THE PLACE OF STUDENTS AND STUDENTS UNIONISM IN TODAY’S NIGERIA

THE PLACE OF STUDENTS AND STUDENTS UNIONISM IN TODAY’S NIGERIA

FROM THE STABLE OF NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY, AWKA

She waked up to me that evening like a crystal like diamond, she shaped her teeth in amusement of what I was yet to understand. Most ladies have tried to teach me to become afraid when ladies come to me smiling without reason. But, I am the optimistic type, every news that smile around me always turns out to cause smile to hundreds of those around me. “I am actually a blessing”, I thought. What on earth does she have in mind? I was watching, she was smiling, but yet, I didn’t know the reason why I was watching.

She brought a paper, it looked like a flier of some sort, and the dominant red and yellow colour spoke an interpretation I was yet to understand─ ALUTA STUDENTS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE with the theme: THE PLACE OF STUDENTS AND UNIONISM IN TODAY’S NIGERIA. No doubt, she had a reason to smile, students leadership is worth conferencing and she is giving me an invitation to be part of it. “Oh! I’m already part of it, why should you think that I am out? “, I asked. “I trust you, I am here just in case”, she replied.

The place is wide and like Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Leadership has been described as "a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". For example, some understand a leader simply as somebody whom people follow, or as somebody who guides or directs others, while others define leadership as "organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal".

The students in the making are leaders, and to great extent their ability and to a great extent their ability and their courage is the strength of every nation. Ignorance of the popular saying that the youths are the leaders of tomorrow, most students have taken a great ride of leadership, strengthening the fact that the youths are also leaders of the day! The Nigerian situation is in need of unionism although the political environment tries to give a new and none-welcoming definition of unionism. The power of the ‘Aluta’ is the victory that is ‘acerta’ and this victory can only be achieved when your minds and souls commit a romance. That is why I am part of it─ to let the world understand the place of students and student’s unionism in Nigeria. The Aluta Newspaper leads this ride; the request is for students and the general populace in the students community to come with their demands and questions to achieve a together reasoning and a voice of freedom. We are the leaders of tomorrow!

It is said, ‘if nothing is done about anything, things will remain the way they are”. It is with great enthusiasm and unbridled sobriety that I decided to write on this issue that is of uttermost importance to the welfare and growth of our society and the nation at large.

Student unionism began in 1925 with the emergency of West African Student Union (WASU) and was partly pioneered by some Nigerian students in London. They fought the colonial masters for the rights of Africans.

National Union of Nigeria Students (NUNS) inherited the same idealism from WASU and the student union matched on as a platform of change and of informed activism.

The union then enjoyed support from radical intellectuals and academia. The union leaders were purely idealist and fire brands. Under the leadership of Segun Okeowo, NUNS became directly involved in national politics for proper funding of education for Nigeria students.

They suffered all manners of maltreatment yet remain adamant insisting they are fighting against the forces of feudalism, parochialism and tyranny in our political system.

NUNS suffered all forms of brutality under the administration of a man that see nothing good in Nigeria student and who has zero tolerance to student unionism, General Olusegun Obasanjo. He even placed ban on NUNS but kudos to the administration of Alhaji Shehu Shegari’s that lifted the ban leading to birth of National Association of Nigeria Student in 1980.

Looking back, the NUNS/NANS of old were effective and progressive in line with the nature and place of the Universities at the time as a strategic resource for the production of ideas and manpower for societal growth. Students were at the centre of this as agents of change and leaders of tomorrow with strong stake in the future of the community. But today, students are the centre of cultism, fraud and prostitution.

Aside NANS national leadership intellectual collapse, the various structures of the union- state joint committee and students’ unions have either sold to politicians or lack the requisite intellectual wherewithal to lead successful and genuine struggles of students. While I blame the student leaders, I must also blame the school authorities and the state in destroying the legacy of genuine students’ unionism either by buying over of student leaders or by use of naked force like police and victimization to deal with genuine student activists.

It is time the Nigerian students call these leaders to order and stop them from mortgaging us for lucre. It is time we the Nigerian students start afresh and build a new organization that will base its ideas on transformation of the society from the decadent neo-liberal system that prioritize profit for the rich few against the warfare of the people; to an egalitarism system where the wealth of the country will be collectively used for the people’s need against that of imperialism and its hangers-on in the country polity.

We should understand that obstacle to growth of active unionism in Nigerian campuses is lack of focus and cogent reasons of our struggles. It is time we see reason to uphold the genuine legacies of unity that has once existed and return to the status quo and not just participate in the union’s activities to fulfill our ulterior motives.

As Edward Albee would say, “sometimes it is necessary to go a long distance out of the way (to learn) in order to come a short distance correctly”.

We demand that Unizik stand up for our heroes, the legends are coming home. Aluta Leadership Conference is showing us our legends, some have been sung, some have not, but we have decided to sing, and with our voice in one accord we produce a sweet melody. Fellow Nigerian students, our struggle for better tomorrow continues. 

Aluta Continua, Victoria Acerta!