The Stateless State of Our Union By Gbenga Von
WHERE WE ARE GETTING IT WRONG!
“When the foundation is faulty, what can the righteous do?”- Psalm 11:3…
One of the popular reactions on campus once said in my presence to a member of the left that, _“in this union, the minority will always have their say while the majority will always have their way_.” Although the one who uttered that statement felt his position was concealed enough, but as a critical being, one could depict his opinion widely opened enough, that is, himself being one of the majority who would have their way and members of the left who would only have their say. But, practically speaking, the fact that the majority have their way does not negate the minority from being right, we would rather be running into trouble by following multitude to do evil. One of the principles that we know about this union which makes it different from the average bourgeois democracy is the fact that the union through its congress as the highest decision making body operates on the principle of superiority of arguments in making quality resolutions and not by voting, unlike what is allowed in the parliament. However, with the earlier quoted statement above, another principle of the union is being raped which is fast draining the union of its intellectual approach and reducing it to ‘Amala Politics’ of majority decision, ‘Yeas and Nays’ of average Nigerian corrupt parliament.
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When this union administration came on board or even to start, from especially during the election period, many left members campaigned that the union is a pressure group and not a mere departmental association or a project platform, a union champions struggle for the course of its members, it does not carry out projects meant to be done by university administration and the government, because attempting to do this would give those responsible for such projects a free ride of irresponsibility and embezzlement. We were blackmailed and painted as trouble makers, they claimed this is 21st century, a union should not just be meant for struggle but for fine projects. But we then discover that these persons shouting are not taking into cognizance that the oppressions and exploitations in this century is more brutal and very much fierce than any century in the past, which means there is need for a very much fierce, serious and organized struggle to match these attacks as well. The unions in the past struggled, in fact, in better living and learning conditions than we have now and thus, their agitations were more centered on combating the austere national policies and international neo literal attacks, such as the struggle for the payment of workers, struggle against structural adjustment programs, against deregulation and against attempts to introduce fees in tertiary education as well as struggle for freedom of common man and national development. They did not battle in struggle for common light and water. Today, in this century, students are mocked with poor water and epileptic power supply, grievous increment in fees, poor living and learning conditions that has so much choked us not to even have chances to debate against the austere policies of the ruling class, economic recession, high cost of living and non-payment of workers’ salaries. We now have students in this century that if they do not fetch water from well, they would resort into going through bush paths to the streams on campus to get water as if we were in the village or in the savage era. *My question then to the modern unionists so to say and the proclaimers of business oriented union goes does, what is 21st about this century of barbaric intimidation and oppression?
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OAU students’ union, not Great IFE students’ union had a president, under the guise of joining in the race to beat competition and monopoly of transportation and commerce, a problem which was not created by the union in the first place, single handedly went ahead to purchase a bus for this purpose and has thrown the union and the campus at large into a mess and mediocre state. Today, the bus is not only found wanting in serving the purpose claimed for buying it but has equally dragged the focus of students from real burning issues that the union is supposed to be tackling. The SRC now comprise parliamentarians who have neither not the knowledge of what a union is meant for nor do they know why they are elected. We have a union SRC that would call for a parliamentary sitting for the sole aim of just suspension or impeachment of a union officer and then adjourn the sitting without touching issues that really hit the students at heart on welfare, security, academics among others. A union is ‘existing’ and yet its members wallow in forest-like hostels, bedbugs, dilapidated structures and lecture theatres, congested hostels, erratic water supply, extortion of students, mass failure, threats to security, rising trend of cultism, is it not that the union is existing in the shadow of itself?
WHAT MUST BE DONE?
“When there is a disconnection between history and the present, the future is at stake". One of the challenges in the present about our union is the negligence about the past, about the origin of the union itself. The union is established as an ideological driven platform which has its principles guiding it, and if the union must work, if it must be saved, it must return to the depth of its principles. One of which is the need for students oriented union where decisions would be made by the democratic rank and file be it through the congress or parliament. Students must ensure the union is not savaged from a mass based active participation of its members to consistently put things in check. Union officers must continually communicate and give reports of the union activities to the members. If the union leadership from the CEC to the SRC is not performing, the only way out is for students themselves to make them work. Students must continually ensure that the union principles are not raped neither must they be overlooked and as such, the union must be returned to its founding principles which is to foster an organized and tactical approach of struggle for the liberation of its members and the oppressed in the society. The task to save our union is a duty of every rank and file member of the union. We shall overcome!
Read also: NADESSTU to Stage Peaceful Protest
ANTICIPATE CRITICAL AND COMPREHENSIVE REPORT SOON FROM THE BUS INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE!
GBENGA VON is a member of Pacesetters movement; a member of CDHR OAU, the secretary of the alliance of Nigerian students against Neo liberal attacks (ANSA OAU), a member of the SaveOurUnionActionCommittee, a member of the SU investigating committee and writes as a Concerned Great IFE Student.
“When the foundation is faulty, what can the righteous do?”- Psalm 11:3…
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| Comr. Gbenga Von (CDHR, ANSA) |
Read Also: Student Kills Keke Napep Driver
When this union administration came on board or even to start, from especially during the election period, many left members campaigned that the union is a pressure group and not a mere departmental association or a project platform, a union champions struggle for the course of its members, it does not carry out projects meant to be done by university administration and the government, because attempting to do this would give those responsible for such projects a free ride of irresponsibility and embezzlement. We were blackmailed and painted as trouble makers, they claimed this is 21st century, a union should not just be meant for struggle but for fine projects. But we then discover that these persons shouting are not taking into cognizance that the oppressions and exploitations in this century is more brutal and very much fierce than any century in the past, which means there is need for a very much fierce, serious and organized struggle to match these attacks as well. The unions in the past struggled, in fact, in better living and learning conditions than we have now and thus, their agitations were more centered on combating the austere national policies and international neo literal attacks, such as the struggle for the payment of workers, struggle against structural adjustment programs, against deregulation and against attempts to introduce fees in tertiary education as well as struggle for freedom of common man and national development. They did not battle in struggle for common light and water. Today, in this century, students are mocked with poor water and epileptic power supply, grievous increment in fees, poor living and learning conditions that has so much choked us not to even have chances to debate against the austere policies of the ruling class, economic recession, high cost of living and non-payment of workers’ salaries. We now have students in this century that if they do not fetch water from well, they would resort into going through bush paths to the streams on campus to get water as if we were in the village or in the savage era. *My question then to the modern unionists so to say and the proclaimers of business oriented union goes does, what is 21st about this century of barbaric intimidation and oppression?
Read Also: May/June 2017 WAEC Result Out
OAU students’ union, not Great IFE students’ union had a president, under the guise of joining in the race to beat competition and monopoly of transportation and commerce, a problem which was not created by the union in the first place, single handedly went ahead to purchase a bus for this purpose and has thrown the union and the campus at large into a mess and mediocre state. Today, the bus is not only found wanting in serving the purpose claimed for buying it but has equally dragged the focus of students from real burning issues that the union is supposed to be tackling. The SRC now comprise parliamentarians who have neither not the knowledge of what a union is meant for nor do they know why they are elected. We have a union SRC that would call for a parliamentary sitting for the sole aim of just suspension or impeachment of a union officer and then adjourn the sitting without touching issues that really hit the students at heart on welfare, security, academics among others. A union is ‘existing’ and yet its members wallow in forest-like hostels, bedbugs, dilapidated structures and lecture theatres, congested hostels, erratic water supply, extortion of students, mass failure, threats to security, rising trend of cultism, is it not that the union is existing in the shadow of itself?
WHAT MUST BE DONE?
“When there is a disconnection between history and the present, the future is at stake". One of the challenges in the present about our union is the negligence about the past, about the origin of the union itself. The union is established as an ideological driven platform which has its principles guiding it, and if the union must work, if it must be saved, it must return to the depth of its principles. One of which is the need for students oriented union where decisions would be made by the democratic rank and file be it through the congress or parliament. Students must ensure the union is not savaged from a mass based active participation of its members to consistently put things in check. Union officers must continually communicate and give reports of the union activities to the members. If the union leadership from the CEC to the SRC is not performing, the only way out is for students themselves to make them work. Students must continually ensure that the union principles are not raped neither must they be overlooked and as such, the union must be returned to its founding principles which is to foster an organized and tactical approach of struggle for the liberation of its members and the oppressed in the society. The task to save our union is a duty of every rank and file member of the union. We shall overcome!
Read also: NADESSTU to Stage Peaceful Protest
ANTICIPATE CRITICAL AND COMPREHENSIVE REPORT SOON FROM THE BUS INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE!
GBENGA VON is a member of Pacesetters movement; a member of CDHR OAU, the secretary of the alliance of Nigerian students against Neo liberal attacks (ANSA OAU), a member of the SaveOurUnionActionCommittee, a member of the SU investigating committee and writes as a Concerned Great IFE Student.
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