THE ALUTA SPIRIT BY:AJISEBUTU ADEYEMI JOHN

A protest is a solemn declaration of opinions commonly a formal objection against some acts running contrary to the interest of the protestants. 
It is a very good thing to voice out with reactive confrontation whenever one's rights are being infringed upon. Human rights are not bestowed upon the students as a result of the state's generosity but rather by virtue of their humanity and such rights are inalienable. It is therefore only just and appeals to empathy when students radically take the bull by the horn to put out the embers of victimization. 
In the words of Professor Wole Soyinka:
    "The man dies in him 
      who keeps silent in the face of tyranny "
Nigerian students are future leaders and as custodians of the thin hope of positive change in a rare and refined manner, there is the need to protest en masse whenever they are oppressed or face victimization in the hands of power drunk crazy depots. 
As well thought out the dire need to protest among students is, there still exists side by side some procedures and technicalities to be followed.
There exists in the concept of Aluta more ways not to protest than ways to engage in a protest. 
The ratiocination behind remonstrance among students is motivated by essentiality. Students protest for diverse reasons, one of them could be in order to bring the attention of the Government as well as the public to the poor conditions they are faced with in a bid to getting such menace corrected but the goal behind every staged protest is centrally woven on getting demands met. 
As a politically conscious student, I have been brain fed with the three C's upon which the tenets of Aluta are built. They include consultation, consolidation and confrontation. 
The first is the preliminary stage where students and the management are involved in an intercourse where they deliberate on the bone of contention with a view to a decision. 
Once this fails, the concept of consolidation sets in where students unite to form an unnerving and indomitable union to allay their distress. 
But the seemingly posing conundrum is "What are the ways to carry out a lawful protest? "
The answer is not far to fetch. If you know you would embark on a protest or strike action, the first thing you need is to apply for a licence permit through a letter addressed to the commissioner of police of the state where you plan staging the protest,you as well should state the reasons why the protest is to be staged. 
Most students say the police default in obliging their requests but I don't subscribe to that because most students don't ask. I know many trade associations and few tertiary institutions which have applied and their requests favourably granted. What you y stand to gain from obtaining a licence permit apart from it justifying your protest is that you would be guaranteed security officers who would police the activities whilst ensuring your security. 
It would bring  violence during remonstrance to a low ebb. 
Additionally, I find it not only an insufferable display of unbridled barbarism but also sheer cruelty to obstruct the free flow of traffic by mounting road blocks all in the name of allaying your demands. It is an infringement upon the rights of other citizens most especially the innocuous ones. A dying person in need of urgent medical attention could lose his life. The harm outweighs the good and as an avid supporter of the utilitarian school of thought I dare to pontificate that such an act is bad. Your rights end where another's begins. 
Moreover two rights don't make up and even the protesters and those they protest against would be in pari delicto (equally guilty) 
It isn't a bad idea to write to alumni of your institution who are now great and influential stating your grievances .You surely would have kindred alumni who are in tandem with your ideology. 
Great Ife students used to write to the Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi and he was always at their beck and call. 
Furthermore,you can write with substantial evidence to newspapers and always involve the mass media in your protest. 
I know my dear readers aren't oblivious of these steps I belabour on but it is still in my interest to write them. 
I know of a tertiary institution recorded to have had one of the most peaceful protests, they were habilimented in white clothes a symbol of peace and they staged their protest peacefully, that is symbolic of radicalism in a rare and refined manner and a reflection of the fact that violence doesn't necessarily pay since after the aftermath of violence parties would still make resort to dialogue .
Though one might articulately rely on Karl Marx's conception of "Violent Resolution "but I beg to register my disagreement at this juncture since violence only begets further violence. 
Convulsively, it is my immutable contention that barbaric acts do not portray leadership and should be eschewed by all and sundry. 
We must not forget the doctrine of "Ex turpi causa Non oritur actio "meaning when a party cannot enforce a claim upon his wrong action.