Education
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Life has returned to the various campuses of Nigerian universities as academic and other ancillary businesses activities now thrive after being crippled by Academic Staff Union of Universities strike action for six months
| By Vincent Nzemeke | Jan. 27, 2014 @ 01:00 GMT
LIFE is fast returning to Nigerian universities since the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, called off its six months old strike on December 17, 2013. The strike, which was a protest over non-implementation of the agreement ASUU entered into with the federal government in 2009, had crippled academic and business activities across various campuses in the country. In all the campuses checked by Realnews, lecturers and students are eager to put the past behind them and continue with their academic quest while ancillary business owners such as drivers and eatery operators are happy that business is booming again.
In many institutions, it is a race against time as lecturers are bombarding students with lectures in a bid to make up for lost time. For instance, at the Nasarrawa State University, NSU, Keffi, students were directed to resume on January 6, and lectures commenced almost immediately. The NSU is one few institutions in the country that is yet to complete its first semester for the 2012/2013 session. The institution had been shut long before the ASUU strike started in July following a protest by students over the non-availability of water and other essential services in their hostel.
Esther Yakubu, a student in the university, said both lecturers and students are willing to make sacrifices just to ensure that they catch up with their mates in other schools. “It is very unusual to resume and begin lectures on the same day but that is what happened in our school. We are really lagging behind because we had been on strike for about three months before the ASUU strike began in July. The only reason why nobody is complaining is because we are all prepared to make sacrifices to ensure we meet up with other schools.”
The situation is also same in Delta State University, DELSU, Abraka. Although the students had written first semester exams before the ASUU strike began, they have also been holding marathon lectures since the school re-opened on January 6. Students in the institution, especially those in their final year who should have graduated in July appear to be the most eager to get through the second semester.
Richard Esegbona, a final student of Mass Communication, said strike was regrettable because it distorted the plans of many students. He added that the delayed graduation implies that many of them would not be mobilised for the February 2014 batch of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC. “The strike affected a lot of things. You can imagine that we have just resumed for second semester when we should have graduated in October 2013 and prepare for NYSC in February 2014. But as it is now there is no way we can make that batch. Some of us may have to wait till June or October 2014 before being mobilised for NYSC,” he said.
Tina Isidahomen, another student in the school said the strike had affected her plans of graduating and moving on to other things. “I didn’t envisage coming back to school this year. I had planned to graduate in 2013 and move on to other things.”
But while students in NSU and DELSU are struggling to catch up, academic activities are yet to commence in some institutions. For instance at the University of Nigeria, UNN, Nsukka, lectures have not commenced even though the school resumed for a new session on January 6. Workers in the institutions have been holding series of protests to call for the removal Barthlomew Okolo, the vice chancellor of university. The workers want the Okolo removed over alleged maladministration in the institution and unjust suspension of Emeka Enejere, the former pro-Chancellor and chairman of the governing council of the school.
Inspite of the position of workers, UNN students like their counterparts in other universities are eager to return to the classroom. Emeka Okoye, a third year Electrical Engineering student said: “After spending six months at home, no students want to be delayed again. We want them to solve this problem as soon as possible so that we can resume our studies and end the session on time.”
It is not only the students, lecturers and business owners in and around campuses, who were equally affected by the crisis in the universities are desperate to see things return to normal. Nath Obuah, a lecturer at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa, said even though the lecturers have achieved what they set out to do with the strike, they are now eager to return to work. He said the strike would have been averted if the government had done what it ought to do at the initial stage. “Everybody was affected by the strike. As a lecturer, I missed being in the classroom and interacting with my students. It is regrettable that government did what it ought to have done at the initial stage when the damage had already been done. Having said that, I can assure you that lecturers are now ready to return to work,” Obuah said.
Lekan Amoudu, a campus shuttle driver at the University of Abuja, said the resumption of academic activities means that many collapsed business will now be revived. “The strike was too long and many businesses collapsed. Now that students are returning, I know many businesses will pick up again.”
For many parents, ensuring that lecturers don’t embark on another strike anytime soon appears to be the most important thing. Roseline Ikewenji, whose two children are schooling at the University of Ibadan, said she would be glad if the lecturers do not embark on another strike before her children graduate in 2016.
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