The last has not been heard of the eight months strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of University ASUU.
While the strike has been called off with months of academic calendar wasted , students are no doubt at the receiving end of the strike. Although the undergraduates and post graduate students are returning to school, a set of students who have completed thier examinations before the strike started and should be convoking come November 17th which is the period the university of Ibadan holds it’s convocation ceremony have been informed that thier names are not on the list of convoking students for the year 2022 .
The students who are mostly PhD graduands’ have stayed longer on thier various programmes due to strikes and the Covid – 19 pandemic and for them to be informed they will not be convoking this year is causing them worries.
One of the students who requested anonymity said ” I successfully defended my thesis since December 2021 after so much delay from strike and Covid 19. some of my mates completed thier examinations in October. I was very happy when I was finally done and was looking forward to my convocation this year but I was informed that my name and that of other graduands’ are not on the list of those convoking this year. They said this is due to the eight months strike embarked upon by ASUU and the non teaching staff. I was told to go and prepare for next year’s convocation ceremony. The news has dampened my mood. I and my family were looking forward to the convocation and my wearing the red gown this year but because of a strike that is not our fault, I will not partake in this year’s convocation. I’m not happy at all”.
Another affected student who also requested anonymity said ” I was also informed about the fact that the strike affected our names being sent to Senate of the university to deliberate on our results and since the university Senate has not deliberated on it all this while due to the strike, then there is no way we are going to participate in the convocation of this year. I heard alot of us are affected. I’m sad about this. I learnt that we are about 200 PhD graduands affected. Some of my classmates had thier convocation last year and I was looking forward to mine this year. I have paid for the gown and getting ready for the celebration. I have informed friends and family members to join me this year to celebrate my convocation but I have been informed to wait till next year. One don’t know what will happen next year. The university workers can just decide to go on strike again . I am appealing to UI Senate to quickly sit and deliberate on our results so our names can be included in the convocation booklet. We should not be punished for what is not our fault”.
