Astute professor and teacher, Professor Kwaku Atuahene-Gima has mentioned that the standards of student politics in Ghana have fallen and is not as valuable as it used to be.
Speaking with Rev Erskine on the first episode of season 5 of the ‘Y leader board series’, Professor Atuahene-Gima mentioned that there was too much partisanship politics in our modern society and had influenced student leadership in the universities. He also disclosed that the influence of partisan politics on students and had caused restraints for them to have a common view of happenings in the society.
“Currently, I think there is too much partisanship in society and that has kind of infiltrated into the university system. So, it is very difficult as expected that student leaders can have a common view of something that is not going right”, he said.
He further asserted that student politics in his era was not for the personal gains of individuals but rather for society and believed they spoke for society and yearned for its betterment. He also stated that they went out to demonstrate against government policies that were inclined with society.
“Our time we were society centered rather than individually centered, we had a strong conviction that we were the conscience of the society. It could be interpreted as being over-ambitious, but the point is that we thought we could speak for society so we look for things that are going wrong and demonstrate against them. We go out to express what we believe the society wanted and we campaigned against union governments, we believe that is our role in society”, he added
Professor Atuahene-Gimah also expressed his disappointment in student leaders in the country for not condemning acts of corruption perpetrated by governments in recent times because of the partisan sides in the national political discourse.
“I have never seen a whole student body condemn such acts, I think it is because we have these strong party affiliations. Student leadership has become more tribalistic, so people don’t see what is wrong with the other party or the other view. What they see is their parties being right and the other being wrong”, he said.
Professor Kwaku Atuahene-Gimah also advised the current badge of student leaders and upcoming leaders to do away with personal and partisan interests and serve the interests of society and society.
The Y leader board series is a youth-oriented radio segment on the Myd Morning Show on Y 107.9 FM that aims to inspire the youth in Ghana.
By: Caleb Asante Annor
