AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT, STUDENTS REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL (SRC), AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA‎

The President,
Students Representative Council,
Ahmadu Bello University,
Zaria.

Dear Sir,
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KONGO CAMPUS: THE PLIGHT OF FELLOW STUDENTS UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP‎
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Introduction
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I write on behalf of myself and fellow concerned and affected students of Ahmadu Bello University (hereinafter referred to as ABU Zaria) especially those in Kongo Campus to which I belong, to remind you of our existence under the umbrella of the Students Representative Council (hereinafter referred to as SRC or the council) and by implication your leadership and to make known to you our plight which some of your inactions has contributed to; as well as demand your immediate intervention in the interest and for the benefit of all students affected or liable to be affected.

Our Plight
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Sir, the students in ABU Zaria, particularly Kongo Campus have for so long been subjected to untold hardship and misery which I believe is very avoidable if the right measures are taken.
Top on the list is erratic power supply which has been the major problem we are currently facing; the very reason that warranted the writing of this letter. We barely get 4 hours of uninterrupted power supply and the very few hours we get to see light is late in the nights or in the mornings when considerably most of us are preparing to go to or are at our respective classes receiving lectures.
The most disturbing thing is how the Generators which are put on to light the main school premises between 6pm to 10pm in order to allow students read in the libraries, theatres and the various classes have not been on for almost a week now. This has forced the librarians at the President Kennedy Library as well as those at the Law Libraries to ask students reading in the libraries to leave and close the library as soon as it is dark. This has caused frustration and generated a lot of inconvenience for students of the campus who usually read between that range of time.
The situation has so worsened that right now in an institution of international repute like ABU Zaria, students now battle to find space UNDER the solar lights around the campus just to study. The sight alone provokes sympathy. I made some enquiries of my own and got to understand that the school generators were not on all this while because the generators "are out of fuel". Well, this might or might not be the only reason but we really have suffered and are still suffering from this unfortunate circumstance while our fellow students in Samaru Campus (which has tripled Kongo Campus in terms of size, even more in population and consequently in use and consumption of power) still continue to enjoy and celebrate power availability and relative stability.
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My Stake
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It is based on the above (being a student of law, a students activist, and Executive as well as bona fide member of the Students' Human Rights Club and a loyal student under the umbrella of your leadership, that I feel the need to caution you and wake you up from your seemingly short slumber to do the rightful, the needed, the expected and the required for us in the interest of students under your leadership as well as remind you of the trust and burden of responsibilities entrusted upon you on oath by we the students, by God and the society.
Sir, I also wish to remind you that the welfare of students of all the campuses is one of your primary responsibilities and students from one campus deserve your attention as much as those from the other campuses regardless of which you belong to as you are the President of the entirety of students in ABU Zaria and not of those in Samaru Campus or any of the campuses alone.
I will also be correct to say that Kongo Campus is yet to feel the impact of your administration which is gradually approaching its finish line. Perhaps you need a soft reminder that each and every student of ABU Zaria is now under obligation to include among his/her school fees a sum of 500 Naira as "SRC" fees every session. Failure to pay this fee automatically renders one's school fees incomplete thereby making one an unregistered student as far as that session is concerned. I believe that the SRC Fees paid by students is enough to repair and/or fuel all the "out of fuel" generators even if it were in all the campuses (until the time the school is able to continue with the fueling) for the generators to be turned on for at least four hours in the night to enable us read as it is no more news that we have left not more than a month to the commencement of Second Semester examinations.
I also strongly believe that the welfare of students under your leadership is more a priority than unnecessary matters that are of no good to our respective endeavours.
I am by this letter humbly urging you to set your priorities straight and look into your administration as its performance in the school especially at the campus in question is below average. This has been the case even in the previous administration where the President happened to be from the Campus. Sir, students are becoming more aware and conscious of things surrounding and affecting them and silence is no more an option.
We begin to ask whether SRC has abandoned its primary essence and purpose of promoting welfare of all students to something entirely different and unbeneficial to our well being and endeavours. Also whether it has began to change its name from "Students Representative Council" to "Self Richening Comrades". We are entitled to ask and hold you accountable for you were elected to represent us all and that you might be our leader but "strictu sensu" you are a servant of our interest and wellbeing. I do believe also that emulating the good, responsible and positive works as well as following the path of exceptional leadership set by some of your predecessors, the likes of Umar Sani Bebeji and others characterised with true and unconditional comradeship would go a long way in making your person as well as your administration a memorable and legendary one.
It is in light of the above that I make the following suggestions as to how your administration can wake up and fasten its belt of leadership in the interest of its reputation, the self respect of the entire members of your administration, equity, good conscience and most importantly students' welfare, our welfare.
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Way Forward
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It is my humble belief that in every problem facing one or humanity in general lies the solution as rightly stated by Santosh Kalwar that:
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'Every problem comes with a baggage of solutions".
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And that as observed by Charles F. Kettering that:
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‎'A problem well stated is a problem half solved".
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I become under obligation to suggest some possible solutions to the aforementioned problems. I hereby humbly suggest that:
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1. The leadership hand of your administration be extended to reach and touch every student regardless of that students' campus, level or field of study.
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2. The problem(s) faced by students here in Kongo Campus and all the other campuses be considered, looked into, tackled and solved.
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3. Immediate solution be provided to the problem of power in Kongo Campus by providing fuel and repairs (if need be) for the school generators to be put on for at least four hours (6pm to 10pm) to enable students read for their tests and forthcoming examinations as students pay SRC fees and are collectively entitled to a conducive and convenient atmosphere for learning, the primary objective of being in school. The leadership should also make enquiry with the school regarding the problem and aid in proferring solutions to same.
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4. Policies and activities of the council be revisited to include more participation and input from students.
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5. Welfare of students should be the number one priority and not extraneous matters, issues or activities.
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Conclusively, this letter is informed by my selfless concern for the welfare of students of ABU Zaria and not in anyway motivated by parochial or trivial concerns and it is intended to be an eye-opener to subsequent administration. And I do hope that rather than be offended you would take it as a good and well intentioned gesture aimed at assisting you and your administration after all what matters is substance of the letter and not the form. ‎
I am on my part motivated by the words of Jean- Baptiste Poquelin who said
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'It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we do not do".
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And I pray that the Almighty assist you in delivering the burden you have taken by oath.‎
Please accept, Mr. President, the assurances of my best regards.

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Yours,‎
I.A. Danlawan
Faculty of Law,
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Treasurer,
Students' Human Rights Club,
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
07039496554

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-Mahata Gandhi.‎