Yaba College of Technology popularly known as Yabatech, the number one practical tertiary institution situated in Yaba, Lagos-Nigeria has appointed the institution's one-time Dean of students and Deputy Rector (Admin) Dr. Omobayo Taofeek Raheem as the new institution's Director of the centre for information, Communication and Public Relations.
Dr. Raheem is a communication expert who has served the institution as one of the best lecturers who taught Students with his maximum commitment, he is fondly call 'Baba-Ewe' which is translated to the Father of children due to the father and children relationship he built.
After the appointment by the School Rector, Dr. Ibraheem Adedotun Abdul, our correspondence in an interview with one of the students in YABATECH described the happening as a big one, he said "I can testify that the Rector has not made any blunder by appointing Baba-Ewe into this office."
The Student which name is withheld also said that "The institution has been the number one among others and for the continuation, the school need this team, the Rector and Dr. Raheem is a good combo to take the institution to the next level and I promise you that they will deliver well"
However, the president and the publisher of All Campus Show (ACS) Busuyi Ojo-Jobus has congratulated Dr. Raheem. Our correspondence also had a chit chat in an exclusive interview with the new appointee, Dr. Raheem, ACS discovered Dr. Raheem has huge strength for communication and clear explanations. In the exclusive, we had full details of his visions and readiness for the work as his priority is to use the office to promote the reputable name 'YABATECH'
ACS: (After exchanging pleasantries) Congrats one more time sir, we would want you to help us out with a clear explanations on some of the questions on my list for you sir
Dr. Raheem: Thank you so much... Okay no problem.
ACS: Being the Director for Centre of Information, Communication and Public Relations if YABATECH is a very big one, I want to know how you feel sir.
Dr. Raheem: It is great to be given such an honor, to be given such a responsibility, when people see you are dedicated, that you are focused, they will put you where you can deliver effectively. I have been consistent and dedicated, diligent and hardworking in the the system and morally upright, these are the kind of things any Rector will want to look at. The rewards of hardwork is more work, So I see it as a job and a task to be done, God willing.
ACS: Thank you very much sir, this goes to the next question.
Which area do you think the office lack strength, that you would like to channel focus?
Dr. Raheem: Image making is very Important to any institution and any corporate system that you cannot toy with it.That is the area I am focusing on, I have seen over the years that the media likes to focus on the negative aspect. People want something extraordinary, they want to see something strange they can report to the world, for example, if dog bites a man, it will not make news until a man bites a dog, we don't have to wait for rape harassment, cultism or ritualism in the institution before we report, when people are doing well, report it. Media needs to change their perception of what they report to the world. It is not until you get negative perception that you go to press. Go to the past and see what we have done well that need publicity, this good image thing is an area I want to focus on.
I want them to know through social media we can project our image. In terms of personality, we have good lecturer that are dedicated doing well in their job both full time and part time.
We have a very small area in Yaba where the institution sits, I can say we are very much chocked here.
As small as this place is, we are doing our best and the government have been commending us, they are commending us by giving us jobs that can further elevate and promote the image of the college.
We have another campus in Epe, That is why I said we are rather chocked here, If you go down to our Epe campus, you will be surprise how far we have gone there. Several structures have been built there, We have a fine road network and you will be surprise these are what I expect media to project, they are waiting for something strange.
Therefore, through social media to project good Image and branding of the college, so that everyone that hears Yabatech will know we are the best.
ACS: Sir, what support do you need from the management, students, Government and the public to achieve these?
Dr. Raheem: Support from the management is enough, because they have appointed the right person to the right position. I have decided to appoint some management to assist me.
The Government has been trying, we still have some land in our Epe campus where we can build some structures. Looking at the students applying for the college, the population per session rises up to tens of thousand, space is needed to admit more students.
Then we deal with the bad ones within us, every institution has good and bad, so we fish them out and treat them the way they should be treated and report them to the government, we have the power to remove them so they do not tarnish our image.
Let government continue what they are doing for us, we need constructions, we need staff in certain department, so we need approval to employ more, both lecturer and non teaching staff.
Even in my directorate just created, I need some assisting staff, I need support staff, admin officers in this department to achieve our goal.
And for the student, they are doing fine, I want them to be calm, as a student, you are intelligent, you can read and understand but that not enough, what about their character? You see some of them and be amazed, wearing torn clothes and you be wondering did they tear it?
They believe they are modern fashioned but we need to correct them. they are normal, If they're not they won't be under us. How can you wear clothes exposing your private parts. Our girls wearing chest -less and backless cloth and you think they are wearing sleeves alone. These are things we need to correct. It so sad, this are things we need to condemn. So they do not continue to create errors. The boys too, you see them sagging and some girls sag too.
I see it as something that is nut normal, it looks lack of parenting care, some parents are not doing well in their duty , do not just push them to lecturer and teachers, teach them things they need to know. Let them know what is wrong and right. Teachers and parents are to be partners in progress.