The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Turkish Zone was set up in the year 2014 as a subsidiary to the national body of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Nigeria with the sole aim of protecting the interests of all Nigerian students in both home and abroad.
The NANS Turkish Zone has the mandate of checkmating and enhancing the welfare of all Nigerian students in 16 countries under the umbrella of Turkish Republic Zone with its headquarters in Northern Cyprus. Since the inception of the association for about a decade now, there has been numerous successes being achieved to unite and protect the rights of all Nigerian students. But along the line, the association has lost its legitimacy to carry out its duties due to the association’s hijack by some unscrupulous elements within and outside the association who are guided by selfish and egocentric agendas that are capable of destroying the image of the association at the same time inciting hatred, promoting religious and ethnic sentiments that are bound to cause division and conflict between Nigerian students studying in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
These particular elements which includes past and present officials in both the association’s senate and executive body have resorted themselves as the only ones that can decide on which direction the association goes while at the same time undermining the constitutional powers guiding the association. They don’t mind going to any extent to see that they have achieved their aims which is fully against the interest of the association and the Nigerian students that they represent.
The association is now marred by so many irregularities and problems that unless being solved, it will turn out to be a disaster that no one could ever imagine how much of damage it will cause to the Nigerian students studying in the areas in which the association is representing with emphasis on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
In order to widen the scope of how big the problem surrounding the association is, the person parading himself as the Senate President of the association was suspended from the association based on the recommendation of an independent panel set up by the association’s President as a result of derogatory and divisive comments and threats against another member(s) of the association and at the same time inciting hatred and promoting sentiments towards a particular tribe and religion and their members within the association. There are audio evidences of which he made those statements and till date he hasn’t showed any form of remorse against his actions but rather committing other atrocities against the interests of the association. Prior to his suspension from the association, 3 out of the 5 senate caucuses representing the universities under the umbrella of the association filed for the impeachment of the self-imposed senate president while he was the deputy senate president despite occupying the seat illegally as he was no longer a senator as of that time. After 2 university caucuses questioned his legitimacy to occupy the seat of the senate presidency, he went ahead to illicitly suspend the universities from the association at the same time barred them from participating in any activity that involves service to Nigerian students in Northern Cyprus, thereby depriving them from enjoying their rights and privileges as Nigerians despite these universities having good relationships with the Nigerian Embassy in Turkiye and having good number of Nigerian students in those universities.
This same person in particular who enjoys support from some people behind the scenes who are pushing him to commit those acts including a Nigerian assistant professor who is currently employed in one of the universities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and some other people who are trying to portray and promote the association as a southern-christian-only movement, have pledged to only allow people who are members of their church and inner circle to take the helm of the association’s affairs by any means without any regards to due process or pillars guiding the association and the constitution of the association.
In order to vividly describe this whole situation with regards to the agenda they are trying to promote in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, let’s cite an example on the recently concluded elections conducted by the impeached and suspended Deputy Senate President who is parading himself as the Senate President pledged that only an Igbo or southern person will be allowed to be the NANS Turkish Zone President from now henceforth after the tenure of the current president elapses who happens to a “Hausa-Muslim man” from the Northern part of Nigeria which is a clear violation of both the constitution of the association and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This particular person went ahead to set up an electoral committee who shares the same agenda with him without approval of both the senate and the association’s general assembly which contradicts the laws provided for the purpose of congress and conventions. This does not only stop at that, but went ahead to set up electoral bylaws and election date without the approval of the senate majority which is another violation of the association’s constitution.
The election conducted happens to the worst and most corrupt election ever conducted in the history of the association as only few persons were allowed to participate and to contest the elections despite intentionally failing to announce the dates and procedures of the election in due time. Lots of eligible people were barred from contesting the elections as the so-called election was more of appointment by the so-called Senate President and his cohorts who share the same selfish agendas.
Aside that, all persons and groups that are opposed to those selfish and unjust practices were sidelined and prevented from the voting process despite being entitled to vote as Nigerians as they were even prevented from being at the so-called election venue. Anyways, there was no voting whether by secret or open ballot at the venue which further nullified and ridicules the idea and concept of ‘elections’.
As required by the NANS constitution and as commonly practiced by the NANS National body, the association leadership rotates to all zones under the NANS umbrella in every leadership dispensation in order to strengthen the association’s participation and carry every one along. But this year’s election took another dimension as there was no aspirant allowed to contest other than only one person who happens to be the favored one that will play the card as how its planned and protect the interests of those unscrupulous elements. The whole election was planned to be unopposed as no vote had taken place during the convention due to providing no rooms for other aspirants other than those they wanted to occupy the positions to participate in the electoral process. This has further proved a point that the newly imposed leadership of the association is more of fulfilling the interests of absolute minority rather than working for the interests of all Nigerian students studying in the Turkish Republic zone.
The question now is, how can this kind of leadership cater for Nigerian students when all they care about is power, religious and ethnic sentiments, threats, intimidation and undermining the laws guiding the association.
As concerned Nigerians that foresee a danger surrounding the association if care is not taken since certain elements have started promoting hatred against another tribes, religion and individuals, initiating threats that are capable of instigating violence and disrupting peace and unity within and among Nigerian students studying in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, we are calling on all Nigerians, NANS National (Nigeria), Nigerian Government and its representatives (most especially Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigerian Embassy in Turkiye, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, National Intelligence Agency and other relevant authorities), the government of Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to as a matter of urgency look into the affairs of NANS Turkish Zone leadership and take the necessary measures in order to avoid any breach of law and order that is capable of destroying the image of Nigeria and Nigerian students studying in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as some unpatriotic and selfish individuals are on the verge of using the association to promote disunity and hatred towards Nigerian students in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Nigeria is the only country we have, and as good ambassadors that mean well to our country, we are much worried about the consequences of turning a blind eye on the above issues raised as ignoring this will cause more harm than good as no person that mean well for his/her country will love to see his fellow countrymen who are innocent get into trouble within and outside the country as a result of some selfish individuals who are only after their personal interests.
* Information provided and signed by Concerned Nigerian Students in the TRNC.
