The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has constituted a committee made up of elder statesmen in the country to help provide permanent resolutions to the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union’s crisis in Nigeria.
Danielson Bamidele Akpan, president of NANS, in a statement on Saturday said the committee’s resolution will bring about new dawn in the educational sector.
He said, “History has it that Nigeria education system was good such that other countries sent their nationals to acquire tertiary education in Nigeria. Until the inglorious days set in beginning in the year 1988 when the academic staff unions of universities started what is today known as the “ASUU Strike”.
“It is no longer news to Nigerians that not only has ASUU strike affected the standard of education in Nigeria, but that other academic staff unions have followed suit, e.g Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU).
“Consequently, we began consultations to seek the support of elder statesmen and eminent Nigerians to interface with ASUU, ASUP, COEASU, other unions, stakeholders and the federal government to bring a permanent solution to the incessant academic strike actions which has damaged our educational sector and made us a subject of ridicule in the comity of nations.”
Named in the committee are HRM. (Oba) Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi II, Ooni of Ife; HRM. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II, Emir of Kano; HRM. Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe I, Obi of Onitsha; HRM. (Dr) Victor Folagbade Olateru – Olagbegi III, Olowo of Owo.
Others are Chief Edwin Clark, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, Aare Afe Babalola, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, Mrs. Folorunso Alakija, Prof. Suleiman Bala Mohammed, Vice Chancellor, Nasarawa State University, Keffi; Prof. Rukayat Mohammed, a former minister of Education, Chief Femi Falana and Barr. Kayode Ajulo.
Bamidele said “the association is of the belief that the selected elder statesmen have all the requisite and will be patriotic enough in the discharging of this ‘life time task”.
