From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
A frontline students’ unionist, Emmanuel Olumide Ajao, has called on the government and strategic stakeholders to invest more on human capital development of Nigerian youth towards overcoming the pathetic state of education in the country, which, he said, has been rubbing off negatively on the level of collective economy of the people.
He made the appeal in his declaration for the position of Coordinator, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone D (South West), on Monday, ahead of the association’s forthcoming zonal convention.
According to him, the state of the youth “determines the values of workers needed to build a great economy.” On his ambition, he said: “As human, it is quite correct for us to be ambitious, but the drive for our individual ambition is what matters. And, such drive must be towards emancipating the human race and advancing the cause of human development.
“It is no gainsaying that this noble association has had a vertical shift from what it used to be, which is why there is a need for strategic repositioning in order to reposition NANS in the South West strategically to further defend the rights of students on campuses. All what our noble association has witnessed in recent years, most especially in the South West, which is tagged the most ideological zone of NANS, is short of what the association is known for.
“Unfortunately, we now have campuses without Students’ Union structures, spanning into years. We now have situations whereby freedom of
expression is being censored by administrations of higher institutions without a radical response from NANS as a students’ body, which has a historical duty to be protecting and advancing the rights of students.
“It is still fresh in our memories how the leadership of this noble association in the 2000s championed the ACAREF campaign for independent students’ unionism and the inclusion of students in decision-making as far as higher institutions is concerned. This is the time to reignite that campaign, which is one of the cardinal points of our strategic repositioning. As it has been rightly opined, ours is not to lament but to take action. And, this is why we have decided to take the bull by the horns by taking up the task of service towards meeting the hopes and aspirations of Nigerian students as far as the students’ body is concerned.
“There is a present and clear danger of the House of Representatives attempting to make the rights of Nigerian students to free, compulsory, and advanced education a mere privilege with its Loan Scheme. This will do nothing but make students all indebted while fees are made so high. It is pertinent to note that there is a dire need to have a students’ movement that can give directions to students at this critical time. History has bestowed upon us a great moment that deserves the utmost radical roles that can safeguard the future of education in Nigeria.
“Not only that the literacy level has gone down; the pathetic state of education is rubbing off on the level of the collective economy of the people. The state of the youths determines the values of workers needed to build a great economy. It is on this note that I want to declare that a new leadership with vibrancy and robust inter and intra-union congressional structure is very needed.
“I call on all union structures and senators to vote for a new dawn at the next Zone D Convention for strategic repositioning of the association because we need a reliable team and leadership that students would trust with the defences of their fundamental and education rights.
“I promise that this leadership will entirely return the power of students congresses and show examples by standing unalloyed and stout in defence of true radical politics that would truly build a virile education and advocacies for Ivory Towers, which would put students and workers first, while also deploying the best democratic and diplomatic instruments in dialogues with school managements and all government structures.”