According to the Encarta dictionary, a demon is a supposed ghost or spirit regarded as evil, as well as a fear or anxiety that torments somebody. For the purpose of this piece, it is centered on the meaning that reflects personal fear or anxiety. At a time when youth suicides and suicidal attempts were very high in developed countries, it was being asserted by some people in that clime that it was the inability of those youths to overcome their personal demons. Hence those countries had lost their future leaders in diverse spheres as well as some artists under curious circumstances due to the torments and subjugation by their personal demons, so to say. Development too can be said to have its demons and benevolent spirits as well, and as such, developed countries like the United States where the system works creditably well in all ramifications have been regarded as “God’s own country.” Thus the assertion that it would amount to double tragedy should someone resident in an underdeveloped or developing country with its diverse travails or simply poor miss heaven, having missed the functionality of a developed clime or system while on Earth.
So, is ASUU’s strike about development or just a mere fear or anxiety of the academics? The 2012 Nigerian Universities Needs Assessment Report, a must read for all stakeholders in university education, clearly shows that the universities need a new lease of life in order to be, at least, among the first 1000 universities in the world. The strike is, therefore, not about demons of the academics but about development of the sector. University academics in Nigeria, no doubt, have been tormented by diverse demons of development for demanding minimum standards for the systems in which they operate or work.
These demons range from a stoppage in their salaries as far back as August, deadlock in negotiations, disparaging of the agreements they entered into with the government, assertions of lack of funds and lately castigations from ill-informed quasi-union groups and leaders or those who simply choose to play the ostrich.
Most worrisome is the alleged “settlement” of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) President with N20 million to go public in support of government on the ASUU strike. Believably, the demands are in the best interest of the students as well as the student body. Whether these anti-development union leaders are unable to take control of their own demons of development is not the issue, what is disturbing is whether they really understand why ASUU is on strike.
A brief perusal of ASUU demands as contained in the 2009 agreement with government include funding, infrastructure, formation of the Nigerian University Pension Fund Administrator (NUPEMCO), academic allowances that have been earned, assistance to state universities, setting up of research and development units by companies operating in Nigeria, transfer of landed property to the universities and Budget Monitoring Committees (BMC). Although all these demands are about development of the sector and Nigeria in general, market women associations in Abuja came out to say they would chase ASUU members out of the country if they do not call off their strike.
Needless to say that if there is any group that ought to be chased out of Nigeria, it is the people that form the government and legitimately so come 2015 elections, for reneging on agreements and handling the development of Nigeria and Nigerians with levity. ASUU members are majorly Nigerians and cannot be chased out of their own country by anybody, group or even the government for making legitimate demands especially bordering on a consensual agreement. However, it is instructive to note that the country has been losing some ASUU members to more developed countries due to brain drain since the strike started.
So who is wiser? Is it the government that stopped salaries that would have been a retainer or those that recognised the talents in those ASUU members worthy of committed investments?
Here is a system that, apart from serving as the institution for the development of human resources for the country, also serves as an experimental ground for diverse government policies. However, immediately after the experimentation, the system had always been left without adequate support to sustain it. For instance, when the power sector contemplated using digital meters for billing customers, the university campuses were the first port of call for trials as an enlightened community.
The viability has now been proved from the university community and the DISCOs and GENCOs have since launched their portfolios for profit making. The question is, can these companies put back to the system or, at least, form research units as demanded by one of the ASUU demands in the agreement with government? Similarly, when contributory pensions, which allegedly leave beneficiaries far more impoverished than previous schemes could guarantee came; federal universities were again the guinea pigs for the trial-cum-implementation.
Whether the pension fund administrators are putting back into the system is a question to be answered by university managers. Some assert that this particular policy on contributory pension has left the academics gasping for the 70-year retirement demand for professorial cadre. These and many examples show how universities have at one time or the other been used for policy thrusts without adequate compensation.
Since the ASUU strike is about development, it remains to be seen if the nation would overcome the demons of this sector in order to set it right once and for all. Therefore, ASUU members and well-meaning stakeholders of the university system must not allow themselves to be overwhelmed by the demons of development for the good of the country and future generations.
Government should, therefore, rise up to the occasion by implementing the agreement it freely and willingly entered into with the union.
• Emmanuel Tyokumbur, Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan. 07041466464 (Text only)