INAUGURAL SPEECH PRESENTED BY NEWLY SWORN IN PRESIDENT OF THE STUDENT UNION GOVERNMENT, FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, MINNA, COMR. HAMZAT LATEEF

STUDENT UNION GOVERNMENT

INAUGURAL SPEECH PRESENTED BY NEWLY SWORN IN PRESIDENT OF THE STUDENT UNION GOVERNMENT, FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, MINNA, COMR. HAMZAT LATEEF ON THE OCCASION OF THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY OF THE NEWLY ELECTED EXECUTIVES AND LEGISLATIVE MEMBERS OF THE UNION BY THE VICE CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY, PROFESSOR MUSBAU ADEWUMI AKANJI ON FRIDAY 14TH OCTOBER, 2016 AT UNIVERSITY       SENATE CHAMBER.

The Vice Chancellor,

The Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics

The Deputy Vice Chancellor, Admin

The University Registrar,

The University Bursar,

The University Librarian,

 The Dean, Student Affairs Division,

 Deans of Schools present,

 Deputy Dean, Student Affairs Division,

 All Directors here present,

 Members of Staff of the University present,

 Invited Guest,

 Past Leaders of the Student Union Government present,

 Senior Comrades,

Comrades in struggle,

Greatest Nigerian Students!

All praise and Glory to God Almighty who alone has kept our lives and has chosen this day unto us in this kind.

Indeed we are not gathered today to just celebrate the victory of  Team Password  at the August 8th, 2016 Student Union Poll, we are gathered to the celebration of common freedom symbolizing an end as well as a beginning signifying renewal as well as a change, for I have sworn before you and the Almighty God the solemn oath that my predecessors have taken to undertake the responsibility of leading the interest and struggle of the great Nigerian Student on this citadel of academic excellence.

I must appreciate the Professor Sadiku-led  Student Union Independent Electoral Committee (SUIEC)  for the good conduct of that election which proves the existence of democracy in this university and the union in particular.

I must applaud and confess that am challenged by my two opponents who contested the presidency of the Student Union with me. It was indeed a notable fight. I so much respect and admire their strength and courage. I wish to say that we have all come out victorious as our democratic battle has redefined the union in a greater way.

I will be unfair not to appreciate the great Nigerian Students on our campus for their patience and endurance during the electoral process despite the harsh weather condition.
As many of us are aware, the  Student Union Government (SUG), Federal University of Technology, Minna  is not new to having its leaders come up with a number of visions and policies year after year.

The  Student Union Government (SUG)  administrative structure is in a very bad shape and has been very weak and inoperative and needs reconsideration by successive administrations long before now. There is need to introduce workable administrative structure capable of yielding TANGIBLE results and speed in delivering answers to the quest of electorates. It is indeed high time the student union make shifts in economic development designs and well defined and comprehensive administrative models through the process of fixed LONG-TERM capital resource development programme rather than depending on the little fund generated from student annual levies which can hardly carter for the union basic services not to talk of attending to other student’s needs.

In spite of the few of development strategies, put in place by successive  Student Union Government (SUG)  administrations, and sometimes with good intentions, all attempts to redefine the routine activities of the union have not been achieved because of the lack of executive capacity responsible for the formulation and implementation of the plan, previous development plans have also failed because there was little or no consultation of key experts. Immediate past SUG Administration put forward, out of the need to correct the flaws in the union’s drive for development and diversification, the introduction of the  Student Union Resource Development Group (SURD-G).  The Group was born out of the vision to see to the Development of the Union’s fund-base beyond the annual students’ charges and was strategically prepared to ameliorate fundamental challenges hindering the growth of the union from achieving several long term goals and administrative policies. The achievement of this process was rated far below expectations of the students due to the bulk of grassroots’ problems which ranged from students protest, complaints on examination failures, inadequate water and power supplies that were not adequately attended to by the immediate past SUG administration.

This administration holds aloft the transformational pledge of promising less but delivering more. In line with this dream, the Vice Chancellor  Sir,  Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, it pleases me to declare the watchword and the base agenda for this administration as  OPERATION TOTAL REFORMATION (OTR).  This REFORMATION agenda tends to turn the union around by the end of this tenure in 2017 and has been prioritized to give the growth of the union’s financial status pride of place.

The Vice Chancellor  Sir, Dean of Students and friend of all students, it will please you to know that two weeks after my election as President of the Student Union, We formed a committee to draw an innovative  REFORM  Document which shall be a good model and blueprint for Student Unionism on this campus. The Document is ready and will pass through the necessary channel to you soon.

The  REFORMATION  SUG draws inspiration from the Vision 20:2020 which aims at putting Nigeria among the 20 most developed economy in the year 2020.
Segregation of power is a time to cardinal objective of this administration. In the drive to lop off the low-result tentacle, the administration will pursue policy measures to reinvigorate several sectors of the union and enhance their high human capacity potential. This will entail implementing administrative structural programs such as the  (1) THE ENLARGE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL  introducing  STUDENT UNION MINISTRIES  targeting greater work-force of the Executive arm of the  Student Union Government (SUG).  The union Presidential committees are hereafter upgraded to  Student Union Ministries.

Vice Chancellor  Sir, Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen, The new policies are motivated by student’s need to decisively tackle most development challenges such as inadequate power supply, Mass failures,  transportation and the “bus park” saga, security and the deplorable state of the hostels. This new drive will include political controls, economic development, corporate partnership and effectiveness of all unions’ administrative sectors. During the life of the administration, the policies and the programs directed at addressing these challenges will focus on the effective responds and ultimate activeness of the union’s  Central Executive Council (CEC)  and   Enlarge Executive Council (EEC);  Security, Student morals and order; the legislature; anti-corruption measures in the various union’s sectors and faculty (school) as well as departmental levels; fair students right advocacy; capital and fund-base coordination, and support for private organizations on campus. The critical policy thrust of this administration will be to maximize the comfort, peace and joy of being student on this campus derived from Student Unionism through more effective and efficient use of unions’ resources, proper financial management and fiscal prudence. This entails adequate emphasis on the attainment of law and order, guarantee of safety of lives and property, and the provision of an environment in which people find happiness and fulfillment.

Easily the most significant challenge confronting the Nigerian state since independence is bad governance. According to Africa’s literary icon,  Chinua Achebe  in The Trouble with Nigeria, “it is simply and squarely a failure of leadership”. In our union, not a few had attributed the unions’ sloppy socio-effective and political progress thus far to poor leadership inertia. In the bid to break away from the vestiges of the past, this administration is bent on providing good governance as a form of atonement.

The key priority policies, programs and projects designed to re-launch the union into an enduring path of socio-effective, academic and political renaissance is encapsulated in the said REFORM document which provides the nexus for holistic transformation of the union’s fledging activeness, also has the Nigerian students’ welfare needs as its thrust. “The agenda is based on a set of priority policies and programs which when implemented will transform the administrative, participative and economic status to meet the future needs of all great Nigerian students on our campus.
In a continuously changing global situations such as we are experiencing all through the world leading to the increase competitiveness amongst nations, organizations and individuals in order to meet the demand of this changes and to retain status in a sustainable economy, there is a need to build and orientate young individuals on our campus towards becoming leading figures in global paradigm decisions.

This administration’s conviction that youth constitute Nigeria's only real hope for a great future has geared it to take a critical look at the plight of the great Nigerian students on our campus and will not deviate from the dream of our dear university.

Let me quickly call on the university management to organize an e-test orientation for our fresh students as they didn’t have the privilege to pass through the defunct POST-UTME exercise.
In our vision to bring the union to the door of every student, it will interest my fellow students to also know our plans to begin a student base program on air with our own search FM. We target bringing up various students officials on air to present his or her score card and other vital issues which would be in the interest of the students and most of all to the good name.
This administration will be committed to the safety of lives and properties of our Students and Staffs in this community and will put to use all due process to achieving applaudable security situation in our university community.  

Let me loud the leadership style of  Comr. Ohiare Kashim Mohammed and Sen. Olayinka Abdulqudus  for their selfless service thus far to unionism on this campus, they have always put away their interest and given themselves up to the common interest of the great Nigerian students on this campus.  Comr. Agbane Peter  is indeed a man of struggle, he would always stand by the will of the Nigerian students in all course.

Let me applaud the achievements of my predecessors for their contributions so far to unionism on our campus. As the saying goes, “uneasy lies the head that wears the crown” we promise to improve on all your efforts.
We will always remember in our heart one of our past great leader,  Late Comr. Jefferson Akinsheye  and several other past leaders of the union.
Let me also honor the contributions and achievements of the following students thus far to the stability of unionism on this campus;  Comr. Hammed  Yaro, Comr. David Aboyeji, Comr. Hamzat Moshood, Comr. Aremu Oluwadare, Comr. Haliru Ndayagi, Comr. Bashir Onuwe, Comr. Folaranmi Ibrahim, Comr. Aminu Abdullahi, Comr. Muideen Bello, Comr. Hakeem Adeniyi, Comr. Balogun Jasper, Comr. Yusuf Babatunde Ojasope, Comr. Tyabo Ibrahim, Comr. Farida Sulyman, Comr. Bello Abdulrahman, Comr. Hammed Oyelakin, Comr. Ndubuisi Ezekiel, Comr. Mustapha, Comr. Quadri.  I also express my sincere appreciation to everyone who has contributed to the success of my campaign, though too numerous to mention.Excutela Abudanti.
The Vice Chancellor  Sir, Student Affair Division and my fellow students, my inaugural speech would be incomplete if I fail to respectfully appeal for your maximum cooperation and support for myself as the premus inter pares and my other colleagues whom you have mandated to serve you. The work load is laborious and therefore requires all hands on deck so that we can effectively discharge our mandate and accordingly vindicate the confidence you have reposed in us. It is a no secret that without your cooperation and unwavering support, there is absolutely no way we can succeed. Do not forget that the success of the Hamzat-led administration is your success and for that matter the success of  FUTMINNA . YES greatness is coming so let’s all embrace it wholeheartedly for love of God and our country. My colleagues and I are once again very grateful for your cooperation and support in advance.

Thank you all.

Aluta Continua!!! Victoria Ascerta!!!

Long live  FUTMINNA.

Long live  Niger State.

Long live  Federal Republic of Nigeria

 Announcer
 Comr.  Baba Isah Suleiman

 P.R.O
 FUT, MINNA

Signed
Comr. Hamzat Lateef

President
FUT, MINNA