OAU Students Honour Odumakin As Falana Knocks NANS

The Students Union of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State on Wednesday, honoured the late activist, Comrade Yinka Odumakin with the maiden edition of Comrade Yinka Odumakin Inter-Faculty Debate Prize and Public Lecture.

The event was to commemorate the 3rd anniversary of the death of the former Afenifere Spokesperson. 

Speaking during the event held at the Oduduwa Hall of the University, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana, described the current leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) as the mouthpiece of the  government, saying it has strayed from the motive of establishing the union. 

Falana noted that the student leaders ought to realise that NANS was not set up to defend government but to fight for the students.

The SAN who was the Guest Speaker said, unlike the time of Odumakin, the current student leaderships defends the politicians as against what they were there for.  

Falana who was represented by a lecturer in the University, Professor Wumi Raji, said: “In recent times, NANS leadership has become a mouthpiece of reactionary governments. It has joined the Federal Government to fight ASUU and NLC.

“Permit me to cite two instances. During the ASUU strike of 2022, NANS raised the alarm that the incessant strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was no longer for the interest of tertiary education but “an act of educational terrorism economic sabotage.

“On February 16, 2024, the NLC announced a 2-day nationwide protest against hardship facing Nigerians as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy, NANS claimed to have backed out of the protest even though it was not involved in planning the protest. 

“As if that was not enough, NANS stated, “The looming threat of strike poses a significant risk of further exacerbating the economic challenges facing the nation and disrupting the lives of ordinary citizens, including students.

“The current crop of student leaders ought to realise that NANS was not up to defend governments but Nigerian students.”

He urged NANS to defend the interests of Nigerian students, home and abroad. 

“Henceforth, NANS should prosecute and defend the interest of Nigeria students at home and abroad. 

“NANS should take up the case of the two students who lost their lives in a stampede which occurred at the Nassarawa State University during the distribution of bags of rice.  NANS should campaign against the abduction of students and payment of ransom”, he added.