Empowering Students Voices: Strategies For Amplifying Students Concerns

Just as every human being, students always have concerns, and we articulate our pains everyday so our leaders can hear and know about our concerns. But what has the amplification of our concerns done to us?

Before I continue, permit me to say a heart-felt Congratulations to the newly inaugurated Students’ Union officers in the CEC, HEC and SRC respectively. We hope for a productive and better tenure.

What has become of these concerns and the speaking voices? I wouldn’t say that nothing has been done so far, but I would affirm that very little effort has been put in place to make sure that every concern raised by students are attended to.

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Students have cried out, and now it seems we have resorted to “Suffering and Smiling”, as it was said by the popular Afrobeat singer in the 70s “Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti” in one of his words to Nigerians.

Consequently, voices that can no longer capture attention of leaders now choose to remain silent because no amount of speaking will make the leaders bring solutions to their predicaments.

Students have been raising their voices and speaking for years with little or no attention paid to their subject matters from the leaders. They speak of their concerns but what is the value of a speaking voice without an active system of amplification?

The solution to our concerns lies not only in our crying tones, but also in the empowerment of our voices. What is being done to address the voices that speak about the poor academic calendar that is detrimental to students? What is being done about the voices that keep crying about the poor state and conditions of the halls of residence, the voices that never cease to raise concerns about the lack of electricity on campus, the voices that express concerns about the security of students within and outside campus. Let’s not even talk about the voices that spoke about the shortcomings of the Healthcare system of the school community.

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Students’ voices matter and should be the sole focus of every Students’ Union. Remember, the reason why you’re occupying that office that you are now is because students decided to raise their voices together, and elect you as their representatives. This is because students believe and trust that you will amplify and empower their voices.

Empowering students voices goes beyond documenting their concerns, it also entails ensuring that more feasible and reliable solutions are put in place. In a University setting like Obafemi Awolowo University, students are majorly always on the receiving end of any decision made by the school management.

However, it’s believed that the Students’ Union is for the Students. As it’s a platform created to make sure that the voiceless students is given a voice.

Consequently, Students’ Union officers at all levels are urged to use their time and tenure in office as Students Representatives to the management to pay close and pragmatic attention to the concerns of the students, and not go about tussling power among themselves.

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Furthermore, they should ensure that their interests are not disregarded and create a system that empowers students. This, I believe is the only way we can give credence to solidarity, uphold the virtues of puritanism, create a history that gladdens our forebears, mend the broken system, and revolve from a blighted state to echoing the love and charm that resonates in our National Anthem; that we must advance the labour of our heroes past which must not be in vain.

Be Firm in your decision making, and just like Water is friendly with all, be friendly with those who elected you into office.