*ANALYTICAL CRITIQUE OF NO LECTURE NO VOTE SLOGAN*

_Byline: YNA(OmOmeewa)_


The Slogan No Lecture No Vote is a rising Slogan among the rank and file of Nigerian Students. This itself is a reaction to the on going ASUU strike and the failure of the federal government delegation and ASUU leaders to resolve the crisis leading to the strike action after several negotiation meetings.


It is therefore instructive to analytically look at this slogan and what it is capable of achieving towards the struggle of resolving the crisis facing the public university education system in Nigeria.


To start with, I shall provide clearer understanding of the terms there in the Slogan "No Lecture No Vote". The term Lecture in this context refers to all academic activities in Nigeria University while Vote refers to the February 2019 general election. Putting the two terms together, by No Lecture No Vote, we mean NO commencement of academic activities in Nigeria University No February 2019 general election.


Logically, what this slogan seek to achieve is the commencement of academic activities in Nigeria University. However, we need to carefully examine all the possible eventualities that could lead to the commencement of academic activities on campus and to clearly define what the demands of Nigerian students should be;


The first possibilities could be that; the federal government to voluntarily honor her agreement with the ASUU. However, that itself could possibly not happen in the event of several federal government delegation and ASUU leaders failed negotiation meetings and the recent walk out of the ASUU leaders on federal government delegation.


The Second possibilities could be that, a concerted effort from Nigerian Students, ASUU and Nigeria Public University Education Sympathizers that compel Federal government to honor her own agreement with the academic staff union since ASUU has threatened not to back out of the strike action until their demands are met.


The third or probably last possibilities could be that, the federal government uses state apparatus to repressive and shipwreck the struggle such that the struggle will be sell out and ASUU will be forced to commence academic activities. Two case study that supported this last possibility is the sacked and jailed of Nigerian students and lecturers during the Alli must go protest of 1978 (Obasanjo Military Regime) and the Sell Out of the Nigeria Labour leaders during the 2012 general strike and Mass Action.


All of these painted objective conditions can satisfy the Slogan No Lecture No Vote demand if done before February 2019 general election. However, in the event of any of these, what would be the benefit of Nigerian Students;


For instance, The Academic Staff Union shall have their Salary Short fall, Earned Academic Allowance and their other demands meet in the event of the occurrence of either the first and second possibilities except for the third possibilities where the struggle will be sell out.


For clarity, it is our joy to commence academic activities and finish up with our exams but the big question is; what conditions of campus do we desire to go back into; having spent about three (3) months at home? Is it the same old condition of our campuses; where there are inadequate lecture halls, inadequate facilities, laboratories for learning, or where we do not have hostel in some of our campuses and our colleagues are subjected to the exploitation of the host communities, where some of our campuses with hostel are inadequate and in a dilapidated conditions, or where our colleagues are made to pay huge amount of money as tuition fee, or where provision of good quality education can not be guaranteed etc that we desire to resume back to.


If we are to be sincere with ourselves in answering the question posed above, I am convinced that we all will desire a certain significant level of changes in our campuses after the strike.


It is in this direction of thought that, I suggest a review of the slogan or an addendum of programme of demands that would capture the needs and aspirations of Nigerian Students to the Slogan.

THE NANS CHARTER OF DEMANDS ADOPTED AT BAYERO UNIVERSITY 14TH DAY OF DECEMBER 1982 is still fresh and we can draw inspiration from it.

I.) On Relevance of the content of our Education system.
We should demand that a New Policy on Education be launched to overhaul the present one which will served both the interests of the Nigerian Students & the Nigerian Economy.

II.) On the Undemocratic Nature of Administration in the various higher institutions
We should demand democratic representation and chances for debates in senate(s), council(s) and governing bodies based on the membership of the campus community viz; workers, students and lecturers.

III.) On the condition of living & studying in higher Institutions.
We should demand Adequate Funding of higher institutions, provision of better conditions of service for both academic and non academic staffs, compulsory and uniform scholarships for all students to cover for books, research allowance, food, accommodation and transportation.

IV.) On the National Youth Service Corps
Automatic employment for those who have completed the youth corps scheme and blacklisting of establishment's recycling corps without providing employment.

V.) On Nigeria Foreign Policy
We should demand a more progressive and anti-imperialist stance in the UNO, OAU and other international bodies.

All these are possible programmes of demands we can add to the slogan "NO lecture No Vote" else we remain where we are and our stay home will end being for nothing.

Obviously, ASUU leaders will only struggle to protect the welfare interest of her members, it is only the organization of the Nigeria Student that can best protect the interests of students. I therefore call on all Nigerian Students who are interested in these programme of demands and Slogan to immediately kick start discussions on the programme of actions that can drive home the implementation of our slogan and programme of demands in this short period without any further waiting on NANS or its leadership. I will gladly join in the formation and organization of the movement of Nigerian students towards the implementation of the above programme. I am Yusuf Nurudeen (OmOmeewa) I can be contacted through my gmail @Yusufnurudeena and mobile network on +2348188878976.