ASUU strike
By Aramide Oikelome / Lagos
It has been roughly three months now since the Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU) embarked on a nationwide strike to demand the redemption of an agreement signed between the Federal Government and ASUU in 2009 for a total overhauling of Nigerian universities, with a view to upgrading the institutions in terms of infrastructure and manpower in order to gain global recognition and respect.
This became necessary, in fact mandatory, for obvious reasons: Our university system has assumed such alarming deplorable degree due to the myriad of problems facing them, ranging from lack of standard equipment and facilities, brain drain of existing experts out of the country, poor rating of Nigerian universities among their counterparts in Africa and the rest of the world, and so on. Needless to say that our universities ceased to be attractive because of the state of infrastructure and environments, which have become mostly unfriendly to academic life?
Describing the repulsive situation, Professor Ezekiel Ayoola, Head, Mathematics Department, University of Ibadan noted that: “The persistent poor showing of the Nigerian universities in the World Webometric ranking both in Africa and in the rest of the world over the years was a major factor that led to the agreement. No Nigerian university was among the best 1,000 in the world and none among the best 10 in Africa.”
“Indices for world-class universities include the number of experts that have gained international and prestigious awards such as the Nobel prizes. How many of such experts can the Nigerian universities attract in their present form,” Ayoola lamented.
In all of these, the fact that peace talks between the government and ASUU over the lingering imbroglio has reached a deadlock is most worrisome, given that the students are the worst hit as they idle away in depression and helplessness.
Expectedly, religious/traditional leaders are needed at such times to help broker peace. It is believed that as custodians of moral/traditional values, they wield great influence over people and their voices would be respected. Unfortunately however, there has been undue silence on the part of these two sets of leaders as they watched the negotiations degenerate over and over again.
The church in particular has been accused of keeping tight-lip over the matter because it is benefitting from the feud. After all, most of our foremost churches in Nigeria now run private universities, charging precipitous fees that are unaffordable to majority but only within the means of the rich few. The list indeed is long- from Madonna University to Bowen University, Covenant University, Benson Idahosa University, Babcock University, Redeemers University, Ajayi Crowther University, Wesley University of Science and Technology, Caleb University and so on.
And of course, ASUU strike and the closure of public university classrooms have further confirmed the fears of most parents that public universities are not good enough for their wards due to incessant strikes that not only disrupt the academic flow of their children but also prolong their years of study unduly.
While many ruminated over this stance of the church with disappointment, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh broke the silence penultimate Thursday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, during the Standing Committee meeting of the Bishops Conference of the Church, urging that: “Government should find a way either to privatise the universities or get ASUU to be limited to individual universities such that there would be no national ASUU body mandating even institutions without grievances to go on strike.”
“There is no such body anywhere in the world. Challenges facing any institution should be treated locally without involving others,” Okoh argued.
Of course, many have since tongue-lashed the Primate for making such provocative statements. According to the chairman of the University of Ibadan chapter of the union, Dr. Olusegun Ajiboye: “Primate Okoh goofed in that he has demonstrated the greatest ignorance about the union and the numerous achievements the union has recorded in repositioning Nigerian universities in the past.
“As a revered man of God, it is expected that he should guard his mouth and not to allow his mouth to run diarrhoea on issues as important as education that concerns the teeming youths of our country. Primate Okoh should stop playing politics with ASUU. The cleric should face the work of his ministry and get busy with it if he cannot be part of the solution to the logjam created by the Nigerian government in the education sector,” ASUU had said.
Is the Church truly reaping from the lingering ASUU strike? Why then is there so much silence or why are the likes of Primate Okoh politicising the feud instead of mediating between the two warring parties?
Sunday Independent spoke with some clerics, ASUU members and stalwarts in some of the church-owned private universities on this pertinent issue and their responses were quite revealing.
Professor Tola Badejo, Vice Chancellor, Wesley University of Science & Technology, Ondo State, excused the purported silence of church leaders, saying that oftentimes, “men of God are slow to speak because they are expected to mediate as peace makers; not to incite one group against the other.”
Said he: “They do not speak in a hurry; so we can’t blame them. Moreover, there are churches that do not own private universities, so we can’t conclude that church leaders are silent on the ASUU strike because the church is reaping from it. Somebody like the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) does not own a private university, so he can’t be reaping from it.”
He went on, “In my capacity as the Vice Chancellor of a church-owned private university, I want to state categorically that we are not reaping at all. Very few Nigerians have the muscle to send their children to private universities. Those who can afford it now send their children to Ghana, so the situation has affected our intake appreciably. Ninety per cent of Nigerian parents would rather wait to have their children in public institutions, even if the strike lasts for two years. So, I am calling on Federal Government to honour its agreement. The issues are clear. Some people signed an agreement and that should be respected. It is not a forced demand; it is just that somebody should honour an agreement.”
“Moreover, government has to put in place educational structures that would enable ordinary Nigerians to opt for private universities; such structure that has loans, grants and scholarship facilities. Today, many of our youths are roaming the streets because they cannot afford education.”
“In the ongoing fracas, I dare say that the private universities are also guilty. We have more infrastructure than the number of students we have at the moment. We spend so much on infrastructure and manpower, when compared to the number of students we admit. We would be better off if we have more students. We are also angry with Federal Government for not putting viable educational structures in place. So, we are in support of ASUU strike.”
“Have you considered that the money ASUU is asking for would not go to the pocket of ASUU chairman but to the Council of Universities, who will then disburse accordingly? Are you also aware that if Federal Government has funded public universities well, there would not be need for private universities? I left Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) over 30 years ago and since then there have been no new structures by the owners of the institution, except the ones provided and funded by individuals and corporate bodies. The laboratories we used then are still the same; all in a near comatose condition. During our time, each student had a microscope to himself. Today, the situation is such that 10 students have to share a microscope. So, the demand of ASUU is in the general interest of Nigerians and the future of our children. Money should be made available to every Nigerian student: to the brilliant ones, it would take the form of scholarship while to the others; it takes the form of loans and grants, which they would pay back when they finish and get into paid employment. Our public universities need to be completely upgraded because that is where the generality of Nigerian children would go,” said the erudite professor.
Dr. AdeOluwa Okunade, Senior Lecturer, Dept of Music, University of Port Harcourt, posited that it cannot be completely true that church leaders have kept mum about ASUU strike because they are reaping from it. He recalled that recently Primate Nicholas Okoh of the Anglican Communion stated that ASUU’s demand is immoral and that the group should be proscribed and noted that Okoh’s submission is not representing the views of the church.
“I want to strongly believe that it might not represent also the views of the Anglican Communion in Nigeria; perhaps, the Archbishop is still basking in the euphoria of his military training, where dictatorship holds sways. The best one can say or advice is that he needs to be well informed on this subject. The Catholic bishops on their part at their Benue conference rather volunteered to play the mediatory role. It shows definitely, that Archbishop Okoh of the Anglican Communion must be using his human nature to make the submission, and not the priestly flavour,” argued Okunade.
He explained that nobody is happy with the lingering ASUU strike, not even the aggrieved lecturers because “What is happening is also a burden on us because those courses we are not teaching now will still have to be taught under pressure when schools resume.”
He, therefore, urged Federal Government to be more sincere and pro-active, even as President Jonathan honours the agreement.
“You don’t negotiate an agreement. Now, government says, “No work, No pay,” which has worsened the situation. I urge the public to rise and tell the government that enough is enough. There was a time Ghana universities went on strike for two years and until they got what they wanted, they did not recede their decision. Now, many of us are sending our children there for qualitative education. Here, we have only stayed for three months and we are already tired. This is a fight for the future of our children, the future of Nigeria. It is a worthy cause to which everyone must be committed,” he charged.
On his part, Professor Ayodeji Olukoju- Vice Chancellor, Caleb University, Lagos corroborated that: “Not all church leaders are silent on the matter; at least, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, (Anglican Communion) spoke recently, although ASUU attacked his views.”
Stating his own position on the matter, he expressed that since both parties agreed to what was signed, they should honour it.
“The issue is not whether ASUU’s demand is part of the budget or not or whether or not government is rich enough to grant it. It is not whether ASUU is greedy or unrealistic in its demand; the issue is that an agreement was signed and it should be respected.”
According to him: “Nigerians are used to this culture of unilateral agreement, which is wrong. It is high time we dispensed with the culture of infidelity and breaking of vows. This is what many people take into marriages; hence they become unfaithful towards vows, covenants and promises made. Government should be faithful to the agreement made with ASUU. If it has taken government four years to manage an agreement that was signed; then they should negotiate peaceably if they can’t meet up now.”
He further argued that: “Since private universities were not part of the agreement; it would be unfair, unjust and ungodly to drag them into it or expect them to also embark on solidarity strike. We were not third parties to the agreement. We are not part of ASUU and should be free to run our institutions as we deem fit.”
As to the position of church leaders, he cautioned that: “It is rather untrue that they are uncaring because they are benefitting. What is happening affects both public and private universities; so we also appreciate what is going on.”
Corroborating his views, Prof Debo Adeyewa , Vice Chancellor, Redeemers’ University, Ogun State also wants the “Federal Government to honour its agreement with ASUU. Subsequently, it can take a holistic look at the way we run education in Nigeria.”
Said he: “We should not pretend that all is well with the educational system in Nigeria. Establishing private universities in Nigeria is not a means of making money; rather it is an avenue to save lives and help the Nigerian child achieve qualitative education. I am well aware that the Redeemed Christian Church of God spends millions of Naira on infrastructure to enhance the quality of education delivered here. The returns we get are not in terms of money but that our graduates are contributing to the development of Nigeria. This is not a venture where you expect returns so fast. You have to keep investing time and money.”
“So, it is not as if those of us in the private institutions are not concerned. As we speak, I have two children that are at home, also affected by the strike. It is not as if religious leaders are not concerned either. Somebody like Pastor Enoch Adeboye has many children scattered across Nigeria who are students of these public universities. Some men of God have offered to help in brokering peace but it was rebuffed. So, the best they can do now is to pray.”
In addition, Adeyewa urged “ASUU to look inward and study the situation all over the world. How many educational systems are doing very well in places like Australia, America, and Britain etc, being fully sponsored by government, without the support of individuals or groups? As it stands, the Federal Government’s views on education are not sustainable. ASUU should proffer solutions that would stand the test of time; they have what it takes to do that.”
For Temidire Oba Adarabierin, Lecturer at the department of Cultural/Creative Arts, Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, Epe, Lagos, “It is rather unfortunate that our government is lawless, fighting only for their pockets.”
“Our government wants to weaken all parastatals that can make this country great. Their educational program is shoddy; such as can get people amputated both educationally and morally. Except individuals fight them, nothing would change. The problem with the democratic setting is so complex now that it is getting to a stage where we might have a revolution or war. ASUU should not step down; if they don’t fight this anomaly now, they may never be able to do so. Our leaders are political economists; they cherish looting the treasury and pocketing oil money; they are very ostentatious, greedy, ungodly, wicked, indecent and insincere,” he lamented.
Octogenarian, Rev. Dr. Moses Iloh, Senior Shepherd at Soul Winning Ministries, Lagos wants
ASUU to take a more radical approach to drive home their agitations and grievances, even as he urged other labour unions to join in the industrial action in order to force Federal government to accede to their demands.
“In simple terms, government is arrogant. Come to think of it; the money that is being stolen in Nigeria, all the money being stolen from oil is enough to overpay and meet the demands of ASUU.”
Iloh argues that: “ASUU should not call off the strike, labour or NLC, TUC or whatever they call them should now come together and support them for the future of Nigeria. They should not call off the strike. If ASUU goes down, then, they would not be taken seriously. All the labour unions and market women should now organise their members to join the protest.”
“The government is arrogant. See what they are doing to our children. You lie to them that they are the future of tomorrow, yet you are careless about their education.”
To his fellow clerics, Iloh posited that: “The church should be able to say to the leaders of Nigeria that what they are doing is wrong. What they are doing to ASUU is that they are trying to bury the graduates that ASUU produces. I pray that God should help them. I do pray for them. They should not give up.”
Whereas Primate Okoh holds that ASUU’s demand is immoral, Rev. Iloh supports the stance of the aggrieved union, saying: “ASUU is not asking for a fresh negotiation, they are asking you to implement what you agreed on and government should not be arrogant about that.”
“What kind of government is this? Nigerians should hear my voice if they can. Let them come together and support ASUU. Church leaders should be able to come together and tell their members to sit down at home for one day in support of ASUU. That is the way out,” charged Iloh