Long-lingering ASUU Strike: Who Is To Blame, FG, ASUU, Or Nigerian Students? -By Aliu Joseph

“To solutionalize a problem, firstly, the root of the problem must be known”.

Whilst i try to successfully dissect and assassinate this rather perturbing question, I had before now, questioned what the Nigerian State, envisions for itself, it’s people and generation yet unborn?;i answered the question and even questioned the answer.

It is abundantly lucid and clear to the wisest and dumbest of persons in Nigeria that the Nigerian State has no socio-educational blueprint and vision for its people as stated in Habakkuk 2:2-3. It I desperately working to not just impoverish the people through denial of adequate education but more so, to keep them in an asphyxiating and hemorrhaging educational system. It’s educational system is most amorphous and it’s amorphousity is what has brought it to a nadir.

Altruistic Obafemi Awolowo once upon a time posited that “Education is the best weapon to fight poverty”.

Now,if eduction is the best weapon to fight poverty and an addendum to water societal growth, technological advancement and an effective working political system, it is sufficient to state that,the long-lingering Asuu strike that has kept well-meaning Nigerian students for over 270 days,which is equivalent to over 6,480 hours at home and denied them education is against the aforementioned good, that education brings.

The big question whose answer might be another question begging for answer is, “who is to be blamed for the long-lingering Asuu strike?”, Is it the FG,or Asuu or the Nigerian Students?
It is most pertinent to know where our problem is coming from, to know how to handle it, if not we might be playing the “merry-go-a round” game.

Is the FG to be blamed?

It should be noted that Asuu had been ‘striking’ even before the 2017 Moe and Moa(memorandum of action) drawn up by the government and Asuu. The crying question which needs a patting is, what has stopped or is stopping a government who took oath of office by a constitution which Section 18 of it holds that “Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are adequate and equal educational opportunities at all levels, promote science and technology,and strive to eradicate illiteracy; from carrying out their own part of the moe and moa,if they have the goodwill of the state at heart?,could their actions be to water the appetite of their excessive greed or they are just being wicked?, why should the government allocate a higher budget to the oil sector than the educational sector?, is it that the Nigerian people prefer oil to education?

Why should the senators continue to enjoy luxurious senatorial allowances at the detriment of the moribunding educational system?. I leave you to answer these questions that possibly might raise other questions in your minds.

Are the Nigerian students to be blamed?

Ordinarily,one be wondering how and why the Nigerian students should be blamed for the long-lingering Asuu Strike?.
Fortunately or unfortunately,the Nigerian students cannot all at once come out by themselves and air their displease and pains as regards the hapless and hopeless educational system, but through ‘electoral college’, some appointees were appointed and elected to propagate, preach and speak the minds of the Nigerian students and also carry out constructive and instrumental actions, if there need be, for a better positive results.

Yes!, I am unapologetically talking of NANS(National Association of Nigerian Students). That a body cannot speak up or do anything as regards the long-lingering strike because of some mouth-watering sums of amount it’s gotten from whoever it is, is most shaming,disgusting and appalling. The ‘shut-up’ money the local man calls it, is what has turned NANS to dolls that they cannot carry out any action for the betterment of the educational system.
It is now left to the people who voted them in to recall them. Their inefficiencies and deceit have been shown. This is where the Nigerian students come to play a part in the long-lingering strike.

Is ASUU to be blamed?

The Academic Staff Union of University(Asuu) style in getting their demands from the FG is what a 200 level Law student of Oou,Alawode Afolabi, describes as ‘elite struggle’.
Breaking this terminology, Asuu’s engaged in a big-man struggle. Big-manity, sitting down at home and doing nothing. The government will not take it serious. Moreover there isn’t just one way to bell a cat. The government is used to Asuu ‘strikes’ and have become complacent to it.

If Asuu has the interest of the students at heart and the betterment of the educational system, then they must change their modus operandi on their demands getting fulfilled by the FG.
To see what Asuu can do for their demands to be met, I refer you to afolabi alwaode’s article ‘asuu and its elite struggle’.

Having said all the above,it is very sufficient to state that, the there categories are a part of the long-lingering Asuu strike and their negative actions are a clog to the already tottering and hemorrhaging Section 18, 1999 CFRN.

May God help the Nigerian Educational sector.
God bless Nigeria.

Joseph Aliu is Law student at the Oou chapter and can be reached via 09085773212,09029265474