The Nigerian student activists: Endangered species? -By Kaine Agary

Kaine Agary

With all the political shenanigans in the news, it would be easy to miss the news that another student was expelled from an institution of higher education for essentially raising issues concerning student welfare with the school administration.

Throughout history, students have been a catalyst for social and political change. Students in higher institutions begin to form their ideologies and belief systems that take them through life. They are encouraged to think, to ask questions, to challenge the status quo, to develop new thought. The objective of a higher education is not just to attain an academic qualification, but to help in moulding the characters that will keep our societies on the path of progress. It seems, however, that more and more, Nigerian students are being muzzled. The philosophy seems to be, muzzle them early so that they do not go into the real world and think that they can question those in authority.

The latest on the list of expelled students is Mr. Debo Adebayo of Redeemer’s University. The letter expelling Mr Adebayo reads:

“It has been established through the findings of the students’ investigation and disciplinary that you recently posted certain messages on some social media platforms which are offensive and portrayed the Redeemer’s University and some of the officials in a bad light.

“The above is unbecoming of a product of the University where degrees are awarded, based on character and learning. By the rules and regulations guiding students’ conduct in Redeemer’s University, the act constitutes serious misconduct which is punishable by expulsion.

“Accordingly, you are hereby expelled from the University. However, in line with the policy of the University, you may wish to take advantage of the Recovery of Destiny (ROD) programme. This is subject to your preparedness to be remorseful, repentant and willing to take the offer.”

Recovery of Destiny? What is that? All that for a social media post that mentioned no names, of persons or institutions? This Recovery of Destiny programme illustrates the mind set of teachers in our higher institutions. They operate as though they have your destiny in their hands and you must cooperate with them or pay a hefty price. If you are lucky and contrite, you will be offered the ROD programme.

I am happy that Mr Adebayo’s parents plan to take legal action because even parents are not beyond the reach of this control of destiny by school administrations. Remember the cases of Queen’s College a few years ago – from sexual assault allegations, to deaths due to negligence – when the parents of students were also threatened by the school administration to keep their mouths shut. What happened to parents? Have they been squeezed through the same Recovery of Destiny programme that they no longer know how to defend the rights of their children?

In 1987, I was a JS3 student at a unity school. One night, after evening devotions, as we prepared for lights out, news spread around like wildfire that there was going to be a “riot” that night. Junior students shared the news in whispers, some shared the experience from a sister, brother or friend’s school where there had been student demonstrations. We did not know what to expect but we were excited. We were going to be part of the action.

Our darling pioneer principal had been transferred to another school and the vice principal who did not have many fans had taken over. She was liked by very few students but she managed to get a handful of girls on her side. The allegation was that she was coming into school at night to pick them up to host parties at her house – whatever that meant, the seniors had decided that it would end that night. And so we waited, we could barely get a wink of sleep. It was almost unbelievable that the Vice Principal would engage in such behaviour but the seniors had a plan and we were ready to support them in their plan.

That night, like a carefree animal, oblivious of the danger ahead, she fell into our trap. She showed up to pick up her girls and instead met an ambush. My dormitory was a little distance from the scene of the action and by the time we got there, the vice principal had taken refuge in the home of the Senior Boarding House Mistress. For those of us who missed out on the initial ambush, there was a trophy going around as evidence that she had been captured. She had a pair of shoes that were shaped like a sports car, with multi-coloured wheels. They must have been her favourite shoes because she wore them all the time. She lost one leg in the ambush and it was passed around as evidence that we had her.

We sat outside in our nightgowns till morning and the seniors took control of the main gates. No member of staff was allowed inside the school until the parents arrived. There was an emergency Parents-Teachers Association meeting that morning, and the parents were firmly in control. No student would be penalised for their role in the demonstration but all students needed to go home and cool off. The JS3 students returned earlier for our JS3 exams. Now I wonder what the outcome would be if the same situation played out in a unity school today.

We cannot be proud of producing university graduates who are too afraid or timid to ask questions; graduates who are afraid to rock the boat because they just want to fly under the radar and get their certificates. Such crop of people cannot be good for our progress.