This subject is terminating today, but its termination is not its conclusion. The reason is simple enough. The disturbing attitude of our central government towards our university lecturers and professors has criminally or criminologically acquired the status of authoritarian wickedness. And this authoritarian wickedness has become a political and cultural dogma which our citizens and compatriots must not allow to exist anymore. Our elites, labour and cultural groups, civil societies, professional associations, intellectual justice and peace advocates, positive religious leaders and opinion pushers of the right hues belong to one affiliative family that should rightly be on the side of our lecturers and professors. I don’t need to justify this more than necessary.
The critical consciousness of our varsity lecturers and professors is the critical consciousness at bottom or not at bottom of an unstoppable predilection for truth. Indeed, truth is the anchor of our varsity lecturers and professors. It provides them security and stability. This much appeared in my previous submissions. And numerous readers of my column and other critical members of the public are very much on the side of ASUU as their calls and messages to me and as their remarks in other sources indicated (and still indicate). Like it or not, this current strike of ASUU has made an impactful impression on them. I know this, to state it again, from calls and messages that found me. ASUU has served them truthfully. And it is exactly for this reason that they paid (and are still paying) ASUU reverence.
Until now many people did not know that varsity lecturers and professors have been receiving contaminated and adulterated remunerations as wages. They now know the painful pain that our lecturers and professors have endured over the years. Where our professors are is where the truth is. Our eggheads have not in any way lied about their wretched, contaminated and adulterated remunerations and general conditions of service. Woe to ASUU if it backs down! The Union will become the enemy of the people if it does. The people will set their sharpest-fanged cats and dogs upon the Union if it does not become the overcomer of those who want to destroy our public universities.
Now, before I quote verbatim some readers’ persuasive communications to me, let me admit you into the knowledge of what I perceive as ASUU’s well thought-out, ingenious “roll over” strike. “Role over” is a banking terminology. Every depositor who eyes some handsome interests fixes his/her moneys for a period of time ranging from one to three months and above. The fixed sums’ accrued interests will automatically roll over to a fresh period of time if at the expiration of the stipulated due time the initial contract was/is not halted or terminated. What this indicates is that the FGN-ASUU 2009 Agreement still subsists. ASUU cannot but be right in its well concerned thought to “roll over” its current strike so long as the central government’s obstinacy persists. And the central government must pay our lecturers and professors all accrued interests relating to the 2009 Agreement. This will happen when the Union is freed from the bonds of the strike by those who willed our lecturers and professors to raise outcry and hell against their unjust powerful power.
Now I hear some of my readers across the country and from overseas: “If only ASUU can just be resolute this time around! You don’t negotiate an agreement signed years ago! I hope they read you! Thunder ooo!!!”
“Another graphic description of the whole mess the university system has become. I hope ASUU will just be resolute for once and listen to the Voice of Wisdom this piece is. The union has no business negotiating with the FG again. They should tell the FG to go and implement all the agreements it signed years ago. The FG should not give us another “Bad Agreement” of the colonial era, which the locals corrupted to “Badagry” (laughing out loud!). Another masterpiece from the poet, who “does not lie.”
“A very brilliant and fearless articulation of positive thought. My dear Brother, please keep it up. I am really proud of your contributions to our society.”
“Read your thoughtful piece earlier today before rushing to grapple with contending priorities. You wrestled successfully with the challenges confronting university teachers in Nigeria. Unfortunately the government is deaf, dumb and blind. Glad to have left Nigeria and the university there as a don decades ago.”
“Sir, allow me to begin my reference to your last series with a quote from it: ‘ASUU was said to hold a gun which it was pointing at the head of government to compel the latter to do the Union’s bidding. When will wonders end? Propaganda of propagandas.’ Sir, the last line is what the government is trying to do. We can’t forget how they got into government. ASUU should counter the government’s propaganda. The issue at hand is an agreement. Government and its supporters like to personalise issues rather than analyse them objectively. Soon they will call lecturers and professors names. ASUU should counter IPPIS and expend more time on UTAS to demolish the government’s sentiments. ASUU must strive further to win public sentiments on UTAS. ASUU should not relent on this. The officials should do more work on this in the propaganda game.”
“ASUU should not go back to re-negotiate with the government. ASUU has been magnanimous enough. Now the students know this government better after what the Education Minister did to them. This is a government of dealers as I call them. It is not a government of leaders or rulers. They are dealers. We must give ASUU a thumbs up. ASUU is the only union in our country. It is the only union standing up to the government. ASUU should make it possible for some of us to join it. Is our labour union fighting for us? Look at the increase in the price of fuel. Where is Labour? Where is NLC? ASUU won’t tolerate this nonsense. NLC is allowing the dealers in government to deal with us. ASUU is fighting for the rights of its members and for our universities and country. They should stick together. I love ASUU. I want to be a member! But I am not in the university.”
“Your serial article on ‘Varsity lecturers’ contaminated and adulterated remunerations’ is going viral and will continue to go viral, and remain indelible in the minds and memories of many until things change for the better.”
“There is no end to this struggle. My friend and classmate Prof. Dipo Babalola shares the same feelings with you. I am going to send the previous articles and series number four to him. ASUU should do itself a favour by fighting to the very end. There is nothing to negotiate here. The FG should implement all the points of the agreement and we all shall see. To do otherwise is to invite Afejuku’s thunder! I join you and roar: Thunder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Will the problems and troubles in our academe and country ever end? So asks Afejuku. In any case, he shall surprise you with a return. So says Afejuku. Suspended with the will to follow ASUU to roll over!
Afejuku can be reached via 08055213059
