Omoyele Sowore, the #RevolutionNow convener has urged Nigerian students to rise against incessant increments in tuition fees by universities nationwide amid economic hardship in Nigeria.
Mr Sowore said this while commenting on how Nigerian youths demanded justice following the death of a popular Afrobeat singer, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, known professionally as MohBad.
Mr Sowore said this at the Joint Action Front Symposium held at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State on Saturday, adding that he would be pleased if Nigerian youths could replicate what they did for MohBad and protest against the challenges confronting the growth of the country’s educational sector.
Sowore charged Nigerian students to fight against incessant industrial action and the continual increment of school fees in public-owned tertiary institutions nationwide.
He said, “Students in Nigeria University School could not even fight against school fee increments, who could not fight against the government when ASUU went on strike. They’re fighting for MohBad.
“Yes, there is no university in the Southwest that did not organize a protest for MohBad. As much as I love MohBad, because I love his music, I wish the students when they are done with MohBad, would fight for themselves. Fight to put air-conditioners in your classrooms.”
The human rights activist also said that hospitals in war-ravaged Gaza are better than the first teaching hospital in Nigeria – University College Hospital, adding that Gaza, despite the huge destruction witnessed in recent times due to an ongoing war between Israel and Hamas militants, offers better social amenities to its dwellers than Nigeria.
He said: “Common air-conditioner in this room is meant for maybe 200 people; the University of Ibadan cannot provide it. Watch the war between Israel and Palestinians.
“The Gaza hospitals that I watch every day are better than the University Teaching Hospital in Ibadan. Go and watch them. You’re looking at them and you are pitying them. Their streets, even after they bombed Gaza, the streets are still better than the streets of Lagos. Why are you lionizing this bunch of people whom you call leaders?”