The Movement for A Socialist Alternative is in solidarity with the Nigerian students that initiated the #EndASUUStrike. We were in two states with our solidarity leaflets on the ASUU strike and our papers newly produced. With our little forces in the Obafemi Awolowo University (Osun) and Olabisin Onabanjo (Ogun) we were able to record a huge success. Below are the areas where we made interventions with our leaflets and papers.

REPORTS:

OAU-Ife TWO-DAY SOLIDARITY INTERVENTION

The convergence point of the protest was at OAU campus gate. Students from various schools were mobilized. Schools like Ire Poly, Esa Oke, Uniosun, and other schools nearby. Despite the fact that students were no longer present in Ife due to the closure of schools some weeks back, lots of OAU students travelled down to Ife for the protest. This shows how the protest was well publicized and mobilized for.

Students resolved after having a congress to block Ibadan road and Ede road. The protest was successful and well organized. A lot of dignitaries were held in the hold up caused by the barricades. The roads were locked for over 6 hours, with gyration and sensitization of the general public on the ongoing strike.

Congress was held to discuss on the next plan of actions. It was resolved that the protest should continue the second day and protest ground should be moved to OUI junction.

3 comrades participated at the protest. Over 300 copies of the ASUU leaflets were distributed. 7 copies of SOLIDARITY was sold. A contact was made and we planned to follow up.

On the second day, the convergence point was OAU campus gate. After that, students moved down to OUI junction as agreed. Ife-Ibadan-Ilesa highway were blocked. The protest attracted lot of attention from media across the nation. Students sensitized the commuters, traders on the ASUU strike and the need for proper funding of the education sector. The protest lasted for over 7 hours and it was resolved at Congress that the protest should continue on Monday.

2 comrades participated a the protest. 15 copies of SOLIDARITY was sold. It is interesting that majority of people that bought the paper are bike riders, teenagers and young people (hawkers) that sells goods at the highway. They also lamented on the state of education as most of them have to hawk before affording to purchase JAMB form and pay exorbitant school fees in public owned institutions.
We planned on having discussion/informal meeting with this young sets of people on the next day of action.

OGUN STATE INTERVENTION

On General y 2022, students of Olabisi Onabanjo University held a protest. The protest action was organised in solidarity with the ongoing ASUU strike and an opportunity for OOU students, and extension Nigerian students, to express their grievances against the Federal Government for its recalcitrant attitudes to education in Nigeria. 

A  General Assembly was held on Twitter – Twitter space to discuss a plan action by the Students’ Union Government( SUG) of OOU, this meeting resolved on the need for a protest. Planned within two days with seemingly less enthusiasm, one would have expected a low turn out from students but the protest had huge turn out of students who must have come from different states of the country. This seemingly lack of enthusiasm of student that was notice online is an indication of a subtle futility of social media despite it wide range of coverage it provide. It also indicate that students are now ready to take actions. 

This need for action was notice during the more than 3- hours of blockage of the road along the Ijebu Ode – Ibadan expressway. Despite the displeasure of drivers and passengers who are en route to various locations of the country, their support of the student’s actions was evident when a military van wanted to forcefully pass through the barricade. Both students, drivers, and parents all stood their ground to ensure the barricade wasn’t broken. 

35 copies of the paper were brought to the protest ground and all the copies were sold to both students and workers. #3500 was realised. A contact was gotten.