By Adnan Mukhtar Adam TudunWada
The 2016 annual convention of National Association of Nigerian students Nans has been scheduled by the convention planning committe as contained in a letter circulated to Sug presidents of Nigerians universities, polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education. The letter of invitation was signed by the convention planning committee chairman Comrade Obinna Obianozie and his secretary Comrade Yinka Dada Jp Sadam
The convention was initially scheduled between 31st of May to 1st of June 2016 in Taraba state university Jalingo but was postponed due to some reasons that is yet to be known, it was later rescheduled by the CPC in a separate letter to sug presidents.
The 2016 annual convention will hold between 14-18 of July at Gombe state university, the CPC has advised all delegates to come to the convention venue with their institution and students identification card which shall serve as authentic means of identification of delegates.
“The convention planning committee shall not be liable for any security breach by any unruly student /student leader before, during and after the convention, the committee also wish student leaders a safe journey to Gombe state”
The National Association of Nigerian students is an umbrella of all Nigerian students with the main aim of protecting and promoting the interest of Nigerian students, it is the largest student union in Africa, Nans has played a critical role towards restoration of democracy in nigeria more especially during the military junta.
It has fought and stand for Nigerians not only on student matters alone but on political and economic issue of the country, Nans has been participating, engaging, analysing and criticizing governmental policies that are not and of the interest of Nigerians. Many of its leaders were jailed by different military regimein their struggle for justice, some are: Comrade Nasser Kura, Lanre Arougundade, Chima Ubani, Emma Ezeozu, Auwal Rafsanjani, Abdul Mahmud, and Salihu Mohammed Lukman etc.
These Comrades have surrendered and sacrifice their lives for a better Nigeria, they keep their interest and put that of Nigerians until the goal is achieved.
During their days as student leaders, we don’t heard about them been going from one office to another in begging for money or giving award for material gain, award has become the order of the day in Nans, it serve as the easiest way of sourcing income. It is unfortunate that Nans of today differed in so many ways with that of yesterday, while the former are not after anything like money the latter is making all efforts and by all means to get money.
Nans of today has subjected itself to awarding undeserving people with award, Nans of today is used by some selfish politicians to achieve their interest, the interest of Nigerian students is never its own.
It is time for the senators/delegates to shine their eyes and vote for competence, someone that can make Nans better than that of yesterday and today, someone that will put Nigerian student interest in all his activities, someone that will fight corruption in Nans, someone that can analyse and criticise governmental policies without fear or favour, someone who is a real student and who knows the problems of Nigerian students, someone who is between the age of 20-30 and who can revive Nans from its lost glory.
Four candidates have since indicated interest for the race of the president of over 30 million nigerians students, they are:
Chinonso Obasi Aka IBB
Okpauloka Nwachukwu
Sheriff Zadok Emeka Eboh and
Nwanna Swagger
The presidential seat was zoned to the south as the outgoing President Comrade Tijani Usman Shehu comes from Kogi state f North central nigeria
My prayer is for a peaceful, free and fair election, May the convention be that of Change in Nans, be the beginning of a vibrant and real student unionism in Nigeria.
Adnan Mukhtar Tudunwada is a former deputy speaker of SRA and the Secretary General Student’s Council of Northwest University, he writes from Kano.
