Seun you can please help push this to Front page

This is my fourth year in University of Benin and i have witnessed series of strikes, exams, holidays, fights, accidents/deaths and protests.

The first protest I witnessed in University of Benin was in my year one, January 2015. That protest was at its peak, government properties were destroyed, infact one government bus belonging to the Edo state government popular referred to as "comrade bus" was set ablaze by students, roads was blocked; Benin- Lagos express way was blocked by students and it was turned to a football pitch, drivers and pedestrians were beaten to stupor by students and the protest lasted for about one week, in all this the school management supported the students because the protest arose as a result of the squabbles Edo State Government Of Nigeria under Governor Adams Oshiomhole was having with the management of University of Benin.

Fast forward to November 2017, after a long holidays which lasted for about four months, students returned back to school for a new academic session only to be shocked by the news of "outrageous" increment of school fees and application fee for the incoming "newly admitted" students and increment of hostel fees for old students. This increments in no doubt gave a good cause for protest and class boycott by students.
And that is all we did with Ehiabhi Goodnews (the PRO of the SUG) leading the protest. We thought that the President of the SUG, Ogbidi Osemudiamen was a saboteur because he was not as vocal as the PRO during the protest but now we know that the gentleman is behind us and we are fighting for thesame cause.

Students were treated like slaves by the Management of University of Benin after the protest, water and light was shut down in the halls of residence, student were asked to vacate the school premises in less than 3hours otherwise been arrested and been treated like a criminal. Securities were sent down to the school premises to chase out students and a friend told me how he sustained bruises and lost his gadgets while been chased in the school with his company by security men with arms.

Whilst all this happen, the student union government led by Ogbidi Osemudiamen Elvis was suspended and the leaders of the union were been invited to appear before the school disciplinary panel.

Five of the union leaders has been rusticated by the school, their offence was leading a "peaceful protest" which is a guaranteed right as enshrined in the constitution of Nigeria. Right to peaceful protest is a constitutional right provided by the constitution and for every Nigerian.

As a law student, i am abreast with the principles of "natural justice" which one of its fundamentals is that you cannot be a judge on your own cause. The students of University of Benin are having a face-off with the Management of the school, the management cannot be the judge in a case which she is standing as an accused if not justice will not manifestly be seen to be done. We hereby urge external bodies to intervene in this matter; nothing has been done to the outrageously increased fees of the school, five of the union leaders are been rusticated, students are scared of protesting again because we don't know the next move of the school management.

We call on the Federal Ministry of Education, Nigeria, National Association of Nigerian Students(Nans Nans),the Chancellor of University of Benin (HRH Sanusi Lamido sanusi,the Emir of Kano), The Senate committee on Education, the influential old boys of the school (BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA, Basketmouth),Edo State Government under the leadership of Governor Godwin Obaseki, University of Benin Law Alumni Project 2011. We also call on bloggers and publicists like YabaLeftOnline.com Gossip Mill Nigeria, GistReel.Com, Lindaikejisblog.com, Olori Supergal and all lovers of justice to help us with the trend #notoristication, #bringbackourleader, until this message gets to the appropriate authorities.They did nothing to have deserve rustication.

Cc : Seun, all Mods

Do you know that you can't influence the decision made by the school authority to rusticate those SUG guys? It's simple knowledge that if they should go back on their words then they'll be seen as weak. I see any protest now as a waste of time 'cause judgement has been passed.

Please, you guys should holt on further protest...I can't stand school being shut down again 'till further notice.

my children cannot be Nigerian citizens.

Where did we get it wrong in Nigeria?

kimbraa:
Do you know that you can't influence the decision made by the school authority to rusticate those SUG guys? It's simply knowledge that if they should go back on their words then they'll be seen as weak. I see any protest now as a waste of time 'cause judgement has been passed.

Please, you guys should holt on further protest...i can't stand school being shut down again 'till further notice.

We can't fold our hands and be Victimized just because we stood up against unfavorable Policies

We cannot be Educated Zombies, part of our education is to be able to stand and fight for our rights. We can't be mute when unfavorable policies are melted down on us, We will become useless to ourselves and to the society at large