NANS vows to resist disruption of academic activities in FUOYE

Angered by the threat issued by the National Vice President, Western Zone of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Abdussobur Salaam, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Southwest Zone, has vowed to resist any act capable of disrupting the smooth academic calendar of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE).

It would be recalled that SSANU Western zone on Thursday rejected the decisions of Governing Council of FUOYE to exonerate the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Fasina on the allegation of sexual harassment leveled against him and threatened to visit FUOYE campus with a mother of all protest that would consist of SSANU members from 26 Universities.

In a statement signed by NANS South West zone D executives, Comrade Owolewa Taiwo, Coordinator; Comrade Oluwole Olutunde, General Secretary; Comrade Kuku Isaiah, Public Relations Officer, warned the SSANU zonal leaders to perish the thought of disrupting academic activities in FUOYE.

The statement further reads in part: “The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Southwest Zone, under the stewardship of Comrade Owolewa Taiwo, hereby issues this statement to unequivocally denounce and reject, in its entirety, the recent press release issued by the Western Zone of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), concerning the internal affairs of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE).

“As the legitimate and authoritative voice of Nigerian students in the Southwest, we declare—without reservation—that we will not fold our arms and watch any individual or group, whether union-affiliated or otherwise, attempts to plunge our institution into disorder or jeopardise an academic calendar that impacts the future of over 50,000 students at FUOYE.

“We are fully aware of SSANU’s thinly veiled threat to mobilise its members across 26 universities in the Western Zone for industrial action or protest at FUOYE. Let it be known: Nigerian students—and the entire NANS structure in the Southwest and beyond—will respond with even greater mobilisation across our more than 70 tertiary institutions, comprising over 300,000 students.

“This is not a threat—it is a declaration of our unwavering readiness to safeguard the academic future of Nigerian students.

“We must remind SSANU that during its previous disruptive protest, when essential services on the FUOYE campus were halted, we suffered a tragic and irreparable loss—a bright and promising student passed away due to the closure of the University Health Centre, which denied access to emergency medical care. We say: NEVER AGAIN.”

NANS further said,” Furthermore, we urge SSANU to channel its grievances through appropriate legal and administrative means rather than resorting to disruptive actions with the potential to deepen existing tensions.”

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