(FRANKS..)
It was a day of glamour and style at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University; Awka, when it unveiled the Aluta Newspaper during the second edition of the Aluta Conference held in the university auditorium.
The event was attended by top politicians and student leaders in the state, including the National Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh; Special Assistant to the President on Youths and Students Affairs, Jude Imagwe and others.
At the event, the Director-General of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), who was represented by a former Special Assistant to the Abia State Governor on Youth and Student Affairs; Jasper Uche, in his speech titled: Students as catalyst for national rebirth said unionism was instrumental to fighting colonialism in the heydays of students’ activism.
“When the National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS) was formed, it became a rallying point for all the fine brand progressives and radical intellectuals who sustained the agitation against colonialism. The student activism gradually weakened the resolve of the critical points of foreign domination, galvanised local resistance and mobilised international solidarity that sparked off independence struggles across the continent including Nigeria,” he stated.
He said it was the 1978 Ali-must-Go riot that hardened the students‘ struggle as protest and agitations for students welfare drifted into violence which led to the students call for the sack of the then Federal Commissioner for Education, Dr Ahmadu Ali.
He blamed the military government particularly the Ibrahim Babagida administration which infiltrated NANS and broke its ranks when the students protested his structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), stressing that it was the anti-SAP protest that set the student unionism on a very strong footing.
On the challenge for national rebirth, Prof Ahmed advised students to cultivate the reading habit so as to take their place in nation building, stressing that intellectual capital was a great asset.
He also urged them to take integrity as a lifeline, to avoid the craving for wealth and always stand up for a cause.
While unveiling the newspaper, Chief Umeh appreciated the students‘ effort, thanking the editorial crew and promised to ensure the sustenance of the production of the newspaper.
The high point of the event was the presentation of awards to distinguished Nigerians including Chief Victor Umeh, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Jude Imagwe, a member representing Awka North and South in the House of Representatives, Hon Emeka Nwogbo; Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Joseph Ahaneku and others.
Awards were given to three selected students for their distinguished performances. They included Nwamaka Uzoigwe, 300-Level Psychology, Davidson Okoroanyanwu, 300-Level Civil Engineering and the CEO of Dazzle Entertainment, a modelling firm received the Most Enterprising Student‘s award while the newspaper Publisher, David Agu was awarded Student Activist of the year.
Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, Agu said he was driven by the zeal to keep the students informed which led him to start the defunct Gaint Newspaper, a weekly publication he started when he was the Public Relation Officer of the Students Union Government.
It was a day of glamour and style at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University; Awka, when it unveiled the Aluta Newspaper during the second edition of the Aluta Conference held in the university auditorium.
The event was attended by top politicians and student leaders in the state, including the National Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh; Special Assistant to the President on Youths and Students Affairs, Jude Imagwe and others.
At the event, the Director-General of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), who was represented by a former Special Assistant to the Abia State Governor on Youth and Student Affairs; Jasper Uche, in his speech titled: Students as catalyst for national rebirth said unionism was instrumental to fighting colonialism in the heydays of students’ activism.
“When the National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS) was formed, it became a rallying point for all the fine brand progressives and radical intellectuals who sustained the agitation against colonialism. The student activism gradually weakened the resolve of the critical points of foreign domination, galvanised local resistance and mobilised international solidarity that sparked off independence struggles across the continent including Nigeria,” he stated.
He said it was the 1978 Ali-must-Go riot that hardened the students‘ struggle as protest and agitations for students welfare drifted into violence which led to the students call for the sack of the then Federal Commissioner for Education, Dr Ahmadu Ali.
He blamed the military government particularly the Ibrahim Babagida administration which infiltrated NANS and broke its ranks when the students protested his structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), stressing that it was the anti-SAP protest that set the student unionism on a very strong footing.
On the challenge for national rebirth, Prof Ahmed advised students to cultivate the reading habit so as to take their place in nation building, stressing that intellectual capital was a great asset.
He also urged them to take integrity as a lifeline, to avoid the craving for wealth and always stand up for a cause.
While unveiling the newspaper, Chief Umeh appreciated the students‘ effort, thanking the editorial crew and promised to ensure the sustenance of the production of the newspaper.
The high point of the event was the presentation of awards to distinguished Nigerians including Chief Victor Umeh, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Jude Imagwe, a member representing Awka North and South in the House of Representatives, Hon Emeka Nwogbo; Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Joseph Ahaneku and others.
Awards were given to three selected students for their distinguished performances. They included Nwamaka Uzoigwe, 300-Level Psychology, Davidson Okoroanyanwu, 300-Level Civil Engineering and the CEO of Dazzle Entertainment, a modelling firm received the Most Enterprising Student‘s award while the newspaper Publisher, David Agu was awarded Student Activist of the year.
Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, Agu said he was driven by the zeal to keep the students informed which led him to start the defunct Gaint Newspaper, a weekly publication he started when he was the Public Relation Officer of the Students Union Government.