Editorial

Last Monday, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)commenced a two-week warning strike in all public universities in Nigeria – both federal and State governments owned. The only exception is privately-owned universities.

The two-week warning strike was a fallout of ASUU’s earlier notice to the federal government to implement all agreements and adjusted agreements it had with the university teachers since 1999. It is to be noted that the ASUU/FG impasse has lingered for so long – and even appears unending and without a definite solution.

According to the leadership of ASUU, the warning strike has become inevitable because of the federal government’s snail pace method in implementing all agreements it entered into with the Union. It accused the federal government of insincerity and toying with the growth and development of public universities in Nigeria, noting that a full-blown strike would follow at the end of the warning strike if the Union’s demands earlier agreed with the federal government are not implemented to the letter.

The federal government, on its part, is accusing the Union of bad faith. It contended that the university teachers have no justification to embark on any form of industrial action as the federal government remains committed to implementing whatever agreements it has with ASUU. As a punitive measure, the federal government has threatened to invoke the no-work,no-pay rule, but ASUU remains adamant.

Nigerians – especially parents/guardians of students studying in public universities in Nigeria – are worried that the situation might spiral out of control if the situation is not nipped in the bud urgently. The parents/guardians recall that a similar scenario played out during the concluding years of late President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure – part of which are still the cause of the present industrial unrest in our public universities

With this seeming irreconcilable disagreement between the two contending parties, the academic fate of students hangs in the balance. This is not good for our nation’s image and the integrity accorded to certificates issued by public universities in Nigeria.

Nigerian Horn is piqued that the implementation of the agreements has lingered for too long. If sincerity and honesty are to be put into consideration, there is no reason an agreement that was reached since 1999 should still be the subject of controversy in 2025. Someone somewhere is either obviously not telling Nigerians the truth or some people are benefitting from the FG/ASUU impasse.

Whatever may be the case, Nigerians are watching. Any nation that toys with the educational growth and development of her citizens is incontestably heading for the precipice.

Nigerian Horn is, however, pleased that the National Assembly has waded into the matter. This is commendable and timely,too – because where two elephants fight, the grass suffers.

Both parties involved in the industrial dispute should also sheath their swords and allow for meaningful dialogue as a means to resolve the matter. In industrial disputes, jaw-jaw is better than acrimonious and hard stances.

There should be concessions on both sides so that an everlasting truce can be brokered. No concessions made to safeguard the development of public universities, and the integrity of certificates awarded by them will be too much.