RESTORING UNILAG UNIONISM

Agitations for restoration of student union activities at the University of Lagos brings to mind the 2005 experience that led to the ban on student unionism  in the institution. Dean Student affairs professor Kayode O. Amund spoke on the ongoing effort to usher in "a new flavored" SUG at Unilag ''I had a trip to south Africa to understudy the peaceful cooperation between the students representative council and the school management".

The student union as at 2005 was sort of organized committee that comprise of eight to ten members, the president and vice president which at that time use to come from Idi-araba statutorily. it was later made an independent body, this got into the head of the student and acted as if they were no longer under control of the institution management. it got hijacked by nefarious activities of some cultist, they introduced into the union extreme brigandage that led to the 2005 unfortunate event, the attack of the vice chancellors lodge, the official residence of the dean of student affairs was set on fire with his cars, his resources and everything he had got burnt, it was due to this ugly incidence that student unionism was proscribe in 2005.

University of Lagos is presently working to review its constitution to come out with a constitution and system that is workable such that other universities in the country can learn from, The V.C professor R.A BELLO in a recent meeting with the representative of student from all the faculties said SUG will be installed he stated all the rules and regulation that will be governing the body hopefully this might take effect during the 2014/2015 academic session.  Shola Emiola a 400l student of mass communication said" I didn’t even know that we didn’t have an SUG considering the hyper social lifestyle of the student  The school actually wants to reinstall SUG but they will going on a training course outside the country maybe South Africa for them to know what student union is all about. in a report Prof. Kayode Amund said student union is not for irresponsible people but for matured minds, which we are still observing in the student, to some extent they have showed some signs of maturity especially the peacefully protest about the change of name.