NANS President Lucky Emonefe issued a strong warning to the NELFUND management, stating that the meeting set for Monday will not take place unless students are included. He emphasized that NANS would rally together to ensure that no meeting occurs without student representation.
This message was communicated in a letter sent to NELFUND's Managing Director, Akintunde Sawyerr, and also shared with the Chairman, Jim Ovia. The letter, which was sseen by our reporter on Saturday in Abuja, was titled: “Final Demand for Student Representation in the Scheduled NELFUND Board Meeting – No Student, No Meeting!”
The letter partly read, “We are writing to express our deep concern and outright discontent over the exclusion of students from the scheduled board meeting of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund. The National Association of Nigerian Students as the apex student body representing over 50 million students across the country, will not stand idly by while critical decisions affecting our future are made in our absence.
“As the primary stakeholders and direct beneficiaries of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, it is completely unacceptable that students are sidelined from deliberations that shape the administration and disbursement of student loans. This fund was created for Nigerian students and we will have a voice in how it is managed.
“We are demanding not requesting the immediate inclusion of a student representative in this board meeting. Failure to accommodate this legitimate and reasonable demand will result in the total shutdown of the meeting venue by Nigerian students. NANS will mobilise en masse to ensure that no meeting holds unless our representation is secured.
“This is not an appeal; it is a final warning. Nigerian students have exercised patience for too long. We refuse to be spectators in matters that directly affect our education, future, and welfare. No student, no meeting. We expect a prompt response addressing this demand without delay.”