NANS: A MAJOR PANACEA TO SCHOOL REOPENING

It is in the Spirit of brotherhood I bring greetings to all Structures that comes together to bear the umbrella body "NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN STUDENTS, NANS".

I salute every dogged and ever unrelenting Comrades who had paddled the canoe of leadership and who are currently working tirelessly in representing the interest of the Nigerian Students, your sagacity, tenacity and loyalty to structure is well appreciated. May the God of Aluta never shame you or allow the "Oloriburuku" devil spoil the flesh of your body in the sand.

And of the Greatest Nigerian Students

Ever Confronting Nigerian Students

Ever Consolidating Nigerian Students

Ever Consulting Nigerian Students

I throw homage to each and every Nigerian Students home and abroad during this bigotry lockdown and shutdown of our Schools.

It is not an error that I chose to earmarked the "Confrontation" C before the "Consultation" C in my opening remark because it's the gospel truth to say that is the language the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 through the Federal Government  will listen to if our Schools would be opened anytime soon.

Another PTF briefing will come on the 27th of this month to further address several issues on easing or increasing the lockdown, are we still gonna fold our hands and put the future of our over millions of Students under the aegis of NANS in the hands of those who care less about our welfare; they are claiming to be concerned about our health but is that truly the case? Are they not hiding behind the needle to rob us of our divine constitutional rights?

It is so saddened to know that nobody cares so much about School reopening anymore as only the voice of an erudite scholar and veteran lawyer Afe Babalola, CON, OFR, SAN who has been up and doing in seeing to ameliorate this decadence is not loud enough to shake the FG to a positive response, the markets which are the most unorganized gathering in this part of the world are opened in a bid to save the economy, the religious leaders clamored for Mosques/Churches reopening and so it was but who shall speak for the masses of Nigerian Students that it is possible to reopen School even amidst the ravaging pandemic provided all preventive measures are put in place except the almighty NANS NATIONAL. It is not gainsaying that our Tertiary Institutions has no justification to be closed down this long irrespective of the rising cases in the threat that has come to stay longer than the world expected as no Students in Higher Institutions as of today is oblivious of the necessary procedures to stay safe even while on Campus or are we saying market women/men are more detailed than Students in our Campuses? Of course not.

Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. – Malcolm X

Coming from the viewpoint of Malcom X, we can only claim to have a future only if we maximize today but how do we articulate this position when the future of Nigerian Students is been played on a Chess board by those who are not so bothered it, since only the masses patronize Institutions in Nigeria. In the words of Sanusi Lamido, former CBN Governor,  "There are only two social castes in Nigeria, the rich and the masses. The rich doesn't care about the well being of the masses as they only feed them enough to keep them alive not to satisfy their hunger" (paraphrased from his recent public address) hence it is not surprising we find ourselves in this public mess.

I have said over again and I shall say it once more that "The only language Nigerian Governments understand so well is the language of strike and protest, until either one or a combination of these two is adopted, the Government would always deny us our constitutional rights even in a democracy or a pseudo democracy to drive home the point to our Nigeria situation". 

The word "Aluta" originated as far back as 1975 when it was used as the rallying cry of the FRELIMO movement during Mozambique’s war for independence and was used by FRELIMO leader Samora Machel to cultivate popular support against the Portuguese colonial presence. Machel became the first president of an independent Mozambique in 1975 and continued to use the phrase a luta continua as an unofficial national motto (Source: Wikipeadia). Ever since the term "Aluta" has been loco parentis in the becoming of NANS and has been sine qua non in its modus operandi. On this struggle of the Schools Reopening, we don't need a modus vivendi but an immediate Opening of our Schools and Learning Institutions including Coaching Centres.

It is on this note, I urge the NANS NATIONAL through the JCCs and the Zones that made up this enviable body to stand up to responsibilities, a press release from NANS SECRETARIAT is well received by the ever loyal Nigerian Students than a press release from the GCFR of this Country, I wouldn't want to suggest means through which this peaceful protest to reopen our Schools should follow as I trust the leadership acumen of our leading leaders across all levels but then "No knowledge they say is a waste". We can come out in our teaming numbers (of course maintaining social distancing and other preventive measures) and have a solidarity walk across the state of the country including the FCT clamouring for the reopening of our Schools, we can storm the social media with our dissatisfaction messages as regards the shutdown of our dear Campuses among many other options, even a letter to office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from the NANS NATIONAL PRESIDENT will go a long way to alleviate our pains.

"A luta continua; a vitória é certa",  "The struggle continues; victory is certain".

Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win!!!

Cc: NANS NATIONAL OFFICE

       NANS ZONAL OFFICES

       NANS JCC OFFICES

       SUGs of all Tertiary Institutions

       Faculty Student's Associations

       College Student's Associations

      Departmental Students' Associations

      Indigenous Students' Associations

      All Comrades across the Country

      All Nigerian Students

Signed

ADEGBOYEGA Emmanuel Adeniyi.

Emmanuela D'a Muse.

NABS PRESIDENT, FCE ABK;2017/2018 Aluta Year.

PRO II, FOSSU FUNAAB CHAPTER

2018/2019 Aluta Year.