ASUU as Indigenous Minority in Nigeria

By ‘Diran Ademiju-Bepo

The term, indigenous minority, loosely refers to that group of people who exist in their own land but are not privileged to enjoy the full inheritance and dividends of indigeneship. Unfortunately, non-indegenous indigenes tend to lord it over them, their rights and privileges taken away from them.

Bertolt Brecht, that German philosopher, theoretician and dramstist, once said that the worst illiterate is the political illiterate. But the reality today may not align with this dictum. The polithievians we have today are more literate in the things that are corrupt and corruption-ridden. They know how to project N380 billion in the national budget for the prosecutions of Boko Haram suspects. They know how to send Executive request of N2.5 trillions for the settlement of innocuous Fuel Subsidy which the ruling party claimed in 2012 was just a scam and a drain pipe on the Federation Account. And the legislooters immediately scampered to approve the supplementary budget.

These so called illiterates know how to pad the allocations for MDAs and other Vote heads in the budget that will ensure their ritual of cannibalism on our Commonwealth. They know how to make ASUU and its members feel they are indigenous minorities in their own fatherland. The total Earned Academic Allowances in arrears is less than N100 billion but they feel very comfortable drawing up a payment plan that spans 36 months, since the 2019 national action by the Union, a plan that terminates just a month before the expiration of their current tenure in office in 2023.

The current Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed on August 20, 2013, while still in the opposition said the truth: “No government worth its salt can afford to play with education, because it is the path to national development. ASUU is not making any fresh demand beyond the Agreement it reached with the government in 2009. Agreements are meant to be honoured, and breaching them comes with some consequences.” No sooner than they came into office in 2015 did the opposition party jettison the same ‘Agreement’ and other Memorandums of Understanding, until they said they were fed up with ‘Understanding’ and opted for Memorandum of Action in 2018, enumerating what Actions to be implemented, with timelines attached. But none was honoured, to use his very word.

You can now appreciate why the Union had to resume its suspended Action in favour of the welfare of its members. Members who have been subjected to receiving amputated salaries since 2017. Members who can no longer stand shoulder high with peers in other institutions and gatherings. Simply because we are seen as indigenous minorities in our own land. We taught and still teach many of them in school. We are seen as unserious and they have convinced the public to deride us anytime we are called upon to return to the trenches because some amongst us chose to participate in the patriotic task of being the Electoral gatekeepers once upon a time and they spoiled their names and soiled their hands, whereas it was all in a bid to ensure the integrity of the process.

We have been consigned to the dustbin of indigenous minorities economically since we cannot afford decent accommodation, commensurate means of mobility, adequate education for our children and wards, and survival living. Our members have been turned into pawns by the ruling class. They give no damn about our health and wellbeing. Emasculating us is their topmost agenda. After rendering the basic and post-basic education system comatose and ineffectual, they descended on the post-secondary and have been battering the University system with similar vehemence of gender based violence.

But I know that one day, soon, we shall overcome. This is because there shall be No More the Taming Hawks!

No more tyranny
No more tyranny
Some day, very soon
We want our University
We want our Welfare
No more tyranny
In our land!

No amount of intimidation or propaganda from these ‘characters’ in the Comedy of Error can douse the fire of Aluta or make us cower. We are not moved by their blackmail policy and Machiavellian behaviour. As a Community of intellectuals, we are poised to win. Until they sign the re-negotiated Agreement with our Union, deploy UTAS, release funds for EAA and Revitalization of the University system, we shall remain rigid on the current strike action. No shaking. Until a second Supplementary Budget of another N2.5 trillions is transmitted to the legislooters for consideration and approval so that ASUU’s demands can be met once and not twice, this Action must be sustained.

Solidarity forever!
Solidarity forever!
For the Union makes us strong!
When the Union’s inspiration
Through the workers’ blood shall run,
There can be no power
Greater anywhere beneath the sun;
Yet what force on earth is weaker
Than the feeble strength of one,
But the Union makes us strong!

Aluta Continua, Victoria Acerta!

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Ademiju-Bepo-ASUU as Indigenous Minority in Nigeria