Students of state-owned universities in Ondo State, operating under the National Association of Nigerian Students Joint Campus Committee (NANS-JCC), have issued a 14-day ultimatum to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to end the industrial dispute that has shut down academic activities across the state. The warning came on Monday in Akure, where students had gathered to protest the prolonged strikes affecting Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) and the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), Ondo. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), alongside NASU, SSANU and other unions, have been engaged in industrial action at the two institutions for over two months.
Protest Suspended After National Leadership Intervention
NANS-JCC chairman for Ondo State, Mayomi Adeboye, addressed journalists after the students agreed to suspend the protest following a direct appeal from the NANS national president. The national leadership informed the students that Governor Aiyedatiwa had signalled that his administration was working to address the unions' demands. Adeboye said students were suffering the consequences of a dispute they played no part in creating. He cited a particularly damaging case in which a student allegedly lost a $67,000 scholarship because his university was not in session at the time the opportunity was available.
"The students agreed to give the government two weeks to resolve the issues and ensure the resumption of academic activities," he said, adding that failure to do so would bring students back onto the streets. He warned that the NANS national leadership could go further by directing its structures across the country to relocate their secretariats to Ondo State in solidarity and mobilise for a statewide protest.
Students Count the Cost of Prolonged Closure
The industrial action has had tangible consequences for students, including the loss of a $67,000 scholarship opportunity by one student, according to Adeboye. This case highlights the broader impact of the strike on students' academic and financial prospects. The unions involved include ASUU, NASU, SSANU and other staff associations, which have been on strike for over two months, disrupting academic calendars and leaving students in limbo.
The students' decision to suspend the planned protest in Akure came after the NANS national president assured them that the governor was taking steps to meet union demands. However, the 14-day ultimatum now places pressure on the Ondo State Government to reach a settlement with the striking unions before students make good on their threat to escalate action.
UNIMED Students' Union Backs Dialogue
Adekunle Samuel, president of the UNIMED Students' Union, said the decision to hold back on the planned protest showed that students remained open to resolving the crisis through engagement rather than confrontation. This stance reflects a willingness among student leaders to give the government a chance to address the underlying issues, while keeping the threat of further demonstrations as a fallback.
The 14-day window now places pressure on the Ondo State Government to reach a settlement with the striking unions before students make good on their threat to escalate action. The outcome of this ultimatum will determine whether academic activities resume at AAUA and UNIMED or whether students will return to the streets in a more coordinated and widespread protest.
