The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has constituted a committee of elder statesmen across the country to interface with relevant stakeholders to resolve the lingering crisis between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
A statement on Saturday by NANS the President, Comrade Danielson Bamidele Akpan, stated that the committee’s resolution would bring about a dawn in the educational sector.
He said the student body was seeking the support of elder statesmen and eminent Nigerians to interface with ASUU, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), other concerned stakeholders and the federal government so as to bring to an end the lingering strike that has become a recurrent decimal in the country.
“History has it that the Nigerian education system was one of the best such that other countries sent their nationals to acquire tertiary education in Nigeria until the inglorious year 1988 when the academic staff unions of universities started what is today known as the ASUU strike.
“It is no longer news to Nigerians that not only has incessant strikes affected the standard of education in Nigeria, other academic staff unions have followed suit.
“Consequently, we began consultations to seek the support of elder statesmen and eminent Nigerians to interface with ASUU, ASUP, COEASU, other unions, stakeholders and the federal government to bring a permanent solution to the incessant academic strike actions which have damaged our educational sector and made us a subject of ridicule in the comity of nations,” Akpan stated.
Named in the committee are; Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi II, Ooni of Ife; HRM Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II, Emir of Kano; HRM Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe I, Obi of Onitsha; HRM Victor Folagbade Olateru – Olagbegi III, Olowo of Owo.
Others are Chief Edwin Clark, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, Aare Afe Babalola, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, Mrs Folorunso Alakija, Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed, Vice Chancellor, Nasarawa State University, Keffi; Professor Rukayat Mohammed, a former minister of education, Chief Femi Falana and Barr Kayode Ajulo.
