As the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, entered its sixth week, some students have devised “ingenious” means of making money; they declared Wednesday their “rag-day”.
As early as 8:45am, major inter-city roads and streets were literally overtaken by the students, who have been on “forced vacation”, since university lecturers “lowered their pens”, to press home enhancement of allowances.
With their shorts, tops and trousers turned, the young Nigerians approached motorists stocked in traffic as well as passers-by, for money. Though, the “rag-day” was said to be by students of College of Education, ‘Inside FCT’ was told that most of those “ragging” are undergraduates, who have been out of school, since the ongoing strike started.
The university students were said to have taken advantage of the development, to help themselves. One of the students, who gave her name simply as Sindy said: “Seriously, I’m an undergraduate and you know our universities have been on strike for over one month now, and we’ve got needs to meet.
I have to rag at least to make some cool money to keep on keeping on”, she said. Another student, Moses Abahing, said they had to do this, since “some parents and guardians hardly give them pocket money, during strike or holiday periods.”