It is either we bell the cat now, or we become the grass that suffers where two elephants fight – a clarion call to Nigerian Students, written by Adedapo Taiwo

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We vividly reminisce that February this year, university Students across the country were sent packing from their respective institutions due to the perennial strike action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

At first, ASUU announced the strike at its National Secretariat after the Federal Government failed to honour their demands. Meanwhile, such strike actions by the University Union is not new to Nigerian Students, as it has become a yearly thing. But we must understand that the Academic staff Union of universities, ASUU is a pressure group that fights for its members and in the process students in Nigeria. This it does as a successor to the Nigeria Association of Universities Teachers.

Apart from doing the above, the frequent strike action can not be disconnected from the 2009 agreement between ASUU and the Federal Government which the Government has failed to meet since the time of the agreement. And so in reaction to the failure of the Federal Government to meet these demands, ASUU finds it justifiable to always embark upon a strike action almost every year.

While ASUU might have its excesses, shortcomings and personal gains from the demand, it remains the only Union that fights for educational reforms in our country and they have always stood against the collapse of the university system. Of a truth, even with ASUU’s excesses, not even the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) is as genuine or more sincere than ASUU in the struggle for a better academic environment.

To buttress this, you may peruse parts of the agreement reached by the federal government and ASUU below:
(a) Conditions of Service
(b) Funding
(c) University Autonomy and Academic Freedom
(d) Other Matters

On Thursday, 14th December, 2006, the then Honourable Minister of Education,
Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili, on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria
(FGN), inaugurated the FGN/ASUU Re-negotiation Committee comprising the
FGN Re-negotiation Team led by the then Pro-Chancellor, University of Ibadan,
Deacon Gamaliel O. Onosode OFR, and the ASUU Re-negotiation Team led by
the then President of ASUU, Dr. Abdullahi Sule-Kano. The Agreement was reached and later signed by the Federal Government in January, 2009.

Since this time, the emotion and intelligence of students have been played upon by the two parties involved, as the Federal Government has refused to honour the agreement it entered willingly while the other party to the agreement continually embarks upon strike & closure of campuses to demand that the agreement is honoured. The question however remains; who suffers? The truth is that the major victims of this back and forth are the students because after the whole scenario, ASUU will get paid and nothing will happen to the Federal Government and its public servants, as none of them or their wards are victims. So, it is we the children of the poor masses who can’t afford universities abroad or private in Nigeria that bear the brunt.

As I have earlier stated, ASUU as a union might have its excesses, but students must always praise and stand with them. The truth is, if not for ASUU & their struggles, our universities would have turned to abandoned institutions and moribunds like our primary and secondary schools, as governments at all tiers have made possible the degeneration of public primary and secondary schools to the extent that majority are not proud to send their wards there.

At this point, you may want to ask why this letter is addressed to the Nigerian students and not to the Ministry of Education, ASUU or Federal Government? It is because it is obvious that the government has failed Nigerian Students and are not ready to take Education as their priority. On the other hand, ASUU is not ready to resume school activities until its demands are met. So, who should bell the cat? Who should fight for its future?
Very simple. The major stakeholders hereinafter tagged students should fight for themselves.

It is a fact that we have been sent away from school since February, and are to stay at home till only when God knows. Our house rent whether being occupied by us or not continues to read and in case we remain in our various homes till the end of this year 2022 doesn’t matter to the landlord/caretaker. Hence, our time is being wasted, we are stagnant and affected mentally and psychologically. As a result, some students will no longer go for NYSC as and when due because of the ASUU strike. More to this is that some will miss life changing opportunities and some that will not have mental strength to confront these hurdles will drop out of school and engage in other things, be it legal or illegal.

A proverb goes thus; an idle hand is the devil’s workshop. Little wonder we now have more younger persons in ritualism, robbery, cyber fraud, prostitution, terrorism, for one of the things that was supposed to be giving them joy and keep them legitimately busy as students for the hope of a better tomorrow has been put in shambles. Students that were busy with academics activities and some extra curricula responsibilities on campuses are now at home doing nothing–and then exposed to criminal victimization and are subject of ridicule by the uneducated set roaming on the street.

It is a known fact that we the (students) don’t matter to this government, the minister of State for education that is supposed to find a lasting solution to the ASUU Strike is busy with 2023 calculations, Political permutations and politics. He went as far as purchasing the APC nomination form at 100million naira, the minister of labour has also joined the Presidential race. And then, the GCFR Buhari is busy on who succeeds him and none of them has our time.

What then should we do?

“When we revolt it’s not for a particular culture. We revolt simply because, for many reasons, we can no longer breathe” – Frantz Fanon

Therefore, the only option left for us is to have a peaceful protest across the country because we can’t continue to breathe as Nigerian students while our life is at stake. And since none of both parties is ready to come to common terms of agreement, all other means have failed and so, we must protest to break the Academic standstill at hand.

This is imperative because we have used 3 months begging, organising press conferences, warning the FGN, yet, nothing has been done to end the strike. This alone has proven to we Nigerian students that the only language the FGN led by President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR understands is mass action (Protest), we embark upon a vibrant, well coordinated non-stop protest till the strike is called off.

We have Union across campuses, we have NANS, NAUS, NAPS and other students’ unions and associations. It’s high time we united against all the forces of oppression that wants to destroy us. Apparently, the heinous motive of the Federal Government being expressed by its non agreement with ASUU’s demand is to destroy our lives and render Formal Education totally archaic & not profitable for our youths. Whether the FGN is right or wrong with its motive, it’s now left for us to justify by our actions or aggravating inactions.

At this point, NANS should prove to us this time that it is not the committee of academically forsaken people constituted by the government to opress the students & sell them out for shameful brown envelopes & Ghana Must Go. Also, the vibrant & reasonable Students’ Union Presidents across campuses should mobilize their members for peaceful protest in their respective schools, just like what UNIBEN, UNILAG and other institutions are currently doing.

We have had enough of press conferences, Twitter spaces, and media interviews begging and persuading the Government, enough of threats. The first “C” of Aluta has been observed to no avail, the second failed woefully too and the only option that can work is to adopt the third “C” which is confrontation; peaceful confrontation at that. A massive peaceful Protest. Students should occupy and bombard Lagos–Ibadan expressway, all the federal roads, streets and markets.

For Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon with which the world can be changed.”

Remember, leaders who do not act dialogically, but insist on imposing their decisions do not organize the people–they manipulate them. They do not liberate, nor are they liberated; they oppress. We Nigerian students should not be manipulated or beguiled, neither should we be mute while being oppressed and our future being toyed with. Rather, we should be liberated for freedom cometh by struggle!

Nigerian Students, United we stand, divided we beg and suffer!

I am Adedapo Taiwo Emmanuel-Network, a concerned Nigerian Student from Awo’s Varsity.

rapkid11997@gmail.com
08108351514

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