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Socialist Democracy September - October 2003

The members of Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) in Lagos State Polytechnic has condemned dictatorial and tyrannical manner in which the school management proscribed the students' union and closed the institution for five weeks. This was sequel to an attack on Mr. Amosun, a lecturer at the computer science department by some unidentified elements on matriculation day at Ikorodu campus. This action the management said was to facilitate the work of a four-member committee set-up to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the incident. This committee has no students' representatives.

In a statement issued on the closure, the DSM states that the military era of fiat command is supposed to have ended and that every decision and action taken by the management, which will directly or indirectly affect the entire students, must involve students' representatives.

"Although DSM is totally against using secret cults and any other group for that matter to pursue or conduct a personal vendetta against perceived or imagined rivals and individuals, we are absolutely committed to supporting the rights of students to freely associate with one another, form assemblies of like-minds, express themselves in every peaceful means, and belong to any association like DSM, that best meet their yearnings and aspirations on campus without interference from the school authority in whatever form.

"It is based on this that, we condemn the management unwholesome action of banning the students' union and equally demand the immediate reinstatement without delay. The school management, we want to say without fear or favour (not minding the doctored students' union constitution), have no right whatsoever to arrogate to herself the powers of banning and proscribing a legally elected students' union."

The DSM called for mass opposition to any attempt to clamp down of the democratic rights of students by the authorities under the pretext pf fighting cultism.

"We of the DSM call on the entire students of Lagos poly to rise up to the occasion and join us to fight for a better academic environment where our collective rights as human beings will be respected and guaranteed. For if we dare to struggle, we might win but if we do not, we have lost already. We enjoin the entire students to demand for:

*Immediate and unconditional reinstatement of the union.

*No to police post on our campuses as proposed by the rector.

*No to all outrageous increment in fees

*Inclusion of students in all decision and policy-making organs of the institution.

*Provision of cars and communication facilities to the security to enhance their performance.

*Provision of recreational facilities to students to enhance our productivity.

*Provision of buses to convey the students to their various lecture venues.

*The immediate release of the report of the committee set up to investigate the July 25th incidence.

*Proper funding of the educational systems."

Interested members can join DSM LASPOTECH branch at the agric department every Wednesday by 4:30 pm and also through the e-mail: [email protected]

Socialist Democracy September - October 2003