Last Thursday, I attended the third edition of the rescheduled Ngozi Agbo Memorial Lecture at the University of Lagos put together by the Press Club of the institution. As the lecture progressed, I took out time to look at the students, many of whom did not even meet the late Campuslife editor who passed away a little over two years ago. This notwithstanding, they deemed it fit to honour a young lady who gave them a platform to air their views, or in the words of one of them, “gave us wings to fly.”
After the lecture ended, I engaged about ten of them on the recent happenings within the ranks of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). The verdict I got from them about their umbrella body was totally negative. They not only frowned at the award given the president, they were equally concerned about the plethora of awards being given to politicians of different hues. They specifically mentioned the so called “Mandela Icon Award” granted Chief Olabode George by the North Central zone of NANS.
I also had a phone discussion with Yaqub Eleto, the chairman Lagos chapter of NANS. He did not mince words in denouncing the national leadership of the association. Aside the NANS national leadership intellectual collapse, he pointed out that the various structures of NANS – Zonal, State Joint Campus Committees and even, each students’ union – have either sold out to managements or politicians or lack the requisite intellectual wherewithal to lead successful and genuine struggles for students welfare.
He was piqued by the indiscriminate conferment of awards on politicians by people parading themselves as students. He specifically singled out what he termed a “kangaroo” award granted Bode George which was backed up by a statement released to the media in the aftermath of the award.
Speaking on behalf of the Lagos chapter, he said he “received the notice with great shock that some students from the north central are gathered at the national theatre to honour Chief Olabode George with Mandela Icon Award and to flag off fund raising for Youth and Students Mobilization for Johnathan 2015 South West Zone. We the members of NANS Lagos Chapter as an exemplary students’ body who believe in due process that before any award could be conferred on any Nigerian it must be pursuant to Article 3 paragraph B NANS constitution adopted at the BUK convention 1982; that 2/3 majority of the congress must have adopted the award and the recipient must have contributed immensely to the association.”
Eleto revealed that the national body was not even aware of the award conferred on George! This is how low the once prestigious student body has fallen; it is now an all comers affair where students’ who graduated years ago with Masters Degree strive to “gain” admission again, even for a diploma programme so that they can be at the commanding height of the association. These “professional” students are often the ones that pay courtesy calls on politicians and the ones special advisers on youth affairs find attractive because they make their jobs easy. He alleged that “students from the north central zone got N2 million to mobilise members for the award.”
It is a sad commentary that the Nigerian students’ movement has lost all the radical dispositions it was formerly recognised for. The media is replete with news about in fighting at various levels of NANS leadership. Apart from giving awards to politicians and businessmen, the body is noted for issuing statements in support of one politicians or party or another.
The sad commentary assumes a higher dimension as the association now “endorses” politicians for elective offices; how this has anything to do with affairs on campuses still leaves more to be desired. Prior to this, the NANS leadership had identified with various anti-student, pro-establishment policies including the controversial acceptance of the hostel privatisation some years ago.
One can easily remember the Hembe-led NANS leadership’s declaration for Obasanjo’s third term bid. But should we cast all the blame at the doorstep of the students? I don’t think so. Since they are part and parcel of the society, they only mirror the society. This is where integrity comes in. As I often tell students when I come in contact with them, everything about life is not always about money or material things. Life transcends these things. Integrity and a good name can never be bought with money. A corrupt politician or public office holder will forever wear that badge irrespective of whatever whitewash is used to gloss over his or her records.
Why would UNILAG students decide to honour Ngozi that they never had the privilege of meeting? The answer is simple, she lived for posterity. She birthed an idea that outlived her and opened the doors of opportunities to a number of her former writers some of whom are now employers of labour! This is the major reason she’s been posthumously recognised. This also applies to the thousands out there treading where no one would in their determination to assist the helpless in society.
They are the ones who see through the lies and deceit of politicians; they are the ones who make our leaders uncomfortable by ensuring they are accountable to the citizens; some, like Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka have become the conscience of the nation telling the hard truth to our leaders always.
What I can deduce from the current happenings in NANS is that it has become another pawn in the chessboard of the corrupt ruling class because of the power and speed they have in mobilisation. If I’m right, there are more than four secretariats of NANS each seeking patronage from politicians. The lack of cohesion is evident in a bunch of students coming from the North Central zone to bequeath an award without carrying the Lagos chapter along.
The crises rocking NANS can be traced to the dwindling powers of labour unions in the country which started with the formation of Trade Union Congress (TUC) from the mainstream NLC during President Obasanjo’s administration. The NLC has always been at the forefront mobilising Nigerians, including students, to oppose unpopular government policies like the removal of controversial fuel subsidies.
Equally too, the lack of the ideological base of student leadership on the campuses and their failure to come up with coherent economic, social and political solutions to the myriad of problems confronting the Nigerian state led to their isolation from other mass organisations including workers’ movement and subsequent infiltration of their organizations by the pro-state elements. These elements saw a very fertile opening and they cashed in on it.
Added to this is the conscious role of the school authorities and state agents in destroying the legacy of genuine students’ unionism either by buying over of students’ leaders or using naked force like the cultists, police and victimisation to deal with genuine student activists. Gone are the days when the likes of the late Segun Okeowo, Chris Abashir and others could engage academically with some of the brightest minds. This cannot be said about the present leadership of NANS.
I still believe that a unified students’ body in the mold of NANS is necessary, but not as it is presently constituted. I’m of the opinion that a genuine Nigerian students’ movement must start afresh with focus on the transformation of our campuses and the society in general. Genuine activists still remaining on campuses must stand up and build a new pan-Nigerian students’ movement that will not only defend the rights of Nigerian youths, but work toward a well-funded and qualitative education sector.
This won’t make any sense without an ideological rebirth which is necessary for a genuine students’ movement. Again, this won’t be easy as those benefiting from the present disorganised system would do anything in their powers to maintain the status quo; but it is possible.
