By Adesina Wahab

A student leader in Ogun State, Koiki Oreoluwa, who is also aspiring for the chairmanship of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Joint Campus Council, Ogun Axis, has promised campus-based leadership that will bring student unionism to the grassroots.

In a statement declaring his intention to contest for the position signed by him, Koiki added that the time has come to lead from the front lines on campuses in Ogun State.
“We have gathered here today at a critical turning point in the history of the student movement in the Gateway State. As we look across our Universities, Polytechnics, and Colleges of Education, the reality on the ground is clear. Our campuses are currently facing a disconnect between the leadership of the struggle and the daily reality of the students in the lecture halls.

“Today, the average Nigerian student in Ogun State is battling with rising institutional fees, deteriorating campus infrastructure, and a growing sense of vulnerability regarding welfare and security. Unfortunately, the voice that is supposed to speak for them has often been heard more in political corridors than in the administrative blocks of our various institutions.

“We have seen a trend where student leadership is being moved away from the roots, leaving the local SUG governments to fight their battles in isolation. This gap has created a vacuum that we can no longer ignore.

“The core of my declaration today is a return to the fundamentals. I am stating categorically that our leadership will be a campus-based leadership. We are not coming to lead from the comfort of external offices. We are coming to lead from the front lines of our campuses. A campus-based leadership means:
“Our administration will ensure that NANS Ogun JCC is felt on every campus. We will not be a “social media” leadership; we will be a “lecture hall” leadership that understands the specific challenges of each institution.

“We believe that the primary strength of NANS lies in the various Students’ Union Governments. Our leadership will focus on empowering SUG Presidents and Senators, ensuring that when one campus is under pressure, the entire state stands in solidarity.
“We are bringing the struggle back to the base. We will engage school managements and government authorities with high-level intellectual diplomacy, ensuring that the student interest is protected through superior logic and administrative precision.
“The students of Ogun State deserve a leadership that breathes the same air they breathe and walks the same paths they walk. We are here to bridge the gap between the leadership and the led.
“The movement for a student-centered and campus-rooted JCC starts now. We are not just running for an office; we are running to return the power to the campuses.
“The Catalyst is ignited. The vision is clear. The leadership is home.”