Stay Cheesed Up

This month, Obalola’s Trybe is back with gist that comes with a twist. Join our speakers as they take you on a journey through their life experiences, revealing stories that will challenge the way you see things in Uni.

Student politics is often seen as a space where merit, hard work, and the will of the people determine success. But beneath the surface lies a deeper reality—one shaped by influence, loyalty, and unspoken power plays.

I’m O.I, and I’m taking you inside my journey through LASU politics—the lessons I learned, the forces at work behind the scenes, and how real power operates in the system.

My first real encounter with campus politics came in 200 level when I sought a seat in the Lagos State University Students’ Parliamentary Council (SPC). On the surface, the process seemed simple: interested students submitted their names through the class representative before undergoing a screening. But I soon realized that the odds were against me. With over ten students vying for a single slot from my department, the selection process wasn’t just about eligibility—it was about strategy.

Understanding the game, I approached my class representative personally, fostering a connection and building rapport. In the end, only my name was submitted from my department, securing my place in the council. That was my first lesson in student politics: beyond qualifications, relationships and strategic positioning determine who gets ahead.

As a member of the SPC, I quickly learned how power truly operated. The election for Speaker of the Council was a defining moment. A close friend, HT, had declared his candidacy, and I had pledged my support. But as the election approached, I noticed something unsettling—key decisions were being made behind closed doors.

At the election venue, a senior student leader from my faculty casually mentioned that they hadn’t yet been “told who to vote for.” The statement caught me off guard. Wasn’t voting supposed to be an independent decision? Moments later, one of the candidates approached me, seeking my vote. I listened out of courtesy but remained committed to HT.

Then came the real power play. My faculty leader returned with explicit instructions: we were to vote for the same lady who had just spoken to me. The directive had come from a man named G.W —a former student leader who had long graduated but still held an iron grip on LASU politics. His word was law, and opposing him meant risking future ambitions.

The election results were predictable—the candidate backed by G.W won in a landslide. It was clear that the real power did not rest with the voters but with those controlling the system from behind the scenes.

This experience left me with a question: Is student politics truly democratic, or is it just a structured system where influence dictates outcomes?

In reality, many elections are decided long before voting day—through alliances, loyalty, and power brokers who shape the landscape.

Over time, I found myself frequently clashing with G.W. I resented how he controlled elections, favoring loyalty over competence. But politics—whether on campus or in the real world—operates on a harsh truth: you are either part of the system or standing against it. And when you’re outside, it’s easy to criticize; when you’re inside, you learn to navigate it.

For anyone aspiring to enter student politics, the lesson is clear: success isn’t just about passion or competence. It’s about understanding power structures, knowing when to align, and deciding how far you’re willing to go to challenge the status quo.

At the end of the day, who really runs campus politics? It’s rarely the students. It’s those who mastered the game long before you even knew it existed.

That’s it for this week, Trybe! Stay woke, stay focused, and don’t let anyone dim your light. We’ll be back with more fire tips, real talk, and all the gist you need to level up in uni life.

Till then, stay cheesed up.

XOXO,

The Trybe Newsletter Team

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