Nigerian Students in federal universities have vowed to take to the streets in protest if the President Muhammadu Buhari government refuses to heed the demand of striking university lecturers, which had led to an eight-month strike.
Since March, Nigerian students have remained at home without access to education like their counterparts in private universities and those studying outside the country.
This has enraged students, who say they will come out en masse to protest if something was not done about the situation.
Soneye Abdul-Azeez, Student Union President of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ogun State, said the funding demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities were valid and must be met by the Nigerian Government.
He said, “Our union is strongly in tandem with ASUU. ASUU demands are genuinely in the interest of public education. So we cannot separate ASUU demands from our demands as students.
“The government irresponsibility is the reason for the poor state of education.
“We will be embarking on mass action in our respective zones.
‘And our demands are simple, that all the demands of ASUU must be met. Bothering on the issue of revitalization fund, Academic allowances for the lecturers, the NEED Assessments and every other demand in the 2009 and 2013 MoU.”
Kanke Musa, a student of the University of Jos, said she would join any protest that ensured she returned to school.
She said, “I support the protest as long as others are ready. This is the second strike since I gained admission and I have already lost one year. What I think is that ASUU and the government are very wicked because if not, I know their children don’t go to the type of schools so that is why they don’t care at all.
“We are ready to resume anytime they call it off.”
Already, momentum is gathering on Twitter towards mobilisation for the protest.
Festus Ogun on Twitter said, “ASUU STRIKE PROTEST WILL HOLD IN LAGOS! For eight months, university students have been languishing at home because of an avoidable strike. FG cannot continue to endanger our future and expect us to be quiet. We’ve started organizing and mobilizing. We are relocating to the street.”
ASUU STRIKE PROTEST WILL HOLD IN LAGOS!
For 8 months, university students have been languishing at home because of an avoidable strike. FG cannot continue to endanger our future and expect us to be quiet. We’ve started organizing and mobilizing. We are relocating to the street.
— FESTUS OGUN (@mrfestusogun) November 18, 2020
@Flexmony tweeted, “And I say it again, a country where 90% of its leader’s children are schooling abroad and taking medical treatment abroad cannot and I repeat can never fix your school and your health sector and find lasting solution to their problems. Never. So, let’s stop deceiving ourselves.”
And I say it again, A country 90% of its leader’s children are schooling abroad and taking medical treatment abroad cannot and I repeat can never fix your school and your health sector and find lasting solution to their problems. NEVER. So lets stop deceiving even ourselves
— Felix (@Flexmony) November 18, 2020
@Barprince 2 said, “A whole academic year wasted. They don’t know ASUU strike should be treated as a national emergency.”
