The threat by the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) to resume the strike action they recently called off and after an agreement was executed with the federal government on adequate funding of university education in Nigeria, to say the least, is very troubling. And, it is troubling for so many reasons. First, the resumption of the strike; when the embers of the last one had not been completely smothered raises the specter of another round of crises in the domain of tertiary education in Nigeria. The second issue; consequent upon another strike, has to do with what is to be done to guarantee quality higher education in Nigeria. While the third and more fundamental question; regards what methodology the different unions in the educational sector, should adopt to achieve the goals of proper funding of education in Nigeria.

An x-ray of the higher education environment in Nigeria will show that there are two broad tendencies in the sector: the conservatives and the progressives. The arrow heads of the progressive elements in the higher education sector are the Marxist – Leninist apostles and their allies; while at the behest of the conservatives, are those who belong to the Dr. Ibrahim Tahir school of thought. As a reminder, Tahir was the academic who used to have his base at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria before he joined partisan politics in 1979. Tahir was a conservative ideologue; who wrote a critical paper for the Obasanjo Military Administration (after the Ali-mon-go struggle for proper finance of education in Nigeria) that the problems in the higher institutions in Nigerian, were being fomented by radical Marxist –Leninist teachers and that until the institutions are purged of these radicals, there will be no peace in the sector.

It was on the basis of Tahir’s recommendations that people like Comrade Ola Oni; Yusuf Bala Usman; Edwin Madunagu; Bade Onimode; Laoye Sanda, Patrick Wilmot, among others, were summarily dismissed from their respective schools. Most unfortunately; the great purge, paved the way for the school authorities and the government; using the secret services, to breed; inject and empower student cult groups; student ritual societies and student socialite clubs; not just to fill the vacuum, but also counteract the domineering influence of the progressive inclined students the radical teachers had been nurturing in different campuses over the years.

It would appear to me that the position of Professor Yemi Oke of the Faculty of Law; University of Lagos, is a variant of Tahir’s philosophy, when he wrote on his Facebook wall, that the Marxist-Leninist methodology that ASUU has adopted for the struggle for proper funding of education in Nigeria; is counter – productive, as it has been creating hardships for the teachers who always go hungry, each time there was a strike. While I concede to Professor Oke the right to espouse his very thoughtful and highly provoking opinion on ASUU and the way forward for higher education in Nigeria, I will however, respectfully, seek an indulgence to disagree with the learned and highly erudite scholar.

Rather than blame Marxism – Leninism; I would in fact think and argue that it is the absence of a coherent ideology and refusal of majority of ASUU members to subscribe to radical thoughts; philosophy and embrace affirmative action, that have been the bane of ASUU struggles. Whereas the United Nations had recommended that not less than 26 per cent of a country’s annual budget should be committed to education; what Nigeria has been putting in on a yearly basis, is less than ten per cent. Tragically; all the arduous struggles of ASUU and the attendant pains on its members over the years, have not moved the Nigerian ruling elite to bridge the gap between the UNESCO benchmark and annual budgetary provisions.

Be that as it may; it must also be pointed out, that blaming Marxist – Leninist methodology for the poor results from ASUU strikes belittles the enormous sacrifices that ASUU leadership and members have made over the years, to get what they presently have. Blaming Marxist – Leninist ideology is equally tantamount to robbing salt on the wounds of the progressive elements who have sacrificed their careers; limbs and even life, to provide patriotic and selfless leadership for ASUU. People like Professor Festus Iyayi sacrificed his life for ASUU. If one also takes a cursory look at the history of ASUU, it would be seen, that it was the so-called Marxist-Leninists that turned ASUU from a castrated to a virile union it has become over time.

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I quite agree that ASUU needs to change tactics in some areas but certainly not in the direction which the amiable Professor Oke wants it to move. For example, incessant strikes have become very annoying to most Nigerian parents and students. And this may be one of the reasons why many students now prefer to apply for admissions into universities where ASUU is not active and strike action a rarity. For a discerning observer, this would appear to be an indictment, if not a trenchant, vote of no confidence on ASUU methods.

Furthermore; all over the world, academics have always been the conscience; thinkers and philosophers for their people. They influence; if not dictate, the direction in which the society should be moving. This has not been the case for us as a society lately. What we have seen is academicians getting co-opted into the corruption vortex of the politicians. They seem to have joined the rat race of “if you can’t beat them, then you join them”. It would also appear that most of our academicians have not given thoughts and consideration to the tremendous influence that thinkers; philosophers and academics, like Bertrand Russell; Isahia Berlin; Georges Politzer and even our own Ayodele Awojobi, Bala Usman and Tam David – West, had on the societies of their days.

The pursuit of good welfare programmes for academics is good as all labourers deserve their wages before the sweat of their brows dries up. But the pursuit of collective or community good is even better for its more enduring values. The pursuit of parochial interests could be dangerous as it retards societal growth and development when it becomes the sole pursuit. What ASUU wants has the potential to create oasis of affluence and/or wealth at one end of the society and mass poverty and squalor at the other end of the pole. Different salary structures clearly make some category of workers in the society feel inferior to other classes of workers and look like parasites; who are contributing little or nothing to the nation’s food basket and, therefore most undeserving of a good life.

Where differential treatments become the norm, there will most likely be chaos and anarchy as the poor in the society will not allow the rich to enjoy their wealth; peace and comfort. And this we have already begun to see in rash and incessant strike actions; kidnappings; insurgency; banditry; religious bigotry and armed robbery, now prevalent all over Nigeria. Different wage structures are inequitable and unsustainable in the long run. It equally does not solve the problems of corruption as seen in the justice sector. If there would be differences in wages at all, it should only be in the areas of allowances that the different job descriptions may command and compel.

Given this; it will be more beneficial and useful, if ASUU will give some thoughts to and concentrate its efforts on demanding and fighting for and ensuring good governance, all over Nigeria. When there is good governance, chances are that there will be rational and equitable generation, allocation and distribution of the nation’s resources across board and consequential, a better society.

• Kolawole, Esq. is a Lagos based legal practitioner and public affairs analyst.