WHY I SUBMITTED MY BVN *COPIED*


Yesterday, Thursday, 23rd April, 2020 at 3:15 pm, I received a call from a Comrade that Lecturers were submitting their BVN at the Old Bursary office. I quickly got there. I met the Chairman of ASUU-UCB, Comrade Dr. Edor J. Edor at the field which landscapes the frontage of the Bursary building. He was making a call, while backing the building. I could easily have slipped behind his back into the building, but had to wait until he finished. After exchanging pleasantries, he asked me, a bit humorously "why are you here, have you come to submit your BVN?". I replied, "Chairman, where is it done?". He replied "in that building, there are people there". So, I went into the block, submitted my BVN, came down, greeted my Chairman and left. I submitted my BVN openly, greeted my Chairman to and fro the exercise. Whereas I had hitherto campaigned that my Colleagues should not have anything to do with IPPIS, I did that with the belief that I am prosecuting a just cause with people who would study the times. I have the following reasons for submitting my BVN yesterday:

1) LACK OF CONVICTION
This morning, I reported at the Bursary ground to inform the Expanded ExCo why I would not join them to monitor compliance. One of them quipped that my action was borne out of hunger. He was wrong and I pointed out to him that, ab initio, I had hinted that we could have registered with IPPIS under protest, even when we never embarked on any Strike. Was I hungry before the commencement of Strike? If so, then in addition to my numerous nicknames, I can gladly add another one "Hungry Man", to which I will answer " O wei"!. I mentioned in the beginning that there shall be betrayal, and that had happened. IPPIS brouhaha gave rise to the split of ASUU in some Branches into CONUAS. So, up until now, ASUU has not shown me the Demon that is (in) IPPIS, apart from talking of loss of autonomy, which point I had punctured before, by asking: "does ASUU's autonomy also include generating funds to pay salaries of workers?". If it does not include that, then that can never be autonomy". Rather than show me the Demon in IPPIS, ASUU is busy quoting that those who registered with IPPIS are now regretting. But ASUU forgets that it had informed the world that it shall require 18 months for its UTAS to become foolproof. As a man with commonsense, I used that to deduce that given 18 months, or even less, IPPIS could be made up to the desired level;if the FGN is sincere. I expect someone, at this juncture, to say " there you are, how do you know that the FGN will be sincere?". My answer : "the same way we followed the FGN since 2009 with an Agreement, up to 2013 with an MOU, then 2017 with an MOA, that is how we ought to have followed them in this matter of IPPIS". By the way, let us not forget that I have not registered with IPPIS. I only obeyed my President who said he wanted to pay me February and March salaries, April soon to join. So, his subordinates came up with the requirement of submission of BVN. I must obey them. Please read Romans 13:1-4. Some say they are not on Strike because of IPPIS. Brothers and Sisters, I am on Strike because my refusal to enroll with IPPIS led to the stoppage of my Salaries. As for the 2009 Agreement, I do not believe in all its contents. For instance, the renegotiation of Agreement with FGN after every 4 years, I call that balderdash ( I nearly wrote Demba Ba)! No government, even in America, can afford to renegotiate wages and conditions of service with its Workers after every 4 years. OK, if ASUU gets there and the government says "we renegotiate downwards",would ASUU accept? Some of the contents of the Agreement of ASUU with the FGN in 2009 constitute what I call Political Dismissal. I gave us the way forward in one of my previous comments on this Platform. Why must we self emolate in the matter of IPPIS? We cannot win all at once.

2) I AM NOTHING
During our surveillance to stop or dissuade our Colleagues from registering with IPPIS last year, a gentleman whom I respect so much walked up to undergo the registration processes. We tried to dissuade him. He told us, quite frankly, "gentlemen, it is my personal decision". He left us and registered with IPPIS. That was the day I felt that I should register. You know why? The gentleman I am referring to, was the Information Officer of UniCal during my days as a Student of Medical Laboratory Science. What impressed me about this man, apart from his smart dressing ( a man of style), was and still remains, his Queen's English. This is a man who can get to any corner of this University and obtain whatever he desires without any headache or encumbrances. I know that he also has political clout within and outside CRS. So, I went home and asked my mind, "if such a man could register with IPPIS, what am I?". My mind told me that "I am nothing". I asked my mind again "what about all the Principal Officers who had registered with IPPIS, if such people could register and I did not, what am I?". My mind told me "you are nothing, in fact you are foolish!". Someone, out there, is going to ask me "do you have any proof that those people registered?". Against such a question, I would immediately retort "let ASUU-UCB display an undoctored list of those Academic Staff who registered with IPPIS". That would even douse tension and calm frayed nerves.

3) NONE TO TRUST
In the midst of COVID-19, a very deadly disease, the FGN stopped my salaries for two months, getting to three in the next less than 144 hours from now. So, I turned to my home front, where I am also owed some money which could have helped me to soldier on. Nothing also for me. Therefore, since my money usually comes from above (Abuja), I have chosen to commit my BVN to Abuja. Make no mistake, BVN is my personal document. It does not affect ASUU Strike at all. I will take people to Court, if care is not taken, to seek explanation as to how and why my BVN affects ASUU. ASUU is making fake excuses all over. If someone sees my BVN, let him take and go. He is going to get frustrated because there is no money in my account. People like Dangote and Bill Gates should worry about their BVN, not me. Okay?

WHAT HAPPENED THIS MORNING
I went to inform the Expanded ExCo why I could not join them to monitor those who would dare to come out to submit their BVN. When I joined ASUU ExCo I did not imagine myself doing a Policeman's job. I don't have that kind of strength. Besides, no country would enlist me into their police force; not even Papua New Guinea! So, after briefing them, someone, who is even ingratiating himself to a position of prominence in ASUU-UCB, orchestrated a move that I should resign. Ha ha ha ha, I laugh like Nigerian Politicians eating turkey meat with my money. For such people, I will not even bother to ask them to begin from the very top and sanction all ASUU Members who enrolled with IPPIS. I will not do that. Rather, I will leave them with the lyrics in one of the songs of an Efik Legendary Musician, Ekpe Ita ( may his soul rest in peace): "Eka-ebe mi ete nnyong o, nte nnyongke; yak unnyong mi oworo k'inua Ebe". Translated, the above means "My Mother-in-law says I should pack my loads and go; but I told her I will not go; let my divorce be determined by my husband".

So, I am telling those people that I know the System very well. While I am typing this message, I know that they may be busy lobbying for people who would come and pass a vote of no confidence against me in a Congress. I do not care a fig. Provided I am removed by people who voted for me, I shall leave very happily. Let me mention here that, on 20th August, 2019, I achieved what no person has ever achieved in the history of the world. That was the day 500 Comrades voted for me to defeat a Medical Doctor who scored a total of 330 votes, with 4 invalid votes. The Returning Officer erroneously returned 499 votes in my favour. I was surprised to notice that 3 Comrades who sat some 2 rows behind me also observed the error and they started mumbling "500". I motioned to them to let it be because I had noticed the tedium involved in sorting out and counting the votes. Idid not want to encumber the lady because I have conducted an Election before. So, I defeated a Medical Doctor, by the special grace of God. That feat, in itself, is enough satisfaction for me. Anyone who thinks it is easy, should go and try it. It can never happen again, anyway. So, if the Congress asks me to leave ASUU-UCB Executive, I leave with glee. I was not born as ASUU Welfare Officer. I was born as, and I am still, a man who, given the opportunity, can get things done. My stepping forward was for an altruistic service, not stomach-service. If I were interested in the latter, I would be keeping quiet. But that is not my nature.

THE WAY FORWARD
Whether I am in or out of ASUU-UCB ExCo, I think the future ASUU should operate like this. Whenever we are to embark on a Strike at both the National and Local Branches, we may have to adopt the following rules :

1) All ASUU Buses should remain parked within the period of the Strike. Let the ExCo use their vehicles.

2) ASUU Bank Accounts shall remain frozen within the period of the Strike. However, before the commencement of the Action, the Congress shall approve an agreed sum of money to cater for the Chairman's transportation and other logistics.

Please take note that the above, especially 2) is not to indict the Executive of squandermania. No! My suggested rules are to ensure that whoever shouts Aluta, Aluta is doing that with an empty stomach; not a situation in which some people shout and go home hungry, while others visit ASUU's accounts for their coping "drugs". It is the same evil that spoils Churches today. Remove lucre and let us know the true Worshippers of God, like the early Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ.


ASUU, as far as I am concerned, is naked. It is, however, half-dressed, but with borrowed robes. Past glory and borrowed robes from the likes of the Late Prof. Eskor Toyo and Prof Festus Iyayi. Make no mistake, although I knew myself as an Academic species, it was actually the allure of ASUU then, that spurred me to wish to come over this way. I am looking for that type of ASUU. Here at ASUU-UCB, I started hearing the name Ndubuisi Osuagwu as a Student in Medical Laboratory Science. This is not to detract from the good works of people like Chike EkeOpara, Okon Ette, James Okpiliya ( all Professors now), etc. Sorry Sirs, you are all Great Veterans. But I did not know you people then. I am interested in your own type of ASUU in UniCal. I do not want pocket-sized ASUU. ASUU is too large to be pocketed. I am shouting now with hunger in my stomach that I WANT Eskor Toyo's ASUU. That is what I want, first in UniCal and then in Abuja.
Whoever hears me should act fast. The wind of CONUAS is blowing from the west. Act now before it reaches the Niger Delta and reaches Calabar.


May ASUU not go the way of NEPA in Jesus' name. Amen! Yes, because these people just changed NEPA, and I still need NEPA. It was better for me. ASUU, may you not die like NEPA in Jesus' name. Amen. I don't mean to harm. I want ASUU to survive and all Members to rejoice; not a privileged few. This is my prayer in Jesus' name. Amen!

Dr. Joseph Asuquo
Welfare Secretary
ASUU-Unical.

Na hunger dey talk. Who pays the Piper dictates the tune. Make I see you in the future claiming money for external examination or sabbatical.

Lol...
But He's Within His Rights To Decide To Drop His BVN? If In The End Government Says Lecturers Are Entitled To External Examination Or Sabbatical He'd Still Be Able To Draw Benefits From Those. Remember He's First A Lecturer Before A Member Of Aso

jesmond3945:
Na hunger dey talk. Who pays the Piper dictates the tune. Make I see you in the future claiming money for external examination or sabbatical.

money matter

castrokins:
Lol...
But He's Within His Rights To Decide To Drop His BVN? If In The End Government Says Lecturers Are Entitled To External Examination Or Sabbatical He'd Still Be Able To Draw Benefits From Those. Remember He's First A Lecturer Before A Member Of Aso

and who tell you it would be easy for fg to decide that? I hope you know funding for external examination for any lecturer is not easy because the selection is always problematic. A school might stay a year without having any examination because the student or the external examiner is not available. What of adjunct? many programmes would be dismantled because of lack of visiting lecturers or sabbatical because schools are waiting for approval.

Universities Mustn't Mount All Programmes, Jesmond.

jesmond3945:
and who tell you it would be easy for fg to decide that? I hope you know funding for external examination for any lecturer is not easy because the selection is always problematic. A school might stay a year without having any examination because the student or the external examiner is not available. What of adjunct? many programmes would be dismantled because of lack of visiting lecturers or sabbatical because schools are waiting for approval.

castrokins:
Universities Mustn't Mount All Programmes, Jesmond.

are you a lecturer?

Maybe We Should Stay On The Subject?

jesmond3945:
are you a lecturer?