By Adetula David
Just like most students have tagged it, if you call it 'impending mess', you may be right. If you call it a 'show down', you may be right and if you call it a 'face-off', you may be right as well but something is certain in Obafemi Awolowo University come tomorrow Tuesday, 21st July, 2015, the Management of the institution and the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) are ready to weigh muscle after both parties failed to reach a common ground in the just concluded weekend.
This evening saw the main entrance of the University militarized as armed men of the Nigerian Police Force have embarked on a parade and prepare for tomorrow's eventuality. Obvious with them are Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) and Patrol Vans. Aside these, there are speculations that men of the State Security Service (SSS) are within the University for similar reason.
As at the time of this report, it is not clear what they intend to do tomorrow but an average OAU student thinks they are there to dismantle NASU's possible barricade and lock-down at the school gate tomorrow.
Since July 3, members of the NASU have held the University community to a stand still as they demonstrated to agitate for the payment of their 64-months earned allowances. The Management has also since then responded that they are yet to receive the fund for that purpose from the Federal Government.
The lack of a Nigerian Minister for Education has been explained by critics as a major factor deteriorating the issue. A student of the institution who pleaded anonymity said "If Buhari has appointed a Minister for Education, he or she should be the one to intervene in this matter. How can Nigerian number one university be shut down for more than two weeks because of a claim that the FG has been indicted and nothing has been said by them. That is too bad."
Students of the University have earlier been directed by the University management to resume for academic work starting from tomorrow. The Students' Union in a counter Release issued out advised students of the Institution to stay off the campus until the whole issue has been resolved.
Below are pictures of the military presence at the school gate.
Photo Credit: @TobaCaleb
Just like most students have tagged it, if you call it 'impending mess', you may be right. If you call it a 'show down', you may be right and if you call it a 'face-off', you may be right as well but something is certain in Obafemi Awolowo University come tomorrow Tuesday, 21st July, 2015, the Management of the institution and the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) are ready to weigh muscle after both parties failed to reach a common ground in the just concluded weekend.
This evening saw the main entrance of the University militarized as armed men of the Nigerian Police Force have embarked on a parade and prepare for tomorrow's eventuality. Obvious with them are Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) and Patrol Vans. Aside these, there are speculations that men of the State Security Service (SSS) are within the University for similar reason.
As at the time of this report, it is not clear what they intend to do tomorrow but an average OAU student thinks they are there to dismantle NASU's possible barricade and lock-down at the school gate tomorrow.
Since July 3, members of the NASU have held the University community to a stand still as they demonstrated to agitate for the payment of their 64-months earned allowances. The Management has also since then responded that they are yet to receive the fund for that purpose from the Federal Government.
The lack of a Nigerian Minister for Education has been explained by critics as a major factor deteriorating the issue. A student of the institution who pleaded anonymity said "If Buhari has appointed a Minister for Education, he or she should be the one to intervene in this matter. How can Nigerian number one university be shut down for more than two weeks because of a claim that the FG has been indicted and nothing has been said by them. That is too bad."
Students of the University have earlier been directed by the University management to resume for academic work starting from tomorrow. The Students' Union in a counter Release issued out advised students of the Institution to stay off the campus until the whole issue has been resolved.
Below are pictures of the military presence at the school gate.
Photo Credit: @TobaCaleb
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