REDEFINING STUDENT LEADERSHIP FOR POSITIVE IMPACTS THROUGH

EDUCATION.
A PAPER PRESENTED BY YANNICK C. UGWUNALI AT THE 2023 STUDENTS
LEADERSHIP SUMMIT OF THE EDUCATION STUDENTS ASSOCIATION OF
NIGERIA (ESAN), MICHAEL OKPARA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE,
UMUDIKE ABIA STATE ON WEDNESDAY 19TH JULY, 2023
Student Leadership in Nigeria serve as mediums through which the voices of students
studying in various tertiary institutions are heard. These leadership include those of the Student
Union Government (SUG), College or Faculty Associations and also departmental associations
across the numerous universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary
institutions in Nigeria. The main purpose of student leadership is to promote the welfare and
defend the interest of her members. Decades ago, student associations and unions were highly
respected by the government and university managements. This was because their leaders had
positive ideologies and had their students at heart. Ugwunali (2022) noted that the present day
student leadership are far different from what existed few decades ago. Today, it could be
noticed that the leadership of various student associations and unions no longer represent the sole
interest of their members. It could be deducted that student leaders now go into positions for
their personal interests while neglecting the reasons why they were elected. Thus, this has almost
formed a general definition or perspective of student leaderships as being driven by personal
interests and not the common goals of the associations or unions they represent. However, there
is need to change this narrative by training and imparting leaders who will make positive impacts
wherever they find themselves. This could be achieved through various strategies which include
most importantly positive reorientation towards leadership among others.
For clearer understanding, it is important to briefly define key concepts associated with
the study. Basically, a student is an individual undertaking a course of study in an institution of
learning. Leadership is the ability of an individual or group of people to affect, impact or
influence the members of an organisation or group. It is a process of motivating a group of
people towards achieving a common goal. Therefore, a person who successfully controls,
manages, motivates or influences a group of people to achieve certain goal is a leader. Student
leadership could then be seen as a process whereby a student or set of students impact, motivate
or influence other students with the sole aim of achieving their common goals. It therefore
involves students leading their fellow students towards achieving their stated goals. Thus, student
leadership involves three key elements; the student, the ability to influence, impact or motivate
and the common goals to be achieved. Positive impacts are services rendered with the purpose of
solving identified problems. In student leadership, positive impacts are those actions, activities or
achievements carried out by student leaders in order to solve the problems faced by their fellow
students. These are the various ways through which student leaders improve the general
conditions of their members.
Conceptually, “redefining” means to “consider again especially with the possibility of
change or reversal” (Merriam Webster, 2023). Redefining means giving something a new
meaning. It involves slightly or totally changing the meaning of a particular concept or situation.
It also means making people think about something in a new or different way.
Education is a process by which individuals are trained to develop their abilities and other
positive values so as to be useful to their society. It involves developing an individual in
“character” and “learning”. Character here involves those individual values, attributes or
qualities that differentiates or distinguishes an individual from the other. These include the moral
and social aspects of the individual. However, learning in this context refers to the intellectual,
mental, psychological and physical aspects which fall under the three domains; cognitive,
affective and psychomotor.
Furthermore, it is necessary to change the narrative of student leadership in Nigerian
Institutions. It is important to make our students, lecturers, parents and entire society have a
different perspective or overview of student leadership. Renewing this impression is attainable
if student leaders are focused towards making positive impacts in whatever capacities they
find themselves. Definitely, this could be attained through education. Specifically, this education
could be through leadership education, seminars, conferences, symposia, summits, specialized
leadership training sessions, etc. This is because not every individual possesses the skills to
lead, motivate or influence others whereas those who might have these skills might not know
how, where and when to use them in leading others.
Redefining Student Leadership for Positive Impacts
Student Leadership could be redefined and positive impacts achieved in various student
associations and unions if their leaders are proactive. Proactive student leadership is made up of
selfless student leaders who have a common aim of serving the students diligently, ensuring their
general welfare and getting the right things done on time to achieve overall success and goals of
the association. These group of leaders do not wait for things to happen, but instead they make
positive things happen and prevent negative ones from happening within their limits. Hence,
student leadership could be redefined for positive impacts through the following ways;
1. Positive Reorientation Towards Leadership: Nigerian students especially student leaders
should understand that they are trained in both “character” and “learning” and leadership is
encompassed in both. They are trained not only for the future but also for the present to make
positive contributions to the society by providing solutions to various problems. Therefore,
leadership summits, seminars, trainings are very critical for building the next generation of
proactive leaders.
2. Inculcating the Spirit of Selfless Service: Student leaders and those aspiring to be leaders
should cultivate the spirit of selfless service because true leadership is all about selfless service
and a call to leadership is a call to serve. They should understand that through creativity,
innovation, and exchange of positive ideas, a proactive student leadership can be achieved.
Leaders should avoid all attributes of selfishness and self-centeredness but instead focus on the
general interest of the students.
3. Ensure Students Welfare: The basic welfare of the students should be the utmost priority of
student leaders. Student Leaders should come together and find possible solutions to the
numerous problems of students especially academic and related welfare issues. They should also
promote social and sporting activities to engage their members in various meaningful ways
because “all work and no play makes jack a dull boy.”
4. Ensure Strong and Healthy Relationship Between Students and the Management: A
responsible student leadership should develop strategies in creating or establishing a long lasting
cordial relationship between her members and the management including staff. This will enable a
better mindset in the staff and management while handling certain student matters. The leaders
should build bridges instead of walls thereby easing communication and collaboration between
both parties. In this case, student leaders should stand as corporate intercessors or mediators on
behalf of their members, not in their personal interests but for the general interest of the students.
5. Contribution to Infrastructural Development and Basic Social Amenities: Within their
own boundaries or limits, student leaders should contribute to the institution’s infrastructural
development and provide basic social amenities to support their institutions, various colleges and
departments no matter how little especially as these things affect their students.
6. Proper and Timely Dissemination of Information: Student leaders should through proper
and timely information guide and direct their members to avoid mistakes. Examples are
orientation programmes and tours while awareness could be created through online platforms,
notice boards, banners, handbooks, etc.
7. Ensure Transparency in Leadership: Student leaders should be transparent in their
leadership. A transparent leadership builds more trust in her members. The leaders should be
honest and uphold their integrity. Through transparency in leadership, a sense of belonging is felt
by their members, thus encouraging a healthy student-student relations. This could be achieved
by leaders listening to their students while addressing their complains and issues diplomatically.
They should learn how to tolerate, curtail and avoid hate speech, accommodate public opinion
through proper investigation of reports and discussing issues extensively before drawing
conclusions. Student leaders should also collaborate with other student associations and unions
to enhance and facilitate the cross-fertilization of ideas, encourage solidarity and strengthen ties
between them.
Conclusion
Student leadership in Nigeria has been characterized by various challenges that often make them
deviate from the main mandate for which they were constituted. Student leaders are expected to
be responsible, experienced and mature students with attributes of selfless service towards their
followers. Unfortunately, the reverse is the case as the leadership of various student associations
in the country have been carried away by frivolities, politics of self-interest and have allowed
social vices to eat deep within them. Therefore, there is urgent need to redefine student
leadership for positive impacts. There is need for leadership reorientation and positive leadership
mindset in student leaders so as to make positive impacts wherever they find themselves. This
would then promote the moulding of responsible leaders for nation building, human capital
development and to prepare them to take their rightful positions in the society.
References
Merriam-Webster. 2023. Redefining. In Merriam-Webster.com thesaurus. Retrieved July 17,
2023, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/redefining.
Ugwunali, Y. C. (2022). Student Union Leadership in the Nigerian Tertiary Institutions. In
Agbugba, R. N., Afianmagbon, B. E., & Ogbonnaya, N. O. (Eds.), Educational
Management: Principles, Responsibilities and Practices. Hysab Prints & Publishers Ltd.