The
Students Union, Obafemi Awolowo University took to the street of Oyo
state as its joins in the celebration of Nigeria at 55 to peacefully
expressed its displeasure at the non payment of workers' salaries
accross Nigeria especially in the Osun state and Oyo state. the Union
and its members who despite in their period of examination came out
en-masseto protest the poor funding of educational sector, have demanded
that President Buhari to implement the 26% budgetary allocation to
education as recommended by UNESCO.
Members of
CEC were led by Students' Union President, Omotayo Akande (TY);
Students' Union Vice-President, Oladunjoye Opeyemi(Oprah); Students'
Union Secretary General, Oketooto Oluwaseun; the Union's PRO, Ojedokun
Emmanuel (Immanuel Kant) and; the Union's Welfare Officer, Hamzat
Olajide(Secrenene).
Two buses were used to convey all individuals present.
The
Student Union President, Omotayo Akande took center stage to give a
welcome message. He spoke on the reason for embarking on trip which was a
two-way motive trip: to pay a condolence visit and embark on a protest.
He further enlightened all students present on the order of programme
for day.
He stated that there would be a protest at Ibadan to
pass messages to the Governor of Oyo State through the media houses on
the poor welfare conditions on Obafemi Awolowo Campus and the non-
payment of salaries by the State Government despite receiving various
funds as bailout for the disbursement of these monies.
This was a welcome idea by everyone in the bus as they all abided by the President's plan.
Along
the way, the Union's President threw a question and opened the floor to
all students in the bus to bear/lay their minds bare on certain
intellectual discourse as pertaining the Independence day celebration.
His question was titled, " 55 years of Nigeria's Independence: Is Nigeria truly 'Independent' or 'neocolonized'"
As
a preamble to the discuss, the President spoke on the unpaid salary
trend, Ministerial listing, political party Ideologies and EFCC's recent
recovery of stolen funds. Attempting to be comprehensive in his
approach, he spoke on the HDI(Human Development Index) factor fashioned
out by Europeans in order to measure a country's growth in totality of
all areas. The criteria he mentioned for this HDI Measurement were just
three: Gross Domestic Product(GDP), Life Expectancy and Literacy. He
spoke on how developed countries could only attain 0.9 out of a 1,
noting that 1 is the highest while stating that developing countries
fluctuated between 0.1 and 0.2. Bringing home his argument, he spoke on
the collapse of some parts of Block 4 in Awolowo Hall of Residence, the
ever dwindling welfare situation on campus;he however justified these
reasons in his preamble to the argument. He finally called for
submissions, stating that Education was the only way out of Nigeria's
socio-economic,Economic and political mess.
A submission was
given to further press home his point by one of the students. Which
agreed to the ever glaring fact that Education is the only solution that
can be used to tackle any problem. Proper planning and the right
intellectuals are all that is needed.
To conclude the argument,
Omotayo Akande called on Adebayo Benjamin, ACJ's President to speak on
the effect of neocolonialism and the role of the press in the whole
process.
Laying Credence to the book, "How Europe Underdeveloped
Africa," the ACJ President advised that as students,we should erode
underdevelopment and fight for what is ours, adding that Education is
our only way out.
The Union's President pleased with the
trend of the arguments, pushed for an Aluta praise and worship Session
that was heralded by the Two versions to the Great Ife Anthem. Lots of
songs were chanted to praise the Greatness of the University and the
generality of the Students.
However, when "TY" came back on
stage(inside one of the buses), he observed that some of the students
could not "gyrate" as they should and he stressed the need for everyone
to be able to "gyrate" properly.
Immediately the buses arrived at
Iwo road in Ibadan, protest placards and handbills were quickly
distributed as a massive protest started in earnest.
All students,
engaged in a protest blocking the traffic as they marched down to NTA
Ibadan on foot, followed by the two buses at a slow pace inhibiting the
flow of traffic on the way.
Interviews with the President, Vice-president and other notable individuals in the Union were taken by ACJ Correspondents.
The
protest continued at NTA Ibadan but the media house proved to be
obstinate and unapproachable as they refused the Union say even after
the roads were blocked to attract their attention. An ultimatum was
given with immediate effect. It was after much cajoling that the Union
were finally given audience and a live coverage. The President of the
Students' Union, Omotayo Akande spoke first, conveying his message to
the Government in English after which Oketooto Oluwaseun relayed his in
the Yoruba Mother tongue.
The protest moved to the National Union
of Journalists(NUJ),Oyo council secreteriat in Ibadan where the Union
was warmly received as their press statements were taken before another
media coverage was given.
