Lagos State First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has made a passionate appeal to all stakeholders in the education sector to work towards resolving the prolonged strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), describing the situation as a ticking time bomb that must be urgently addressed.
She made the appeal on Tuesday at a special Eid-El-Fitr celebration hosted by the Lagos State First Family and the State Government at Lagos House, Alausa Ikeja to commemorate the end of Ramadan.
In her words: “Our children need to go back to school. It is a ticking time bomb when our children sit at home doing nothing. The devil will find work for the idle hands. Our children, those in the Universities, sitting down at home for two months is not a plus for us and so anytime we have the opportunity, we as parents, especially mothers, should continue speaking up
“The Federal Universities are shut down as a result of the ASUU strike. We plead and plead that God will help us to resolve this issue. I don’t feel comfortable that the students are at home and whatever it takes, all hands must be on deck to ensure that they go back to school,” she added.
The First Lady also admonished the youths to shun all ungodly, immoral, and bestial acts, just as she urged parents to pay closer attention to issues affecting their children.
“As we bask in the euphoria of this sacred celebration, it is also important to seize the opportunity of this spiritual exercise to admonish our children and youths to shun all ungodly, immoral and bestial acts. As parents and guardians too, we must lead by example and pay closer attention to the totality of what concerns our children and wards”, Mrs. Sanwo-Olu said.
Emphasising the need for parents to pay attention to the privacy of their kids and guide them on the right path, the First Lady also pointed out the importance of earning the trust and confidence of their children.
“Let us be their true and sincere friends so that we can earn their trust and confidence to discuss anything and everything with us. That way, we have the unique opportunity to put things right”, she said.
Mrs. Sanwo-Olu stated that beyond Ramadan, it is important for people to imbibe and sustain the principles of the holy month such as peace, kindness, compassion and happy co-existence.
Her words: “The Holy Prophet held these principles in high esteem and lived his whole life around them. It is also important for us to allow all these virtues to reflect in our actions, public conduct, and interpersonal relations with everyone around us long after Ramadan. This way, we will improve on the cordial relationship that exists among the various ethnic groups and adherents of different religions in our State”
The celebration was attended by dignitaries including the Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat and his wife, Oluremi; top government functionaries from the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary; Political Leaders, Islamic Clerics, Traditional Rulers and members of various organisations.
There was also musical entertainment by Sauti Arewa, Gawat, Alaka Twins and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Muslim Artists Group (ABATMAG) led by Queen Seyidat Olohungbebe.
