Everybody is tired of the strike including government. Maybe our President is even tired of being President and commander-in-chief of Education Forces, who knows? When he wasn’t tired, what did he do? Nevertheless, I strongly believe it is time he delivered a resumption speech just as his United States counterpart did two weeks ago: let him tell Nigerian students that their ‘compulsory ASUU-summer break’ is over.  

Parents are weary of their children who just wake up and eat, with no specific place to go. Job-seekers fill the road and unemployed graduates are angry with the undergraduate sesewa [‘is their work?’] as both groups now compete for the same limited employment opportunities. Niger Delta militants and Kidnappers Association of Nigeria have employed more recruits since the strike began.  Apparently, Mr Zuckerberg is happy that the traffic on his site, Facebook, has increased, as most Nigerian students have found solace on the social network site as the strike enters its 15^th week. And the smart kids are maximizing the break, learning new skills and exploring new horizons.

Dr. Sam Egwu has failed to resolve the crisis. Intervention of the Senate and House of Rep Committee on Education proved abortive. Traditional rulers and clerics are tired of persuading either party to resume negotiations. Vice President Goodluck involvement in the saga did not prevent the FG-team from withdrawing from negotiations on August 10. The Ministry of Labour move to the Industrial Arbitration Panel has yielded no result. Governing councils of various universities are trying to lobby their local unions to call off the strike but is sure a dead end. Pabo lo ma jasi.

So, who can we turn to?

It’s Mr President. Yes, President Yar’adua or Turai: anyone. They are one! It is just sad that he is a lethargic gentle man who patiently watches as the metal of higher education erodes in the country he heads.  NANS says it will disrupt the under-17 FIFA World Cup; that sounds like a joke, right? More responsive student groups may besiege Abuja very soon. Maybe that will wake Mr President up from his pathetic slumber.  Madam Turai, why don’t you wake him before then?

Really, President Obama Barack wants ASUU strike to end because summer break is over! He expects ‘ALL’ students to resume classes and work hard in school. When he delivered school resumption speech to American students two weeks ago, I felt he challenged our President to rise up to the occasion and resolve the global embarrassment caused by the FG/ASUU impasse: at least, he should do something even if he cannot deliver an eloquent speech!

As it is now, no one knows exactly when the strike will end. Although ASUU has a long history of strike since the 1980s with the longest lasting 7 months [1996], their demands are genuine; it is intended to improve higher education and reduce the pathetic rate of brain-drain in the public universities. Government must resolve the crisis as soon as possible. I hope Obama’s intervention yields results, with your prayers!

Robot  # 1 | 23.09.2009 00:50

...Read the full article.