…From Dele Ogunyemi, Ibadan…
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said that President Goodluck Jonathan’s media chat of Sunday evening has succeeded in further showing Nigerians the clueless nature of the leadership to solving pressing problems of insecurity, corruption and the comatose education sector.
While picking holes in the President Goodluck Jonathan’s chat, ASUU described it as ‘empty and comfortless’.
ASUU made its feelings known on Monday in a release signed by the Chairman of the University of Ibadan Chapter, Dr Olusegun Ajiboye titled “Nigeria at 53: No message of hope for Nigerians Yet”.
According to the ASUU release, the hope that Nigerians had to listen to practical solutions to the problems in the country was dashed when they listened to the ‘empty’ interview which offered no solutions.
ASUU asked Nigerians to prevail upon “this government to consider the poor and the children of the poor by giving the needed and necessary attention to public education in Nigeria”.
ASUU said the presidential team needs to work on the president to bring messages of hope and not dampen the morale of the already dejected Nigerians.
He said: “Nigerians were all disappointed at President Jonathan’s media chat on the eve on the 53rd independence anniversary of the country. Many Nigerians expected their President to come out with practical solutions and cogent policy statements on urgent, burning national issues were greatly disappointed at the drab media chat. The President cannot be quoted on any of the issues raised during the interview. Most of his answers were not only evasive but lame. Critical issues, such as Boko Haram insurgency, lingering ASUU strike were all treated with mere disdain by the President. The closure of Nigerian universities for upwards of three months received a lackadaisical treatment from Mr. President.”
Nigerians were at sea when their President and Commander- in- Chief was asked questions on one Boko Haram leader, and the President could only replied that “I don’t know him”. Mr. President, do you need to sit down in town hall meetings before you know the terrorists inflicting lots of pains and agonies on your people daily? Did Obama need to know Osama bin Laden before he took decisive action to end his reign of terror?
Dr Ajiboye who said the President ‘is politicizing the ASUU strike’ said it was unfortunate for the president who passed through a Nigerian university to treat the sector with such ‘hatred and disfavour’.
According to him “it was clear that Mr. President was just rehearsing the positions of his aides. “ASUU strike has been politicised”. The question is by who? It is evident that rather than ASUU, the President and his team are the ones politicising education and playing with the future of the teeming youths of this country. ASUU members successfully midwifed the 2011 generally elections and they were not accused of playing politics then!! It is only now some people are waking up to label members of ASUU of playing politics with strike.