A former Presidential Candidate, who is also a linguist, educationist and lecturer, Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, on August 18, 2022, interacted with some media through their correspondents as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) begins consultations on next move, tells students who to vote for come 2023.
Prof. Adesanya-Davies is the recipient of this year’s National Association of Northern Nigeria Students (NANNS) Platinum Distinguished Leadership Award of Sir Amadu Bello Sardauna Edition, with which honour she received on March 26, 2022.
Recall that the umbrella body of the nation’s students’ union, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) endorsed the presidential aspiration of Adesanya-Davies when honouring her with its “Most Outstanding Leadership Award” of the year in 2018.
Also, the Niger Delta Students Union Government (NDSUG) endorsed the presidential aspiration of Adesanya-Davies, as President of Nigeria in 2019.
While interacting with the don, Adesanya-Davies said: “It’s remarkable that the National Strike Organising Committee of the Academic Staff Union of Universities has met to decide on the way forward concerning the ongoing strike by the union.
“The committee is made up of senior officials of the union.
“This is as our correspondent learnt that zonal meetings will commence by the end of the week after which branches would go ahead with congresses.
“A member of the union’s National Executive Council, who did not want his name in print because he was not permitted to speak on the matter, disclosed this to media house.
“The National Strike Organising Committee will meet, after which zonal meetings will commence this weekend and then congresses will be held.
“From there, information will be passed to our members on the next development; the president alone cannot decide, there are processes,” he said.
Meanwhile, ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, on Wednesday, urged Nigerian students not to vote for politicians who have their children studying in institutions outside the country.
Osodeke spoke on a Twitter Space Webinar organised by Premium Times and tagged, ‘ASUU strike, Revitalisation Fund and the Way Forward.’
“Anybody you believe cannot take care of your interests, whose children are busy studying abroad, who are living abroad, don’t vote for them.
“I repeat, you don’t need to vote for them, because you don’t vote for people who will take your life,” he said.
Adesanya-Davies commended ASUU on their strides and consistency so far on the STRIKE, says, though the strike seems undesirable, but the problem in our educational system needs to be resolved once and for all.
She also asserts that Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke is right and on-time to have instructed Nigerian students, not to cast their votes wrongly, saying:
“Don’t vote for people who will take your life and don’t vote for politicians who have their children studying in institutions outside the country.”
She noted that both students and their parents should be advised accordingly bearing in mind the current situation of things in the country, especially on insecurity, economy, poverty education sector and power, saying: “Nothing seems to be working.
“I support ASUU for not calling off the strike until their demands are met because it’s high time politicians stopped playing politics with education in this country; while they’re over earning far salaries that is far more than that of university professors.”
She added: “The universities and university lecturers deserve better as such, parents and students need to exercise patience as the strikes’ demands are for their good and well-being, as well as the future development of our universities.”
ASUU has been on strike since February 24, 2022, and a meeting of the union with the Federal Government still ended in a deadlock on Tuesday.