Abiodun Oluwaseun, popularly known as Laurel, is a former Student Union President, LAUTECH. Recently, he was appointed Special Assistant to the Governor on Project Delivery by the Oyo State Government. The appointment was confirmed on the 18th of November, 2021. In this exclusive interview, he talks about his journey in LAUTECH and how it has helped shaped the trajectory of his life.
WHO IS ABIODUN OLUWASEUN? TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF
I am Abiodun Oluwaseun, the former students’ union president of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Ogbomoso, Oyo state, where I graduated with a Second Class Upper Honors in B.Tech Animal Production and Health. I am vibrant, intelligent,committed and passionate about Nigeria and the development of Africa.
I am an advocate of Good Governance, Effective Leadership and Quality Education. I love politics, football and meeting people. I am a tech lover with keen interest in teaching, volunteering, networking, and advocacy, I am ready to learn and do my simple magic to make big impacts.
I am a fellow at YALI, an Aisecer, a digital marketer and I hold a certificate in Fundamentals of Digital Marketing from Google Digital Garage, and a Basic certificate in ICT training by Aiki Nigeria. I am also an alumnus of the MTN foundation scholarship, an alumnus of MTN ICT & Business Skills Training by Mtn Nigeria. I hold a Basic certificate course, Leadership certificate course from the word of Faith Bible institute(WOFBI BCC August 2016 & September 2020).
TAKE US THROUGH YOUR JOURNEY IN LAUTECH
I guess I was predestined to come to LAUTECH because for about 2 years I was trying to get admission to schools in the east to study petroleum engineering but it didn’t work out. My mum asked me to give LAUTECH a trial, I did and was offered admission. I had difficulty paying my tuition fee at 100 level but my friends helped and I had a good CGPA. In 200 level, I Iooked for scholarships to ease the burden of my mum and luckily I got the MTN foundation scholarship. I also joined politics because I had the intention of contesting as LAUTECH’s SUG President. 300 level was majorly strikes and struggles. 400 level was the presidency and it was one of the most difficult period of my life academically, and financially. I learnt a lot, it also become a trajectory for me into the next phase of life.
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DESPITE THE STRUGGLE, DO YOU HAVE ANY NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT AS A STUDENT?
I volunteered and served as the Director of Mobilization for Liberal Movement Lautech and was honoured with a lifetime award (Life Honorary Member of Liberal) of Libra Adocacy for development of Nigeria.
I initiated the Lautech Drug Free Club Lautech, where I served as the Vice President 1 between 2018-2020. I was named and awarded the most active, and students oriented students Union President in Nigeria by NUMA(National Universities Merit Awards) in 2018/2019.
WHAT IMPACT DID YOUR ADMINISTRATION MAKE IN LAUTECH?
I served with the Special Assistant on Environment to the Governor to supervise and deliver the Oke Ado- Under G gate Road. I headed the union that reduced the LAUTECH tuition fee from 250k/300k to 140k/170k, and subsequently worked on the additional 25% reduction on the current fee to 115k/127500 for all indigenes and non indigenes students of LAUTECH. I nominated several indigent students who had benefited from local scholarships and national scholarships. I also started the students’ union scholarships which 10 students benefited from. I also donated entrepreneurship materials to students and my administration built the popular LAUREL STAND inside LAUTECH. TETFUND donated the 32-seater bus to my regime for students use.
I led the delegates of students leaders that supported the Oyo state committee on ownership to take sole ownership of LAUTECH, I was also the first LAUTECH SUG President to produce two Executive offices at the National Association of Nigerian Students Joint Campus Committee Oyo state (General Secretary and Chairman ) in successive administrations.
WHAT WAS LIFE AFTER GRADUATION LIKE ?
After graduation, I wanted to travel out so I applied to several schools outside the country. I gained admission, some with partial scholarship but not the country I wanted. I was also partially working with Oyo State Government to monitor some projects but it was on a part-time basis. It has not been smooth but I’m grateful to God that I’m able to cope.
The expectations from the public is high, people expect me to live large when it’s actually not like that because the governor believe you have to be worthy of anything to get it.
TALKING ABOUT SERVING AS PRESIDENT, WHEN WAS YOUR GREATEST MOMENT AS THE SUG PRESIDENT ?
That was completing the LAUREL STAND because it was something I had been looking forward to. I wanted four of it but I was only able to do one because of funds.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR WEAKEST MOMENT AS THE SUG PRESIDENT ?
That was the tuition fee saga issue when students started saying they were ready to pay the 250k/300k tuition fee just to resume. That period brought me to tears, because what is the essence of all the struggles, the late night trips and me standing firm that the government of the day must reduce the tuition fee? I expected support from all angles but I didn’t get it. I had high expectations from the political leaders and students, but they were already turning against me.
DO YOU THINK LAUTECH HELP SHAPE YOUR LIFE JOURNEY?
Yes, LAUTECH did help shape my life journey because I don’t even know what I will be doing right now if I didn’t come to LAUTECH. I guess I will be a bookworm because I like books a lot. LAUTECH has changed a lot about me, the way I see life, the way I face situations and challenges. LAUTECH has instilled boldness and courage in me and that’s why whenever anything LAUTECH comes around me, I always take it serious to repay all the lessons and experience garnered from LAUTECH.
DO YOU HAVE ANY HACK FOR STUDENTS INTERESTED IN POLITICS ?
For any Ladokite who is looking forward to join politics, they can choose to join any political party they want but they should be ready to promote peace and unity always. I joined Liberal Movement because it is in line with my vision and goals. If they want to join politics outside the school, they can also choose to join any political party.
GIVE AN ADVICE TO THE PRESENT SUG PRESIDENT
He’s the president of all. The organization will pressurise him to do a lot of things that is against the wish of the students. They will push him to go against the management, but I will like him to remember that going against the management has limits. You can go against the management when they trample on your rights but don’t forget our constitution is subjected to that of the school management and once they proscribe the union, it is over! You don’t have a voice again. He must do everything in his capacity to make sure the union remains, because that is the only means to negotiate or advocate for the rights of the student.
IF YOU YOU WERE TO GIVE AN ADVICE TO LADOKITES, WHAT WILL IT BE?
If money is what you’re looking for, please don’t forget to look for certificate. Your certificate will go hand in hand with money. Money makes a lot of things work but your certificate will open lot of doors. As much as you need connections you also need certificate to back it up, so focus on your academics. LAUTECH is unique for excellence and I wish all Ladokites to excel in life.
Keep doing what’s good u deserve more win brother me