Student organizations, movements and unions have always played vital roles in achieving positive changes and giant strides in the history of the world. 

These achievements didn’t come by accidents; they were not sudden or mere deviation from the norms. They happened because of strategic and articulate leadership concerned with the larger good than personal or monetary gains. 

According to Wikipedia, Student activism is work by students to cause political, environmental, economic or social change. Although often focused on schools, curriculum, and educational funding, students groups have influenced greater political events. 

This work is always inspired by leaders amongst students who are sensitive to the happening in the nation. They react and or respond to policies of the government that are anti-people and obnoxious. These breeds of leaders do not only cause change to happen in their domains, they move on to become institutionalized leaders. Some find their way into politics, others excel as head of businesses, captains of industries and many more. 

In Nigeria, these leaders emerge from the ‘farm’ of students’ unionism where various ideologies are cultivated in them and nurtured, making them worthy ideologues. Notable governors, ministers and other political office holders (past and present) had served the Nigerian students at one point or the other. 

This then cause one to wonder why these sets of leaders are gradually going into extinction. It is a known fact that the once upon a time ‘conscious Nigerian students’ are perpetually unaware of the happenings in the country or have decided to sit on the fence. They increasingly become unconcerned, making it possible for proliferation of obnoxious policies in the country. 

At the height of hypocrisy, leaders, elder state-men and political office holders continue to remind us that leadership is not only about leading people but also producing better leaders amongst the followers; yet, they contribute to the decadence in student unionism and the shift of focus on Nigerian students. 

The leadership lacuna will always widen as long as students who are said to be leaders of tomorrow are not properly motivated to hold their own against anti-social vices and are continually persecuted into submission to the shenanigans of the oppressive governments.

The emergence of vibrant student leaders is very important and only a concerted effort at returning student unionism/activism to what it used to be will bridge this leadership gap. This breed of leaders must be protected from going into total extinction; it will spell doom for a nation in dire need of credible leaders. 

This was published on 14th February 2014 on omojuwa.com