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By Ewebiyi Keye James

It is exactly one year after the birth of the #SaveLASU Campaign Movement which heralded the reawakening of the fight for the reversal of the outrageous fees in Lagos State University (LASU). The movement was formed on February 1, 2014 at a public meeting called by the Education Rights Campaign (ERC) in reaction to the January 23, 2014 students' protest over the closure of registration portal against 1,292 students of the University.

The campaign, initiated by the ERC alongside the Lagos State University Students Union (LASUSU), National Union of Lagos State Students (NULASS) and other radical students group, had as its cardinal demands the reopening of the university and registration portal for affected students to register; reversal of the outrageous fees and adequate funding of the university.

At the onset of the campaign, many criticized the initiators on the premise that they were demanding for the impossible and that it will be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the fees to be reversed. But unfortunately for these armchair critics, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola approved the reversal of the fees on August 7, 2014 after the students rejected the initial proposal of percentage reduction.

But this great achievement did not come without a price. It took seven months of online and offline campaigns, protests and other forms of civil disobedience to get the state government to accede to the ultimate demand. While some people alluded the concession by the government to political reasons, particularly in the face of the 2015 elections, one cannot but give credit to the #SaveLASU movement for galvanizing many of us into action. The courage and determination displayed by thousands of LASU students who participated in several protests and rallies to force the government to reverse the fees is unprecedented in the history of student unionism in Nigeria. In fact, the real heroes of the struggle are the students who couldn't take up their admission; those who were forced to drop out of school and those who were harassed, assaulted, detained and victimized while the struggle lasted.

My decision to participate in the campaign was borne out of many reasons including my encounter with the governor prior to his re-election for second term in 2011. In the build up to the 2011 elections in Lagos State, I, along with other student leaders of Lagos State University (LASU) paid a courtesy call on the governor. I could recall that one of the issues we discussed with him was the development of the only state-owned university – LASU into a world-class institution. After His Excellency painstakingly listened to our plea for massive investment in infrastructural development and academic facilities, he assured us of his commitment to our demand.

And true to his promise, few weeks after his victory at the poll, he paid a surprise visit to the main campus of the university and he surprisingly visited the student union building where he once again expressed his commitment to developing LASU into a world class varsity. But unknowingly to us, his plan would mean an end to the academic aspirations of many. Barely three months after this August visit, the state government announced a 725 percent increase in school fees resulting into an upward review from N25,000 to as high as N345,750. That it took three years of protests and rallies to get the same governor to reverse the fee hike policy tells a lot about how deceptive, inconsiderate and anti-poor a "progressive" governor can be.

Six months after the state government announced the fee reversal and refund of the excess fees paid by students, the state government and the university management are yet to effect the refund. This again underlines the deceptiveness and insincerity of the government. Rather than launch a renewed campaign on this, the leadership of the students' union is busy mobilizing students for the presidential and governorship candidates of the All Progressive Congress (APC), the same political party that believes university education is too cheap at N25,000 and that only the rich deserves a place in the university. The non-partisanship of the union whose members fondly refer to as the best in Sub-Saharan Africa has suddenly been sacrificed on the altar of self-aggrandizement and personal enrichment. The deadly virus that has weakened the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and turned it into a mere student-wing of the Peoples Democratic Party has suddenly crept into the LASU Students' Union.

Alas, another election is here again! In the absence of a clear-cut pro-people political party, this election provides an opportunity for LASU students, staff and other stakeholders to engage Lagos State gubernatorial candidates in debates on their plans for the only state-owned university. This engagement, however, must go beyond the usual talk-show. They must be compelled to state their positions on the funding of the university; university administration, academic freedom and university autonomy; independent unionism among other germane issues. This engagement should also ensure that the candidates endorse a statement of commitment in this regard.

If media reports are anything to go by, then another big crisis looms in LASU. We need more than a "change" slogan to save the university from this impending crisis. We need a government that will commit its time and resources to resolving the many crises reversing the development of the institution.

If any of the candidates tells us he will make LASU the Harvard of Nigeria, let us not fail to ask him - how? If they tell us they will invest billions of naira in LASU, let's bother to ask them – from whose pocket?

Once bitten, twice shy.

EWEBIYI KEYE JAMES
Social Media Consultant and Youth Activist,
Lagos, Nigeria
07064981943
Keyeewebiyi@yahoo.com
Follow me on Twitter: @Keyestine 

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