A cross-section of members of the academic community, joined by members of civil society organisations, booed one the officiating clergymen, during the lying-in-state ceremony held for late former President of the Academic staff Union of Universities, Prof. Festus Iyayi, which held on Friday, at the Akin Deko main auditorium of the University of Benin.
Rev. Fr. Andrew Obiyan, one of the seven officiating priests at the ceremony, which was attended by a record that continued to swell as the programme wore on, drew the ire of the virtually all in attendance, when he veered of his main business, to tell ASUU about having a rethink about their over five month-old strike.
The priest said many of the lecturers were already wary of the “fight.”
Reading from portions of the bible, Obiyan praised Iyayi’s tenacity of purpose, courage and sense of dedication to duty, all of which he said contributed to the “hero” he became, both in life and in death and went on to call on ASUU members to consider their position in order that they not continue to be at the receiving end.
He said, “The death of the faithful is precious in the eyes of God, so I want to admonish the family not to think of the pain of death, but think about the bright promise of immortality.”
Threading on what was to irk the crowd, he said, “Finally, I want to thank God because (ASUU) you have become the voice of the voiceless today. May that voice never die. But I want to remind you that there is no success without sacrifice; for Jesus to gain the whole world he had to give up his life. We give up to go up.
“My humble appeal to you as a minister of God is to kindly request you in the name of God to please surrender the tool of power. Do not give the federal government the privilege of satisfaction of fighting and defeating you. I encourage you to surrender first in this fight. You have made your point eloquently and clear enough.
“Sincere and intelligent Nigerians will consider will consider what you have done and will forever appreciate you for it. Your surrender at this time as a tool of power is the sign of strength, it’s not a sign of weakness. Our relationship with God our father shows that faith and trust navigate.
“We may not trust the federal government owing to their antecedents, but I humbly request you to please trust them now.”
Speaking with journalists at the end of the ceremony, ASUU President, Dr Nasri Fagge said reaction from the crowd was enough attestation to the mood of majority of union members on the matter.
He said, “We were told here at this gathering there were some fundamental issues that bother the mind of our late comrade, as to the future of the struggle. For me, it is left for us to rally round those ideals and advance his legacies. You saw the reaction of the crowd to what was said about suspending the struggle, and that to me said it all.”
Recalling some of his past encounters with the late professor of business administration, Governor Adams Oshiomhole said, “Iyayi spoke truth to power, just as much as he spoke truth with his colleagues.”
Oshiomhole offered to support in building of ASUU secretariat at UNIBEN, as a way of immortalising Iyayi. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Wise words frm d priest!...2 surrender doesn't always signify weakness! @sum point itz jst d wise thing 2 do!
ReplyDeleteImagine how South Africa would have been if @ some point, Mandela surrendered! The priest should have balanced his statement by addressing the issues and not give a talk as if he was speaking like a politician. Govt is full of propaganda, nigerians should be wise.
DeleteI concur with you Femi, I'm very sure they never took time to reflect on what the man of God said but they were quick to boo at him...
ReplyDeleteI concur with you Femi,I'm very sure they did not reflect on what the clergyman said but they were quick to boo at him...
ReplyDeleteI agree you Femi,ASUU should surrender for the sack of the nation and the leaders of tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteKubi Ben :One thing that makes me happy in all this rubbish statement of Okupe, is that people are beginning to understand that this clueless government of Nigeria are just devastated and confused but because they are shearing the national cake very well among them selves they are busy feeding the press with sentimental comments, lies and disgraceful attitudes, how can Ngozi okonji iweala come out to the public and tell us that they have paid in N200b in central bank for ASSU while she know that they are just running around to make for the cash and maybe because I came from the same village with her I will say that theirs nothing wrong in what she did, God forbid that I will sell my conscience to inferiority complexities and go to church to ask for forgiveness later, but what marvels me most is how fools still see light in this dark age of our country without receiving any bribe or even empty promises, but I say now is the time to speak out against this wicked government, it may take the next generation to avart this mess we have found our selves in but am beginning to see lights in our future and I want to make this clear today, Nigeria have not start practicing Democracy yet and I don't even know what we are practicing now because there is too many mix up in all our sectors.
ReplyDeleteKubi Ben :One thing that makes me happy in all this rubbish statement of this Rev father or what ever his title is, is that people are beginning to understand that this clueless government of Nigeria are just devastated and confused but because they are shearing the national cake very well among them selves they are busy feeding the press with sentimental comments, lies and disgraceful attitudes, how can Ngozi okonji iweala of all people come out to the public to tell us that they have paid in N200b in central bank for ASSU while she know that they are just running around to make up for the cash and maybe because I came from the same village with her I will say that theirs nothing wrong in what she did, God forbid that I will sell my conscience to inferiority complexities and go to church to ask for forgiveness later, but what marvels me most in all these controversies is how fools still see light in this dark age of our country without receiving any bribe or even empty promises and still support this government, but I say now is the time to speak out against this wicked government, it may take the next generation to avart this mess we have found our selves in but am beginning to see lights in our future and I want to make this clear today, Nigeria have not start practicing Democracy and I don't even know what we are practicing now because there is too many mix up in all our sectors, time have passed when some one who have been compromised in his office whether as Bishop, Rev father or even Pope will come out to feed us with the garbage that comes out from their mouth and we digest it and go home without making them to understand that we are no longer fools, we have understood that these politicians are just up there to waste our time and doing nothing about the state of the country, they have collected a Nollywood script and are just there to act films and release the latest nonsense to our ears and eyes everyday and we can no longer hide under may God help us when we are the architects of our problems.
ReplyDeleteKubi Ben :One thing that makes me happy in all this rubbish statement of this Rev father or what ever his title is, is that people are beginning to understand that this clueless government of Nigeria are just devastated and confused but because they are shearing the national cake very well among them selves they are busy feeding the press with sentimental comments, lies and disgraceful attitudes, how can Ngozi okonji iweala of all people come out to the public to tell us that they have paid in N200b in central bank for ASSU while she know that they are just running around to make up for the cash and maybe because I came from the same village with her I will say that theirs nothing wrong in what she did, God forbid that I will sell my conscience to inferiority complexities and go to church to ask for forgiveness later, but what marvels me most in all these controversies is how fools still see light in this dark age of our country without receiving any bribe or even empty promises and still support this government, but I say now is the time to speak out against this wicked government, it may take the next generation to avart this mess we have found our selves in but am beginning to see lights in our future and I want to make this clear today, Nigeria have not start practicing Democracy and I don't even know what we are practicing now because there is too many mix up in all our sectors, time have passed when some one who have been compromised in his office whether as Bishop, Rev father or even Pope will come out to feed us with the garbage that comes out from their mouth and we digest it and go home without making them to understand that we are no longer fools, we have understood that these politicians are just up there to waste our time and doing nothing about the state of the country, they have collected a Nollywood script and are just there to act films and release the latest nonsense to our ears and eyes everyday and we can no longer hide under may God help us when we are the architects of our problems.
ReplyDelete