By: Josmat Jerry
The acquainted time to time drama of the Federal Government (FG) and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is an adventure that has become of an interesting scenario, and the saying; “when two elephants lock horns, the grass suffers the most” goes all the way on to explain the adverse effect of these actions on students. Questions being asked on why it has always been a routine or doctrine for both parties to engage in a roundtable talk and negotiate in a bid to call off strikes. The negative effects, cries and pains are not really felt by these twos, but rather go all the way down to the hearts and lives of students.
The great impact of the Covid-19pandemic on student’s intellectual capacity is enough to get tackled with, not to mention the demerits of this ongoing strike on them. Lots of these actions are as a matter of fact taken without putting into consideration the life and career of students who are believed to be the future of the nation. On a more serious note, you tend to think if either of these two bodies believe the assertion of students being the future dominance of the nation. The medium and manner in which they go about with their actions is clear enough to tell of this issue.
In the last 11 years, ranging from year 2010 – 2020 (inclusive), ASUU had gone on strike on 6 different occasions with the duration of the strike actions totaling 18 months plus. Also, the ‘whys’ of these strikes are centered on inadequate funding of universities, implementation of 70yrs retirement age limit for ASUU members, increment on the annual budget allocation to educational sector and the disagreement of Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System (IPPIS) implementation. The latest ASUU strike began on March 9th 2020, which was foremost prolonged by the Covid-19 pandemic is still holding its head high.
Surprisingly, one tend to wonder what has happened with the previous strikes, it’s either their demands were not being met at all or it was partially met, since the actions are centered on same stories. On the part of the Federal Government, the only language they seem to understand is strike, in the absence of this; they won’t heed to or take matters seriously. Talk of the health sector, NLC and TUC; only by the means of strike they got their cries checked out by the FG. The way education sector is being managed by the government of the nation, which is visible to all, is quite disheartening starting from the percentage been allotted to the sector in the annual budget.
In addition, it’s very unfortunate to realise that acts of strike has now become the order of the day while having emotional, psychological and intellectual effect on students, whereas, both the FG and ASUU have nothing to lose amidst all these. Students through the emergent Covid-19 break have in one way or the other depreciated academically, adding the effect of the ongoing strike to it is perhaps like pouring more fuel to a burning fire. The act of both parties can only tagged as ‘uncare’ and ‘inhuman’. A nation that fails to nurture her tomorrow right from today will end up having her system to blame, as such tomorrow will triple worst the current day.
On a much bad note, lots of brilliant minds, promising destines, intellectuals of great souls are presently losing it all due to the ongoing strike. We now experience high rate of yahoo guys, rape incidents, unwanted pregnancy which can later lead to abortions. A great percentage of students have lost the zeal of academics, they are now made to have little or no belief in the educational system as a whole, and they now view it as a system that truncate their lives and have no concern to whatsoever befalls them. Gone are those days when the effects of things done come back in much later years, right now, such effects visualise in a little amount of time.
It is ironical of the union to express that their strike actions are taken at the best interest of the students, only a person with a biased mind or unthinkable faculty will believe the union as per this considering their channel and activities right from past years’ events. Also, the way the strike actions emerge and faints is surprising and questionable, who knows whether it has always been put to a partial end by the power of brown envelopes. No wonder the issues die not, it only faints and linger on to wake up alive the next year(s).
A call and move to start making things right is never too late. In every course of action taken, both the FG and ASUU need to put to thought the effect of their actions on the future of the nation especially in the aspect of education. There is need for a well-drawn out model and approach which would tackle and settle all lingering issues, kill it at once and for all, and then set us all for a better tomorrow.
