The
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife Branch of the Democratic Socialist
Movement (DSM) welcomes Great Ife students back on campus after the yuletide
and first semester break. We also wish you a “resultful” year 2015. Although a New
Year, yet the character of this year – beyond high hopes and lofty wishes – is
a clear handwriting on every wall. The looming economic catastrophe and
phrase-mongering political contest, which cast their shadows over the country,
would definitely have their impacts on youths and mass of students generally.
THE TIME-BOMB CALLED 2015
At
a time when Nigerian politicians are exciting the polity – building up familiar
euphoria towards the 2015 General Elections – the nation’s economy is in a big
mess. The breakthrough in the exploration and production of shale oil in
the United States and other factors
has caused the price of crude oil to fall. Nigeria is hugely dependent on crude
oil as almost the only and major source of revenue. The politicians in all major parties have squandered
the excess revenue saved during the boom and left little or nothing for the rainy
days.
The
implication of this is that poor masses, working class parents and struggling
youths, who did not benefit from the boom of oil, that would be made to suffer
for its burst. Already, Nigerian capitalist theoreticians and political
propagandists have started humming the inevitability of austerity measures –
that is, a cut in the living conditions of Nigerian masses, which are miserable
enough already. Ironically, it is innocent Nigerian masses that would suffer,
in the name of sacrifice, for the looting spree of ruling elites, while
politicians and capitalists, of course, would continue to live large. Students
and youths would not be left out as irresponsible governments would continue to
save up for usual looting at the expense of education and other sectors of the
economy. More fee hikes, galloping rate of unemployment, retrenchment of
workers, inflation, high cost of living and degraded standards are few of the
expected consequences to follow this catastrophe.
Right
now, the various sections of the ruling elites are least concerned with the
ailing state of the economy. Little or no attention is given to it, because the
elites, irrespective of political colouring or affiliation, are united in the
maiming of Nigeria’s economy as they all subscribe to anti-poor neo-liberal
capitalist policies. 2015 Elections is the priority. For us in the DSM, there
is virtually no alternative for the masses among the contending ruling elites.
While the masses are distracted from concretely comprehending failure of
capitalism because of electioneering fantasy and promises, the various sections
of the ruling elites are scheming to determine who holds the key to another 4
years of guaranteed looting of the national wealth, arbitrary use of the police
and armed forces. From party policies to financing, no main stream political
party in Nigeria represents the concrete interest of the Nigerian masses.
Instead of getting carried away with the façade of capitalist politicking,
Nigerian youths must join the call on the labour movement
for the formation
of a mass working people party. The DSM, while still campaigning for the mass
party of the working people, has taken a bold step with the formation the
Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) to serve as a striking example of a working
people political alternative in the absence of the mass party. The INEC has
refused to register the party despite it fulfilling all legal requirements for
registration because of the threat it poses to the anti-poor policies and
programmes of the mainstream political parties. We are however currently in
court where we have gone to challenge the undemocratic and illegal action of the
INEC. The matter is coming for hearing on January 28 at Federal High Court
Abuja
There
is no gainsaying the fact that 2015, rather than being a period to satisfy the
populist and propagandist scheming of anti-masses politicians, should be a
period for students’ union leaders, activists, socialists and youths to
mobilise Nigerian masses against capitalist-induced poverty and misery.
BEYOND FALSE ALARMS AND PROPAGANDAS:
STATE OF THE STUDENTS’ UNION
The
State of the Union is best described by the ridiculous and harsh conditions
under which students wallow as forced on them systematically by the university
administration and remains unopposed by the union as an organised entity. From basic
welfare (Power supply, water supply and transport) to fee hike struggle, the
union leadership has failed woefully in its responsibility to advance the
democratic interest of her members. With all it had, the union leadership
dodged calling a Congress of students since August 2014, despite heaving blames
of May/June 2014 struggle on students. The unacceptable victimisation of
students’ activists, following the struggle, was not discussed by the union
body. In fact the union leadership proceeded to indict the suspended students
The
implication was not farfetched – the leadership was isolated from the critical
mass of students. While clamours of students for a Congress heightened last
semester, it resorted to sponsoring terror and threat against students,
especially activists and pro-students organisations including the DSM, ERC,
Pacesetters, SYL and co.
For
us in the DSM, the reactionary activities of the current union leadership, if
not arrested by mass of students, are capable of destroying the rich values of
Ife unionism. The leadership has promised a Congress in the coming weeks, and
this is the best avenue for students to correct the anomalies in their union
and completely reclaim it.
CONGRESS, REINSTATEMENT AND STRUGGLE
AGAINST FEE HIKE
As
much as the agents of the university attempt to distract mass of students from
the reality of the fee hike struggle, we in the DSM will continue to expose the
absurdity of the fee hike and call on students to review the last struggle
while they prepare an organised resistance
against the hike. Hundreds of brilliant minds, mostly fresh students, who
should be in school, abandoned
their admission last semester. The number of returning students who opted for
leave of absence is significant, while those who paid on the installment basis
are not certain they would pay up this time. All this shows that the fee
hike is a nightmare, and we must all do something about it.
Confirming
our arguments for rejection of the fee hike, the outrageous hike in fee has not
reflected in whatsoever form on the learning and living conditions of students
who paid it. Power and water supply did not only worsen, the reaction of the
varsity to it became more arrogant and disdainful. This is of course what
happens when major battles are neglected inconclusively – unimaginable,
“minute” problems climb over them. There is no middle way to it, for students
to get back their deserved respect from the university management, the fee hike
struggle must be ferreted out and taken up again.
For
a criminally calculative university management, the cost of dousing the fee
hike struggle was enormous – the university stampeded laws and stabbed
commonsense in the head. Aside closing the university to disorganise the
struggle formation of students, it also re-opened the university by placing
under suspension eight students’ activists – some of who played decisive roles
in the fee hike struggle. The university claimed they were suspended because of
a purported police investigation. Of course, with its arsenal of law professors
and legal minds, the university simply turned a blind eye to the legal paradigm
which prescribes that “an accused person should be presumed innocent until
proven guilty by a competent court of law”. This action is nothing more than an
attempt at political victimisation, disguised as a vindictive punishment, which
has the objective of distracting students from the fee hike struggle and
disorganising their ranks.
To
confirm our perception of this event, the university during the yuletide break
went ahead to reinstate three students out of the eight, who were suspended for
the same “offence”. Anchor, Mandela and Choco-Milo were reinstated, while
Engels, Sammie, Ola, Johnson, Juwon are still under suspension, including
Ogunruku who has been suspended on similar basis after the 2011 fee hike
struggle. The motive of the university is to frustrate these students’ leaders
and after all make defending the interest of students a criminal offence that
no one would be interested to take up. We urge the mass of students to not sit on
the fence on this issue, but rather understand that they must be actively
involved in the reinstatement of the suspended students.
The
proposed Congress by the leadership of the union must be seized to discuss
practical actions for their reinstatement. Great Ife students must compel the
leadership of the union to fund all ongoing legal cases. And the union must
take up publicity campaign, through production of leaflets and posters, to
argue the case of the suspended students among members of the university
community. Aside this, students must
resist attempts by agents and cronies of the university administration to make
the issue of suspension a point of distraction for mass of students. The
congress should discuss suspension as well as review fully the cause of the
suspension – the 2014 struggle against fee hike.
CONCLUSION
For
us, this period in the history of our country and campus is decisive, and
youths must brace up to play roles that would save their future as well as the
future of the country. Organising to discuss scientific solutions as opposed to
hopeful or speculative solution to the problems of the country, education
sector, and others, must be taken with similar interest which students take up
academic activities. The Democratic
Socialist Movement (DSM) is the organisation to join if you are interested in
joining efforts for the transformation of Nigeria to a society that would add
real value to the vast majority of people including youths and put an end to
mass misery amid abundance.
SIGNED,
Com.
Sogo
Ag.
Secretary
