Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Abubakar Atiku are trending within the information in the meanwhile. The rationale for that is apparent sufficient. Each are the winners of the simply concluded major elections of the ruling party-APC and the PDP. By the way, these potential Nigerian presidents seem to have keyed into my ideas as regards the continued tiff between ASUU and the Federal Authorities.
That is in view of the respective guarantees that they’ve made about our academic system. This coincidence might be noticed in the truth that, on this Monday morning, and by myself half, the thoughts continues to be on the Tutorial Workers Union of Universities (ASUU) and its ongoing industrial motion.
Within the language of our commerce, what we have now on our arms is a working story. Therefore the commentaries should additionally assume the same profile – they should be churned out till the problem is resolved. Because of this it’s not possible to carry off from this working sore, i.e. the continued battle between the Federal Authorities and the ASUU.
The Federal Authorities may have used the chance given by the opposite unions to play the ball very effectively. Slightly, the federal authorities selected to drop the ball
So, many ideas come to the thoughts. The seemingly new turning level on this problem is the direct intervention of President Muhmmadu Buhari on this problem. The intervention might be noticed at two ranges. One, at a latest outing, he appealed to ASUU to name off the strike motion and resume duties. He additionally mandated his Chief of Workers Professor Ibrahim Gambari to fulfill with the ASUU hierarchy. This was with a view to making sure that the problems are resolved.
On the time of scripting this, it seems to be as if we’re nonetheless at a dead-end. For, in response to experiences, ASUU is holding on to its place. In taking this place the ASUU hierarchy is of the view that nothing concrete was delivered to the desk and as such the Union had no alternative however to stay to its unique place.
Once more, the federal government seems to have missed it. Mere presidential bluster won’t resolve these sticky points. The federal government wants to come back forth in a substantive manner on these excellent points. For the sake of readability, it might be be essential to restate them.
The primary has to do with the compensation bundle which ASUU is saying is grossly outdated. Sadly, the wringing of arms by the federal government that there isn’t a cash won’t wash. It is because ASUU as women and men of the data trade are within the know as regards the place all of the lifeless our bodies are buried.
They’ve subsequently not wasted time in telling authorities a couple of truths as regards the place the cash is. What beats the creativeness right here is how the most recent makes an attempt may have failed within the mild of the involvement of Ibrahim Gambari.
I consider that Gambari was auspiciously positioned to mediate on this problem. He’s a professor; although the caveat might be entered that he left the College a very long time in the past.
In the meantime, we might even be worse off in the meanwhile. That is within the mild of the truth that, there’s a contagious dimension to the continued ASUU strike. As was identified, in a earlier piece, it’s doable to see a sample right here. As prior to now, as soon as ASUU decides to down instruments one thing occurs to the remainder of the tutorial sector on the tertiary degree.
The explanations for this deposition usually are not far to hunt. Since ASUU launched into its industrial motion, different unions within the tertiary academic sector have adopted go well with. Essentially the most predictable entities are the opposite Unions within the college system itself. NASU, SSANU, and NAAT – all of them, non- lecturers.
It’s instructive to understand right here that the non-academic tag is a really contested time period. These union members would like to be referred to as non-teaching employees. That certainly, is Nigeria for you. Everybody within the college system needs to put claims to the seemingly exalted tag of ‘educational.’
However even then, I digress. The kernel of the grouse for this class of staff revolves across the new cost platform. By way of my very own private perception into this specific problem, it’s doable to commend these different unions. On this observe, it’s instructive to understand right here that, when the brand new cost system was birthed, these unions determined to offer the novelty an opportunity. They went together with it.
Nevertheless, and because the state of affairs unfolded, it was discovered to be filled with inconsistencies and contradictions. So on this observe, I can virtually take my phrases again that, they’re merely hanging on to the coat-tails of ASUU.
Nonetheless, one thing tells me that if ASUU was not standing on the barricades at this cut-off date, likelihood is that, the opposite unions can be on the western entrance – quiet. However there it’s, regardless of the preliminary and contrasting positions of ASUU on one hand and the opposite unions on the opposite, each of them might be discovered within the new Jerusalem. That is the place once more, the federal government comes up for lots of blame.
The Federal Authorities may have used the chance given by the opposite unions to play the ball very effectively. Slightly, the federal authorities selected to drop the ball. The implication is that, as we write, there may be an absolute dimension to the state of our college system: it’s utterly closed-under lock and key. The apparent victims are after all the scholars.
Predictably, they’re on the market, indignant and railing on the system. Within the course of, they’re highlighting all of the contradictions in our polity. Maybe the obvious and telling of those is the well-known rivalry that these accountable for this essential sector (training), would not have their kids in these universities, and this may occasionally effectively clarify the chilly indifference of the federal government to the problems being raised by the unions. For the information, nevertheless, it is very important draw consideration to what Dr. Chris Ngige, the minister of labour has stated.
In accordance with him, his personal kids are in Nigerian universities. Let it’s additionally famous {that a} response has since come forth from the president of ASUU, who requested: what proportion of the whole is that? In different phrases, the posture from the minister is basically one thing of an exception. And like all exceptions, one thing legitimate and truthful, is being stated in regards to the total image.
In the meantime, because the unhappy drama continues to unfold, different side-lights start to emerge. There was the ostracization which was visited by the UK authorities on the college system in Nigeria. It’s an fascinating message from London which doesn’t bode effectively for Nigeria.
Particularly, there are new visa protocols for expert staff from universities the world over. Predictably, and pointedly, Nigerian universities had been excluded. This isn’t shocking, if solely as a result of, each embassy on this nation is right here legitimately to collect data on the nation.
Our training sector is sure to draw their consideration. They are going to readily admire that, more often than not, our universities are out of enterprise. The fast foregoing might effectively clarify the snub, which the British authorities have determined to inflict on our college graduates. Would you blame them?
On this enterprise of Worldwide Relations, nationwide curiosity is paramount, and underneath the circumstances, the Nigerian college system will not be effectively positioned to serve their pursuits. That is clearly a takedown for us. However then, if the evolving realities are something to go by, one can’t blame them.
As issues stand nevertheless, and by the day, the polity continues to be heated up by this spate of commercial actions. It is because the bigger industrial unions are bracing up, able to stoke the fireplace of unrest.
On this observe, The Commerce Union Congress, (TUC), has since issued an announcement to the impact that, if the problems usually are not resolved quickly, they are going to have interaction in a present of solidarity with the opposite Unions ie ASUU and the others. The results of this may be imagined. So, those that are accountable for Nigeria had higher sit up on this problem.
However even then, the strikes actions have since unfold to the Polytechnics- one other part of our Tertiary training system. Certainly, and as I write, the Tutorial Workers Union of Polytechnics ASUP, has since launched into a warning strike which may effectively tail off into one thing indefinite; in what’s arguably, a replication of the unhappy dynamics presently enjoying out between ASUU and the FG.
Past the scholars and Nigeria’s battered picture within the eyes of the world; there are different victims of this horrible however avoidable expertise. The references right here, are to these defenseless, poor Nigerians who make the precarious dwelling on the platform of the casual sectors in our numerous tertiary establishments.
Learn additionally: ASUU strike forces college students to accumulate expertise, begin companies
With the closure of the Universities and polytechnics, all is presently quiet within the college atmosphere. The meals sellers, cobblers, small scale grocers and the photocopy machine operators in addition to different merchants are moping.
They’re hoping that at some point, these protracted points can be resolved, and to this extent, their financial actions will increase as soon as once more in our universities. As issues stand, all the things is in a limbo right here in UNILAG.
What this interprets to, are lack and materials deprivation for these poor Nigerians who proceed to mope and hope that at some point the Faculties will reopen.
In the meantime, the Neros are busy, fidgeting with their self-serving electoral course of, whereas the Universities stay underneath lock and key. Unhappy!!.
Fortunately nevertheless, it seems that the state of affairs will ease for the higher very quickly. That is in view of the guarantees being made by the duo of Tinubu and Atiku. However that is in the long run and should effectively quantity to nothing in the end given the vapour-like guarantees of politicians. Within the fast sense nevertheless, it’s doable to see a ray of hope.
That is in view of the hints being dropped by the ASUU hierachy that the Union is presently engaged with the Nimi Briggs committee. That is with a view to reaching frequent grounds, such that soonest, our Universities can be open as soon as once more for our teeming youths who’re presently losing away at dwelling.
