Not considering the fact that they are not affected by the ongoing strike, the students of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) have appealed to both the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to consider the plights of Nigerian students and call off the over three months’ old industrial action.
Lecturers across 61 Nigerian public universities have been on strike since July 1 over the failure of the Federal Government to honour the agreement it reached with ASUU in 2009.
UNILORIN students, who recently resumed for the 2013/14 academic session, lamented that they are not happy seeing their colleagues from other schools staying at home while they are in school receiving lectures.
Speaking with Campusbeats, the students bemoaned the attitude of the Federal Government towards education in the country, while urging them to return to the negotiation table with the striking lecturers to discuss ways of ending the strike as soon as possible.
“The Federal Government seems to care less about the plights of Nigerian students. I passionately appeal to them and ASUU to resume negotiations and find ways to end this embarrassing strike,’’ said Sirajdeen Alabede, a 400-level Geography and Environmental Management student of the school.
Alarape Wasiu, a 400-level student at the Department of Agricultural Science, stressed that no nation can develop with a retrogressive and decayed education system, saying that education remains the only viable option to a secure and egalitarian society.
“I am not happy seeing my friends in other schools staying hopelessly at home. A nation that fails to educate its people will remain unsafe and unsecure. The Federal Government should please meet the demands of ASUU for the betterment of our education and for the good of the country,’’ he urged.
A 300-level student at the Faculty of Law, who preffered anonymity, said that the president should be reminded that he was once an ASUU member before politics took him away from the classroom. “In a country that has a former university lecturer as the president and education still receives poor attention, then one can safely say that the country is in danger.’’
She, however, implored the Federal Government to honour the agreements she reached with ASUU in the interests of Nigerian students, who have always been the victims of the incessant strikes.
Other students of the university, who also had a chat with Campusbeats appealed to the Federal Government to meet the lecturers’ demands on time so that students can return to class.
The University of Ilorin have been widely acknowledged for its uninterrupted academic calendar over the years.
HAMEED MURITALA
(4OO-level, Mass Communication, UNILORIN)
