Fidelis David in Akure
Students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, on Thursday barricaded major roads around the institution in protest against the prolonged industrial action that has kept them away from academic activities for 68 days.
The protest, led by the Students’ Union Government (SUG), saw the students block the university’s main gate and some roads linking the institution to the major highway, bringing movement around the campus to a standstill.
The protesters, who carried placards bearing inscriptions including, “Every pending graduate, shey na our lives be these?”, “NASU, NAAT, SSANU have joined strike” and “Enough is Enough,” 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, Folagbade Greatness Ayoola, said the students could no longer remain silent as the industrial action continued to disrupt their academic programmes and plans.
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.”
According to him, repeated assurances from the relevant authorities had yet to translate into a concrete resolution, leaving the students with no option but to protest.
“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,” he said.
Ayoola warned that the students would continue to pursue legitimate means of expressing their grievances until the dispute was resolved.
“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,” he added.
Also, the General Secretary of the Students’ Union, Oluwatimileyin Amos, said the prolonged closure had subjected students to uncertainty and hardship, particularly those nearing graduation.
“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,” Amos said.
He said the uncertainty had left many students unable to make concrete plans, as they were unsure when academic activities would resume.
“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,” he added.
The Students’ Senate President, Adebiyi Kehinde, said the union had previously engaged the university management and other relevant stakeholders in a bid to resolve the crisis, but the efforts had yet to yield the desired outcome.
“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,” Kehinde said.
He appealed to the government and other parties involved in the dispute to urgently address the outstanding issues and create the conditions necessary for the students to return to campus.
“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,” he said.
A 500-level student of the university, Ogungbade James, also appealed to the government to resolve the issues behind the industrial action and meet outstanding obligations, saying this would pave the way for the students to return to campus and continue their academic programmes.