By Al- Ameen Busari, Shola Afolabi
Nigerians have expressed concern over the threatened strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), urging the Federal Government and other stakeholders to resolve the matter without delay in order to avert the industrial action.
Speaking with Royal FM correspondents, Busari and Afolabi , a final-year student of the University of Ilorin, Lolade, lamented that repeated strikes have disrupted the academic calendar, making it unnecessarily longer than expected. According to her, she ought to graduate this year, but due to the previous strike action, she will now graduate next year.
“I ought ought to have graduated this year, and now I will graduate this year. If they strike again, who knows when I will graduate now”, she said.
A student bus driver, Ajayi James, also called on the Federal Government to “do the right thing,” stressing that since it collects taxes, it should prioritize the welfare of the people. He appealed that ASUU’s demands be met to prevent any further action that could negatively affect their income.
There are a lot of resources in Nigeria but the government are exploiting it for their welfare. They kept collecting tax with nothing to show for it. What ASUU is asking for is their rights. It’s left to federal government to meet their demands”, he said.
In addition, a business owner in Tanke Oke Odo, Ilorin, Kwara State identified as Divine, recalled how the ASUU strike of 2022 affected her business and family. She pleaded with both parties to reach a compromise to prevent another shutdown of academic activities.
