AAUA students took to the streets as a 68-day strike paralyzed academic activities

Students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, on Thursday staged a protest over the prolonged industrial action that saw the institution closed for 68 days, demanding immediate resumption of academic activities.

The protesting students expressed frustration over continued university closures, and said the strike had disrupted their academic programs and left many, especially students awaiting graduation, unsure of their future. They blocked the main entrance of the institution along the Owo-Ikare Expressway while displaying placards reading, “Every pending graduate, is our life like this?”, “NASU, NAAT, SSANU have joined the strike” and “Enough is enough.”

The students called on the Ondo State Government and other stakeholders to immediately resolve the dispute with the striking unions and restore normal academic activities at the university.

Speaking during the demonstration, President of the United Students Government, Folagbade Ayoola, said students had had enough patience and could no longer remain silent while the crisis continued.

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He expressed concern that students are still expected to fulfill their financial obligations to the institution even though salary issues affecting staff members have not been resolved.

“We cannot remain silent because we are really facing challenges at our universities. Imagine that students have to pay school fees while lecturers’ salaries are not paid,” said Ayoola.

Ayoola explained that the Higher Education Academic Staff Association had conveyed its demands to the government, but the problem was still not resolved, resulting in endless industrial action. He said students would continue to use lawful means to demand a solution until the strike was called off.

Also speaking, the Secretary General of the Students’ Union, Oluwatimileyin Amos, said the prolonged closure had a serious impact on students, especially those whose graduation plans were affected.

“We have been on strike for 68 days and something has to be done. We need immediate resolution and action because our students are suffering,” Amos said.

This industrial action follows demands by unions in Ondo State-owned tertiary institutions to implement the agreement reached between the Federal Government and the unions regarding workers’ welfare.

Among the unions involved in the dispute are the Academic Staff Union of Universities, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and the National Association of Academic Technologists.

Meanwhile, the Ondo State Government announced on Thursday that it has paid the remaining arrears for August under the new subsidy arrangement for state-owned tertiary institutions.

In a statement issued by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, the government said the payment marks the start of the implementation of a 60 percent increase in subsidies to affected institutions.

According to the government, this increase in funding is intended to enable these institutions to meet salary commitments and improve the welfare of their workers.

“This payment marks the start of the implementation of a 60 percent increase in subsidies to institutions, which aims to meet salary obligations and improve welfare.

“Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, therefore, appeals to the striking unions in these institutions to, in good faith, call off the strike and return to work in the interest of our students and the development of the state as a whole.”

The developments have raised hopes that payments and increased subsidies could help address the issues behind the industrial action and pave the way for students to return to their classrooms after more than two months of disruption.