UNION OFFICERS PARTICIPATION IN SOCIETAL POLITICS: WRONG OR RIGHT? BY WHYTE HABEEB, 400L, LAW UNILORIN.

The idea of Students Unionism dated back from1925 with the oldWest African Students Union (WASU) under which umbrella students from West Africa fought the colonial masters and insisted on the rights of Africans to take charge of their own destiny and affairs.The same idealism and students unionism was soon established in Nigeria as a platform for change and informed activism. By 1960, there were few universities in the country but the university system was so well established and so properly linked to the development process in the making that its voice in the affairs of the nation carried substantial weight. The students were also aware of this and it was no surprise that the Anglo-Nigerian Defence pact was aborted solely on account of the objections of students. By the 70s, an increase in the number of universities and other higher institutions of learning, the spread of Marxist ideology on the campuses and an obsession with revolution and change, inspired also by the failings of the post-colonial elite, had given a fresh edge and dynamism to the students movement. The students saw themselves as agents of history and they wanted to make an impact on the history of their society. They enjoyed the support of radical intellectuals in the labour movement and the academia, and found a ready anchor in the ideology of the Left. The students leaders of the period were idealists and fire-brands.The symbol and rallying point of this image of the students' body in the 70s was Segun Okeowo under whose leadership the National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS) became more directly involved in national politics. When the Constituent Assembly was constituted in 1977 to deliberate on a new constitution, NUNS had to be given a slot on the body. During the period, Okeowo led Nigerian students into battle against the Nigerian government on a number of key issues: the funding of education, increase in tuition and accommodation fees and the presence of soldiers in schools to enforce discipline. Negotiations broke down between both parties and the students went onto the streets nationwide in the famous "Ali must Go" protests of 1978. The Federal Military Government responded with anger. It announced the proscription of NUNS and ordered the arrest and detention of Segun Okeowo. Radical university teachers in Ibadan, Lagos, Calabar and ABU who were accused of supporting the students against government and of "teaching what they were not paid to teach" were also arrested, detained and sacked. But the students remained adamant. They insisted that they were fighting the forces of feudalism, parochialism and tyranny. They regrouped and announced the formation of a National Organisation of Nigerian Students (NONS). In December 1979, a new national executive was elected. Both the new NONS President and his Secretary were soon rusticated from the Bayero University, Kano. Students' union leaders in other campuses received similar treatment. In 1980, however, the civilian government of Alhaji Shehu Shagari lifted the ban on NUNS. The students responded by changing the identity of their national body, and hence emerged, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). This body is the parent to all other union in the various universities. For the sake of unionism many students have died in the process; other students were and have been rusticated. The students' struggle has had its own fair share of heroes and martyrs like (Segun Okeowo, Kunle Adepeju, Akintunde Ojo, Chima Ubani, Chris Abashi, Emma Ezeazu, Chris Mammah, Labaran Maku, Banji Adegboro, Ben Oguntuase, Lanre Arogundade, Omoyele Sowore, Olusegun Mayeigun) who tasted battle and stood for principles in the many theatres of war (anti-SAP and removal of oil subsidy riots between 1989 and 1991, June 12 protests, anti-military campaigns etc) where and when Nigerian students stood beside labour and other prodemocracy groups to insist that Nigeria can be governed differently for the benefit of its citizens. The situation of student union has in recent years taken a dramatic and very surprisingturn around. Nowadays student unionism in some schools is but a lame duck and a toothless bull dog while in other schools they are nothing but oppositions to their school authorities, and to worsen the situation the umbrella body National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) has been transformed into a sycophantic cabal. NANS, and virtually the entire Student Union Government (SUGs) of our institutions of higher learning, have turned themselves, amazing, into beggars and praise singers of unpopular individuals in the country. This we all know is far from the basis of students union.

Though some students have expressed opinions that it is so bad for student unionist to get involve in societal politics, others have also expressed the fact that there is nothing bad in union officers getting involved in societal politics since they are the leaders of tomorrow. Speaking on this is Abdulsalam Abdul Lateef UNILORIN 400l, Lawhe said the interference in societal politics marks the beginning of the fall of the grace of Nigerian student unionism. This act of intervening in societal politics dated back from the time of Obasanjo when the then leader of NANS Kenneth Orkuma Hembe made a public pronunciation that the Nigerian students have endorsed President Olusegun Obasanjo for a third term in office.He made the pronouncement the same day President Obasanjo pledged a N5Million personal donation for the proposed national secretariat of the students association. The two events were not coincidental, and one can be bold to conclude that for N5Million the former President bought the conscience and intelligence of Nigerian students. Union leaders should be role models and they should shun corrupt acts.In most recent times student union leaders have ridiculously resorted to dashing out unmerited awards and acclaims to those in government and their cohorts for the primary aim of deriving monetary gains. By so doing, student unions have absurdly relegated themselves and have totally lost their bearings. Students have no say again that is why they are been cheated by the government and that is why the government does not pump more money on tertiary education because whether they add or deduce from it, no student union leader dare complains because they receive some tokens at the expense of the welfare of their fellow students.It is wrong for them to participate in societal politics. Amire Oluomo, 400l, Law UNILORIN opined that if you look very well in to the Students Union Activities (Control and Regulations) Act, 1990, you will find out that students activities are within the confine of the university walls and not outside. What we see today is the reverse, a total violation of the Act and nobody is doing anything to prevent such act. Our Union officers forget their primary assignment the moment they are sworn into office, all they do is to get their way to the government house and serve their pockets. Most of us saw what happened in the last election, at least if we do not see what happened with our bare eyes, we heard of how students union officers were given money by notable politicians to share among fellow students. Blackberry phones and Laptops were given out also to the union officers and how several meetings were held closed doors in big hotels in town, all in the name of politics. This is bad. The Union should be a good platform for the development of societal politics and not a ground to test run corrupt acts. Most of us could not complain neither could we fight the union because they are strong and they have internal influence and support than us. Union officers should act as vanguard if change and not destruction, they should ensure that this politicians should be brought down to our universitys gate and not the market square. Politics is good but it should be a game of service and not pocket. It is wrong for them to participate in societal politics. Surajdeen Alabede, 200l, Geography UNILORIN said looking back, the Union 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 the fact that the student national bodys 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. With this, students union officers and students generally are left with no choice than to participate in the societal politics for gain and external support. They get involve due to pressure even though it is not good but for protection it is good for them to do same. If they collect money and do the right thing it is good but if they do otherwise it is bad. It is right for them to participate in societal politics. Muhammed Abdullah, 300L, Law UNILORIN said that the society is corrupt and cries for change. Youth are the pivot of reformation and with their enthusiastic and youthful spirit, they can set the train of societal transformation in motion. Students' union officers should be a collection of the most vibrant and conscious members of the university community, and thus fit for the job. All too frequently, we lament of bad governance,

but we never take a step to contribute our own quota towards a better tomorrow. Rather than watch as things unfold, we the youth should dictate how history is told. And the only way to do so is for students union officers and all youth by extension to partake in the governance process. The students however should be careful so that they would not be used as agent of destruction but for change. It is good for students to participate in societal politics. He concluded.