NANS condemns scrapping of EKSU Students’ union

Following the peaceful protests of the students of Ekiti State University that was well organized and coordinated by the university’s Students’ Union on Tuesday, 11th of April, 2023 to kick against the exploitative introduction of #10,000 (that was later reduced to #5,000 after NANS meeting with EKSU management) late payment penalty fees; the school management announced a two-week shutdown of school activities and an indefinite suspension of the activities of the university’s Students’ Union.

Reacting to the scrapping of the union, The National Vice president (External Affairs) in a statement sent to Peoplesmind reads;

I, Comr. Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, the NANS Vice President (External Affairs), have the following statements to make concerning the decision of the Ekiti State University management headed by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Edward Olanipekun and as regards the conduct of the students via the Students’ Union that resulted in a protest that disallowed every school activity on Tuesday, 11th April, 2023:

1. The executives of the Ekiti State University Students’ Union should have consulted a little longer to see how a lasting solution could be arrived at that will be devoid of protest in any way whatsoever. Dialoguing is never too much and it’s one of the best ways to resolve conflicts, even beyond the academic environment;

2. Asking the students to go home for two weeks in the middle of an academic semester will not be to the advantage or benefit of the Nigerian Student in any way. Other options that will swiftly bring an amicable resolutions should have been considered, putting the interests of the students first before anything else;

3. As regards the penalty fees for lateness in payment of school fees, after our meeting with the EKSU management, the money was reduced from #10,000 to #5,000 but the students still insists that the penalty should be removed completely; and

4. The Students’ Union is the only voice of the students. As ASUU is to the university academic staff, so is the Students’ Union to the student of any University in the world. Therefore, suspending the activities of the Students’ Union indefinitely would amount to making the students voiceless and a lot of things can go wrong in times to come as there may be no link between the students and the management.

OUR STAND IN NANS REMAINS:

1. That the State government should help speed up the activities of the committee set up by Governor Abiodun Oyebanji to see to the reduction of the school fees as earlier promised during our visitation/consultation at his office;

2. That EKSU management should find a means of finding an equilibrium with the students on the penalty fees for late registration and as a matter of compassion give the students more time to get these fees paid;

3. That the suspension of the activities of the Students’ Union of EKSU be lifted and the Students’ Union should be called for a roundtable discussion where resolutions would be made that would enhance a peaceful academic environment;

4. That the school management should help reduce the time of suspension of school activities so that the students could resume to continue their studies considering the time that has been lost to the ASUU strike and other holidays and the setback effect it has on the students already; and

5. That the students leaders in EKSU should be more diplomatic at all times in their approach to issues. Dialogue should be given a lot chances before resolving to ALUTA. EKSU students leaders should know that the process of leading students is a training process for the leadership role in the outside world and our characters and personalities should always be self-checked.

I would love to commend the effort of the Ekiti State University management for always willing to bring a lasting solution to any crisis at all time. My appeal is that the management should endeavour to make the students welfare a thing of utmost priority.

I sincerely want to appreciate the chairman of the university’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kayode Arogundade, the leadership roles he has played since the beginning of this whole school fees saga. He’s indeed a father.

I would also want to appreciate our amiable Mr Governor, for always being a father to us, as he has always given us listening ears and he’s always proffering solutions to our challenges. I will urge that the issue of EKSU school fees be looked into and a lasting solution should be provided once and for all.

VICTORIA ASCERTA!

Yours in struggle,

Peoplesmind