Less than 24 hours after sharing digital flyers indicating her intent to contest for the Ilorin Emirate Students Union (IESU) presidency, Aliyu Rahmah, a University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) student, was subjected to online bullying by social media users and acquaintances, forcing her to withdraw her candidacy and issue a public apology.

The IESU, a student body representing Ilorin indigenes (the capital of Kwara State) with chapters in multiple tertiary institutions, is due to elect a new national president and other leaders on 24 May 2025.

Ms Rahmah, a 300-level Biology student at UNILORIN, previously studied Biology and Integrated Science at the Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin. Her abrupt withdrawal has sparked concerns over the role of online harassment in stifling political participation among students.

Her presidential ambition spontaneously emerged from a conversation she joined on a WhatsApp group belonging to the body on Saturday. Rahmah said she would like to become a president of the union but someone instantly attempted to shut her down, saying she could not dare to aspire for that office.

"I then replied that it was office of the president that I wanted to go for," Rahmah said in a phone interview with FIJ on Sunday. "Even without any official declaration, people started messaging me, passing disparaging comments like, "Are you mad?' This flurry of negative reactions was what prompted me to take it a step further by releasing the flyers to tell them that I meant it."

"After the flyers made their way to the group, the attacks quadrupled and the admin locked the group. I did not want them to shut me down and I posted the flyers on my social media handles."

The post attracted hundreds of comments, many of which did not question her competence but her gender. Rahmah was attacked because she dared to contest for an office traditionally reserved for men.

"I think I have over 1,000 comments," she said. "Even people who know me very well and I consider my friends attacked me viciously. Aside from social media comments, so many people called me to abuse me and say if I went ahead, I would lose.

"They asked me to delete the image posts, but instead, I designed another one in which I put one of my current school lanyards and posted it. People were sharing my numbers with others to call me, and calls kept coming in. Then, someone I respect so much asked me to delete it. That was why I had to hide it from public view.

"I woke up on Sunday morning to see that it had gone viral and a lot of people were calling me names. But rather than give in to their bullying, I unhide the post for more people to see them."

In one instance, Amebo Kwara, a Facebook page, wrote: Unilorin student trying to make the impossible possible. Dear Aliyu Rahmah, I believe your instinct will be telling you that 'you can never emerge as the president of Ilorin Emirate.' But some people may be deceiving you. If truly you are a rightful product of Ilorin, you will have know[n] that it is impossible for Ilorite to push your gender forward to lead (Imagine yourself being the face of our own Sheu Alimi) you see sey e no go fit u. Civilisation can never change our own ways of doing things. Gender equality has limitations. I hope and believe you will understand me more. Just step down to contest for seats that befits you. Oya step down.

'YOUR ATTENTION IS NEEDED AT THE EMIR'S PALA'CE

Community leaders also saw the flyers. Then came a call from the UNILORIN chapter president of the union who said Rahmah's attention was needed at the Emir of Ilorin Palace.

"The president of UNILORIN chapter called me, and [I heard] my attention was needed at the Emir's Palace to clarify some things. He said he initially thought it was a joke and I said I wasn't joking at that period," Rahmah said.

"He drove to our house to pick me up and said my parents needed to follow us. I said that was absurd. Bring my parents for what? Thankfully, my parents were not at home. I called my uncle to follow me.

"But instead of driving to the Emir's Palace, he drove us to the union's national secretariat where Sheikh Raji Nuru Aakeem, the current president, was on sit. He asked me to enter, but I insisted I was not feeling safe, I did not know their intention and that I would not enter until my uncle came. When my uncle came, we entered together.

"They prevailed on my uncle to direct me to withdraw and tender an apology. Because of my family, I had to comply. Otherwise, I wouldn't have done so. I have been in the public space for years and social advocacy is my forte."

The union president's comment could not be immediately obtained at press time. A message sent to him by FIJ on WhatsApp on Sunday was delivered, but he did not respond, and his line was unreachable when dialled.

However, when Abdulbasit Abdulrahman, the union public relations officer, was asked on Sunday to comment specifically on why Rahmah was asked to withdraw, he simply wrote "Hmmmm" in his WhatsApp response.