Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, yesterday, urged stakeholders in the education sector to intervene towards a quick resolution of the logjam on the ongoing face-off between the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.
He made the appeal at his Alarere residence, while playing host to the executive members of the Conference of Alumni Association of Nigerian Universities, CAANU, led by its Chairman, Professor Ahmed Mora.
Recalling his earlier call on the Federal Government and ASUU not to allow the issue to snowball into full blown industrial unrest when the universities’ teachers served the notice of strike with a week’s warning strike, the monarch lamented that his call was not heeded.
The Olubadan, therefore, urged the association to use its positions, either as individuals or corporate body, to reach out to the two parties in the dispute to sheath their swords and give room for amicable resolution, noting that “where two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.”
He said: “I want to use this opportunity of having these August visitors around to appeal to the Federal Government and the ASUU to let the interest of our children be paramount in whatever decision they take.
“In whatever we do in life, time is of essence and there has not been mechanism to redeem any time lost which is why all the parties involved in this current imbroglio must reach a compromise and end it for the sake of the children and their traumatised parents.”
