ASUU strike extension: Decline in brand perception of State-owned Universities
By Oghale Mafuru
Nigerians have expressed disappointment and displeasure over the recent announcement of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU to extend its ongoing strike for another 12 weeks.
Barely 24 hours after the announcement which was made in a statement signed by its president, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, Nigerians decried the continued strike by the body as well as the government’s unperturbed disposition to the plight of tertiary institutions in the country.
Youth and students of tertiary institutions have continued to vent their ire and frustration at the ugly development.
Adebola Durojaiye, a victim of the ongoing strike described the attitude of the government toward the educational sector as denting and damaging. He said, “I hope we won’t get to a situation where university students will not be able to spell their names again. They are creating more crazy, indolent, rascal youth. I wonder why they will put education in limbo”.
“It is a shame to the nation at large to watch students stay at home for months”, Rhema Eyoh said.
Yusuf Ogunsanya said: “You guys are not doing well at all. You keep putting the student’s educational career at stake. I will say it again, in this country, there is an age barrier in the labour market, a student who graduates at 25years of age upward might may not be able to get a job in the labour market.
Oyinda, a student, said: “I was meant to finish school last year; I expected that this year I would be done by August. Do you expect someone like me should just sit and watch you guys act unfairly?”
As the strike action seems to be dragging further, parents and guardians whose wards are victims of the deplorable state of the nation’s educational system are seeking refuge in private universities. Unfortunately, access to these schools is available only to a privileged few who can afford the fees.
In a series of tweets recently, Rema lamented that the strike had prevented him from being in school since he got admitted into the University of Lagos, Unilag.
“ASUU, since dem give me admission, I neva start school o. E don do nau” he said.
The exchange started after Rema, who revealed in January that he had gained admission to UNILAG to study Creative Arts, tagged his university to a reply to one of his tweets by Bowen University, a privately-run institution in Iwo, Osun State.
Rema had tweeted, “ASUU, since dem give me admission I neva start school o, e don do nau!”
Responding to the tweet, Bowen University wrote, “ASUU can’t delay you if you’re enrolled in Bowen University.”
“Hmm… Rema dear, UNILAG has chosen you o, hmm… so don’t let anybody come dey change your mind o…Rema no dey vex for us o,” UNILAG tweeted in response.
Rema then responded with an appeal to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off its lingering strike for the sake of Nigerian youths.
He tweeted, “Awww Unilag end the strike or I will go ooo, we want to go back to school pls the youths are not happy!”
To this, UNILAG replied, “Baby calm down”.
Commenting on the incessant strikes by government-owned universities, Obinna Inogbo, Principal PR Executive, Worktainment Limited stated that the strikes have made Nigerian youths discover their entrepreneurial capabilities as most of them have channeled time and efforts to building successful business ventures and nurtured great talents.
He said: “These perpetual strikes are a blessing because it has created a new generation of entrepreneurs. Nigerians under the age of 30 are not scared of owning businesses unlike 20 years ago when owning a business was frightening for many young Nigerians. The trend then was to get a good job after university”.
According to the PR expert, youths should maximize the time spent at home on productive ventures that will pay off in the long run.
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