UI Trains Student Union Leaders on Ethics, Accountability and Resilience
Student union leaders at the University of Ibadan (UI) have been told to conduct themselves with ethics, accountability, competence and resilience, with the institution making clear that holding an office is not the same as leading effectively.
The charge came on Tuesday at a training programme organised for the union leaders, which carried the theme 'Ethical and Responsible Student Leadership: Building Competence, Resilience and Positive Impact'. It was delivered by the Director of the university's Career Development and Counselling Centre (CDCC), Prof. Adebayo Oluwole.
Oluwole described student leadership as carrying both duty and the chance to bring about positive change. Those who take up such roles, he said, are expected to speak for their fellow students, put their worries across, deal with university management, settle disputes and play a part in building the university community.
He added that the way student leaders carry themselves can affect campus life, the relationships students share and how the university is perceived.
Quoting him: "Leadership can not be sustained by position alone, as a title may give you authority, but character, competence and credibility give you influence."
Oluwole explained that the programme was put together on purpose to give the leaders a broad view of what good leadership involves, covering responsible governance, working together, handling conflict, preventing drug abuse and relating well with people.
Mercy Godwin led the opening session, titled 'Drug Abuse and Addiction: Early Signs of Abuse, Consequences and the Way Out'. She stood in for the Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Oyo State Command.
According to Oluwole, that particular session mattered greatly because student leaders are supposed to set an example and exert good influence on those around them.
The Deputy Bursar (Grants) at the University of Ibadan, Mr Olagoke Akanwo, took the session on 'Ethical Leadership, Accountability and Stewardship in Student Governance'.
Dr. Adebunmi Oyekola, Director of the Youth Friendly Centre, facilitated a session titled 'Leadership Service through Collaboration and Teamwork among Students'. Oyekola said the session brought home how much teamwork matters, adding that no leader can achieve success on their own.
'Understanding Personality Types for Effective Conflict Management' was delivered by Dr. Adeleye of the Department of Counselling and Human Development Studies.
In Oluwole's view, grasping how personalities differ is vital for student leaders since they deal with people whose temperaments, expectations, ways of communicating and approaches to disagreement all vary.
Dr Ola John Oluremi of Micomglobe Limited, Lagos, facilitated the closing session, 'People Skills for Student Leaders: Empathy, Altruism and Positive Campus Relationships'.
Oluwole said that session drove home how much empathy and healthy relationships count, noting that leadership is, in the end, about people.
He stated: "The CDCC remains committed to supporting the development of students with the knowledge, skills and values required to provide responsible leadership within and beyond the university community."
Speaking earlier, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Kayode Adebowale told the student leaders to lead with empathy, integrity, competence and courage. Good leadership, he stressed, rests on being able to read people, pass messages across clearly and treat others with respect.
Adebowale, who opened the training, said it was put together to give student leaders the skills and values they need for responsible leadership.
He observed that even where leaders have sound policies, programmes, manifestoes and speeches, their leadership will still fall short if they cannot understand those they lead, communicate with them and share in their experiences.
He said: "Empathy is not weakness. Altruism is not foolishness. Respect is not surrender. These are qualities that enable leaders to build trust and create healthier relationships."
The VC asked the participants to take the training seriously, to ask questions, question their own assumptions and learn both from the facilitators and from one another.
He also urged them to let what they learn shape how they behave, saying the exercise would only count for something if it changed their actions.
According to him, "Preparing students for the future goes beyond academic qualifications, as the workplace and society require graduates who can communicate, collaborate, manage conflicts, demonstrate emotional intelligence, make ethical decisions, solve problems and lead responsibly."
He noted that the university's duty goes past preparing students for careers, extending to shaping their character, competence, resilience and capacity to form meaningful relationships.
Turning to the student leaders, Adebowale told them to think about what they would leave behind when their time in office ends.
He said: "Your tenure will end, but your legacy will remain."
He advised them against judging their success solely by achievements recorded in office, urging them instead to weigh the people they lifted, the ties they formed, the values they displayed and the good culture they left in place.
Adebowale urged them to "lead with integrity, lead with competence, lead with empathy, lead with courage, lead collaboratively," adding that service should guide everything they do.
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