ASUU strike

By Anas Abbas

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Kaduna State University (ASUU-KASU), has officially commenced an industrial action today, marking the beginning of a total, comprehensive, and indefinite strike.

In a statement released by the Publicity Committee of ASUU-KASU, the union outlined a series of actions that must be observed during the strike. These include the suspension of all Senate, Faculty, and Department meetings, as well as the cessation of project supervision and both physical and online lectures.

Additionally, the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) will not be subject to project defences, field studies, or supervision. 

The union has also prohibited online meetings and mandated that no Continuous Assessment (C.A.) or examination scripts be marked. The processing and submission of results are also on hold, alongside any standing committee meetings.

ASUU-KASU has urged all members to adhere strictly to these directives. The union emphasised that any non-compliance or attempts to infringe upon the strike actions should be reported immediately to the Strike Monitoring Committee (SMC) at the ASUU-KASU Secretariat on the Main Campus.

By Muhammad Abubakar

The Federal Government has released ₦50 billion to academic and non-academic staff unions of federal universities, fulfilling a promise made by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as part of efforts to enhance the welfare of university personnel and strengthen Nigeria’s education sector.

Announcing the development, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, described the disbursement as a strategic move to reaffirm the President’s commitment to transitioning Nigeria into a knowledge-driven economy. He emphasised that the release goes beyond a financial transaction, calling it a bold investment in human capital and youth development.

“This intervention is a reaffirmation of our President’s belief in the capacity of Nigerian youth and the invaluable role played by academic and non-academic staff in nurturing them,” Alausa stated.

In a message conveyed through the ministry, President Tinubu reiterated that ensuring uninterrupted academic activity in Nigerian universities is a core priority of his administration. “Keeping our children in school is not negotiable,” he declared, expressing optimism that strikes in higher institutions would soon be permanently resolved.

The Education Minister also acknowledged the cooperation of university unions, noting that Nigeria is currently experiencing one of the longest periods of academic stability in recent years.

The release of the funds is seen as a significant milestone in the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda and a step toward positioning Nigeria’s education system as a benchmark for excellence on the continent.

By Maryam Ahmad

The Kaduna State University (KASU) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared a total, comprehensive, and indefinite strike starting today.

In a statement signed by Dr. Peter Adamu, chairman of ASUU-KASU, and Dr. Peter M. Waziri, secretary, the union announced that the decision was approved by the National Executive Council (NEC) following a resolution by the branch congress.

The strike is in response to several unresolved issues, including the non-payment of withheld salaries from 2017 to 2022, earned academic allowances dating back to 2016, promotion arrears, and supervision allowances for the Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES). 

Other grievances include the non-remittance of pension funds from 2009 to 2019, lack of group life assurance for deceased members, and the failure to implement a 25% and 35% wage award.

ASUU-KASU also demands the restoration of university autonomy and has rejected promises from the Kaduna State Government, citing a lack of substance, specific details, and clear timelines for settling outstanding entitlements.

The strike action is expected to disrupt academic activities indefinitely until the demands are met.

By Hussein Adoto Bello 

In the first rotation of my clinical training at a federal government university teaching hospital in North Central Nigeria, resident doctors went on strike to protest the kidnapping of their colleague in Kaduna. The government threatened “no work, no pay.” Students lost a week of clinical training. The victim wasn’t released until weeks later. 

When I reached the second rotation, I was greeted midway with a warning strike by consultants protesting the non-payment of their arrears. Classes came to a halt, and we, the students, had to hustle for an extension. 

Now, in the third rotation, the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has declared another strike. Students will once again be the victims, but life will continue.

Medical students may be called the next generation of residents and consultants, but when push comes to shove, we are the first to be thrown under the bus. And then patients. Classes stop. Clinics and theatres become skeletal, attending only to critically ill patients and emergencies. 

For students, the situation becomes a matter of finding X, where X is the number of days, weeks, or months the “warning” strikes will go before they are suspended or transform into indefinite strains.

What can we do? Unlike Mour Ndiaye in The Beggars’ Strike, the people who put students in this limiting position don’t need us to survive. We don’t pull enough academic or professional weight to influence their advancements as doctors, consultants, and professors. They can resume whenever and however. 

Government officials know they can keep students at home for nearly a year without hurting their chances at the polls. The students may even fight tooth and nail for them. 

The never-seen-but-felt hands of the hospital and the university management don’t need student crutches to do as they please. Their appointment is not premised on how long students spend in school or patients’ satisfaction. Students and patients are all left to gnash their teeth in the Academic and Clinical Waiting Area while the royal rumble rages. 

It’s not easy, therefore, to try playing Nguirane Sarr. The clever blind beggar realised that beggars have services they can withhold in light of their harassment, which made a difference in The Beggars’ Strike. 

What do students have? Twitter/X hashtags and a lot of God abegs! Boycotting classes, clinics, and theatre may not help; it will only transform an acute case into a chronic one. 

Students in Algeria went on strike to demand more residency openings and accreditation of their diplomas. It’s been weeks, and the issue has yet to be resolved. 

Moroccan students revolted against the shortening of their programmes from seven years to six by declaring a strike in January. December is less than two weeks away.

Meanwhile, medical students here rarely face such massive blows at once. We adjust to the worsening learning difficulties until we graduate, leaving the next generation of students to endure the crucible. Resilience, after all, is an undeclared objective of medical training. 

We are not equally affected, either. A clinical student has a different worry than those still struggling with anatomy and biochemistry in preclinical classes. A strike by ASUU lecturers may not be felt in the clinics. Students in private schools are largely immune to what happens to their colleagues in government universities, and so on. 

For now, one can only hope—rather than expect—that the country establishes independent arbitration bodies for resolving labour issues promptly without sacrificing hapless students and patients at the altar. 

Such a body should include representatives from labour unions, the government, students, and neutral mediators to ensure impartial decisions are swiftly implemented. It should also be able to hold the government, employers, and labour unions accountable so that everyone can act with greater responsibility and not with the callous indifference that has come to characterise labour disputes in Nigeria. 

Besides, labour unions and student bodies should organise themselves into a powerful lobby force that can successfully push for policies that serve their interests instead of waiting to use strikes to protect them. 

More importantly, striking workers and the government should give students and patients an alternative to manage while they bicker. They should host virtual classes if they can’t come for physical ones. They should host clinics or virtual consultations if they can’t go for ward rounds and theatre sessions. 

Thankfully for students, the ṣégé (difficulty) of strikes comes in aliquots, so we build tolerance until the situation rankles less and resistance becomes pointless. We only have to survive in brooding silence until we can escape the system with our scars or embrace it—like Ramatoulayé in So Long a Letter.

Hussein Adoto writes via bellohussein210@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Yusuf Maitama Sule University has embarked on a two-week warning strike, citing the Kano State government’s failure to address its longstanding demands.

According to the union, despite numerous engagements and submissions to the state government, there has been no commitment to resolving the issues affecting the university and its members’ welfare, leaving the union with no choice but to declare a warning strike.

This decision was announced in a joint statement by ASUU branch Chairman Dr. Mansur Said and Secretary Dr. Yusuf Ahmed Gwarzo on Wednesday.

The union stated that the strike became necessary after interventions by various stakeholders, including government officials and ASUU’s Kano Zone and National delegation, but it yielded no tangible results.

“The branch resolved to embark on a two-week warning strike, effective immediately, during its congress on May 29, 2024,” the statement read.

The union’s demands include the reinstatement and reconstitution of the University Governing Council, which was dissolved over a year ago, payment of outstanding Earned Academic Allowance totalling ₦178,705,735.91, and payment of salary arrears resulting from the 2019 minimum wage adjustment, among others.

By Dr Kabiru Danladi Lawanti

The whole Cotonou degree is criminal and all those involved need to be fished out and punished. Some people might see us as harsh or maybe insensitive for saying this. 

There are things we cannot say in public, but one needs not to be prophet of doom to predict that Nigeria cannot withstand this onslaught and will eventually crash. 

Our desperate quest for certification through whatever means led us to this situation. Parents are desperate to have their kids in the university, some even underage (we saw 15, 16 and 17 year olds being pushed to universities), whose mental capacity is too elementary to grasp or cope with challenges of university education.

The crises in higher education and the adoption of neo-liberal policies that have no place in a developing country like ours also contributed to this confusion. Consequences of commodification of knowledge is enormous in a country with no strong institutions to checkmate excesses and greed of capitalists. The results is the proliferation of degree mills all over.

Adoption of neo-liberal policies means cutting funding for public services like education, health and sanitation. Nigerian public universities suffer from these policies. Funding was cut, citing many reasons. The results is restrictions in admissions. When you have many applying to enter university and the slots are few, universities have to admit based on quota. Therefore, few can be admitted.

Parents, in their desperate efforts to get their children into universities, started sending their kids to some African countries for bachelor’s degrees – Uganda, Benin Togo, Ghana, Sudan, Niger Republic, etc. 

Another reason is the dichotomy between degree and HND. Many people affected by stagnation in their places of work because of HND opted for a way to have a degree that can help them get promoted. Many went for the Cotonou degree. Since it is acceptable by MDAs or they made it acceptable, most of them started trooping to these mushroom universities to obtain these degrees to get promoted.

Then we have people who can’t cope with rigorous nature of our public university system. I know a lot who not only failed exams, but are withdrawn from diploma programmes, but appear after 6 months with a degree from these degre milling centres. Others could not pass UTME therefore unqualified to enter public universities. Cotonou degree provide an alternative.

The last, in my opinion, are those running from ASUU strike. Many parents justify purchasing the Cotonou degree because of the unending industrial disputes in the public universities.

I don’t want to talk about the “motor park gang” led by former minister of education Adamu Adamu and his National Universities Commission (NUC) executive secretary, who bastardised the university system for only God knows why. They have killed what remained of our public university system.

Lastly, some of our private universities are not any different from the “Cotonou universities”.

President Bola Tinubu needs to do a lot more to rescue the situation. I like how the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, handles the situation. But sincerely, the students of these dubious universities, their agents, officials from Federal Ministry of Education, NUC and the other places need to be rounded up, arrested and punished according to our laws.

Kabiru Danladi Lawanti, PhD, wrote from the Department of Mass Communication, ABU Zaria, via kblondon2003@yahoo.com.

By Abdulmumini Lawal

The fate of university students in Nigeria undergoes various hiccups and calamities. Among these are the frequent industrial actions by different Academic Unions and Non-Academic Unions, the probability of hike increment in school fees, uncertainty in life itself whether one will even graduate or not,  constant mutable thinking on what tomorrow might bring, and overall, the competitive race awaiting there in the labour market – life after graduation. Economic hardship is another phase of constraint students undergo towards pursuing their academic careers.

However, those above and other threats in academic space have been the main predicaments for Nigerian students and have to serve as a deterrent to one and evolve his perspective approach of who thinks the only way he can excel in life is by obtaining a degree and/or eventually securing a job (white collar one as many say). The limitation of thinking faculty in university students is expected to differ from layman’s, so he has to admit as such.

To my brothers and sisters, preferably those from low-income family backgrounds, I call upon your attention to erase the sense of thinking about when and why you will meet your desired expectations by the government in academia. You have many alternatives to make your life different; the agricultural sector is one of thousands. 

Initially, citing examples from my humble self and being a farmer for ten consecutive years, I decided to embark on farming activities last year. This was a result of the incessant ASUU strike. I vowed to utilise the time I had then positively. During the year, I realised I knew little or nothing among the bounties of opportunities therein. Meanwhile, my ten years of experience in the field is limited. It doesn’t widen the scope of the lucrative opportunities in the farming investment. I strived a lot, putting in the effort I could, most notably money and time, to achieve it.

Alas! So many blessings will never meet you openly but will surely reach you in disguise. To me, the ASUU strike was a blessing in disguise for every university student since this was coming purposely to divert from being affected by the trauma of the ASUU strike.

Subsequently, the outcome was favourable. To sum it up, despite the fertiliser price hike, when I calculated the profit, it multiplied the capital I invested by 4 – 5 times. That’s to say, the profit reached 400 – 500%. I accomplished my dream. I have learnt a lot. There are numerous opportunities there. Many have become what they are today not by the certs they obtained, but by those skills many university students understand. 

Moreover, today’s life is becoming more challenging every day. Today can’t be yesterday, just like tomorrow can’t be today. We see new changes every day, everywhere. It is supposed to be the turn of our parents and guardians to reap from what they have been investing in. Where does our thinking go? Okay, we think they will reap after we graduate and get employed. The uncertainty of securing a job after graduation is a constant gesture. The number of unemployed graduates keeps increasing. Universities keep producing. The white collar jobs are no longer to be found. 

Meanwhile, the incessant government’s negligence in line with education concerns many other threats that have nothing to do with your failure and could never be the reason behind your excellence. Whatever Allah decides for you is a blessing in disguise. It’s either you misuse it or unknowingly leave it untouched.

Let’s wake up! Thousands of opportunities are there waiting for us. Let the cert be the second priority. Strive fervently day and night. For the little chance you have, make use of it appropriately. 

I wish you a better tomorrow in all your endeavours!

Abdulmumini Lawal is a student of Mass Communication at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

By Salim Ibrahim Isa

Since late last year, many public universities have released revised fees, primarily reviewed upwards in unprecedented percentages (mostly more than a 100%). Students, parents and other stakeholders have expressed shock, with many blaming the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for being behind the increase as a response to the Union’s fallout with the Federal Government last year and members of the Union laying responsibility to the executive councils of respective universities.

Whatever the reason for the increase and whoever is behind it, the rising cost of education is a reality students and other stakeholders have to face, for it is doubtful to be reversed.

It will be useful to consider the following discussion, especially by students who would be directly affected by the fee hike.

Choice of courses

Choosing a course to study has been a longstanding issue. Many students go to university to study courses for years only to realise later that they could have made better choices regarding their aspirations. With education being more expensive, prospective students will save themselves much disappointment later in their studies or after graduating by researching courses before applying for them and making informed decisions. Nobody wants to pay massive amounts of money to study a course only to find out later that it has no job prospects or something like that.

Alternatives to degrees

It is not a divine revelation that everybody must have a degree. Colleges of education, polytechnics and other higher institutions offer various types of training and award multiple certificates, which can be as useful as a degree, depending on how the holder uses acquired knowledge. A student who cannot afford the higher costs of a university education shouldn’t lose all hope. It is still OK to seek other affordable alternatives and acquire training and certification.

Many non-degree holders have had spectacular achievements the world over. The most important thing is the training and how and to what use it is put.

Distance learning

Thanks to the internet, a significant number of universities all over the world now offer many courses online. This eliminates the burden of physical presence and its attendant financial implications, making the courses a lot cheaper while maintaining the quality of the courses. Many of these courses have flexible payment schedules, so students can pay in instalments and flexible classes, allowing students to work while studying. One may explore the availability of courses of choice both within and outside Nigeria and enrol in a good course at a good university. In addition, students may apply for discounts and fee waivers to make their studies even more affordable.

Scholarships and sponsorships

Governments, universities, foundations, companies and even individuals within Nigeria and abroad offer scholarships and financial aid to students under various schemes to subsidise education. Some scholarships involve moving to the supporting country/institution, while others support candidates locally. Sponsorships may also be complete or partial. A good way to be up-to-date on scholarship information is to subscribe to scholarship advertising websites and make a good network, especially in academia. Students need to remember, however, that all scholarships have criteria, and many of these criteria revolve around sound academic performance. Nobody wants to waste money on candidates who are not serious about studying, so all need to buckle up.

Salim Ibrahim Isa wrote via saalimibraheem@gmail.com.

By Samson Kefas Galadima 

Everyone can claim to be a leader, but not everyone is an effective leader. Therefore, it is time to separate the wheat from the chaff. 

People who know me very well can attest that I rarely write for politicians or people who hold public office. This is because of the preconceived notions I have about Nigerian politicians. Before now, I believed Nigerian politicians were corrupt people who share the national cake at the centre and corner while they desert their constituents. My perception has been that way right from my childhood. The reason for that cannot be far-fetched from what I see every dawn of a new day where politicians make empty promises and never keep them. Instead, they fly to Dubai or the UK for recess while the people they govern face social unrest, poverty, and even religious divisions when the nation is facing problems of national concern.

However, in the last five weeks, my generalization about some of the Nigerian politicians began to take a radical paradigm shift when I got selected to participate in the Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI), the brainchild of the Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. The Legislative Mentorship initiative is a special program that seeks to identify, train, and equip a younger generation of ethical public sector leaders. In addition, the program seeks to deliberately, intentionally, and consistently groom the successor generation of public sector leaders, especially legislators, to possess and demonstrate deep values of character, competence, and capacity, which would later or sooner improve governance efficiency in our country.

During the last five weeks, other 73 fellows from across the 36 States of the federation and the FCT and I had engaging moments with Mr Speaker during what we tagged as “The Mentor-Exchange (MentX)”, where the Speaker shared with us his 20 years of wealth of experience working as a Legislator, the story of his humble beginning, the challenges and how he was elected as the Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria. It was indeed such a revealing and inspiring moment.

In addition to the awe-inspiring delivery of his speech which was graced with ease, his humility captured my heart, leaving me begging for more of his presence. When asked about effective leadership, he said, “Leadership is about sacrifice and sometimes the kind of sacrifice you would not imagine that you would want to make; it is the kind of sacrifice that hits you to the marrow.’’ Sometimes you would have to bury your interest to consider others, but above all, national interest should be what drives you at the end of the day, he added.

When speaking of humility, Rt. Hon. Femi said, “Being the Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives, I don’t see the 359 Honourable Members as subordinates. Instead, I see them as colleagues and myself as the first among equals. 

Gbajabiamila is a visionary leader who sees beyond his nose. I can attest to this through the aides he is working with and the investments he is making in the lives of young people in his constituency. This is also true for Nigeria, by extension. For instance, the Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI), which he founded and I am proud and privileged to be part of the inaugural cohort, is doing a fantastic job of sharpening the minds and visions of young people. He believes nation-building is a joint task that cannot be completed without the youth, and so is the task of building tomorrow’s leaders. No wonder the LMI’s motto is ‘…building the next generation of Nigeria’s public sector leaders.’ 

Another quality I admire in Gbajabiamila’s life is his vulnerability as a leader. For instance, recall sometime in July this year, the Speaker on his verified Twitter page posted pictures of himself in a classroom at Harvard School of Government in the US at a time public universities in Nigeria had been shut down for about six months at that time, Mr Speaker after widespread backlash on social media apologized to Nigerians for the insensitive post.

In his words, he wrote, “Yesterday, I posted a picture of myself at the @Harvard@Kennedy_School undergoing a course. That post was not sensitive to the present feelings of fellow citizens, especially parents and students who are presently bearing the brunt of the ongoing closure of public universities owing to the unresolved issues between the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Federal Government of Nigeria. I apologize for the post at this time, and I hope you will understand that it was not my intention to cause disaffection.’’ Mr Speaker’s ability to accept that he was wrong when being criticized made him an exceptional leader. Unfortunately, this quality is lacking in many of Nigeria’s politicians and public servants. A significant number of them see vulnerability as a sign of weakness and not strength. 

With the contributions of Mr Speaker and other well-meaning Nigerians, a new Nigeria is possible. As I draw closer to a conclusion, I want to thank you, Mr Speaker, for never saying no to your responsibilities. In this way, Mr Speaker, you have won over another ardent supporter of accountability who will appreciate you where you deserve to be appreciated. I will provide constructive criticism and positive feedback where necessary as I share your core values of accountability, inclusivity, and effective governance. Thank you, Mr Speaker, for being an exemplary leader that makes a difference.

Samson Kefas Galadima is a writer from Gombe State and a Fellow of the Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI). He can be reached at kefsammy@gmail.com.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The students of Federal University, Lokoja, FUL, are not finding it easy as they are confronted with the accommodation problem.

Weeks after the university resumed academic activities, following the suspension of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU strike, many students are stranded. Many are yet to find a place to live.

The tenancies of most students had expired during the ASUU strike. However, the continuous stay of some students whose tenancies expired had led to quarrels between them and their landlords.

The problem of accommodation in Nigerian universities is not peculiar to FUL students. However, the students are devastated as the school has no functional hostel on the two campuses.

The Daily Reality spoke to many students of the institution who were mainly afraid and sought to speak only on the grounds of anonymity.

A student said many of the departments had been moved from the Adankolo Campus of the institution to the main campus at Felele, and students were asked to begin lectures there in January. According to her, the students can not afford accommodation on the two campuses and are still writing examinations on the Adankolo Campus. She also said landlords are unwilling to take part payments for the remaining months in Adankolo Campus.

Other students narrated their ordeals of living with friends and relatives pending when they get accommodation.

It was also gathered that the flood, which ravaged many parts of Lokoja, is another reason accommodation has become more complex and expensive.