The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) was created to be the conscience of Nigerian students, a principled watchdog capable of challenging government policies, defending academic freedom, and promoting the welfare of students across the nation. For decades, NANS earned a reputation as a courageous and independent voice, most famously under the leadership of the late Segun Okeowo, whose activism left an indelible mark on student advocacy in Nigeria.
In 2007 and 2010, NANS successfully opposed arbitrary staff retrenchments in federal universities, preventing further disruptions to academic programmes.
Yet, the recent endorsement of Bola Oyebamiji, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Osun State, by NANS Southwest Zone D, highlights a troubling pattern. The endorsement, justified based on Oyebamiji’s educational pedigree and commitment to youth inclusion, mirrors earlier instances in which NANS publicly aligned with political candidates, including sitting lawmakers seeking re-election. While some might view this as a pragmatic strategy to gain access to power and resources, it risks diluting the very purpose of the student movement.
From Watchdog to Political Ally?
Ideally, NANS should serve as an independent advocate, supporting policies that improve student welfare and critiquing those that undermine it. Political endorsements, especially in the absence of transparent internal consultation or demonstrable student mandates, blur this distinction. When the association is perceived as prioritising political alignment over student interests, its credibility suffers.
The consequences of this shift are tangible. Nigerian students continue to face systemic challenges: underfunded public universities, crumbling infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms, and frequent industrial actions that extend academic calendars. Despite repeated access to government officials, NANS’ current engagement strategy has done little to address these chronic issues. Globally, Nigerian universities struggle to compete, and local reports confirm that conditions on campus remain challenging. The contrast between political visibility and actual student impact is stark.
Representation in Name, Not in Practice
Another concern is representation. NANS claims to speak for millions of students nationwide, yet many remain disconnected from its leadership activities. Leadership disputes, internal factionalism, and lack of inclusive consultative processes raise questions about whose interests are truly being served. Endorsements issued without verifiable mandates or broad-based participation risk being perceived as transactional, catering to elite or personal interests rather than the collective needs of students.
This is not merely an internal matter. The erosion of independent student advocacy undermines accountability in the education sector. When NANS is politically aligned, policy failures, ranging from inadequate funding to poor student welfare, go largely unchallenged. Students, the very constituency the body is meant to defend, bear the brunt of this inaction.
The Path Forward
NANS stands at a crossroads. It can reclaim its relevance by reasserting independence, prioritising transparency, and championing student welfare above political allegiances. Internal democracy, broad-based consultation, and clear advocacy campaigns for improved infrastructure, funding, and academic quality must become the pillars of its agenda.
Student leadership, by definition, is a platform for representing the collective voice of students. When that voice is co-opted for partisan ends, the students themselves become collateral. For NANS to regain credibility, it must remember that endorsements, however well-intentioned, cannot substitute for tangible action in addressing the challenges confronting Nigerian students today.
As a generation seeking opportunity in a constrained system, students deserve advocacy that is principled, focused, and independent, qualities that built NANS’ original reputation and which remain urgently necessary today. Anything less risks turning one of Nigeria’s oldest student bodies into a mere instrument of political expediency.
