Kaduna/Ibadan/Benin — University students have threatened to disrupt the FIFA Under-17 World Cup competition holding in Nigeria in October and November if the government would by then still remain unwilling to resolve the strike embarked upon by lecturers.

The West African Students Association (WASA) and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) said all students at home and abroad support the lecturers because they are demanding a total restructuring of the education sector and not only their improved welfare.

In the meantime, the two unions have suspended their proposed strike planned for next week after they met the National Association of Parent Teachers' Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) in Kaduna on Thursday.

Both WASA National President, Daniel Onjeh, and NANS President, Bashir Babanlle, said: "The government's unwillingness to honour the agreements reached with ASUU since 2001 shows how (it) is treating the challenge of educational development with levity and without recourse to the fact that education is the bedrock of national development," they said.

The unions gave the government an ultimatum of one week to resolve the dispute and restore normal academic activities in the universities, failing which they would mobilise their members for a world record protest in Nigeria.

In line with the strike, the University of Benin chapter of the ASUU on Thursday backed out of the post-UME test of prospective students scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

The boycott was contained in a statement issued by the chapter Chairman, Kashetu Ilevbarhe, who described as appalling the decision of the UNIBEN administration to conduct the test in defiance of the industrial action.

ASUU President, Ukachukwu Awuzie, stressed at the University of Ibadan (UI) that the government is not helping the situation.

His words: "This struggle is not for us. It is for posterity. So, we should not fail in this struggle. What is the essence of having a university system when the academics cannot conduct good research, when the companies can no longer come to the universities for innovations because they have more equipment than the universities?"

Awuzie said a situation where no Nigerian university is rated among the best 5,000 in the world is not good for the country.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200908210367.html

They cant do nada cos they are weak and cowardly organisations, led by very corrupt leaders.
Its even heart-breaking to know that these guys are the presumed "leaders of tomorrow".

Abeg, make we hear word!

nuzo:

They cant do nada cos they are weak and cowardly organisations, led by very corrupt leaders.
Its even heart-breaking to know that these guys are the presumed "leaders of tomorrow".

Abeg, make we hear word!

You are right, they used to be very patriotic in those days but not anymore. But i feel they will not be the one fighting this battle but ordinary Nigerian student. So many student wants to see a change who are not executives of these organizations.

I think taking such action would not be the right thing to do by now. Where have they been all these time until the situation in our educational system deteriorated to this level of rot. They have folded their arms watching these corrupt politicians getting into power and taking away their futures from them. They had been busy involving themselves in cultism and other trivial activities that have got nothing to do with their educational pursuits. Gone are the days of 'ALI MUST GO' when students would go to any length to see that their rights were not trampled upon. They would unleash mayhem to any government official who think he could short change them. All we have now are cowards threatening to disrupt the source of joy of their junior ones. If they know they are intelligent, strong and determined enough to shape their own future, they should do everything to get the attention of the greedy politicians to change their ways. The executive and the lawmakers are the ones to face, not the innocent U-17s