FG not interested in development of education, says former ASUU chairman

Ademola Aremu, former chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ibadan chapter, says the federal government’s response to the strike embarked on by ASUU shows that the government is not interested in the development of education in the country.

The union had on February 14, 2022 declared a one month strike.

While speaking at the 20th anniversary of Jericho Businessmen Club, an affiliate of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, in Ibadan, Aremu said it was appalling that government would watch ASUU embark on another strike after schools in Nigeria lost almost one academic year to COVID-19.

Aremu, who was also a former financial secretary of ASUU in Nigeria, said the union had held a dialogue with government representatives to press home their demands for education to be developed in the country, but government remains unmoved by loss of academic period.

He said apart from education, Nigerian government had failed to address economic failure and insecurity in the country. He wondered why the Nigeria is recording death of many of its citizens despite not being at war.

Aremu said: “ASUU is on strike now. We have talked and held dialogue with government representatives, we have consulted those we thought were influential in the present Nigeria, but all these has not worked. We have agreements signed by the government but it has been ignored. What will you do if you were in the shoes of ASUU?

“Our economy is becoming worse by the day. We are not at war but the number of lives lost is alarming. We cannot continue like this and expect change to come in education and other sectors.”

At the event, Oladapo Afolabi, former head of service of the federation, said Nigeria must begin the process of raising visionary leaders who also have integrity to chart the way out of the numerous problems confronting the country.

Oladapo said Nigeria must start rewarding hard work and integrity and ensure appropriate punishment for perpetrators of criminal activities in the country in order to serve as deterrent to others who might want to emulate such behaviour.

“We must raise leaders who are visionary, creative strategic and honest. Leadership is the key in the kind of transformation we want. Leaders must have vision and they must have the capacity to convince the followers that we all have work to do,” said Oladapo.