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By Gabriel Dike, Lagos, Fred Ezeh, Abuja, Lateef Dada, Osogbo, Tony John, Port Harcourt, Chinedu Jude, Enugu, Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure and Chijioke Agwu,Abakaliki
Tension enveloped Nigeria’s university community yesterday on the possible outcome of the deliberations of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on its proposed nationwide strike.
For the past two days, students, parents and stakeholders’ attention have been focused at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), venue of the NEC, anxiously waiting for the outcome of the crucial meeting.
In the last one month, ASUU national officers, zones and branches mobilised and sensitised members in public universities about the Federal Government failure to address their demands.
ASUU zones and branches held press briefings and told Nigerians to hold the Federal Government responsible if after the NEC meeting, the union opts for a strike.
One of the lingering issues between the government and the union include renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, which ASUU insists should be reviewed every three years.
However, nine months after the renegotiation concluded in May 2021, ASUU said the government has refused to sign and implement the contents of the renegotiated agreement.
Some students and parents, who spoke to Daily Sun, expressed fears about what might be the outcome of the ASUU NEC meeting.
It was, however, learnt that ASUU national president, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, would today (Monday) address newsmen on the outcome of the NEC meeting.
It was also learnt that the union may first declare a warning strike after the meeting in Lagos and should the government not yield to its demands declare a full scale industrial action.
A 300 level student of Sociology, University of Abuja, Cecelia Eke fearing another strike as outcome of the meeting said: “Not again please! I have spent extra years in school due to incessant ASUU strike, in addition to COVID-19 that disrupted our academic calendar in 2020. One of my course mate was forced to withdraw from our school to start a fresh programme in a private university after the COVID-19 lockdown and ASUU strike that started before then.”
Daniel Ayu, whose son is studying at the University of Nigeria (UNN) said he’s closely monitoring the situation and won’t hesitate to withdraw his son and enroll him in a private university.
He appealed to ASUU NEC not to consider the option of strike as it would have more devastating effect on students who would suffer delayed and disrupted academic programmes.
Joshua Okechukwu, who is studying Electrical/Electronics Engineering at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), said he expects ASUU to resolve the issues they have with the government without shutting down universities in protest.
Okechukwu said a strike would become a major drawback to his academic pursuit.
His mother, Mrs. Ngozi Ugwu, pleaded with ASUU to adopt other tactics in dealing with the government without dragging students and parents down with a strike.
A student of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo,Ebonyi State, Miss Precious Ndubuisi, accused ASUU of destroying the nation’s education sector through incessant industrial actions.
Ndubuisi, a final year student of Mass Communication lamented that their academic calendar had been severally disrupted over the years by ASUU strikes.
Joseph Unah, said there was need for the government to find a permanent solution to the incessant ASUU strikes.
University students and parents in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, have, however, begged ASUU not to embark on its planned strike.
Mrs. Roseline Gabriel, an educationist, who lamented the plight of students in government-owned higher institutions said: , “When I look back where we started, where we are now and where we’ll be in the future, you pity this country. If Federal Government is committed to the development of our education system, ASUU wouldn’t be complaining and threatening Nigerian students and parents with strike.”
In his reaction, a student of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Iyanda Elijah expressed fear over the planned strike saying if embarked upon, it would truncate his academic programme and those of many students.
Also, a parent, Pastor Olumuyiwa Alade said the strike if embarked upon would have financial implications on him as his son who is a final year student at the Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko would have his academic programme delayed by a year.
A student in the Faculty of Arts, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Faith Alofe, expressed the concern that the outcome of ASUU NEC meeting may likely be an indefinite strike, saying that that would disrupt the calendar already laid out by the school for a smooth session as well destabilise her plans.
“I will not be able to graduate this year as planned if the strike takes longer than usual and it will draw me back on my already laid out plan for the year,’’ she said.
