‎Ondo Varsity Students Protest Prolonged Strike, Block Major Roads ‎

‎Students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, on Thursday took to the streets to protest the prolonged industrial action that has kept them away from academic activities.

‎The students, under the aegis of the Students’ Union Government, barricaded the university’s main gate and some major roads linking the institution to the highway, demanding an immediate resolution of the issues responsible for the strike.

‎The protesters carried placards with various inscriptions, including, “Every pending graduate, shey na our lives be these?”, “NASU, NAAT, SSANU have joined strike,” and “Enough is Enough,” as they expressed frustration over the continued closure of the institution.

‎Speaking with journalists at the protest ground, the SUG President, Comrade Folagbade Greatness Ayoola, said the students could no longer remain silent while the crisis continued to disrupt their education and future plans.

‎Ayoola said the students were facing serious challenges as a result of the strike, noting that they were still required to pay school fees despite the fact that lecturers were not being paid their salaries.

‎He said, “We cannot keep silent because we are really facing challenges in our university. Imagine students having to pay school fees while lecturers’ salaries are not being paid. ASUU had demands before the government, but after a series of meetings and the failure to get the necessary response, the union embarked on an indefinite strike.”

‎The SUG president said the students had continued to hear promises of a solution without seeing concrete action, stressing that they would continue to use legitimate means to make their grievances known until the strike was called off.

‎Also speaking, the General Secretary of the Students’ Union, Oluwatimileyin Amos, said the students had spent about 68 days at home, creating uncertainty and hardship, particularly for pending graduates whose examinations were approaching.

‎Amos said, “Students are in a dilemma. They do not know whether to travel or stay back. This has caused a lot of hardship for students, especially the pending graduates whose examinations are approaching. We need the strike to be called off with immediate resolution.

‎The Students’ Senate President, Comrade Adebiyi Kehinde, said the union had previously engaged the university management and other stakeholders to seek a resolution to the crisis but had yet to achieve the desired result.

‎Kehinde appealed to the government to resolve the issues responsible for the strike, saying the students were only demanding the opportunity to return to campus and continue their academic activities.

A 500-level student, Ogungbade James, also urged the government to meet its outstanding obligations to pave the way for the reopening of the university.