Tears of Imo State Students and the Failure of the SSA on Student Affairs Franklyn Oparaji
By our Reporter
Education remains the backbone of development, and students are the driving force of any progressive society. In Imo State, however, the voices of students across tertiary institutions have grown increasingly loud, heavy, and painful, yet they continue to echo unanswered in the corridors of power.
Interviews with students from various tertiary institutions in the state, who requested anonymity to avoid victimization, reveal deep frustration directed at the Office of the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Student Affairs, Comrade Franklyn Oparaji. The office, established to protect, represent, and promote student welfare, is now widely perceived as failing in its core responsibilities and incapable to protect the Students.
For several months, students in Imo State have grappled with numerous challenges, including the alarming rise in house rent within student communities, police harassment, insecurity around campuses, intimidation, and a disturbing lack of engagement between student bodies and the state government. In times like these, the SSA on Student Affairs is expected to serve as a bridge between students and the government—a strong voice capable of speaking truth to power. Instead, many students say they feel abandoned.
The tears of Imo State students are not symbolic; they are real and deeply felt. They belong to students forced to suspend their education due to financial hardship, final-year students trapped by rising accommodation costs, and undergraduates whose aspirations are gradually being eroded by neglect. Yet the office meant to amplify these struggles has remained largely silent or ineffective.
Advocacy is a fundamental duty of the SSA on Student Affairs. Students expect proactive engagement with institutional authorities, meaningful policy input on education-related issues, and consistent dialogue with student unions. Unfortunately, student leaders across the state report being ignored, sidelined, or only remembered during ceremonial events and political photo opportunities.
More troubling is the growing perception that the office has become more politically visible than student-focused. Allegations of collecting levies from student leaders and diverting attention to internal politics have further fueled discontent. Representation without impact is not leadership; it is negligence disguised as service.
It is important to note that this criticism is not an attack on the Imo State Government nor a call for disrespect. Rather, it is an urgent appeal for accountability. Governor Hope Uzodimma’s administration has consistently emphasized youth empowerment and education, but such commitments risk losing credibility when the official charged with student affairs fails to deliver tangible results.
Students are not demanding miracles. They are asking for presence, advocacy, transparency, and action. They want an SSA who attends their meetings, listens to their concerns, presents their demands to the governor, and follows through until solutions are achieved—not one who promotes division, blame-shifting, or a “divide-and-rule” approach. They want an office that serves students, not politics.
The continued neglect of student welfare poses a serious risk. History has shown that when students are ignored, frustration grows—and unchecked frustration can lead to unrest. Imo State does not need that. What it needs is a responsive, compassionate, and committed SSA who understands that leadership is about service, not status.
If the current SSA on Student Affairs is unable to meet the demands of the office, then it is only fair—to both the governor and Imo State students—that the position be critically re-evaluated. Students deserve better. Their tears deserve attention. Their future deserves protection.
Attempt to get the side of the Governor Senator Hope Uzodimma’s Student Affairs Aide proves abortive as at the time of filling the report due to network hitches and coordination.