Activities across all tertiary institutions were, yesterday, literally paralysed as the one-week warning strike embarked on by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU entered its second day. Lagos At the University of Lagos, (UNILAG) and Lagos State University, (LASU), there were full compliance on the directives from ASUU, as lecturers in both institutions boycotted lectures.
Journalists visited the two campuses at Akoka and Ojo revealed that both lecturers and students were not in the classes, and many students seized the opportunity of the strike to travel home.
At UNILAG, some of the students were found at the institution’s sport complex engaging in sport activities, while few others were studying under trees and in some class rooms.
In Ogun, the situation was the same at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta and Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu-Ode as lecturers obeyed the one-week warning strike by ASUU. Many students were stranded as a result of the failure of the lecturers in the universities to resume work.
At TASUED, students were allowed into the premises, but did not receive lectures. At OOU, most of the students did not bother to go for lectures as they were said to have been warned against coming following the warning strike order.
For FUNAAB, the strike coincided with the school’s one week lecture break, with many students already staying away from the campus to observe the lecture week break.
However, information gathered that few students that wanted to enter the campus were barred from entering by ASUU. Some students who spoke with our correspondent lamented that the strike would further worsen their plight as they had suffered from long breaks due to strikes and other sundry issues in their various schools.
A student of FUNAAB who pleaded anonymity said the school was planning to commence exams next week and they were afraid that the strike would jeopardise the exam.
Cross River: The usual bustling environment in the University of Calabar was yesterday desolate as the students stayed away from school following the one week warning strike by university lecturers. Not only were students affected by the strike, the buses and taxis that usually wait at the main gate of the school to ferry students to the various departments were not in their usual positions while those in the hostels carried students out of the school to the town. Kindness Ojong, a Philosophy student told Vanguard, “We were in the middle of the examination before the strike started. We hope when they resume they will help us complete the examination before embarking on total strike, if that will happen.”
Owerri: Academic activities in Imo State University, IMSU, and Federal University of Technology, FUTO, all in Owerri, have been grounded as the popular lecture theatres were empty.
All the students who spoke to jij in the respective institutions, appealed to government to dialogue with ASUU and resolve the problems amicably.
“I am honestly sick and tired of the periodic breaks in my school’s academic calendar. Government should please dialogue with ASUU and save us from this nagging problem,” a female Sociology student lamented.
Benue: ASUU, at both the Benue State University, BSU and the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, FUAM, observed the one week warning strike called by the Union.
During joirñ visit, lecturers were not seen in any of the classes, while leaders of the aggrieved union were seen patrolling the campuses to ensure strict enforcement.
Collective decision Contacted, the branch chairman ASUU-BSU, Dr. David Ikonni, said members had complied with the directive of the national body to down tools.
Ikonni said, “yes we are on a one week strike in line with our collective decision in order to call the attention of the government to its failure to implement agreements reached way back in 2009.”
Sources: Vanguard Newspaper, Punch Newspaper
