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Socialist Youth League Alleges Death Of UNILAG Student In Protest Against Renaming

The Socialist Youth League, with its headquarters in Lagos, claims that an unnamed student has been killed in the ongoing protests over the renaming of the University of Lagos.

The Socialist Youth League, with its headquarters in Lagos, claims that an unnamed student has been killed in the ongoing protests over the renaming of the University of Lagos.

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In a press statement signed by Kunle W. Ajayi, its National Coordinator, the League condemned the use of fire-arms against the democratic struggles of students, describing it as barbaric.

“We therefore condemn the killing of a UNILAG student whose identity is yet [to be] unveiled,” the statement said.  “The international community should note this brutal killing of un-armed Nigerian students’ protesters by the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

The SYL stressed that “the right to say no” is the first right of any person, and the primary concern of the concept of freedom.

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It warned all those who are more interested in trivializing the struggles of the UNILAG students against the absence of democracy on our campuses, instead of promoting and supporting the students' ultimate right to be involved in the decision making processes on their campus.  In that light, it noted that UNILAG has been under siege for a long time with several administrations of the school trying to kill all voices of dissent and further the commercialisation of the school.

“The condemnable re-naming has triggered old wounds and rubbed salt on them,” it said.  “We are in an era of world resistance to all forms of oppression, and students all through the globe have been major actors in it all.”

It urged all genuine and change-seeking people to extend their support to UNILAG students in their struggle for the enhancement of democracy on their campus, and called on all students of Nigeria who are against tyranny and the increment of tuition fees on all campuses to rise and join the fights of UNILAG students.

Among their demands, SYL called for:
•    The immediate restoration of the UNILAG Students' Union, and all other proscribed unions like OAU, and EKSU;
•    The condemnation and rejection of the anti-poor, pro-tuition fees increment recommendations of the Oronsaye Panel on Education;
•    the immediate implementation of the 2009 ASUU Agreement with Federal Government;
•    An end to the culture of tyranny and victimizations in tertiary institutions in Nigeria;
•    Free, functional, and compulsory education in Nigeria, and
•    The smashing of this system of greed, and build in its place a pro-masses system that will be placed under the rule of the working people.

[Full text of the statement]
PRESS STATEMENT: UNILAG STUDENTS' PROTEST: A FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY

...Democratize decision-making on campuses NOW!

...Reject and abolish all fees, and crush Oronsaye Panel anti-poor recommendations on Education.

...Restore UNILAG Students' Union and other proscribed Unions NOW!
 The right to say no is the first right of any person. This ideal is the primary concern of the concept of freedom. It is only when a person is free to disagree and freely decide what s/he wants that s/he can decide her/his own destiny.

It is on this premise that we intervene in solidarity with all Akokites and Idi-Arabites and also use this opportunity to warn all those who are more interested in trivializing the struggles of the UNILAG students against the absence of democracy on our campuses, instead of promoting and supporting the students' ultimate right to be involved in the decision making processes on their campus. For some activists or fellow students who fail to come to reality with this perspective, they fall into the category of those who buy the position that MKO Abiola deserves the contentious re-naming made by President Jonathan, instead of doing anything concrete to improve the state of education in the country as a whole. Unilag students, alumni and lecturers are not crazy. On the contrary, they have responded to a vexatious issue and will not relent until victory is won. It is equally important to note that the spontaneous fight-back by the students reflects deeper roots related to the suppression of their rights to have an independent students union for many years.

 The truth is that UNILAG has been under siege for a long time with several administrations of the school doing all they can to kill all voices of dissent and further the commercialisation of the school. The condemnable re-naming has triggered old wounds and rubbed salt on them. We are in an era of world resistance to all forms of oppression, and students all through the globe have been major actors in it all. So, we urge all genuine and change-seeking people to support and solidarise with UNILAG students as they struggle for the enhancement of democracy on their campus. We also call on all students of Nigeria who are against tyranny and the increment of tuition fees on all campuses to rise and join the fights of UNILAG students. We as well call on ASUU, and all other sister unions to solidarise with UNILAG students and use this opportunity to build on the long-fought struggles to implement the 2009 ASUU AGREEMENT WITH FG.

       OUR DEMANDS

*We condemn the use of fire-arms against the democratic struggles of students.  It is barbaric. We therefore condemn the killing of a UNILAG stdents whose identity is yet unveiled. The international community should note this brutal killing of un-armed Nigerian students’ protesters by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

* We call for the immediate restoration of the UNILAG Students' Union, and all other proscribed unions like OAU, and EKSU.

*We call for the condemnation and rejection of the anti-poor, pro-tuition fees increment recommendations of the Oronsaye Panel on Education.

*We call for the immediate implementation of the 2009 ASUU Agreement with Federal Government.

* An end to the culture of tyranny and victimizations in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

* For free, functional, and compulsory education in Nigeria

*For the smashing of this system of greed, and build in its place a pro-masses system that will be placed under the rule of the working people.

ORGANISE BOYCOTTS ON YOUR CAMPUSES TO SUPPORT AND SOLIDARISE WITH UNILAG!

     WORKERS AND YOUTHS! UNITE AND FIGHT!! VICTORIA ASCERTA!!!



       sgd
Kunle W. Ajayi
National Coordinator
 

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