One hundred days after members of the
Academic Staff Union of Universities
embarked on a nationwide strike, the end is
not in sight yet, CHARLES ABAH writes
In countries like South Korea, the first 100
days of a child is very symbolic. Within this
period, the life of the child and that of his
parents are often celebrated. In keeping with
the tradition of the people, prayers and
various types of gifts are offered to the gods
during parties organised to mark the event.
This is accompanied with much feasting in the
child’s home. The purpose of such ritual is to
increase the newborn baby’s chances of
becoming successful on earth.
Globally, it is also common among political
appointees or government officials to
celebrate their first 100 days in office. For
instance, President Barack Obama of the
United States celebrated his first 100 days in
office with pomp and ceremony. The period in
the US serves as a benchmark to measure the
early success (or otherwise) of president.
In Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan and
many state governors also celebrated their
first 100 days in office. Of course, the
celebrations took place with much fanfare.
Advertorials were placed in the newspapers
and parties were held in government houses
to mark the achievements of the political
office-holders during their first 100 days in
office.
Unfortunately, there are no celebrations today
as Nigerians mark the symbolic first 100 days
that lecturers in the country’s public
universities embarked on industrial action.
The lecturers, who commenced the strike on
July 1, are protesting the non-implementation
of an agreement they signed with the Federal
Government in 2009, as well as the non-
payment of their earned allowances.
Many people are compelled to ask what the
country, particularly the education sector,
has achieved in the first 100 days of the ASUU
strike. Since the strike is still in progress,
analysts conclude that nothing significant has
been achieved. In their thinking, several
dialogues and meetings targeted at resolving
the crisis have failed to yield positive results.
Therefore, there is really no cause for
celebration.
A lecturer at the Lagos State University, Ojo,
Prof. Ademola Onifade, notes that contrary to
expectation, the current struggle by ASUU has
achieved nothing for the lecturers and public
universities.
He says, “In politics and governance,
politicians celebrate the first 100 days on the
positive side. But here we are, nothing has
been accomplished in this struggle. I suspect
that the game plan of the Federal Government
is to wear us out. The authorities do not want
to address our requests. However, if their
target is just to wear us out, they will not
succeed.”
But judging by recent statements made by the
representatives of the government, there is an
indication that the crisis will be resolved.
Indeed, President Jonathan and Vice President
Namadi Sambo have promised that the crisis
would be over soon.
Earlier, the FG, acting through the Governor
Gabriel Suswam-led committee, had released
N100bn for infrastructure development in the
universities and another N30bn for the
teachers’ earned allowances. But the leaders
of ASUU dismissed the sum as a token, saying
it was comparable to a drop in the ocean of
their requests.
While both parties continue to seek the best
way to settle their differences, the mood in
many homes and in the public universities
affected by the strike remains sober.
Academic activities in these institutions are
still suspended. The students and their parents
are forced to deal with the frustration and
feeling of hopelessness arising from the
strike, just as the striking lecturers, who claim
that they have not had any meaningful
dialogue with the FG, continue to despair.
The lecturers have not been paid their salaries
for the past two months. But this seems to be
the least of their worries. The Chairman of
ASUU, Obafemi Awolowo University chapter,
Prof. Ade Akinola, who says there is no
political colouration in their demand, notes
that the body’s major concern is to save the
universities from dying.
He says, “ASUU will continue to call on
Nigerians to help beg the Federal Government
to be patriotic and see reason in not allowing
public tertiary education to die. The FG
should honour the agreement mutually
entered into in 2009 and further reinforced
by the Memorandum of Understanding of
February 24, 2012. It was in general to save
the public universities from total collapse.”
Also, a communications specialist, Mr.
Muyiwa Akin, thinks this is not the right time
for ASUU and the government to trade blame.
He says that both parties should find a mid
way to resolve the crisis.
“All the parties should realise that they should
protect the interest of the students. In my
thinking, sincerity is lacking in this matter.
The signing of the agreement took place some
years ago and if perchance, the FG is not able
to meet its own side of the deal, it should be
open about that.
“Again, the government should show sincerity
and commitment in funding education and
keeping to agreements, just as ASUU
members, who are seeking the improvement
of the quality of education, should consider
the fate of the students. For, without the
students, there will be no ASUU and without
ASUU, there will be no students,” he says.
Meanwhile, ASUU insists that the 100-day-old
strike has no political colouration.
In a statement by its National Strike
Coordinating Committee, obtained on Monday,
the union dismissed the October 1 broadcast
of the President in which he referred to the
strike as politically motivated.
The statement read, “The primary goal of our
union is to work for the repositioning of the
Nigerian university system for global
competition in terms of comparable facilities
and staff quality. This goal we have pursued
with diligence as a trade union.
“The Umaru Yar’Adua/Goodluck Jonathan
government did not accuse ASUU of playing
politics all through the three years
(2006-2009) negotiations that produced the
2009 agreement. As Vice-President, Jonathan
made significant input into the negotiation
process. In 2012, when the MoU was signed
despite doubts about government’s sincerity,
President Jonathan did not impute political
motives. Even the landmark report of the
Committee on the Needs Assessment of
Nigerian Public Universities was not
interpreted as political.
“Why is it now when ASUU insists that the
Federal Government should deliver on what it
undertook to do under the 2009 agreement,
the 2012 MoU and the 2012 Needs
Assessment Report that the union is being
accused of embarking on a political strike?
“ASUU members, and, indeed, progressive
Nigerians, know too well that the accusation
of politicisation of strike is a cheap blackmail.
If anything, it is the Federal Government that
is trying to whip up political sentiments over
matters that are straightforward and clear to
all and sundry.”
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