8th July, 2013
This semester, the University of First Choice- Unilag- has
witnessed various protests- mild and mighty. The most notable of these protests
is the coming together of Faculty presidents and other students to voice out
their pains against the exorbitant prices at which goods are being sold on
Campus. This protest went on for about three days; and as many students
retorted, they were days of hunger strike. Another is
the protest at the front
of the Electrical Unit of the University on Thursday 20th of June, 2013 at
about 6pm; due to the epileptic mode of power supply in the halls of residence.
Apart from these, another protest came up on the 24th of June, 2013, as the
Creative Arts' students trooped out, singing loud the popular Eedris
Abdulkareem's song- '' Mr. Lecturer,''- with the sole aim of fighting against
sexual harassment and exploitation on the part of their lecturers.
There were other protests apart from these ones, but whether
they are great or small, the sole aim of it all, is to be heard. Students
resolve to protests when they feel their feelings have been neglected, and
those in Authority seem not to be bothered, taking their silence for
foolishness. We all know how it feels, when one is counted as not being
important. But, let's have a deep thought; must everything always end up in
protests?
So many questions come to mind- do we really achieve our
aims through protests? Are we not the ones who suffer the consequences more
than the authorities we are protesting against? These two questions are more
defined as a result of the protest against the exorbitant prices of goods on
Campus. One realizes that even after the protests, much differences are not
felt or seen; it is as though things still remain the way they had always been,
coupled with the newly introduced hostile attitudes of sellers. With regards to
the second question, the 24 hour shutdown of businesses was like a hell in a
cell; students felt ever more hungry, and many resolved to going outside the
school premises to get food to eat, especially the underground bread-the solace
in the time of trouble.
Now, don't you think it's high time we sat down to think of
other means of solving our issues rather than resolving to protests? First and
foremost, if the school authorities do not want students resolving to this
means, they should also put the interests of the students first, rather than
theirs. You could imagine how disgraceful, things would turn out, if our
counterparts are getting to know of the avoidable messes going on in the
University of First choice.
On the part of each student who is the victim of this
situation, there are numerous ways by which we can voice out our pains without
resolving to carrying placards and washing our dirty linens in the public.
The following are ways by which we can resolve this; First
and foremost, when there is a situation working against us on Campus, we can
put up articles, write letters, and send e-mails to those in authority. If
those do not work, we then turn to representative bodies of the students in the
likes of Departmental heads, Faculty presidents, Hall presidents, etc. These
people can go on to the authorities for dialogues. Another effective way is to
involve the Press. If there is a bugging situation in the school and the school
authorities decide to turn deaf ears to it, involving the Press will prompt the
authority into action. They would not want the situation to deteriorate any
further.
In a bid to hearken to the students’ challenges on campus,
the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Rahmon Bello convened an august meeting with Key
Students Leaders, Naval Cadets Corps, Man O' war, and the Press Club on 26th
June, 2013 at the Senate Chamber. The VC listened to the challenges of students
as presented by the student leaders and promised to take appropriate actions.
So, fellow Akokites, let us put on our thinking caps, and
not operate in the 'flesh' .We are enlightened people and we can always do it
better.
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