Will the government allow NANS to protest over NOUN vs CLE come August?

The young students and future leaders expressed their concern and disappointment over the maltreatment and abominable injustice meted out to the poor innocent students for over five years and subsequently gave a three months ultimatum to the federal government which will end in August, 2018. NANS in a press statement, said “ Enough is enough” adding that any injury to one student is injury to all students” it therefore declared that if NOUN law graduates are not included in the admission list of the Nigerian Law School in August, it will embark on a mass protest to the extent of shutting down all NOUN study centres. In a similar vein, Mr. Shuaib Umar, the Executive director of Equity and Social Justice Initiative, (ESJI) a Non Governmental Organization also added its voice in solidarity with the decision of NANS as a right step taken. In a press statement; the (ESJI) boss described the continued refusal of CLE to admit the law graduates as malicious and injustice. His statement reads in part, “Without mincing words, it is terribly disgraceful that innocent Nigerian youths were subjected to such stretched hardship and ridicules. “ this is for doing nothing wrong but incarcerated for their hard work and brilliance, thus a vendetta against virtues” These are strong, reasonable and heart touching expressions made by a legal, social and political mind about the ordeal of the poor innocent graduates. The three months ultimatum and the deadline given to the federal government is about to elapse with no proactive measures in sight to resolve the problem. As a concerned Nigerian, do we need such unnecessary restiveness in our country amid insurgency and other challenges rocking our blessed country? Certainly no! The eminent mass protest should be avoided so that Nigeria will not become a laughing stock to other countries practicing the same National Open University without controversy with their law graduates. It is so surprising that the Federal government established NOUN just like other developed countries to add value to its education as contained in Section.18 (1),(2),(3) of the CFRN 1999 as amended and few individuals are bent on frustrating this noble objective to the detriment of Nigerians. Based on the strong contention of CLE against NOUN law programme, the National Assembly took a palliative measure last year and amended the institution’s Act which has not been assented and believed to be frustrated by same cabals that are working against the school. Nigerians should embrace modern global practice of learning and emulate Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Africa’s most populous living ex president, who studied and obtained his Phd from NOUN and now a lecturer of the university. His reason for identifying with NOUN from inception is purely on intrinsic perspectives with a great determination to promote the school and not for pecuniary reason as no institution can employ and pay him for such service based on his track records and status. It is an opportunity, luck and pride to be taught by this great genius of Africa. One big question waiting for answer is “what offence has the NOUN law graduates committed that cannot be pardon in their fathers land, Nigeria?” My answer to the above question is “no offence committed”, reason that NOUN was established by an Act of the National Assembly, duly accredited by NUC to run a law programme and clearly stated in the students hand book that law graduates will proceed to law school for the mandatory vocational training. This was advertised to the public and students were admitted. It is so disheartening that despite the wide publicity and the admission duly regularised by JAMB to the awareness of the Council for Legal Education, it did not outer any public statement about it but waited patiently for NOUN to graduate its law students and came up with a “warning notice” in its blog that the study of law at NOUN is not approved, thereby subjected innocent students to undue suffering under the pretence of setting standard. If the public was timely informed by CLE when NOUN made the advertisement, am sure prospective students would not have been victims for people to crack brains by now. The National University Commission makes a periodical update of accredited Universities in its blog to guide prospective student from falling victims. This is what CLE would have done as “caveat emptor” I strongly believe that this issue can be amicably resolved without a negative effect on CLE and the legal profession based on the track records of NOUN law students at various competitions emerging best as confirmed by (ESJI)  in its findings. NOUN and the CLE are established and supervised by the Federal government for the good of the people; therefore one should not be allowed to exercise arbitrary power against the other. We do not need any mass protest by Nigerian students to come AUGUST, 2018 so let the needful be done. GIBSON OGBEINIAMA, Writes from (ORE ONDO STATE)]]>