GRIEF 

We received with heavy heart this afternoon the death of comrade Dr Festus Iyayi, one time President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) reportedly in a ghastly motor accident involving the convoy of the Governor of Kogi State.  Nigeria  labour movement has indeed lost a tested and committed activist of decent work in the universities and Nigerian labour Market in general.  Late Dr Festus would be remembered for the honesty, and commitment as well as abundant energy he brought to the struggle of working men and women for improved working and living conditions. The fact that he tragically died while reportedly traveling for the resolution of the 4-month long strike of universities lecturers was an eloquent testimony to his life and deed; service to the working people and humanity! Fighters and comrades like comrade Festus hardly say goodbye. The death of Dr Festus is a sobering and cruel reminder to the Federal government to urgently put a permanent end to the persistent crisis of funding of public education in general and university education in particular.  Lecturers including late Festus as well as students should be on the campuses not on bad roads, if not for the recent avoidable crisis.

A VICTIM OF NIGERIAN CRISIS OF GOVRENANCE

In literary and metaphoric terms, Dr Festus is the latest major casualty of Nigeria’s crisis of governance. Accidents are the norms (not exceptions) along the notorious Kogi-Lokoja road which for well over a decade remains under permanent “constructions” and “rehabilitation” despite serial awards of contracts by various  Federal governments. It was however worse that it was a governor’s convoy which involved in an “accident” that would add to the endless list of victims along this road (of no return to many) killing Dr Festus Iyayi. Convoys of Executive governors murdering citizens they swore to secure and protect are unacceptable and palpably criminal.

May the death of Dr Festus, a globally acclaimed author and one time winner of Commonwealth prize for Literature touch the hearts of our leaders to promote and work for good governance. We condole the leadership of ASUU, the people and government of Edo state for this singular loss of human capital in Africa, a continent begging for scarce human resources.

ISSA AREMU mni

General Secretary, Textile Workers Union