₦airaland Forum

delors: Culled from national Tribune

The Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, is synonymous with radical and progressive students’ unionism, which has made many of the student-activists to be victimised, suspended, expelled and jailed for standing against oppressive management and government politics. Saburi Akinola, a.k.a. Malcolm X, is, unarguably, one of such students. The man, who was admitted in 2000, to study Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, was unlawfully detained for close to eight months. His incarceration generated heated criticisms from local, national and international media. In this interview, ‘Malcolm X’, who had his National Diploma at the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, shares his experience with Sikiru Akinola, 300L, Political Science, OAU..
e has been deeply involved in struggle before coming to OAU, as he was the National Speaker of the National Association of Engineering Students (NAES) in Ilaro. His antecedents in his part one days earned him the Secretary General of the Union in his second year on campus.

"I’ve been ideologically equipped before I became president. Handling the pressure was not a big deal because I’ve been part of it since the initial stage,” Saburi said when asked how he was able to combine academics with aluta.

Asked whether having to spend 12 years on campus to read a course would not be a setback for his career and life, as age is no longer on his side, he quipped: “Well, you are right about that but when you look at life in the real sense of it, the first question you should have asked is; why are you here? I believe personally that I’m here for a purpose. I’m aware that there is always a price for everything.
There is no regret that we’ve paid the ultimate prices. The fact that I have spent 12 years is not due to the fact that I am not intellectually solid but because we insisted that our people should not lose their voices; they should not lose their capacity to say no when things are not going in the normal direction.

“I have no regrets! The people oppressing us – government, university authorities- are slaves; they don’t have what it takes to confront the truth. It is not how far, but how well. In the real sense of it, I have not lost any year. Apart from being a student here, I am into Information Technology; I have done some certification courses in IT. and I make bold to assert that I am far ahead of many of my contemporaries. Also, I have been able to live a fruitful life as I am committed to serving humanity.”

On his source of inspiration, despite the intimidations and victimization, he said: “For me, I derive satisfaction and enjoyment from doing it and I believe that I have been destined to do so. So, the driving force has been personal conviction. An activist is someone that is deeply interested in the affairs of his immediate community to change the status-quo. By joining all progressive movements and programmes, you are on the way.”

Speaking on the proscription of the Students’ Union in OAU for the past 19-months, Malcom X stated: “It does not affect Ife alone.

And you can trace it to the collapse of the fighting tools since the last decade. We had the NADECO, JACON, CLO, CD, ASUU, NLC and CDHR during the military junta. They were very vibrant and always at the forefront of all struggles, but unfortunately, when you look at the country today, you will see that there is a total collapse of these aforementioned tools; there is a decline in their activities. And that is robbing us good things because the unions used to be very vibrant and you get sympathy from other organisations outside the campus.

I remember him being the Secreatry General when I was in 100level in 2002. Small,unassuming, tiny-bodied but deeply focused young man. He lost the OAU-SUG Presidential bid 3 times before eventually becoming the president when I was in 400level. And the same year was the beginning of this sad story of unduly long journey after clashing with the school authorities...But I am glad he is done now...and he is being celebrated nation-wide. Big Congrats Sabur! May your days be long! Aluta continua...

congrats wish to follow ur footsteps here in oou aluta continual Victoria

Fresh princess: Na beg all 200level and 300level of OOU dey beg ASSU make dem no strike. We haven't written our first semester exams since January wey we resume, we re startng July 8. So ASSU should pls av mercy on us ooo..

we dey beg dem oooooo on behalf of all oouites

Yes hv confirm 4rm my / d top Greatest oouites excelentia humana expatries opus excelent in service to humanity and fatherland if u can survive @ oou u can survive anywhere in d world i rep oou omo olowo university

Greatest oouites excelentia humana expatries opus excelent in service to humanity and fatherland

For secondary skul ogunmakin high school for virtue and knowledge and university excellentia humana expaties opus excellent in service to fatherland and fatherland bt i can,t categorically tell u nw i wl have to confirm 4rm my oga @ d top (which is d v.c)becos i dnt want 2 say something nw nd my oga @ d top wl say another thing i rep oou

So d man is a phrmacologist wat did a pharmocologist has to do with politics nd election commision naija i hail ooo

Happy new year nairalanders shout out to my friends my fellow oouites nd bro abayomie of oou education thread for making my admission possible to oou dis year thank u baba God

It, s fantastic here @ union baptist church in my home town of ikire osun state

And jesus pray that they may all be one shame to dis looter pastors

I hope u guysplay a big part in partisan politics dat we change our nation in d future

The fight dat we can argue nd vote 4 d person we beleive in is a part of our liberty some people all over d world are risking their lyf for d chance to argue lk we did here congrats 2 jossy4luv nd dr lagusta 4 providing a powerful opposition

Table Leg :
Is GEJ in the military? or is it only the military who can support?
Come to the forum to come and talk about some sweet nonsense they cant stand up to!
Moro.n!

brother for your information Gej is a military man because he,s d commander in chief of d armed forces so he,s responsible nd has d sacred duty of protecting his citizens

Why are d worst leader in political history i mean nigerian leaders ,they should learn from this what would have happen to dis my brother if he remains in nigeria

Dat,s d american dream no matter who u are u can make it in d united states if u can try and it can only happen in america dat,s why it,s d most powerful nation on earth dat,s what keeps d world going there gud job president obama will sign it

Dat,s d american dream no matter who u are u can make it in d united states if u can try and it can only happen in america dat,s why it,s d most powerful nation on earth dat,s what keeps d world going there

Pls bro ab and dexxyalebs add me hv sent a request to joind d group on fb since bt no reply

I hope d tree does nt caught fire with our first lady,s usual grammatical jargon

I hope d tree does nt caught fire with first lady,s grammatical jargon

Has religion both xtian and islam have failed

I hope all pdp leaders are in dat plane when it will crash then it will be a revolution

Pls wen is it advisable 2 resume in jan nd wen wl d acceptance receipt b available

Naija_pikin 1: Even if they (FIFA) knew,they would have ignored the record. Am an arsenal fan,but i believe that didier drogba should be among those vying for the ballon d‘or. Just look at the list. Iniesta and messi that didnt lift a trophy last season, and ronaldo who won the la liga. Can u compare this to the champions league?. Its just absolute rubbish!

for ur infoiniesta and messi won d vopa de rel nd iniesta also woneuro 2012 hv u seen anyone better than messi dis season

Okiki_Oluwa: Ehn! Ehn! How I wish this record is recognised by FIFA. Who go break am? Definitely not Lionel Messi.


Ok, maybe Thiago Messi (Messi's Pikin).
But kudos to Messi for breaking Mullers record. Just hope that he's not using drugs.

why nt go check am Bleep haters d guy is d best in d world

tosins: cant wait to meet u too and whats ur course

physics education wat abt u?

Thanks to all u guys nd ladies bro aboyomie would have been among d top three if nt the bad polyticking dat sufferced in d rules nomination process which is an injustice to me all my fellow oou freshers bt u guys and ladies stand for the person you belieive in and bro ab u still remains d best my other oou fresher can,t wait to meet u guys nd ladies

Thanks to all u guys nd ladies bro aboyomie would have been among d top three if nt the bad polyticking bt u guys and ladies stand for the person you belieive in and bro ab u still remains d best my other oou fresher can,t wait to meet u guys nd ladies

Pls d nomination wl b over by 12pm pls let,s vote 4 bro abayomi 2 b nominated pls guys nd ladies vote 4 him it does nt take tym let,s show our gratitude 2 dis person dat has make a difference in dis thread great oouites

Pls announcing dis again let,s show our gratitude to bro abyomie by nominating him 4 d education poster of d year ur votes are neede i remain his capaign organiser

Odunnu: Once again I plead, make your nominations.
https://www.nairaland.com/1120236/2012-official-education-section-poster

pls let,s all appreaciate bro abayomie by voting nd nominating him freshers pls let,s show our gratitude hv just done mine pwetty honey nd all other freshers ur nomination are needed

I nominate abayomie of oou thread he realy tried many ppl got admitted becos of oou supp post utme he advertised