On Friday, students at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) in Ogbomoso issued university teachers a 72-hour deadline to withdraw from the Academic Staff Union of Universities’ strike (ASUU).
The students made the appeal in an Ibadan statement signed by the university’s Student Union Government President, Anuoluwa Adeboye, and the university’s Public Relations Officer, Gabriel Michael.
They advised academics to follow the lead of their colleagues at Kwara State University (KWASU), who had opted out of the strike.
The statement read: “We are giving the leadership of ASUU LAUTECH 72 hours to borrow a leaf from ASUU KWASU that wrote a special letter to the National ASUU based on peculiarity in their institution.
“LAUTECH ASUU should opt out of this ongoing strike or else the students’ union will be left with no choice than to see ASUU LAUTECH as saboteurs to the progress of LAUTECH.
“They are doing these for their selfish interests and total confrontation will commence after the 72 hours ultimatum.
“ASUU LAUTECH, up to date has refused to grant this sane request but gave excuses of no convenient time due to tensile loads on them.
“Yet they have the time to mobilise other ASUU Chapters to LAUTECH for reasons which only favours their interest.”
The students also bemoaned the strike’s impact on the school and the country’s education sector.
“The involvement of ASUU LAUTECH is not only dangerous for the students but also horrendous for the University system.
“As a student body, we are poised towards the rectification of our prestigious institution and a better educational system.
“Also delayed is their mobilisation for the NYSC by the four-week warning strike which was extended by eight weeks.
“Another disaster looms around the comer if the prevalent maladies are not immediately curbed,” it added.