Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has challenged the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, South-West Zone D, to make a meaningful contribution to national development.
The governor delivered the charge during the inauguration of the new student body leaders at the Osun State College of Health Technology in Ilesa.
Adeleke, who was represented at the event by the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr. Abiodun Ojo, urged the student leaders to see themselves as leaders in their current positions rather than waiting for future opportunities to lead, according to a statement signed by the Coordinator of NANS Zone D, Josiah Adeyemo, and obtained in Osogbo on Sunday.
Adeleke also advocated for female representation in student leadership, emphasizing the need for gender balance in NANS governance.
He cautioned the newly appointed leaders against sacrificing their future for financial incentives and instead urged them to stay focused and align with programs that would bring value and foster personal and professional progress.
“Let me reaffirm the state government’s support for NANS. Our administration is student-friendly, and I want to urge the newly inaugurated executives to contribute meaningfully to national development.
“You are the leaders of today, and the journey starts now. Do not compromise your future for financial inducements. Remain focused and engage in activities that will be beneficial to the nation,” Adeleke told the students.
In his keynote presentation, Mr. Abayomi Adegoke, Chairman of the Governing Council of Osun State College of Health Technology, urged the student leaders to rise to the duties of their positions without hesitation.
Adegoke emphasized that they must not remain passive or directionless and that student unionism serves as a training ground for future national leaders.
He urged heads of higher institutions, particularly in the Southwest region, to allow student unions to thrive, stating that it is critical for developing respectable leadership for the country.
He also advised student leaders to move from confrontational to constructive engagement with the administration, arguing for fact-based dialogue and solutions.
In his remarks, Adeyemo, the NANS Zone D Coordinator, pledged improved welfare for students in the zone while urging maximum cooperation.
The Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State, Prof. Taiwo Olaiya, was recently bestowed with the honor of patron of the National Association of Nigerian Students, South-West Zone.
The student body bestowed the honor on Olaiya at an event held on the polytechnic’s campus in Ede, which was attended by association officials from the six South West states.
The ceremony marked the association’s pre-convention, which was held on the polytechnic’s campus.
The group also honored the polytechnic’s rector, Dr. Sani Man Yahaya, for accepting the appeal to pardon students expelled for their roles in a violent demonstration that erupted on campus in May 2024, resulting in the damage of buildings and some cars.
