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| A scene of the 2017 protest |
Call: How many people Police go kill o
Response: How many people Police go kill
All: Eh, dem go kill us tire *2
Eh, Eh, Eh, dem go kill us tire
How many people Police go kill.
The above in italics was the song we chant in a high voice as we march to the school gate when we the student protested against a policy of the school, which says "No school fees, No exam" - with the protest, was a policy dead on arrival. As the enormous student populace held placards, suspend school activity, and locked the school gate for No entry and No exit, with the major highway blocked.
One cannot write on this topic and not smile or cry as one look back to what transpired and what ensued after such policy came to the fore. Only God will forgive mankind and only God will show kindness to the world and make peace reign. But these things are what make life sweet, and sweet for the police unit to have a remembrance of their life in service, the head of departments, and agencies to which the protest is strictly directed.
What is life without experience, what is an experience without firsthand information of events? I have had a lot of events happen in my life, is it the journey of my life as a local boy who grew from a city, but will have to trek to a farm, not because you can't board a car or bike, but because my dad will want to teach you a lesson of what he passed through when he was growing up, studying at Imade college, but had to trek from Isijogun to the main town, holding cocoyam in their pockets, while he marches proudly in the company of others to school. One will then ask, must I go through the pains you went through because you want to teach me a lesson?
I do remember in the ancient city of Owo we move in droves to go fetch water from a particular dug well, from there you have enmity among ourselves, a fight ensued, you take sides, and you jump ship in the shortest moments, not even when you are hungry or thirsty and the one you are fighting is the only one with cash, how about small children dating, Oh, God, bring back the good old days, when we are kids and we don't have to think of the biting economy, or how the country is being run. At this point it is expedient to say, may God bless our parents, who will defy all odds just to earn us a living. Now that we are grown-ups, we are making a life out to give the best to the seeds coming after us. And I became emotional!
Sorry I digress on the above.
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Being a student of the Prestigious Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, a city known for her political dogmatism, where the first Action Group (AG) political party was first held, leave one with a touching memory, My Experience;
It was 2014,, the second semester of my first year, prior to the day the protest was held, I was just being given a leadership position in the church, as an Usher, a position people can change their style of life just to make sure they are selected to lead, it came to me seamlessly, and as they said, Holy spirit chose me, even if I have a problem with that wording as we speak currently, maybe I have become a saint who is now a half saint, or a saint who is no more religious. I woke up to the news, there is a protest, and the exam can not go as proposed, I trekked to the school gate, living in the prestigious Holy Villa, which is just a stone's throw from the school gate. on one hand, I am displeased about the protest, on the other hand, I was so happy because I am a victim if the said exam had started that day, I wouldn't be a partaker, and that might be the end of a rough journey of going to school, killing the joy many had for gaining admission or the little pride it gives you among peers who are yet to have admission to a tertiary institution. You know the feeling, right?
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The protest began, and students started cooking in the center of the major highway which gets to Lagos from Abuja, some people killed a stray goat, and at that point, it was roasted. and the policy was relaxed after such a gigantic protest.
2017
I was no more in school, and those in school started another protest, based on the same topic as in 2017, meanwhile, on this occasion, students and sympathizers from other institutions joins the train to help protest what was seen as an anti-people, anti-student policy, a policy seen to disenfranchised the children of the palm wine seller, the local shop seller from getting access to affordable education. One will ask why will a school increase the price of school fees when the state and federal government is adamant and strong-headed to shift their position on increasing the salaries of workers, which is draconian and should not be welcomed. The protest went on, and the policy was relaxed, people wrote their exams and paid their school fees later.
2018
Fast forward to this year of my imminent return to school, again the same policy of No school fee, No exam was introduced, with an avoidable Labour union strike, the members of the Association of staff union of polytechnics, ASUP led a strike action, just a week to our exam, with a strong Student union government a protest was inevitable, students thronged out in their numbers to protest against the policy, this time around, it was not business as usual. This is the real protest, the mother of all protests.
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During this protest, students marched in their numbers, in the chant, 'Aluta Continua, Victoria Ascerta' - these were the glory days. In the wake of this, a student was hit by the vehicle of the police force, Oh, this was like adding salt to an injury, it fueled another dimension of approach as a unit of protesters thronged to the police gate, demanding the release of the men of that unit, a silly mistake was now committed again, a student was shot at, problem upon problem.
In all this, the protest was still peaceful, but when the school seems adamant that it won't compromise on the policy, the student went violent, breaking into the school farm, carting away farm produces in droves, destroying the ICT center, carting away with Laptops, equipment, and started breaking school facilities, even people we saw as religious leaders were seen doing what they preached against on altars, and pulpits, in this country, there is no man of God, maybe in heaven, it was at this point I got so displeased with the whole process, it was a pain in the ass.
To everyone's surprise, the school resumed, with the policy standing, and anyone who knows he want to graduate had to go look for school fees to pay or go home. At this point, it became all man for himself, if you dare lead a new protest, you will be made the sacrificed cow. No one had the gut to initiate a new civil protest based on the experience of the previous one. That year many became dropouts, and many were cut short of going to school till today with that policy. Though painful, it is what you go through to become a man in life.
Student resumed with a letter in hand swearing on oath to be of good conduct, I still have the copy of that form with me, paying a reparation fee for things spoilt in the process of the protest, some of us actually complain to the school on making the reparation fee abound over all the students, as our stand were, those caught spoiling the facilities should be held responsible instead of all the students, it went into deaf ears, we paid and the exam went on, it is a memory today. The school cashed out big time.
Question: So many times the generation of today's youths are unable to enjoy what our forefathers enjoyed when they were growing up. I do remember my lecturer saying they were up to a sumptuous meal of half chicken with jollof rice while in school. What happened, why are these periods not like the days of our fathers? We may have to ask, will there still be a change in this current world, will the education sector still have some moments to shine, and that our best brains will not be flocking out of the country in the name of Japa to go study abroad. This and many more questions begging for answers.
Call: We can all be the change we want to see in Nigeria, as 'Change begins with me. It is okay to protest, but let it be done in a peaceful manner. Don't wreak havoc in the name of protest, if you are picked, you can suffer a pain you know nothing about, though it is your civil duty to protest and be a voice that calls for peaceful protest instead of a violent one. As our case is new, we must think anew and act anew.
Share with me in the comment section your experience with protest.
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