The Joint Campus Committee, JCC, of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, in Oyo State, has called for the immediate reinstatement of the Students’ Union Government by the management of Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo or face the wrath of Nigerian students.
NANS, in a statement by its chairman, Asubiojo Olujuwon (Marshal), said suspension of students’ union activities at SPED, as the institution is popularly known, has led to invasion of students’ areas by armed robbers.
NANS OYO STATE POSITION STATE OF HAPPENING ON FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION(SPECIAL), OYO
16th May, 2019
Following the honest request for intervention on the suspension of the Students’ Union Government and her activities, extortion and harassment of students of the Federal College of Education(Special), Oyo, it necessarily behoves on us to make our stand known publicly, and also update the general public on our encounter with the institution management.
Recall that the management of Federal College of Education(Special), Oyo on the 21st of September, 2017 suspended the Students’ Union of the institution for no justifiable reason.
Despite appeals for the reinstatement of the Students’ Union Government from different peace lovers of the community and well-meaning individuals from different quarters, in the month of May 2018, the management of the institution imposed an unelected set of representatives it named Students’ Representative Committee (SRC) on the students of SPED, Oyo. This led to serious aggression for the elected representatives by students of the college.
It is a general known fact that no form of leadership can be as active, acceptable and effectively functioning as one which is democratically elected by students. One of many problems the suspension of the Students’ Union Government has caused is the recent wave of burglary and armed robbery in students residential areas of the institution. This is saddening and very condemnable.
It is not gain saying that should the Students’ Union Government be in place and actively functioning, such act would have been prevented through proper orientation and advice during the day to day encounter of Union officers with the students.
NANS Oyo state as an ideological administration that believes in consultation before other actions, sent a letter requesting for a courtesy visit to the management of Federal College of Education(Special), Oyo on 8th of May, 2019.
The management however outrightly turned down our request for dialogue through a letter dated 13th of May, 2019 by one Mr Abiodun Badmus, who made it known (in the letter) that he is a Legal Practitioner of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
As stated in the letter, the management rejected the visit to “avoid breach of public peace”. NANS Oyo state felt very insulted and embarrassed with that qualifications. It is wrong for anyone (management of any institution or government) to tag NANS as a body that “breach public peace”. All intervention of NANS in every institution in the country have always be to reposition justice and defend students rights and demands.
One will not but wonder how a polite request for visit (if granted) will then result to breach of public peace.
Equally, NANS Oyo state will never feel threatened by any “legal practitioner” for any legal action whatsoever. NANS is a peace loving association and our members are civil. Meanwhile, we will challenge any form of injustice to any length, even if it demand approaching a court of law too.
Despite the hostile response of the management, notwithstanding, NANS Oyo State shall now deploy waiver in the quest for democratically elected leadership across all boards in all institutions within the state and our priority includes Federal College of Education(Special), Oyo.
The National Association of Nigerian Students, Oyo state therefore call for the immediate reinstatement of the Students’ Union Government by the management of Federal College of Education(Special), Oyo or face the wrath of Nigerian students.
We also call on students of the Federal College of Education(Special), Oyo to stay strong, remain resilient and start preparing for action as freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.
Victoria Ascerta!
Signed:
Asubiojo Olujuwon(Marshal)
Chairman,
NANS JCC, Oyo State Axis.
