AAUA students protest, demand end to ASUU, NASU strike

The students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) Ondo State on Thursday barricaded major roads leading to the campus, protesting the ongoing strike by the unions that has paralyzed academic activities in the institution.

The protesting students blocked the university’s main gate and adjoining roads linking the institution to the major highway, disrupting vehicular movement.

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU); the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU); and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) had on Tuesday embarked on strike over unmet demands by institution’s management.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the state-owned university had on Aug. 11 declared an indefinite strike over the state government’s alleged failure to implement the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement.

The protesting students carried placards with various inscriptions such as “Every pending graduate, shey na our lives be these?”, “NASU, NAAT, SSANU have joined strike”, and “Enough is Enough.”

Led by the Students’ Union Government (SUG) President, Folagbade Ayoola, the protesters demanded immediate resolution of the welfare disputes between the state government and university unions to enable the reopening of the institution.

Speaking during the protest, Ayoola said students could no longer tolerate the prolonged closure of the university.

“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 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.

“We keep hearing promises and pushing for a solution, but nothing concrete has happened.

“At this point, we have no other option than to come out and make our voices heard. Until the strike is called off, we are not going to back down,” Ayoola said.

Also speaking, the General Secretary of the SUG, Oluwatimileyin Amos, lamented that students had been out of the classrooms for 68 days, creating deep uncertainty about their academic timelines.

“We have been on strike for 68 days now and something needs to be done. We need an immediate resolution and action because our students are suffering.

“Students are in a dilemma; they do not know whether to travel or stay back, especially the pending graduates whose examinations are approaching,” Amos stated.

When contacted, the Deputy Registrar, Information and Public Relations of the university, Mr Sola Imoru, declined to comment on the development.

Imoru directed this correspondent to speak with the striking unions.

(NAN)