Another issue that might have contributed to the abuse of the agreement could be probably traced to the deficiencies embedded in the contents of the agreement,which may not have provided room for sanctions caused by the default, on the parties to agreement. As a legal document, relevant clauses should have been infused into the agreement, penalising any party that fails to keep to its promises, for an agreement is a sacred oath that should not be taken with levity.This worrisome trend was identified in Dr. Ifeanyi Onyeonoru's piece, 'Human Capital in Nigerian Universities: The Presence of the Past and the Thrust of the Future' that the Federal Government's reluctance to implement the 2001 agreement was the declaration by government that it was a 'mere gentleman's agreement ' contrast of imperfect obligations, which would be implemented only so long as overriding public interest or other compelling circumstances do not make it impracticable or inexpedient to do so.' Non-adherence to agreements is a breach of the teachings of the Social Contract theory and a pointer to the moral decadence we now experience in our society. What we daily cope with is indiscipline, loss of mores and core values, in which nothing is important (agreements, inclusive) ' you can say or promise something and not fulfill, and so what' Nothing happens.Another consideration is the political dimension to the issue: neo-colonialism. Developed nations have cleverly adopted several infamous policies to ensure that third world countries remain pariah in their quest for educational pursuits.In the 'Paths to the Sustainability of Higher Education in Nigeria', the renowned Historian, Professor J. F. Ade-Ajayi, lamented that 'since the 1970s, the World Bank has been pushing the heretical idea that the return to the State, as compared to the return to the individual beneficiary is highest in elementary education and lowest in higher education. And, therefore, the State must, in the name of structural adjustment, increase the allocation of resources to elementary education, at the expense of higher education'.B. O. Ukeje (2002), in 'Financing Education in Nigeria', explained that the Bretton Woods Institutions ' International Monetary Fund and World Bank - have been 'accused of politicising and stifling university education in Nigeria.' Although, antagonists of academic freedom claim that the so-called 'freedom' is meant to execute the agenda of the West, through its attendant and unpopular policies like disengagement, cost recovery, downsising of universities, leading to cancellation and rationalisation of viable academic programmes.Pauperisation of emergent nations by the West has been said to be a deliberate attempt at perpetually keeping them underdeveloped through various mechanisms, including retrogressive educational agenda.A widely held opinion by many Nigerians is that the government is indifferent and insensitive to the plight of ASUU, as well as the neglect of education through underfunding because their children and wards undergo their studies abroad and in some local private universities. As sad as this assertion is, the continued rot and starvation meted out to our ivory towers may lend credence to this point.Painting a more frightening and gory picture of our institutions, Onyeonoru, once again, said 'many of our laboratories are health hazards to our students. Fume chambers are non-functional, exposing the students to toxic fumes. Staff and students are exposed to ultra-violet rays when working with inoculation chambers. Lecturers and students are exposed to agents that cause cancer and trigger mutation in genes but leave permanently damaged'.The Federal Government's Transformation Agenda can only succeed and make the desired impact when there is an enabling environment for its actualisation. This time around, government should show sincere commitment to the resolution of the ASUU crisis. As reminder, government should realise that there are other sister-unions in the universities, seeking genuine deal with it.What requires urgent attention goes beyond ASUU's agitations. Our roads, security, health sector, aviation, power and virtually all facets of our national life require serious intervention. Therefore, a pragmatic action should be deployed to address the nagging problems, perhaps, beginning with ASUU.For now, ASUU members should shelve their proposed strike and give another opportunity for government to do its home work well. I am sure, parents and students will also be happy to know that proposed strike will be suspended. The negotiating team should have more legal practitioners, who will ensure that necessary legal framework is put in place so that defaulters are sanctioned. In other words, there should be a robust dialogue and sincere discussion on how to genuinely move our comatose universities forward. This is a task that must be achieved within the next few days.
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