Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on February 14, 2022, proceeded on a nationwide strike, which was conditionally suspended last week, after eight months. Many students and lecturers shared their experiences and expectations. BOLA OLAJUWON, Nwanosike Onu, BISI OLANIYI, NSA GILL, ELO EDREMODA, ANTHONY BASSEY, ROSEMARY NWISI, SIMON UTEBOR, Damola Kola-Dare, Damian Duruiheoma report.
There are mixed feelings among the students and lecturers, following Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)’s conditional suspension of the eight-month strike, which commenced on February 14, 2022, and resumption of academic activities last Friday.
Despite that ASUU members went on strike for so long, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration insisted on ‘no-work-no-pay’ policy. Following courts’ intervention, ASUU members opted for unconditional suspension of the strike. The union said it called off the strike due to a court order and appeals from Nigerians.
A Court of Appeal had ordered the striking lecturers to return to class after the National Industrial Court (NIC) ruled against the union in a case brought to it by the Federal Government. Days after the Appeal Court’s judgment, ASUU called off the strike and ordered members to resume lectures.
The union’s National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said the decision was not because issues brought by the lecturers were fully addressed.
However, to some undergraduates, the strike has taken them backward. Many students, they said, should have graduated, gone for national youth service or engage in other endeavours if not for the strike.
While a large number of the students are excited that the standoff is temporarily over, others have lamented that their expected years of graduation have been disrupted and extended by the strike. Surprisingly, a handful of the students want the strike to extend till next year, because they decided to venture into businesses that fetch them money, while returning to their campuses will negatively affect their businesses.
For students, particularly those that are in final year, it would be very bad, if the strike suspension does not lead to total cancellation. According to the students, it will, therefore, mean that the Federal Government does not have the interest of students at heart. To them, the nation that does not give priority to education can hardly achieve half of its goals.
But, to lecturers who spoke with The Nation, the strike was a labour struggle and the labour movement has methods. They said if overtime, nothing happens, “anything can also happen”.
Undergraduates, lecturers in Akwa Ibom State to Fed Govt: act on ASUU’s demands
In an interview, a 300-level student of the Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, the Federal Government-owned University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Miss Oluchi Agu, said: “I am glad about the resumption, but ASUU should have suspended the strike next year.
“This is to make it much easier for students, because there are many students who fend for themselves to support their education, and then stopping the strike like this will be very stressful. This strike has taken us backward, as many students ought to have graduated, gone for national youth service or engage ourselves somewhere, but the industrial action has dragged us backward.
A 200-level student of the Department of Industrial Technology, Faculty of Education, UNIUYO, Edidiong Isaac, said: “I am happy about ASUU’s suspension of the strike.
“The strike was so painful, particularly to the students, because it was a big struggle between the Federal Government and ASUU. The effects of their fights are always on the students. As schools are resuming, the students are going to be rushed with academic work to meet up the school’s calendar, and the consequences will lie on the students.
“It is a hope for students, particularly those that are in final year, and those that want to be cleared to go for national service.
“It will be very bad, if this suspension does not lead to cancellation of the strike. It will, therefore, mean that the Federal Government does not have the interest of students at heart, and the nation that does not give priority to education can hardly achieve half of its goals.
“The government should do something about the strike, to avoid its reoccurrence. There must be a lasting solution to the impasse.”
A 100-level student in the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, UNIUYO, Jeremiah Matthew, said: “Sincerely, suspension of the strike is a big blow, because other students and I, who are hustling to support our education, are not prepared for it.
“But looking at it academically, the resumption is in our interest, so that we can get to do what we came to school to do, though the resources are not there for most students, who fend for themselves.
“My advice to ASUU’s leaders and the Federal Government is that they should come to a final agreement that will not bring back the strike. Coming to school and going on strike destabilise the students, because a lot of them will be detached from school’s activities.”
A former Chairman of ASUU, UNIUYO chapter, Dr. Aniekan Brown, said: “If our leaders were reasonable, it would not have lasted that long. Maybe two weeks, it would have been over, but the level of infidelity on the part of the Federal Government led us this far.
“Such subterfuge was deployed, when the government went to court and the basis of that court being a law-abiding body, it had to subscribe and suspend the strike. We must acknowledge the zeal of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; those moves might have encouraged us to obey the law.
“So, here we are.The morality of not being paid for seven months, and this is the eighth month, and the government expects you to come and put in your best, in the context of motivation, leaves much to be desired.
“In all, we are teachers, and we are academics. We are committed to doing our work the best way we can, but the government should learn to be more trustworthy, reasonable and place education on the priority list.”
On if the Federal Government does not meet the demands of ASUU, Brown said: “It is a labour thing, and the labour movement has approaches and methods. So, it follows that if overtime, nothing happens, anything can also happen. The Federal Government may go to court again to secure a perpetual injunction against strike by ASUU members, but mine is to encourage people to know that education is important, and if you do not place it on a priority list, you will pay for it in the future.”
Students express diverse
opinions at UNICAL
Academic activities have resumed at the University of Calabar (UNICAL). While some students have expressed excitement over the end of the protracted strike and the prospect of returning to classes, others have expressed disappointment that the union was unable to accomplish its goals, after such a long time, and had to settle for a conditional suspension of the strike, despite wasting the students’ time for eight months.
The President, Faculty of Social Sciences, UNICAL, Ojong Agbor, described the suspension of the strike as a huge relief.
He said: “As you can see, everyone is busy. The enthusiasm on the part of the students is high. We have missed school activities, and right now, everyone is working hard to see how they can follow the school’s calendar.
“I must commend ASUU members, as they put up a good fight, because most of the things they are fighting for are justifiable. I have just left my Dean’s Office and he is at his desk, working so hard, just like other lecturers who are also busy.”
UNICAL bustling
A final year student in UNICAL’s Public Administration Department, Linus Israel, stated that he had been itching to graduate and pursue other dreams, but the strike slowed him down, stressing that with the resumption, his graduation was on sight.
A 400-level student of the university’s Institute of Public Policy and Administration, Emmanuel Okon, said: “I like the strike, because it gave me the opportunity to acquire fashion designing skills. So, by the time I round off my university education, I am already making money from the skill that I acquired. I believe that other smart students also engaged themselves in one profitable trade or another.”
Edo State students urge Fed Govt to do the needful
Most students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) were excited about the decision of ASUU members when The Nation visited the campus.
UNIBEN’s Esohe Ogbeide, 300-Level student of the Faculty of Engineering, said: “The strike was a step in the right direction, considering that the Federal Government declined to implement the 2009 agreement it signed with ASUU, especially to improve infrastructure in public universities, fully equip the higher institutions and provide facilities.
“The Federal Government must be sincere, while signing agreements in the future and it must quickly do the needful to ensure peace on campuses.’’
Uyi Omoregie of UNIBEN’s Department of Accounting, said the strike period was not a waste, as he became an entrepreneur after learning fashion designing and made money from it.
Students expect lectures to kick-off at FUPRE
Returning students of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE) in Delta State are expecting lectures to kick-off next week. Skeletal activities were observed on campus during the visit.
But lecture halls were deserted. Ditto hostels, as only a few students were seen at the female hostel. While maintenance were ongoing at the male hostel, the entrance was overgrown by weeds.
Jacob Osas, a 300-level student of Mechanical Engineering, doubted lectures would commence this week.
He said: “I checked for lectures on Monday, nothing happened. Again, on Tuesday, still no lecture.”
A Computer Science student added: “Some of our Mathematics lecturers are back, but we have not had lectures.You can’t get into lecture halls.
“The TETFUND building is blocked with a small barricade. Maybe they are still working on the building. I do not know. Lecturers cannot also access their offices there.
“For this week, there is no hope for lectures. The hostels are open, but I will not advise anyone to stay there because of grass, which accommodates pests and insects. When I got there to ask what was going on, the workers told me that they were renovating. For now, I am staying outside the campus.”
UNIPORT students angry over second semester exams next week
Most students of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) were not happy over the decision of the institution’s authorities to begin second semester examinations next week.
Upon the suspension of the stike, the authorities of UNIPORT scheduled second semester exams for 100-level students from next week, according to the university’s spokesman, Dr. Sammy Kpenu.
However, a 100-level student of the varsity’s Department of Food science, Divine Nyeche, said: “I am happy that ASUU has suspended the strike. I am ready to write my examinations. I have been reading since the strike started.”
Mixed feelings greeted strike suspension in Bayelsa State
The conditional suspension of the strike by ASUU has been greeted with mixed feelings among some returning students of the Bayelsa State government-owned Niger Delta University (NDU) in Amassoma.
Some students expressed joy that the strike had eventually been suspended, while others noted that it came at a time that Bayelsa State was ravaged by floods, which affected over 300 communities and displaced close to one million residents.
The road to NDU in Amassoma has been cut into three parts by floods, and no longer accessible by the residents, including the students, their lecturers and other staff. As a result of the disaster, academic activities are yet to begin.
Though NDU is not in session, some of the returning stated that the strike’s suspension was a welcome development.
A 100-level Medical Laboratory Science student of NDU, Joshua Eselemo Ebiakpo, noted that although he was elated over the suspension of the strike, it rather came too late, and coincided with a period most of the states across the country were facing terrible times, because of the ravaging floods.
Uche Onoche, a 200-level student of Education, NDU, suspending ASUU’s strike at a time floods hit Bayelsa State was meaningless.
Ramil Biebelemo, a 300-level Technical Education student of the same NDU, expressed great joy, with regard to the suspension of the industrial action.
A 100-level student of Nursing at NDU, Deborah Eselemo, said: “ASUU did the right thing at the wrong time. Suspending the strike at this time is not going to make any student to resume class now. I am a student of NDU, and the floods have wreaked havoc in Bayelsa State. The university community is seriously impacted. Though, the strike has been suspended, I will not be able to go back to school. I will have to wait for some time. This is not the best time to suspend the strike.”
Undergraduates: we had moved on to other things
Chibuike Nwachukwu, a student at University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) was initially excited at resumption, but his school’s amended academic calendar got him disappointed.
“At first, I was excited because I’ve always looked forward to resumption, but seeing my school’s amended academic calendar, I wish the strike never happened. We weren’t done with lectures when the strike commenced; not to talk of assignments and tests. Now, we’d have to conclude the semester in two months.
“The fear of doing many academic things at once has buried my excitement of returning to school,” he said.
Phillip Anjorin, a student at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, said: “The end to the ASUU strike brought a tepid feeling for me. I’m confused between feeling happy that this journey had an end in sight, and angry because of the opportunities lost within the period where the two conflicting parties generously wasted our time. But I’ve known that I need to count my blessings, do what I can within the short time left, and hope for better days ahead.
“However, my attention to curricular activities will no longer be at the same level. I believe this is a sentiment shared by other students because most of us delved into other things that not even lectures can snatch from us. We’re now confused on how to adapt to this new reality, which will be very alien to the lecturers and the academic field.”
“Now, we will see situations where students are many in class but the attention level is below-par. The lecturers will think the students are not serious, but they won’t want to admit that they pushed the student populace to the wall.”
Oguejiofor Stella, a Biology and Genetics student at University of Lagos (UNILAG), was sad about resumption. She said she had moved on to other things.
Her words: “When we expected them to call it off, they didn’t call it off, now that I have already moved on with my life; they are now calling me back to school in October. I don’t know what to choose between my skill acquisition programme and school. I might have to rethink whether to resume or continue with the programme to become a data analyst.”
‘Our concerns’
For Olaitan Babatunde, a Mass Communication student at Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), it was mixed feelings.
Her words: “I was excited that I would be resuming school, which means I will be graduating soon. But the fact that I have wasted house rent for a year and my landlord wants to increase house rent makes me unhappy. Then, getting funds to buy things I will be taking to school since it is impromptu is also saddening.”
Adoto Bello Hussein, a 300-Level Medical student at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), is not excited after eight months. He is unsure another strike won’t be declared.
He said: “Somehow, I’m not particularly excited. The suspension of the strike is conditional. We are not sure they won’t declare another strike in a few weeks or months from now. In the last three years, I’ve spent nearly two years of my life languishing at home because of the strike. I have classes and exams to resume to. The last time my school went on strike, we resumed to face rushed lectures and haphazard exams. I barely scaled through. The resumption now feels like a deja vu.
“In all of these, I feel cheated of eight months of my life. The government moves on, lecturers get their salaries. What do I get for being kept at home for eight months?”
Sayedi Umar Mohammed, a student at Usmanu Dan fodio University Sokoto(UDUS) is happy to resume, though he is not financially ready.
His words: “I’m happy about the resumption after eight months. Also, by God’s grace, this will be my last experience with the ASUU strike as I only have one semester remaining to finish my undergraduate studies.
“However, I’m not financially ready for the resumption; I’m still thinking about how to raise money for transport fare, house rent, and foodstuff. It’s going to be huge expenses.”
Anambra students fail to resume classes
Despite calling off the strike, Anambra State students have failed to resume classes. Some of them, who spoke with The Nation in Awka, Anambra State, said the timing was wrong as Christmas is around the corner.
During a visit to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka on Tuesday, the institution was almost empty.
One of the second year students, Chisom Chidebe, of Bio -Chemistry Department, praised ASUU for calling off the strike to stop the students from further pains.
According to her, “we’ve gone through a lot since the strike started. Some of us engaged ourselves with some menial jobs to keep body and soul together.”
For Augustina Okonkwo, who was still battling with her clearance before the ASUU strike, she lamented that the situation had taken a toll on many of them.
“I was almost concluding my clearance before the strike, but it was stalled. It denied me the chance of completing and captured for Youth Service,” she said.
Another student, who did not want to disclose her name, told The Nation that she had to delve into some ugly things to help herself, having come from a poor background.
“But if we were in school, it would limit you from doing certain things, though the Federal Government did not do well. But I equally blame the lecturers for engaging the government in a fight they knew they would not win.
“Right now, we’ve come back to square one. They should allow us to enjoy Christmas first before telling us to resume, at least, I’ve been able to save some money since eight months,” she said.
ASUU-UNN agrees to resume academic activities
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) University of Nigeria Nsukka Chapter, on Tuesday, officially agreed to resume academic activities during its congress.
Chairman of ASUU-UNN, Dr. Christian Opata, said this while speaking with newsmen in Nsukka after the union’s congress.
Opata said the aim of the congress was to inform lecturers to resume academic activities, following the suspension of the nationwide strike by ASUU National leadership on October 14.
“After this congress, members of ASUU-UNN are free to engage in any academic activity in the university. The agreement to resume academic activities is in respect of directive from our national headquarters that suspended the strike on October 14 to enable students to return school,” he said.
The ASUU boss, however, urged Federal Government to do its own part now that lecturers have done their own part by resuming academic activities, to ensure industry harmony in public universities.
Some of the lecturers, who attended the congress, said they would resume academic activities as agreed in the congress.
Prof Rose Onah, lecturer at the Department of Public Administration and Local Government Affairs, urged government to ensure that what was agreed between government and the union that led to the suspension of the strike were implemented.
Dr. Chinedu Ejezie, lecturer at the Department of Political Science said: “Now ASUU has done its own part by suspending the strike embarked on February 14, all eyes are now on government to play its own part.”
According to academic timetable released by UNN Management after the suspension of the strike, lectures would resume in the university on October 24, as students were expected to return to campus on October 22.
