Peter Oyebanji
It's no news that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had commenced a total and indefinite strike as a result of the failure of federal government to honour the agreement it had with her members on the funding of universities. The 2009 agreement was negotiated with the purpose of reversing the decay in the university system, restoring Nigerian Universities through financial intervention and ensuring genuine university autonomy and academic freedom.
However, the government, in its usual irresponsible act, did not even consider the agreement as essential. Another deal was struck after threats by ASUU, the agreement which has the same aims as the 2009 agreement was again ruined by the federal govt. After several letters, warnings to the federal government, ASUU then opted for the only thing that has always generated attention.
Well, I can't actually say I'm sad that we have to go on strike to get in the process of getting things done in this country, haven't we seen worst things? I mean, this is Nigeria. But what could be worse than our president celebrating receiving his WAEC result at 75? It's when respected intellectuals will not support a struggle that is essential to the future of this country because of a tussle. The decay in educational sector is very obvious to the extent that there is a consensus that we're riding on past glories and it is glaring that the government of the day isn't ready to solve this problem.
Earlier in March, OAU ASUU formed a parallel body as a result of a disagreement with the general ASUU. Congress of University Academics (CONUA), the parallel body formed will not have it the ASUU way, on Monday morning, after it was confirmed by OAU Kilonshele that OAU ASUU will join the nationwide strike going on, it was reported that the chairman of CONUA made it known that they won't be joining the strike. The report stated that 80 percent of OAU academic staff are under CONUA whilst 20 percent are under ASUU.
The thing is that creating a parallel body as a result of differences in perspective and ideology is not the problem, it's democratic. But can CONUA disagree with ASUU and still support a selfless cause? If lecturers are actually after the good of Nigeria's education, well, this is a prerequisite. Unless CONUA has a better way this struggle can be won, then refusing to join this nationwide strike will only make them a joke.
As much as strike has all shades of miserabilism, if it is what it takes to get the attention and also make the federal government come to their senses that 7% is far from the required percent needed in the educational sector then it should be supported by every unit who wants the educational sector to be revitalised.
Nigerian academic staffs might not be friendly in some aspects, like the way they dish out scores like football points and those unnecessary showboats but going on strike has never been for the purpose of being unfriendly to students.
So CONUA can channel those energies dispensed in making students' lives occasionally miserable into better things and it starts from this cause.
Peter Oyebanji is a student journalist with OAU Kilonshele and can be reached through
Email: adewuyipeter50@gmail.com
Twitter: anderpeter2
It's no news that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had commenced a total and indefinite strike as a result of the failure of federal government to honour the agreement it had with her members on the funding of universities. The 2009 agreement was negotiated with the purpose of reversing the decay in the university system, restoring Nigerian Universities through financial intervention and ensuring genuine university autonomy and academic freedom.
However, the government, in its usual irresponsible act, did not even consider the agreement as essential. Another deal was struck after threats by ASUU, the agreement which has the same aims as the 2009 agreement was again ruined by the federal govt. After several letters, warnings to the federal government, ASUU then opted for the only thing that has always generated attention.
Well, I can't actually say I'm sad that we have to go on strike to get in the process of getting things done in this country, haven't we seen worst things? I mean, this is Nigeria. But what could be worse than our president celebrating receiving his WAEC result at 75? It's when respected intellectuals will not support a struggle that is essential to the future of this country because of a tussle. The decay in educational sector is very obvious to the extent that there is a consensus that we're riding on past glories and it is glaring that the government of the day isn't ready to solve this problem.
Earlier in March, OAU ASUU formed a parallel body as a result of a disagreement with the general ASUU. Congress of University Academics (CONUA), the parallel body formed will not have it the ASUU way, on Monday morning, after it was confirmed by OAU Kilonshele that OAU ASUU will join the nationwide strike going on, it was reported that the chairman of CONUA made it known that they won't be joining the strike. The report stated that 80 percent of OAU academic staff are under CONUA whilst 20 percent are under ASUU.
The thing is that creating a parallel body as a result of differences in perspective and ideology is not the problem, it's democratic. But can CONUA disagree with ASUU and still support a selfless cause? If lecturers are actually after the good of Nigeria's education, well, this is a prerequisite. Unless CONUA has a better way this struggle can be won, then refusing to join this nationwide strike will only make them a joke.
As much as strike has all shades of miserabilism, if it is what it takes to get the attention and also make the federal government come to their senses that 7% is far from the required percent needed in the educational sector then it should be supported by every unit who wants the educational sector to be revitalised.
Nigerian academic staffs might not be friendly in some aspects, like the way they dish out scores like football points and those unnecessary showboats but going on strike has never been for the purpose of being unfriendly to students.
So CONUA can channel those energies dispensed in making students' lives occasionally miserable into better things and it starts from this cause.
Peter Oyebanji is a student journalist with OAU Kilonshele and can be reached through
Email: adewuyipeter50@gmail.com
Twitter: anderpeter2
 ASUU STRIKE: Dear OAU CONUA, can you channel those energies into better things? ){kind=link}
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