Tell ASUU and Federal Government -By Abdulganiyu Abdulrahman Akanbi

Truly, the Academic Staff Union of Universities supposes to look for a reasonable strategy to tackle the imbalances in Nigeria educational system. Strike as a strategy holds harms more than benefit to the students. This strategy is among the leading factors projecting the country negatively before the world with regards to education. Due to strike, our education is still witnessing low ranking among its colleagues of other countries.

Always, ASUU claims that the only language the Federal Government understands is a strike action. They might be men of their words. But on the other side, strike is not taking us to a better destination. It doesn’t add to our educational value. In a stark contrast, it is rather driving us back. It affects students most and takes their time.

Recently, I made a reference to Hon. Tajudeen Yusuf, a representative of Kaba/Bunu/Ijumu of Kogi State in the green chamber of National Assembly in one of my write ups. While providing solution to ASUU’s strike, the honourable opined that, there should be parliamentary and legislative intervention in the issue of strike. By extension, his opinion was directed to the national assembly to solve the constant disagreement between ASUU and Federal government which always leads to strike. For his opinion to be taking up and work towards, the house of representatives swept the matter beneath the carpet.

Undoubtedly, education system of other countries are far ahead of ours here in Nigeria. Robust discussions should be held between the two parties: ASUU and FG. I believe both will say they are fighting for good, if asked. So, they should understand themselves and find a realistic and an everlasting solution. FG must be ready to honour our lecturers and take them more important than before. They should be men of their words – and fulfil the outstanding promises.

Tell ASUU that, strike is never a balance solution to correct imbalances in our educational system. This has been backed up with failures time without numbers. Strike has been embarked on by the Union without any changes. It is better to look for a promising alternative to strike. Strike is very harming to the nation’s education and Nigerian students.

While telling ASUU their part we shouldn’t desist from telling the FG their part too. We should be straight forward enough to set the record right. We have to remind the FG to respect their teachers, to do good to them and elevate their status. Undeniably, hardly will you find a lecturer in our public universities without any external means than lecturing leaving a comfortable life no matter how long he has been in service. Compare to other discipline, teaching/lecturing profession receives low payment from the Federal government. Right from day one, teachers have been in front line training us, imbibing good cultures and traits in us and saving our lives from poverty, ignorance and from collapse at their own detriment. 

During this pandemic period, health sector has been furnished more than it had been before. Tell the Federal government to remember that, these teachers were the one that taught the doctors, nurses and other health workers. Without their lucrative lectures, we would have no health workers and our country will be in a serious dilemma this time around. Who’s going to save us from dying of illness?

Remind Federal government that, one of the first sectors that they should take with keen care and special treatment is education. Education has been posited as the bedrock of any development. So, tell FG to do fairness and justice with our teachers in payment as it’s doing with other institutions, sectors and parastatals.

Abdulganiyu Abdulrahman Akanbi, is a 200 level student of Islamic Studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.