Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Youth and Student Matters, Mr. Jude Imagwe, has described late former National President of Academic Staff of Nigerian Universities, Prof. Festus Iyayi, as father of student unionism in the country.
Iyayi died in an accident involving the convoy of Kogi State Governor, Captain Idris Wada, last Tuesday.
Commiserating with the late activist’s wife, Grace; and the children, in Benin, Edo State, on Sunday, Imagwe, who was a one-time President of the National Association of Nigeria Students, expressed Federal Government’s commitment to ending the four-month-old strike by ASUU.
Imagwe said he recalled the role played by Iyayi in resolving disputes bothering on students’ welfare on campuses, saying his fatherly counsel would be missed.
He said, “The late former President of ASUU was like a father to so many of us that was involved in student unionism. I remembered a clear encounter we had with him when I was the President of NANS when we had difficulties as regards issues bothering on students’ welfare on our campus.
“The advice he gave actually gave us a sense of direction, his death is a shock with us. He lived a life that would be remembered for generations to come.”
He however cautioned against blaming the Federal Government for the death of Iyayi.
He said, “When you say government is to blame it is like saying government has a right to someone’s life. That government is paying lip service to education is not also correct. That we have not gotten to where we need to get to in the educational sector, I will agree with you.
“It is unfortunate that this is happening when we have ASUU strike. Iyayi contributed immensely to ensure that there was resolution at the last meeting to see that the strike is called-off.
“Government on its part is committed; and ASUU has equally made it clear that there is a problem in the educational sector and that is the road map they are working towards, so that at the end our educational sector would be the better for it.”
Meanwhile, the Ambrose Alli University chapter of ASUU has said it will only respect the its body’s decision on the lingering industrial action, including any resolutions reached by it on offers made by the President.
ASUU AAU, in a release endorsed by 24 members, including Prof. Isaac Agbedion and Dr. Ibrahim Momodu, said members would not be drawn into any unilateral action that was not in line with decisions of its parent body, nor allow a situation that will prolong strike in its chapter.
