Not considering the fact that they are not affected by the
ongoing strike, the students of the University of Ilorin
(UNILORIN) have appealed to both the Federal Government
and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to
consider the plights of Nigerian students and call off the over
three months’ old industrial action.
Lecturers across 61 Nigerian public universities have been on
strike since July 1 over the failure of the Federal Government
to honour the agreement it reached with ASUU in 2009.
UNILORIN students, who recently resumed for the 2013/14
academic session, lamented that they are not happy seeing
their colleagues from other schools staying at home while they
are in school receiving lectures.
Speaking with Campusbeats, the students bemoaned the
attitude of the Federal Government towards education in the
country, while urging them to return to the negotiation table
with the striking lecturers to discuss ways of ending the strike
as soon as possible.
“The Federal Government seems to care less about the plights
of Nigerian students. I passionately appeal to them and ASUU
to resume negotiations and find ways to end this embarrassing
strike,’’ said Sirajdeen Alabede, a 400-level Geography and
Environmental Management student of the school.
Alatake advantage of Wasiu, a 400-level student at the
Department of Agricultural Science, stressed that no nation
can develop with a retrogressive and decayed education
system, saying that education remains the only viable option
to a secure and egalitarian society.
“I am not happy seeing my friends in other schools staying
hopelessly at home. A nation that fails to educate its people
will remain unsafe and unsecure. The Federal Government
should please meet the demands of ASUU for the betterment
of our education and for the good of the country,’’ he urged.
A 300-level student at the Faculty of Law, who preffered
anonymity, said that the president should be reminded that he
was once an ASUU member before politics took him away
from the classroom. “In a country that has a former university
lecturer as the president and education still receives poor
attention, then one can safely say that the country is in
danger.’’
She, however, implored the Federal Government to honour
the agreements she reached with ASUU in the interests of
Nigerian students, who have always been the victims of the
incessant strikes.
Other students of the university, who also had a chat with
Campusbeats appealed to the Federal Government to meet the
lecturers’ demands on time so that students can return to class.
The University of Ilorin have been widely acknowledged for
its uninterrupted academic calendar over the years.
HAMEED MURITALA
(4OO-level, Mass Communication, UNILORIN)

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my broda no front for dis one,i taya no mata hw my news sweet reach dem no dey like put am for fp, oga richiez wassup na