Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has urged students of Rivers origin studying at higher institutions to stop agitating for the payment of bursary and instead occupy themselves with relevant thoughts and endeavour.
Speaking at the commissioning of the National Union of Rivers State Students (NURSS) national secretariat built by his administration, Wike said that during his time as student of the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State University, and the Nigerian Law School, he never heard anything about bursary neither was he paid any.
“I attended the University of Port Harcourt, I attended this university [RSU]. I went to law school. I have never heard of anything called bursary. Never. N10,000, N20,000 cannot make any difference in your life. We must focus on reality.”
“It cannot make a difference in your life. How much is school fees in a year? N100,000. What can bursary do?”
The governor said students leaders, instead of canvassing for “irrelevant” bursary, should lobby for projects such as the NURSS Secretariat.
“So, we must focus on reality—what will help us as leaders, as students who want to speak on behalf of other students.”
“We must have a place where we can sit down to discuss like here. If we do not have a place, then we cannot get it right. We have had governors in the past who were NURSS leaders but never thought about building this secretariat. But look at the edifice you have today.”
Wike also took a swipe at student leaders who have been mobilising and staging protests in front of Government House in Port Harcourt. He insisted that no one can force him to do or embark on any project he is not interested in.
“Sometimes most of you leave what you are supposed to do and confine yourselves to irrelevant things. You allow politicians to use you to go and block government house.”
“Come, stay in Government House as long as you want. If you want to sleep, it’s your business—sleep. When you finish, you can go back.”
He however pledged to fulfill every promise he has made to the Rivers State University.
Comments