The incessant strike embarked by ASUU is no longer something to be addressed on the peripheral level. If what ASUU is fighting for is the good of students and our Universities at large, then, they should cease the fight because the people whose interest are being fought for are dieing gradually because of the fight. Let me make this analogy.
Once upon a time, there was this child who had no parents. The child was placed under the care of an adult. This child was supposed to be fed with enough food with meat at least, three times in a day. All it would take to feed this child properly was available. But the adult who was taking care of this child saw that the child was helpless, so the wicked human nature came into him. He started removing the meat he was supposed to put in the child’s good. At first, the child wasn’t happy as he could not understand why he was denied the meat (not that the meat was no longer available). But the child adapted to eating his food without meat.
Later, an elder male relation to the child found out that this child was no longer getting meat in his meals. That elder relation became furious with the adult under whose care, the child was placed. He confronted that adult, demanding that this child must have his meals with meat in it. He wondered why that adult wickedly decided to remove the meat from the food. So, the elder male relation started fighting the course of that child. Note that the food served the child didn’t reduce in quantity, but only the meat that was lacking. The child was already comfortable with the much he was getting.
When the fight for the meat for that child tightened, the adult could no longer serve the child that food when he should do so, because as he was to bring the food to the child, the elder relation would push him back, insisting that there must be meat in the food before giving it to the child, and that adult would take the food back for that moment, waiting for the child’s elder relation to leave before serving the child that food.
So, gradually, the child could no longer have 3 meals in a day, because that elder relation of his could not on his own, give the child even one meal, with or without meat. The child was starving. And that was how hunger dealt deadly with the child. So, the child was now begging his elder relation to leave things as they were so that he could eat his normal food without meat.
INTERPRETATION OF THE ANALOGY
The Adult is Federal Government (FG), the Child is the Nigerian (University) students, the Elder Male Relation to the child is ASUU.
ASUU claims that they are fighting for the course of students and our Universities at large, but the students are dieing because of the fight between FG and ASUU. The students could no longer get the normal lecture and graduate as at when due. Since 2009, the agreement between ASUU and FG has been the reason for the strike we experience almost yearly. That 2009 ASUU/FG agreement is what or part of the strike today.
In 2009, most University students were in their Junior classes in secondary School, some even in primary school. But here the students are, suffering the outcome of the agreement reached since 2009. Mind you, even if the strike ends today/this month, next year, there will still be another strike because the 2009 agreement has not been implemented. That’s why ASUU would always use “suspended” and not “called off” the strike. The idea is to go back to the strike again as soon as they like. Check in the last 3 years, there has been ASUU strike in every academic session.
What is ASUU fighting for the students? Do we notice any changes after the strike in schools? No. The same classrooms built in 1970s are what we will still use; classrooms that were originally made to accommodate 50 students, now more than 300 students scamper for space in those classes. Is it the hostels that will improve? Or our laboratories? Or the quality of teaching? So, ASUU hasn’t told students that particular interest they’re fighting for students.
ASUU as a union should be reminded that the students are no longer in support of the fight. Students pretend to be comfortable with the way our schools are now. Students want to go to school, receive lectures and graduate. This fight between FG and ASUU deals negatively on the students.
ASUU should leave the system as it is let students go back to school since FG does not care. The students can pull through, they can manage, they have been managing the system, and they will still manage and graduate.
