By: Bola Ojuola, Akure.
Students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko. (AAUA), Ondo State, on Thursday barricaded major roads around the institution to protest the prolonged industrial action that has kept them away from academic activities.
The placards carried by protesters blocked the university’s main gate and some roads linking the institution to the major highway.
Some of the placards had inscriptions such as, “Every pending graduate, shey na our lives be these?”, “NASU, NAAT, SSANU have joined strike” and “Enough is Enough.”
The protest was led by the Students’ Union Government, which demanded an immediate resolution of the issues responsible for the strike and the reopening of the university.
Speaking with journalists at the protest ground, the SUG President, Comrade Folagbade Greatness Ayoola, said the students could no longer remain silent over the prolonged closure of the institution.
Ayoola said, “We cannot keep silent because we are really facing challenges in our university. Imagine students having to pay school fees while lecturers’ salaries are not being paid. ASUU had demands before the government, but after a series of meetings and the failure to get the necessary response, the union embarked on an indefinite strike.”
He added, “We keep hearing promises and pushing for a solution, but nothing concrete has happened. At this point, we have no other option than to come out and make our voices heard. Until the strike is called off, we are not going to back down. We will continue to protest and use every legitimate means possible to ensure that our voices are heard.”
Also speaking, the General Secretary of the Students’ Union, Oluwatimileyin Amos, said the students had spent about 68 days at home and were increasingly worried about the uncertainty surrounding their academic future.
Amos said, “We have been on strike for 68 days now and something needs to be done. We need an immediate resolution and action because our students are suffering. This is an injury to one and an injury to all, so we are calling on students to solidarise with us and let our voices be heard.”
He also said that the students are in a dilemma. “They do not know whether to travel or stay back. This has caused a lot of hardship for students, especially the pending graduates whose examinations are approaching. We need the strike to be called off with immediate resolution.”
The Students’ Senate President, Comrade Adebiyi Kehinde, said the union had previously engaged the university management and other stakeholders in efforts to resolve the crisis but had yet to achieve the desired result.
According to Kehinde“For almost 60 days now, we have been at home. We have tried our best by engaging the management and important stakeholders who we believe can intervene and ensure that the strike is called off.”
He added, “We are not asking for too much. We just want to resume and continue our academic activities. We urge the government to do the needful and end this strike. We also appeal to students to support our efforts and remain peaceful.”
However, a 500-level student of the university, Ogungbade James, also appealed to the government to resolve the issues and ensure that outstanding obligations were met to pave the way for the students’ return to campus.
