THE EXCLUSIVE BACKROOM OF CAMPUS POLITICS 1
If you're one of the hopefuls to commit social suicide, politically on campus, I would suggest that you think about what you're getting yourself into so at least you're prepared. That way you can't complain when your mates are in lecture halls receiving lectures- attending to their primary assignments on campus, but you're stuck in a meeting discussing how to do things beneficial to those keenly attending to their primary assignments on campus; or when it's Friday night and all your friends are out jollying, but you're stuck in a meeting discussing how to please those jollying, partying and frolicking to no end.
However, it's that time of session (2nd semester) again when a few hopefuls commit social suicide, politically, by plastering their faces around campus and rushing fellow students to vote them into the Student Union Government. Some will boast of their Obama-like leadership qualities/skills as a Class Rep., while others will rely on a spectacularly photo-shopped campaign picture, posters, flyers and the digital banners tied in strategic areas in the school environs.
Some relies on paying-off of some cliques who claim to be stakeholders when it comes to Campus politics; buy them assorted drinks at different joints and quell their thirst for dishes their taste buds craves at the popular and expensive eateries; while others have belief in mass publicity. Some will also rely on the votes of his/her so-called friends and members of his political organization on campus.
Only a few bothers to give a deep thought on other factor(s) that could help ensure ones victory during elections on campus. Well, I'll play devil's advocate and let you into the exclusive backroom of campus politics. This is not a grab-some-popcorn kind of expose or a gossip tale but an honest and bare-knuckled approach to some of the things that you need to know before throwing your hat into the ring of campus politics. From my research so far, It's seems worthy of hypothesis that NICKNAME is one of the contributing factors to many student politicians victory in any election on campus.
They say that there is too much in a name, popular on campus and i suggest there is equally much more in a Nickname, in winning an election. At some point in our lives, we have all been given nicknames courtesy of our behaviour or distinguishing characteristics. Nickname, a familiar form of a proper name or descriptive name or epithet used formally; it is outside a person's real name, by someone else according to his certain characteristics or living environment to complement the date of the name, most containing intimacy, hatred, and witty, mean of daily life median not an uncommon phenomenon of a language.
Nickname is usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name. Then, what's in a Nickname as a contributing factor to victory in election, you may wonder! Well, a lot, one has to have a one-syllable name to get to the top; don't get things twisted, having a nickname does not help rise to the top, but might just indicate a background that is more likely to lead to being a victor.
Thus, one has to look before leaping in adopting a Nickname more-so when contesting for an election for it resonate amongst voters, especially ladies. One has to adopt a Nickname whose effect only a fool could ignore. There have been cases where contestants adopted and capitalized on Nicknames to comfortably sail home in a race where there were strong opponents. There are situations where voters vote for Nickname because of their no familiarity with any of the candidates running for the particular post before going to the poll. I can say for certain that Nickname won votes (mine inclusive) for many contestants.
Oluwatomilola Boyinde, P.R.O, Union of Campus Journalists, LAUTECH. [email protected]