"A threat to justice anywhere is an injustice everywhere."
The circumstance which we have found ourselves today is uncommon, sober and reflective. The events of the past week have put to test the resolve of the management of University of Osun, the State Government and the State House of Assembly to give hope to the hopeless and the downtrodden. We are undelighted to note that the management of the University has demonstrated their hatred for the plebeians with their singular act. Today affords us an opportunity to protest the unjust and tyrannical expulsion of our fellow Students in the University in order to show our dissatisfaction against the suspicion, hurt and doubt which has been planted in the public by the act of the University management. It is an insult on the face of the University community and the entire country, and it should be of greater concern to all authority concerned especially Osun State government that the action which was taken against the Students of University of Osun is barbaric and uncalled for. It is so painful that the management of the University has failed totally in putting the Students interest into consideration before taking such a step which is very dangerous to our collective existence. It is so unfortunate that the University management failed to investigate whether truly the Students have been given their tuition fee by their parents as claimed. But, the truth still remains that many parents have been hampered in their financial responsibility owing to the country's economic reality to the extent that some of them have even withdrew their children from school due to their inability to meet the financial standard that is expected of them. In fact, many of these parents are civil servants that are being denied stipends they are being paid as salaries by the State government, and, those that are being paid are receiving half-salary instead especially those in Osun State.
We are here today to show that our unity as an association in moving Nigeria forward in the course of protecting the students' interests cannot be shaken. We however urge the Osun State government and the State House of Assembly to quickly move on into the matter in a more determined manner to tackle the anti-students policy of the management of the University and other challenges being faced by the Students. We want the State government and the State House of Assembly to prioritise the challenges being faced by the Students of Osun State University and Osun State College of Education as the most critical issue which they must address so that it won't engender their efforts in critically developing the state.
It is expected of the State government to reflect on the challenges being faced by the Students of the two higher institutions and the education system of the State in playing their roles as drivers of prosperity and expectations of the State in earning her deserved place among the comity of States in the country. Our Universities must play central roles in building the State's economy and meeting society's most crucial demands; educated citizenry and a competent workforce because Universities are engines of economic and social development. The situation we are today is clearly undesirable and unacceptable.
We hereby make the following demands:
* The immediate reversal of the plan to expel students in UNIOSUN.
* The reversal of the tuition fee of Osun State College of Education (UI affiliation) to what it was.
* Enabling teaching and learning research environments
* Improvement of teacher quality
* Tackling the developmental needs of the people.
We however urge the State House of Assembly to as a matter of exigency address the issues raised in protecting the interests of Nigerian Students.
Signed:
Com. Amb. Afolabi Saheed SEEDORF
Deputy Coordinator
NANS Zone D
South West.
07033558019
Com. Miftah Saheed SEEDOLF
Chairman
JCC Osun Axis,
08167570786
cc:
Government of Osun State
Commissioner of Police, Osun State
Director of State Security Service
Vice Chancellor Uniosun
Press.
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