If The Longest ASUU Strike Since Democratic Rule Could Be Conceived By “Mr Integrity”, What Would The “Unrighteous” Do? -By Jeremiah Abutu

“Hope deterred makes the heart sick, but when longing is fulfilled, it is the tree of life.” Forlorn hope depletes the spirit. It ruffles the soul and makes the mind to bleed. The hope and purposes of students and their lecturers in public universities had long been stalled by dishonourable leaders who flutter like a dove but devour like a bearded vulture and the most abhorrent thing is that their contempt for public universities do not seem to end soon.

The spat between the federal government of Nigeria and academic staff union of universities is as common as purple carrot is rare, yet no riveting progress had stemmed from the storm that has crippled the highest citadel of learning in Nigeria. Nigeria government and ASUU have pulled off and sustained a cheap tradition over the past few years. A tradition that is as tasteless as prunes and whose spin-off has stunted the growth of university education and crumbled the aspiration of dreamers.

The federal government contempt for public universities is unimaginable. Nigerian leaders venerate corruption and mediocrity as beetles relish milkweed. People are not really what they say they are but what they do. In 2013, Adamu Adamu, the current minister of education made a true statement out of sheer treachery. A statement he had failed to defend since he assumed office. In his words ‘’if ASUU decides today not to embark on any strike again ever, this will not solve any of the problem of education sector; rather, it compound them. This nation owes a debt of gratitude to ASUU and the strike should not be called off until the government accepts to do and does what is required. So instead of hectoring ASUU to call off its strike, the nation should be praying for more of its kind in other sectors of the economy.’’ Similarly, Adamu’s principal, president Muhammadu Buhari stressed the need for academic reform during his presidential campaign in 2015. Buhari promised to ‘’make learning experiences more meaningful for children as the nation’s education will no longer be a preparation for life but life itself.’’

Between 1999 and 2019, it has been estimated that the academic staff union of universities had embarked on industrial action for a cumulative period of three years. The first all-inclusive ASUU strike after the military rule was in 1999. ASUU declared a comprehensive strike which lasted for a hundred and fifty days in the wake of poor university funding and paltry wages of public universities lecturers. With the exception of year 2000, 2004, 2012, 2014 and 2015, ASUU had gone on strike every year since democratic rule.

The perpetual closure of public universities has thrown not only the students but university lecturers into a blue funk and soiled the dignity of public universities. What the young learners in public universities have espied is the bitter end of university system which was once a beacon of hope for Nigerian students. The ceaseless industrial action by ASUU, induced by the federal government has subjected many students to slings and arrows. Students who got off to a bad start in the university have grown from bad to worse and those who were misguided during the strike; who couldn’t take a bite out of crimes, espoused it and were detained at government’s pleasure. Undergraduate and postgraduate students have been constrained to stay beyond their rightful years of study due to repeated suspension of academic programs. University education, which is the crown jewel of any nation; without which no nation can move in the right direction has been reduced to burley tobacco puffed by deceitful leaders at the expense of young learners. The effects of the flaws and aberration in Nigeria education sector is gradually producing Architects who can neither design a patio nor prepare tender documents; engineers who cannot innovate and lawyers who do not understand the exegesis of law. Nigerian politicians must know that university is the last dais for any form of national bickering and undue interference. They must know that universities are not political stripes. Universities are places where the weak are strengthened, the ignorant are enlightened and the indisposed are treated.

Nigerian leaders must understand that they are in no position to give their own predilections but that of the society. ASUU strike has become so common due to federal government indifference towards public universities. Never should anything noble be adjudged ordinary for to make anything customary is to make it cheap and nasty. The unending fall out between the academic staff union of universities and the federal government if not bridled can dash the hopes of young learners in public universities. The sun, however indispensable it appears sometimes waive its right to lighten nature so as to sustain its glory. President Buhari must urgently heed to the demands of university lecturers and fix the shambles that had long suppressed the dignity of public universities.

Good leadership is the glory of any prosperous nation. Good leaders can neither approbate incompetence nor admire it. One must learn not to induce acrimony especially in a heated polity like ours because even without invitation, it would come. In year 2020 alone, public universities in Nigeria have gone on strike for more than eight months-A bizarre history that has not been narrated since democratic rule. If a president who used integrity and accountability as a mantra for his election could watch public universities shut down for more than eight months, what would the ‘’unrighteous’’ do if they are elected into offices? We are all watching!

Jeremiah Abutu is the convener of Arise Nigeria.