So I read that National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and some CSO are planning a solidarity protest for the Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki. The Code of Conduct Bureau Tribunal (CCBT) had invited Senator Saraki to defend discrepancies it noted in his (Saraki) declaration of assets but the latter had shunned the Tribunal sitting which informed the decision of the Tribunal to order for his arrest.
He is expected to be produced before the CCT by the police tomorrow, Monday. All things being equal, the leadership of NANS will tomorrow stage a protest against what it termed witch hunting of the embattled Senate President. In Nigeria, no matter how corrupt you are. No matter the degree of your wrongdoings, you would usually find other bodies who would fight tooth and nail to support your wrongdoing — all you require is money or power — Saraki has got both.
It is disappointing that a body meant to represent the interest of Nigerian students has over the years lost its focus, such that one keeps wondering the essence of the continual existence of NANS. When did Saraki become a member of NANS? Is he a Nigerian student? And on what ground would the so-called NANS, led by one apparently old man who parades himself as president of the students’ body, say they are so concerned about this? They say it is witch hunting… is Saraki a witch? And who are the witch hunters? Has Saraki been condemned by the court? There are discrepancies in his claims and the CCBT, as provided by the constitution, simply summoned him to come and explain. What is Saraki afraid of? If he is an anti-corruption agent, and he is being persecuted for being a saint, why did he seek an injunction to stop himself from appearing before the Tribunal? Am I surprised that NANS could do this? Not exactly. Student Union Governments (SUGs) are a replica of typical Nigerian governments. Few months ago, we voted en masse to chart a new course for our bleeding country and we are gradually seeing the results. Why has NANS, which consists of Nigeria’s future leaders, failed to realise that a new sheriff is in town? Just last week, it was reported that an SUG, in its budget, earmarked over 1 million naira for phone calls?
Do they want to call heaven ni? So, what would NANS say their concern is? When was the last time NANS protested for the cause of Nigerian Students? Students are being harrased by lecturers, hostel living condition horrible, students die owing to the negligence of school management or government and so on, I have not heard anything from NANS.
I guess it is high time the name of the Association was changed. NANS should be changed to National Association of Nonentity Scallywags.
END
Gone are those days when students were students. These days most of these ppl u find on our campuses are layabouts with no specific agendas on these campuses. If our previous governments had insisted on following the students rules to the letters and parents had supported them all these ready made hired thugs on our campuses would not have existed.