Solipsism In Ngige’s Stance On ASUU Strike -By Oloidi Olugbenga Ebenezer

Intellectual arrogance and confusion often make one believe that every person around is a bunch of farrago. This mind-set pushes one to consider oneself as the only island of knowledge. Growing up, I had a very short encounter with Professor Joseph Omoregbe who influenced my thinking about others. He was an astute scholar who bagged 3 doctorate degrees in different disciplines. The certificates he parades especially in a clime where certificates are celebrated over and above the individual abilities, was enough to send shiver into anyone who has heard about his academic landmarks. He was a man who believed that no matter how stupid a person is, he will always have something to offer. As a fresh graduate, I was privileged to address a gathering that had Professor Omoregbe in attendance. At the beginning, waves of trepidation ran through my spine, making me undermine what I could possibly offer to the gathering being addressed. There was something that gave me a glimpse of hope and courage, and that was the attention I got from him. He never looked down on me despite that fact that my talk coincided with his area of specialization. He listened with rapt attention and even asked me a few questions. He was more of a moving encyclopedia and yet was ever-ready to tap from the wealth of knowledge of others.

The caption of this piece has a philosophical term in discussing the approach of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige in the faceoff between ASUU and the Federal Government. When you stand so tall in the midst of divergent opinions on the same issue, then you need reexamine your position. It may sound strange for one to always think that everyone around you is wrong and that you are who has the working mind to possess absolute knowledge. This way of thinking is closely related to solipsism in philosophy. Solipsism is the theory associated with epistemology and Metaphysics. It is a philosophical idea that only one’s mind exists. As an epistemological position, solipsism posits that knowledge of anything outside one’s own mind is uncertain or unreliable. This would mean that the external world and other minds cannot be known and might not exist outside one’s own mind. It is sometimes expressed as “I am the only mind which exists,” or “My mental states are the only mental states.” The problem of acknowledging only your mind or only your existence leads us to the problem of other minds. A solipsist attaches no meaning to the supposition that there could be any thought or experience or emotion other than his own.[1] For instance, he understands the word pain only from his perspective and would never conceive how this word can be applied to other people. It will be somewhat difficult for a solipsist to consider the opinion of others let alone feeling their pain since the definition of pain can only be understood from his perspective.

The protracted strike embarked upon by the academic union of the Universities has lingered for 8 months running with the Federal Government refusing to keep her side of the agreement. In a bid to send fears into the ASUU body, the Federal Government evoked the ‘no work, no pay’ policy which poses no threat to the Union. One keeps wondering when it has become an aberration to employ the use of industrial action in the pursuit of better condition of service. In the midst of strike saga, the Minister of Education, Professor Adamu Adamu, who like the proverbial eni ta fijoyeawodi,tikolegbeadiyejo’ (literally means someone conferred with the title of a hawk but cannot raise a chick) was honoured with the national award despite failing in his primary duty. The whole resolution seemed to be left to the prerogative of the Minister of Labour and employment, who in his magnanimity has approached it like a cinema house, with many acts and scenes, which finally culminated in the court of law.

There are different interpretations to the approach taken by Dr Chris Ngige on the resolution of the ASUU chronicle. It appeared that he did not see any dereliction of duty on the part of the Federal Government but would rather prefer to cast aspersions on the Union. If a government refuses to invest in the future through proper funding of the education sector, then the future would definitely be bleak. Dr. Ngige acts only on the impulse of his thought and reasoning without caring a hoot about the opinions of others around. Attempting to discredit external reasoning or opinion without logical consideration can be solipsistic. His stance of calling on the union to sheath the swords and not seeing any serious fault with the government keeps begging the question. No sane lecturer would dare embrace strike if the enabling working environment is provided by the government. Dragging ASUU to court so as to force the members to lecture rooms is a misplaced priority. If the FG had reneged in the promises made through the signing of the memorandum of understanding, why would the same government through the Minister want to turn the judicial system to their favour? In the words of Professor Attahiru Jega, Mr Ngige is responsible for how long the 8 months old strike has lingered, having turned the situation to a personal affair. This was culminated in the obnoxious registration of two rival bodies in an effort to break the ranks of ASUU. A lot of Nigerians share these sentiments that Ngige had turned the fight as a personal vendetta but he continued to see the situation very differently. In his reaction, Dr Ngige accused Prof. Jega of not standing on the truth and that he should not play politics with ASUU strike.

In my reflection, I realized that the call to leadership goes beyond having people under your feet who receive instructions and guidance from time to time. A good leader can be likened to a waste bin that takes debris from different people without being enmeshed. This means that a good leader takes the hit for his team, assumes responsibility for mistakes and recognizes the achievements of his team. A leader leads by caring, showing example and empathy. All these are not done in vacuum but through and with the people you lead. Ordinarily, no leader acts as an island without making recourse to the opinions of others. Leading in this manner could be solipsistic. Not taking cognizance of the people’s opinion could be tantamount to calling for their wrath. As Socrates would say, ‘an unexamined life is not worth living.’ Every leader needs deep constant examination, taking notes of the views of the people. 

Been a medical doctor does not make you a doctor of philosophy. A doctor of philosophy, regardless of the field would appreciate better the value of education, after having gone through the ranks and rudiments of education. A medical doctor being saddled with the responsibility of resolving education matters might not be at his best. It is like putting a round peg in a square hole. A medical doctor ought to be an expert in his field which has to do with saving lives and not necessarily salvaging a battered or bruised economy. Should he be excused if he fails in this regards? Who is to blame, the appointer or the appointee? If the Honourable Speaker of the House had not prevailed on the matter, what would have happened? Would any positive result have come out of the Ngigean approach? Is solipsism not self-defeating?

OLOIDI, Olugbenga Ebenezer

[1]Stephen P. Thornton. “Solipsism and the Problem of Other Minds.” Retrieved 14^th October, 2022, from https://iep/utm.edu/solipsism/