Harvard school: Gbajabiamila apologises to Nigerians

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Wednesday, described his decision to post a picture of himself attending a leadership course at Harvard University in the United States of America as not being sensitive to the plight of Nigerian students currently suffering from the shutdown of academic activities in public universities due to the ongoing strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities and other unions.

The PUNCH had reported how the Speaker came under fire for celebrating his “return to class” amidst the ASUU strike.

Several activists and stakeholders described the post as insensitive.

But the speaker took to his verified Twitter handle on Wednesday via @femigbaja to apologise.

The statement partly read, “Yesterday, I posted a picture of myself at the @Harvard @Kennedy_School, undergoing a course. That post was not sensitive to the present feelings of fellow citizens, especially parents and students who are presently bearing the brunt of the ongoing closure of public universities owing to the unresolved issues between the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

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“I apologise for the post at this time, and I hope you will understand that it was not my intention to cause disaffection. As Speaker of @HouseNGR, I have made multiple interventions within the powers of the legislature to avert the ongoing strike. I had direct engagements with ASUU, relevant government agencies. The House of Representatives is still keenly involved in seeking a resolution to the issues so our students can return to school. We all await the outcome of the two-week ultimatum given for the conclusion of negotiations with ASUU.

“I have long been a champion of public education in Nigeria, and I have consistently advocated programs, policies and investments to improve the quality of public education in the country. In my constituency and beyond, I have attracted a new international students hostel in UNILAG, facilitated access to free internet WiFi in all public tertiary institutions in Lagos State; provision of modern ICT centres in 24 secondary schools across the state, provision of scholarships and grants to indigent students in selected tertiary institutions, provision of laptops to all secondary school teachers in my constituency and hundreds of students, facilitated the renovation of over 15 public schools in Lagos.”

The PUNCH reports that under Gbajabiamila’s tenure as Speaker, Nigeria witnessed its longest ASUU strike in 2020.