In countries like South Korea, the first
100 days of a child is very symbolic. Within this period, the life of
the child and that of his parents are often celebrated. In keeping with
the tradition of the people, prayers and various types of gifts are
offered to the gods during parties organised to mark the event. This is
accompanied with much feasting in the child’s home. The purpose of such
ritual is to increase the newborn baby’s chances of becoming successful
on earth.
Globally, it is also common among
political appointees or government officials to celebrate their first
100 days in office. For instance, President Barack Obama of the United
States celebrated his first 100 days in office with pomp and ceremony.
The period in the US serves as a benchmark to measure the early success
(or otherwise) of president.
In Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan
and many state governors also celebrated their first 100 days in office.
Of course, the celebrations took place with much fanfare. Advertorials
were placed in the newspapers and parties were held in government houses
to mark the achievements of the political office-holders during their
first 100 days in office.
Unfortunately, there are no celebrations
today as Nigerians mark the symbolic first 100 days that lecturers in
the country’s public universities embarked on industrial action.
The lecturers, who commenced the strike
on July 1, are protesting the non-implementation of an agreement they
signed with the Federal Government in 2009, as well as the non-payment
of their earned allowances.
Many people are compelled to ask what
the country, particularly the education sector, has achieved in the
first 100 days of the ASUU strike. Since the strike is still in
progress, analysts conclude that nothing significant has been achieved.
In their thinking, several dialogues and meetings targeted at resolving
the crisis have failed to yield positive results. Therefore, there is
really no cause for celebration.
A lecturer at the Lagos State
University, Ojo, Prof. Ademola Onifade, notes that contrary to
expectation, the current struggle by ASUU has achieved nothing for the
lecturers and public universities.
He says, “In politics and governance,
politicians celebrate the first 100 days on the positive side. But here
we are, nothing has been accomplished in this struggle. I suspect that
the game plan of the Federal Government is to wear us out. The
authorities do not want to address our requests. However, if their
target is just to wear us out, they will not succeed.”
But judging by recent statements made by
the representatives of the government, there is an indication that the
crisis will be resolved. Indeed, President Jonathan and Vice President
Namadi Sambo have promised that the crisis would be over soon.
Earlier, the FG, acting through the
Governor Gabriel Suswam-led committee, had released N100bn for
infrastructure development in the universities and another N30bn for the
teachers’ earned allowances. But the leaders of ASUU dismissed the sum
as a token, saying it was comparable to a drop in the ocean of their
requests.
While both parties continue to seek the
best way to settle their differences, the mood in many homes and in the
public universities affected by the strike remains sober. Academic
activities in these institutions are still suspended. The students and
their parents are forced to deal with the frustration and feeling of
hopelessness arising from the strike, just as the striking lecturers,
who claim that they have not had any meaningful dialogue with the FG,
continue to despair.
The lecturers have not been paid their
salaries for the past two months. But this seems to be the least of
their worries. The Chairman of ASUU, Obafemi Awolowo University chapter,
Prof. Ade Akinola, who says there is no political colouration in their
demand, notes that the body’s major concern is to save the universities
from dying.
He says, “ASUU will continue to call on
Nigerians to help beg the Federal Government to be patriotic and see
reason in not allowing public tertiary education to die. The FG should
honour the agreement mutually entered into in 2009 and further
reinforced by the Memorandum of Understanding of February 24, 2012. It
was in general to save the public universities from total collapse.”
Also, a communications specialist, Mr.
Muyiwa Akin, thinks this is not the right time for ASUU and the
government to trade blame. He says that both parties should find a mid
way to resolve the crisis.
“All the parties should realise that
they should protect the interest of the students. In my thinking,
sincerity is lacking in this matter. The signing of the agreement took
place some years ago and if perchance, the FG is not able to meet its
own side of the deal, it should be open about that.
“Again, the government should show
sincerity and commitment in funding education and keeping to agreements,
just as ASUU members, who are seeking the improvement of the quality of
education, should consider the fate of the students. For, without the
students, there will be no ASUU and without ASUU, there will be no
students,” he says.
Meanwhile, ASUU insists that the 100-day-old strike has no political colouration.
In a statement by its National Strike
Coordinating Committee, obtained on Monday, the union dismissed the
October 1 broadcast of the President in which he referred to the strike
as politically motivated.
The statement read, “The primary goal of
our union is to work for the repositioning of the Nigerian university
system for global competition in terms of comparable facilities and
staff quality. This goal we have pursued with diligence as a trade
union.
“The Umaru Yar’Adua/Goodluck Jonathan
government did not accuse ASUU of playing politics all through the three
years (2006-2009) negotiations that produced the 2009 agreement. As
Vice-President, Jonathan made significant input into the negotiation
process. In 2012, when the MoU was signed despite doubts about
government’s sincerity, President Jonathan did not impute political
motives. Even the landmark report of the Committee on the Needs
Assessment of Nigerian Public Universities was not interpreted as
political.
“Why is it now when ASUU insists that
the Federal Government should deliver on what it undertook to do under
the 2009 agreement, the 2012 MoU and the 2012 Needs Assessment Report
that the union is being accused of embarking on a political strike?
“ASUU members, and, indeed, progressive
Nigerians, know too well that the accusation of politicisation of strike
is a cheap blackmail. If anything, it is the Federal Government that is
trying to whip up political sentiments over matters that are
straightforward and clear to all and sundry.”
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