-By Comrade Ini-obong Uko.
In 2009 when I wanted to go
into the Nigerian Defense Academy, I had a role model in the army- My Dad, who
took time to teach me the characters of a successful Soldier. Dwelling his
discourse more on being intelligent, alert, tactical, calculative and
courageous as being the characteristics of a successful military man. According
to him, the military is meant for Comrades of high moral standards and a little
of morale for bravery. He said those Comrades in the army who has more morales
than morals are those who die first in the battle field because they are not
tactical and calculative in their moves.
Well, I didn't make it to NDA any more
but that knowledge of how to engage in a war is still one of my guiding
principles even as a civilian. One of them is the one as postulated by a
Chinese war strategist Sun Tzu in his book THE ART OF WAR who said that
"To overcome others' armies without fighting is the best of skill".
It's quite unfortunate that students unionism of this generation is no more
standing on the principles of Comradeship and Chivalry, love and Brotherhood,
unity and progress but has been jeopardized into a state described by an
English Philosopher Thomas Hobbes in his book The Leviathan as "The State
of Nature".
The state of nature was used to describe a society of anarchy,
brutality, violence. And according to Hobbes everyone had equal rights to self
preservation. This implies that man is at liberty to do anything to preserve
himself even if it means hurting another. N/B. In this stage of human existence
no progress can be recorded as man is out to bastardize one another. The
National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) which is the mother body of
students organizations in Nigeria is one of those students' advocacy platform
which has been hijacked by some lawless hoodlums who felt they would lost out
in the NANS 2016 GOMBE CONVENTION.
But while I still believe in the Leadership
of Prince Maiphen, the 2016 NANS CONVENTION CHAIRMAN who was duly elected by
Nigerian Students to conduct an election as soon as possible which will help
avoid the looming crises in the students unionism I wish to address the looming
crises and the kidnapping saga currently in the news as it is alleged to had
happened yesterday in Akwa Ibom State in the Commissioner for education's
office.
Like it is said, "Unreplied lies attend the status of truth".
The crisis in National Association of Akwa Ibom State Students (NAAKISS) did
not start today, it all began over eight years ago when we allowed a "Robert
Mugabe" to stay in the system for over eight years as the President of
NAAKISS which as I speak he is still using the official bus of that
association. This attitude had truncated the efforts of Akwa Ibom Students to
get welfare packages from government.
But I'm always grateful to Comrade Ini
Ememobong who used his office then as the SA to the Governor on students along
side Comrade David Effiong-the then NAAKISS President University of Uyo chapter
to coordinate other chapter Presidents and collectively had a mutual
understanding which brought about the payment of bursary in 2015. At this point
it would rather be necessary to engage in a dialogue than violence. Violent
would still be to our detriment as students because our welfare packages as
students may be tempered with by some of our greedy politicians who are in a
better position to advise the students against violence . Instead they are part
of the distorted leadership saga in the union. A WORD IS ENOUGH FOR THE WISE.
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