31/03/2018
I'M NOT ASKING FOR TOO MUCH
I joined student Unionism right from my first year in the university. I held various elective and appointive positions which I wouldn't want to bore you mentioning them.
Throughout my stay in the university, I participated actively in Union activities both within and outside the school which includes rallies, campaigns, protests, sensitisation etc. Some of the protests lead to indefinite closing down of the school by management.
On one of such cases, we protested against the increase in our school fee. By "omission or commission", #10,000 was added to our school fee and we protested against it.
We went round the school compound with placards with various write-ups chanting aluta songs. We locked the school gate and disrupted academic activities around the school.
The VC was not in town. I learnt he called the DVC to come and address us. The man came and talked to us for hours but couldn't calm us nor compel us to stop the protest or open the school gate because he was using threats and stern words. His words infuriated the angry students the more.
At this point, most senior Comrade Jerome Egbe (lecturer in the university) met us at the school gate while trying to drive out of the school compound. Being a Comrade and an Aluta war Lord, he started chanting aluta greetings followed by some great aluta songs. His actions really gingered the already tensed crowd.
He asked us what the problem was and one of us explained everything to him. It took him just few minutes to give us few points and keys to addressing our issue and promised to accompany us to meet the DVC in his office since the VC was not around. Everyone was so satisfied with the way and manner he approached and addressed the matter.
The protest was suspended and the school gate, opened. Few of us went with him to meet with the DVC. Within few minutes, a circular was released and pasted on all notice boards to the effect that the obnoxious increase has been reversed.
A situation that an older person couldn't handle, a younger person handled very effectively. Had it been that we didn't protest. Had it been that most senior Comrade Jerome Egbe didn't lend his voice, today, students of my Alma Mata would still be paying that additional 10k.
Today in our society, the older folks have tried their best but it is glaring that their best is not good enough. We need fresh hands. We need fresh and sharp brains. We need those that are closer to the masses. We need those that understand the language of the poor. We need a Comrade that has been in the struggle and knows how we really feel.
I'm not asking for too much
Let's give the younger generation a chance.
Most Senior Comrade Jerome Egbe
Abi/Yakkur Federal Constituency