The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) were not spared on Monday over a typographical error in its latest statement to address Nigerian students.
Students in Nigeria-owned tertiary institutions are currently out of school after their campuses were shut due to an ongoing industrial strike action coupled with the compulsory school closure to prevent a further spread of coronavirus in the country.
Although activities are gradually returning to normal in different sectors of the country, the schools remain shut amidst students protest for the schools to be reopened. Many of the students fault ASUU for the continued closure of schools. This, ASUU tried addressing on Monday when it went awry.
The union released a statement titled “ASUU Chairman Asks Nigerian Students For Their Corporation”. The ‘corporation’ would have been cooperation – to mean a plea for students’ support in their ongoing negotiation with the Nigerian government. But it was spelt corporation.
ASUU continued – “Students who are our children and partners in progress should show understanding, what we are asking from the government are in their interest and the interest of the nation, good hostel accommodation, good classroom blocks that can engender effective learning laboratories where cutting edge research can be carried out and offices that can drive the process of quality university education.”
The union explained that their demands from the “government are not baseless things, but those things that in 2012, the government conducted during a needs assessment survey and found out that there is widespread rot and decay in the university system.”
ASUU’s explanation regardless, Nigerian students on Twitter showed no interest in the full message except the typo.