Strike: OAU SU Threatens Confrontational Measures Over Unfulfilled Decades-long Pledges Made To ASUU

As industrial action embark upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities by Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, continues to ‘bedridden’ Varsity Students in public schools, the leadership of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Students’ Union has threatened to embark on confrontational measures to press home the demand for reopening of the institutions, and over unfulfilled decades-long pledges made to university teachers.

The union, through its leadership stated this in its special media confrontation held in Lagos on Monday.

The union, according to the release signed by its President, Olayiwola Folahan Festus; The General Secretary, Odewale Samuel Damilare; and the Public Relations Officer, Ogunperi Taofeek Olalekan said its resolved to consider the drastic action after a diligent consultations within and outside its campus in Ife as a pressure group and as a body of intellectuals concerned primarily with the wellbeing of
students of OAU and, secondarily, of wellbeing of Nigerian students.

The union, in a clear term said, its not only concerned about the reopening of the schools but also concerned about the recurring issues such as; revitalization of Universities, upscaling the salaries of academics, payment of accrued allowances .

The union, however, didn’t state categorically how it intends to go on with the measures to actualize its demands.

The release partly read; “We, for the umpteenth time, condemn unequivocally the failure of the Federal Government and its agencies in resolving the concerns of ASUU such that the hitherto announced warning strike, which took over two months of academic activities away from us Nigerian students, is on the verge
of rebounding as a total and indefinite strike.

“Today being day 85th of the strike, with barely any progressive effort made to end the strike, we, as a Union, and as youths on whose shoulders the economic and social drives of this country rest, make
bold to assert that the failure of Government to end ASUU strike and accede to the demands of
ASUU is tantamount to a call for our more organized confrontational approach.

“It appears the Government is only concerned about the 2023 election. We note with dissappointment the pursuit of presidential ambitions of Minister of Labour and Employment and
Minister of State for Education while Nigerian students bear the brunt of ASUU strike.

“We are, therefore, by this statement, sensitizing the public and especially Nigerian students that, should the Government fail to earnestly resolve issues with ASUU, with the supports of Great Ife students and of other Nigerian students who have had enough of the nemesis that this strike is, we shall be scaling up our efforts in such manner as may make our demand for the reopening of our school met”.

It stressed further that the horrendous experiences of the past few years and,
indeed, since the turn of the century have been the same.

The union said, it’s religiously interested in seeing the Government redeem its decades-long pledges to ASUU.

The great Ife union also extended its solidarity with ASUP and other Unions whose demands are targeted at better work conditions and a revamped education sector.

“It is extremely unfortunate that leaders of the country have over the years toyed with the education sector which is supposed
to incubate human material resources for the development of the country.

“It is pathetic that in the past 15 years, the highest percentage of the annual budget for education is 10.78% budgeted in 2015. Compared to some other countries, even in Africa, Nigeria has done badly to the sector. It goes without saying that the education must be more funded and the government must sit up and do this.

“Should the Government see to it that the current strike is ended, it would be showing a commitment to a better education sector. If it goes on, as we want, to genuinely attend to the demands of ASUU, it would be showing the expected disposition towards a more qualitative
education for Nigerians.

“On a final note, the Government must bear in mind that we as students have exhausted our patience and are tired of the prolonged strike. The meeting that the Minister of Labour informed the media about the strike has to be productive”.