A few days ago, I perused a harrowing report that some notorious thugs abducted and brutally manhandled NANS President Atiku Isah, and ordinarily, no one would believe this heinous act shouldn’t have been orchestrated by another set of students merely to satiate their Machiavellian political overlords, but then, it is not a mere rumor but the stark reality that underpins the veracity.
NANS factional President ordered that they should mercilessly pummel the other NANS President, but the most sardonic aspect is that this atrocious act was backed by some powerful and unscrupulous political officeholders. And with the act, the rumor, and all, Seyi Tinubu also has a hand in it, very lamentable.
For those who are oblivious, NANS is a student organization formed even before independence. The original credo was to vehemently combat oppression, campaign for adequate funding of education, and be a voice for the voiceless and vulnerable people of Nigeria. However, in recent times, they have transmogrified the association into a ruthless political party’s agent.
Particularly, about 4 years ago, the association at the national level officially morphed into a wing of the APC. Anyone among the students who don’t share the APC ideology with them either seeks to annihilate or liquidate the person.
This current situation started with Pedro Obi, who was the unequivocal choice of Nigerian Students, Lucky, who was the choice of APC, and particularly Seyi Tinubu. In December 2023, against all odds, both persons emerged as Presidents, and they continued their administrations. At a point, they tried to oust Pedro by using hoodlums and all, but Pedro never relented and served till the end of the mandate that Nigerian students gave to him.
In February this year, the CPC constituted by Pedro had its election, and the one constituted by Lucky had an election as well. But since then, because of Atiku Isah, who emerged from Pedro’s side, has been proactive in campaigning against the draconian policies of Tinubu. This man was vociferous on Natasha’s unjust suspension from the Senate with a lot of things, as against the protest organized by these APC NANS, Isah Atiku campaigned against the unlawful act of Akpabio
But because these people who are NANS but APC, in reality, do not like that Atiku Isah is exceptionally brilliant and he is doing what should be done as a student leader, they have sought to silence or eliminate him. They have been looking for ways to brutalize or even liquidate him, and yesterday they kidnapped him and beat him mercilessly. They wanted to force him to address the press that he is no longer NANS President, but the man persisted and didn’t succumb to them. Now the man is in the hospital because he is not doing Tinubu’s bidding?
The worst is that Seyi Tinubu, because he is the President’s son, is using all the influence to get the Nigerian Police to perpetrate this unlawful act. And the illegal Inspector General of Police is also a part of this. And we heard how he released his boys to also join the cultists to brutalize this NANS President.
There’s freedom of association. Since Ladoja NANS is APC, anyone who doesn’t like that an association meant for students is now APC can withdraw and join forces with the one that will be pro-students. Isah Atiku is a NANS President just like Ladoja, and instead of using thugs to brutalize one another, they should both show capacity and let the students align with the one that best suits them and their interests.
Adedapo Taiwo Emmanuel writes.
