#ASUUStrike: NANS Protest Conferment of National Honour on Education Minister, Adamu Adamu

..... declares 'funeral plans' for tertiary education under Buhari


It behoves on us to call the attention of the general public and the international community on the brazen insult meted on the mass of Nigerian students by the irresponsible and reckless administration of Maj. Gen. Buhari (rtd.)

Without considering the fact that Nigerian Universities students have been at home for close to 8 months as a result of the failure of this administration to meet the demands of lecturers and to properly fund education, the inept Minister of (mis)Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu is to be conferred with the National Honour of Commander of the Order of Niger (CON).

The recognition of patronage on the Minister has not just demystify the sacredness of National Honours, it has further shown to the mass of Nigerian students that this administration does not regard the youths as being critical stakeholders as far as national development is concerned. To say that a man under whose watch Universities students have been at home for close to 8 months because of the strike embarked upon by lecturers got recognised by the President to be conferred with a National Honour is a direct attack on the mass of students.
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We also watched with rude shock the shameless, immoral, and embarrassing manner in which Minister Ngige hit Professor Oshodeke, the ASUU President from behind during the ASUU/Ministry of Labour meeting with the House of Representatives leadership. How can a whole minister, who is supposed to be a watchword for youths, degenerate to such assaultive behaviour? We demand an immediate apology from Ngige to the Nigerian public as such act was unlawful and fascist, while calling on the President, Maj. Gen. Buhari (rtd.) to takeover the negotiation himself with immediate effect.

Rather than concentrate on the task of governance, the President is distributing National Honours to different characters, mostly misfits. How can you be honouring people who have made the cost of living so high, as well drastically poor standards of living?

NANS condemns and rejects the National Honours and honourees entirely. We want Nigeria students to be ready for a grand mass actions on the ASUU strike. We have been clear that this government is anti-public education and this is against the yearnings of millions of students and youths.

We also saw a distractive circular issued by the Ministry of Education whereby Education students in both Colleges and Universities are called upon to apply for a bursary programme. It is not just ridiculous but shameful. If the government were to be sincere as they want the public to perceive, there is no reason to even be getting students to apply. The NUC and NCCE have the data of students and should get all students to have a bursary. As an association, we do not want selective bursary but full bursary for all Nigerian students.

We maintain that we want free education at all levels, instead of stipends as bursary. Nigerian students in the South West region must warm up for a consistent round of agitation to force the government to do the needful.

In coming days, we shall be occupying the streets across the South West region to conduct a final burial rites of public education in the country as this is what the Buhari's administration represents.


Adegboye Emmanuel Olatunji
Coordinator, NANS Zone D

Awoyinfa Opeoluwa
PRO, NANS Zone D