…says practice of dismantling democratically elected student’s union leadership no longer acceptable

By Joseph Erunke, ABUJA

The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has declared what it termed as “total war” against further increase in school fees by universities, polytechnics and other tertiary institutions in the country.

The students body also said it would no longer condone the practice of dismantling democratically elected students union leadership and substituting them with caretaker committees.

NANS president, Lucky Emonefe, speaking Thursday, in Abuja, during inauguration ceremony of the new executive members of the union, also vowed that the organization under his watch, will stand against institutions that are found in the act of victimization of students.

He thanked Nigerian students across the country for entrusting him with their mandate to represent their needs and aspirations, vowing that he would not let them down.

He said: “It is with great honor that I address you today as the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS. I express my gratitude to the Nigerian students for entrusting me with this mandate to represent their needs and aspirations.

“We are deeply concerned about the increasing school fees in many tertiary institutions across Nigeria.

“Therefore, NANS declares a total war against these fee hikes. Henceforth, these practices will no longer be tolerated. Nigerian students should prepare for this collective struggle.

“The practice of dismantling democratically elected students’ unions and substituting them with caretakers is strongly condemned and will no longer be condoned. This organization under our watch will stand against institutions who are found in the act of victimization of students. Their time is up! Under my leadership, NANS will not tolerate campus militarization by 21st-century fascists. The autonomy of every SUG President remains sacrosanct.”

Speaking further, he said: “Recognizing entrepreneurship’s importance towards self-reliance while studying, we have partnered with Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), INTERNSIFY AFRICA – a global tech company among others – to provide training and empowerment opportunities.

“Our aim is to equip students with practical skills and resources to earn a living and become employers themselves because education should contribute meaningfully towards society development beyond acquiring knowledge alone and whenever a student is empowered financially, studying becomes more robust and comprehension becomes easier.

“As the voice representing Nigerian students’ interests, we will speak out against any form of injustice or oppression unreservedly. We call on all individuals responsible for the education sector obligations fulfillment to deliver according to the expectations placed upon them.

“The problem of insecurity, specifically kidnapping, has deeply affected our society. We have consistently urged governments at all levels to take strong action against these threats, and we will continue to do so. We can remember incidents like the Nasarawa crisis involving a lecturer and the kidnapping of school children in Ekiti State, which do not represent our national values. We will continue to speak out against these terrible acts until they are eliminated. Let us work together within our communities to ensure that this wave of insecurity disappears completely. The government should find ways to protect educational institutions and the communities around them.

“Our beloved nation currently faces an economic crisis; however, we remain hopeful that we will emerge stronger and better. It is essential for authorities to consider present realities before making drastic decisions. We implore the government at all levels, corporate organizations, and philanthropists to, as a matter of urgency, support the Nigerian Students by empowering us in any way and also through the provision of palliatives geared towards ameliorating our present conditions

“I want to assure you all that together with stakeholders’ collaboration, the Nigerian Students community would thrive excellently under our watch.”