We forge ahead not forgetting the body that built us by giving back positively- Comrade Mancha

A SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE FORMER PRESIDENT, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF KWARA STATE STUDENTS, NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS (NAKSS, NHQS), COMRADE MUSA MOHAMMED MANCHA ON THE OCCASION OF THE INAUGURATION OF NEW EXCOS ON WEDNESDAY 31ST JULY, 2019, AT COLLEGE OF EDUCATION ILORIN.

Comrade Mancha

TITLE: WE FORGE AHEAD NOT FORGETTING THE BODY THAT BUILT US BY GIVING BACK POSITIVELY

PROTOCOL

I feel honoured and grateful to Almighty Allah who has chosen me through NAKSS, NHQs as I stand so tall to address this prestigious gathering today in this reputable capacity.

I crave your indulgence to accommodate few remarks, standing here as a product of grace, for the task saddled on us, grateful for the trust bestowed on us and mindful of the sacrifices of the NAKSSITES in respective institutions.

Having served NAKSS, permit me to use this platform once again to reaffirm that your efforts will never be a cry in the wilderness.

I must appreciate the effort of the Electoral Committee and security operatives for the free, fair and credible election which has proven the existence of democracy in our noble association. I say congratulations Mr Electoral Chairman, Comr. Muhammed Bako Isiaq and the entire commission.

I am delighted to welcome our guests and past student leaders of the association in our midst, who have come to grace this occasion, despite their tight schedules. If their presence explains anything, it is the height of their commitment, loyalty, and dedication to our association. 

I am indeed gratified at this level of participation of members, which clearly demonstrates our continuous hope, belief, collective wishes, and determination to strengthen the dignity of our dear association.

Let me applaud my cabinet members for the achievements and contributions thus far to the students’ welfarism and development.

I implore our successors to build on all our efforts and consolidate on the outcomes of our struggles.

I salute the friendly dispositions of my dogged comrades, who contested the presidency of the association alongside Comr. Adisa Jaji Azeez.

You matched the field as brothers and sisters, but you succeeded in solidarity. It was indeed a significant race.

You have all emerged victorious as our democratic experience has redefined our history as people with shared values.

I humbly sue your willingness to drive our common aims. Irrespective of our divergent views, your plans are auspicious and propitious, hence, you must collectively stand ready to implement them.

It would be incongruous if I fail to acknowledge the overwhelming support and confidence expressed by the entire NAKSSITES. I immensely owe you nothing but deep appreciation.

Great Nigerian Students!!!

You have come a long way and the time has come to reaffirm your enduring spirit, to choose your better history, to carry forward that precious gift, those bold ideas passed on by your predecessors.

We shall pursue our full measure of happiness as students. In accomplishing these, we solicit continuous partnership and understanding with Kwara State Government and managements of tertiary institutions through dialogue, as this your administration must not play politics with the welfare of students.

You would agree with me that our association has gone through difficult moments, owing to vested interests. But today, I put it to you that these challenges are real, serious, and enormous. They may not be met in a short while but certainly with this new administration, there is high expectations for a more better NAKSS.

Today, we have chosen hope over fear, the unity of purpose over conflict and discord. We came to proclaim an end to grievances and deceits.

Among several achievements, we created website for the association, welfare of students, contributed to reduction of tuition fee hike by some institutions, solving hostel challenges, social amenities as well as settling of crisis between some Unions and school managements, 50 million naira bursary was achieved from the government, a new bus gotten and one refurbished, organized many programs to transform our members for better, we promoted our activities and coordinated our students in a peaceful manner through various medias houses.

Henceforth, we must pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and begin the work of remodeling our noble association for everywhere we look, there is work to be done. Therefore, this new administration should try address major challenges such as students welfarism in various campuses, security challenges, intimidation and harassment of students should be a threat of the past, continuous diplomatic agitation for scholarships and award of bursaries to Kwara State students studying home and abroad, launch suggestion boxes in the Six Geopolitical Zones of Nigeria, to collect opinions with a view to identifying our major challenges, bringing the government closer to the governed, through partnering with Media houses to periodically inform the students on “The State of the Association” and permanent NAKSS secretariat that will be business centred.

It would be ungrateful if I fail to commend my executives and appointees, sincerely I appreciate your sacrifices, assistance, formidable structure and cooperation which resulted in our victory. Thank you! History shall not forget you.

To the new Executive Council members, I charge you all to live up to expectations. To the distinguished Senate and Judicial Councils, what is required in this new era of responsibilities is cooperation and commitment.

Constitutionally, you are separated in arms, but cooperatively you should work to actualize the goals of our noble association.

It is incumbent on us to realize that we have duties to ourselves and the association; duties we seized gladly, therefore, we must know that nothing is so satisfying to the spirit and so defining of your character than giving your best to the tasks ahead.

Fellow NAKSSITES, I implore you to be good ambassadors of this association, not losing sight on our academics which is our primary aim. The world has changed, our association has changed and we must change accordingly.

In the words of Martin Luther, 

    “We may have come in different boats, but definitely, we are in the same ship now”.

It is obvious that challenges await us, but as implied by Audrey Hepburn, “I do not believe in collective guilt but in collective responsibility”.

To part with, I am indeed grateful to all and sundry for making out time to grace this occasion. I pray God Almighty to grant you journey mercies to your various destinations.

Together we achieve more!

We are grace carriers; we cannot come in contact with grace and suffer disgrace. indeed, power belongs to God.

Long Live Kwara State!

Long Live Nigeria!

Aluta Continua! Victoria ascerta!

Thank you and God bless.