A press statement by the Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Enugu State Chapter, Comrade Ogene Romanus on the 27th Day of April, 2020.
A press statement by the Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Enugu State Chapter, Comrade Ogene Romanus on the 27th Day of April, 2020.
Greatest Nigerian Students!
I, in the name of the struggle bring greetings of solidarity to you and your household. Even as we battle this ugly hydra-headed pandemic that is bedeviling our state, our nation and the world at large, we are not oblivious of the fact that our students are not left out in this global challenge ravaging the very essence of humanity. Thus the setting-up of the special NANS Presidential task force on Covid-19 which has our brother Comr. Monday Diamond as the Chairman and my Vice, Comr. Ogbonna Clinton as the Secretary of the committee in Enugu state.
This committee above all things, will source funds from the government and well meaning individuals to provide palliatives for indegent students most especially, those that couldn’t make it back to their parents houses and those who cater for themselves. This is in addition to whatever support that will be coming from the Federal Government through the ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. Therefore, indigent students of the state are advised to keep their ears on the ground for useful information on the distribution of the palliatives while well meaning individuals are enjoined to support the movement.
However, our attention has been drawn to the numerous blackmails and lies being peddled against the association by one Mr. Sebastine Bookastro buharison Nwaogwugwu-Ogwu on the social media (Facebook) from the 14th day of April to the 23rd day of April 2020. Consequent upon this, we are going to respond to the half truths being peddled by the young man and also reply the posers he raised.
Although, the young man has not the right to question an association he knows not the running or modus operandi, replying him has become imperative because silence to some persons doesn’t mean maturity but acceptance of allegations being peddled.
Firstly, he accused some NANS stakeholders of not being students and from Enugu state while misquoting what they studied, where they studied and when they studied. I wish to state categorically that NANS is not a youth movement but a student (you might want to check up the meaning of the word-student) movement therefore is not open to only individuals of a certain age bracket. Suffice to say that, one can be a Member even at 60 years of age as long as such person has a valid “studentship”. Thus this buries the argument of ‘NANS being ran by people above 30 that are no longer undergraduates’. NANS recognizes undergraduates and M.Sc/MBA/PG.d postgraduate students no matter your age. I am also pushed to comment on the fact NANS doesn’t recognize where you are from but where you are studying (or where you studied). So, if you are from Enugu but schooling in Abuja and a member of NANS, automatically you are an Abuja comrade. This explains the reason why a Bamidele Danielson Akpan (the NANS President) from Akwa-Ibom state can become the NANS President in Nasarawa. This tradition of NANS defines the association as a detribalized association. NANS as an organization has a culture of fostering ties with individuals who have served the students movement in one capacity or the other. These individuals no matter the heights they have attained in the society are referred to as stakeholders of the association and they are meant to play advisory roles and offer guidance to the younger ones.
Furthermore, the young man Bookastro Sebastine erroneously quoted the age and/or schools where these stakeholders studied. For instance, how can he say that Comr. Chika Nzelu (Chief and Chair) who was a NANS President in the 80’s, a former LG Vice Chairman of Enugu south, a revered legal practitioner and currently an SSA to Gov. Obiano, finished from ESUT/IMT when he studied in UNEC? Or Obinna Achuonye (Obyno political) a surveyor who finished from UNEC be linked to ESUT? Moreso, Ezenagu Victor started his PG.D in ESUT in 2014 and not 2005. This is just to point out a few out of the too many lies you spewed.
He made mention of NANS planning to collect #500,000 from the State Government over the sale of Akwata market, this is a very beautiful lie. You also made mention that we have been accessing the governor through a member of the ENHA, this is completely false as no big man has taken us to the governor. If he is a man of integrity, we challenge him to come out openly with the name of the Member who has been taking us to the governor and an evidence of the fat envelope we received from the said member for the said propaganda.
While we await evidence corroborating such claims, we also need an evidence showing that the state government gave NANS #10,000,000 for pre convention and also the evidence confirming we were given #8,000,000 by National Assembly members, please what are the name of these members?
On the NANS bus, in the first place, we owe you no explanation on the whereabouts of our bus. If you want to drive the bus, lobby and become the JCC Chairman then we can start from there. But for the avoidance of doubt, the NANS bus had its engine knocked when students mobilized in their numbers to show solidarity/support to Comr. Chika Obetta who was then contesting for the HOA ticket in Nsukka East during the build up to the PDP primaries in 2018 but
is now an SA to the governor. That day the bus was driven by Comr. Victory Onuzulike former SUG president of ESCET and later while being pushed (after a minor accident and the engine knock) was driven by Comr. Ezenagu victor. Since then its state has been “sorry”. Well, following the high cost of the engine and other parts that needs fixing, the bus has been safely parked awaiting repair and renovation.
It is very important to highlight that NANS was never given #20,000,000 after elections. The said money was given to GSSG, a student support group that worked as election observers for the PDP and that money was for their remuneration. NANS is apolitical and not/never an appendage of any party or the government. Therefore, the assertions that SUG Presidents were lodged in Utopia hotel and their money embezzled by NANS is another misleading lie from the pit of hell.
It is also worthy of note that the current leadership of NANS in the state are all classroom students (undergraduates )with valid registration numbers (attached is a copy of their appointment letter with their names and schools so that you can do your investigations) and to crown it, they were suggested into the leadership of the association by their various SUG presidents. Let is also be known that NANS has never collected money from any SUG presidential aspirant to deliver him or her because such practices are strongly against our charter of demand. Our duty is just to monitor elections and give reports accordingly. Please, we would love you to present openly any SUG President that was duped before his elections by the legitimate leadership of NANS.
Moreso, Minister was already driving a Nissan before Ezeja became JCC Chairman, so we are also wondering where the blackmail of chidi Ilogebe giving out two cars just to bring Ezeja down came from!
Finally, I would love to reaffirm that NANS will forever be in the movement and struggle for the emancipation of Nigerian students and thus cannot be blackmailed by any individual or group of persons.
The new crop of NANS leadership in the state confirms the fact that the old narratives have changed. Campus-based students now fully run the activities of students and the association has been given a face-lift since 2014 in the state. Between 2014 till date NANS has become very popular and has been waxing strong, intervening in issues of state and national concerns. The association can boast of haven built an army of comrades and has improved their socio-political awareness in the state.
That being said, we can term your media propaganda a pull-him-down (Phd) strategy being orchestrated by a few disgruntled group of persons who are either envious or bitter or at best both but using you as a proxy to fulfill their political agenda. We of course, know and understand very well this political gimmicks and shenanigans but our assurance to them is that this plot will fail too, woefully- just like the falling of a pack of cards.
We of course will be waiting for these pieces of evidence to confirm the assertions you made in your publications. In the absence of the pieces of evidence, we will be glad to meet you, Mr. Sebastine Bookastro at the other side of the law, this time around with our lawyers vby our side.
We cannot thank Nigerian students enough for their unwavering support.
We wish you all God’s infinite blessings now and always.
Thank you all.
Comr. Romanus Ogene
Chairman, NANS Enugu.
Greatest Nigerian Students!
I, in the name of the struggle bring greetings of solidarity to you and your household. Even as we battle this ugly hydra-headed pandemic that is bedeviling our state, our nation and the world at large, we are not oblivious of the fact that our students are not left out in this global challenge ravaging the very essence of humanity. Thus the setting-up of the special NANS Presidential task force on Covid-19 which has our brother Comr. Monday Diamond as the Chairman and my Vice, Comr. Ogbonna Clinton as the Secretary of the committee in Enugu state.
This committee above all things, will source funds from the government and well meaning individuals to provide palliatives for indegent students most especially, those that couldn’t make it back to their parents houses and those who cater for themselves. This is in addition to whatever support that will be coming from the Federal Government through the ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. Therefore, indigent students of the state are advised to keep their ears on the ground for useful information on the distribution of the palliatives while well meaning individuals are enjoined to support the movement.
However, our attention has been drawn to the numerous blackmails and lies being peddled against the association by one Mr. Sebastine Bookastro buharison Nwaogwugwu-Ogwu on the social media (Facebook) from the 14th day of April to the 23rd day of April 2020. Consequent upon this, we are going to respond to the half truths being peddled by the young man and also reply the posers he raised.
Although, the young man has not the right to question an association he knows not the running or modus operandi, replying him has become imperative because silence to some persons doesn’t mean maturity but acceptance of allegations being peddled.
Firstly, he accused some NANS stakeholders of not being students and from Enugu state while misquoting what they studied, where they studied and when they studied. I wish to state categorically that NANS is not a youth movement but a student (you might want to check up the meaning of the word-student) movement therefore is not open to only individuals of a certain age bracket. Suffice to say that, one can be a Member even at 60 years of age as long as such person has a valid “studentship”. Thus this buries the argument of ‘NANS being ran by people above 30 that are no longer undergraduates’. NANS recognizes undergraduates and M.Sc/MBA/PG.d postgraduate students no matter your age. I am also pushed to comment on the fact NANS doesn’t recognize where you are from but where you are studying (or where you studied). So, if you are from Enugu but schooling in Abuja and a member of NANS, automatically you are an Abuja comrade. This explains the reason why a Bamidele Danielson Akpan (the NANS President) from Akwa-Ibom state can become the NANS President in Nasarawa. This tradition of NANS defines the association as a detribalized association. NANS as an organization has a culture of fostering ties with individuals who have served the students movement in one capacity or the other. These individuals no matter the heights they have attained in the society are referred to as stakeholders of the association and they are meant to play advisory roles and offer guidance to the younger ones.
Furthermore, the young man Bookastro Sebastine erroneously quoted the age and/or schools where these stakeholders studied. For instance, how can he say that Comr. Chika Nzelu (Chief and Chair) who was a NANS President in the 80’s, a former LG Vice Chairman of Enugu south, a revered legal practitioner and currently an SSA to Gov. Obiano, finished from ESUT/IMT when he studied in UNEC? Or Obinna Achuonye (Obyno political) a surveyor who finished from UNEC be linked to ESUT? Moreso, Ezenagu Victor started his PG.D in ESUT in 2014 and not 2005. This is just to point out a few out of the too many lies you spewed.
He made mention of NANS planning to collect #500,000 from the State Government over the sale of Akwata market, this is a very beautiful lie. You also made mention that we have been accessing the governor through a member of the ENHA, this is completely false as no big man has taken us to the governor. If he is a man of integrity, we challenge him to come out openly with the name of the Member who has been taking us to the governor and an evidence of the fat envelope we received from the said member for the said propaganda.
While we await evidence corroborating such claims, we also need an evidence showing that the state government gave NANS #10,000,000 for pre convention and also the evidence confirming we were given #8,000,000 by National Assembly members, please what are the name of these members?
On the NANS bus, in the first place, we owe you no explanation on the whereabouts of our bus. If you want to drive the bus, lobby and become the JCC Chairman then we can start from there. But for the avoidance of doubt, the NANS bus had its engine knocked when students mobilized in their numbers to show solidarity/support to Comr. Chika Obetta who was then contesting for the HOA ticket in Nsukka East during the build up to the PDP primaries in 2018 but
is now an SA to the governor. That day the bus was driven by Comr. Victory Onuzulike former SUG president of ESCET and later while being pushed (after a minor accident and the engine knock) was driven by Comr. Ezenagu victor. Since then its state has been “sorry”. Well, following the high cost of the engine and other parts that needs fixing, the bus has been safely parked awaiting repair and renovation.
It is very important to highlight that NANS was never given #20,000,000 after elections. The said money was given to GSSG, a student support group that worked as election observers for the PDP and that money was for their remuneration. NANS is apolitical and not/never an appendage of any party or the government. Therefore, the assertions that SUG Presidents were lodged in Utopia hotel and their money embezzled by NANS is another misleading lie from the pit of hell.
It is also worthy of note that the current leadership of NANS in the state are all classroom students (undergraduates )with valid registration numbers (attached is a copy of their appointment letter with their names and schools so that you can do your investigations) and to crown it, they were suggested into the leadership of the association by their various SUG presidents. Let is also be known that NANS has never collected money from any SUG presidential aspirant to deliver him or her because such practices are strongly against our charter of demand. Our duty is just to monitor elections and give reports accordingly. Please, we would love you to present openly any SUG President that was duped before his elections by the legitimate leadership of NANS.
Moreso, Minister was already driving a Nissan before Ezeja became JCC Chairman, so we are also wondering where the blackmail of chidi Ilogebe giving out two cars just to bring Ezeja down came from!
Finally, I would love to reaffirm that NANS will forever be in the movement and struggle for the emancipation of Nigerian students and thus cannot be blackmailed by any individual or group of persons.
The new crop of NANS leadership in the state confirms the fact that the old narratives have changed. Campus-based students now fully run the activities of students and the association has been given a face-lift since 2014 in the state. Between 2014 till date NANS has become very popular and has been waxing strong, intervening in issues of state and national concerns. The association can boast of haven built an army of comrades and has improved their socio-political awareness in the state.
That being said, we can term your media propaganda a pull-him-down (Phd) strategy being orchestrated by a few disgruntled group of persons who are either envious or bitter or at best both but using you as a proxy to fulfill their political agenda. We of course, know and understand very well this political gimmicks and shenanigans but our assurance to them is that this plot will fail too, woefully- just like the falling of a pack of cards.
We of course will be waiting for these pieces of evidence to confirm the assertions you made in your publications. In the absence of the pieces of evidence, we will be glad to meet you, Mr. Sebastine Bookastro at the other side of the law, this time around with our lawyers vby our side.
We cannot thank Nigerian students enough for their unwavering support.
We wish you all God’s infinite blessings now and always.
Thank you all.
Comr. Romanus Ogene
Chairman, NANS Enugu.
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