By Friday Omosola, Akure
Following the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), students across three Universities in Ondo state today blocked the Ilesha/ Akure highways in the state to protest against the strike and registered their displeasure over staying at home.
The protesting students were from Ondo-owned Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, AAUA, Olusegun Agagu University of Technology, Okitipupa, OAUSTECH, and the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA.
The students were seen chanting different Aluta songs and displaying placards with different inscriptions. Some of the inscriptions were, “End ASUU Strike”, “Save our future”, We Have Had Enough”
It was gathered that some motorists and travellers were stranded on the highway, while the students were spotted cooking various delicacies and dancing to songs played by a stand-by Disc Jockey.
It was also gathered that the Students Union Executives of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, AAUA, who were on their way from Akungba-Akoko to join the protest were attacked at Ogbese.
Speaking to our correspondent on the action by the students, Chairman, National Association of University Students, Ondo State Chapter, Comrade Taiwo Oluwagbogo said ASUU had embarked on countless strikes since 1999, yet the government failed to meet their demands.
Comrade Taiwo maintained that it was time for students to put a stop to the incessant strike, adding that to complete a four years bachelor's degree without any interruption was not in Nigeria's system.
He said: "What was happening to Nigerian students was not a hope for months. The federal government and the minister were now blaming everything on ASUU.
"We are students, we are not supposed to be here, we have come out to show our liberty against incessant strikes as the students of Ondo State.
"We are not hooligans, we are not here to disrupt the peaceful life of people, we are only showing this demonstration that we are against the strike."
He revealed that they would not leave the road until ASUU called off the strike, noting that they have mosquito nets, beds and cooking materials.
Also, the Vice-Chairman, National Association of University Students (NAUS), Ondo Chapter, Comrade Shittu Afolarin, told The Trumpet that the protest was not for FUTA students alone but a combined universities students protest.
“We have been at home close to 100 days and that is why we choose to exhibit our objections by hindering the activities of the state and that is why we have come this long to block the federal highway.
“We are not vacating here until the Federal Government attends to ASUU and their needs because we have got to understand that the Federal Government is not taking us seriously and they think we were joking.
“If it takes them three weeks, we will be here. We will not be tired. We have our pots and foodstuffs here with us, we will cook on the highway and eat.
“Government is playing us. Imagine all of them obtaining forms which were not N10,000 but a huge sum of N100 million.
Another student, Adagba Promise and President National Association of Mass Communication department, AAUA, revealed that the main reason for the protest was to make sure the federal government came into an agreement with ASUU and called off the strike.
"They should stop playing us. Some days we heard that the Federal government already met the demand of ASUU, but there was no agreement reached. Government should do the necessary things that would make the students go back to school."
Comrade Ibiyemi Abiodun, FUTA students Union President, bemoaned about people saying the peaceful protest was not necessary, adding that the only language Nigeria government understood was protest.
"I'm a student and it was very bad that the agreement between FG and ASUU since 2009 has not been concluded. I am not here to support the federal government or ASUU but to protest and agitate for presumption."
However, Ogade Mojisola Faith, the students welfare director of AAU bemoaned about the attack on the students union on their way to join the protest.
"They were attacked and the student union general Secretary of Adekunle Ajasin University, Comrade Adeyefa Tolulope (Elite) was rushed to the Ondo state state hospital Akure.
"The strike has really affected us and we are tired. Most of us were given admission in 2017 and we were still in school till this year."
Omopariola Omotola, Deputy Senate President, Olusegun Agagu University of Technology, Okitipupa stated that the strike had wasted students' time and plans.
"They have wasted our time, our house rent and school fees. Everyday, we are getting older and we females would one day get married, but if we do not graduate on time, when are we going to marry?"
The strike always offers the students, and our time are being wasted, our plans are not our plans anymore
Recall that ASUU has been on strike since February 14, 2022, seeking, among other things, the fulfilment of the 2009 agreements struck with the Federal Government.
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