By The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has come under fire on social media for attending a leadership course at Harvard University, one of the world’s most prestigious varsities, amid the ongoing strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Gbajabiamila had taken to his Twitter page on Tuesday to announce that he has resumed Harvard Kennedy School.
This comes amid the lingering industrial action by the lecturers that has lasted for over five months, forcing thousands students to stay home with their academic aspirations hanging in the balance.
Reacting to the development, Nigerians on the popular microblogging platform have condemned the Speaker for attending a foreign varsity, while public tertiary institutions in the country remain shut.
See some of the comments below:
If they kept University lecturers at home for the past months over there would you be able to learn, broaden or sharpen your skills? https://t.co/HFBJuhlIHD
— Raymond #Obidatti023 (@IamTheIroko) July 27, 2022
You’re the Speaker of the House of Representatives in Nigeria, the Nigerian students have been home for almost 6 months..
This is a very wrong time to post something like this 💔💔 https://t.co/yC0tr2vskf
— Ibukun Aluko (@IbkSports) July 26, 2022
Young Nigerians deserve to go “back to class” after 5-months shutdown of the university system.
But here is a man brandishing the name tag of the leader of a rubber stamp house of assembly in a failed state.
Crass act! https://t.co/voDGOZXSQl
— Olájídé 𓃵 (@Jamaticulus) July 26, 2022
I don't get how our leaders think. @femigbaja, imagine for a second that the @Kennedy_School is also on strike?
We kill our health system to run abroad for medical tourism.
We kill our educational system, only to send us pictures of Harvard.Have you heard of #ASUU strike? https://t.co/2WfggP8HXx
— Dr. Arowolo Ayoola (@DrArowoloAyoola) July 26, 2022
As you posted this thing while Nigerian students are wasting their years at home under a government you hold number 4 position in, how did you feel? You felt normal? Cool? #EndAsuuStrikeNow https://t.co/ITf98MQBcu
— Ndi Kato (@YarKafanchan) July 26, 2022
Mr @HouseNGR Speaker, @femigbaja, while you learn, comfortably, at @Harvard’s @Kennedy_School, university students in #Nigeria have been unable to learn for several months. How does this sit with your conscience, as a leader? https://t.co/4fZfiy6g5k
— Osasu Obayiuwana (@osasuo) July 26, 2022
More than anything, I think the tone deafness & crass insensitivity of Nigerian politicians has been stunning. How does it make sense that the number four citizen feel it is okay to attend a leadership course abroad while millions of Nigerian students are at home due to strike? https://t.co/VzUMZqcNdy
— Aziz’ (@Backarray) July 26, 2022
