President Garrick's Administration, 100days In Office - LAWSANS REACT!!!

An event that has long being overdue, the official swearing-in and administration of oath of office of the current Lawsa executives led by President Garrick Nosa finally took place only last week (March 14th). However by virtue of the "Doctrine of Necessity", and as so empowered by the Staff Adviser, the President Garrick led Excos have been going about the discharge of their normal duties and responsibilities pending the swearing-in. It's been over three months since they took over the reins of power thus ULP went on the "streets" to speak with Lawsans and see their assessment of the government thus far. 
Different strokes for different folks, for they say we all look but see differently. 

Below are some of the reactions we received.

My name is Raymond Ali. I'm a 300level student of the Faculty of Law. 

What's your assessment of Garrick's administration, 100days in office? 

100days in office, well, basically I wasn't around when he did his manifesto but actually I'm not really impressed with what I've seen currently, impressed in the sense that, I expected a lot because even though I wasn't around for his manifesto, I envisage that he is a man of high capability and high standard, so I envisaged he should have done something more proper, at least the sockets in the lecture theaters,  they are long overdue to be repaired, he should have done that 

*Interjects* We are positive he has done that. 

He has done it? How many? Just one? Is this one working? Is that one working? It's not working. I think it's just one that's working. But aside that also, the dress code for law students, I felt something would be done about that also, so that students would be made to adhere strictly to the code of conduct in the Faculty; and also the line of activities that the LAWSA administration is meant to organize, I've not seen any yet, it could be in next semester or maybe this semester...it can't be this semester, it has to be next semester, I don't know what they (Lawsa government) have in mind but I just hope it's something good. 
Generally, I have no beef for the president but his administration, he should just look into it generally and see if he can tackle it and move this faculty to a greater height.

On a scale of "1-10", how would you rate the government so far?

Ali - On a scale of 10, I'd give it a 4.

Who would you say is your best exco?

I don't even know the excos.

Have you paid your Lawsa dues?

Yes I have.

Tell us one thing you like about the administration? 

They like their offices very much, so whenever you go to their office you see them there and that's good.





My name is Ogheneochuko Edafekweru, I'm in 500level. 

100days in office, I don't have much to say, all I have to say is that Garrick has been trying, his tenure has been okay, though we expected more from him but thumbs up to him, he has tried. You can see there are little improvements we've experienced, even when there was no light in some lecture theaters, he did it, so I can say thank you to him for that.

On a scale of "1-10", how would you rate the administration? 

I'll give the administration a "7".

Best exco?

Do I have a best exco? Well, they re all okay, I don't have one.

Worst exco?

None.

Have you paid your lawsa dues?

I don't even know if they paying dues this session.




My name is Odega Queen, I'm in 500level. 

100days in office, I think, that he is doing his best, for now he is trying, there is still time for him to complete what he has started.

On a scale of "1-10", how would you rate the administration?

I'll give it a 6.

What would you say you like most about this administration?

I think they are person's you can meet at any time, they are easily accessible. 

One thing you don't like about the administration? 

They took a very long time before they even started anything, still they are trying.

Best exco?

The President (Garrick Nosa) 

Worst exco?

None.

Have you paid you lawsa dues?

Yes I have.





My name is Mba Friday Obi. I'm in the 400level Constituency. 

100days in office, I'd say to be fair and sincere, he hasn't done bad, at least compared to the previous administration, his predecessors, there's more peace and tranquility in the Faculty than before, in terms of the political sphere but still, the loophole I'd like to point out is that he promised so much infrastructure, I've not seen much but probably that's because he's concentrating on projects that are not physical per se, but so far, so good, he has done very well.

One thing you like about this administration? 

Like I said earlier, I like the peace, I like the tranquility and I like the student - lecturer relationship, it's really great. 

One thing you don't like about this administration? 

Like the previous governments, they made the mistake of making inordinate promises that they can't achieve and that's what we are seeing here now and at the end of the day, that's what's going to be the result.

Best Exco?

I think that would be the Director of Finance, that is, the Financial Secretary (Stanley Umeh) .

Worst Exco?

I don't have one.

On a scale of " 1-10 ", how would you rate garrick's administration? 

I'd say 5.

Have you paid your lawsa dues?

Yes I have.




My name is Akhere Osesiotie Justin, I'm in 500level. 

100days in office, well, I'd say below par, as in below average. 
We had expectations before, basically what he promised, plus we were hoping to see something different from the past administrations but let's say we are not seeing what we wanted.

On a scale of " 1-10 ", how would you rate garrick's administration?

I'd give it a 4.

Best Exco?

The Secretary General. (Ugochukwu Okeleke) 

Worst Exco?

The President. (Garrick Nosa)

What advice would you give to help turn things around? 

First of all, I need to say that it feels like he has given up, like he is not getting the support that he needs, what I'd advice now is that the should forget about the support that he is expecting and do something for LAWSA that can be attached to his administration that he did because right now there is nothing, or else people perception of the past excos would still follow his administration. 

But you realize that the President fixed the lights and sockets in some of the lecture theaters?

It's like telling me that a member of the house of representatives in my constituency came and fixed bore-hole, so I should be happy?
The fixing of the light and sockets is inconsequential. 

Have you paid your lawsa dues this session? 

Well, I've been paying right from 100level till date but I'm yet to pay this session, hopefully by the beginning of next semester I should have done that. 




My name is Lucy Nwabaku Olu, I'm in 100level. 

100days in office, Garrick has been good. You know it's not possible for a leader to come in and clear out all the vices in a government, it takes time, it's a gradual process. 
All in all, he has been good, his excos too, they've done well.
What stands out most for me were the different times he came to our class to look out for our welfare, ask about courses that were difficult for us and all that plus the way he treats us, especially when come to confide in him, he always gives us his time.

What don't you like about the administration?

Our induction dinner. I didn't like it at all. I was not okay with the fact that we paid one thousand five hundred naira and the food was not really something we actually liked, it's not like I'm trying to castigate the caterer or anything but it was not to our taste, aside the food though, every other thing in the dinner was great.

On a scale of " 1-10 ", how would you rate his administration?

I'll say a 7. 

Best exco?

Garrick.  

Have you paid your lawsa dues?

Yes I have.




My name is Joseph Asikpata, I'm from 400level constituency. 

100days in office, for me he has been doing the normal things, nothing out of the ordinary. His campaign promises, we've not really seen anything. It's just the usual. 

What do you like about this administration?

On a personal note, Garrick has remained himself. 

On a scale of " 1-10 ", how would you rate his administration?

I'll give him a 5. 


Best exco?

The financial secretary (Stanley Umeh).





My name is Victor Garuba, I'm a member of the 500level constituency. 

100days in office, I'd say there were many promises and it was because of these promises that's why many people voted him into office but really looking at the achievements of these promises objectively, it's like they are not there at all.

Many people will complain about the lack of funds and all but then again, it's up to the President resourcefulness to seek for funds from people and if he can do this, then probably there will be a head way, as to fulfill all his promises, but if he sits back and wait for Lawsans to pay their dues, which they have not be known for, then I'm afraid nothing will happen. 
After this basic 100days in office, I'd advice that he enters the drivers seat and take control basically. 

On a scale of " 1-10 ", how would you rate his administration? 

I'll give him a 3 or maybe 4.

Best exco?

None.





My name is Edidiong Ekpo, 100level faculty of law.

100days in office, President Garrick is a nice person, I like his humility, the is very humble and he takes everybody along. 
His administration has been cool so far, especially the induction dinner we had, it was splendid, I never expected such. 

What don't you like about his government? 

I don't like the furniture in the secretariat, they are so, so old fashioned, the chairs are sinking in. 
I do not like those furnitures.

On a scale of " 1-10 ", how would you rate his administration? 

I'll give him a 6.

Best exco? 

I'd say it's the Director of Socials (Smith Egharevba) .

Worst exco?

I think it's the P.R.O (Irikefe Kelvin) .

Have you paid your lawsa dues?

Yes I have.





My name is Nare Alarezemo, I'm in 400level. 

100days in office, I really can't  say much, because not much has been done but from the way I'm seeing things he is trying to put some stuff together financially by way of making sure students pay their dues through their course registration, I think that has never been done, so yes, I think it's making sense.

What do you like about the administration so far?

I don't know because I've not seen them in action.

What don't you like about the administration thus far! 

I still don't know!

Best exco? 

I don't even know the excos.

On a scale of " 1-10 ", how would you rate the administration?

I'll give them a 2.

Have you paid your lawsa dues?

Yes I have. 






My name is Cynthia Awele Igho, I'm from the 400level constituency, faculty of law, university of Benin.


100days in office, I've not really seen Lawsa, I don't even know whether Lawsa is existing, apart from the induction dinner which I heard was very good, I've not really seen anything else. 

What don't you like about Lawsa?

Lawsa is not carrying students along, Lawsa is not carrying us along, we don't know what's happening, we don't know whether election is coming, we don't know whether dinner is coming, we are not just carried along. 
From time to time we need to see something, even if it's just - "Lawsa wishes you success in your exams", we didn't see any of that.

Best exco?

That would be the P.R.O (Kelvin Irikefe) .

Worst exco?

I don't know the excos that well.

Have you paid your Lawsa dues?

Yes I have.





My name is Jennifer Philip, I'm in 100level, faculty of law. 

100days in office, I think he is awesome, he is fatherly most especially and he is caring generally. 

What do you like about Lawsa?

They've helped in organizing a few tutorials and all but apart from that, I don't think they have affected my life in a particular way or specially, I'm still waiting for that moment when I can say Lawsa has affected my life positively....specially.

What don't you like about Lawsa?

I hardly know Lawsa, that's me been honest, so when I know Lawsa, when they start affecting my life, then I can say what I don't like about it.

Best exco?

Garrick of course. 

Worst Exco?

I don't know the excos.

Have you paid your Lawsa dues?

Is there Lawsa dues?
I didn't even know. But now I know.




My name is Emmanuel Isioma Owah, I'm from the 400level constituency.

100days in office, I'd say the administration came with a lot of expectations, belief, and maybe based on the abundant promises made by the president, himself, Mr Garrick, and with that abundant belief that it will come to pass and fulfillment, maybe people that dissipated energy towards the election, maybe their hopes are dashed but I still want to believe that there is still time and there is still much more in the offing.

What you like about the administration? 

Garrick may not be a perfect person in terms of how we want him to be, but he is trying his best to discharge this duty as a president and I believe that if we pray and cooperate with him as Lawsans by paying our dues because Lawsa does not have money and they need money to work, of course there should be other creative ways we can go about seeking for funds but first of all, we should be able to utilize the one we have at home...

What don't you like about this administration? 

I don't want to say anything I don't like about this administration, I think that he is doing his best because I supported him and I'll support him to the last.

On a scale of " 1-10 ", how would you rate his administration? 

I'll say 7 to be sincere.

Best Exco?

For me that would be the Vice President (Ogor Azaka).


Worst Exco?

Director of Finance (Stanley Umeh)


Have you paid your Lawsa dues?

Yes I have.




My name is Irene Raphael, I'm a 300level student of the Faculty of Law. 

100days in office, First of all, I want to say categorically that I was never a member of the struggle that brought in the President. 
Now despite that fact, despite the fact that I was on the other team, for once I never doubted Garrick's ability to lead Lawsa, based on the fact that he had the trait of somebody who could lead Lawsa, however the past 100days has shown that his becoming the president is for personal reasons and not for the interest of Lawsans.
I told someone before the election that you'll just be surprised at the end of the day, this young man is doing it just to add to his profile, "I was a once time this" in the university of Benin, I organized this and at the end of the day, I emerged president....
Compared to what was promised during the manifesto days, I'd say his performance is categorically poor.

On a scale of " 1-10 ", how would you rate his administration?

From "1-10", God knows the President should be owing us marks....
I believe if were are to compare, the last administration was better than this. 

What do you like about the administration? 

I like some of the cabinet members that have been trying in their own capacity to mover the association forward. 

Best Exco? 

The P.R.O (Irikefe Kelvin) 

Worst Exco?

The President (Garrick Nosa) 

Have you paid your Lawsa dues? 

No I've not.
Nobody has brought it effectively to my notice until now but even at that, I'm not sure I'd pay because of the way and manner the government is going, I know they'll not use it for anything. 





My name is Lebari Dekina, I'm from the 300level constituency. 

100days in office, to be honest, to my greatest dismay, my rating of this administration would be a "minus one" 

What don't you like about the administration? 

I can't pick a particular thing, still I feel that we've not been able to actually push ourselves out of our shells to do something tangible for Lawsans who believed in and elected Garrick and for that reason I think it's not just the failure of the administration but also that of Law students in general because we are lacking behind in some level of cooperation with this administration. 

What do you like about the administration?

There has been a few event that's of note to me, and they are the P.R.O bulletins, which has brought the faculty of Law out and around Uniben. 
And subsequently, we had a successful matriculation party and induction dinner for the freshers. 
And then the landslide achievements of the Director of Sports, who ensure that prizes were won at the just concluded Dean's games.
So kudos to some of the Excos, they've been able to get some things right. 
But they've not been able to carry Lawsans along, I think that's their biggest weakness. 

Best Exco?

I'll pick three.
The Director of Sports ( Lucky Obahor) .
The P.R.O ( Kelvin Irikefe) .
The Director of Socials ( Smith Egharevba) .
In that order.

Have you paid your Lawsa dues?

No I haven't. 

There you have it. Reactions of Lawsans to President Garrick's 100days in office, some hopeful and full of belief that this government has a lot to offer and can turn things around, others not so positive.

As at press time, due to exams and other exigencies, the President and other Excos could not be reached to comment on their 100days in office, however, we promise to try to bring in a subsequent report, the reaction of the Government to Lawsans and their own assessment of their 100days in office.

Report by gafar.