Unilorin on strike is something nobody thought would happen. But this is Nigeria, new things happen every day. ASUU declared a 2-week warning strike earlier this week because of their unending beef with the Federal Government, and for the first time in 20 years, the Unilorin chapter of the association complied with the directive and put a stop to all academic activities in the school.
We asked 6 Unilorin students what they think about this development and what it means for them. Here’s what they said.
1. Noah, Department of Anatomy
“It feels like we’ve been scammed. The only reason anyone comes to UNILORIN is because of academic stability. So, it doesn’t make sense that they’ve thrown that advantage away. We were all led here because of the stable calendar. We are clowns. “
2. Olatunji, Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development
“Joining the strike wasn’t the right call. The university has always been proud of its academic stability, so it’s a shame that’s no longer a thing. The university’s reputation will suffer a blow, considering that her metric of excellence is tied to “immunity from strikes.”
3. Monisola, Department of English
“We didn’t see this coming. True, we knew that the school joined ASUU last year, but it was unclear if that meant that they would join subsequent strike actions. The school has a long academic stability record, but with this turn of events, it looks like that’s not guaranteed anymore, and of course, this will be felt deeply by the students. We are not used to this.”
4. Akinwale, Department of History
“I’m indifferent about UNILORIN ‘s involvement in this current strike, to be honest. It’s only for two weeks. However, it’s not cool that the present leadership of the UNILORIN chapter of ASUU has defiled a record the school has held for about twenty years. It feels like this will be the first of many strikes.”
5. Ope, Department of English
“I think it’s a good development that UNILORIN has joined the strike. In any struggle, you want to present a united front to bolster your prospects of victory. I will admit that it feels strange to experience this for the first time, but it is what it is. The only downside is that nothing will change. ASUU has been doing for a long time and their demands have not been met. So yes, it’s a waste of time.”
6. Femi, Department of Chemistry
UNILORIN’s involvement means that students of the university can no longer be sure of when they will graduate. This will change a lot. If the school calendar becomes unstable, there will be fewer numbers of applicants seeking admission into the school. That means lecture theatres will be less overcrowded, and there might be a considerable drop in the number of fresh students being advised to withdraw at the end of each session because of poor performance. That’s just me trying to see a silver lining.“
Why don’t you read this too before you go? We Asked 4 Nigerian Graduates To Share Their Post-NYSC Depression Experience
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