The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba; former Senator and activist, Shehu Sani, and the Country Director of Actionaid Nigeria, Ene Obi, are leading hundreds of protesters in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, against the continued shutdown of Nigerian public universities.
The protesters, who had converged on the Unity Fountain, a popular protest ground in the capital city, were on their way to the National Assembly, chanting solidarity songs and carrying banners and placards bearing various inscriptions stating their demands.
It is the second day of the two-day nationwide protest declared by the NLC, the umbrella body of workers in Nigeria.
Various state chapters of the union had mobilised their members, parents and allies on Tuesday to kick off the two-day protest, even as they presented a list of demands to the state governors for onward delivery to President Muhammadu Buhari.
On Wednesday, as early as possible, protesters defied the precarious security situation in the capital city to demand the reopening of the universities. They said the more than five-month-old industrial action by the university workers is a contributory factor to the degenerating security situation across the country.
Joining the protest in Abuja are members of the national leadership of the striking university workers’ unions including the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Allied Institutions (NASU), and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), among others.
Leading the protest on Wednesday, Mr Wabba urged participants not to relent until the goal of reclaiming the lost glory in Nigeria’s education, economic, health and other sectors are reclaimed.
In response, the crowd chorused; “We would not be tired.”
“Save Teacher Education, Address Issues Now;” “We are Tired of Unfulfilled Promises,” among others, are some of the inscriptions on their banners.
Also conspicuous at the protest ground are members of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), who were also armed with placards and banners.
