The feeling of euphoria that surrounds the annual departmental week organized by Olabisi Onabanjo University departments is not being felt this year. The presence of COVID-19 made physical contact to be cautioned in various part of the world. Olabisi Onabanjo University also made effort to comply with the Covid-19 safety precautions, thus, occasioning the suspension of the annual departmental week of the 2019/2020 session.
Departmental week, is a non- academic week where students of each department in the school are introduced to the opportunities that exist in their department. The aim is to create familiarity with professional bodies that exist under each department.
Adu Ayobami T, the President of ASSESA describes the departmental week as ”a week whereby both the students and lecturers come together to foster unity amongst each other". It is a fun week filled with various activities which varies across department such as Welcome back to school, sports day, rally, cultural day, symposium, talent show, literary and debating competition, and prize given.
Aduragbemi aka AFC, the president of Banking and Finance said, “departmental week get students inclined with what the department entails". Departmental week rekindle communion and unity among departmental students, lectures and external bodies that exist in each department.
While discussing with Campus Mirror, Adu Ayobami expunged some of the challenges facing departmental week to include, fixed lectures by lecturers against the presumption that the week is lecture free, carefree attitude of some students and funding which he describes as "one of the major problem".
The issue of Covid-19 has occasioned a new atmosphere in the world with its presence by changing the order of things. Physical contact which enforces a communal spirit is not tolerated at this period. The departmental week isn’t an activity that could be organized virtually thus, its suspension for the 2019/2020 academic session. In the words of Adu Ayobami T, he said “It is just for one or two reasons: The COVID 19 protocol organized by the school..(no gathering of over some numbers of students) and the school resumption which was in batches, so it will be difficult for students to gather across all levels”. Students look forward to the next academic session in hope that the burden of Covid-19 would have lessen thus, organizing the annual departmental week.
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Despite the suspension of the 2019/2020 departmental week in OOU, some departments still held their annual dinner and award night.
The students look forward to the next academic session with hope that physical classes will commence.
Well said
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