In this interview with MOTUNRAYO JOEL,
ASUU Chairman, OAU Chapter, Prof.
Adegbola Akinola, addresses various issues
surrounding the strike
Students have complained that the strike is
affecting their academic works. What is
your reaction to this?
The truth of the matter is that people need to
appreciate the content of the complaint that
the union is making and the issues involved in
this. You cannot eat an omelette without
breaking an egg. We must make sacrifices. We
can’t continue to pretend that all is well.
If Nigeria were to be a poor country, we would
endure the situations of things in the
education sector, but we all know that Nigeria
is not a poor country. This strike is for the
good of everyone. Some of us have children
and wards in public universities, we too are
affected by the strike, but something needs to
be done.
But the students are saying that there
should be other alternative apart from the
strike.
What other alternatives do we have? They
should come out and suggest other alternatives
to us. Before embarking on an indefinite strike,
the union embarked on a warning strike. But
when that didn’t yield any fruit, the union
decided to go on a full strike, after which the
Federal Government signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with the union. The Federal
Government should then implement the
agreement which the MoU enforced.
The union is seeking for a revitalization of our
education system, equipment, lecture hall,
hostels, and workshops. The Federal
Government has the money to lift the faces of
our institutions. Sometimes, we wonder what
the Federal Government is spending our money
on. Education should take priority.
How would you describe the Federal
Government’s response?
It can best be described as continuous
pretence. The union has tried to engage the
Federal Government in different forms but all
have been to no avail. There is no other way to
handle things other than to embark on a strike.
Isn’t the strike contributing to the nation’s
poor education system?
That is not correct. The reason why people
may feel so is because they are not
adequately informed. We need to realize
that change needs sacrifice. The education
sector is suffering because the Federal
Government isn’t funding the sector the
way it deserves to be funded. Those who
are criticizing the strike should say if they
would feel comfortable sending their
children to public primary and secondary
schools. But they prefer to send their
children to public universities. Why is it so?
It is because ASUU has struggled to make
our universities what they are today. If
ASUU refused to embark on struggles, our
universities would have collapsed. We must
appreciate ASUU’s struggle.
What will you do next if the Federal
Government refuses to heed to your
demands?
I believe you know again the theme of the
strike, ‘enough is enough’. This strike is
total, comprehensive and indefinite. If the
Federal Government continues to pretend
all is well, we would not keep silent. People
who can afford the tuition and other
expenses send their children to study in
neighboring countries like Ghana because
they believe education over there is better.
However, we shouldn’t forget that Ghana
once closed its universities for a year.
Today, their education system is better.
Sacrifices must be made.
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