Recall vividly my undergraduate days at the University of Lagos and the struggle we went through to ensure that ULSU comes back to life. I recall the interview of shogbamu that I published in Business Day Newspaper around 2010 / 2011; I remember how we met the late Professor Sofoluwe with the current VC in attendance – during the UNILAG at 50 celebrations. I recall how the powers that be in UNILAG dropped me from the University’s list of Representatives to various competitions just because I wasn’t willing to drop my faculty political ambition for UNILAG competitions.
I recall how (after the restoration of ULSU) I went to cover one of their night protest almost a year ago (on the same issues that led to the latest protest) some students wanted to beat me up thinking that I was the University’s spy on them because I was the only press man available that night to cover the protest. I asked them point blank about their where about when we were at the forefront of the struggle to restore ULSU – most of them were either in year one or prospective students during our endless meetings to restore ULSU.
So it became a thing of joy for me and so many others after ULSU was restored, however when the students protested last year, with the manner of their protest and seeming lack of direction, I knew that ULSU will not last. I knew that the next set of ULSU Executives will become too radical for the management to handle and I am convinced beyond every reasonable doubt that should ULSU survive beyond one year, it will definitely be caged in a matter of years.
In everything I do, I have always been passionately protecting and defending the interest of UNILAG because I am a UNILAG addict. During the name change saga, I wrote series of articles in defense of my school and actively participated in the protest, even after graduating, I did another article to celebrate one year of our victory. Fast forward, I ran a special interview for the last ULSU president in my bid to announce to the world the return of ULSU. In more ways than one, I am always eager to contribute to the development of UNILAG as a whole, ULSU inclusive.
It will amount to shame on our part if in the face of what ULSU is currently going through, we decide to maintain the usual grave yard silence, although we may not totally agree with some of the modus operandi of the current ULSU Executives, never the less; the outright ban of the Student Union Government amounts to throwing away the baby with the bath water. When the shadow of a tree is bent, we straighten the tree not the shadow.
UNILAG authorities, please have a rethink on ULSU matter, call for dialogue and collectively fashion out the best way to resolve students grievances- this is the change era, we cannot afford to continue using the usual old trick to castrate unions whenever they protest. UNILAG cannot afford to be in the news for the wrong reason. We love UNILAG, WE LOVE ULSU!
I stand with ULSU, where do you stand?
Written by Oyede Saheed
chiefhumanbeing@gmail.com
