As the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) enters into its six months, a legal icon, Chief Wole Olanipekun has called on prominent Nigerians to see the strike as a major national emergency which must be resolved immediately.
Chief Olanipekun who equally challenged all alumni associations in the country to wake up in defense of their alma maters asserted that it would amount to self-delusion if they still expect much from the government.
While delivering the 2022 National Public Service Lecture of University of Ibadan Alumni Association entitled "Building Blocks for Unbundling the Critical Problems plaguing Education in Nigeria: A clarion call to Alumni Associations to rebuild the collapsing portal through which they passed", the legal luminary noted that "governments at all levels in this country today appear not to be able to help themselves how much more remembering or thinking of educational institutions"
According to him, "if we placed premium emphasis on education, how much is ASUU requesting that we cannot give? These lecturers are not just fighting for themselves, they are fighting for the future of public education in the country", adding, "this is the time for all prominent Nigerians including alumni associations to fight for the education of our youth".
He further said " I foresee a future, and a near one for that matter, where the federal and state governments will privatize all the state-owned Universities and tertiary institutions. This is a prediction which should not meet any one of us by surprise, otherwise, we may be echoing there was a University".
He however lamented, "our children are not happy with us, and we are also not happy with ourselves as parents. Our educational system is crumbling, our Universities and tertiary institutions are failing and failing, yet, government will not believe that we have sunk this low.
Chief Olanipekun who decried government's attitude to education asked, "Do we want to keep on jesting, partying, wining, dining, dancing and celebrating while the portals that bred us are burning? stressing that "this is a time for action rather than rhetoric; a season of awakening rather than dozing, a time to build up rather than watching the collapsing walls".
Calling on alumni associations to collaborate so as to save the Universities that made them, the legal icon maintained that" we have no alternative than to give back to these institutions and by so doing, we will be regenerating generations better and greater than us", pointing out that "anything to the contrary will amount to advertently or inadvertently joining forces with temporary and transient powers to extinguish these beautiful old schools of ours".
In his words: "Even in developed countries where their governments appreciate the importance of education, alumni Association still play substantial roles in sustaining the portals through which they passed"
Chief Olanipekun who stressed the relevance of alumni associations in the development of their old schools, disclosed that it was the alumni who prevented the University of Lagos from being renamed Moshood Abiola University (MAULAG), in 2012 by taking government to court.
Specifically, he challenged all former students of the University of Ibadan to work for the development of the institution saying "UI must not be allowed to rust because if gold rusts, what will happen to iron? If UI trusts what will happen to other Universities in Nigeria?"
Earlier in his welcome remarks, Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Kayode Adebowale who was represented by his Deputy on Administration, Prof. Ezekiel Ayoola observed that the on-going crisis was one of the longest industrial actions in the history of the public university system in Nigeria, saying all stakeholders seem to be at a loss regarding the way out of the impasse.
Among the dignitaries at the occasion were Dr. Akin Onigbinde who was the Chairman of the occasion, Vice Chancellor, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Prof. Timothy Abiodun Adebayo, former UI VC, Prof. Abel Idowu Olayinka among others.