It is hard to recall a whole year roll by in Nigeria in recent history without the Academic Staff Union of Universities threatening a strike, embarking on a warning strike or going on a full strike. The threats have returned this year because, since the last time (in 2009) they had it out with the government, the Federal Government, has yet to, characteristically, live up to the agreement it made with the union for reasons known only to it but symptomatic of its complete disregard for education. So, if nothing improves in the weeks to come, the universities will have to embark on another round of strike action leading inexorably to disruption of academic activities. I must quickly say I stand with ASUU. It is a tough position to take because, like millions of Nigerians, I hate strike actions. I have been a victim of ASUU strikes and the mental agony one goes through while it lasts is worse than being an abiku who is locked from the world of the dead and the world of the living.Since one does not know when the strikes would end, one cannot do anything meaningful with the abundant time in ones hands than to desperately pore through newspapers, stay glued to the broadcast media while wondering and asking, Are they going to call it off today'As the strike goes on, the little knowledge gained while school was in session begins to evaporate since the mind becomes constantly vandalised by the hiatus. It takes a supreme effort to relearn and unlearn what was and what is; the what is to come which lucky students in other countries are being prepared for which does not even feature immediately for the ASUU strike victim. It is a terrible way to be educated. Since the universities discovered the weapon of strike, they have had to useit so frequently that it is blunted at the edges.Dont blame them, apart from violence, the strike action is about the only other language the Nigerian state understands. However, in the past few years, ASUUs strike has not even made as much impact as it used to and one key reason is that options have expanded all around us. First, from Ghana to Europe, America to China, young Nigerians whose parents can afford to pay exorbitant tuition fees do not wait for Nigeria to get her act together anymore. Rich parents send their children abroad to receive comparatively better education. Second, there are private universities- both religious and secular- that take care of those who cannot go outside the countries. Also, many lecturers have found a more lucrative option of moonlighting. I know a few who work at two private universities apart from the public university where they have full time jobs. ASUU strike is heaven-sent, it seems, for them to face their hustling better. Third and worst part of it all is that the policy makers who are in the position to change things do not even patronise public universities to begin with.We had a situation where a former Minister of Education confessed without shame or moral compunction that his child doesnt even attend any school in Nigeria. In such a situation, how is he supposed to be truly concerned when his stake in the issue doesnt go beyond the fact that it is just a job he is paid for'And then, there is a benign status symbol about having a foreign certificate. A combination of these factors and more have weakened the impact ASUU strike used to have such that when they threaten strike action or embark on one these days, it is like bringing out a tired old masquerade to a bata dance.I do not condemn strikes. My experience in the university shows me that the little gains the universities have made so far are because of ASUU and its frequent strikes. If not, the universities would probably have become worse than their present state since the best the government has done so far on public education is to plant a mushroom university in every corner of the country while the real essence of what puts the universe in the university is artlessly ignored. But then, this is 2011 and it is shameful that universities still go on strike. I think ASUU needs to strategise anew on resorting to strikes. Strike actions are a moral weapon you use against people/leaders with a social and moral conscience. It cannot be effective in tackling or confronting people who do not appear committed to a cause that affects the public which, in this case, is standard education. My point is, ASUU needs to get tougher than strikes. I can understand if they are battle weary. The years of asking a near deaf-and-mute government the same basic things: better funding, autonomy, better conditions of service etc. must have taken its toll on the morale of lecturers. The scary part is that ASUU might not even be getting the much needed support from the public that does not see its efforts as more than fighting for higher salaries as if that is not a worthy reason to embark on a strike action. Several commentators have asked ASUU to deploy other weapons other than strike. I have said the same to my friends who are ASUU members. When I do, they ask me for ideas. I tell them, Why dont you involve parents'They respond: How many parents who put children in public universities understand our position' Most of those that understand can afford to send their children abroad. They have done so to save themselves the stress.Why dont you involve your students' Why not raise a joint action protest and sit on our leaders doorsteps until they do the right thing' Why dont we get the government to make a law that nobody who is being paid with public funds should either run a private school or put their children in any private school at all levels'As a response, they quickly point to former president Olusegun Obasanjo and his deputy, Atiku Abubakar, and show me why people who had private universities while they were the most visible public officers will care less about ASUU and its seemingly intractable problems. Nowadays, I ask them to let us resort to some smear campaign. Find out what schools the president, vice-presidents kids attend and how much they cost.Do David Mark and his senators have kids in the university' Is it University of Abuja or any public school' If not, is that not why they are acting unconcerned' What of the House of Representatives' What of the progressive politicians' Are they helping you or their own kids are progressively schooling abroad' They respond that smear campaign only work when people have character which they dont want corroded. They say they have tried many alternatives so that they would not have to go on strike. They have used mediators, sent goodwill ambassadors to the government, pleaded, conceded and done virtually everything they could but the government is not just concerned enough to take them seriously. It baffles me that public education is taken so lightly.Elsewhere, education is given a pride of place during policy formulation but in Nigeria, it doesnt even appear so much as a priority. Curiously, the government aspires to be among the top 20 economies by 2020 even with a decadent educational architecture.. So, lecturers have to keep resorting to strikes year in year out because nothing else will suffice. The year 2012 is the one that scares me already; the handwriting on the wall suggests that there would be strike to protest everything that can be protested: from fuel subsidy removal to the return of toll gates. Add to that the looming ASUU strike and you have a nation where things keep falling apart in the real sense of it. As one last act of desperation, I ask, If we promise this present government that if they solve ASUU problem, they will get an automatic second term, will they budge' Never seen an anti-intellectual government that drives all-round development as this government thinks it can
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