The agitation among medical students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) reached a new height this week as they took to the streets on Tuesday and Wednesday to protest the prolonged suspension of academic activities caused by the ongoing strike.
The students, carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Medical students are not second class citizens ” “Is it a crime to come to LAUTECH medical school?” and “Save our future,” marched peacefully around the university community, appealing to both the LAUTECH management and the Oyo State Government to intervene and end the strike that has kept them out of school for months.
In a statement released during the protest, the students expressed deep frustration over the continued silence from authorities.
“How long must we wait? How long must we pause our dreams?” the message read. “Medical students are exhausted, not just from books, but from the silence that greets our cries. We are not asking for luxury. We are asking for a future.”Chanting solidarity songs and waving banners under the hashtags #ENDMEDICALSTRIKE, #SAVEUS, and #LAUMSA, the students said their education and future are being jeopardized by the prolonged industrial action.
“We are tired. We want to resume. Let this strike end, let our lives move forward,” one of the protesters said.
The protest, which drew attention from passersby and local media, remained peaceful, with the students vowing to continue their demonstrations until authorities take concrete action to restore academic activities at the College of health sciences.
As the standoff continues, calls are growing for both the university management and the Oyo State Government to engage all stakeholders and find a lasting solution to the crisis,before the dreams of young medical professionals are further delayed.
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