By Igbotako Nowinta, Alltimepost.com Nigeria Bureau Chief
A passionate appeal has been made to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), to call off its ongoing nation-wide strike, which has paralyzed academic activities in Nigerian universities.
This appeal was made during a recent interview with Alltimepost.com by Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo, the Executive Director of the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, in Benin City, Nigeria.
Dr. Ojo said that members of ASUU should consider the palpable inconvenience students in tertiary institutions in the country are presently going through, and in their interest should call off the strike action.
According to the environmental rights activist: “When the Elephants fight the grass suffers. For ASUU their claim to hold the Federal Government accountable for agreement reached is legitimate. Therefore, the Government should do everything in their powers to engage ASUU with a view to meeting their demands.
“Clearly, the students are the victims, and if the strike continues indefinitely, some of them may fall by the way side irretrievably, they become victims of vices of crimes. Looking at this ugly situation, l therefore, passionately appeal to the members and leadership of ASUU, to reconsider their earlier positions by calling off this strike, in the best interest of the Nigerian Students, who are surely bearing the brunt.
“The Nigerian public is yet to understand why ASUU fails to subscribe to Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information Service (IPIS) universal program in line with government directives with other parastatals? ASUU Should call off this strike in the interest of the students and the future of Nigeria.”
When asked to comment on the state of the nation, Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo posited thus: “From the look of things, even the blind can perceive that all is not well with Nigeria. The present state of Nigeria is dangling and heading towards the precipice.
“The hope and aspirations is that the ship of state has not reached the precipice. So, it can be rescued. So, who will do the rescuing? In my opinion, the political class as long as they keep recycling themselves at the corridor of power, the country is not likely to move forward.
There is need for new leadership and ideas to navigate the ship of state. Nigeria is not moving forward, it is retrogressing. Nigerians should come together and decide how the country can move forward. They have to look at the manifestos of the dominant political parties and competence of individuals aspiring to lead Nigeria in 2023.
“Qualification and quality of presidential aspirants should come first. They need to take cognizance of the North/South zoning arrangement. Presidency should come to the south this time around.”
On the spate of insecurity in Nigeria, the frontline activist said lamentably: “We need to tackle once and for all the prevalent insecurity that has engulfed the nation. Nigeria is one of the leading countries prevalent with violence, kidnapping and now the poverty capital of the world.
“A country dependent on external loans and borrowings has mortgaged its future, and has a very little prospect of development.”
The Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria is a Nigerian advocacy group dedicated to the non-violent defense of the human ecosystem in terms of human rights. Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo said he is absolutely committed to the “Just Energy Transition For the Nigeria Project.”
