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“In the face of leadership flaws, too many people assume cynical perspectives, rather than do the hard work of building relationships in which they can have more positive influence.”
—Ira Chaleff
By Daniel Kanu
Mallam Adamu Adamu, a returnee Minister of Education was during the week involved in what could pass as a show of indignity of the office.
This ignoble disposition of Adamu occurred when the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) was invited for a meeting of urgent interest at the ministry’s conference room in Abuja.
The students had staged a protest from the National Assembly to the Federal Ministry of Education, calling for an immediate end to the ASUU strike.
It was widely reported that Adamu stormed out of the meeting, perhaps sending an erroneous signal of insensitivity to the predicament of the aggrieved students.
It was an action devoid of negotiation decorum.
The minister had scheduled the impromptu meeting with the NANS executives, who barricaded the entrance to the ministry while protesting the one-month warning strike declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) leadership.
The students, no doubt, were protesting the assault on tertiary education.
The angry students, who blocked the entrance of the ministry while brandishing placards with various inscriptions, had urged the government to listen to their cries and settle with ASUU.
NANS National President, Sunday Asefon, who led the students to the meeting, going by the video that went viral was quoted as saying that: “ASUU strike is killing education. This strike has been affecting our lives since 1999 and Nigerian students want to be part of the discussion between the Federal Government and ASUU to find a lasting solution to the matter.”
Asefon noted that they “want the Federal Government and ASUU to as a matter of urgency call off this strike while negotiation continues.
“We want to go back to the classroom. If not, this will be more than the EndSARS protest.”
Expectedly, the students also reminded Adamu on how he elaborately celebrated one of his children after graduation from a foreign university.
For most Nigerians, it was odd for Adamu to have worked out on the students in the presence of other equally top officers.
For one thing, his redeployment to the Federal Ministry of Education, where he earlier served in a similar capacity for four years, was seen in many quarters as a pointer to his understanding and contribution to the education sector.
It was disappointing then to witness what could best be described as an unfeeling response when Adamu walked out of the meeting he would have used to make a point that may have changed the cause of action for good.
Critical observers say that the action of Adamu is a clear demonstration that public tertiary education in the country is treated with utmost disregard, especially when it is evident that those who bear the brunt of these frequent crises are not privileged to seek alternatives.
Much to the consternation of the students, parents and many well-meaning Nigerians, this strike, ASUU had warned, is only preparatory to a much comprehensive shutdown of the nation’s universities should the Federal Government refuse to heed to the union’s demands.
Commentators have also continued to argue that by pursuing this all too familiar style of relating with the government, both ASUU and its principal have undermined, damaged and destabilised tertiary education in a most insensitive and imprudent manner that has made a mockery of the educational sector.
There is this perception that since its inception, the Buhari-led government has left no one in doubt that it should not be trusted with negotiation with unions, including student bodies nor fidelity to pact.
This is sad and perhaps the bold statement which unknown to him, Adamu seems to be dishing out.
ASUU’s grievance with the government is very well known to all stakeholders in the educational and labour sectors.
The expectation is that any effort in assisting to bring solution to salvage the mess in the sector should not be bungled as Adamu has just done.
Mallam Adamu Adamu, was born on May 25, 1956 in Azare, Katagum Local Government Area, Bauchi State.
He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Accounting.
After graduation from the university, Adamu worked briefly as an accountant in his home state, Bauchi, before venturing into journalism where he rose through the ranks to become a Deputy Editor of the now defunct New Nigerian newspaper.
For a couple of years, the Minister of Education served as a Personal Assistant to the late Chief Soloman Lar, one of the original supporters of the PDP and its first national chairman.
He was appointed Minister of Education by President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2015, when the president made his first major appointments and was re-appointed.
