NLC, NANS Leadership Tussle And The Sagging Aluta Spirit ---


Trust is lost in the dictionary of many aspiring and current Nigerian leaders. Presumably, if the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria were not saddled with the power of the Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, it would have been impossible to forestall electing factional presidents into power, either in the past or the nearest future.

On a research writing tour of the leadership tussle bedeviling the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), it was discovered and disheartening that the two peak "Aluta" driven bodies, established to protect the interest of Nigeria's citizenry (workers and students respectively) against any form of oppression, are involved in leadership dichotomy.

The phrase "Aluta continua" originated from the FRELIMO movement during Mozambique’s war for independence led by Samora Machel to cultivate popular support against the Portuguese colonial presence (Wikipedia, 2016). "Aluta continua, Victoria ascerta" means "the Struggle continues, victory is certain" as against its misconceived interpretation tagged to be violence-related by some Nigerians.

The factional leadership existence in NLC and NANS evolved as a result of the thirst for power and the lack of trust between the members and their leaders in organizing free, fair and violence-free national elections. The labour congress, ably led by two factional leaders, Com. Aliyyu Wabba and Com. Joe Ajaero who are in control of sizable number of workers' Union each, held its national election at two different locations on the shores of Nigeria on Thursday, 12th March, 2016 and 19th March, 2016 in Abuja and Lagos respectively.

Months after their inaugurations, Com. Aliyyu Wabba led NLC declared an indefinite strike, shunned by Com. Joe Ajaero led faction, to express their dissatisfaction against the increase in the pump price of petrol from N86.50 to N145 by the Federal Government. Peaceful Protests were held in different parts of the country in this regard but the difference is obvious when compared with the Occupy Nigeria which occurred during the immediate past regime to protest against the same subsidy removal.

This, however reveals the essence of NLC moving as one entity to agitate their demands and protect the interest of their members across the country. Aluta spirit requires unity and not division. The morale of struggle often gets demoralized when the members become hopeless in their leaders' decisions-making powers.

In similar vein, the apex Nigeria's student body, NANS, currently led by two presidents, Com. Chinonso Obasi (aka IBB) and Com. Aruna Kadiri, who possess considerable number of student's union bodies under their factions. According to vanguard news portal, Comrade Chinonso Obasi emerged 31st NANS president on Tuesday, 19th July, 2016 in Gombe state and was subsequently received by Governor Ibrahim Dakwambo of the State. Also, the same news portal reported on 19th August, 2016 that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Youths and Students Affairs, Nasiru Sa’idu Adhama, organised a peace parley for stakeholders of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) ahead of its national convention which was reportedly held in Abuja on 1st to 4th September 2016 where Com. Aruna Kadiri emerged President.

The two factions of the student's body have so far, in their capacity, been articulate in presenting some of their demands, ranging from the Com. Aruna Kadiri led protest against the detention of some Nigerian students by the Republic of Turkey at the Turkish Embassy, Abuja, (as Punch news portal reported) to the Com. Bamigbade Taiwo led Senate President of IBB's faction who called for the probe of Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and immediate payment of outstanding Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) allowances, among others.

The efforts of the two factions would have yielded immediate response from the concerned authorities to accede to their demands if they had been working in unison. Unfortunately, most agitations have remained on paper and media with little or no effect on Nigerian students. This is a consequence to be reaped from the dichotomy in NANS leadership, whose movements are often fueled with "Aluta Continua, Victoria Ascerta".

Apparently, the two leadership factions of both NLC and NANS will organize parallel national elections when their tenures expire and these sardonic trends will continue (A bad legacy for younger generations).

Therefore, I Leave us with no iota of doubt that the crisis currently rocking Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) whose workers embarked on industrial action indefinitely on 9th June, 2016 till date, can be resolved via a united NANS by fusing the commendable efforts displayed so far by the two factions in consulting and consolidating with the authorities in-charge for the benefit of Students and Nigerians at large.

On a concluding note, the continued division among the leaders of both bodies will further strain, beyond "yielding point", their factional Struggles to become fruitless till their members and the helpless masses begin to develop little or no confidence in them.

Source:
https://ibadanelite./2016/12/16/%e2%80%8bleadership-tussle-and-the-sagging-aluta-spirit-a-tour-to-nlc-nans/