By Adeola Badru
MEMBERS of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) from the Lagos and Ibadan zones on Friday stormed the Agodi Oyo state Governor’s Office in protest of the continued neglect of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso by the Oyo and Osun State governments, calling for the adequate funding of the institution.
The ASUU members who staged a peaceful protest to the Governor’s Office were initially resisted by the security personnel to gain entrance, until the situation was calmed down by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, the Commissioner for Education and other top government officials.
The protesters who first gathered at the office of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Agodi Gate, carrying placards with various inscriptions, walked through Total Garden –UCH-and terminated it at the Oyo State Secretariat, Agodi Ibadan where they delivered a letter of protest to the Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
Institutions under the Lagos zone include, University of Lagos; Lagos State University; Olabisi Onabanjo University; Tai Solarin University of Education and University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, while the University of Ibadan, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osun State University, Kwara State University and University of Ilorin made up the Ibadan zone of the union.
The protesters were led by both the Ibadan and Lagos zonal leaders of the union. Inscriptions on some of the placards read, “Aregbe, Ajimobi, do not kill the best state University in Nigeria”, “What is Omoluabi in not funding education”, “Education is the heritage of Yorubas, do not kill Lautech”, ASUU Lagos Zone demands adequate funding for Lautech, Ogbomosho, and fund education in Nigeria”, “ASUU Lautech, Ogbomosho says Lautech must not be liquidated. Governors Ajimobi/Aregbesola, release funds to Lautech as advocated by Wole Olanipekun visitation panel” and “You are all products of free public education, do not destroy it.”
