A frontline politician in Imo State and one of the most brilliant Igbo sons, Hon. Chris Asoluka (Okwuruoha), has charged Nigerian students not to give up on students’ activism, saying it has a way of strengthening democracy through development.
Chief Asoluka was a guest speaker at the one year memorial lecture series organized to the late NANS senate president, Comrade Mcdonald Onukaogu who died in a ghastly motor accident on June 13th, 2013 while on his way to the University of Uyo on a national assignment to intervene in the crisis that erupted in the institution after four students of the university were killed by trigger-happy policemen.
Lecturing, the Governing board Chairman of Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority, Dr. Asoluka spoke on the theme: The Role of Students Activism in Nigeria Democracy.
He explained that students activism is a collective action of University students directed at the ruling regime to express their views on certain unpleasant policies of government. Asoluka admonished them to continue in the struggle as it has a way of bringing the needed change in the country.
The Owerri West born seasoned politician who recalled on what happened during the ‘Ali Must Go’ protest by Nigerian students, said activism must be directed for quality change not for noise or immediate gains in order to gain better lives.
According to him, student’s activist should shun the temptation of money, “they should be willing to shake regimes for progressive policies, we should expunge bad politics, and declining integrity is not the kind of leaders we want.”
He therefore urged NANS to always celebrate late Comrade Donald Onokaogu, pointing out that he stood for the voice of Nigerian Students who could not reach what they so desired.
“He stood in the struggle that there would be positive change, a great leader failed, he died in the active service to humanity, if we don’t want him to die in vain we should stand for those qualities he was known for and play vital role in democracy by enlightenment of the electorates,” he said.
Adding his voice, the Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Youth, Jude Imagwe described the late NANS Senate President as a hero and real comrade who lived a life of struggle for the betterment of Nigerian students. “He sacrificed his time and resources; and it was known that whenever any student ran out of cash while on transit within Southeast region, once you locate the late Donald Onukaogu your problem will be fully solved. And that actually made him an alleviator.”
However, he urged student leaders to emulate the leadership qualities of the late former NANS senate president whom he described as an exemplary future leader that death could not permit.
The event attracted student leaders from various high institutions, together with others who graced the occasion in honour of the late comrade. Meanwhile, it ended in peaceful demonstration where the students out of being challenged for effective democracy barricaded the venue with placards, urging the guest speaker, Dr. Asoluka to join the race for Owerri senatorial zone come 2015 general election.
According to them, “his invitation to the lecture was actually to trap him into declaring at the venue. We need his voice at the National Assembly. Enough of representation without dividends, and that is why Okwuruoha must declare for Senate.”