A statement signed by Tayo Soyemi of Falana and Falana Chambers on Thursday quoted Mr Falana as saying, “Notwithstanding the opportunism of a few student leaders, NANS should be recognised and repositioned to defend Nigerian students. To achieve the objective, the ban on all student unions should be lifted without any further delay.”
Human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN has urged student leaders and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to collaborate with trade unions in the country to defend the human rights of Nigerians, including students’ right to education.
A statement signed by Tayo Soyemi of Falana and Falana Chambers on Thursday quoted Mr Falana as saying, “Notwithstanding the opportunism of a few student leaders, NANS should be recognised and repositioned to defend Nigerian students. To achieve the objective, the ban on all student unions should be lifted without any further delay.”
Falana stated this in a paper presented on Wednesday at the maiden edition of The Yinka Odumakin Inter-faculty Debate and Public Lecture held by the Student Union of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
In the paper, Falana called on “the Student Union of the Obafemi Awolowo University to identify and ally with progressive students with a view to budget a new national body of students dedicated to the defence of the rights of students and youths in line with the NANS Charter of Demands.”
The paper reads in part: “Student unions should collaborate with the trade unions in and outside the campuses to defend the right of Nigerians to education. The take-over of the Nigerian economy by imperialism must not be allowed by the academic community.
“Even though students are said to be leaders of tomorrow, they have a duty to ensure that the future is not mortgaged by a government that is religiously committed to the implementation of neoliberal policies. It is a duty that requires the alliance of all progressive forces in the country. Time is not on the side of Nigerian students.
“In recent times, the NANS has become a mouthpiece of reactionary governments. It has joined the Federal Government to fight ASUU and NLC. Permit me to cite two instances.
“During the ASUU strike of 2022, NANS raised the alarm that the incessant strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was no longer for the interest of tertiary education, but ‘an act of educational terrorism and economic sabotage’.
“On February 16, 2024, the NLC announced a 2-day nationwide protest against hardship facing Nigerians as a result of removal of fuel subsidy. NANS claimed to have backed out of the protest even though it was not involved in planning the protest.
“As if that was not enough, NANS stated that, ‘The looming threat of a strike poses a significant risk of further exacerbating the economic challenges facing the nation and disrupting the lives of ordinary citizens, including students.’”
Falana urged the current crop of student leaders to realise that “NANS was not set up to defend Governments but Nigerian students”.
He said, “Henceforth, NANS should promote and defend the interests of Nigerian students at home and abroad.
“NANS should take up the case of the two students who lost their lives during a stampede which occurred in the Nasarawa State University during the distribution of 7kg bags of rice.
“Instead of throwing food at people like animals in a zoo the federal and state governments should establish a social security system to take care of vulnerable and indigent citizens. NANS should lead the campaign against the abduction of students and payment of ransom running to several billions of Naira.”