Call off strike or face sacking, Jonathan tells
ASUU
The Federal Government on Thursday gave the
Academic Staff Union of Universities, one week
ultimatum to call off the ongoing strike.
The acting Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike,
stated this while briefing journalists in Abuja.
Wike said those who refused to report to work after
the one week ultimatum among the ASUU
members would lose their jobs.

Nigerian government gives ASUU one week
ultimatum to call off strike
ASUU has been on strike since July 1.
The Federal Government on Thursday gave the
Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, one
week ultimatum to call off the ongoing strike.
The acting Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike,
stated this while briefing journalists in Abuja.
ASUU has been on a nationwide strike since July 1,
demanding the government implements a 2009
agreement it had with the union.
The lecturers had last week, at the end of the ASUU
NEC meeting, resolved to take a definite position on
the government’s offer and the strike after meeting
President Goodluck Jonathan this week.
The meeting is yet to hold.

Yeah! Well said bro. Na God hand we dey, He'll guide n direct us!

Dannyxy: If this news is actually true, then i will advice you(uniabuja student) to get ready, this strike has disrupted many things, if you are not mentally strong, you are going to fail woefully this section(yes section, there is no need sugar-coating it), and when i talk about being mentally strong, i am not talking about being intelligent or smart, rather i am talking about the ability to brace yourself up, and not letting the challenges weigh or overide you.. Be prepared...

Dannyxy: i am among them, we just have to patient. According to what i heard, each semester will take will take 8 week, so it will be 16weeks in a section, equaling four/five months, so by april/may next year they should resume, God willing..

I hope so oooo but dat does not disturb dem from releasing our names na.

abayomi350: I hope so oooo but dat does not disturb dem from releasing our names na.

well, base on dat calendar u see, the 2013/2014 admss list can't b release til june, so u guys shld go and plane well. because dey hv gvn u d clue of when u ar to resume dat is if notin distracts d calendar. So hv it in mind til june ending b4 u can see list bt d new calendar which wll b out during d 2weeks end of semester break wll determine dat.

mrpresido3: well, base on dat calendar u see, the 2013/2014 admss list can't b release til june, so u guys shld go and plane well. because dey hv gvn u d clue of when u ar to resume dat is if notin distracts d calendar. So hv it in mind til june ending b4 u can see list bt d new calendar which wll b out during d 2weeks end of semester break wll determine dat.

let wait and see uniabuja may decide to merge two set

ASUU strike: We cannot be
intimidated – Union
The Academic Staff Union of Universities
(ASUU) on Thursday said that it would not be
intimidated by the Federal Government’s
directive to resume work on or before Dec. 4
without resolving the industrial dispute.
Mr Clement Chup, the Chairman of ASUU, the
University of Abuja chapter, told the News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that there
was nothing like re-opening the universities
or calling off the strike.
The Federal Government had on Thursday
directed all Vice-Chancellors of the federal
universities that were on strike to
immediately re-open the universities for
academic and allied activities.
The Federal Government also directed the
universities’ Pro-Chancellors and Vice-
Chancellors to ensure that lecturers who
resumed for work were provided with the
enabling environment for academic and allied
activities.
The government, however, warned that any
lecturer who failed to resume on or before
Dec. 4, automatically ceased to be a member
of staff of the institution.
It also directed the Vice-Chancellors directed
to advertise vacancies (internal and external)
in their institutions.
Some parents and students, who spoke with
the NAN in Abuja, expressed mixed feelings
concerning the Federal Government’s
directive.
Mr Ekpontas Uwanna, a parent, said that it
was improper for the Federal Government to
order ASUU to call off its strike in such an
abrupt manner, without reaching an
agreement with the union.
“This is a civilised country and I think people
have been trying to sympathise with the
government over ASUU strike.
“’But with such pronouncement, I do not think
that it is the right way that the Federal
Government should handle this matter,’’ he
added.
Another parent, Mrs Joy
Amadi, said that it was a
shame that the state of affairs of the
country’s tertiary education sector was being
handled in such a manner.
“We are not in the military era; this is
democracy and any agreement entered into
by the Federal Government, be it with
anybody or association, must be kept.
“Issuing threat is not the option but with
mutual understanding of both parties and
patience, there will be peace and harmony in
the sector,’’ she said.
Mr Dele Oluwadayo, also a parent, said that
the strike had dragged on for too long, adding
that parents and students were fed up with
the industrial action.
“I think that the Federal Government and the
Pro-Chancellors are doing the right thing by
calling for the re-opening of the universities.
“But I want to say that the Federal
government should not be hard on the
lecturers.
“I think ASUU is fighting for a good cause but
they should also be considerate,’’ he said.
However, a student, Mohammed Aliyu, urged
ASUU to abide by the Federal Government’s
directive.
“It is better for ASUU to work with the Federal
Government’s terms and reference; we are
tired of the strike,’’ he said.
Another student, Priscilla Ekoma, said that
the Federal Government’s directive was not
in order.
“Although it is not that I am happy that we
are on strike, but it is very, very wrong for the
Federal Government to order ASUU to resume
work just like that.
“ASUU is making a case for all the
universities in the country and an agreement
should be reached, the crisis cannot be
resolved via intimidation or threat,’’ Ekoma
said.
NAN reports that all efforts to get the reaction
of the ASUU National President, Dr Nasir
Fagge, as at the time of filing this report
proved abortive, as he did not pick the
reporter’s calls. (NAN)

I realy dnt blame the f.g cos d guy(mr president) himself has negotiatd wit dem nd dey r stil askn 4anoda tin..giving d president conditions b4 dey wud resume work..i tink its totally absurd

Uniabuja students to resume DEC 1st
Details coming up shortly...

mrpresido3: well, base on dat calendar u see, the 2013/2014 admss list can't b release til june, so u guys shld go and plane well. because dey hv gvn u d clue of when u ar to resume dat is if notin distracts d calendar. So hv it in mind til june ending b4 u can see list bt d new calendar which wll b out during d 2weeks end of semester break wll determine dat.

Na waa o!

ASUU STRIKE: UNICAL Lecturer Supports
FG, Lambasts ASUU
A Lecturer at the University of Calabar, Dr
Edidiong Ebitu, has described the new
demands by the Academic Staff Union of
Universities as an act of sabotage of the
education sector.
Ebitu made the declaration on Friday in Uyo in
an interview with journalist.
The teacher, who is a senior lecturer in the
Department of Marketing in the university, said
he was in support of the Federal Government’s
directive that lecturers should resume classes.
“The various branches of ASUU had already
voted to resume classes. The over four-months
strike has done enough damage to the system.
“The president had made reasonable
concessions, so ASUU should resume for other
things to fall in place,” he said.
However, reacting to Ebitu’s views, the
Secretary of the University of Uyo Branch of
ASUU, Dr Aniekan Brown, debunked the claim
that ASUU was making fresh demands.
“ASUU is not making fresh demands, ASUU is
asking for the implementation of 2009
agreements.
“If any ASUU member says ASUU is making
fresh demands, I doubt if that person is an ASUU
member, that person is not informed,” Brown
said.
The Federal Ministry of Education had on Nov.
28, directed the authorities of federal
universities to re-open classes immediately and
to treat lecturers who refused to resume work as
having resigned.

ASUU Strike 2013 Update:
Lecturers Mock Nigerian
Government After
Ultimatum
Lecturers with the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU), which has been on strike for
months, described the Nigerian government’s Dec.
4 ultimatum as foolish and a “joke.”
The government said that lecturers who do not
resume teaching by that date will be removed. The
move came as the Inspector General of Police,
Mohammed Abubakar, said his office will increase
the number police officers at each campus in the
coming days.
“This is designed to help secure life and property in
the Ivory Towers and provide enabling environment
for lecturers, students, academic and non-academic
staff to go about their lawful businesses without let
or hindrance,” reads a statement from his office,
according to AllAfrica.
But Oghenekaro Ogbinaka, the head of the
University of Lagos’ branch of the ASUU, told
the Premium Times that threats won’t work.
“Our reaction is simple. Let us just wait for the
seven days to come around,” he said. “What
government has just done shows that they were not
committed in the offer they made with the union
that had the Trade Union Congress President and
the Minister of Labour in attendance.”
“We are not going to fall to that blackmail. Now,
which one is better: government acceding to our
demands or issuing out threats?”
Prof. Oyelowo Oyewo, with the University of Lagos,
echoed Ogbinaka’s statement, saying the move is a
“a glorified joke and laughable.”
The ASUU walked out in July, claiming the
government would not implement a 2009 deal that
would improve lecturers’ welfare and upgrade
facilities at campuses.
But the strike has left hundreds of thousands of
students across Nigeria without classes–essentially
losing a semester.
On Thursday, Nigerian Education Minister Ezenwo
Nyesom Wike said he was frustrated because the
ASUU has made new demands after meeting with
the government three weeks ago.
“As a responsible government we cannot allow the
continuous closure of our public universities for this
length of time, as this poses a danger to the
education system, the future of our youths and
national development” said Wike, according to the
AFP news agency.
He said the universities need to reopen
immediately, adding that “any academic staff who
fails to resume on or before December 4, 2013,
automatically ceases to be a staff of the
institution.”
ASUU National Treasurer, Dr. Ademola Aremu said
the Dec. 4 ultimatum is a sign of desperation, and
he added that the threat won’t keep the ASUU from
striking.
“It is a pity if the Federal Government is not willing
to perfect the resolutions reached with the union.
This is why we find it difficult to trust our leaders by
their words. How can someone be threatening to
sack lecturers when universities are already short-
staffed by almost 60,000?” he said.

Bashimi: let wait and see uniabuja may decide to merge two set

there ar nt going to do so, because if dere want to dey would hv put it in d academy calendar. As u cn see dere is ntin like dat dere.

Wow monday will be hot ooooh, let's wait and cc who blinks first fg or ASUU

We didn’t give ASUU ultimatum –
Jonathan
on november 30, 2013 at 8:01 pm in news
By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa
President Goodluck Jonathan has weekend, said his
government did not give the Academic Staff Union
of Universities, ASUU, an ultimatum to resume work
or be sacked.
Fielding questions from newsmen at the expanded
caucus meeting of the Bayelsa State Peoples
Democratic Party held at Government House,
Yenagoa, the President said, the Supervising
Minister of Education only passed on the decision
of the Committee of Vice Chancellors.
“We didn’t give them ultimatum; it was the
Committee of Vice Chancellors that took that
decision. The Supervising Minister of Education only
passed on the decision.”
Jonathan also said the strike embarked upon by the
ASUU was no longer a trade dispute , but a
subversive action.
Jonathan
He said, “What ASUU is doing is no longer trade
union. I have intervened in other labour issues
before now, once I invite them they respond and
after the meeting they take decision and call off the
strike.
“At times we don’t even give them a long
notice,unlike, in the case of ASUU that was given
four days notice before the meeting. As you are
meeting to resolve trade disputes, you expect the
trade unions to get their officials ready.
“What was expected having met with the highest
authorities in the land for long hours, was for ASUU
to immediately issue statement within 12 or latest
24 hours , to state their position whether they were
accepting government’s offer or not. And if they are
not accepting they should state the reason for that.”
“But despite the fact that I had the longest meeting
with ASUU in my political history, we did not start
that meeting until around 2:00pm and the meeting
ended the next day in the early hours. As far as the
government of Nigeria was concerned, all the
critical people that should be in a meeting were
there, so what else do they want?
“After that they didn’t meet until one week, despite
the fact that you met with the highest authority. It
was unfortunate one of them, Prof. Iyayi died.
“The way ASUU has conducted the matter shows
they are extreme and when Iyayi died, they now
said the strike was now indefinite, our children have
been at home for over five months.”

I just pray UNIABUJA truly resume 2moro...i'm sick nd tired of stayin at home nd i nid 2check al i left in skul cos i heard dos security men used 2invade hostels 2take stuff nd sell out..

FORTY eight hours to the deadline given by the
Federal Government to striking university lecturers to
resume classes or be sacked, the union has remained
adamant, …
Don’t send students back to campuses, ASUU
begs Parents

Presidency Warns ASUU Against Pushing its
Luck
President Goodluck Jonathan
•Urges compliance with chapters’ resolution
as UniAbuja re-opens
•APC, labour unions fault threat to sack
lecturers
By Chuks Okocha, Onyebuchi Ezigbo Damilola
Oyedele
Ahead of the December 4 deadline given by the
federal government to the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) to call off its strike, the
presidency has said the federal government will do
all that is needful to ensure that public universities
are opened by Wednesday.
The statement from the presidency coincided with
the decision by the University of Abuja (UniAbuja)
to comply with the federal government’s directive
to vice-chancellors (VCs) to re-open the
universities.
UniAbuja is one of a few universities that have
defied ASUU in recent weeks. The VCs of Osun and
Ebonyi State Universities ordered the re-opening of
their schools early last week, while the University
of Nigeria, Nsukka is set to resume classes today.
Addressing a press conference yesterday, the
Senior Special Assistant to the President, Public
Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, said: “The president will
do the needful to ensure that the universities are
opened on Wednesday. Do you think that the
government is a joker? Do you think that the
government will say something it does not mean?”
The presidency also accused ASUU leadership of
refusing to obey the resolution of the chapters of
the unions, saying the ASUU leadership had refused
to accede to the wishes of 42 of its 61 chapters
nationwide, who voted in favour of the agreement
reached with the president to call off the strike.
“Instead, in a surprise volte face, the union
presented government again with a new set of
demands and considerations outside the terms
agreed at the presidential intervention,” Okupe
said.
The presidential aide accused the ASUU leadership
of not taking its responsibility seriously by wasting
seven days before scheduling a meeting.
“When the meeting eventually held, the leadership
decided to thwart and undemocratically override
the expressed will of a majority of its chapters to
call off the strike.
“This action is contrary to the established practice
and procedure of any democratic labour institution,
which ASUU is expected to be,” Okupe charged.
He observed that when the federal government
“had reached an agreement with ASUU to make
available N100 billion for the provision of
infrastructure of 61 universities covered in the
NEEDS assessment report, with a further
commitment of N200 billion over the next two
years, and N40 billion of the N90 billion earned
allowances demanded by the lecturers, one would
have expected them to reconsider their stand.”
“This was despite the fact that the ASUU leadership
in the meeting with President Jonathan curiously
failed to articulate the basis of the N90 billion
demanded as earned allowances, which has been
on the table since 2009,” he said.
Accordingly, Okupe said it had become crystal clear
that the federal government had shown good faith
and commendable commitment by acceding to
most of the demands of ASUU.
“This ordinarily ought to be a thing of pride and an
outstanding achievement for ASUU having been
able to secure these unprecedented concessions
as a direct benefit of the prolonged and painful five-
month strike
“However, the negative disposition of the ASUU
leadership is unarguably a pre-conceived and
calculated treacherous plot pointedly intended to
undermine the presidency and subvert the Federal
Government of Nigeria,” Okupe said.
The president’s aide was of the opinion that ASUU’s
leadership, by its action, has a political motive,
adding, “This is clearly a hallmark of a leadership
that is determined to employ subterfuge in an
attempt to hold government, students, their parents
and other stakeholders to ransom in a reckless and
irresponsible display of insensitivity, lawlessness
and absolute lack of patriotism and even the fear of
God.
“Unfortunately, all this is perpetuated using
unsuspecting but otherwise loyal, patriotic and
responsible members of ASUU whose families are
also sad victims of this reprehensible and callous
attitude of their leadership.
“From all indications therefore, and other
information available to government, it has become
obvious that this is no longer an altruistic strike
borne out of good intentions and aimed at
improving the welfare of students and staff of the
universities and the standards of our educational
institutions.
“Rather it is an evil programme motivated by
selfish political interests and motivations within the
polity.”
Okupe, who made references to the sack of
recalcitrant air traffic controllers by the late US
President Ronald Reagan in August1981, said: “It is
also pertinent to note that the new demands of the
ASUU leadership unwittingly question the integrity
of Mr. President.
“However, for the avoidance of doubt, we wish to
state without equivocation that contrary to
expressed fears, President Jonathan is widely
known to be a God-fearing individual who has
consistently honoured his word and commitment to
the Nigerian people.
“He is not such a person as to single out anyone for
selective punishment neither will he make anyone
a scapegoat. Having said this, it is delightful and
very gratifying to note that many reasonable and
patriotic lecturers in several universities have
decided to comply with the order of government
and are ready to return to classes on or before the
December 4 deadline.
“We salute their courage, commitment to their
calling and loyalty to their nation. These are indeed
the true patriots and the national heroes of this
prolonged and painful struggle.
“We want to assure them that the government will
take every step to protect them in their effort to
comply with the government directives and their
desire to discharge their lawful duties to the
suffering Nigerian students, our universities and our
dear country.”
However, the All Progressives Congress (APC)
yesterday deplored the federal government's sack
threat issued against striking university teachers in
a bid to force them to end their strike.
The party said the resort to such military-era tactics
reflects the poverty of ideas on the part of
government, to resolve the prolonged ASUU strike.
In a statement issued by its interim National
Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party
in particular criticised the supervising Minister of
Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, for the way he talked
down on the striking teachers, while issuing the ill-
advised, go-back-to-work-or-be-sacked threat.
APC said ASUU was right in demanding certain
benchmarks, including the non-victimisation clause
and the need for a senior government official, like
the Attorney-General of the Federation, to sign the
agreement, before calling off its strike, in view of
the fact that the federal government has a history
of reneging on its agreements.
“Wike's language was crude, his presentation was
rude and his threat was demeaning and counter-
productive. We believe his lack of finesse and the
inability to think out of the box in handling the
whole strike issue will not bode well for a quick
resolution of the crisis.
“We also disagree with the minister's inference that
the lecturers should automatically call off the strike
because the president intervened and sat for long
hours with them. It is this unnecessary deification
of a democratically-elected president that has
almost turned this president into an emperor.
“What is the big deal in President Jonathan sitting
with ASUU members, his former colleagues for that
matter? What is a president elected to do if not to
solve problems?” it queried.
APC said it was unfortunate that Wike was
threatening to sack university teachers at a time
there is a shortfall of 60,000 lecturers in Nigerian
universities, adding that the threat itself had shown
that the federal government does not understand
the enormity of the problems facing public
universities in particular and the education sector in
general.
On its part, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has
described as “hasty” the ultimatum issued to the
striking members of ASUU by the federal
government, adding that the announcement was
not properly ruminated over.
The acting Secretary General of the congress, Mr.
Chris Uyot, in a telephone conversation with
THISDAY yesterday said Wike should have
considered the ongoing efforts put into resolving
the crisis by the president.
“The minister should have thought the issue
through before making the announcement. He was
hasty because considering an issue as serious as
the ASUU strike, the efforts which Mr. President has
put in meeting the ASUU leadership, and the offer
that was made to ASUU, if all those were taken into
consideration, the minister would not have said so,”
he said.
“The offer currently before ASUU was as a result of
that discussion. When you have an offer, there is
supposed to be a counter-offer or not. If there is a
counter offer, it is possible to sit down and talk
about it again, or simply listen to it. That is the
process of industrial relations,” Uyot added.
When reminded that the minister might have acted
on the directives of the president, the labour leader
said: “I am not here to speak for the movement, but
the minister made the statement. He should have
allowed the process to be consummated. The other
party presented a counter-offer and you just go to
the press. But I believe strongly that the minister is
lying.”
When reminded that NLC had described the new
offer made by the federal government following the
November 4 meeting as acceptable, Uyot clarified
that while the NLC might have found it acceptable,
it was not in the place of the movement to accept
the offer, but the place of ASUU.
He, however, acknowledged that the November 4
meeting was the most meaningful meeting
between the federal government and ASUU since
signing the agreement in 2009.
In the same vein, the former President General of
the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Peter Esele,
said the ultimatum issued by the federal
government had further widened the divide towards
resolving the impasse, which entered its sixth
month yesterday.
Esele, in a telephone conversation, said there would
have been a better way to go around the new offer
to ensure that any misgiving ASUU has, are
factored in.
“But the Office of the President should also be
respected. If the president has spent 13 hours, we
should also try and see how to give him the benefit
of the doubt. But the ultimatum has further widened
the gap because it is like we are in a military era.
“Sometimes, we personalise issues, even the way
Wike communicated the information, you could see
his person showing in the whole thing,” Esele said.
Meanwhile, following the directive of the federal
government on the re-opened universities,
UniAbuja has opened for students to resume their
studies.
Speaking with THISDAY, the Director of Public
Relations of the institution, Mallam Waziri Garba,
said the students had been instructed to resume
since from yesterday.
He was however not sure whether lecturers would
be available or not, stating: “We would have to wait
and see.”

ASUU Strike Update: ASUU’s Political
Game and Nigeria’s University
Education
For the average Nigerian, it is always easy for the
opposition political class to mislead him, saying
that Government has done nothing to improve his
living condition. It is the same story for the average
Nigerian Non Governmental Organization. They
thrive on criticising government, no matter how
noble government’s actions are.
When in July 2013, the Academic Staff Union of
Universities, ASUU, embarked on a nationwide
strike, they naturally got the sympathy of the
ordinary Nigerians, students and non governmental
organizations, NGOs, inclusive. But most Nigerians
failed to consider the fact that they started that
strike without following due process. That is, giving
the Federal Government adequate notice.
As the strike continued, some discerning Nigerians
began to pick holes in the unwholesome practices
of the ASUU National President, Dr Nasir Fagge and
his leadership. All they did was to prolong the
strike, without listening to any word of reason. It
was as if they were struggling to break the record
on the longest lasting strike. Fagge bestrode
negotiation rooms like a despot seeking who to
damage. He was like a blind driver of a cement
laden truck heading for the centre of the market. Of
course, his articulated truck appeared to have lost
control, hence it could no longer be brought under
any form of control.
In essence, ASUU grew beyond the Nigerian State
and its representatives. It is needless to talk about
the overwhelming support from the one-sided
Nigerian Mass Media. They were led like other
members of the society to believe that there was
only one side to the story. Therefore, it looked as if
the Federal Government was fully intimidated by
ASUU negotiators and the media to accept
everything that the lecturers brought to the table.
ASUU brought no compromise to the table, but
ASUU could do no wrong.
The scales fell off the eyes of the students first and
they refused to be deceived by the posturing of
ASUU. The President of National Association of
Nigerian Students, Yinka Gbadebo shouted at the
roof tops, alerting Nigerians of the inordinate game
the ASUU National leadership was playing against
Nigerian University Education system. As expected,
the opposition mobilized its media machine to shut
him up.
Next was a media pressure group, Media
Development Initiative, MDI, which raised alarm on
the unconventional negative techniques adopted by
ASUU to unduly prolong the strike. The Media
Director of MDI, Mr Martins Onyilokwu urged
Nigerians to rise up and challenge ASUU to respond
positively to the good faith shown by the Federal
Government. Of course, opposition paid hirelings
controlling media outlets drowned the group’s
words of reason.
After five months of rigmarole, ASUU has shocked
the entire nation. The National Leadership of the
union has resolved to dishonour the decision
reached by a referendum organised on whether or
not the union should call off the strike. From what
we heard, members voted 80percent to 20percent
to call off the strike. To the dismay of Nigerians, a
few hand-picked ASUU officials loyal to Dr Nasir
Fagge met at his parent university, Bayero
University Kano, where they resolved to take a
decision that was alien to the generality of ASUU
members. That is, give conditions to the Nigerian
government in order to further prolong the strike.
As the issues stand today, ASUU should understand
as Bob Marley sang, you can fool some people
sometimes, but you can’t fool all the people all the
time. The truth travels slowly, but over time it
overtakes propaganda and false stories. Those who
always propagated the fallacy that ASUU does no
wrong have seen clearly the present situation.
In every conflict situation, those in conflict agree to
make compromises even as they continue fighting.
By January, Syria and her rebels will hit the
negotiating table. It does not mean any of the
parties has been defeated. Agreeing to make
compromises is not a sign of weakness. It is only a
sign of courage. While the Federal Government
continued back down on all its positions, ASUU
remained rigid.
ASUU spurned all entreaties from the all levels of
the Federal Government. President Goodluck
Jonathan got personally involved and an agreement
was reached with ASUU. This agreement was
presented to ASUU members who supported
President Jonathan. Now our brother, Nasir Fagge
and his associates have brought another trick into
this game, to destroy a process that went on
smoothly, with government making all the required
concessions.
Nigerians must begin to question the rationale
behind ASUU’s games. What has ASUU brought to
the table since the negotiations started? What
positive changes should Nigerian students and
parents expect from ASUU members who have been
part of the Academic rot that has bedevilled our
country? Why should ASUU after reaching an
agreement with the President resolve to throw up
fresh issues to destabilise a nation full of
expectations? Is ASUU above the national authority
voted freely by the people to move the nation
forward?
For those who play the Ostrich, they have
conveniently forgotten that Jonathan has developed
the nation’s university sector more than ever
before. Nigeria has twelve new universities up and
running without ASUU’s distractions. Nine of these
universities are in the north. One of them located in
Jigawa State, is close to Kano where ASUU’s
National President, Dr Fagge is plying his trade.
Even though ASUU continued to dance to opposition
tunes, the Federal Government last week released
over N90billion to Universities, Polytechnics and
Colleges of Education for the development of
infrastructure. This has nothing to do with the
agreed N1.2trillion agreed by President Jonathan.
Now to the crux of the matter. The firm decision of
the Jonathan administration to rescue the nation’s
university system by re-opening the schools,
especially the Federal Universities is a welcome
one. Remember, the State Universities have no
business being in this strike, but the usual ASUU
technique of grounding the system by embarking on
sympathy strikes.
As the controversy rages over the propriety or
otherwise of the action of the Federal Government,
Nigerians must be reminded that this is not the first
time a government in West Africa is taking a firm
decision like this. The Ghanaian Government did
some years ago. They disengaged all lecturers and
re-appointed those interested in participating in the
new regime. But those who were re-appointed
signed under-takings not to be involved in any
strikes. Today, our children are running to Ghana,
including the children of ASUU members because
they run a stable system. Nigerians should no
longer tolerate academics that refuse to work, but
insist that they must be paid. Is it not only in
Nigeria that a man will not work, but arm-twist his
employer to pay him. Can a private employee do
same?
Respected American former President, Ronald
Regan in the 1980s sacked all striking air traffic
controllers in the United States of America after
they failed to resume for work at the expiration of
the deadline he gave them. United States of
America and Ghana are two reference points that
are usually on Fagge’s lips. Nobody believed that
Regan would achieve his goal, but he did.
Nigerians should support President Jonathan to re-
position the universities. Those lecturers who prefer
to remain on strike for another year should gladly
leave the system. Now that the Federal Government
has resolved to employ new lecturers, it is in the
best interest of the nation. We need more dedicated
brains in the universities.
Thankfully, some senior academics have
dissociated themselves from ASUU’s leadership
inordinate love for the continuation of the strike. I
happily watched Professor Abiola Awosika, an
international scholar and Dr Adeyemi Daramola and
Dr Pearce, both of the University of Lagos as they
regretted that ASUU National Leadership chose to
walk alone, abandoning a collective path chosen by
majority of their colleagues.
Nasir Fagge and co can only take this regrettable
path, because in our country, labour leaders believe
that they can ride rough on the people and get away
unpunished. In other climes, lecturers who voted
against the continuation of the strike would have
risen up whole-heartedly to bring these strike-
thirsty folks to book. In any case, the Federal
Government has taken the right decision and we
urge President Jonathan to have the political will to
see this line of action to its logical conclusion. We
cannot afford another round of tyrannical love of
strike by Nasir Fagge’s leadership of ASUU. After
all, nobody should be allowed under any guise to
ridicule our President who enjoys the free mandate
of majority of Nigerians. If Fagge thinks otherwise,
he should remove his ASUU clothing and jump into
the political arena, lets see his level of political
acceptance and popularity.
We must not lose sight of the fact that at present
Jonathan is the custodian of our Federal
Universities. ASUU members, though stakeholders,
are only employees who can be hired and fired. The
President may well take the decision to privatise
these schools and there is nothing ASUU members
and their cheer-leaders can do, other than insult him
aimlessly as usual.

Finally sch is open now, police n civil defense ar added to sch security in case of anytin dat may occur. Assu office uniabj branch is also opened.

The VC has also come to d mini campus and take attendance of present lecturers. As u cn see dis a good tin cmin out as d VC cms him salf.

mrpresido3: The VC has also come to d mini campus and take attendance of present lecturers. As u cn see dis a good tin cmin out as d VC cms him salf.

r lectures goin on?

enyo001:
r lectures goin on?

yep, some hv takin already while sm ar tkin now and sm wll take later, bt d num of students is nt dat much yet.

mrpresido3: yep, some hv takin already while sm ar tkin now and sm wll take later, bt d num of students is nt dat much yet.

are u serious?!!! dats gud news o... any news on d registration of d students whose name were on d 2nd list?

mrpresido3: yep, some hv takin already while sm ar tkin now and sm wll take later, bt d num of students is nt dat much yet.

thanks for the info. Keep it coming bro

enyo001:
are u serious?!!! dats gud news o... any news on d registration of d students whose name were on d 2nd list?

yep, department like socialogy,economic and banking n finance
Etc ar doing registration at moment.

So so funny, u jst hv to cm n see how lecturers are attendance and the lecturers ar jst friendly today base on wat I see.

Pls I wnt to knw if admission list for 2013/2014 was pasted in any of d campus or permanent site asap

olojo oluwatobi: Pls I wnt to knw if admission list for 2013/2014 was pasted in any of d campus or permanent site asap

no, dat will b next year june na, so u jst hv to hold on ok.

mrpresido3: no, dat will b next year june na, so u jst hv to hold on ok.

Na wa o thanks for d reply it means person go jst get other plans

Presido?was ani lectures held in P SITE today? Reali nid a reply