By: Tijani Abdulkabeer.
At the consultation stage, between January and February, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) warned that its next strike would be a total, indefinite, suffocating, comprehensive strike, The ASUU Chairman, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke stressed that the union, under his leadership would not reach an inconclusive agreement with the federal government as it often is the case in the past. The strike has been on for over 100 days, yet there seems to be hope of resumption in sight. It is indeed suffocating many students.
So far, Oba Joshua has spent more days at home than in school as a first year student of the University of Ibadan.
His enthusiasm after his matriculation into UI’s History department in Nigeria’s premier university, was short lived by the announcement of a strike action by ASUU on February 14. He had barely settled down for tertiary education. In his chat with UCJ UI, Joshua said he is bored and frustrated, but he’s not entirely idle at home.
“For me, the Asuu Strike has been frustrating and judging by the fact that I wrote Jamb in 2020 I had to wait another year to write Post-Utme. Another year to resume,”
“I don’t even feel like a student any longer and apparently I have been home for two years. I don’t even know where to start from. I seriously don’t know but I have just been doing my bit,” Joshua Lamented.
In a country with a financially deprived education sector, lecturers, particularly in federal universities, are demanding better welfare packages, revitalization of universities, and the suspension of the Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System (IPPIS) as a payment platform which the union condemned as extortive.
This is not the first time the union would embark on strike for similar demands, in fact, it is almost an annual ritual endured by university students across the country. The consequences suffered by the students include, but not limited to: prolonged academic journeys, loss of opportunities; disruption of plans; and so on.
Students are trying their best to remain productive
As a result of the strike, Oba Joshua sought ways to remain productive. He has resumed his music career, which is a lifelong dream for him.
“I have been making music. That has always been my passion. So, for me, the strike is a time to listen, learn, and of course make good music,” he told UCJ UI with excitement.
For Atanda Clinton, a 200-level student of law, it is a time for him to invest more in reading. Rather than go home as ordered by the school management, he stayed back on campus to expand his knowledge by reading different genres of books.
“Staying in school is perhaps to have more time to read unlike being at home where kids will distract me with their noise.
“I read both academic and non academic books; I also write momentarily, develop myself spiritually, tutoring(though stopped already) and engaging in interesting activities like mooting which has earned me a unique position for a competition to be held by November,” he said.
Peter Oke, a 200-level student of History opined that the strike is a blessing. He recounted to UCJ UI how it had been difficult for him to get more returns from his part time business as a writer on Amazon, but with the suspension of academic activities, he is making more money, and not bothered about the strike.
He said, “Before we strike, I have been into Amazon Kindle direct publishing whereby I publish books to over 200 million audiences on Amazon and I don’t really have time because of school activities but now I can say I have mastered different kinds of digital skills and business and I made nothing less than $1000 every month. That alone is giving me joy and I am not concerned about them calling off the strike.”
Suberu Salamah has devoted her time to learning Digital Marketing since the strike started. “I have always wanted to learn these skills but during the session, I was paying attention to only academics. I was busy but right now I have ample time and it’s the best time to learn that.”
