in his university days, described Adebajo as a “fantastic writer”.

Adebajo also won The 2016 African Leadership essay contest, organised by Institute of African Leadership for Sustainable Development, and awarded by Thabo Mbeki, former South African president.

Commenting on his fresh victory, for which he received N100,00, Adebajo said: “I wish to thank Mr ‘Fisayo ‘Soyombo, with whom I’m proud to share a name, for this wonderful opportunity.

“The common narrative about this country is bound to change earlier if we have more people like him who are deeply committed to the development of the youth, and the society at large.

“Though I have won some other writing competitions this year, this one stands out like a golden thread. This is not just because of the prize or the personality of the sponsor, but because of the person whom I succeed — Mr Omoya Yinka Simult, a friend of exceptional cerebral makeup.

“I similarly cherish the JCI (UI) Award of the Most Outstanding Student in Journalism mainly because of such individuals as Messrs Tijani Oluwamayowa, Habeeb Kolade and Oredola Ibrahim who have received this same award in the past.

“I wish to equally express my unalloyed gratitude to the Union of Campus Journalists, University of Ibadan. It has not only given me a platform to express and showcase myself, it has taught me how best to do this. I urge the new administration to raise the standards even higher. We have soared too high now for a descent.”

Omoya Simult was a 100L student of the Faculty of Clinical Science, Department of Medicine and Surgery, when he won the award a year ago.

Also presented at the awards and alumni reunion was the Hamid Ibrahim campus photojournalism prize, which was won by Rufai Sodiq  for photojournalism.

Sodiq got a cash prize of N50,000, while Opeodu Pascaline and Haleem Olatunji,the runners-up, won N30,000 and N20,000 respectively.

The UCJ executives consisting of Oredola Ibrahim, president; Olatunji Haleem, vice president (editorial); Ifeanyi Ibegbu, vice president administration; Adesope ‘Femi, general secretary; Raji Fatima, assistant general secretary; Samuel Arowosafe, PRO; Ganiyu Quadri, treasurer; Okunade Oluwapemi, financial secretary; Alawode Ibrahim, and Oni Muhammed, as ex-officio, were also dissolved at the event.

Samuel Arowosafe was sworn in as the new president to lead the 29-year-old organisation through its 30th year.

To work with Arowosafe are Jummah Mujeeb, vice president (editorial); Oloyede Evelyn, vice president administration; Elegbede Austin, general secretary; Bello Abdulrahmon, assistant general secretary; Kariola Mustapha and Ogeroju Opeyemi, PRO; and Olanisimi Damilola as financial secretary.