President NANS Turkish Zone, Comrade Evidence Akhayere speaks on the repatrition of Comrade Aruna Kadiri

Today we are privileged to meet with the president of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Turkish Zone, Comrade Evidence Akhayere. So much has been going on recently within NANS, Turkey zone with the highlight of it all being the news of the deportation of NANS, factional president, Comrade Aruna Kadiri last week, when he was due to attend an event organized by an alleged student body in Cyprus. So the president will throw more light regarding the issue and other things.

Welcome Mr President.

Thank you.

-Can you tell us a little more about yourself?

My name is Evidence Akhayere and I’m the president of the national association of Nigerian students (NANS) Turkish zone. I’m from Edo state Nigeria, I’m a PhD candidate and just a few meters from picking up my doctorate degree, in CIU which is where I did my MSc as well. I was actively involved in student politics in Nigeria, during my undergraduate days, and I was a Senior Advocate of Nigerian Students. I’m a Christian, I like good things and I hate bad things.

-That's very impressive sir. Can you tell us how long you have been in office?

Three months as at 6^th of June.

-Tell us about NANS Turkish Zone.

NANS Turkish zone is one of the largest NANS diaspora zones. It is the umbrella body of students associations in Turkey, North Cyprus and a few other countries. It is authorized by the Presidency of Nigeria and was inaugurated in 2015 by Comrade Tijani Usman the then NANS president.

-What is the essence of NANS in the zone?

NANS TR Zone has so many functions, but I will just list a few, first of which it is the umbrella body of all Nigeria students association in the zone, it functions to champion the course of Nigerian students, help them in whatever challenges they are facing, acts as the intermediary between the universities and the government of Nigeria as well as protect the rights of the Nigerian student among other things.

-What is your relationship as the president of NANS Tr Zone with the mother body in Nigeria and other zones?

I have a very cordial relationship with a lot of Comrades back home, we interact and share ideas constantly.

-How many zones does NANS have outside of Nigeria?

There is NANS in a lot of countries like NANS Ghana, Sierra Leone, Malaysia, Uganda and some others, but as for zone, I only know of NANS Turkish zone which has North Cyprus, Turkey and a few other countries as members.  

-We are well aware that there is a faction within NANS in Nigeria with one faction headed by Comrade Aruna Kadiri and the other faction headed by Comrade Chinomso Obasi. We want to know what your relationship with the two of them is like.

Both of them are Nigerians students, they are both Comrades who have struggled for the rights of students of which I respect them, and basically they are both human beings. However, I do not believe in the idea of faction because I strongly believe that the former President Comrade Tijani Usman handed over to one of the two of them, as such it is left to you to find out who he handed over to. Except you are expecting a particular answer.

-Okay that is enough for an answer. Recently we carried a report of how NANS factional leader, Comrade Aruna Kadiri was denied entry into the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus and repatriated back to Nigeria, as he was due to attend an event organized by one National Association of Nigerian Students, (NANS) Europe Zone. What do you have to say about this?

Well I believe that the NANS President should be aware of all NANS zones all over the world, and as such he knows that there is no NANS Europe zone in North Cyprus. I have never heard of NANS Europe Zone until last week when people who invited Comrade Aruna started calling me to help them so that he will be allowed into the country and I asked them to send me documents with which they invited him and I saw a letter headed paper with the nomenclature of NANS Europe Zone. His repatriation was as a result of the fact that the said organization does not exist anywhere in this country and it’s not recognized by the universities in North Cyprus. The perpetrators of this unrecognized group succeeded in embarrassing the people they had invited, most especially comrade Aruna Kadiri. They also succeeded in putting me under stress due to the calls I was receiving from the various university and other authorities. This is the kind of selfish act that we are trying to eradicate in our political class today and it is so unfortunate that these perpetrators are youths. I personally do not intend to let this act go unpunished, but I leave them in the hands of the Nigerian students of the zone.

-Were you aware of the event?

NO I was not.

-Did Comrade Aruna informed you he was coming to Cyprus for the event?

No he did not and as a matter of fact, I was the one who tried to reach out to him when I heard he was coming to North Cyprus.

-Can you tell us what led to his repatriation, as information making the rounds in some quarters had it that you ordered for his repatriation because you were not aware of his coming. 

I got a call from the management of one of the Universities that some people from Nigeria has been held at the airport. I was told that NANS Europe zone had invited them for a program and they needed to confirm from me if I was aware, so that I can send the necessary documents for them to be allowed in. I told them that I am not aware of anything called NANS Europe zone, and I being the president of NANS Turkish zone did not invite anybody.

-This said organization, NANS Europe zone, what do you know about it, is the body a legal student body? 

Like I said before, it is non-existent, and an illegal body being perpetrated by Mr Temile Emmanuel who was once the Secretary General of NANS Turkish Zone, Comrade David Alozie who was also once NANS Director of Finance but was impeached and their musketeers.

How have you been able to handle and deal with the issue?

Its no longer an issue because I and my team have it under control, but we will definitely get in touch with the parties involved and make sure the necessary law actions take it's cause.

-What plans or programs should students in the Zone expect from NANS in the coming days?

We have a leadership training programs coming up soon, and the biggest event of the year which is the October 1, independence celebration. We are also expecting the passport renewal intervention team, and we would be having some talent hunt programs. Details about all these will be released soon.

-What is your advice to Nigerian students within the zone as they head into the summer holiday?

My advice to students this summer is to be productive with their holiday, enjoy yourselves a little but be productive. In general I urge them to focus on their education, stay away from trouble and bad company, be their brother’s keeper and leave in peace with everyone without any religious or tribal sentiment.

Thanks Mr President for giving us your time.

My pleasure.