When the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) feels compelled to call a press conference not to announce a protest, but to denounce one, one is forced to ask a critical question:
‘Who is trying to start a fire using the student body’s name?’
NANS President Olushola Oladoja has forcefully denied any involvement with activist Omoyele Sowore’s planned #FreeNnamdiKanu protest, labeling the reports linking them to the event as “false, misleading, and mischievous.” But this strong denial is more about a high-stakes battle over who gets to control the narrative in Nigerian politics.
A Line in the Sand: NANS Refuses to Be a Pawn
NANS isn’t only saying “we’re not attending.” They are issuing a stark warning to every student in the country not to be “deceived or used by selfish and politically motivated individuals.” This is a direct and public calling-out.
By explicitly naming Sowore and stating they “will not be part of any protest organised or influenced” by him, NANS is drawing a bright red line. This is a strategic move to protect what they call the “integrity of our noble Association,” recognizing that being dragged into the volatile politics surrounding Nnamdi Kanu is a fight that could permanently tarnish their credibility and divert them from their core mission.
The Real Mystery: Cui Bono?
So, if NANS is genuinely not behind this, who benefits from creating the perception that they are? The shadowy nature of this “mischievous” claim is the real story. Attaching NANS’s name to a protest is an attempt to borrow their legitimacy and mass mobilization potential.
It’s a political gambit designed to make a demonstration appear more widespread and youth-driven than it actually is. The question of “who’s really behind it” points to actors who need the cover of student outrage to amplify their own agenda, revealing a cynical playbook where Nigerian youth are treated as expendable foot soldiers in battles conceived by others.
