By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Bishop of the Ibadan Diocese (Anglican Communion) Church of the Transfiguration, Ikolaba, Ibadan, Bishop Joshua Oyinlola on Sunday, asked the Federal Government to hearken to the demands of the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to prevent recurrence of the last 8-months strike.
Bishop Oyinlola said this in his
sermon at the wedding thanksgiving of the son of Otunba Kunle Kalejaye (SAN), whose lawyer son, Ilesanmi Oyinlola Kalejaye, to Olayinka (also a lawyer).
The Bishop in the sermon, placed on love as exemplified by Jesus Christ emphasized that there is the need for the Federal government to look into resolving the ASUU issue, saying, ” the fight they are fighting is not for their salary, but the strictures that will enhance learning process”.
“I am highly delighted to see a lot of professors in this church. Where professors are, they always want to do things right. And that is why the Federal Government is misinterpreting their stand. I have many friends among the lecturers. The fight they are fighting is not for their salary, but the strictures that will enhance learning process”, he said.
Bishop Oyinlola added, ” If you go into some of these Universities, you will be sorry. I went to one where we went to have a retreat in the East. i could not sleep there. I with some others went outside the University to rent hotel to sleep’.
“Please, we are appealing to the government to reason with these professors. They are not fighting for themselves per se. Where the students are being taught matters. If you see any of the students misbehaving outside, go back to their schools and see what is happening there. These professors have been fighting the course for so many years. I was a Priest when they started this agitation”.
The Bishop stressed, ” So, I am pleading through the federal agencies, particularly my brother, Governor Makinde. Whatever you can do, do please so that we can improve the learning process in our schools”.
” People are rushing to the private universities. This will not give us a good name. And when people go overseas to study, they don’t go to private universities there but public universities. So, why cant we improve our own? Please, I am begging in the name of Jesus Christ, let the Federal Government answer these professors”.
Governor Seyi Makinde while speaking said many marriages collapse in our society these days because many couples live their lives copying and comparing themselves with others whose standards they cannot meet.
“I was in this same situation close to 25 years ago. By February 26, 2023, our marriage will be 25 years. What is crucial in marriage is that no two marriages are the same. I was having a discussion with my wife few days ago and she asked me what we are going to do on our 25th marriage anniversary. I said we are not going to do anything on that day”, he said.
Governor Makinde added. ” I told her the Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on February 25 and my own governorship election will hold on March 11, and so in-between, we have the marriage anniversary. I said we would wait until the outcome of the two elections, and maybe we will still do something. We are still battling it, I must tell you.
“But the lesson is: you need to do whatever you want to do pragmatically to make your marriage work. Don’t benchmark yourself with anybody’s situation or condition. Dint copy anybody yo live your marital life. Many marriages crash due to this. I pray you have a successful marriage and be friends to each other for life”, Makinde prayed.
The thanksgiving was attended by
Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), Mr Oladipo Olasope (SAN), Prof and Prof Mrs Femi Osofisan (members of the Church), Prof. Elegbede, and others.
