College Of Education Lecturers Demand Supervising Minister Of Education Wike Resign As Strike Enters Fourth Month

Members of the Ondo State Chapter of Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) at Adeyemi College of Education Ondo, held a rally and protest on Saturday, fed up with the slowness of union negotiations and demanded the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, resign.
Protestors chanted solidarity songs and waved placards saying "Jonathan should respond to the Cries of the Masses," "Wike is unfit for Education Minister," and "What we need is quality Education."
The four month old strike began when lecturers complained about the need to improve the academic standard for students who graduate with teaching certificates. During that time according to a source the government has only met twice with union members, with no resolution.  On both occasions different government representatives were sent for discussions.
The protest was led by the union's Chairman, Dr. Samuel Akintunde who said the Federal government wasn't being sincere in its union negotiations, and the strike was paralyzing academic and business activities at government-owned colleges of education in the country.
Dr. Akintunde said, "We are only protesting and agitating for quality education in Nigeria. We have tabled 10 issues that can make education
move forward but the federal government has turned a deaf ear to those issues."
He added, "Try and visit any visit any of the colleges of education. What you will discover is that lecturers are teaching and working with obsolete
tools. It is high time all these things changed. Secondary schools workshops and laboratories are better than those in Nigeria's Colleges of Education."
During the rally, the Nigerian Police Force, Ondo Command led by CSP Emmanuel Okoi prevented the protesting workers from disrupting the free
flow of vehicles at the Akure- Ondo-Ore-Lagos way which is close to the College front gate.
A sources told Saharareporters that it was a tug of war initially but they later settled and resolved to stage the protest at the college's gate which was barricaded for many hours.
Speaking during the protest, the former National President of Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, Mr. Remi Makinde said the union is critical of the Minister of Education who lacks the intellectual skill to provide workable solutions.
He added "Honestly, it would have been good if President Jonathan appointed the Supervisory Minister (Wike) as his Special Adviser on Governor Rotimi Amaechi's matter rather than putting him in a position that decides the future of all Nigerian students."
And as to whether the strike might be resolved any time soon, Dr. Akintunde said "Is not that we are not ready to work, but the government have been delaying us from working and I think the only language they understand is protest and strike. We will continue to sit at home until they meet with our demands".