Nigerians on social media, on Tuesday, berated Aisha, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari after she shared photos of her daughter-in-law, Zahra’s graduation from a foreign university amid the ongoing strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), THE WITNESS reports.
Nigerian students in public universities have been at home for months after the university lecturers embarked on strike over the inability of the federal government to meet their demands.
ASUU had declared the commencement of a strike on Monday, February 14, 2022, at the University of Lagos. It had then declared a four-week warning strike. But after a month, the lecturers extended it by eight weeks, saying the government needs more time to look at its demands.
Following the Federal Government and lecturers’ inability to reach a resolution, the union on May 9 further extended the strike by 12 weeks.
The university teachers are seeking improved welfare, the revitalisation of public universities, and academic autonomy among others. Several meetings between government representatives and ASUU have ended in deadlock. One such was held about three weeks ago with the Professor Nimi Briggs Committee at the National University Commission (NUC) in Abuja. But sources disclosed that the Briggs Renegotiation Committee did not come up with a new deal.
The union however declared an indefinite strike on August 29, 2022.
While the students remain at home, however, Mrs. Buhari, on Tuesday, shared pictures of herself and her daughter-in-law, Yusuf’s wife, who is said to have graduated with a First Class honours in Architectural Science in the UK university.
The post immediately attracted condemnations from Nigerians on Facebook who reminded her that her husband, the president, has not been able to resolve ASUU strike, but is sending her own children overseas for education.
Zahra is married Yusuf, the president’s first son.
The First Lady attended the graduation at one of the United Kingdom’s universities on Tuesday.
“Congratulations to Mrs. Zahra B Buhari on your graduation with First Class Honors in Architectural Science, she wrote on her Facebook page on Tuesday. “Wishing you all the best!”
See reactions on Facebook below:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=621085826038255&id=100044105302605&sfnsn=scwspwa&extid=a
