KUST Wudil and the Ongoing Hullabaloo
Flash back 1:
Back in the days, students protested against Kano University of Science and Technology - KUST, Wudil's “leadership” for some doings we deemed inappropriate one of which was threatening the students leadership under Comrade Haruna M. Shuwaki. Another which was childish, was our perception of the acting Vice Chancellor (VC) who was a PhD not a Professor and that 'we couldn’t point a single university in the entire North, at the time, where its Chancellor is a PhD'. This is even though his predecessor, Professor Ibrahim Diso at the time was said to have nothing to write home about.
The protest was the first in the history of the university. The Nigeria Students’ President Bashir Baballe, a vibrant and courageous man from Kano who later became a law maker in the country went all the way to Wudil and led the protest.
It was simple and peaceful, in some sense. Students took it OUTSIDE the school premises matching by the VC's front gate holding leaves and singing the usual "solidarity forever" song. Blocked the road linking Kano - Jigawa - Borno to attract media attention. Of course a tire was set on fire. But not a single person was wounded. No single vehicle's side mirror was broken belonging to the school authority or a passerby. Only groups of angry young men and women, matching.
But what happened afterwards? The students got what they wanted after the school was shut for some days . In fact, the VC was changed. But before that? Number of students were EXPELLED, for taking part in the protest. We were terribly sad and there was nothing we could do about it. We were even expecting the worse; that our able president may also be shown the door. I was also involved. But somehow, Allah spare us. Though the President later faced other consequences.
Flash Back 2:
It will also interest you to note, that before this protest or after (I can't recollect properly), one of us, Getso, drowned and we lost him to the Wudil river. Before the school management could reach out to Sarkin Ruwa, it was late. And even before we reported the incident to the management, we dived to save him but to no avail. I can't forget that diving to save Getso was my first into the river and the last. So we had to wait the following day to recover the remains of our brother. May his soul continue to rest in peace.
Following this, not a single voice was raised against the management because, we know, the school forbade going to the river and the uncompleted Engineering buildings. It was a long standing law in Wudil. The river was a no-go-area. In fact, the school wasn't even responsible for the death of our brother in any way. They provided an ambulance to convey his body to his family and morn with us. We mourn Getso till this day!
This second incident, is just similar to what happened recently in Wudil and students protested in a manner one can find difficult to understand, after one of them died in the river. The protest was in all manner unethical and was widely condemned. Infrastructures and other things belonging to the school were destroyed. I was wondering how the management wronged these students to have deserved such highest level of immorality. Even if they must protest, must they destroy properties which belong to no single person but millions? I hear rumors there's internal politics attached. That somehow, the students were engineered to do what they did. Although I don't want to believe it, I am still finding it difficult to connect the dots between a student's death and such destructions. And this is a call to the VC to be more watchful.
Talking about the final decision the management is said to have reached, that all student must pay the sum of N17,000.00 damages, wallahi I was expecting even more from them! I was expecting they will set a committee, figure out those culprits, charge them for damages and send them packing! Oh yes. But if this is their final decision so be it. Let them all pay the damages and spare no one. This is how next time, everyone would be careful not to mess with them.
May God continue to bless KUST.
JUNE 24, 2018.
Please leave a comment ...
Back in the days, students protested against Kano University of Science and Technology - KUST, Wudil's “leadership” for some doings we deemed inappropriate one of which was threatening the students leadership under Comrade Haruna M. Shuwaki. Another which was childish, was our perception of the acting Vice Chancellor (VC) who was a PhD not a Professor and that 'we couldn’t point a single university in the entire North, at the time, where its Chancellor is a PhD'. This is even though his predecessor, Professor Ibrahim Diso at the time was said to have nothing to write home about.
The protest was the first in the history of the university. The Nigeria Students’ President Bashir Baballe, a vibrant and courageous man from Kano who later became a law maker in the country went all the way to Wudil and led the protest.
It was simple and peaceful, in some sense. Students took it OUTSIDE the school premises matching by the VC's front gate holding leaves and singing the usual "solidarity forever" song. Blocked the road linking Kano - Jigawa - Borno to attract media attention. Of course a tire was set on fire. But not a single person was wounded. No single vehicle's side mirror was broken belonging to the school authority or a passerby. Only groups of angry young men and women, matching.
Flash Back 2:
It will also interest you to note, that before this protest or after (I can't recollect properly), one of us, Getso, drowned and we lost him to the Wudil river. Before the school management could reach out to Sarkin Ruwa, it was late. And even before we reported the incident to the management, we dived to save him but to no avail. I can't forget that diving to save Getso was my first into the river and the last. So we had to wait the following day to recover the remains of our brother. May his soul continue to rest in peace.
Following this, not a single voice was raised against the management because, we know, the school forbade going to the river and the uncompleted Engineering buildings. It was a long standing law in Wudil. The river was a no-go-area. In fact, the school wasn't even responsible for the death of our brother in any way. They provided an ambulance to convey his body to his family and morn with us. We mourn Getso till this day!
This second incident, is just similar to what happened recently in Wudil and students protested in a manner one can find difficult to understand, after one of them died in the river. The protest was in all manner unethical and was widely condemned. Infrastructures and other things belonging to the school were destroyed. I was wondering how the management wronged these students to have deserved such highest level of immorality. Even if they must protest, must they destroy properties which belong to no single person but millions? I hear rumors there's internal politics attached. That somehow, the students were engineered to do what they did. Although I don't want to believe it, I am still finding it difficult to connect the dots between a student's death and such destructions. And this is a call to the VC to be more watchful.
Talking about the final decision the management is said to have reached, that all student must pay the sum of N17,000.00 damages, wallahi I was expecting even more from them! I was expecting they will set a committee, figure out those culprits, charge them for damages and send them packing! Oh yes. But if this is their final decision so be it. Let them all pay the damages and spare no one. This is how next time, everyone would be careful not to mess with them.
May God continue to bless KUST.
JUNE 24, 2018.
Please leave a comment ...
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