Daniel Nworie
In every University community, the existence of Students’ representative council is a welcome idea as they are supposed to be eyes for the student, but in Lagos State university, the reality of this leaves sour tastes in the mouths of many.
The Lagos State University Students Representative council (LASU,SRC) has been in existence for over 30 years. Since its inception, it has been saddled with the responsibility of performing legislative duties in the university environment which includes the passing of bills into laws, raising burning and salient issues that affect students, deliberating on these and reach a conclusion that will serve as the best interest of the students ‘community
The SRC consists of 10 students’ representatives from each faculty, and is expected to perform legislative duties in the university environment. However, it can be generally agreed that there has been a sharp decline in the discharge of duty of this sacred institution. Once upon a time, the SPC and the students’ union by extension used to be a respected body, as they agitated solely for students’ interest. However, over the years, the level of quietness and indifference from the council to students’ suffering is baffling
Trends and attitudes of SRC in past years
First, the school fee for new students was suddenly increased from 57,000 to 90,000. While the executive arm made some efforts to meet the management, the SPC, which had a larger number of students’ representatives, was quiet all through. The matter was not even a subject in their sittings.
Instead, the only sitting they have had was on how to share ineffective political offices and budgets that are shredded in secrecy from the students’ community. Anyone who opposes any of the sharing formula are termed as political opponents and therefore dealt with
Recently LASU SRC’s ineptitude was further demonstrated when close to 300 students who had paid school fees and all other utility fees, assigned departments, were suddenly declared as illegible students. The affected students protested on their own, and made efforts with the assistance of a few executives to at least have their voices heard, but the SPC was silent as usual.
Not one statement was made, neither was the issue discussed in their sittings. The affected students were not allowed to write exams, and their case is still pending till date.
Furthermore, graduating students had their fees suddenly increased to 53,500. No reason was given for this increase. The pitiable information released by LASU SRC reads: “We only represent 100-400 students” This lack of leadership and empathy from the legislative quarters means that they are not alive to their responsibilities.
All of the above had been a trend in the last few years.
The LASU SPC has thus become a platform for would-be students’ politicians to explore and get the necessary connections for life after school. They have forgotten that representation is the number one function of the SPC.
In all of these the annual National Parliamentary Summit continues to gulp money like a bad motor engine. Investment in this summit, where Thousands of Naira are wasted yearly could have been a worthy expenditure if SRC delivers on the benefits of such summits.
This selfish, self-serving annual program has never had any impact on students’ welfare and overall wellbeing. It has only been an avenue to invite powerful politicians who had made names to show their prowess. It is also a private event which does not allow every student to attend. The primary audience is the parliamentarians.
Does the LASU student community actually need one SRC again?
In the face of all of these, what then is the relevance of the SPC? Since they have failed to provide adequate representation for the students they claim to represent and only focused on distributing offices, and organizing programs for themselves, haven’t they derailed from their essence?
Without SPC, would the student populace be severely affected or its absence felt? If the SPC is banned today, I doubt if any of the students would feel it till date. LASU SRC has not been seen championing any cause that uplift students ’community welfare.
LASU’s SRC management often makes decisions and gets away. Perhaps, the one may like to suggest that LASU authority should scrap the LASU’s SPC as they have faltered in their responsibility. The SPC is for representation and if they can’t meet that basic criteria, it should not exist in the first place.
A reflection of our society in general?
Sometimes looking at Nigeria’s democracy, one is often tempted to say students’ unionism is a reflection of larger society. Is our students’ SRC becoming a type of what happens at the larger societ
