Student Unionism: The Deviation From The Main Purpose Of Establishment
“Our lives begin to end the day we keep silent about things that matter.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
Students’ Union started in Nigeria and Africa at large as a struggle against colonisation, racial segregation, and bad policies of different School Management. In every Tertiary Institution, this body is always the apex body that represents the students’ intrest without even sidelining any student from enjoying his or her basic rights.
Historically, the first Students’ Union body that was established in the whole of West Africa was West African Students Union (WASU) in 1925 and was formed by Twenty-one Law students. This organization was first headed by a Nigerian known as Ladipo Solanke. It gave a maximum signal to the white colonial masters that African students were tired of their racial segregation in the educational aspect of life and thereby demanding for equal opportunities. To avoid digression, this body has taken an aberration move of unconsciousness in the last decades up to the present one, particularly the apex association of Nigerian students known has National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) which was created in 1983.
Tremendously, Students Union in Nigeria has been an instrument of going against the preposterous policies of School authorities which are, and will be affecting the welfarism of students populace. However, it is easier to notice and aptly seen that the leaders of this body are moving to the path of unknown and unheard purpose of creation. They have seen these positions that are available for them to fight for the interests of the Students as an avenue of adding fame to their fame, violating the rules of an institution, working for Nigerian politicians and standing incongruently on the rights of their fellow colleagues.
Moving further, the most frantic part of this issue is that: they’ve honourably turned the mantle of leadership to an instrument of cultism and also a huge opportunity of swallowing the dues paid by their fellow colleagues like a hungry anaconda. It is even seeable to the blind that their various campaigns are abysmal, especially when soliciting for a position in order to get elected; they attack each other violently instead of engaging each other cerebrally. The mystery element is the reason why they vilify Nigerian politicians without letting the drive to modern governance and Nigeria of our dreams start from them.
Well, maybe we shouldn’t blame them, just maybe. The apex body of these Unions (National Association of Nigerian Students) has even deviated from the purpose of establishment; they are now the working tools of Nigerian politicians and thereby focusing on unnecessary politicking. It’s disheartening and brain disturbing that the body students are relying on are working effortlessly to change nothing on welfarism of Nigerian Students. It would be recalled that the former NANS President; Comrade Bamidele Akpan swallowed a reportedly amount of 80 million naira before he was shamelessly dismissed by the association. This fund was meant to be for Covid’19 support for Nigerian Students. Should we say Nigeria can’t be great again? Because these are the people whom we are expecting humongous and diligent positive bresults from; alas, they are even dire than the present Nigerian political leaders.
Back to the crux of the matter, different School Authorities might be harsh with their policies but there are ways to engage them to bow to students opinions; not engaging in violence or going on boycott strategy everytime. This is even making things to get worsened every now and then. Most of them feel once they’ve emerged as a leader they have the right to violate academic rules of a school. No, you can’t have a say when all you have to offer is the usage of violence to achieve desired intrests. Why are they behaving like an educated illiterates? Have they forgotten Professor Wole Soyinka with his usage of his oratorical prowess back then when he was demanding for Students’ rights?
Conclusively, the menace of students unionism can be changed if the purpose of creation has been fully comprehended by the ruling leaders. They should go back to the history books and learn about the past, so they can change the future. If they can’t learn from the past, then the struggle to achieve a better Nigerian institutions will be monotonous to achieve. “He who knows nothing about when he was born remains a child a forever”. – Ciccero
Written by Olukokun Yusuf Olumide
