Students of tertiary institutions owned by the Osun State Government on Monday, September 21,2015 to the streets of the state capital, Osogbo to protest the prolonged strike embarked upon by their lecturers as a result of non-payment of their salaries by Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
Students, mostly from the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree; Osun State College of Technology, Esa Oke; Colleges of Education in Ila and Ilesa,commenced the protests in Olaiya before trekking to the State Secretariat in Abere, chanting anti-government songs and slogans.
.The students arrived at the secretariat around 11 am, laying siege at the gate until about 12:50pm, when the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, arrived with her convoy.
As soon as she arrived, the students were said to have laid on the ground in front and behind the car, making it impossible for her go into the secretariat or turn back.
Moves by Laoye-Tomori to calm the students down failed as they remained adamant.
Also caught in the melee was the Permanent Secretary of the Osun State Ministry of Education, Lawrence Oyeniran, who the students make jest of by poking his stomach.
Lukman Adekitan, the Chairman of the Osun State chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students, said the students were tired of staying at home due to the strike in the four institutions.
He called on Governor Rauf Aregbesola to addressed the issues raised by the lecturers, saying students of the affected schools have wasted a lot of time due to incessant strikes.
