THE S.U.G OF FEDERAL COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, IBADAN: THE NARRATIVE OF A PUPPET UNION

With deep regret and sorrow in my heart, am writing this epistle to the whole student populace in order to know the state of affairs within the college.  The college is under the grip of so many malaise that has bedevilled the student as a whole, the latest been the case study of where the Student Union Government of the college has shown huge level of incompetence and ineptitude by kowtowing to the threat of the management and even went as far as begging by the way of prostrating even when we all know that the modus operandi of unionism does not allow such.

We are in a situation whereby the three arms of government comprising of the CEC, SRC and SJC are using political bloc and might to coerce each other because of personal perception and prejudice has been laced-up with individual interest and by so doing using political office is the next thing they engage in. A vivid example of this was what happened on the evening of 26th of May, 2017 whereby the senate during a general public house meeting resorted to budget slashing and blatant victimization of a CEC member who they supposedly claimed was found wanting with financial appropriation, whereas there are pressing issues on ground that needed to be discussed with the student populace but out sheer ineptitude and the lack of foresight to see that things are getting worse they choose to carry on with their slashing ministry. The only excuse they could give was that they’ve been to the provost with the CEC members to plead instead of negotiating.

 I never knew when it has become the responsibility of the union of the student populace to beg the management instead of negotiating and reaching a win-win sum or positive sum conclusion but here is the case of the student union of a college that is ready to plead on behalf of the management for the student to comply, instead of been at the fore front of a reactionary movement to quench any despotic or nepotism act from the management. Yet the students are watching as though all is well with the way things are going on currently within the college, which I think it is high time we stand tall and demand good governance from the cluster of inepts that are within the rank and file of the SUG, if not we will continue to suffer in the hand of the management and no union body will fight for us if we don’t demand appropriate response from the SUG to take the bull by the horn or they should resign if they are afraid of carrying out their duties has it’s been expected of a unionist.          Perhaps, these elected officials don’t know their posited stance has a unionist instead of misappropriating power and showing power drunkenness.

In the spirit of comradeship, I hereby enjoin all enlightened and conscious intellectuals within the college to stand up from their slumber and stop been docile because until those SUG officials see high level of moderate  insurrection amidst the student populace, they don’t have any political will to fight for the right of the student and until the massive insurrection happens, we can never have the desired unionism of our dream and be reminded that having an ideal union movement within the college is sacrosanct and should never be negotiated.

Comrade Daniel Akwemaho Asokere
Education Right Campaign (E.R.C.) Activist, the Oyo State Director for Alliance of Nigerian Student Against Neo-Liberal Attack (A.N.S.A.) and A Prominent Member of Democratic Socialist Movement of Nigeria (DSM).