A Union We Can Call Ours - Adedapo Taiwo Emmanuel-Network

 

 

Adedapo Taiwo Emmanuel -Network.

"In time of political unrest,  visit history to resolve the mess. In time of political harmony, visit history to  prevent the mess."-Wole Soyinka.

The rationale  to pen down this  piece has been goaded by the concerned for the great Ife students to have a union they can call theirs, not a union governed by the management or by political errand boys disguising in students' form. It behooves on us all to examine  any student coming out to represent students based on his or her inclinations and devotions to the interest of great Ife students. Equally, we can't afford the labor of our heroes past to be in vain; mostly,  the  massacred students of July 10, 1999.

 

The fons et origo of Students' unionism have its birth out of selfless and the struggle for collective interests. Tracing its etymology, the students unionism in Nigeria can be classified into two phases- pre- colonial and post colonial era. Its evolution began in 1925 under the aegis of the then West African Students' Union (WASU), under the leadership of Ladipo Solanke and Herbert Bankole-Bright and its inspiration led to the formation of National Association of Nigeria students (NANS) in 1956 and was championed by Nigerian students schooling in London.

 

The first era was a fight with colonialists. The pioneers of students at its inception were highly militant in nature with students-focused ideologies, this era led to the emergence of patriotic  national leaders.

 

At the nascent stage of students' unionism, we had students who were focused to resist the oppressive tendency of management and inhumane government policies. Students leaders then were highly focused and intellectually conscious and dogged in the field of struggle.

 

At the early phase of post-colonial era, the struggle were handled by selfless students' activists. Though, the use of police brutality and other armed forces has weakened the spirits of students' activists. Evidence  seen from the police brutality of the students that participated in Ali must go protest of 1978, which led to the death of 8 students with many injured and the proscription of NUNS by the federal military junta led by Olusegun Obasanjo.

 

It benefits us all to know that selfless pursuit of students' activism (through demonstrations /  protests e.g. led to the Operation Gowon Must Go of I974, UNIBEN demonstration of 1976, University of Ibadan riot of 1971 and Ali must go Etc. Against the military junta, led to the ban of National Association of Nigeria Students (NUNS) and the subsequent formation of the current National Association Of Nigeria Students' (NANS) in I983.

 

To further the above points, many factors  like force and coercion by government led to the slope sliding of students' unionism in Nigeria. These and many other factors have worsen  students'   struggle.

 

How do we have a students' union we can call ours? The students should restrict any evil instruction of the authorities in the electoral process because authority can go to any length to make sure the union has a non- working executives by intervening  in the electioneering processes. Without attacking any personality,  we have seen such act in the previous administrations, I mean the union has had working and non- working executives and the pain and gain we know.

 

 To further the above points, students should wake the dying culture of "Aluta militancy" the used of militancy above means " the use of favorable and confrontational methods in support of a cause." In broader and clearer perspective, students' interests  are better secured when the leading students embraced the spirit of militancy, because the word fears the institution managements. As exemplified by some great Ife Students' leaders, Like Adeola Soetan, Yinka Odumakin, Lanre  Legacy, George Iwilade (Africa) and Paul Alaje to mention but a few of them.

 

Another tactic we can use as students to have a union we can call ours is  "Unity" as rightly said, “united we stand, divided we fall.” We students should unite on the same cause  and fight for our common interests without external factors, be it management or  politicians. Students should be united and highly focused towards actualizing their common goals.

 

"It behooves on us all Great Ife Students to have a union we can call our Union."