Former aide to Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Youth and Students’ Affairs, Comrade Jude Imagwe, has called on the new executive council of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, to reinvigorate the body.
Comrade Imagwe made this call in a speech at the inauguration of the newly elected President of NANS on April 30, 2025.
It read:
“Reviving the Soul of Unionism, Rekindling the Fire of Nation-Building”
Fellow Comrades, Distinguished Guests, Friends of the Student Struggle, Ladies and
Gentlemen,
We are gathered here, not as spectators of ceremony, but as heirs of a profound legacy a legacy carved by the blood, sweat, and unwavering spirit of Nigerian students who refused to bow, refused to beg, and refused to be broken.
NANS is not just an association.
It is not merely a congregation of students.
NANS is a living spirit.
It is the conscience of the nation.
It is the last standing army when democracy falters.
It is the voice that speaks when every other voice is silenced.
Today, as we inaugurate the newly elected President and leadership of this revered body, I remind us all: power in NANS is not a prize to be celebrated; it is a sacred duty to be carried with humility and fire.
To lead NANS is to shoulder the heartbeat of millions.
It is to carry the dreams of the voiceless students from the banks of River Niger to the walls of Zaria, from the swamps of the Delta to the hills of Jos.
It is to defend not just rights but futures.
It is to confront not just oppression but also complacency.
NANS was built on sacrifice, not comfort. On vision, not vanity.
As we stand on this sacred threshold, ushering in a new generation of leaders, you are reminded: that you are custodians of a dream crafted in struggle, sacrifice, and unyielding hope.
Mr. President, as yourself and other Excos both the Executive and Senate arm take to your oaths today, may you all remember: every action you will take, every decision you’ll make, will either honor or betray the blood, sweat, and tears of those who came before you all.
The men and women who built this platform upon which you now stand did so not with the
luxury of comfort, but with the hunger for justice, equality, and dignity. Many wore no robes of honor.
Their only badge was courage.
Their only title was servant of the people.
I stand before you today not only as a former President of this great association, not only as a soldier who once bore this responsibility, but as one whose conviction is still in pursuit for justices, whose heart still beats to the anthem of resistance and renewal.
The challenge before this new leadership is not how loud you can chant slogans.
The challenge is: Can you reignite the moral authority that once made Presidents and
Generals tremble before our unified voice?
Can you reclaim our role not as pawns of political manipulation, but as architects of a better Nigeria?
Can you restore the belief that when NANS speaks, it speaks for the downtrodden, the oppressed, and the forgotten?
Leadership without moral clarity is betrayal.
Unionism without service is treason.
Today, I charge you:
- Rekindle the fire of selfless service.
- Rebuild the pillars of strategic engagement.
- Restore the honor that made NANS a reference point across Africa.
- Remember that every compromise you make today will be the inheritance of those who come tomorrow.
You do not wear the badge of NANS for applause.
You wear it for accountability to history, to the students, to posterity.
Comrades,
The battles ahead will be fierce.
The pressures will be immense.
The temptations to sell out will whisper sweetly.
But remember this: True leaders are not remembered by how long they held office; they are remembered by what they did with it.
Let it be that under your leadership, the soul of NANS is not traded.
Let it be that under your leadership, the respect of the Nigerian student is restored.
Let it be that under your leadership, when history calls, you can answer: “I served. I fought. I built.”
As you now hold this baton today, remember you are not just inheriting a title.
You are inheriting a legacy forged in fire, sharpened by struggle, and sanctified by sacrifice.
May God grant you wisdom, courage, and unwavering loyalty to the cause of the Nigerian Student.
And may NANS rise again stronger, bolder, and purer than ever before Under your leadership
Aluta Continua! Victoria Ascerta!
Thank you and God bless NANS!
And May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!