Why ASUU is on Strike

[@johnsonade100]

Very true

[@naijajoint365]

It is sad that Nigeria can budget four trillion in a year for fuel subsidy but can not inject half of that sum into Education where the impact will last for generations.

[@bebenlight]

God bless you sir. This is very insightful

[@roselynmrumunkwaghchimin7710]

Those who work don't get paid but those who don't work get paid. ASUU sacrifices will not be in vain.

[@stellaadejoh5309]

Thank you Prof for speaking so frankly. I hope the government does something positive rather than approve new private universities thereby making university hard to reach for majority of Nigerians.

[@OjoniguFridayAti]

Doc, that is our hope. If the public university system goes down, the wretched-of-the-earth will remain earthbound.

[@AshiruMUmar]

That's real truth Prof.

[@fanenterdoo1225]

Instead of going on strike ASUU should insist that proper accreditation is carried out. They should also make sure that student teacher/ratio is strictly observed. There should be no overtime, no working on Saturday, no reading of undergrads/postgrads projects, /thesis at home, academic calendar should run from September to June as it is in the developed countries. ASUU members shouldn't use their personal laptops/data to do university work, etc.. I believe there are lots more ASUU can do to call government attention sir.

[@aminuudubo6136]

Let ASUU think out of the box. Strikes can not get the University system out of the woods.

[@mustaphaissa8182]

There are many untold story regarding ASUU strike which prof just highlighted some of them. I hope our government can do the needful to sustain our higher education system.

[@OjoniguFridayAti]

Thank you. I hope so too.

[@TERVERTORPEV]

This clarification is timely.

[@OjoniguFridayAti]

Thanks

[@suleimanumar5857]

Prof. Sir, ( our father the Evangelist) may Allah bring lasting solution

[@OjoniguFridayAti]

Amen. Thanks

[@omofresh]

I am one of the people that is strongly against ASUU strike though I agree 100% ASUU have genuine grievance. Its is the same grievance that has lingering since 1992 or beyond. It appears clearly strike is not a solution to the problem. If one has a problem and kept on using the same method resolve the problem, which is not yielding results. And he repeatedly stuck to that only one solution for 30 years, there is a problem. It is clear strike cannot solve the problem ASUU is attempting to solve, and that is why I do not support it. ASSU needs to think of other solutions that will be more effective. I have a recommendation if you permit me. 1. ADDRESS FUNDING ISSUE: Universities should be financially autonomous, where every student will pay tuition and representatives of parents and community leaders are elected to the board (council) instead of politicians. No more appropriated subventions for universities. The same amount Government give the VCs to pay ASUU salaries and run the universities, should be given to students in the form of scholarship to pay their tuition. So, it is the same money provided through different channel. This will ensure more accountability by the university administration. Each university should have parents teachers association, who will be responsible for electing members of the council. This will also create a healthy competition between the universities, which drive innovative ways of running universities that will make the system more efficient, because parents/students will avoid universities with high cost and low quality. 2. DECENTRALISE THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM: The staff of each university should be answerable to the council of that specific university. Each staff will negotiate his/her terms and conditions with the council of his university. This will make them to be more productive and more competitive. Just like in a football team, a player knowing fully well if he does not play well, next match he will be in the bench, which reduces his market value. The current arrangement of collective bargaining is part of the root cause of the current decay. Many do not contribute as much as they should and some even feel like next to God, in the way they treat students. 3. In my opinion, no amount of strike can solve public university problems as championed by ASUU, until a. We completely address a sustainable source of funding b. Disaggregate or decentralize the university administration system c. Put in a system to make the universities and its staff accountable to its customers (parents of students), instead the way it is being viewed at the moment as a favour being done. d. NUC should also be reorganized to perform their regulatory functions effectively.

[@OjoniguFridayAti]

Omofresh, thank you for your comments. This has set me thinking. I will call for contribution on what should be adopted as an alternative to strikes if they are not working. It culminates in national discourse and I would be glad if you can enrich the discourse with your perspective. Thank you.

[@balamakojiinnocent3255]

Hmmmm there was a country called Nigeria

[@OjoniguFridayAti]

The country will continue. This is a passing phase.

[@ewedacomedian7400]

Hmmmmmm.

[@philemonmshelia809]

Thank you Prof for this public engagement. You've talked about salient and important points as to how ASUU members are also affected by the strike. It's quite unfortunate that the public hardly realize that the struggle is more to their advantage than ASUU

[@raymondolaseinde6440]

Can you listen to him reeling out lies and fallacies. Did he think we are all fools. 1. As we speak, conferences and workshops both local and international are on going and ASUU members who are interested in attending such can attend as they wish. How can ASUU strike affect conferences? Is it only Universities that organize workshops and conferences?? 2. Let us assume ASUU members are not paid salaries during strike. When the strike is called off or "suspended" as they used to say, will they not be paid all their entitlements in arrears and in full? 3. Let's assume that during strike promotions are stalled because the University Senate or Council cannot meet during ASUU strike, when the promotion eventually comes through, are such promotions not backdated to as far back as ten years in arears with full payment for the backdated years. 3. Yes for children of ASUU members losing years in school due to their parents going on strike, it's the students life that is paused not the parents life or career. 4. For ASUU members who are students, their career is progressing and their future remains bright. At least they have security of job. It's only their education that is paused. Students who are not ASUU members have their career, education and future paused for God knows how long. If everything ASUU members lose during the strike are replenished in full when ASUU strike is called off, can we say ASUU members really lose anything? The answer is NO. ASUU members loss nothing during strike. In fact the strike afford the industrious among them free time to engage in other profitable endeavors. *STOP THE DECEIT.*

[@OjoniguFridayAti]

Mr. Olaseinde, I want to acknowledge and appreciate your comments on my video. This is good for the issue at hand. I have a few responses to your comments. Please, take your time and go through to understand the issues before responding and as a gentleman, it is important you avoid accusations and vitriolic language either in private or in public. Here are my responses: YOUR OPENING COMMENTS: Can you listen to him reeling out lies and fallacies (sic). Did he think we are all fools (sic). MY OPENING COMMENTS: I was advised at first instance to take down this comment, but I said no. I will be displaying the same level of intolerance, prejudice, and ignorance if I do that. MY PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS 1. You are prejudiced, so you cannot afford the patience to digest the points raised. 2. You conveniently picked comments you want to attack while leaving others. 3. There was no depth in your analysis but a convenient hyping of points you feel are important to you. 4. Your language is caustic and probably originating from a caustic mind. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 5. I would have taken down your comments or simply ignored them, but as I said earlier, I will be displaying the same level of intolerance by doing that. Also, you may have been misled, so, it is necessary to help you rethink. 6. I don’t know the background you are coming from or your motive. It helps to tolerate even those you may not agree with. 7. As for your accusation of reeling out lies, I will leave that at the discretion of those WHO THE CAP FIT. Briefly, let me draw your attention to the points you raised. POINT 1: As we speak, conferences and workshops both local and international are on going and ASUU members who are interested in attending such can attend as they wish. How can ASUU strike affect conferences? Is it only Universities that organize workshops and conferences?? RESPONSE: You are right. I don’t know your background, but you may help us by listing some of those conferences, their organisers, and their purposes. This may help the people to make informed decisions on the point you have raised. If you have the slightest idea, not all conferences count in the university system. Without prejudice, the university is an exclusive community. POINT 2: Let us assume ASUU members are not paid salaries during strikes. When the strike is called off or "suspended" as they used to say, will they not be paid all their entitlements in arrears and in full? RESPONSE: This is interesting. How will the members survive the period of the strike? If there is a medical challenge or emergency, should it wait for the arrears? Can the arrears restore losses during the period the salary is not paid? POINT 3: Let's assume that during strike promotions are stalled because the University Senate or Council cannot meet during ASUU strike, when the promotion eventually comes through, are such promotions not backdated to as far back as ten years in arears with full payment for the backdated years. RESPONSE: I can see that your thought pattern is constricted and restricted by your bias. Do you know the implication of having your promotion delayed? Opportunities that present themselves to your deserved rank will be lost during the waiting period. Sometimes your juniors in other climes or in the private universities acquire seniority over you during the period of waiting and all chances meant for that period are lost to you. You may think deeper about other losses. Nobody will want his blessings in arrears when he can get it now. POINT 3: Yes for children of ASUU members losing years in school due to their parents going on strike, it's the students life that is paused not the parents life or career. RESPONSE: I suspect you are not a parent. If so, I pardon your ignorance. If you are, then your children are not back with you at home. Maybe you have a benefactor somewhere who is taking care of them or they are not in public universities. POINT 4: For ASUU members who are students, their career is progressing and their future remains bright. At least they have security of job. It's only their education that is paused. Students who are not ASUU members have their career, education and future paused for God knows how long. RESPONSE: I doubt if you are in touch with reality. If you are in touch with reality, your ignorance may not be so obvious. I advise you to take time and reflect before you make assumptions based on your prejudices. CONCLUDING POINT: If everything ASUU members lose during the strike are replenished in full when ASUU strike is called off, can we say ASUU members really lose anything? The answer is NO. ASUU members loss nothing during strike. In fact the strike afford the industrious among them free time to engage in other profitable endeavors. STOP THE DECEIT. RESPONSE: Your narrow-mindedness is reflected in this conclusion. Except you don’t know the value of time, that is when you will say that ASUU members lose nothing. What is lost during the strike is of the greatest essence - TIME. Unfortunately, it is not only ASUU members that are losing, but the nations as a whole. Since time is intangible, who will feel the loss? Only the discerning. I will conclude with this quote by E.B. White “Prejudice is a great time-saver. You can form opinions without having to get the facts.” Thank you.

[@aminuudubo6136]

The bitter truth has been told here

[@umarmuhammad1331]

Thank you very much Prof! for the so matured, well constructed and intellectual response has elucidated your earlier raised points. If it were to be no ASSU, the Nigerian public Universities would have been a history. Again, every public University you visit today and see anything like, Tetfund, Needs assessment etc; which is the major prevailing structures and facilities found in our Universities, all are as a result of ASSU struggle; Strike. Lastly, do help ASSU by suggesting a suitable and workable alternative. Thank you

[@danielsylvester9350]

Very true