Bamidele Imisioluwa

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, University of Ibadan Branch (ASUU UI) held a town hall meeting at the ASUU Secretariat, Olajuwon Olaide Extension, University of Ibadan on Wednesday, June 26 2024, tagged, “ASUU’s Struggles for Public Universities in Nigeria: The Antics of Neoliberals and Civilian Oligarchy”, commenced at 12pm, to discuss her struggles for public universities in Nigeria.

The Chairman of ASUU University of Ibadan Chapter, Comrade Ayoola Akinwole, gave an opening remark in the meeting, and further condemned the excessive commercialisation of public universities. He lamented that this would have an adverse effect on the common man because “95% of students are in the public universities, while the remaining 5% are catered for in the private universities.”, he further stated.

Comrade Oluwakemi Ademola, commenting on the theme of the meeting, lamented that education is fast slipping away from the grip of the common man, as the gap between the rich and the poor keeps getting wider day after day. Blaming this on power issue, “there is a dysfunctionality in our society structure”, she stated.

Comrade Ibrahim Lawal, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ibadan Chapter, addressed the theme from the perspective of students’ inclusion. He unequivocally condemned the suppression of unionism in Nigerian varsities today and therefore called for an independent unionism so that there can be a joint alliance with the students to bring about meaningful progress. “ASUU will not get anywhere with their struggles if they exclude the students”, he further stated.

Also representing the students body, the President of the Students’ Union, Aweda Bolaji pledged his support for the struggles of the union. He promised to ensure an adequate sensitisation of students to the demands of ASUU, as he lamented that many students are blind to the plights of their lecturers, and their demands from the government.

Also commenting on the theme of the meeting, Comrade Ayoola Akinwole, who had earlier given the opening remark in English language switched to the Yoruba language, as he called out the government for their seeming delight in erecting problems to distract the citizens. “The government was hellbent on paralyzing not only the union but the country at large”, he added.

The Chairman of the Joint Action Committee, Ahmed Gbadegesin, also emphasised the need for a unified action in approaching the struggle, “we cannot achieve anything if we fail to work together because there is no unity in diversity.”, he stated.

The meeting which started at around 12:00 pm, came to an end at about 2:10pm, with a call to everyone present to join in the peaceful rally that would take place thereafter.