Sola Adeyemo, IBADAN 
The University of Ibadan chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has bemoaned the social, political and economic woes of Nigeria, saying the political class should be held responsible for the situation. Commentingonthecountry’s 62nd Independence anniversary, the Chairman, Prof. Ayoola Akinwole, accused the ruling class of “internal colonialism and domination”.
According to him, Nigeria needs true leaders who can deliver good governance and pursue ultimate happiness of the generality of Nigerians. “If the government is to make life bearable for the governed, the very many people who witnessed colonial rule regret the current state of Nigeria.
The manner in which the ruling class have piloted the affairs of the country since 1960 is nothing but internal colonialism and domination,” he said.
Akinwole maintained that there was nothing to celebrate about the country’s independence, saying it is a shame that successive governments have been unable to solve the electricity problem and make education the driver of development.
He said: “A cross-section of Nigerians will, no doubt, agree that there are no grounds for celebrations and fanfare, due to the deplorable state of affairs in the country. “The treatment meted out to Nigerians, most especially the intelligentsia, by the government and ruling class, most especially in the current administration of MajorGeneralMuhammadu Buhari, is worse off.
“It also reflects the oppressive tendencies of some university administration onWorkers’Unions. Thepayment of 30, 000 is worse than slavery. “Thenon-paymentof salaries for over seven months is inhuman treatment, aimed at depriving them of their humanity and turning them into modern slaves.
The Nigerianrulingclassrepresents the worst form of evil of internal colonialism unknown anywhere in the modern world.
They mobilise the resources of the country and cart the same away to foreign land, leaving their country and citizens in penury and deprivation. Nowhere is the decadenceof anindependent Nigeria more abysmal than in the education system.”
However, Akinwole applauded the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) for their social consciousness demonstrated “in this trying period, defying authorities whose own children have been ferried abroad to study in universities, their fees paid with money obtained from our common treasury”.
