ASUU STRIKE: MATTERS ARISING

Nigerian students.  source:ynaija.com

BY KAYODE BELLO

With the tirades of accusations and counter accusations from both ends: one from the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the others from the Federal Government ably represented by the Finance Minister, Mrs.Okonjo Iweala, Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, and Doyin Okupe, the Senior Special Assistant to the Nigerian President on Public Affairs, not forgetting the NANS President’s contributions, Mr. Yinka Gbadebo cum various opinions, facts, and figures presented in the course of the strike, it is of concern that such cannot just go without certain consequences. Some consequences can be envisaged while others may remain hidden. Just with 200 billion Naira injected into the public universities nationwide, how will it be divided within the universities? Will it be according to the population of the university or in terms of the needs of the universities? Take a typical federal university for instance and compare such with a state-owned university. Olabisi Onabanjo university for instance has been reported by the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) in its report that facilities at the University are in a sorry state, yet year in, year out, the university churns out  graduates. Only OOU’s Faculty of Law was rated fairly in terms of facilities and level of development. May be it is not far-fetched to know why it is one of the best Law faculties in the country. With no malice against other institutions, I have met some OOU products from the university, and they have proved me wrong with such notion that OOU may be a dumping ground of students. It is only that the other institutions may pride themselves due to such facilities and names they enjoyed over time. What the Federal government and the Academic Union of must be after is ensuring if not even developments, at least a noticeable development across board. It still remains unclear if the state-owned universities would benefit from the the lot.

Although not all matters concerning the ASUU strike can be reported on the pages of newspapers, magazines or aired on the broadcast media, but issues that form the very essence of agitations and related ones should not be left unaddressed. The Unilorin 44 is an issue that reminded the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU of the need to include the non-victimization clause in the Memorandum of Understanding plus other issues like the payment of the stopped salaries, since the varsity lecturers down tools. Initially, itwas a case of: ‘No work, No Pay’, then later it became: ‘’ No Pay, No Work.’’ President Goodluck Jonathan said it was the pro-chancellors and vice chancellors of the universities that gave the directive that the varsity lecturers must resume on December 4, 2013, which was later extended to December 09, 2013. The varsity lecturers kicked back saying such were empty threats. In a swift reaction, Wike and his counterpart at the Aso Villa, Okupe, who once accused some Nigerians of suffering from certain medical disease to have criticized President Goodluck Jonathan, launched an attack at the agitating lecturers.Okupe has always been referred to as the Presidency’s bulldog. Anyway, Femi Fani-Kayode once acted such role, as he one-time lambasted the grey-haired English maestro, cum public commentator, Prof. Wole Soyinka of suffering from old age.

Still on ASUU/FG impasse, one would love to opine that this should be the last industrial strike action. Yes, of course, everyone that had been affected one way or the other must have opined so, but what would happen to the N200 billion is something only known to the deity (God). Thus, the spending would be left in hands of those that the lives of many living and unborn are entrusted in terms of bringing back the glory of our tertiary institutions especially the universities in the country. If one can vouch for the Economic and  Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt  Practices and other related offences Commission, and other  monitoring or civil societies, then  Nigerians can be told to have a hitch-free or ‘mosquito-free’ nights without getting disturbed,but would the spending of the fund be like normal cases of untraceable funds in the country. The cases of Oduah, Farouk Lawan versus Otedola, among others are hanging sending signals to those still interested to take away their gaze on the matters. ASUU claimed its lingering strike would bring about rejuvenation of the public universities, but is it ready to monitor the fund, and ensure it is used for what are outlined? Hope when the fund disembarks at the various airports of different beneficiary varsities, it would not take another flight through the back doors of the governing councils of the universities, or part of it would suddenly get wings and fly away.

Furthermore, the Union had put as a clause, the non-victimization of its members but are they not going to be victimizing students again in their respective institutions? ASUU can be said to be the only fighting or living Union in the country, as the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) lost it during the Oil Subsidy Removal protest. ASUU today could not have put as part of the clauses that there should be no increment in school fees payable by the students in different institutions, because it would leave that to the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) that had been seen as anti-ASUU in this struggle. One must be reminded that NANS has apparently become a political wing in the hands of the ruling party for the monetary reason of being rich quick by those that occupy the helms of affairs of NANS. Of course, at various instances it had been said that the government is really subsidizing public institutions. Remove the subsidy or subventions, then students are expected to pay through their nose because they often come from very poor backgrounds. These students may in nearest future face an increment in school fees. Why? The answer is simple. The government needs money to fund public institutions. Already, LASU example is always being justified by Babatunde Fashola (SAN), the Lagos State Governor, saying for instance, if you pay N25,000 as tuition fee, then you should expect N25,000 worth of knowledge, but if you pay N250,000 worth of tuition, then expect a bountiful and robust knowledge that worth an international level, or somehow close to it. One argument to put up is: do we really provide such facilities worth huge amount when students or parents pay handsomely? Take the case of the Nigerian Law School as an example as reported in the Punch newspaper of Saturday, December 7, 2013, pages 18,19, and 20, titled: ‘’Suffering and Smiling in Lagos Law School.’’ The law students would pay over N295,000yetthe facilities are not commensurate with the amount payable. Some students on the social media had said there must now be air-conditioned classrooms and the scarcity of water and epileptic power supply that discourage learning and studying must be things of the past as N200 billion is on the way to the institutions. If the school fees are increased, then some students may be rebellious, take to the streets. When they take to the streets, some are used as scapegoats, as deterrents to others through rustication or expulsion especially if their parents are not known Professors in the University or they do not belong to certain caucus.

More importantly, hope the Presidency is not paying lip service to the matters on ground. One must know that the ultimatum on resumption to the striking lecturers was due to the fact that year 2013 is a  crucial year in resolving all matters before 2014, and ultimately year 2015, the general elections are due to hold. So, hope there would not be another ploy to frustrate the whole struggle by ASUU later on. Initially, what Okonjo Iweala was saying was that no money to pay the striking lecturers, but at a time some amount was added. From experience, the Presidency parades the likes of Wike, Abati, and Okupe who apparently say something today to come out the following day to say no they did not say so. Hence, maybe the FG is saying abracadabra. Also, the pumping of the N200 billion yearly in the next five years into the universities may be turned into a set-up by the government. How? Take a scenario where the money is actually given to the universities to discredit them in terms of spending. Can you as a Nigerian vouch personally to be on a look-out for how the money will be spent judiciously? The Federal Government may be a devil that one has to hold a long spoon to eat with. To ASUU, they are winning,  but to Federal Government there may be hidden agenda to tell Nigerians that the money given is not appropriately used by the universities and  the governing councils of the Universities would comprise  if not all the ASUU members, that would determine the spending of the money on the itemized projects. This is to say that the universities cannot be really separated from ASUU, while the principal officers of the universities are often members of ASUU, especially the vice chancellors who are picked from ASUU’s rank and file. The issues on ground are intertwined, and except those in charge realize that it is one thing to embark on strike, or protest, it is another to ensure victory, success or to achieve at the end of it all. Of course, some would jostle for contracts and supervisors would naturally inflate prices for there is N200 billion coming from the government. The vice chancellors and pro-chancellors even top functionaries or politicians would recommend their people for contracts. Part of what had been enumerated by ASUU as lacking are inadequate or poorly funded libraries, poor living condition,inadequate and overcrowded  classrooms, inadequate  staff, low ranking of Nigerian universities, inadequate  research and learning facilities, compared with the rest of the world and what ought to be.

Moreover, one must inform ASUU that one major reason the students were divided over the strike has been that the varsity lecturers themselves do not promote an atmosphere of freedom of speech at the universities. NANS either lacks proper orientation on what ASUU is fighting for or the NANS itself has been bought over. Lecturers must see students as partners in progress and development of the universities. They must be given courage to speak against evils or ills in the universities and society, with the view to contributing critically and meaningfully.But it is alarming that what an average student preoccupies his/her mind with is how to make money quickly, become most successful instantly or watch who and who are reigning in the entertainment industry, or which song is the latest. These days due to government’s failure to provide basic amenities for the citizenry, citizens are now thinking of how to create wealth and be able to attend congregational services to give thanksgivings, whereas many might have duped or outsmarted the other in other to ride the latest vehicles. Hope, moderation, discipline, contentment and corruption-free society must be ensured. The educational institutions must contribute their unreserved quota in these ventures. They must be seen as contributors in the Project Nigeria. Lectures or University administrators must not think they have the monopoly of knowledge or solutions to the Nigerian problems. These if ensured would restore hope in an average young Nigerian. Though it is a gradual process, as an average lecturer in Nigeria may think the hell he goes through, others must go through it. The decadence and educational backwardness in Nigeria is not today’s occurrence. It is an accumulation of years of neglect and bastardization. Many public primary and secondary schools have been turned to their shadows or skeletons- no adequate classrooms, laboratories are now warehouses for cockroaches, rodents, spiders, and all sorts of unpalatable inhabitants. Quack personnel litter and parade those schools. Teaching is no longer interesting, as even colleges, institutes or faculties of education might boast of competent personnel or products, yet the privately-owned ones are unaffordable for the common men who think their votes would result into better life for themselves and others.

Additionally, would competency, adequacy of facilities and personnel among other criteria be truly looked into by the Academic Staff that accredit the universities? The Academic Union that complains of dilapidation in some institutions has also been accused of participating in accreditation of those institutions hence there is the need for sincerity in approving those institutions. Some solutions to the perennial and recurring problems have been proffered. The government, ASUU, students, all and sundry must ensure that their hands are on deck towards revamp of the Nigerian primary, secondary and tertiary institutions for the actualization of the progress, development, and transformation we yearn for. Most importantly, a Committee must be set up to monitor the spending, while the National Assembly performs its oversight functions. And that is if they perform actually their oversight functions, not witch-hunt or what-do-you-have-for-us functions.

Happy resumption!!!

Kayode Bello is a Law Graduate, Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. +2348037298557.

NIGERIAN CHILD: THE ENDANGERED SPECIES?

By Chimaobi Ikeanganyia

 

 So they were born in this “jet age”, I am a child who has slept for 270 days in the subconscious after which nature activated the conscious mood in me through birth. I was never given the chance to make that decision. I just came like that, as I was denied this decision-making opportunity. So, I was denied my place of birth, mood of birth, fate after birth mother (surrogate or otherwise), father and even my future. To complicate it all, I was given an empty slate named brain, which shall depend solely on another human being (mother, father, guardian) to nurture and impact the fore-knowledge required to live a life. My lamentation is not the mere fact of denial of the choice because other lesser animals were equally denied such rather it is about the procedure and manner which my empty slate is nurtured through daily life experience. I cannot but just live like that because that is all I live to know, and believe and afterwards pass the knowledge down to my offsprings. Of course, I remain a Nigerian child and the future of this great nation depends on me as a unit and others of my kind.

Nigeria is a 53-year-old mother, a mother with “children” one can never undermithe influence a mother seldom exerts upon her child from post natal (1960) to adolescent age which will subsequently lead the child through adulthood. What a great influence! To access the future of a nation (Mother) one has to understand the welfare and psyche of her citizen (child) and as regards to the Nigerian condition, I am disappointed to say that the future is a virile uncertainty.

It has been a discouraging and disappointing nineteen-year experience, to live in a nation where your birth certificate has the propensity of accepted forgery, where the value and quality of education you get depend on the financial muscle of your sponsors (if you have one), where there is no hope given to that child in the street by the nation (mother) itself where there is no job security except for the most pampered child (Upper Class or government office holder), where you cannot move safely on lands (because of bad roads), nor on air (because of faulty plane) nor even on rail, nor with full confidence on your safety. You have to struggle your way through life by personal provision of all these, where there is also no health security for those who cannot afford the huge cost, where the plight of the masses is a conditioned breeze to its government, where justice is meant only for the rich: a nation filled with selfish leaders from birth, a nation where peaceful co-existence have never had a place among tribes and even regions; and a nation that does not know the number of children it has. Above all, it is a nation where someone would always complain.

I write for that little child at home, in the streets, hospitals or elsewhere and unless Nigeria (the mother) ignites an affective desire for her child, unless her leaders live in solidarity with the tears of her citizens, that child will always and for generations afterwards remain the ENDANGERED SPECIES.

Chimaobi Ikenganyia is an Undergraduate student, Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan, Nigeria: +2348077278929, chimaobi.ikenganyia@hotmail.com.


 Edited by Kay Bello: +2348037298557, theconsciencenews@gmail.com