ASUU/ASUP Crisis: Varsities turn ghost towns; poly students fear fresh strike

By September 1, the face-off between the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, will be exactly in its third month. Unlike previous strikes,  this particular one is still in its infancy. Students have been known to do a four-year course in eight years.

While the warriors continue their fight in air-conditioned rooms with sumptuous meals, some students have gone to learn trades. A final year student of Lagos State University, LASU, seems to be honing her skill in comedy. She said “My friends outside Nigeria are asking me the meaning of ASUU. I tell them it’s a Federal Government-sponsored annual festival in Nigerian universities whereby students are not allowed to go to school!”

Schools have become soulless structures. Not entirely, though. Final year students still drag themselves around campuses with an effort, trying to complete their project works without supervisors. Lecture halls are under lock and key and the banking halls bereft of customers.



Law lecture theater, University of Ibadan

Mr. Jerry Adeyiwa and Mr. Olumide Aderigbigbe, both non-academic staff at the University of Lagos, UNILAG, said since the commencement of the strike, the campus has been boring as students and lecturers come in trickles.

They said “Though work still goes on as usual for non-academic staff, the campus is a shadow of itself, save for some lecturers who just breeze in and some students that come to read or write their projects.”

A visit round campuses revealed empty structures and a sort of emptiness in the students that spoke with Vanguard Learning.

Olaitan Olanrewaju and Jennifer Egwuogu are both final year students of UNILAG and UNN, respectively. They were in school trying to tidy up their projects.

Olanrewaju said “Because of the facilities in school, I can’t afford to go home. I plan to complete my project before the strike is called off. All I have to do is e-mail the project to my supervisor and pray she attends to it.”

Blessing and Priscilla, final year students of English Education, and Majekodunmi Ayo, Seun Lawal and Lanre Hasan, also final year students, all said they were in school because of their projects, which they prefer to work on now that there is some quiet in school.



Recreation centre, UNILAG

Meanwhile, polytechnics are teeming with students who are excited to be back in school after the ASUP strike. Students of Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, had barely resumed from the strike when they were faced with the task of writing their first semester examinations.

The Student Union Government, SUG, President of the Polytechnic, Mr. Oluwasijibomi Owolade, a HND 2 student of Mathematics and Statistics, said; “After the strike, we were given barely two weeks to prepare for the examinations. We are rounding off examinations at the moment, and will begin the second semester by Monday.”

Although Owolade was an active supporter of the last strike, he says that he and many other students are not pleased with hints that ASUP might resume the strike next month. “I am still on the look out for that,” he says. “Although I was fully on board last time, I am not ready to go back to that position again. I was disappointed when ASUP called off the strike without its demands being met.”

Owolade is not the only one with this view. The SUG President, Federal Polytechnic Ede, Bashir Adewale, says he would “be a fool to support another ASUP strike. I have about two to three months until graduation, and I am tired of strike.

“I am a firm believer that we should do the right thing at the right time, and I think that ASUP should have waited till their demands were met before calling off the strike. But since the strike has been called off, I just want to graduate and carry on with my life.”

Moses Okenla, a final year Mechanical Engineering student at Yaba College of Technology, who prayed that ASUP should not resume the strike, said he hopes to graduate unhindered in the next few months.

The situation on campus is the same at the Lagos State Polytechnic as students are busy with their normal academic activities.

One thing is certain, ASUU, ASUP, and many other unions linked with the academia, see strike as a veritable weapon to get their needs met. Only one result is sure: a progressive fall in the value of the certificates students leave Nigerian schools with. The irony is amusing – hope blew through higher institutions when academic degrees-touting politicians took over few years ago.

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ASUU stirke: Groups, students protest in Benin

BENIN CITY- ECONOMIC activities were grounded in Benin City Tuesday for over one hour, when coalition of civil society organizations and students, protested against the attitude of the Federal Government in the current strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU).

The placard-carrying groups, including Concerned Nigerian Students, Coalition of Edo Youths Organisation, Edo Youth Congress, Edo State Students, Comrade Across the Nation, South-South Youth League and Edo Youth for Good Government, described the Federal Government’s seeming refusal to meet the demands of ASUU as wicked, just as they backed ASUU for sticking to their guns in their demand.

The protesters who brandished placards, some of which read, “We are Nigerian Undergraduates Unemployed,” “Education is a Right,” “Federal Government Answer ASUU,” said the present impasse in FG/ASUU talk breakdown should be blamed on the former.

Former ASUU chairman, University of Benin chapter, Dr Kashetu Ilavbare, who was sighted around the protesters, said the presence of some of the ASUU members was to guide the protesters, so that they do not take the laws into their hands.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/08/asuu-stirke-civil-society-organizations-students-protest-in-benin/#sthash.RY7DEYbw.dpuf

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House Proposes Ban on Overseas Education for Children of Politicians

A bill seeking to ban political office holders and senior public servants from sending their wards to schools overseas may soon be introduced in the House of Representatives.
If the bill scales all the hurdles at the National Assembly and is passed into law, it would be a crime for the president, vice-president, governors, deputy governors, ministers, members of the National Assembly, state Houses of Assembly, commissioners, permanent secretaries and directors in the federal and state Civil Services to enroll their children in schools abroad except for post graduate degree programmes.
Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, disclosed this yesterday, at a public lecture to mark the 2013 Annual International Youth Day in Abuja.
The proposed legislation, Jibrin said, was designed to address the growing decay of infrastructure and the resultant poor quality of education in public schools in Nigeria.
In a paper titled:t"Nigeria at 53: The Role and Challenges of Legislators in Making the Nation's Youths Resourceful and Self Reliant", Jibrin decried the poor quality of education in Nigeria and blamed it on the deliberate neglect of the system by successive governments at all levels.
He said though most of those in prominent positions in government today passed through the public school system,they have abandoned it and chosen to send their children to private schools in Nigeria and abroad in spite of the huge financial cost of such a decision.
Under the proposed legislation, these prominent Nigerians would be compelled to have their children and wards enrolled inpublic schools in Nigeria.
He said the education sector in Nigeria required revolutionary bills that would save the system from total ruin.
“The major element of this bill is that all public servants from a particular rank and all political office holders would have to get their children to do their primary, secondary and first degree education in public schools in Nigeria.
“A similar bill was introduced at the Senate but it could not pass second reading. We are working on that bill with like minds and we will take it back tothe floor of the House of Representatives. Let us do our own bit. If Nigerians support us, fine; if they don't,fine. But we have looked at the situation and have come to the conclusion that this is probably the only way out of this problem of neglect of our public schools,” Jibrin said.
He observed that the absence of the children of the high, powerful and mighty in Nigerian public schools meant that those who should care for the system have their commitment to either the private schools or the educational system in other countries.
Jibrin argued that thestate of decadence inthe education sector had reached an alarming rate that a radical solution was required to arrest total collapse of the system.
He said it had become imperative that lawmakers add value to the process of education not just by ensuring adequate funding for the sector but also by emphasising entrepreneurship education to help the youths understand the various options available to them in a liberal economy.
In any sane country, he said, issues concerning the youths were not toyed with as youths remained a crucial factor in nation building. According to him, the legislators have a role to play inensuring that a conducive atmosphere was created to enable youths realise their full potentials and contribute meaningfully to the development of the country.
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FG, ASUU Agree On N100 Billion Deal for Varsities' Infrastructure

The committee set up by the federal government to implement the needs assessment report in Nigerian universities yesterday reached an agreement with representatives of the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on the vexed issue of decaying infrastructure in Nigerian universities following the adoption of a report by the committee's technical committee.
The committee, chaired by Benue State Governor, Dr Gabriel Suswam, which rose from a long meeting at the Benue Governor's Lodge Asokoro, Abuja, last night, announced to newsmen that the federal government had reached agreement with ASUU to deploy N100 billion for the provision of infrastructure on the campuses of 61 universities covered in the needs assessment report earlier carried out by a committee of the federal government.
Based on the agreement, therefore, the only matterin contention is the issue of the earned allowances which Suswam gave assurances that the matter, too, would be dealt with on Monday since the federal government had made substantial offers to the striking lecturers.
The technical committee, chaired by Dr Banfa, a nominee of ASUU, had proposed in its report that the N100 billion be shared among all the 61 federal and state universities in the country for intervention in the areas of the rehabilitation and construction of lecture halls, renovation and construction of libraries and laboratories, and rehabilitation and construction of hostels.
Banfa said the 61 universities were categorized into four based on the size of student enrolment, noting that the categories depended on the university with 30,000 students and above, 20,000 students and above, 15,000 students and above, and 10,000 students and above respectively.
Each of the universities would then be given its share of the fund to applyin the projects already identified in the needs assessment report for immediate implementation.
In adopting the report, Suswam said everything would be done to avoid bureaucracy in the award of contracts for the identified projects so that the campuses would immediately witness a new lease of life with the coming on stream of the new projects.
The governor disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan had agreed to flag off the construction of infrastructural project sunder the N100billion stimulus package in a university to be selected,to symbolize the commencement of construction work in all the universities. He said the new projects to be undertaken would be standardized such that allthe Universities will enjoy similar facilities in terms of the new projects.
"I am confident that, very soon, the students will resume. As a leader in this country, I am worried about the strike. Mr President is absolutely worried and everybody is concerned that the students should not stay at home more than necessary," he stressed.
The implementation committee meeting was attended by the ministers of Education, Labour and Productivity, and other education funding agencies of the federal government, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), NITDA, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) among others as well as the president of ASUU.

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Cultism: Female Corps Member's Hand Chopped off

A female National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member posted to the Obuah community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Miss. Folakemi Akinbode, was Tuesday attacked by suspected cultists, who severed her hand with machete.
The attack on Akinbode, a 26-year-old Ondo State indigene and Batch 'A' corps member, came barely a few month after several thousands ofyouths in the state claimed to have renounced cultism in order to benefit from the amnesty on cultists and cultism declared by Governor Seriake Dickson.
The renouncement followed a law in the state, which made cultism an offence punishable by death.
Akinbode, who is a graduate of Nursing from the Madonna University, Elele, in Rivers State, was attacked at about 8.30.p.m, while returning to the Corpers’ Lodge, nearthe Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobori, near Yenagoa.
The corps member was posted to the university teaching hospital for her placeof primary assignment (PPA).
THISDAY gathered that she was attacked by two machete-wielding young men, who aftersevering her hand, fled on a commercial motorcycle.
Though nothing was collected from her, she was, however, said to be receiving treatment at the intensive care unit ofthe teaching hospital.
At the state headquarters of the NYSC in Yenagoa, the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Pius Iyama, declined comment, when THISDAY met him.
But confirming the incident, the paramount ruler of the community, the Ibolou XI of Obunagha, H.R.H Godsgive Apoh, condemned the incident and said he had summoned an emergency youth meeting of the Youth Vigilante Association to investigate and apprehend those involved in the attack.
When contacted on the development, thestate Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Alex Akhigbe, said though no arrest had been made, "the operatives of the command had been deployed to track down the attackers."

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Dokubo Urges Al-Mustapha to Forgive His Accusers

Alhaji Mujahideen Asari-Dokubo

 

By Tobi Soniyi

The leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujahideen Asari-Dokubo, has appealed to the former Chief Security Officer (CSO), to the late General Sani Abacha, Major Hamzat Al-Mustapha,  to forgive his accusers and all those who wanted him
dead.

Dokubo spoke Sunday when the former CSO paid him a visit at his Abuja residence.

Asari said he was convinced that Al-Mustapha did not kill the late Mrs. Kudirat Abiola, a matter that necessitated Al-Mustapha's arrest and subsequent incarceration in the last 14 years.

He said: "For me as a person, I was very convinced that you were not part of what happened because I was very close to Kudirat and I was very close to the Lagos group that was responsible for the judicial manipulation that was going on. And I wrote those things and people said we were paid to write. People believe that anybody who says the
truth or has a contrary opinion has been paid to do it."

He expressed appreciation to God for sparing the life of Al-Mustapha in prison even as he urged him to forgive his enemies.

Asari-Dokubo said what was important was that the truth had finally prevailed.

According to him, "We just thank God that this is not a period for politics and making political statements but what is important is that the truth has prevailed and the hypocrisy of those who wanted to sacrifice an innocent man to satisfy their perceived interest.

"As a brother, I will tell you to forgive all the people who have offended you over these years, those who have kept you there. In one way or another, they would have killed you if you have not been away but Allah who kept you alive this period of difficulty when it was
quite easy to kill you didn't put it in their mind."

"For me, forgive them. It is when you forgive that you gain more benefits from Allah."

Responding, Al-Mustapha recalled his days in detention and said he was not found guilty of murdering Kudirat Abiola because he did not do it.

He said: "You know there were 10 panels I faced in five years. None of these panels found me guilty of anything. My offence was just one: Mrs Abiola's murder. All in all, I stayed for five years and two months in solitary detention."

He said he chose not to assume power during the death of General Abacha.

He regretted that some people cashed in on his humility and loyalty to the service of the country to punish him unjustly.

He stated that God used him to stabilise the country which was thrown into turmoil after Abacha's death.

He said: "Ours is to serve, preserve the country and I did. If I had wanted, after the death of General Sani Abacha, this country would have witnessed another thing. But in our character, ours is to serve the country and I did. Nobody fired one bullet the day General Abacha died. God gave me the courage. But there were so many confusion, so many agitation at that time.

"But God used me to stabilise a course and it is the course that gave birth to this democracy. So, if I had not done so that time, we would have changed the course of history. Bur because we kept quiet, we were humble and committed to the country, people now turned it around."

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Adeniran Ogunsanya COE Concludes 2nd Semester, Resumes 19th Oct

We here by inform the general public that Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (SCHOOL OF PART TIME STUDIES) OTTO/IJANIKIN will conclude theresecond semester examination on the 26th of August and resume on 19th of October 2012.
While the screening for the freshers will be held on the 12th of October

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A 4-Day Workshop For All Nurses and NursingStudents

DEPARTMENT OF NURSING SCIENCES, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Enugu campus in collaboration with CALVARY TORCHMISSION, USA invites all nurses and nursing students to A 4-DAY WOKSHOP.
THEMES: NURSES: FROM SILENCE TO VOICE.
SUB THEMES:
A. ISSUES IN QUALITY CARE.
-improving the image of the nurses through education and quality care.
-Nursing sensitive patient outcome indicators.
-Managing inter-professional relationship for improved quality care.
B. FUTURE DIRECTION OF NURSING IN NIGERIA.
-Advanced practice role of the nurse.
-Enhancing the image of nursing through partnership.
Keynote Speaker: Barr (Mrs) Pauline Ifeoma Esoga RN, LL.B, MS.
Senior clinical nurse II, University of Maryland Medical centre, Baltimore, USA.
VENUE: Moot court complex, Faculty of law, University of Nigeria, Enugu campus.
DATE: 27th - 30th August, 2012.
TIME: 9am prompt.
REGISTRATIONS:
N10,000; STUDENTS N2,000.
HIGHLIGHTS: Free health screeningfor community on thursday, 30th august, 2012 by TORCH CALVARY MISSION, USA.
For enquiries, contact:
Dr. (Mrs) A. U Chinweuba (08032162180)
Dr. I. L Okoronkwo
(08063581297)

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