By: Gbayesola Samuel
For the land wey dem dey call “first and best,” where lions dey roar but students dey whisper, one matter still dey confuse everybody wey wear ID card: Students’ Union due. Abeg make I yarn my mind for this one.
Once upon a time, the dues na just humble ₦200, the same price wey suya dey cost. But today e don jump go ₦1000, dem just hide am gently inside your bundle fee.
Now make you reason this one. Over 33,000 students dey pay this due every year. That one be over ₦33 million per session. But we never exhaust the ₦33 million and the many more millions wey students dey pay all these years. But somehow, Union still dey borrow money and dey beg like person wey get bad debt for Bodija market. Na UI students dey pay dues, but na Union dey behave like FG wey no sabi manage money. No vex o, na truth I talk.
Union wey suppose be students’ voice don turn to apprentice for money matter. Dem go talk say “bursary scheme,” “student welfare,” “exam package.” Full grammar full ground. But wetin we dey see? Na committee wey wear suit, dey show PowerPoint with agenda wey no reach anywhere.
And the students nko? Dem no send. Dem go talk say: “Union due? I no dey pay dat one.” Bros check your school receipt. E dey there, coded inside the “bundle fee”. No way to say “I no want,” no negotiation. Just debit alert, gbam.
When dem ask one official why the due waka from ₦200 go ₦1000, the person drop one deep economic quote: “Na dollar rise.” As if Union due dey follow exchange rate for black market.
This matter don turn like Nollywood story. Money don enter, no explanation. Yet Union go still act like say dem dey do us favour. Loans on top money wey dey ground already, how that one take make sense? Account no dey transparent, outside people dey control am. Students dey clap, dem no even know wetin dey happen.
At this point, make im no shock us one day if we hear say snake don chop the Union dues. As e be for Abuja, e fit repeat for Ibadan. So we go still ask with the voice of the people: wetin una use am do?
