Olusegun Adeyemo
Reactions have continued to trail the announcement of an indefinite strike action by staff unions at Lagos State University (LASU), throwing the institution into uncertainty and further highlighting the ongoing crisis in Nigeria’s education sector.
According to The Journal Nigeria, members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), and other staff bodies at LASU officially commenced an indefinite strike on Thursday, citing unresolved issues with the university’s management.
Several concerned Nigerians, speaking with The Journal Nigeria, expressed their frustration and disappointment over the development and what it signals for the future of higher education in the country.
Asiwaju Kabir Olusegun Ligali lamented the frequency of strikes in Nigerian universities, questioning the government’s priorities.
“When is Nigeria ending the permanent ASUU strike?” he asked.
“It appears that sports take precedence over education in Nigeria, at least in the eyes of the government. This is evident in the generous rewards bestowed upon the Nigerian Super Falcons, highlighting a seeming disparity in priorities,” Ligali added.
Mr. Kazeem Adebayo Lawal, another respondent, decried the long-term effects of these recurring disruptions on Nigerian youths and the nation’s future.
“The perennial strikes are killing our institutions and rendering our promising youths redundant,” he said.
“A nation without a sound educational system is doomed to fail. Very soon, we will see a set of hypocrites calling for prayers, rather than action,” Lawal added, visibly upset.
An educator, Mr. Olukunle Horlagold, expressed disbelief that strikes still occur despite the rising costs of education in the country.
“Despite the hike in tuition fees and other dues in Nigerian universities, strikes still persist. It’s disheartening that students pay more and still don’t receive quality, uninterrupted education,” Horlagold stated.
Offering a slightly different perspective, Mr. Onisiwo Babajide Ogunjobi pointed fingers at the Lagos State Government, noting that LASU remains one of Nigeria’s most affordable and reputable universities.
“This is an internal issue between the university and the Lagos State Government. For your information, LASU is one of the best and cheapest-tuition universities in Nigeria,” Ogunjobi argued.
Mr. ThankGod Idoko Prefect alleged that the controversy surrounding the federal government’s rewarding of the Super Falcons may have contributed to the current tensions, but warned against using it to deflect from deeper issues.
“All this because our Super Falcons were rewarded for their victory by the federal government? Our selfish mindset will finish us before any bad government does,” he said.