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The involvement of Kogi State government appointees in students unionism (Igala Students Association) is a misplacement of priority.
Foremost, with great humility, extreme sobriety and solidarity, I implore the state government to go through this correspondence with great sense of objectivity and give it a swift demonstration to avoid loosing weight come 2019.
Yesterday at the electioneering ground, a friend of mine said and I quote; “Students’ activism can no longer be perceived in our schools, perhaps Students Unionism will die during governor Yahaya Bello administration”. I exclaimed, and been an intellectual, I queried as to why he made such proclamations, or rather, assertion. My better by far Governor, he said; “I have travelled far and wide and I am abreast of all the happenings on Nigerian campuses.
“My idea of the Students’ Unions was a union which comprises a group of students with similar goals and objectives echoed in one voice. Alas, my definition or description of Students’ unionism has long been reviewed by the Student unionists, as a body comprising of students who delve mistakenly into school politics to amass wealth for themselves, drive around our campuses in luxury van, and live in well furnished rooms despite the lamentable state of fellow Igala students.
“Sadly, Students’ unionism has been typical of an oxymoron because studentship in recent times has dissociated itself from the essence of unionism. It is quite lamentable and laughable that problems in the Igala Students Association brewed as the population of students increases in tens over the times. The offices of students’ union officials have become too juicy, leaving Igala students in the hands of leaders who are shoddier. Leadership ought to be purpose driven and not that which is backed by financial appetite.”
He went further as he quotes Albert Einstein when been offered the position of Israel presidency, he declined the offer saying “he lacks the natural aptitude to handle official matters’’.
After today’s election, it’s pathetic that the case of student’s leaders in Igala Nation today is quite different from what they originally envisaged, as they are sponsored by godfathers in government’ governing council or “over graduate students”. All these has given rise to mediocrity and electoral fraud in Igala Students Association.
The interference of state appointees in students’ politics is also a plague to students’ activism, the level of nepotism that is played in Union is colossal as certain positions are reserved for students of host government. Often times in our communities there are clashes between State anointed candidates and the students as the case may be. The appointees have become determining factor of the lives of young students who are christened “leaders of tomorrow”.
Finally, while it’s an eye opener to all and sundry to collectively work together and settle their differences, it is imperative to note here that it is unwise for the government officials to interfere in students Unionism hence I implore them to disengage from it subsequently to avoid loosing more weight from students who are the electorate come 2019.
Students should decide who govern them not, the government officials.
Compliment of the season.
– Comrade Abdulkadir Bin Abdulmalik
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