NANS kicks against conferment of national honour on Education Minister Adamu

• Says it is an insult to Nigerian students
• Declares ‘funeral plans’ for tertiary education under Buhari

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), yesterday, berated President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for planning to confer a national award on the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.

In a statement signed by its Coordinator, NANS Zone D, Adegboye Emmanuel Olatunji and PRO, NANS Zone D, Awoyinfa Opeoluwa, NANS said it was imperative to call the attention of the public and the international community to the brazen insult meted on Nigerian students by the administration of President Muhammadu.

The students said: “Without considering the fact that Nigerian universities students have been at home for close to eight months as a result of the failure of the Federal Government to meet the demands of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and to properly fund education, the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, is scheduled to be conferred with the National Honour of Commander of the Order of Niger (CON).”

They said that the recognition of patronage on the minister had not just demystified the sacredness of national honours, it has further shown to Nigerian students that this administration does not regard the youths as being critical stakeholders as far as national development is concerned.

“To say that a man under whose watch university students have been at home for close to eight months because of the strike embarked upon by lecturers got recognised by the President to be conferred with a national honour is a direct attack on the students.

“Rather than concentrate on the task of governance, the President is distributing national honours to different characters, mostly misfits. How can you be honouring people who have made the cost of living so high, as well as drastically poor standards of living?” the NANS stated.

‘’NANS condemns and rejects the national honours and honourees entirely. We want Nigerian students to be ready for grand mass action on the ASUU strike. We have been clear that this government is anti-public education and this is against the yearnings of millions of students and youths.

“In coming days, we shall be occupying the streets across the South-West region to conduct final burial rites of public education in the country as this is what the Buhari’s administration represents.”