Active student unionism is gradually returning to the nation’s tertiary institutions.
Following the return of normal academic activities to the nation’s public universities after the long Academic Staff Union of Universities strike, other social activities are also taking off in full swing in many of them.
Besides the completion of the 2012/2013 academic session and the admission of fresh students for the 2013/2014 session, student politics is also on the upswing in many of the schools.
Just name them: from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State to the Lagos State University, Ojo, it has been a season of student union activism and elections.
Particularly at the OAU, student unionism banned in the institution in 2011 has come alive again. Authorities of the university have not only lifted the ban, they have also constituted an electoral commission to supervise the planned students’ election.
The then acceptance fee regime of N20,000 for fresh students and the subsequent protest paralysed academic activities in the school for three months and resulted in the banning of the student body.
The acting Dean of Students’ Affairs, Dr. Lateefah Durosimi, who spoke to our correspondent, confirmed the lifting of the ban.
According to Durosimi, the electoral commission led by Alabi Abeeb has the responsibility to fashion out modalities for the conduct of election.
Abeeb, who also lauded the authorities for lifting the ban, urged his colleagues to gear up for the exercise.
Abeeb said, “Fellow Great Ife students, I am pleased to inform you that the management has lifted the ban on our union. We will be holding our election soon. If you have interest to contest for any post, now you can start you preparations.”
Similarly, the Chairman, National Association of Nigerian Students, Osun State chapter, Awowole Samuel, hailed the decision to resuscitate active student unionism in the university, saying it is long overdue.
A part-four law student of OAU, Ibikunle Isaac, also commended the authorities for lifting the ban and urged students to vote wisely during the elections.
He said, “The three-year proscription was unjust and undemocratic. Now that student unionism is back on campus, it is victory for the students and democracy.
“It is strongly advised that conscious and experienced unionists should be enthroned into the union leadership for the sake of progressive and productive unionism.”
But just as OAU students celebrate the return of unionism to their school, their counterparts at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, have already elected new officials to lead them in the next one year.
The elections, which came after a series of postponement, held simultaneously at the university’s six faculties in Ogbomoso and at its College of Health Sciences in Osogbo. The conduct of the polls was via the Optical Character Reader, which counted the votes.
Areo Ajibola of the Department of Agricultural Economics emerged as the newly elected Student Union Government President. He garnered 2,321 votes, defeating his opponents, Oke Oluwaseun, who got 1,605 votes. The other candidates, Idogbe Adewale scored 181 votes; Lawal Kehinde, 77 votes, and Egunyomi Olusola, 42 votes.
Oyewole Nike emerged as the Vice-President 1; Bello Fatima, VP 11; Adewole Hafiz, General Secretary; Olofinhaka Raphael, Assistant General Secretary; Elegbeleye Sylvester, Financial Secretary, and Ajibola Zakariyyah, Public Relations Officer, among others.
For OOU, it is also a timely SUG elections season. With Ifade Gbenga emerging as the President and Abimbola Ogunbiyi as the Vice-President 1, the students are looking forward to having a fresh verve in student activism in the university.
Students of the school also elected Olayori Ebenezer, (General Secretary); Awobotu Charles, (Welfare Director); Bamgbopa Olawale, (PRO); Feranmi Ayoola, (Assist General Secretary).
At the University of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, a 200-level Computer Science student, Felix Kingsley emerged as the SUG President for the 2013/2014 academic session.
Kingsley defeated five other candidates.
Like OAU, students of the Ekiti State University also elected new leadership after a three-year ban of activism in the institution. They elected Ibitola Victor as the President, while Kadri Olawale, emerged as the General Secretary.
Meanwhile, a Student Representative Council has been inaugurated at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Ogba, Lagos. This is coming about 33 years after the founding of the institute.
SODIQ OYELEKE Writes
