By Comrade A.I.C. Akwarandu
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President
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
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I write this letter with tears and in
consideration of the fact that you are a listening president. I will not fail
to commend you on your transformation agenda and just like you will always say,
"we may not be where we are going now, but we will surly get there".
You have given Nigeria a breath of
fresh air, just like you promised during your campaign. Yes! the demands are
high, but it will be an ungrateful act if I fail to acknowledge the good works
of yours especially in sustaining our growing democracy even when the pressure
is too high on you. I also wish to give you credit on the transformation
going-on on the railway transportation sector in Nigeria, power sector, health
sector, Finance, Oil and Agricultural sector.
Most of these are aimed at creating employment
for the youths and I applaud you on behalf of Imo state University Students and
Nigerian Students at large.
On a special note, you may wonder why I
did not mention the Education sector while commending your tremendous
achievements. This is because the Education sector which is meant and supposed
to receive a firsthand treatment is now handled in a third class manner. Mr.
President sir, this is indeed not good for the future of this great nation.
Just like Achebe said, "every
generation must have something different to offer". Bear it in mind Mr.
President that It will always be on record that it was during your tenure as a
President that Nigerian Students studying in their home land universities spent
so many months at home just because the government failed to revitalise their
"past" and give "hope" to their "hopeless"
future.
Mr. President, I wish to let you know
that Nigerian students can storm Abuja and make the whole FCT riotous and
ungovernable for weeks. But these measures we don't want to adopt just because
we still have hope and trust in your government. Some of us are dying due to
one problem or the other which could have been averted if students were in
school.
As an academic Mr. President, you heard
the saying that "an idle mind is a devils workshop" and accepted it
before I was born. Mr. President sir, this particular saying which you
definitely must have said before I was born is what most Nigerian students are
passing through now.
This is because, the devil has not only opened a workshop
in them, but also a shopping center and a very big construction company where
if something is not done to save, the Nation may be put in a state of dilemma
very soon.
The Academic staff union of
universities has tried and they are not making any new demand. Is important to
note that you inherited this agreement, but I also know that you were not far
from the federal executive council when they were reached. I plead with you as
a true Nigerian citizen to see to ASUU's demand and allow us go back to school.
Others are given you ultimatum, but I
don't want to. This is because I know that in less than "two weeks"
you will act on this issue and we will rejoice. Whereby you fail to do so Mr.
President, I will have no option than to take the above mentioned "two
weeks" as my dear ultimatum.
I also know that this letter will not
get to you if Abati or Okupe sees it before you but I pray they don't see it
before you because is very important to me. Although those people are your
aids, but I advice you to be very careful and remember that every body in
Nigeria can not be your enemy because of "OkuBati" syndrome.
I will not forget to appreciate you for
sacking the minister of youth because it was only through his sack that I
noticed he exists. There are still others to sack but am not writing to tell
you about them. If that is why am writing, I would have asked you to sack the
Education Minister, I would have also asked you to sack minister for state for
Education and some other ones whom you know better than I do. But that is not
why am writing.
Am writing to plead with you to end
this strike as it does no student any good.
I pray in conclusion that the good Lord
guide and guard you and also give you the strength to lead this Nation and meet
up to ASUU's demand.
Long Live Nigerian Students Long Live
Mr. President Long Live Fed. Republic of Nigeria
Aluta Continua...
COMRADE A.I.C. Akwarandu. Imo State
University, Owerri. Justiceizuchukwuhumanity@yahoo.com
