*DSM
and ERC members shall remain undaunted in the struggle for proper funding of
education and independent and virile student unionism
The
attention of members of Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) and Education
Rights Campaign (ERC) University of Ibadan (UI) branch, have been drawn to the
nomination of Comrade Isaac Ogunjimi, the Secretary of DSM/ERC-UI for the award
of the best students activist of the year by Mr. Nifemi- led students’ union
administration.
We
believe that comrade Isaac’s nomination for this award is not unconnected with
his radical opinion, activities and single-minded devotion towards the struggle
for the defense of the welfare interests of the University of Ibadan students and
staff as well as for improved funding of education and virile and independent
students unionism.
While
the goal of DSM and ERC members in struggle is not to win awards or laurels but
to seek ways to strengthen the struggle of students, workers and all oppressed
people in order to win victory, nevertheless
we cannot but be happy when our work and activities are recognized.
We
are therefore glad that the students union leadership considers our comrade
worthy of this award. We urge all students who are inspired by our work and the
example of radical and uncompromising struggle epitomized by comrade Isaac
Ogunjimi to join us so that together we can advance the struggle of students
and the working people to salvage public education and change society.
As
a radical student activist and a Socialist, comrade Isaac Ogunjimi has been
active in and outside of University of Ibadan in various campaigns and
struggles to defend the rights of the working people including students and
youth. Comrade Isaac believes that Nigeria is endowed with vast human and
material resources which if democratically and judiciously managed is enough to
end poverty and misery, provide free education and develop society. The only
reason why Nigeria is locked in a crisis of mass poverty despite the potentials
it is endowed with is because of capitalism which ensures that only a few
people can benefit from the wealth. The on-going economic recession further demonstrates
that capitalism is not working and a democratic socialist alternative is urgently needed to rescue
Nigeria.
Again
we are grateful that the Mr. Nifemi-led Union leadership recognizes the value
of our comrade’s principled stand on all issues that concerns students’
interests to nominate him for this award. However while thanking the Students
Union leadership for this nomination, we must say that it would be better in
view of the overall interests of all students if the Mr. Nifemi Students Union
leadership goes a bit further to consider some of the important criticisms,
proposals and recommendations on how best the union can effectively defend the
welfare interests of students that the DSM and ERC as well as comrade Isaac
have offered over the months in several public statements and releases. Otherwise
there is a danger that a few people might be led to believe that the entire
motive behind the nomination is to dubiously distract and divert the attention
of mass of students on campus from many of the salient and fundamental issues
like poor welfare conditions and political victimization of student leaders and
activists under which mass of student on campus currently groan.
For
months, the DSM and ERC have been campaigning against the continuous refusal
and failure of Mr. Nifemi- led students union administration to yield to its
historical responsibility of adequate defense of the collective aspiration and
interest of mass of student on campus. This continuous abdication of these
responsibilities which is also constitutional largely forms the background to why
the living and learning condition of mass of students on campus continue to
sink from bad to worse. Take for instance, hostel facilities continue to be in
more a rickety condition, with poor and erratic supply of water and power
across halls of residence. Female students continue to be victims of intimidation
and harassment from over-zealous porters while they also continue to fall victims
of rape and theft along Tech and Awo/ stadium road owing to poor lightening and
illumination of the said roads. Our union continues to lack its independence as
the union buildings and most properties are managed by the students’ affairs
division of the university.
The
most disheartening is that in the midst these ugly situations, Mr Nifemi-led
student union has continued to decline the implementation of various
suggestions and proposal from reputable organizations like DSM/ERC even the
Student Representative Council, SRC that his leadership must call a congress of
mass of student in the university so as to create a democratic avenue for
students to exercise their potential and participate in a discussion and debate
over various issues that affect them on campus. This is with a view to come-up
with a non-violent and practical way to proffer solutions to them.
If
Mr. Nifemi led Students Union leadership valued comrade Isaac’s contribution to
students unionism to nominate for the award of the best student activist of the
year, then there is no justifiable reason why the same union leadership should
not listen to the important suggestions that have emanated from comrade Isaac
and other activists on campus about how best to defend students interests.
Therefore
while accepting this nomination, we challenge the Mr. Nifemi-led union
leadership to stop undermining the
radical image and prestige of our collective union and to heed the popular call
for a congress so that students can have a chance to discuss how to defend
their interests. As for us in DSM we remain undaunted in the struggle
for proper funding of education and independent students unionism. Again our
relationship with any union leadership can only be guaranteed on the basis of
agreement on the following programmes and agenda:
(1)
Support
to regular and well mobilized congress of the students’ union to allow
generality of students to participate in discussion and debate over issues that
affect them.
(2)
Principled opposition to any case of victimization
of students and undue issuance of letter to students to face Student
Disciplinary Council (SDC).
(3)
Principled
opposition to the act of using union money by some few students’ union leaders
to enrich themselves. Spending of over N15 million to organize union week is
wastage of collective resources.
(4)
Support for a struggle for a mass- based
campaign for immediate renovation of all halls of residence and improvement in
welfare condition of mass of students on campus.
(5)
Principled opposition to the proposal to
force Assistant Hall wardens as the principal signatories to student account in
halls of residence
(6)
Principled opposition to the aberration
whereby DR (Students’ affairs) continue to be imposed as the Chairman of
students’ union electoral committee. Students have rights to independently
conduct union elections by themselves.
Yours-in-Struggle,
Ogunjinmi
Isaac
Secretary,
DSM UI Branch
To Join Us Contact the following
numbers:08161836554; 07066249160
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