Thread by @GbengaWemimo

I contested for the post of the president of my department when I was in 200 level
I knew I might not win, but I didn’t do it in order to win, I did it to make a statement
Nerds were supposed to be glued to their books and not be moved by other things going on in the society

that was the norm
I was a first class student and yes a bookworm but I was also by far the most popular student on campus at the time
I was organising tutorials at my own free time and I was a campus fellowship executive
I also believe at that time and I still do that there was

no better candidate
The 300 level students protested, they knew I would win and they decided they will not take my insolence lying down
They went to meet the staff advisor for our department and protested to him
He saw reason with them and called me for a meeting
He told me to

drop my ambition
He said he would make life difficult for me if I went ahead and contested in the election, especially if I win
He said “Has your script been missing before”
I said “No sir”
He said “You May suddenly discover that your scripts, especially for my course, may get

lost mysteriously”
He meant it even though he said what he said jokingly
I regard this lecturer quite highly, even till now and even though I felt it was unjust, I dropped my ambition
A day to the election, I withdrew from my candidacy
I still won on Election Day, even though

all the votes cast for me were considered to be null and void
Students in 100 and 200 level voted for me massively
(I had been taking them tutorials and I was very popular among them)
The 300 level guys had three students contesting and the vote of the class was split in three

So they couldn’t win the popular vote
The guy that won had only 76 votes out of 535 votes
As I suspected, he was president only in name
He did nothing tangible during his tenure
I wasn’t voted into any office because it was too late to contest for any other post
This lecturer

Invited me to his office and said “I’d like you to help the editorial team run and the department, I know you can do it but you must trust me when I say to you that getting you elected over the guys in 300 level is not the right thing to do”
I said okay and I did my best in the

Background to ensure the department woke up from its slumber
I got to 300 level and I expected that I’d be the president this time around
I had edited, written articles, helped many students from our department to be better in both their studies and in life
I was being considered

For the role of the President of the student body at large
When election time came, this same lecturer called me to his office and said NO!
Don’t even contest, you’re better off in the background.
I ended up not contesting, this time a lady from 200 level won the election!

She now works with UBA and she is a blessing!
You have to consider my pondering at that time
When i contested in 200 level, they revolted but they gave it to a 200 level right after that!
I graduated!
I joined a church and after some time they started electing their youth

Executives
I threw my hat in the ring
Unopposed
A lady I was dating at the time, the daughter of the pastor of the church went to talk to another brother
She encouraged him to contest against me and he did
He won the election (she campaigned for him vigorously)
Again I lost out!

She later told me she was not convinced I’d be a good president
The irony was this guy that was voted for didn’t do anything at all.
The pastor of the church, after waiting for the youth to come up with a programme for six months, came to church one day and called me to the

Podium
She said she is announcing to the church that I am the Pastor I charge of the youth church!
After the announcement, she invited me to her office and said “Please rally the youth and lead them” (but they have a president, I protested)
She said he is just a figurehead!

Again!
I had to assume the role of leadership over a people who didn’t vote for me
I did the best I could and till today that church regard me not only as the pioneer youth pastor but also as the pioneer youth president.
Why was it that I was unelectable but it was easier for

People to follow my lead after elections?
You have to understand that I really wanted to be the president on both occasions but somehow people or the powers that be didn’t allow it to be
I asked the lady I was dating the same question and she said “power corrupts, it will get

Into your head and you may become uncontrollable especially because you are anointed”
She was wrong
I didn’t tell her that but I understood!
We want to have control over our leaders and if we perceive them to be proud or arrogant in anyway we are scared they will not listen to us

I have led a church, fellowship and many groups as the head since then and I didn’t exhibit the traits they were scared would be my undoing!
Competence, vision, antecedent and track records are important in choosing a leader
Having control over a person is not enough reason to

Derail him from his calling
We all want to control someone we call a leader
You will hear people say “he doesn’t have a listening ear”
What they really mean is “I want him to do my will but I think he will not”
If a leader is doing your will, it means you’re the one leading!”

A true leader will consider the pros and cons of all counsel and do what is best for all.

Good morning,

-GSW-

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