Ondo: NANS Flaunts Ajasin Before Akeredolu; Asks Him To Emulate Fmr. Governor

By Ayodele Oni

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Joint Campus Committee (JCC) has tasked Ondo state Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to take a clue from his kinsman, late Chief Adekunle Ajasin by making education affordable to the people.

Late Ajasin, who served as the first civilian Governor of the old Ondo State, between 1979 and 1983, had implemented free education at all levels, as one of the cardinal programmes of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria, (UPN).

The students body’s advice may have been propelled by the recent hike in tuition fees at the State owned tertiary institutions, which has led to the withdrawal of some students.

The JCC of NANS has, therefore,  given two weeks ultimatum to Governor Akeredolu to reverse the tuition fees payable in State Government owned tertiary institutions.

The NANS JCC Chairman, Surprise Omotosho said in Akure that late Chief Ajasin, knew the importance of education when he championed free, fair, compulsory and quality education.

The students leader expressed worry on the current state of education in the state and the country at large, lamenting that “it is saddened that tertiary education has now been taken away from the reach of indigent citizens of the State.”

According to him, the legacy Chief Ajasin left behind was sustainable until the emergence of the incumbent administration.

“The systemic destruction of Ondo State education legacy by the incumbent administration is not only shocking, but condemnable.

“While schools are starved of subvention, our Government serenade themselves to luxurious lifestyle and urge schools to look inward for revenue.

“One wonders if truly the administration is recouping what it spent to acquire the exalted office.

“Daily, we watch helplessly as our colleagues drop out of school and others resorting to self help. To worsen situation, the state’s irregular payment of salaries has turned our education system into another thing.

“Our lecturers are owed substantial amount of salaries. Some haven’t been paid for the past 6-7 months. How do they want these lecturers to feed or remain incorruptible when they are not paid?

“One of the reasons the government gave for the increment in tuition was that quality education is not cheap.

“But sadly, the standard of education on our campuses is dwindling daily with our lecturers preoccupied with how to manage and fend for their families. Our education is secondary to them.”