ASUU Strike: Okeyomi Urges Early Resolution to Dispute

 

Renowned security expert, Dr. Oladipupo Okeyomi, has made a passionate appeal to both university lecturers and the federal government to arrive at a middle ground, to end the lingering strike that has kept students at home for upwards of seven months.

He reacted to the logjam, while fielding questions from journalists, shortly after being bestowed with a Philantrophy Award by the Rotary Club Ota, Ogun State, in recognition of his youth development and human empowerment through the instrumentality of his non-governmental organisation, Change Agent Foundation International (CAFI).

In his award acceptance speech through his Media Aide, Lateef Olawale thanked CAFIANS and dedicated the award to Almighty God who enables his philanthropy and other social impact initiatives.

“I also want to thank Nigerians and I dedicate this award to God Almighty who gave me the heart, courage and strength to do the things that myself and my wife do. It is not just me alone. If I don’t have that support of a woman who sees herself in others. A woman who believes service to humanity is the most important”, Carry Go said.

The CAFI President, who used the opportunity to preach peace and unity, noted that there were issues in Nigeria but with love and respect, they could be addressed. In his words: “The present predicament in Nigeria cannot be solved by force but by reconciliatory moves, just as it was done in the Niger Delta.

Okeyomi, who is a special consultant on security matters to the Interior Minister, noted that both officials in the nation's education ministry and leaders of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) are parents, and as such, should come to amity in the interest of the students.

"While every right-thinking person knows that the lecturers are fighting for improved condition of Nigeria's university system, the federal government also wishes to get the best of the system but are possibly constrained by funds.

"Under such a tight situation, a give and take strategy has to be adopted for both parties to come to amity and save these idling students from drifting away into vices, having stayed for too long at home," he appealed.

Okeyomi particularly cautioned both parties against engaging in 'media war' or other inflammatory statements capable of worsening the crisis.

 He called on both religious leaders and other eminent Nigerians to wade in, noting, "The future of these children is a clear mirror of the future of Nigeria, and we cannot afford to toy with it".

He particularly urged both the ASUU and the FG to reach a rapprochement through a water-tight agreement that succeeding administrations will find inviolable.

Okeyomi, a notable APC leader in Lagos with base in Ojokoro axis of Ifako/Ijaiye LGA, appealed to parents to cater to the welfare of their children, particularly in the face of various cases of kidnapping and banditry.

He also urged the security agencies to up their game, with a view to curbing such ugly trends, even as he expressed the optimism that "Nigeria will overcome this sorry pass with the goodwill and collaboration of all citizens of good conscience."

Okeyomi who is also the Deputy Chairman, Special Operations, Enforcement Team for Lagos State Landed Properties, particularly commended the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in Lagos, for initiating various programmes to empower the youths at the grassroots' level.

"As a leader of *4+4 Sanwo-Olu Re-election Group*, I can confidently say the governor will get a second term because we have felt the pulse of the people and they all desire him to continue in office" he declared.

On his philantrophy, Okeyomi recalled how he had, since 2006, used the CAFI to provide scholarship to over 3,000 indigent students, provided innumerable work tools to artisans and empowered widows, the enfeebled, and other less-privileged Nigerians, among others.

On the 2023 presidential election, Okeyomi called for massive support for the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, noting that his transformation of Lagos to an habitable modern city during his eight-year tenure as governor, "was a screaming validity to the fact that this is the type of man we want as Nigerian President".

Earlier in his remarks at the presentation of the award, the President of Rotary Club Ota, Hon. Jimoh Alade, described Dr. Okeyomi, widely known by his admirers as Carry Go, as a man with human kindness flowing through his veins, going by his long record of charity. The prestigious award, is in recognition of his exceptional philanthropy prowess and Humanitarian services to the society. 

He urged other well-to-do Nigerians to emulate the good examples laid by Okeyomi, which fell in line with the principle for which the Rotary Club stand.