All my life I have met few outstanding figures who have in one way or the other inspired me to do what is right no matter how difficult it might seem. The truth about life is, doing what is right and fair doesn't come easy, since the world is filled with corrupt individuals that only cares about their personal achievement and gain. As a result of this they become a blockage to anyone who strive for justice, going as far as prosecuting them with the same law that was suppose to protect the oppressed.
In my high school days, I have been taught by a lot of teachers and lectures who has impacted knowledge on me greatly. In the process of acquiring my Higher national diploma, I was privileged to be taught by a lecturer known as Dr Tejuoso wasiu. One of the greatest pillar of the department of mass communication in moshood Abiola polytechnic. He wasn't really a regular kind of man because he was despised by his colleagues and fellow lecturers, despite having spent years lecturing in different departments in Moshood Abiola polytechnic, receiving numerous accolades and being awarded best lecturer of the year. In the history of my school he was the only lecturer that I know that has received the award of lecturer of the year consistently. That is to prove how loved Dr Tejuoso was In my department.
But yet I couldn't understand why he was hated by his colleagues and fellow lecturers, he seems like a lovable person, he jokes a lot and a very generous being. Then what exactly is the source of this problem, so I decided to look into it but it didn't take long before I figure out the source of the issue because even I had to experience it first hand without being told. It was a very painful experience that resulted to an unwarranted decrease in my GPA.*
A picture of me and my colleagues during FYB -Ankara day.
As fun as my school is, there are a lot of cases of conflict among lecturers due to power struggle and personal agenda. among all this is Dr Tejuoso, A dove in the den of lions. His area of focus is advertising, he also an advertising practitioner, owns an advertising agency. Apart from that he teaches print related courses, though I chose to be a broadcast student due to my passion for it, a decision I eventually regretted.
Unlike other lecturers in my department who torture and threaten students with low grades or carry over until we purchase their textbooks, lecturers who take pleasure in failing students so that they could attract their attention. Lecturers who comes to class to add to the burden of student by giving student unnecessary practical assignment that would not be marked. Lecturers depriving students the right to carry out their projects themselves, killing student aspirations in the areas of research methodology by seeking money for project instead of A well conducted research project.
Dr wasiu Tejuoso is not any of that, he believes a school is an avenue for students to acquire knowledge and experience not a place for torture, he doesn't force any student to buy his textbooks. In fact his textbooks are limited, so you will have to rush to the the super market to purchase them if not, you won't be able to purchase any of it. He would never give you an assignment that warrant a student to submit with his or her textbooks.
I have never heard of him having any sort of romantic relationships with students, at least none that I'm aware of. He is the reason why print students have higher GPA than most broadcast student, even if you are a Dullard he would simplify the concept till it becomes easy for you to assimilate. Dr Tejuoso doesn't form hard lecturer by failing students on purpose, in fact you can pass his exams just by reading his notes, that is how much he is willing to go to ensure student academic success.
Due to this other lecturers who engage in this atrocities despised him to the extent that he was never appointed head of department {H.O.D} because they knew the kind of laws he would implement. He was a senior lecturer in my department but he never acted like it because he was the most accessible lecturer in my department. He fought for the rights of the students till he was removed from the position of class adviser, he was wrongfully accused many times for awarding marks to students. A month can't pass by without him facing a complaint from a lecturer, he fought for the rights of the junior lecturers so that they will get the respect they deserved but this only earned him more hatred from his fellow senior lecturers.*
Dr Tejuoso wasiu was a one of kind lecturer in my department, I'm not saying he is perfect but he was better than most lecturers. There was another lecturer like him, a woman of honour, Dr funmi Alakija, she was more formidable than Dr wasiu because despite all opposition against her she made it to the position Head of department for the department of mass communication but she eventually left the position probably due to pressure. She barely stayed around, she goes on vacation a lot.
Dr wasiu Tejuoso was only privileged to go on few vacations but he was awarded suspension a lot but he never stopped fighting for what is right, there was even a time we thought he might lose his job. Despite all this he is still one of the most wealthy lecturer in the department of mass communication in Moshood Abiola polytechnic. Dr Tejuoso was an inspiration to a lot of student, the moment you are in his class you will surely forget about all your troubles because he has a high sense of humour.
But then, nothing good comes free. As a result of his kindness towards junior lecturers and students he was nominated for best lecturer of the year for the 6th time when I was in HND 2. There was another lecturer that was nominated butI won't be mentioning his name to avoid defamation. This other lecturer was in charge of broadcast student but despite that we broadcast student still advocated for Dr tejuoso despite being a print lecturer. As a result of the likeness and power he had over student, he was quite confident of winning the award he didn't even do anything that might seem like he was campaigning.
A picture of me and my colleagues.
Eventually he won the award which was celebrated by my entire department because we knew he deserved it but what happened next wasn't funny. After few months, a complaint was lodged against him that he was awarding mark to students in advertising which happens to be joint subject done by both print and broadcast students. While Dr tejuoso was facing the committee in charge such matters he was deprived of the ability to mark our exams and grade our practicals. As a result of this most people failed the course and some of us that passed it got low grades. The most tragic aspect of this was that the course was a 3 unit course which had a very huge impact on CGPA.
Though I wasn't aware that the lectures that was pained for losing the award will gang up against the students in such manner but ever since then I learnt not to get dragged into a battle that involves giants because whenever such battles occur it is the grass that suffers the most. Unfortunately in this situation we student were the grass and we were trampled upon.
This write-up was inspired by weekly featured content titled "power and influence" in hive learners community.
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