Ever since last year the Academic Staff Union of Universitues (ASUU) had warned the government and the general public about an impending strike action if the following knotty issues were not amicably resolved : (1) FGN has forcefully dragged ASUU into IPPIS (2) FGN’s refusal to adopt UTAS (3) FGN’s refusal to honor agreements and promises made with ASUU.(4) Proper funding in order to burnish Nigerian universities up to international standards. In the same year (2021), ASUU went beyond drawing national attention to the insincerity of the FGN, the union also called on parents, political leaders, traditional and religious leaders and, in fact, all stake holders in the education sector as well as all well – meaning Nigerians to plead with the FGN to tow the path of honor.
Today is February 2022 and the clouds of another ASUU strike are threatening, thunder is rumbling in the distance with a heavy liquid voice and yet every one seems to be looking the other way. Could it be that we have no vocal and eloquent citizens in Nigeria? Where are the religious leaders and Peace makers?Where are those charged with the responsibility of running our patrimony? Where are the educated Nigerians? Many questions could be asked but only few answers could be gotten.
One thing is clear. Nigeria is never in short supply of leaders, what is lacking is leadership that will make education a priority and the welfare of the citizens a central concern in all its policies and actions. Nigeria has eloquent and articulate leaders like the VP Prof Osibanjo, David Mark, Festus Keyamo, Bola Tinubu etc but what is greatly missing are those who are not hypocrites, those who say one thing in order to get into office and do the very opposite once they get there.
Nigeria is not lacking in educated politicians and leaders, what is in short supply is a crop of incorruptible statesman and states women who will not sell their country and its citizens to amass wealth and property in leading capital cities of the world at the expense of the much – needed development at home.
The obvious implication is that the silence of the ruling class is a conspiratorial silence. We all know that 2023 is election year and it is also around the corner. From now till election day, Nigerian politicians and leaders are gonna be obsessed with plundering our treasury to make themselves billionaires, to enrich thugs who will snatch ballot boxes for them on election day and maim or even kill their political opponents. In Nigeria, elections, thuggery and violence occupy a place at the center and education is discarded into the dust bin. In Nigeria, our leaders use even security votes to make themselves billionaires while the citizens are at the mercy of robbers and daring terrorists. In Nigeria, heads of governments pamper unpatriotic footballers with phone calls and promises of juicy rewards/ prizes and real estates, yet no head of state has ever extended a presidential handshake to a first class graduating student at a convocation ceremony. In Nigeria, we develop, the leg not the brain. That is the reason our schools and colleges are in shambles. That is the reason many University campuses in Nigeria are like poultry runs or glorified primary schools.

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Doki writes -EDUCATION IN NIGERIA :WHAT ELSE CAN ASUU STRIKE DO?