PRESS RELEASE BY COMRADE OLADOJA OLUSHOLA OVER THE DEATH OF STUDENTS OF THE ABUBAKAR TAFAWA BALEWA UNIVERSITY (ATBU), BAUCHI ON AUGUST 9, 2019

Distinguished members of the press, our loving Parents, Erudite Scholars and Professors of dynamic tertiary institutions across Nigeria, fellow proactive Comrades, amazing Management of the University of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, concerned citizens of Nigeria, ladies and gentlemen, I bring you warm greetings.

It is with a heavy heart that I make this statement, due to the tragic death of some Nigerian students at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi this week. 

The death of these students, which, according to VAM reports, resulted from the collapse of a bridge is unfortunate and creates a myriad of emotions. While this occurrence is a sad one, it presents a critical opportunity for young Nigerians and students alike to stand in solidarity with the institution, its management and students, and the parents of these young Nigerians who met their untimely end. I express my heartfelt condolences to the management, staff, and students of the institution as well as the parents of deceased students over their loss. The sad event is one that calls for reflection and most importantly, actions towards ensuring maximum standards that will increase the safety of students across tertiary institutions.

Going forward, the death of these students has impressed on the management of tertiary institutions the importance of pursuing improved educational infrastructure, both in terms of structural enhancement and providing the right quality of intellectual capacity to pass-on knowledge. In essence, promoting conducive environments for living and learning on Nigerian campuses should be an essential goal that school administrations must demand, pursue, and enforce. As members of the school community (management, faculty, and students), we must facilitate mechanisms and platforms that increase the space for engagements to enable the articulation of problems and needs adequately, identify emerging challenges, develop practical solutions, and promote collaboration towards implementing actions. These efforts will be useful to significantly reduce tragic events such as this type of deaths, bolster relationships, and enhance the delivery of holistic education. Although the event may be perceived as God's wish, I argue that it is a clear revelation that there are infrastructural challenges in the institution. I, as a result of this, call on the management of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi to take decisive actions towards assessing the state of infrastructure in the institution. Having reliable and conducive structures for learning guarantees the safety of students and staff as well as promotes their collective abilities to thrive conveniently in the institution.

Conclusively, I urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to look into the state of education and the infrastructures in tertiary institutions across the country. As a concerned Nigerian youth and student, I demand that the Nigerian authorities, especially the Federal Government, increase their support and funding for adequate and contemporary infrastructures in our institutions of learning. Improving efforts towards enhancing education delivery should be holistic and focus on making the Nigerian educational system to compete favourably with 21st Century educational systems across the world. Thank you, and God bless.

Signed by

Comrade Oladoja Olushola

AKA LAdoja NANS