₦airaland Forum

BATTLE AGAINST INJUSTICE AT NOUN

Friends and fellow students, It is true that injustice at NOUN had been in existence since the inception of the institution, it was only in 2015 that we decided to confront it head on and bring it to an end. Since April 2015, when the Congress of Noun Students (NOUN) officially resolved to lead students to demand for their rights and seek an end to all forms of irregularities in the institution as contained in our Ten (10) point’s demand submitted to the university, we were confronted with numerous challenges. One such challenge was that, while we consistently remained truthful and fair in our fight for justice, the University on the other hand cannot boldly make the same assertion.

On our part, we subscribed to the philosophy of Ken Wytsma who said, ‘’we understand truth is universal, a paradigm, a lens through which we can look to see what is real. Likewise, justice is a lens through which we can look to determine what ought to be in our relationship with others ’’.

We held the truth as our guiding compass towards justice and didn’t try to employ any negative antics to shore up our chances. Since we believe the heart of God beats with justice, our struggle was an encounter with the heart of God and we remain true to it even till this day.

We are also aware that justice describes our rights, what we are owed and our responsibilities, what we owe others.

So, in the course of our struggle, while we were constantly being denied our rights (what we are owed), nonetheless, we continue to deliver on our responsibilities, what we owe others.

For example, it was on record that the University concocted several falsehoods against us, particularly in a petition to the Lagos State police commissioner in which it accused us of several negative actions. The petition was written in order to frame, discredit, demonize and demoralize us and if possible, get us locked up, but we were freed through the precious hands of God.

I must note however that, nothing really saved us, other than our consistent truthfulness with passion and dedication.

After much arguments and confrontation, the police with unusual firmness declared before all parties, that these gentlemen are only asking for the rights of students to be protected, nothing more, and nothing less. We left the police headquarters feeling very energized. It was after this failed effort at the police headquarters in Lagos that the former VC resolved to oppress us maximally, through unjustifiable expulsion which it announced in November 2015, hoping to get us silenced, but we refused to give up. It was clear to us that if we had given up, thousands of students would have lost hope. If we had given up, many more students would have held a negative impression about standing for the truth and justice and even more importantly, many more people would have lost hope in the concept of human rights and dignity to human person.

We knew we couldn’t allow this to happen, so we remained humble, though held our heads up high even while going through the rough period.

RIGHTS OF STUDENTS AND DUTY OF MANAGEMENT

For many years, rights of students are none existent in NOUN. It was as good as saying, our rights as humans were basically stripped off, yet we were told we have no right to complain. Having carefully observed the situation at that point in time, the Congress of Noun Students (CONS) knew we had to defend the rights of the students, for if we had failed to do so, the essence of our education will have been defeated even before graduation. It was obvious that by trying to deny students their fundamental rights, management had trampled on the law.

However, if this was allowed to continue, students that will graduate under such tutelage will have nothing concrete to hold onto as a guiding compass to justice.

This is why Nicholas Wolterstorff, a professor of theology at Yale University had stated that, ‘’we (Institution of higher education) must not just teach about justice, - though we must, I mean we must teach for justice. The graduates whom we seek to produce must be the ones who practice justice’’. But how can an institution that made human rights violation a permanent feature of its curriculum teach about justice? It was this curiosity that propelled us into seeking justice, even against the leadership of our own institution.

For if we are being denied the opportunity to learn about justice in our University, what would the future hold for our dear nation? I hold the view that, managements of higher institutions in Nigeria have consistently failed to understand year after years, that they are not only to teach the future generations about academics, but instead, they are expected to prepare us for nation building, through justice and inspiring us with the sense of rights, virtue, discipline and dignity. I make bold to say that the ‘’coercive enforcement of human rights abuses’’ and other negative practices in our higher institutions are not only a grave disservice to our nation, they are attempts to permanently kill the sense of right and wrong of the young population and cripple our ability to confront the numerous challenges prevalent in our society. I therefore submit that students that will graduate under such an environment will hardly differentiate between rights and wrong, just and unjust, good and bad and most importantly, this will have killed their sense of dignity and right ideals as we are seeing in our society.

CONFRONTING THE UNJUST SYSTEM

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German theologian that was murdered during the Second World War offered three (3) possible stances to address systemic injustice.

1. Speak truth to criticize it.

2. Give aid to victims and

3. Directly engage the unjust system, not just to bandage the victims under wheel, but to put a spoke in the wheel itself.

During that era, many students had erroneously believed that we can’t fight this injustice and win. They consider our struggle against injustice and flagrant violation of student’s rights as futile effort, which would only land those who dare attempt it into hot soup.

And true to their views, the struggle did land us in hot soup. However, rather than get burnt by the hot soup of injustice, we decided to make use of the meal to satisfy our appetite for trying. We transformed our obstacle into an opportunity to speak more loudly.

While it is true that our victimization by way of expulsion and character assassination was an attempt to silence, crush and kill our spirit, the recent harmonization once again established the fact that, the past authorities might be against us for doing the right thing, certainly, the law is always behind us and sometimes in the future, as we have seen now, people with more sense of justice can emerge in the system to write past wrongs.

HOLDING OUR RIGHTS AS INELIENABLE

Dear colleagues, let me bring our attention to something very crucial again. While the law can indeed declare our rights as sacrosanct and inalienable, until we practice the inalienability of our rights, until we demonstrate the sacrosanct-ness of it, until we collectively display willingness to hold those rights as inviolable, those who wish to violate us won’t abandon the idea. At every opportunity, they will try to deny us those rights and impress upon us that we cannot challenge unlawful authorities. In their mind, they are the ‘’constituted authority’’. They will also try to say we must subject ourselves to their unjust rules. But we must never succumb, we must at all times, defend our rights and those of others. At the Congress of Noun Students (CONS), this informed our resolve to fight, not only against those who violate us, but against the idea itself, which believed it has the rights to violate us.

Borrowing the words of Margaret Thatcher, ‘’we fought to show that aggression does not pay, and that the robber cannot be allowed to get away with his swag’’.

We fought with the support of many people across the federation, yet, we also fought with our own strength.

CREATING PRESSURE WITHOUT STREET PROTEST

As you must have noticed throughout this struggle, we did not conduct any street protest. Though at some point, we contemplated doing so, but we resolved not to, not because it is not our right to do so, but due to several other considerations. We reasoned that, while we might plan to hold a peaceful protest, the reaction of the authorities might turn what was planned to be peaceful assembly into something else, like we have seen across many institutions in times past.

Between 2017-2018, in University of Portharcourt, we saw a student leader reportedly shot dead by the police (May his soul rest in peace).

We reasoned that, should anything ugly like that happen during our peaceful protest due to the aggressive response of the authority, will our struggle be worthwhile after losing someone God forbid? This informed our decision to adopt the use of creative protest and trusting the law to protect us in case our creativity didn’t yield positive results. What we observed however was that, our creative protest was able to generate considerable pressure, forcing some internal changes and at the end of it all, the former Vice Chancellor, who unjustifiably expelled us, also got consumed by his own fire.

He was sacked despite all resistance, which was one of our demands as contained in our November 2, 2015 press release. This is apart from the subsequent investigation by EFCC, leading to confiscation of properties, including a hotel.

Let me also use this opportunity to advise other student leaders and civil society groups across the country that the use of street protest as a weapon to fight injustice should be limited. We should be more creative in our protest, so as to generate required pressure, without necessarily leading confrontation. Although, this practice was very much effective in the 20th century, recent experience has shown that, we must be more creative than our forefathers. We must devise better means of communicating our messages. The human and capital loss the world has incurred during street protests far outweighs whatever gains we have achieved.

FIGHTING INJUSTICE WITHOUT BITTERNESS

As perceived victims of abuse, violated by those who should ordinarily teach them how to defend their rights, many do develop resentment and negative attitudes towards their abusers.

Some harbor hatred, while others engage in violent confrontation.

However, it should be noted here that, in the process of fighting for our rights, we must not be seen committing wrongful deeds. Hatred and resentment towards others is not encouraged.

The immortal words of Dr Martin Luther King Junior is worth recalling here. ‘’Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom, by drinking the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct ourselves, on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. And again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.’’

In view of this, I am pleading with you my colleagues to swallow the bitter pills and forgive our oppressors.

Although, the oppressive conduct of our former Vice Chancellor, Prof Vincent Ado Tenebe and his team may be disgusting, painful and appalling, that should not make us distrust them or wish them any harm. What they deserve, to my understanding is not our condemnation and abuses; but instead, our pity and prayers. The legendary Nelson Mandela had said, resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemy’’. This implies that, holding grudge against other people do more harm to you than them.

So, we can’t afford to resent any member of the management, who had offended us in one way or the other in time past, we should see that the current management are doing everything necessary to correct past mistakes.

Similarly, the noble messenger of Islam, Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) had commanded, ‘’support your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is the oppressed.

Some of the Prophet’s companions then said O prophet, we help the one being oppressed, but how do we help an oppressor?

The prophet responded thus: ‘’By restraining him or preventing him from committing further injustice’’.

The above saying of the prophet also complimented what Nelson Mandela had said when asked about his oppressors after being released from prison in Southh Africa.

Mandela said, ‘’I knew as well as I knew anything that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed. A man who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred, he is locked behind the bar of prejudiced and narrow mindedness.

We, as advocates of human rights, must therefore adopt as a matter of necessity, the heavenly wisdom in a teaching of a popular biblical verse in Yoruba language which says, ‘’Baba dari jin won, tori won ko mon tin won se’’, which literally means that, ‘’Oh God, please forgive them, for they knew not, what they were doing’’.

I urge all students to forgive the management for whatever wrong they might have done to us.

The new management is acting with reason and we must replicate their conduct.

Students must hereby provide all necessary support for the success of the new relationship with the management.

CONCLUSION

While the University is making efforts to harmonize with the students with the latest development, the issue of withholding the certificate of those of us expelled will remain, unless resolved by the university. I personally, have since moved on from that era and as a matter of fact, I have obtained another Masters Degree at the prestigious premier institution, University of Ibadan. However, I am aware that Elias is yet to obtain another degree and resolving that would help close the issue once and for all.

Additionally, Eric Hagood in his book, ‘’The heart of greatness’’had said, ‘’the real fact of the matter is that, God never intended for any of us to make it on our own.

In as much as we might like to do things on our own or desires to accomplish great feats by ourselves, the reality is we never really do anything on our own. We’ve all been helped by others’’.

This is why this address can’t be complete without specially thanking the entire students of NOUN and the exco of Congress of NOUN Students for their support during the past struggles.

Particularly my colleagues at the Congress of Noun Students (CONS), who in spite of their tight schedule, continue to demonstrate great commitment to our joint cause.

While I cannot mention the names of everyone who had contributed to the struggle, there are certain names that cannot be forgotten.

With great respect, I appreciate my brothers, Comrade Afolabi Oluwaseyi and Mazi Ifeanyichukwu Okolie for their passion and dedication to the struggle. You are the true face of this struggle and I greatly appreciate your contribution.

I also acknowledge the sacrifices of my respected brothers, in person of Comrade Maroof Olawale Ajala and Comrade John Dossou. You have remained the pillar and source of inspiration.

Let me also appreciate the most stylish CONS Chief servant and President, Eze Mmuo , who will travel all the way from Benin to attend our court session in Lagos and CONS Vice president, Thursdaline Peter the ever gallant iron lady, who consistently remained within the fold of the struggle. Dear, my admiration for you knows no bound.

Thanks to all CONS admin and reps, particularly Comrade Adebanjo Olatunji Daniel who later served as Secretary General.

Let me also specially thank all our Comrades at the various study centers across the federation, particularly those in Osogbo study center led by Comrade Chris. You guys own this victory. I won’t also forget my colleagues at Ilorin study center, NSDF, Comrade Adedayo Buremoh , Larry, John K, Comrade Adisa Jaji Azeez and all others. I also appreciate my comrades at Ijebu Study center led by Comrade Idris Oluwabunmi Ogungbo , Lagos by Comrade Ọrẹolúwa Ìyínkáyé , Benin Study Center led by ID Collins Ibadan Study Center led by brother Sunday Oluwaseye O , Jos led by Alkasim Aliyu , Enugu, Portharcourt, Kano, Abuja and other study centers across the federation.

I thank you all most sincerely. I also want to specially thank comrade Daniel and his team at FABET. Although , FABET plan was disrupted, but the experience was valuable.

My special appreciation also goes to the Center for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa, under the leadership of Prof Maurice Fagnon, our legal counsel, Barrister Gabriel Orban and Founder of Sahara Reporter, Omoyele Sowore

This message will not be complete, without specially commending the successive administration in CONs within the past decade, starting from Comrade Lurd Bouch, Comrade Mawlana Ahmad Tijani , Comrade Pelumi Paul Jacob Comrade Chris, Comrade Abolore, Comrade Shakiru Olatunde Kareem and the current president, Comrade Newland and their respective executive and legislative members.

Let this be a reminder that the struggle for justice is never in vain. May this milestone inspire generations of students to always uphold their rights, challenge injustice, and work towards a society where fairness is the norm, not the exception.

We fought. We endured. And today, reason has finally prevailed.

Long live the Congress of NOUN Students!
Long live the pursuit of justice

Abdulrazaq Hamzat
Convener
Congress of NOUN Students

Reference:
https://punchng.com/court-orders-final-forfeiture-of-hotel-linked-to-ex-noun-vc/

Bold.. tha VC should be wike's cousin in character and resemblance

experts:
A DECADE LATER, REASON FINALLY PREVAILED AT NOUN

Useless people like the VC go also they abuse Politicians o

Long and irrelevant write up.

Dem send you go school, you go dey form “I sabi challenge management.” Later, you go loose, you come dey cry, dey talk say “properties of VC wey dem cease,” na the vindication of your bad character.

Nigerians are funny. But the funnier part is that; they know very well that when anyone talks anything bad against their “school” or a “professor” or a “lecturer,” they AUTOMATICALLY earn support from the public.

Let me read first I dey come
.
..
...
Ok I have read

Indeed a long struggle.. reminds me of Mandela's Long Road to Freedom.

The write up contains plenty of aluta language.. though the writer woukd have done some good to mention in few lines what were those students writes that the management trampled upon or the bád management rules that they fought against or specific instances of extortion, were they via unnecessary charges or fees on students?!

Nwaikpe:
they know very well that when anyone talks anything bad against their “school” or a “professor” or a “lecturer,” they AUTOMATICALLY earn support from the public.

Just because you are a lecturer doesn't mean all lecturers are saint.

That's a warped way to reason and unbecoming conduct for a learned man like yourself.

Greatest of the greatest nigerian student

Why all this long epistles.

All this can be put in 4 paragraphs. This is visual abuse

Tenses:
Just because you are a lecturer doesn't mean all lecturers are saint.

That's a warped way to reason and unbecoming conduct for a learned man like yourself.

What you just said doesn’t make sense.
So are you trying to say, I shouldn’t judge ALL lecturers by the good of the majority, but you can judge ALL lecturers by the bad of the very far outliers?

Again, your response justifies my position. You just rushed to describe me as a “lecturer” and then begged me to allow you stigmatize the whole profession.

😅😅😅

Kelklein:
Let me read first I dey come
.
..
...
Ok I have read

Indeed a long struggle.. reminds me of Mandela's Long Road to Freedom.

The write up contains plenty of aluta language.. though the writer woukd have done some good to mention in few lines what were those students writes that the management trampled upon or the bád management rules that they fought against or specific instances of extortion, were they via unnecessary charges or fees on students?!

This is more of conciliatory language than aluta

experts:
A DECADE LATER, REASON FINALLY PREVAILED AT NOUN

I read all but I see no where you explain the problem students are facing, you are just discussing general terms "mis-management" "corruption" "rights of students" without telling us the problem university facing, and the solution.

dgitrader:
Why all this long epistles.

All this can be put in 4 paragraphs. This is visual abuse

Mehn, I didn't read that long epistle.

Very tiring.

‎I really admire this school. Learning anywhere and everywhere at convenience should be the working model for learning in modern times. Learning should not be an hassle because it's a continuous process and an integral part of life.

Nwaikpe:
Again, your response justifies my position. You just rushed to describe me as a “lecturer” and then begged me to allow you stigmatize the whole profession.

😅😅😅

Kia!! Which kind of man are you 😂😂

What I am trying to say is that you are overly protective of your profession.

Tenses:
Kia!! Which kind of man are you 😂😂

What I am trying to say is that you are overly protective of your profession.

You are dismissed jare.
Begging me that “even if you are a lecturer, does it mean all of them..”

Las las, na poly una attend sef.
😅😅😅

Nwaikpe:
You are dismissed jare.
Begging me that “even if you are a lecturer, does it mean all of them..”

Las las, na poly una attend sef.
😅😅😅

Some people no see poly attend but they became professors.

Good day

Nobellight77:
‎I really admire this school. Learning anywhere and everywhere at convenience should be the working model for learning in modern times. Learning should not be an hassle because it's a continuous process and an integral part of life.

It's indeed a very good concept

Geovanni412:
Mehn, I didn't read that long epistle.

Very tiring.

This is why they said the youths are lazy.

If the person who wrote it is not tired, what's tiring in just reading something for at most, 15 minutes

Hassanmaye:
I read all but I see no where you explain the problem students are facing, you are just discussing general terms "mis-management" "corruption" "rights of students" without telling us the problem university facing, and the solution.

Giving details of corruption and all those will make the presentation more longer na.

Besides, it's a conciliatory speech, why go deep into problem?

The audience it was presented to have the details

experts:
This is why they said the youths are lazy.

If the person who wrote it is not tired, what's tiring in just reading something for at most, 15 minutes

Why should we read your article?

There is nothing wrong with lengthy essays but it has to be captivating

Your article isn't longer than Cornflakes for Jihad by David Hundeyin which many people, including myself, read.

If it was interesting, we would read it.

Tenses:
Some people no see poly attend but they became professors.

Good day

🤣🤣🤣

In your village ko?

They became professors in your village.

Nwaikpe:
🤣🤣🤣

In your village ko?

They became professors in your village.

Is my village not in Nigeria your country?

Tenses:
Is my village not in Nigeria your country?

Nope!

It may be, but it doesn’t stop the villagers from being lawless and giving a person “professor” even without attending a poly.

😅😅😅

In Nigeria, no one becomes a professor without a PhD. No one.

Nwaikpe:
Nope!

It may be, but it doesn’t stop the villagers from being lawless and giving a person “professor” even without attending a poly.

😅😅😅

In Nigeria, no one becomes a professor without a PhD. No one.

Soyinka and Achebe say hi.

experts:
Giving details of corruption and all those will make the presentation more longer na.

Besides, it's a conciliatory speech, why go deep into problem?

The audience it was presented to have the details

Alright I got your point now

Tenses:
Soyinka and Achebe say hi.

😅😅😅

You keep believing all these nairaland news.
You think popularity is the deal.
The four dudes who were “awarded” Professors, mainly in Literature, were not just outliers, but extreme outliers.

Let me educate you: a “Professor” position is not an “AWARD.” It is a rank in the academia. A PhD is the minimum criteria to be accepted into the position of a “full time academic.” And without being in the academia, you can’t be a professor.😅😅😅

It’s just like saying someone does an extraordinary thing like saving some bandits victim, and you award the person a “Major General” of the Nigerian Army. 😅😅😅
It’s not possible. But if someone wakes up today to build a militia that wipes out all bandit, to placate him not to turn on the state, he can be called a “General.” That was the same with the four “Professor” outliers whom you mentioned. They were given the position based on the need to keep them in the academia, and had to bestow them the title for effectiveness. That same title afforded them the same respect worldwide.

This is an account of a struggle to the participants at different stage

Nwaikpe:
😅😅😅

You keep believing all these nairaland news.
You think popularity is the deal.
The four dudes who were “awarded” Professors, mainly in Literature, were not just outliers, but extreme outliers.

Let me educate you: a “Professor” position is not an “AWARD.” It is a rank in the academia. A PhD is the minimum criteria to be accepted into the position of a “full time academic.” And without being in the academia, you can’t be a professor.😅😅😅

It’s just like saying someone does an extraordinary thing like saving some bandits victim, and you award the person a “Major General” of the Nigerian Army. 😅😅😅
It’s not possible. But if someone wakes up today to build a militia that wipes out all bandit, to placate him not to turn on the state, he can be called a “General.” That was the same with the four “Professor” outliers whom you mentioned. They were given the position based on the need to keep them in the academia, and had to bestow them the title for effectiveness. That same title afforded them the same respect worldwide.

In Nigeria, no one becomes a professor without a PhD. No one.

The above is your exact words 👆👆👆👆👆👆👆

We are done here respectful Sir.