By Ayandiji Aina
As we enter another Friday and especially as the month of April powers down, I cannot resist the feeling that ASUU may be positioning itself for the wrath of sympathetic parents and hapless students nationwide.
Reason: With the craze in town where many politicians and every Tom, Dick and Harry are declaring to run for the presidency of a nation in dire straits, I wonder if the strategy wing of ASUU has not entered into a mode of self deceit thinking that there can be any tangible outcome from the ongoing struggle with the politicians in Abuja.
Scores of youths who are out of school have taken to vices and are disillusioned to say the least. Struggling with politicians who are already in top gear mode for the roforofo battle to takeover the various government houses looks like a pointless duel. ASUU has made its points and the media has assisted in ventilating it. It can win the admiration of Nigeria if it unilaterally decide to – live – to fight another time.
This may not be popular, but ASUU needs to review the current engagement for the future of the academy. We have 13 months ahead of a new government. Is ASUU prepared to stay out of the classrooms for that long? If not, when is it ripe to have a rethink? I am sure some still calm voices of the minority must have been cutting through the conscience of the ASUU leadership. What is unknown is if they will have the courage to face reality.
Life is hard for most Nigerians. The continuity of this struggle can only exacerbate the mental and physical health of the nation’s youth and this deserves the attention of all concerned.
Sabbath Shalom.
– Prof. Aina is the Provost of the Postgraduate School, Babcock University, Ilisan Remo, Ogun State.