The strike
has entered its fifth month. Lord have mercy on us, I don’t even know what to
think anymore. There seems to be nothing new, save for the old stalemate. The
Federal Government has been begging and the lecturers have been adamant. The
students (most of them) have been idle, serving as laboratories for the devil.
Just in
case you have no idea about what you are reading, you are not Nigerian hence
I’ll briefly summarize what has been happening. On the 1st of July,
the university lecturers (college professors as they are called elsewhere) went
on an indefinite strike saying that this
agreement they entered with the Federal Government in 2009 after a strike was
not honored (I got into University in the year 2010 instead of 2009 due to that
particular strike).
I had been
wondering what students could do to end this strike or accelerate its end.
Maybe students affected could go on a protest, shut down the nation and grind
everything to a halt and force everyone involved to find a solution (if you
want to know how this will be done check here).
Another thing that could be done is spamming the reps and senators with petitions
calling on them to save the situation. This spamming thing could be via email,
text, calls or even by post. When they are pestered they will maybe make moves
to salvage the situation or change phone numbers. The last option I will
suggest should be carried out when/if the strike reaches its eight month. This
involves taking on government websites if you get my drift.
A lot of people have taken sides as to who is
right or wrong between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of
Universities, the two parties whose actions have kept Nigerian Students out of
public universities. I have not taken sides really (okay, to be honest I am
leaning to the FG side, but am sure its
naturally because of how mean most lecturers behave towards students). That I
think I support the government does not mean it is because I am having a rosy
undergrad life; it’s due to built-up animosity toward them lecturers. To think
that I plan to be a lecturer in future makes me try to see things from the ASUU
point of view. Still, it is my belief that being the brains of the nation the
lecturers ought to have devised a less destructive means of arm twisting the
government. All I want is the strike called off.
Looking at
the bright side of things, this strike will delay my graduation from the
university by a few months and this is something I had been secretly wishing
for. The reason is simple, under normal circumstances I’ll graduate in 2014 and
carry out my national service in 2014/2015 but 2015 being an election year
doesn’t appeal much too me. With the heat all turned up I don’t fancy myself
bedecked in some dull grey khaki garments in a hostile locality counting votes
or being forced to register under aged voters or being almost beaten up when
the wrong candidate wins, ermmm this is way out of line, am exaggerating but
you get my point right? With this strike, I hope to serve my fatherland when
the election dust (if any is raised) has long settled. Thankfully from
indications, the elections will be held at the beginning of the year 2015.
The
paragraph above is full of shallow thinking, but then all angles have to be
covered.
I have a
feeling I can bet on; the strike will be called off on a Thursday.
END ASUU STRIKE NOW!!!
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