ASUU vs FG: The Clash Of Titans -By Moyo Adeleye

I remember the Academic Staff Union of Universities strike in 1992 that lasted about three months, closely followed by another in 1993 that lasted for four months. Each strike had a shocking effect on the students, parents and society at large. I, as a student, and many others were elated as most youths are, not grasping the full reality of the danger that was growing to become a monster. A well-fed monster that was obviously determined to plague the educational sector of our nation.

We thought each strike would be a short break, a week or two, from the rigours of tests, examinations and growling stomachs of hunger caused by misspent allowances. Some other students were on the other side of the spectrum, as school life was the perfect fusion of freedom and companionship, much better than whatever unconducive situation that awaited them in their homes.

Alas, during each strike, after the first two months, all parties involved were restless. Parents were worried at the listlessness of their children moping around aimlessly, children stuck in a limbo, tired of being back at home and once again relegated to wake-up rules and errands from which they had no way of escape, lecturers not budging and the government infuriated at the audacity of the lecturers.

As all games of “stare down” and “who blinks first” ensued, the parents and the children who were the casualty of these games constantly blinked fervently, watching and praying.  None of us knew this was going to be the beginning of a series of matches with both players getting bolder, more daring and more adept at winning.

I dare not belittle the demands of our beloved lecturers who themselves are parents, whom themselves have taught many of us but are treated like the runt of the pack and economy. Many of them watch their students drive and park cars that they could only dream of.

It is weird that we would think the main challenge and demands of our lecturers are merely based on monetary concerns. Of a truth, monetary compensation would give a lot more prestige to their way of life and provision for their families but behind it all, might be both a cry and a demand for respect. A demand of wanting to be appreciated and respected, to be treated with dignity in their nation and their country like their counterparts in other parts of the world. Peradventure, this might stop a lot of them from taking this power forcefully through unscrupulous means by victimising their female students and withholding their grades, while asking for sexual favours in return or profiling the male students and deciding to fail them for no logical reason. Perhaps, if the lecturers had a lot more at stake and a lot more to lose through good remuneration packages and the prestige that comes with their job they would be a lot more careful.

How do we as a nation expect these strikes not to be the order of the day?  The truth is the breed of politicians that have led this nation in the last 30 years were never cut from the same political fabric as the forefathers and visionaries that preceded them. The latter were educated, they were refined and they loved their nation and those that did not love their nations, passionately loved their tribes and loved their people.

Unfortunately, these caricatures of politicians are mostly uneducated and see governance as a way of eradicating hunger in their lineage.  The predicament can be deduced as ASUU is fighting a battle with an opponent that is not following the same rules of engagement. ASUU is fighting an opponent with the false ideology that they have an upper hand and they are relevant and important to this government. ASUU believes that the education of the students is a good bargaining chip to hold hostage.

Unfortunately, for this to be valid the government has to agree with this line of thought, which they obviously do not.  How do you convince one who never saw your usefulness to see your value? The worth of ASUU or the value it brings, the worth of the children of this nation and the dream of a new future is not the dream of the government. Education brings power and entitlement to power. Education brings freedom, knowledge and wisdom to a younger generation. These are not important to a government that is speculated to have not earned the right to governance legitimately. As said by Lord Edward Acton in his 1887 letter to Bishop Creighton, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Government is corrupt and they want absolute power, crippling the educational sector, stagnating the youths is an end to a means.

So, the parents and the children watch on as these two titans fight while the well-fed monster sits comfortably amongst us.

Moyo Adeleye, a relationship and marriage coach, writes via moyswop@gmail.com