Metro
Students Protest ASUU Strike, Block Ogun, Osun Highways
Students, on Friday, continued protests across the country over the lingering strike action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Students of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, trooped out in their numbers and blocked the Ijebu Ode/Ibadan express road.
Similarly, a mass of other students from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, went on a joint protest with counterparts in Ogun State, as organised under the banner of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Ogun Joint Campus Committee. They blocked the Abeokuta-Ibadan express road, around Camp-FUNAAB Junction.
In Osun State, students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, led by 22-year-old Abraham Omowumi, popularly called Ewatee, resumed their second-day protest on the Ife-Ibadan Expressway, blocking the popular OUI roundabout at Oduduwa University, Ipetumodu, with a lot of road users left stranded.
This was also as students were still protesting in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital where they moved from the University of Ibadan to Agbowo, Sango, Mokola, etc.
One of the protesters, a former President of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ogun State, Soneye AbdulAzeez, said, “Vehicles going from Abeokuta to Ibadan are on standstill now. FUNAAB and Federal College of Education, Osiele, roads are on lockdown as well.
“We are resilient and making a statement, the Federal Government must listen to Nigerian Students.”
The National Public Relations Officer of the Fund Education Coalition, Joseph Aliu, who was spearheading the protest at Ago Iwoye, said, “It is saddening that after a series of talks, the Federal Government has failed to listen to the voice of reasoning.
“Since they’ve chosen to pay deaf ears to the cries of the striking lecturers, we have no other option but to take to the streets. We are here, we’re not stopping, here’s a fight to finish.”
The Students’ Union President, OOU, Akorede Afeez, in his comments, said, “It is an impediment to the societal growth and development of this nation in general that the students have been in their houses since February 14, 2022.
“The state government should rise to her responsibility to take charge of education and welfare of OOUiets. We are demanding the reopening of our classes. Education is our right, not a privilege.
Also, the Chairman of the Fund Education Coalition, Damilare Adenola, said, “We are protesting because we are clever enough to understand that the ongoing strike is a deliberate attempt by the government to kill public education so that politicians who own private universities can thrive, and we have concluded that for the sake of the poor masses, we are not going to fold our arms and watch public education die.
ASUU strike has entered its 88th day as the meeting between the lecturers and the government ended in deadlock on Thursday.
The Punch
A stray bullet has allegedly killed a student who was heading to the examination centre to sit for the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination being organised by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The incident happened on Gbagi market road in the Egbeda Local Government Area of the state when a stray bullet allegedly fired by a police officer in pursuit of a suspect hit and allegedly killed the student on Tuesday.
Investigations revealed that the boy was on a motorcycle with his father and twin brother when the incident struck.
The student, according to multiple eyewitnesses, was on his way to the examination centre.
One of the sources, simply identified as Ajani, said, “A police officer opened fire while chasing a fleeing vehicle. One of the bullets reportedly hit the student. The student was riding on a motorcycle with his father and twin brother.
“The victim was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Another witness said, “The deceased was on his way to the examination centre alongside his twin brother when the tragedy happened.”
Meanwhile, irate youths took the student’s lifeless body to the state Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, to demand justice and called on Governor Seyi Makinde to intervene.
The deceased body has been deposited at Adeoyo Hospital morgue.
As of press time, authorities have not released an official statement on the incident.
The Punch
The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU)and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have condemned the recent distribution formula for the N50 billion earned allowance approved by the Federal government for university-based unions.
The unions expressed their displeasure in the sharing formula in a jointly signed statement by the President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, and the General Secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi on Sunday in Abuja.
The Federal government last month approved the release of N50billion to universities as earned allowances.
The N50billion is to be shared between the Academic Staff Union of Universities; NASU, SSANU and National Association of Academic Technologists.
The statement said: “We wish to make it clear that this is not a contest of supremacy among unions. Rather, it is about fairness, recognition, and the equitable treatment of all workers who form the backbone of the Nigerian University system.”
The unions further demanded a review and reversal of the allocation formula, which they describe as “grossly unfair” and “totally unacceptable.”
The unions argued that the distribution was capable of creating industrial disharmony and accentuating the teaching/non-teaching dichotomy in Nigerian universities.
They vowed to stand united in demanding justice, fairness, and recognition of their rightful place in the university community.
They warned that going ahead with the unfair distribution will breed resentment and trigger widespread industrial disharmony.
“Non-Teaching staff of Nigerian Universities are not second-class citizens but are critical stakeholders who contribute immensely to the day-to-day functionality, administrative efficiency, research excellence, technical operations, and overall development of the Nigerian Universities system.
“A harmonious and productive academic environment can only be achieved when all stakeholders are treated with respect, dignity, equity, and fairness,” the statement added.
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police incharge of Zone 2 Command, Onikan (comprising Lagos and Ogun States) on Saturday led Police officers on a fitness walk to enhance their physical wellness, mental health, and emotional well-being. The Walk which stretched from the Zone 2 Headquarters in Onikan to Eko Atlantic City turning on Ahmadu Bello Way, to Adeola Odeku and back to the Zone 2 covered about 10.2 km, the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP) can report.
The exercise, which was undertaken to complement the job of police officers as it demands high level of fitness and health, was to avoid breakdown and collapse, while in and out of duty.
Police officers are known to be on constant move throughout the day, standing for long hours under the rain and sun, and are always under intense pressure in the cause of performing their duties, hence the need for the walk.
Addressing a cross section of NAOSNP members after the tasking but refreshing fitness walk, AIG Adegoke Fayoade stated: ‘This walk is a strategic instruction of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun that we need to be healthy for the job. The Police job is a very tasking job and we require fitness and health to do the job. That is why we decided to do this Walk on a regular basis, it helps us to perform our job effectively which is round the clock.’
‘My charge to our Police officers is that we need to be fit for the job. During leisure, take out time to engage in exercise. It lowers blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. Today we did about 10.2km, last time we covered 8.5km, maybe next time, we will do 15km.’
The Zonal Police PRO, Zone 2, CSP Umma Tunni Ayuba added: ‘This Walk plays a vital role in mental fitness which impacts what we do on a daily basis. It is also a means to unite us as officers and engage with members of the public. You can see that some members of the public join us because it goes a long way in the health of an individual.’
‘I didn’t know we did as much as 10.2km because it was fun and enjoyable with good music, like they say, ‘music is life’. I encourage officers to continue to engage in exercise, don’t wait for something to happen to your body before you look for what to do.’
The walk was spearheaded by the Zonal Sport officer, SP Mattias and Lagos State Command Sport Officer, ASP Abayomi Sonaike, SP Mattias and Supol Alex of Zone 2. ‘We thank God that we have an agile AIG who is concerned about our fitness and health. Our AIG Adegoke Fayoade knows that walks will help our agility to do the job better,’ ASP Abayomi Sonaike remarked.
