Educational Issues
In defense of ASUU -By Usama Abdullahi
Aside Bulama’s impertinent comments, there were some supposed intellectuals who sidestep the relevant cases or rather digress in order to dissuade people from seeing the good side of ASUU. They erroneously think of them, ASUU, as a threat to the lives of students in the academics. I heard them saying that ASUU are full of themselves and always present “ill-defined” demands at the negotiation table with the Federal Government. And that no government in the world can afford such. This is what I call abuse of intellect and exaggerated simplicity over issues that beg for a careful and strategic approaches or comments.
It’s easy to accuse ASUU of madness, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that without their support the educational system won’t function well or as hoped. I deem it unwise to lambaste ASUU because of their one month strike. Reading Audu Bulama Bukarti, makes me to realize that most of the Nigerians in the diaspora have nothing good to contribute for the wellbeing of our education sector. In view of his half-baked statements over the issue of ASUU-FG battle, you will likely believe that he’s clueless about the matter at hand.
Being a one-time lecturer at Bayero University Kano, I expect him to propose a nicely balanced solution to the problem. Because even the present Minister of education, Adamu Adamu, used to write revealing columns in defense of ASUU. As opposed to my assumptions, Bulama seems obtrusively daft and allows his emotions to influence his common sense. I admire Barrister Audu Bulama for his persistent advocacy for a just and accountable governance in this country. Yet this cannot discourage me from countering his poor submission on this.
He’s goofed awfully and it’s expected that he tenders an apology for his contemptuous remarks about ASUU–by calling their long struggle for better education as “madness.” This is a total prejudiced opinion. Bulama seems high-handed, hence his unwillingness to apologise for his verbal lapses. Instead, he shuns public disapproval and thoughtlessly tries to supersede the word “madness” with “unreasonable”. How ridiculous!
Aside Bulama’s impertinent comments, there were some supposed intellectuals who sidestep the relevant cases or rather digress in order to dissuade people from seeing the good side of ASUU. They erroneously think of them, ASUU, as a threat to the lives of students in the academics. I heard them saying that ASUU are full of themselves and always present “ill-defined” demands at the negotiation table with the Federal Government. And that no government in the world can afford such. This is what I call abuse of intellect and exaggerated simplicity over issues that beg for a careful and strategic approaches or comments.
That ASUU’s demand are ill-defined and unattainable exposes our inferiority complex and casual disregard for the progress and plight of our lecturers and the education sector by extension. My question is should ASUU reduce themselves to mere bootlickers in the presence of Government officials so as to yield to their fake promises? Believe me, you won’t wish for this to happen. ASUU are academic watchdogs.They battle for the betterment of the education sector and make sure that the children of the poor receive quality education.They may have their wrongs, still they represent the voice of our underfed, neglected and often poorly rated lecturers.
However, I don’t buy into the peculiar notion that university education is not a right. Unlike Nigeria, University education is free in the evolved nations. Despite the huge and overdue fees, students experience hardships as a result of Government’s intentional neglect for the unfortunate situation of the education sector.
Usama Abdullahi wrote from Abuja, Nigeria. He can be reached via: usamagayyi@gmail.com.
