The Elders in Kuti Hall told SA to run for the post of Kuti Hall Chairman. Kuti Hall at that time needed a Hall Chair that represented its values. The Hall elders had decided that PA (the other candidate) was best fit for the leadership of a hall like Zik.
ZIK AND INDY
Zik and Indy were hotbeds of political activism and expressions of unbridled adolescence. Those who won elections in those halls did so based on track-records of Societal deviance.
For instance, a fellow called Mojoyin became the Social Secretary in Zik hall because he was the chief sponsor of Mojo viewing shows in Zik hall cafeteria.
His campaign was the easiest in their history – Vote ‘Mojoyin’ for more ‘Mojo’.
SA
SA stayed in the room beside mine and we had known ourselves for quite a number of years. He came to my room and asked me to become his Campaign Manager.
However, there were two issues. He was quite anonymous within the hall and he also happened to be the son of a well-known University lecturer. Engagement with University authorities were not exactly friendly so it would be near impossible for him to fight for the rights of students.
The ‘authority’ issue was his to fix while the anonymity one became my responsibility.
BRANDING
First we had to come up with a tag name that reflected his background as a Law student. Your nick name is what students . Thus SA became ‘Probono Publico’.
THE OPPONENT
PA was an Engineering student like me and was well known for solving Electrical issues in the hall. He was a regular at the ‘Gyration’ events in the Hall and had the required street credibility.
His campaign manager was a good friend and medical student by the name -Pesin. His campaign song was ‘Expression, Expression ai ai o, …’ e.t.c
MOBILIZATION
We had quite a mountain to climb. Mobilization took various forms – knocking on doors, early morning announcements and fliers.
I co-opted my room-mates into the early-morning campaign announcements. ‘Greatest Kutites.. Greatest Kutities…Pro bono,….. Publico, Pro bono…….Publico. This is the voice of SA..’ That was the morning routine.
In the evenings, we would door to door, preaching the gospel of ‘Probono’. The main focus in the evening was the food joint beside the porter’s lodge where people gathered for dinner.
The problem with this campaign spot was that any demand for votes was met by an equal and opposite demand for Bread and Akara.
THE DEBATE.
This was going to be SA’s finest moment. The crowd favorite (PA) was not in any way near articulate as SA. If SA could not prove himself at the debate, our campaign was finished.
We went through the main issues – Security for the Hall, Broken down bathrooms, Prices of food in the Hall, Water supply etc. The job of the candidate is to promise the people ‘heaven on earth’ and we did a good job.
Kuti hall Press released the results of the debate and SA won. PA and his manager went in a panic that made them campaign almost throughout that night.
ELECTION EVE.
One of the Political hirelings in the hall came to meet me. He told me he was a vote ‘mobilizer’ and we needed to bring in votes from Kutites staying off-campus.
According to him, that job would require some money. I parted with N200. (N200 used to be a lot of money)
ELECTION DAY
The first sign that things were going to go wrong was when I noticed ‘Mobilizer’ was working for my opponent. Any time he saw that I was watching him, he would shout – Probono.. The moment I looked away, he would start singing – Expression, Expression…
The votes came in and the Electoral commission did the tallying. SA lost by about 20 to 30 votes.
ELECTION NIGHT
We all retired to campaign Hq in A block. SA gave me a pack of chicken and chips as reward for my efforts.
Mojo: Porno
