…From Dele Ogunyemi, Ibadan…
The National Executive Council of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has resolved to establish a foundation in honour of its former President, Professor Festus Iyayi who died during the 2013 prolonged nationwide strike embarked upon by the union.
Rising from its NEC meeting held at the University of Ibadan, the Union also resolved to name its National Secretariat located at the University of Abuja after the late activist.
According to the ASUU NEC resolution, the Iyayi foundation shall have components such as scholarships for indigent students, publications and literary awards.
It will be recalled that Professor Iyayi died on Tuesday, November 12, 2013 in a car crash on his way to Kano to participate in the ASUU National Executive Council meeting expected to declare an end to the over 4-month strike.
The resolution which was signed by the National President of the Union, Dr Nasir Fagge Isa stoutly condemned the imposition of fees by the Obafemi Awolowo University administration on students and their parents.
ASUU directed its members in OAU to ensure the reversal of the new imposed fees in apparent backing the students who have been protesting against what they called unjustified increment of school fees by the university authorities.
The Union described the imposition of new fees as a violation of ASUU’s standing principle, just as it warned against commercialization of education which it argued is a public good.
The resolution read in part: “University education must be seen as public good. Something which anyone can consume as much as desired without reducing the amount available for others and individuals should not be prevented from consuming it whether or not the individual pay for it. The unity, security and development of our country depend on the quality and effectiveness of our university education. This must not be mortgaged at the altar of market forces and/or spurious loans conditionalities.”