Prof Tijjani Muhammad Naniya
I agree with this perspective of Prof. Farooq Kperogi but will hasten to point out the following:
1. Indeed the strike has been prolonged, but this is due to the nonchalant attitude of the government which took three months or so to respond, in the first instance. Why the delay from the Government to invite ASUU to the negotiating table until well over 70 days into the strike? Who is to blame in all these?
2. ASUU is not in bond with students that would necessitate its coming to terms with their demands. On the contrary, it is Government that is in bond with students because the current leadership campaigned to both parents, students and the youth that if voted into office it would cater for their welfare in all aspects, education inclusive. Where there is a hiccup, blame should be appropriately apportioned.
3. It should be understood that beneficiaries to this struggle are the students in particular and the Country in general. Neglect to tertiary education would only produce half-baked workforce in all sectors of Nigerian public and private services which could impact on the efficiency of the nation’s Institutions negativitely. If this were allowed to continue to University education, Lecturers were to be the ultimate culprits to bear the responsibility, hence the strive of ASUU to caution the Government of impending danger. This was initially carried out consultations with various stakeholders across the nooks and corners of the country including Traditional rulers, Religious leaders, Technocrats, Labour leaders and of course members of the National Assembly. Strike was the last available weapon to appeal to the Government not to renege on its pledge to honour all agreements freely reached with ASUU.
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4. ASUU chose to respond to the Minister’s public statement relating to salary increase alone because that is the sphere Government intends to misinform the people and turn the tide of public opinion against ASUU.
5. Agreed that in all these tug of war, it is the children of the poor and the down trodden that are at the receiving end, but what are the benefits to be derived from substandard education to the children themselves and the nation in general? Education worth its name could not be acquired in an unconducive atmosphere and impaired environment.
6. If Government were such considerate enough to evolve a policy of reaching out to the haves-not in primary schools through spending billions of naira in feeding programme, i could not comprehend why similar stride could not be made in the provision of relatively adequate facilities such as furniture, current titles, equipped Workshops/ laboratories, enabling working conditions in Nigeria’s Universities? This is a sure way to make the education system capable of producing sound scientists, engineers, technologists, medicals, as well as vibrant and focused social engineers and social technologists that would not only meet Nigeria’s challenges in all their ramifications but will prepare them to take their appropriate place in a globally competitive world.
I appeal to the Government to shun haughtiness and address the matter as appropriate, at least, for posterity.
Tijjani Naniya.
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