ESPRIT DE CORPS, THE STRENGTH OF A UNION.

With a heavy but hopeful heart, I put these words into writing. The bond of solidarity is broken when peace is accepted in place of justice in a struggle. Five have been reinstated, should we now forget the remaining dedicated one? Ogunruku's suspension has gone into oblivion due to: the devilish mind of our management; low consciousness amidst the students and the insincerity and unseriousness of the Students' Union leadership.


Yesterday morning, around 6am, or thereabout, I approached Mr President in his room to discuss honestly and clearly on how far they have gone on Ogunruku's case. I asked him to tell me the real truth on how far he has gone with Ogunruku's reinstatement, his responses were '' did you hear our announcements yester night and did you see my open letter to the vice chancellor. I humbly replied him ''yes i did but it is not all the pieces of information that the General gives to his lower soldiers, all I need is the gospel truth on how far you have gone with this case. Subsequently, I asked another two questions '' Mr President, are you really sincere with this Ogunruku's struggle and do you think that Ogunruku's reinstatement is possible?’’ He responded by saying that my questions are ''INSULTING,'' that he would be foolish fighting a war he cannot win, and I responded by saying that ’’when Late Ojukwu led the Ibos to the civil war he never thought he would lose, man can never predict the future.’’ Afterward, he said that it is bad that I am here to question him on Ogunruku's suspension and he walked out on me and went outside to discuss, leaving me in his room, I told the other person with us ''I am not a journalist; I am here to listen to the truth and proffer a practical way forward.'' He demanded for the way forward, and I said that the he should call the president so that I can submit it to him in his presence'' he called but the president refused to give him an answer and eventually he even joined the president in the discussion. After some minutes lonely in his room, I had to sadly go back to my room. Our leaders are only good at writing letters and having frequent unfruitful meetings with the management: they are not sincere and serious with this reinstatement. My little stay on this campus has taught me that the management are not always bothered by what you rant or write but they are interested in what you can do or do. We have had occasions, our leaders will go to DSA to compromise and take coffee but when they come to the halls, they will tell students that ‘’ we told mama to sit down and listen to us, and she sat down.’’ Not too far, during the NUGA games, in Awo hall when we stood against the management’s oppressive decision of sending us out of the halls then came the dean of students’ affairs, MAMA. I can never forget that abusive and degrading songs were composed with her name in her presence, with smiles and laugher she danced to those songs. Eventually, we won that struggle.


It is a thing of shame and tears when students are heard saying '' Ogunruku has no future, what stops him from going to another school since four years; he is not a student; you cannot fight the management and win; why should a fresher join a struggle and even lead it'' and so many other reactionary statements. Only low consciousness or naivety and betrayal can instigate those statements. Some students are not aware of his suspension; others are historically bereft of his adventure.


Our ever-oppressive management think that with victimisations and threats of closing down the school they can sabotage our efforts and make us silent in oppression. They have failed in that shallow belief! In other to make Ogunruku's reinstatement impossible they have been busy via their emissaries spreading the fallacy and lie that Ogunruku is not a student. Our management are not easy to fight and defeat when we are divided or with low consciousness. These emissaries of Lucifer on earth are easily defeated by our unity and high consciousness. They are scared of our unity, numbers, and high consciousness. That is why they are tirelessly engaged in using US against US and furthermore victimise our comrades in other to kill our consciousness.

Fellow soldiers in struggle, let us rise to fight this good fight with all our might, solidarity is our bond and justice our beacon. At this time, we need to drop our ideological, political, and religious differences in making sure that COMRADE OLAWALE OGUNRUKU is reinstated next week. I am not being utopian: the possibility lies on our sincerity and seriousness. Consequently, I submit the following as ways forward:

+The union leadership should by this weekend make a clear and comprehensive historical background write-up on the events before and after Ogunruku's suspension to sensitize the students,
+A lecture boycott should be declared on Monday,
+On that Monday, in our numbers, with placards, pictures of Ogunruku and our chants march to Directorate Students' Affairs (DSA) and to senate, there we shall stay with our voices and feet until Ogunruku is reinstated
Of the greatest Ife, if this realistic and practical method is employed, I make bold to assert that Ogunruku's suspension will end and be a victory story to us and generations to come. However, if we remain mute, history will be mad at us and more harmful policies and actions will flood our campus.
Aluta continua, victoria ascerta

Grateful Great Chukwunyere
EMERITUS
(Member of the Parliament and Comrade of Progressive Students' Agenda PSA)