FROM THE COORDINATOR’S DESK: Welcoming the First Lady with a Heavy Heart — A Call for the Rescue of Our Abducted Colleagues
OFFICIAL STATEMENT | OFFICE OF THE COORDINATOR
As the Coordinator of NANS Southwest (Zone D), I, Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode (BILLIONCODES), stand on behalf of millions of Nigerian students across the six states of our zone to warmly welcome Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to Ekiti State.
Your Excellency, your working visit to the Southwest is a testament to your commitment to the people. As a leader who has consistently advocated for women, children, and the vulnerable, your presence in Ekiti State provides a glimmer of hope during a period of significant national challenges.
However, even as we extend our hands in welcome, we cannot ignore the tears of the mothers and the trauma of the students in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
While the First Lady’s visit is a moment of official engagement, the student movement under my leadership remains deeply pained. Following the tragic attack on schools in Oriire LGA, several students and teachers were forcefully taken into the shadows of captivity.
As of this moment, despite the efforts of our gallant security agencies, many of these victims have not yet returned to the warm embrace of their families. For us in the Southwest student leadership, this is not just a security report—it is a personal tragedy. These are our colleagues; these are our mentors.
I am using this medium to respectfully call on Her Excellency to use the immense moral authority of her office to champion a swifter, more decisive rescue operation.
The influence of the First Lady can bridge the gap between administrative processes and urgent field action. I am specifically charging the Federal Government through your office to:
- Intensify Intelligence: Deploy every available resource to track and rescue our missing students and teachers without further delay.
- Institutionalize School Protection: We can no longer afford to learn in fear. We need a visible, sustainable security presence around our educational communities, especially in vulnerable rural areas.
- Prioritize the Student Demography: The future of Nigeria is seated in our classrooms. If those classrooms are no longer safe, the future itself is under threat.
To the families of the abducted victims in Oyo State: NANS Southwest stands with you. We are not just observers; we are your advocates. We will continue to use every lawful and diplomatic channel to ensure that your children and their teachers return home safely.
Education is a right, not a death sentence. As we engage with stakeholders and government representatives during this working visit, the safety of the Nigerian student will remain my top priority.
We welcome the First Lady, but we also look forward to the day we can welcome back our abducted brothers and sisters.
Aluta Continua, Victoria Ascerta!
Signed:
Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode (BILLIONCODES)
Coordinator, NANS Southwest (Zone D)
May 2024