EDUCATION: “IF YOU ARE AMONG THOSE COWARDS STUDENTS IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES. BELOW IS THE GENUINE HISTORY OF ALUTA WHICH WAS RECORDED BY A FEARLESS RADICAL MARXIST STUDENT”.

HOW UNILORIN HELD ON TO MY CERTIFICATE FOR 14 YEARS – LAW GRADUATE.

EDUCATION: “IF YOU ARE AMONG THOSE COWARDS STUDENTS IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES. BELOW IS THE GENUINE HISTORY OF ALUTA WHICH WAS RECORDED BY A FEARLESS RADICAL MARXIST STUDENT”.

HOW UNILORIN HELD ON TO MY CERTIFICATE FOR 14 YEARS – LAW GRADUATE.

By Rashhedat Adeshina

The beginning I became a convinced Marxist in 1995 when I gained Admission into University of Ilorin to Study Industrial Chemistry. This marvelous idea was introduced to me by my best friend and life partner; comrade Kazeem Akinrinde (aka comrade Kazy), who was already on Campus before me.

I was put forward to contest in the Students’ Union in 1997 by my organization. As a radical Marxist candidate, I won that election overwhelmingly.

Prof. Shuaib Abdulraheem Oba just assumed office as Vice Chancellor and his inglorious rein just began then. Oba employed the famous tactics of divide and rule to maintain himself in power and as a base from which to carry out one of the most reactionary offensives against students and staff in the history of the University of Ilorin. (This was at the time when the military dictator Abacha was still in power.)

Oba as an Ilorin indigene, mobilized lecturers and students who are also Ilorin indigenes against everybody and everything else. With Emir and Government on his side, he cheaply carried out his grotesque attack on everything progressive in Unilorin. As an Ilorin Indigene that I am, expectedly, he thought I should be an automatic candidate in his shameful camp.

He was deeply pained and terribly disappointed that I did not only decline to be a tool in his hands, but ended up being the leader of one of the most powerful students’ opposition to Oba’s injustices and misrule on Campus.

He vowed, over his dead body will I graduate from the Campus. On several occasions, he vowed to ensure that he ruined my life and make sure that I everlastingly regret my stand. The legal battle begins.

Then commenced the long and difficult legal battles that ran for almost 2 decades. It started in 1998, there was an astronomical increase in the school fees. Having banned the local union, myself and other comrades along with the NANS Zone D massively mobilized students against this hated fees hike.

Our peaceful protest was brutally crushed by both the internal security of the university and the police. Many students were arrested, including the NANS Zone D representative who came in Ladoke Akintola (LAUTECH) Students’ Union Bus, even the bus was detained and taken to the police headquarter in Ilorin.

The arrested students and the NANS Zone D representative; comprising students from LAUTECH and OAU were all detained and imprisoned at the Oke Kura Maximum Security Prison in Ilorin for more than 30days.

I only narrowly escaped, then surprise to read in almost all the then popular newspaper that I have been declared wanted. I could only imagine the trauma this had on my parent. I immediately went underground. As is always the case, suspension from school immediately followed.

I challenged this unjust suspension at the Federal High Court in Ilorin and I won. But the University Authorities in their characteristic manner refused to abide by the court order, I had to go back to court to get a committal order (form 48 and 49) before I could be allowed to sit for exams.

The period was a so very difficult moment; you will have exam the following day and won’t be sure you will be allowed; whether to read and not to merely waste your time. Whenever I had an exam, I would go into the exam hall with the Court order. My final year examination in the year 2000 started and ended in this manner.

Whenever anybody tried to stop me from writing exams, I would take out the court order and asked the person to sign that he/she was disobeying the court order.

The Administration refused to release my result and consequently, my certificate. I returned to Federal High Court in 2004 to challenge this injustice and won in 2005. He University Administration appealed to the Court Of Appeal. At the Court of Appeal, once again I won in 2006. The management proceeded to Supreme Court to further appeal.

The journey to become a Lawyer

In 2010, ten years after graduating and without certificate, I decided to go back to school. The only course of study that came to my mind then was Law. This was not accidental, because I have been in and out of court, and Law Chambers throughout my stay in the University of Ilorin.

I was with Comrade Barrister Segun Sango my first Counsel in 1998, then Barrister Baiyeshea chambers and finally Citi-point chambers. I was already very familiar with some legal terminologies; form 48 and 49, injunctions, affidavit among others. I was already joining lawyers to prepare brief for my cases. As a pure science student, the journey looked too long and daunting, but with determination I commenced. I had to start from scratch.

I wrote GCE in 2011, proceeded to write Jamb in 2012 and Post UTME. Finally gained admission to study law at University of Ibadan in 2013/14 session. Along the line, Supreme Court delivered a favorable final judgment on the case on June 6, 2014, after 14years of graduation, and already a 200L law student of University of Ibadan. Though millions of Naira was eventually paid in damages, the really good news was that my certificate was released while Professor Oba is still alive.

Looking back, I have no any iota of regret, as we always say, Aluta Continua and Victoria Ascerta. Throughout this long and tortuous years, I still remain solidly committed to the cause.

The battle has only successfully strengthened my resolve to join all the revolutionaries to overthrow this monstrous Capitalist System and build in its place, a more humane society where human beings can freely develop their full potentials unhindered.

This though short, but highly eventful period has brought me across many extra-ordinary personalities and organizations, that have helped reduced the pain, in one way or the other; special thanks to Comrade Barrister Segun Sango, Barrister Baiyesha and Barrister Olumide Fusika for taking up various legal battle that lasted for close to 20years at no cost (Pro bono), Dr Doyin Odebowale (High Priest), Comrade Barrister Femi Aborishade, and Comrade Ismail Bello, ASUU Unilorin led by Dr Oloruntoba – Oju, Professor Akinyanju, Late Professor Oduleye etc. My Marxist organization, Campaign for Workers’ and Youth Alternative(CWA) members, thanks so much for your unflinching support, together we shall build a virile International Marxist Tendency (IMT) section in Nigeria in our life time.

Though, this temporary battle is won, but the war is still on and ranging, the journey is still very very far. I further pledge my commitment and dedication to this cause.

Just as it was decades ago, when the struggle mainly was centered on school fees and the independence of Student Unions, the struggle today on all Nigerian campuses remains the same.

This struggle will remain the same for as long as the rule of capital in the interest of profit remains with us. Prof. Shuaib Abdulraheem Oba and his like belong to the past, while we own the future.