Prof. Alewo Johnson-Akubo.
By Correspondent in Lokoja.
The Federal Government and ASUU have been advised to quickly end the strike, considering its consequences on the students, parents, and the nation’s economic growth and development.
Prof. Alewo Johnson-Akubo, the university’s Vice-Chancellor, gave the advice on Friday in Lokoja in an interview with newsmen.
“The Federal Government and ASUU must quickly end this strike in the interest of the nation’s economic growth and development, considering its consequences,”he stressed.
The VC expressed concern that the lingering strike could lead to a development whereby ‘our universities will be deserted by quality lecturers, thereby making it difficult to have natural replacements for such lecturers.”
He also expressed worry that there could probably be massive movement of lecturers in droves immediately after the strike is called off, adding that this “will not augur well for the Nigerian education sector.”
He said Salem University, Lokoja had so far graduated no fewer than 4,000 students since its inception in 2007.
The university boss described the institution as a “God-inspired vision,which targets the transformation of the youths he called “change agents.”
According to him, graduates of the institution create positive global impact immediately after they pass out.
He said: “We have had 12 sets of graduation with all our programmes in the six colleges accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC) as the institution operates collegial system and not faculty system.
“The six colleges are:College of Management and Social Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, College of Information and Communication Technology, College of Humanities, College of Education and College of Law, as well as the Postgraduate School.
“Interestingly, we have met the vision of the university in very concrete terms due to the testimonies we have heard about our graduates, even at NYSC orientation camps and their places of primary assignments, standing out amongst others.”
The VC explained that the students usually come into the university as raw materials, adding that in four years, the institution returned them to their parents/guardians as “processed and finished products called “change agents.”
According to him, they go out into the world not looking for jobs but to be self-employed and be employers of labour, creating global impact.
“This is because when the students come into Salem University, we don’t just give them academic knowledge, but take care of their spiritual needs, to be found worthy in character and in learning.
“In fact, Salem University has a vision of raising global leaders that are spiritually and mentally alert and intellectually developed to change their World, ” he added.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
