Nigeria, April 10 -- Ali Chiroma departed on 2 April. So, I am not writing for him. Rather, I address the youth population to tell them about a man who stood for students interests, defended their right to education and a future.

Chiroma as president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) from 1984 to 1988, rejected the commercialisation of education. He also fought the detention of student leaders or their expulsion, as it happened at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in 1985.

Then, on 23 May, 1986, at least four ABU students and some other Nigerians were killed by the police, following a protest. The Chiroma leadership was enraged by what it termed the "display of heartlessness and nonchalance of Professor Ango Abdullahi (the Vice Chanc...