Students Unionism and Political Influence

BEING AN ONLINE LECTURE DELIVERED ON 11TH ONLINE PRESENTATION AND DIALOGUE ON TODAY'S LEADERS FORUM.

TOPIC: STUDENTS UNIONISM AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE.

SPEAKER: COMR. ADEBIMPE KOLADE ABDMALIK

Good evening my gallant leaders and the future of our dear nation.

 My name is Adebimpe Abdul malik Kolade, I'm a "denied" graduate of the crisis ridden Lautech . A student Union member and an intending farmer

So happy to be opportune to be among great people tonight.

Whatever presentation I make tonight is just a personal view and it is subjected to criticism from all angles. Permit me to start the discussion with this

"Everybody has a price, buy not everybody can be bought"

STUDENT UNIONISM AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE

: INTRODUCTION

Student unionism began in 1925 with the emergence of West Africa students union (WASU) and was pioneered by some Nigeria students in London. They fought the colonial master for the right of Africans. National Union of Nigeria students inherited the ideology and they later matched as a platform of change and formed the agenda of being  activists.

The union enjoyed supports from radical intellectuals and academia. The union leaders were pure idealists and columnists and people of high integrity and radicals of culture

STUDENT UNIONISM AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE.

Under the leadership of Segun okeowo, National Union of Nigeria students become directly involved in politics with the objective to relate with government on proper funding of education sector in Nigeria. They suffer all form of brutality and maltreats and remain adamant,insisting on fighting against force of parochial and power of political tyrants.

 Political influence had helped in fighting oppressors using political approach. Late chief Gani fawehinmi was more of a human right activist, lawyer than a political stakeholder. He fought the then students movement oppressor (GEN. IBB) by revealing the war and exposed the weakness of the General to the world and using this as part of the yardstick in the June 1993 presidential election that was said to be the most free and fair election in the history of Nigeria.

NUN suffered all forms of brutality in the adminstration of a man that see nothing students and who has zero tolerance to student unionism.

General Olusegun obasanjo at one time placed ban on all students union activities but thanks to the adminstration of Alhaji Sheu shagari that inflict the ban which led to the birth of National Association of Nigeria students.

We need to understand that, it takes political influence to relate or get the listening ears of a military ruler to see to the plight of Nigeria students.

 Despite the objectives and aims of the founding fathers of NUNS, NANS, and WASU the present union leaders were only on the platform of the never - do-well, the tyrants, oppressors and even those that are not worthy to be called ordinary class governor. There was a case in 2005 where NANS was used to campaign for the third term bid of GEN. Olusegun Obasanjo and was even awarded " Defender of democracy" After the tsunami in the power sector, change in the railway system and social insecurity.

The reason for this barbaric acts was  not unconnected with the facts that the self acclaimed students union leader besiege the house of this oppressor for cheap donation in the name of the union for their own personal use. A university in South West picked or elects a candidate based on the Choice of management and not the students that they will govern.

RECOMMENDATION.

The acts of spending in the students union election should be dismissed, any aspirants found with coloured poster or banner should be disqualified. We believe you are going there to represent our interest, a spending spree is always coming from a sponsor which is Politically  affiliated.

Since when has NANS being governed by undergraduate? A person close to forty (40) years without school identity card will be aspiring for any post under the umbrella of NANS.

Students or followers should be ready to challenge their right against being used as a political tool. Have attended several political meetings as a politician and it should not be mistaken as students unionism

Political approach is allowed when situations warrant such and it should be channeled to appropriate quarters without financial target either directly or indirectly. It has worked and it will still work if it is properly employed.

CONCLUSION.

Aside NANS leadership collapse, the various structures of students union in higher institution have either been sold to politicians, hijacked or lack the requisite intellectuals  to lead a successful genuine struggle.

There was a case of students union leader requesting for mobilization fee from the government because they are bringing the innocent students to the gate of the  said government for protest.

Student leaders who are supposed to be the Joshua's of Today are already in the same ship with our leaders because they are either aspiring for appointment or aspiring to lead the generation of fools.

While I blamed the students leaders I must also blame the school authority and the oppressor by destroying the legacy of genuine students unionism Either by buying over or by use of hijacking, force and victimization

Of students activities.

Since our students union leaders have cultivated the act of accumulating  much wealth to their fat account from the political class, this time we should call them to order and stop them from mortgaging us to liars.

It is time the few reasonable ones and God fearing start afresh and build an organization that will base its objective on transformation of academic sector and welfarism Of innocent students that vote them.

Thanks and God bless us.

Aluta continua!

Amangla awetu!