CENYLON, an umbrella body for all the ethnic nationalities youth leaders in Nigeria,expresses concern over the ongoing strike in the nation’s universities.
We view the industrial action of the university teachers as an action too many on the citadel of higher learning in Nigeria and obvious recurring hopelessness on the part of government to promote marketable higher institutions in the country.
We will not rest on our oars to ensure that the impasse between the two parties is resolved in the interest of the country.
That’s why we gave our blessing to the recent meeting between the Minister of Education,Mallam Adamu Adamu and the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students to explore amicable solutions to the ongoing strike.
We were however shocked and disoriented that the meeting which was suppose to lay a roadmap to resolve the crisis ended in stalemate on account of the Minister’s work out of the engagement with the students’ body.
It’s ridiculous that a serving minister employs sour instrument of molestation on the students whose main worry was to stop the ongoing strike,ensure seamless academic calendar in the nation’s tertiary institutions as well as propel radical changes in Nigeria’s education sector.
His action is at best ignoble,distasteful and unfathomable of a public servant superintending the nation’s education sector.The Minister’s Gestapo-like action,no doubt,shows he’s not a good crisis manager,lacks requisite emotional intelligence to manage the exalted office and exhibits the existing lacunae between the manager of the sector and service providers therein.
We express that Nigeria’s university education,that used to be toast of the world,would be further enmeshed on account of perennial strikes which the Minister is automatically promoting with his body language.
We condemn Adamu’s act and declare him to resign based on his undue arrogance and worrisome pronouncement from his ministry
We say Enough Is Enough of Adamu Adamu’s unwarranted coercion and implore President Muhammadu Buhari to sanction him to enable him know the gravity of his ignoble act and correct same in future.
CENYLON shall continue to partner with NANS, ASUU, and other relevant social partners for robust education sector in Nigeria.
We pledge our unflinching support for youth development in Nigeria as well as government policies that would value to the lives of young Nigerians and generation unborn
We earnestly implore the Federal Government to act fast by evacuating the Nigerian students in Ukraine to avert casualty.
Signed:
Comrade Eric Oluwole
President General; Coalition of Ethnic Nationalities Youth leaders of Nigeria (CENYLON)