Man, Comrade Danlad Sunday Oladele, who fought YABATECH for 41 years for the release of his certificate, dies 2 weeks after victory

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has vowed to retrieve the certificate of its pioneer president, late Comrade Danlad Sunday Oladele, from the Yaba College of Technology (YabaTech), Lagos. (Read More Here).

Oladele died last Monday, August 9, 2021 in Abuja, without getting his certificate 41 years after graduation from the college. NANS president, Sunday Asefon, said though the school had promised to release the certificate at its next convocation following the intervention of the 9th Senate, Oladele passed on before the ceremony.

Senator Melaye said Oladele’s certificate was being withheld by the management of YabaTech as a punitive measure over his activism during his days in the college. Oladele, alongside a few others, had in 1980 led the rebirth of the students’ movement from the proscribed National Union of Nigerian Students after the military government of Olusegun Obasanjo had, during the ‘Ali Must Go struggle’ led by Olusegun Okeowo, banned student unionism, which was firmly organised under NUNS.

He was said to have led others, regrouped them, wrote a new constitution and in 1980, founded NANS. Melaye said, “This effrontery later earned him and most of his colleagues varying consequences such as expulsion, rustication and withholding of their certificates.

With the intervention of the Senate Committee, the management of YABATECH agreed to present the departed leader with his certificate at their next convocation but unfortunately, he died two weeks after.”

However, son of the deceased, Olalekan told newsmen that his father was in high spirits and was looking forward to the convocation ceremony but met his demise. He added that his father died doing what he loved best — fighting for the masses — and had no regrets.