Why are there bodyguards all around me? President of Rivers varsity SUG

Why are there bodyguards all around me? President of Rivers varsity SUG

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Anele Miracle, the president of the students’ union government at Rivers State University in Port Harcourt and the man with the bodyguards in the viral photo, explains to Dennis Naku why he decided to arm himself with security personnel and more than 12 additional assistants, among other things.

When did you become president of the SUG at Rivers State University?

The president of the students’ union government at Rivers State University is my name, Anele Miracle. In the Faculty of Social Sciences’ Department of Sociology, I am a 300-level student. On October 14, 2022, I was elected, and on January 30, 2023, I took office.

What would you say about the campaigning and results of the election that put you in charge of the SUG?

Because of this, the student community was very interested in my election. Over time, the student body came to believe that they did not have complete control over the selection of their leaders. Therefore, the election changed course because many of them were involved in order for them to change the narrative. The elections and the campaigning were taken over by the students, who also chose me. In contrast to the usual campaigning schedule, they turned out in large numbers on election day. In actuality, compared to earlier elections held in the institution, my election received a sizable amount of votes. With a lead of more than a thousand votes, I won. I received more than 2,700 votes compared to my rival’s 1,500. The other candidate received 500 votes and such. As a result, in previous SUG elections, the margin of victory for the position of President could only be between 100 and 300 votes.

How did your adversaries respond when you appeared?

Everyone could see it clearly, and it appears that they were aware that the students wanted me. So they had to accept the result without emotion. Since nobody likes failure, some of them made the decision to retreat into their shells and carry on with their regular lives, while others came to me in an effort to collaborate, and we are cooperating now.

Have you tried to make amends with the irate people?

Yes, I do think that my situation is really temporary. There is life after school, and it is only for a year. Therefore, even though they lose today, they are not failures. Of course, I’ve spoken with them and advised them to cooperate with me in order to fulfill their goals. They had to have visions for the students that could be realized under my administration in order for them to have run for office. Therefore, I did give them that inclusivity.

Recently, a picture of you being protected by armed bodyguards went viral. Can you elaborate on the topic?

They are not guards with weapons. These students are typical ones. You are aware that the office of the President is held in high regard and with great honor. In order to ensure that the office’s attractiveness is apparent, I personally decided to add extra value to it. Additionally, they (bodyguards) are regular students who are Man O’ War members.

Therefore, the only thing we do is make sure to outfit them so that they appear more respectable and valuable. You know, these are only for special events. You observed me moving about while I was working, but I don’t believe you noticed me walking with anyone or having others gather around me.

How did you get them to join your team?

They’re not; they’re just regular pupils and Man O’ War personnel tasked with assisting me.

Who gave them to you to work with?

the supervisors. Because the SUG President position is such a delicate one, you have the honor of working with Man O’ War officers as soon as you are elected. In order to prevent being harassed, embarrassed, etc. For me, I just added value by seeing to it that they were outfitted and appeared to have been employed from outside. They weren’t, though. They are both community members and students.

How were they outfitted?

It only requires obtaining their security gear. They were dressed in uniforms for bouncers if you looked at the photographs on the Internet. One of them had a suit on. They are not at all armed; the management forbids it. In addition to my job, I’m still a student, so why would I hire armed guards? However, I have experienced harassment in the past. In addition, I have not experienced any harassment from students or anyone else. Why then would I equip my security (aides) team?

Where and when did the harassment occur?

Oh, that was the day of the town hall meeting at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt with former governor Nyesom Wike. I was stampeded along with a few other SUG presidents after some cultists claimed that the SUG president had received some money. Even a few of our men suffered stab wounds, etc. My security agents therefore assisted me in leaving the situation and saved some of our coworkers. So having them close by has its advantages for me.

Your security measures imply that your life is not secure. Do you have any concerns or complaints about cult activity or security at RSU?

To be very honest with you, long before I became president, the problem of cultism and insecurity in the Rivers State Union was addressed. This university was known for being a place where cult activities were documented in the past, like, five years ago or so. But with the help of the Students’ Union Government, the vice chancellor, chief security officer, and other management employees have recently been able to address that problem. We therefore cannot claim to be experiencing any security issues. The chief security officer, with the help of my team and me, addresses the minor issues that might be discovered every day. I must therefore state that the school has been peaceful.

How many security assistants are there?

As you can see from the image, there are just two of them. My main security guard and my assistant general.

Given the risk, how much do you pay them as assistants?

I don’t pay them, no. We are all working together for the community of students. Nobody pays me; in my opinion, it is community service. Serving is a privilege for me, and perhaps the president’s office will receive a small stipend. They are acknowledged by the university administration, but they collaborate with me and might occasionally receive rewards. But neither I nor anyone else is paid by the management. We promised to carry out our promise as a courtesy to the neighborhood. Consequently, why would they pay us for it?

How many other assistants do you have in addition to the CSO and ADC?

I’m allowed five appointments under the SUG bylaws. the CSO, the head of press, the personal assistant, the general counsel, and the staff chief. The president is free to appoint other people, though. So, I have a committee for my social capital project that includes one representative from each faculty. Since there are 12 faculties here, I have 12 representatives who could act as the SUG’s liaisons with the faculties. When I’m organizing programs, there is a directorate for programs, and I also have my committee members for programs. Then I have the directorate for projects because I have goals I want to work toward, and they are the ones who assist me in project planning and implementation. Other than that, I don’t have any. I have a very significant head of media and communication who reports to the CPS.