The National Association of Burutu Local Government Students (NABLOGS) Worldwide on the 14th day of April paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Chairman of Burutu LGA.
The purpose of the meeting was for the new NABLOGS Executive to appreciate the Council Chairman for his support to the association in previous times, to familiarize offices among offices, and to inaugurate the 4th Parliament of NABLOGS.
However, in the course of the meeting, the newly elected president of NABLOGS, Comr. Tam Bruno Kodoye addressed a succinct open letter to the chairman when it came for his turn to speak. The content of the letter in verbatim is as follows;
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“NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BURUTU LOCAL GOVERNMENT STUDENTS
(NABLOGS)
To:
HON. Godknows Angele
The Local Government Chairman,
Burutu, Delta State.
14/04/2021.
Dear Sir,
AN OPEN LETTER ADDRESSED BY THE NEWLY ELECTED NABLOGS PRESIDENT
I am happy to write to my Honourable Chairman of Burutu Local Government Area this letter at a time like this.
This letter may be quite different from letters others have written or read before. That
may be owed to individual differences.
First of all, I want to thank God for everything that has been and will be.
Secondly, I want to congratulate our Patron and Honourable Chairman, Godknows
Angele, for his electoral victory. It is very clear that the mandate is divine, coupled with
the fact that history was as well made. Indeed anything is possible with God.
Thirdly, I want to appreciate our Chairman – a friendly, hospitable, generous, benevolent,
God-fearing, capable, and reliable leader, for his outstanding support system established
towards youth and students welfarism. This is evident in the growth and development of
our dear NABLOGS measured in recent years that is attributed to his input. Our
Honourable Chairman has been actively involved in the growth process of the last two
administration of NABLOGS. His input added to the milestone NABLOGS has gripped
in recent years, even to the success of our just concluded Convention at Sokebulou, in Ogulagha kingdom.
Another remarkable supportive effort made by our “good-Samaritan” leader, which is
worth applauding, is the appointment of the immediate past NABLOGS President, Comr.
Samson K. Azigbeotu, as Special Assistant to the Council Chairman on Students Affairs.
Indeed you are a leader of great dynamicity.
It is my earnest prayer that God Almighty will continue to bless you and satisfy you with long life for all the good works you do.
My sincere appreciation also goes to your cabinet and other incorporated teams for their
good collective efforts towards goals achievement.
Having expressed my unalloyed appreciation, I wish to zero in on discourse appertaining
NABLOGS.
My honourable Chairman, NABLOGS as the apex students body in the local government areais at your beck and call as regards educational and other related matters anytime, anyday.
And I wish to affirm that NABLOGS is always ready to work with you and for you.
It is worthy of note that NABLOGS had birthed prospects, especially educational, over
the years. However, certain factors militate against the machinery of NABLOGS, such as
dearth of social amenities in the area, incessant discouragement from leaders, and lack of
funds for the smooth running of the association businesses.
Financial issues have always reared their ugly heads over other challenges.
As an association without statutory funding, we often resort to begging leaders for financial support to organise programmes, of which most times we are humiliated and fooled by some leaders.
I would like to add here that most of us students have one or two businesses we do to
cater for ourselves, in that we do not have to go begging leaders for livelihood as they
often think and see us. We only fall victim to cruel leaders in the Aluta struggle in that manner because of our love for our people and education. We found out that some of our
leaders do not care much about education for the people, while others are too busy to
tackle the educational challenges that befall us as a people. Hence, it has become a
prerogative for student associations to fill in the gap and sustain the educational
background of our people. I can aver that without these little efforts, we (Izon-ebe) would undoubtedly be relegated to the background educationally.
It may interest you sir, to know that most of us abandon our businesses and academics to
go round begging from leaders whenever we intend to organise programmes for the
growth of our people, spending our little individual pockets out.
But it is quite unfortunate that most of our leaders do not appreciate the sacrifice we put
in to make things work for our people. They rather look down on us as beggars and
disregard us at will. It’s quite painful and shameful. I really wish they know that we are
also human beings with feelings. But good a thing our patron is nothing like that.
Regardless, my Honourable chairman, if you don’t mind, as the “number 1” student in the LGA – including students from the primary level to the third degree level, I present to you
the impact schemes, I and my executive members met and put up to be run throughout
our two year tenure. They include the following:
- Skill acquisition programmes, which includes, Graphics design, Networking,
Photography, Mobile tracking, CCTV Camera installation e.t.c. -
Educational Sensitization Programmes and Educational awareness campaigns
across all 8 clans in the LGA. -
Specific programmes for the Girl Child, such as girl child education, puberty,
relationship and marriage. -
Online Educational, Business, Career, Relationship and Leadership Seminars for students.
-
Working with the LEA Secretary to monitor Teachers’ report to work in our riverine areas.
-
Guidance and Counselling Programmes for students.
-
Independence Day Celebration
-
Cultural Day Celebration to promote our cultural heritage which is weakened by
civilization. -
NABLOGS Signboard at the headquarters. E.t.c
Our patron and father, it is our humble plea that you support us to achieve these
landmarks of our vision as they tend to enhance the growth and development of our
people.
My leader, please kindly ensure that a “tiny” portion of our LG share of the percentage
apportioned to the educational sector from the national budget is utilized for this course
of promoting education and developing human resources in our LG.
It’s quite unfortunate that Buhari’s 2021 budget share for education is Nigeria’s lowest in
10 years, which is a meager 5.6 per cent of the total budget, much below the
recommended benchmark. That is, just N742.5 billion allotted to education, out of the
total N13.08 trillion budgeted.
Nevertheless, we cannot fold our arms and let our educational background dwindle from bad to worse. We must do something, at least for the sake of the future.
My leader and father, please permit me to as well place few requests before you as I make to round off;
- Please sir, we implore you to kindly use your good office to procure an office space for us as NABLOGS Secretariat at Burutu. Even if it’s just one room and few
furniture for secretarial use, we would be most grateful. -
Secondly sir, we implore you to benevolently and generously reimburse the NABLOGS treasury with stipend at intervals to serve as imprest for the smooth running of the association, as the association is saddled with so many overhead
expenditures. -
And lastly my leader, today is my birthday and I am on my knees, pleading with you
to kindly help in the process of procuring at least one official NABLOGS BUS to aid
mobility of students from one place to another whenever programmes are organized.
It will indeed help us in huge measure. Moreover, transportation fair has drastically skyrocketed, which has made movements more difficult for us. And we have to move to do almost everything.
Our dear chairman, we are only appealing to your good office as our father to support us
as we endeavour to contribute our own little quota to the growth and developmental process of our people.
However, if we apply the first two Cs of Aluta (Consultation and Consolidation) and they
fail us, we shall resort to the last C of Aluta, that is Confrontation, wherein lies the beauty and stronghold of students unionism in the Aluta struggle. And I believe that every Burutu LG student stands in solidarity with me from the moment they gave me the opportunity to serve them. I have sworn not to fail them, and I would never want to.
Sir, as the educational image of our LGA, it is our earnest desire to work amicably and
efficiently with you as we sincerely endeavor to open peculiar doors for the present generation and generations yet unborn.
I, Comr. Tam Bruno Kodoye, stand in solidarity with our past leaders who paid the price for the struggle. Indeed, the labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain.
God bless Aluta!
God bless Nigeria!
God bless Delta State!
God bless Burutu LGA!
God bless Godknows Angele!
God bless Burutu Leaders!
God bless NABLOGS!
Thank You!
Signed:
Comr. Tam Bruno Kodoye (NABLOGS President)”
Having listened to the letter read by the conscious and vocal comrade, the Council Chairman appreciated the efforts of the young man, and promised to support the vision of the NABLOGS leadership.
The youth friendly leader promised to do the following:
- Provision of NABLOGS Secretariat.
-
Reimbursement of NABLOGS treasury with stipend.
-
Making efforts to see that NABLOGS has an official bus or boat.
-
Supporting NABLOGS to organize the Independence Day Celebration.
-
Getting totally involved in the NABLOGS guidance and counselling programme for Students.
-
Supporting NABLOGS to organize the NABLOGS CULTURAL DAY.
-
Working with NABLOGS to ensure that teachers in the riverine areas are faithful to their jobs.
-
Helping NABLOGS to install a Signboard.
-
Supporting NABLOGS to organize every relevant programmes for the growth and development of the people.
The ability leader was lavish in his words of support for NABLOGS. The encouragement from his end excited the Students, as they constantly “alutarized” and sang praises of the Council Chairman, Hon. Godknows Angele.
Also present in the meeting were Council Cabinet Members, Leader of the legislative arm, Hon. Spencer, and other honourable members of the Legislative Arm of Burutu LGA.
The new NABLOGS President finally appreciated the Council Chairman and the rest leaders in the gathering for their support for NABLOGS, and pledged to work with them effectively.
Signed:
Comr. Tam Bruno Kodoye (President)
Comr. Egbele Wisdom (Secretary General)
