₦airaland Forum

rutchiekens: Its been very sensible and realistic... Countries that are not as rich as Nigeria are doing it so why can't Nigeria do it.

Please mention ONE of such countries so we can all learn. Don't tell me you are one of those who just say things because they sound cool?

MOBBDEEP: I don't really mind your calling my view & some other's 'pre-adolescent'.And I'm well convinced that I'm not playing devil's advocate.

No, no, that's not what I meant. You will always find stupid reasoning on both sides of the divide on any issue. I did not mean to imply that anyone who does not see things the way we do is stupid. I always respect logic, even if it is in support of a stance I oppose.

Please Sir, can I ask you a question. How much tuition fee do you think will suffice for the public tertiary institutions? I meant the range.

I would rather first deflect that question by asking: how much does tertiary education cost in countries we are "copying"? If we want our education to get to comparable standards, it must cost in the same range.

Lest you think I'm copping out, I'm going to come out and say it: I believe that educating an engineering student (my area) should cost up to N2 million per annum. I AM NOT SAYING THAT STUDENTS SHOULD PAY THAT. What the universities decide to charge per student depends on what FG is willing (and able) to drop on behalf of that student.

As you know, ASUU tried to get FG to pay more last year, but students were mostly opposed to the ASUU strike action. So, the universities are simply shifting up the student's share of the burden to compensate.

jaryeh: @proffemi, on the OAU issue, on whose side are you? Ours or theirs? Why?

Ours or theirs? That is always a simplistic way of looking at things (reminds me of George Bush circa Gulf War).

I am on the side of logic and commonsense.
I am on the side of sustainability.
I am on the side of building a greater Nigeria.
I am on the side that pities students who (reference to iwonbaoko's analogy) want FG to slice up their meat into many worthless pieces.

I expect that at different times, I will find myself supporting either the students or the university administration.

jaryeh: Not bad o. And that's what we've been doing, but they still want us to pay more, sooner or later, we pay everything. And not that they will use the part they withdraw in anything public service - they load their accounts the more. This we all know. Same thing happened to the fuel subsidy.

There is a simpler explanation: perhaps Nigerians have always been self-entitled. However, when our population was manageable, we could sustain the illusion, by depending on the proceeds from our petroleum. Now that our population is getting out of control, we can no longer afford to continue pretending.

As you noted, this is similar to what happened with the subsidy issue. Where you are wrong is the same as before: you think there is something wrong in asking someone to pay for the value he gets.

I see you are studiously ignoring my question, but I'll pose it again: what is wrong in asking someone to pay some fraction for the value he gets?

jaryeh: We clamour for government interventions because we pay taxes and we've not received anything significant in return. What do I say we get in return? Is it stable electricity? Infrastructures? Good health care services? No. But what they want now is to still withdraw the little we get from them instead of improving on it.

Hahaha. So its taxes, eh? Can I ask you: how much taxes do you pay? For that matter, how much do your parents (or my parents) pay for taxes? It it up to the N500k you agree FGN spends on your education? What share of your taxes goes into funding heathcare? What share was used to tar the portion of the roads you ply?

Oh, right. Oil money will be used to supplement your taxes, right? Fact is, with respect to government, the average Nigerian is like someone who never put anything into a piggy bank, but wants to get money out of it. To the best of my knowledge, only Lagos State citizens pay any reasonable tax in Nigeria, and guess what, that same state has (arguably) the best infrastructure in Nigeria. Coincidence?

We have 67 public Universities, there are not-up-to-30,000 students in each, if it costs N500,000 per annum to cater for each student's tuition - excluding accomodation and feeding. If we calculate this in total, it results in N1.005 trillion. This is just a token out of the missing $20b. And pls, don't talk about our annual budget, it's not up to what they loot/mismanage in 6 months.

Good. But I still ask: what is so wrong in you paying a fraction of the value of something you get? Why go into permutations and hypothetical arguments just to avoid paying for what you get?

jaryeh: How about the other parts of my post? At least $20b is more than all we pay as school fees, and that is just a "token" out of what we have (and what they loot). We do not have up to 40 federal institutions in Nigeria. In fact, during the ASUU strike, we were made to realize that there were just 67 public Universities in Nigeria - federal and state Universities. If I'm not mistaken, $20b is not less than 3 trillion naira which they said was not available for ASUU the last time they went on strike.

At the height of the SLS saga, I was one of those crying that it should not be swept under the rug IF $20 billion was missing. Do you know for a FACT that $20 billion was missing? I mean, I would be happy to believe that someone loaned N1B from my dad, and so, owes me that amount. But is it TRUE? We do first have to get to that point first.

Then, what makes you assume that if we had that money, it would all be dumped on education fiam?

Look, lets even forget all of that. What is so wrong in a man paying (A FRACTION!) for what he wants? Can you tell me what is wrong with that?

ogtavia: Very strong points my brother,but I beg to differ a bit,u mentioned filipino cooks who aren't graduates and all d offshore thing,before they employed filipinos,didn't they see Nigerians, Nigerians with the same experience and certificatn wnt be given d treatment dis foreign ppl receive why?pls tell me...u mentioned chinese engineers and I ask myself how in d hell Lebanese and chinese engineers get to own constructn firms in dis country,mistreat their workers and get away it and on top of dt,get mouth watering contracts,its a ploy forr corruptn,I dnt think u reside in Nigeria,correct me if I am wrong,all thoose ppl clamouring for tuition dnt have wards in Nigerian schools,nt everyone needs a university degree u say,yet the gulf between a polytechnic certificate and university degree grows wider everyday,so my brother,all dis USA this,chinese dt won't work,d government allowed dis expatriates to come work here without considering our local content,look,u seem to av a bias against Nigerian graduates,u say our graduates are useless,so u think everyone who has a foreign degree is better than d Nigerian graduate,you are wrong,I strongly disagree and no matter how much you insult me,I will nt change my standpoint,so in ur mind,if tuition is introduced,university educatn becomes more expensive and way out of the rich of d common populace,d educational problem will be solved in this country and Nigeria will become a good place to live in?tuition will solve corruptn,tuition will enlighten our minds,tuition will make lecturers teach better,tuition will create jobs for graduates,tuition will stop government officials from receiving bribe,tuition will addreess the university and polytecchnic bias,I am nt sure you live in Nigeria and iif u are,well its a pity,Nigerian Universities still produce graduates that can compete anywhere in d world,why must the government sEe d imposition of fees as a way to beetter things...remember ETF that became TETFUND,look its beyond tuition,let our leaders stop making good governance about money,Nigeria isn't such a complex society.

I am never one to criticize grammar in an online forum. However, I think the new chatting culture has ruined communication globally (not just in Nigeria). Take your post for example: I am struggling to get the gist of your post, but it's hard going.

Can I suggest you put a little more effort into making your posts easier to understand? Use paragraphs where necessary, and don't underestimate the value of the period (full stop).

jaryeh: ...Government should put other alternatives in place and watch University aspirants decrease...

Government should this, government should that.
This is a big part of our problem. We view government as this big Santa Claus that should do everything for us. I am not suggesting that government should not perform its role, but we are just too lazy and self-entitled as a people.

Take this education issue: government already spends a huge chunk educating you (there have been different figures thrown around as the average cost of educating a student. I have heard N2 million per annum, a figure that makes sense to me for an engineering course. However, if we go with LASG, it is allegedly N500k). How much do you pay for tuition currently? So you think government has not already done enough for you by paying the balance? What else would you want government to do for you? Change your diapers?

jaryeh: @iwonbaoko, proffemi and others supporting this tuition fee introduction, the fact remains that government has more than enough funds to finance tertiary education fully without us paying a dime.
We were all in this country when the president himself confirmed that $20b was missing. Mind you, this is just a "token" out of what they loot every blessed day. They keep deceiving us with figures that are never real just to console us. It's high time we stood up and fight for our right.
If government refuses to fund education, what then will it do with our oil money? Build roads that it is already planning to also privatize and get more money to loot? Pls educate me.

How much is this "oil money" you guys keep talking about? If you need to be educated, why don't you do a Google search for the GDP of every big petroleum producer, and divide by their population??

The truth is that you guys CHOOSE not to see reason. You say "government has more than enough funds to finance tertiary education fully without us paying a dime". Since you're a university student, I expect you to provide the evidence to back this big claim. I will be disappointed if you are comfortable just making wild claims that you have no way of proving just because, well, it sounds cool.

Wake up bro, your country is not a rich as you think.

iwonbaoko: By nature human beings compare themselves to others. No one wants to feel inferior or cheated.Take my young lad you place a plate of food in front of him and what does he do ,eat? No! he starts looking to see what everyone else has got. OH his big brother has "TWO MEAT" why does he have "ONE MEAT" and so he starts Aluta, at that age imagine!! His mothers say "sorry" she carries the food to the kitchen takes the meat and cuts it into four pieces and returns it to him he is placated,smug even.He starts taunting his big brother...

Bravo brother, bravo.
I have enjoyed reading (almost) all of your posts on this issue. Going through Nairaland threads on matters that require critical analyses, one usually finds pre-adolescent-level reasoning. The few mature minds who visit (as I'm sure they do) seem not to even bother engaging. I am happy that this thread is different, and have enjoyed your input (as well as bushdoc99's).

The state of tertiary education in our country is a topic very dear to my heart, and I hope to find some time today to share a few words. Even if I can't however, I am confident that - with your excellent take on the matter - logic and commonsense have a worthy champion.

MOBBDEEP: But Sir, even the Ivy League learning institutions and other leading universities all over the world, offer lots of quality studies free ... I quite agree they are usually funded by 3rd party.

Quality studies free? Rara o. It is even worse that you mentioned Ivy League schools. Good education is *always* expensive. That someone pays for it does not make it free. You mentioned third-party funding sources. As you know, those are few in Nigeria. The thing is that nationally, we are starting the conversation from a very wrong point, which is that education should be free or cheap. I maintain that a better conversation starts by

a. recognizing and accepting that *quality* education is expensive, and then,
b. finding ways to ensure that the poor are not excluded if fees go up

If we stick to this "education should be cheap" thing, we should get ready to see public educational institutions go extinct. Public education *will* be cheap. But people will break their backs raising money to pay private universities.

I think the rot is a reflection of the corruption cankerworm that has become the norm of our nation and not because it is free. Afterall, in the 70s & 80s, education was completely free and the standard was top-notched. May be, the few numbers of the scholars in schools then "cushioned" the rot that could have started then.

Point of correction: at no point has education at all levels been truly free in Nigeria (Yes, Awolowo and co tried it, but if you ask for the true story, you will hear rumblings about how the Western Region ripped off cocoa farmers to fund education). But more to the point, the number of students in school then was so small compared to what we have today (as you alude to yourself), and the national GDP so much relatively, that it was possible to offer free education then. Right now, this country cannot support everyone.

Which brings me to the point: why do we all see government as a massive ATM? What does government itself produce? What does Jonathan sell or make to generate money for Nigeria? Other than natural resources, a country's total output is the aggregate of the individual contributions of its citizens. How much do YOU contribute to the Nigerian economy? How much do those around you contribute? So where do you think government gets all that money you want it to spend on YOU? From MY own productivity? Natural resources? Even factoring in rampant corruption in the oil&gas sector, our gross output is still not enough to support the sort of life Nigerians want.

Let me cite an example Sir, in the pre-2003 at UI, accommodation fee used to be only 90 Naira per session...

At first glance, your UI example would appear to indicate that the university has mismanaged funds. My initial response is to say that paying for quailty education, and ensuring accountability in the system, are not mutually exclusive. The fact that there *may be* corruption in the system should not detract from the question of what the education on offer is worth. In that case, we should not be clamoring "I will not pay value for quality education", but rather "what is the return on the money I have paid?". However, your next point is instructive:

For example, Tedder Hall has capacity for 400-500 occupants = about 8-10 Million annually. What were the annual generated funds utilized for

Bro, funding education is FAR more expensive than you think. Do you actually believe that UI spends less than 8-10 milllion per year to operate Tedder Hall? To pay for all your electricity? To supply you water and repair damaged systems? To pay gardeners and cleaners for 1 year? To pay all Hall porters, wardens and others? To maintain the halls? Don't take my word for it. Just get the figures and go ask any estate manager to give you an estimate of how much it should cost to run a hostel such as Tedder.

So Sir!!!!, I will still maintain the stand that cheap does not necessarily means sub-standard quality.

You can say that in a school debate, but my brother, as a Nigerian, YOU know the truth. In EVERY other sector in Nigeria, cheap does mean substandard. Why do you assume education should remain any different?

Mad Cow: Prof!! You again?!

E be like say you go like quarrel pass fight.. Have you not noticed that Nigeria is a country of 'Free' everything?
The sad truth is that in the past, we had a lot of free stuff, but the country has since evolved from there to where its at now.

Yes o, me again
I care so much about this system that I will do everything in my power to prevent it being run into the ground by government, lecturers, parents and students (yep, we're all destroying it together). If that requires occasionally "trolling" Nairaland threads, I'm game.

juwoonn: ...A lot of professors in Nigeria today were products of public schools, our president and most Governors are products of public schools, but why have they taken their children abroad, to private schools and destroy the public schools for the less privileged.

On second thoughts, I think I'm going to go ahead and address the elephant in the room: the less privileged played a role in the destruction. As you hinted at above, the rot in public schools is somewhat by design.Yes, the rot is evident in both private and public schools. However, anecdotal evidence abounds that it is far more serious in the latter. The slow death of public primary and secondary education in Nigeria is even sadder when one considers the fact that we have not learnt our lessons; the same thing is about to happen to the public universities.

Remember how this started (or at any rate, got worse)? The people wanted free education. Well, the government simply gave us a Hobson's choice: free education that is actually none at all, or expensive education that improves with your buying power. Quick question: do you suppose students of Loyola Jesuit College have the same difficulty passing WAEC Economics? No? Okay, you get my point. To a large extent, you do get what you pay for.

This point is important because we are at it again. My university recently increased fees for returning students to ~N30,000 per annum. The resulting student protest was so heated that there is a real chance that school will not resume till September. What they do not realize is that N30,000 for a passably good education is better than N5,000 for education that becomes so much worse that it is entirely worthless. If we cry hard enough for cheaper education, we will get it. But we will be sorry we did, because then, the government will make sure that it becomes so useless that nobody go tell you before only you waka go private university.

One solution: let us be less eager to ask for everything to be free, Rather, we must first demand for some minimum guarantee of quality, at a *reasonable* cost. Let us stop trying to minimize inconvenience and cost above all else.

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it

Okay people, we've wept and gnashed our teeth about the downfall of our educational system (and country).

Can I suggest that subsequent posters try to suggest possible solutions?

Not that I believe so much that our words will make any difference, mind you. One sad lesson I have learnt teaching students is that no matter how nicely or constructively you tell people the right thing to do, they still generally will not change their ways. In other words, suggesting solutions here will *probably* not matter at the end of the day. However, hope springs eternal ...I have never stopped trying, and we should not stop trying to solve our problems.

Way forward?

A number of quick points:

1. Grammmar Nazis please stop the bull: How so Nigerian of you. The OP makes a valid point, but you would prefer to focus on the quality of his written English. Everyone makes mistakes from time to time, from Soyinka to George Bush (highly-publicized grammatical blunders). It's fine to make fun of people on those occasions, but not to the extent of derailing a very important discussion. So for God's sake, if all you've come to do here is criticize how others express themselves (rather than their actual ideas), I beg you to (respectfully) get lost.

2. Those blaming the OP for blaming the students rather than helping them are wrong: the man is not their teacher; he is simply marking their scripts, so there is no way *he* can help them. Once again, he has brought a very important message. Focus on the message, not the messenger.

Ah, the message...

There are many direct and indirect causes of the problem OP has observed. Ultimately however, there *is* a single factor to which it can be traced. It has been mentioned here already, so I will simply quote:

[quote author=hermes_progidy]...We can say our education system needs serious overhauling but the truth is the poor academic performance of students is a reflection of the larger society where hardwork is mocked and corruption is rewarded.[/quote]This is a problem rooted in the value systems of most Nigerian tribes (our strong emphasis on the community places unrealistic expectations on the few haves, leading them to cut all sorts of corners in fending for - and lording it over - the have nots). However, in my opinion, our leaders have really made matters worse.

Forgive me for naming-and-shaming, but I have to say that GEJ has really messed up on this front. In my opinion, he has basically planted a presidential stamp of approval on this idea of rewarding corruption. I do not wish this to disintegrate into a PDP vs APC thread again but the truth is that with the ill-advised statements he has been credited with making, and his handling of Alamaisegha's and other cases, our president has made it that less likely that anyone would take the long and arduous path of hard work as a route to success.

So, what you see is a manifestation of that short-cut mentality at all levels of national life.


Poor teachers, (poorly paid, but guaranteed to be incompetent and lazy anyway, even if paid better) [+]
undisciplined parents (helping children to cheat, as a way to secure their own twilight years, and unwilling to pay the true value for anything, including success) [+] lazy and undisciplined youths of the Information age (more likely to chat and hustle than to do anything as boring as studying [+] greed and poverty-addled society (willing to turn a blind eye to how you got there) [+] inept, bumbling, spineless, corrupt leadership (no expatiation needed) = poor WAEC performance = doomed nation.

We are so screwed (I should know; I teach the "leaders of tomorrow).

I hope the gardeners and gate men in the hospitals are also members of JOHESU, so that they too can become consultants after years of experience. Or are you trying to tell me that they do not perform important roles?

This stupidity will continue unless we allow common sense to prevail. Fact is: hospitals exist to allow patients get treated. The people who treat patients are DOCTORS. Simple. It is true that there are other important professionals without whom this system will not work, e.g. pharmacists. However, these are simply support staff that make the doctor-patient relationship work. In my opinion, doctors are primary professionals in hospitals while most JOHESU members are secondary stakeholders. Others are tertiary stakeholders.

This same rubbish rears up its ugly head in the universities from time to time. We are just fortunate that ASUU is not as territorial as NMA, otherwise, the universities would have become ungovernable many years ago.

This is one of the reasons why methinks that despite our loud protestations to the contrary, what Nigeria needs is a benevolent dictator.

* Full disclosure: I speak from a thoroughly neutral position. I have good, competent, and professional friends in both NMA and JOHESU. Also, please do not assume I am particularly enamored with NMA. Just like ASUU, they spew out more than their fair share of rubbish.

rudedough: Take a deep breath Bro and re-read your comment. Your types are the problem with Nigeria. You want everything handed over to you for free. You demand so much from the Govt while you don't want to give anything back. You said in your own words "it does not not neccesarily mean wat is good and working for them will work for us"

kalokalo: You are absolutely right!. Nigerians are first class jokers. They want world class education for a few thousand naira per annum. In a country of 170+ million people and a per capita income of less than $3000. Jokers I say! You have countries who are infinitely wealthier than Nigeria charging tuition fees that is more than 50 times the price in Nigeria even when subsidized for their citizens and we wonder why their universities are world class and ours are not?

I say a big thank you. I'm sick of Nigerians and our short-cut, give-me-everything-free mentality (or as someone once said, "buy one, get 10 free!". It's this same attitude that seems to lurk in the hearts of all Nigerians, from paupers to princes, that leads (largely) to the horrendous levels of corruption and malfeasance we see around us.

Even if ASUU tackles FG for the next 50 years, until students either (a) start paying closer to what their education or worth OR (b) truly appreciate what the FG is doing for them (and wipe off that silly sense of entitlement), things will never be right with the Nigerian tertiary education system*


*of course, there is also the small matter of low-quality, unprofessional, inept, randy and lazy lecturers, but that's slightly outside the bounds of the current discussion

Malawian: who gave you a "professorship"? shouldn't the FG be wary about the "quality" of our professors? just a simple question and you are beating about the bush. so this is how you lecture your students? how has the country benefited from your supposed "professorship"

Since you're obviously up to no good, and obviously thoroughly incapable of intelligent, civil discourse, I will ignore you henceforth.

Malawian: wow, an anonymous "professor". you just summed up yourself nicely.

Smile. I indeed stand "summed". But come, contribute something intelligent to the discussion at hand, or are you incapable of doing that?

Malawian: you still did not answer any question.do i smell cowardice?what is the invention that can be attributed to your "professorship" ?professor of what if i may ask.not a hard question to answer for an "intellectual" such as you.

By the way, do you have something meaningful to add to the discussion, or are you just here to challenge my "professorship"?

[quote author=olu_kenzo ]At this point, what I would have expected the smart ones amongst you to be doing is taking ASUU and FG to task on what is really needed for proper reforms. Surprisingly, you're not, probably because you don't see yourselves as stakeholders! It is a shame, really.[/quote]Thanks my brother. In a particular series of posts, I even want as far as suggesting how students could do more to make their lecturers more accountable. However, Nigerian students are typically this way: just give 'em the easy route. In this case, all they want is:let me graduate on time ooo, it doesn't matter whether the education you're giving me is crap. It's so irritating seeing people deliberately close their minds to the truth.

Malawian: you still did not answer any question.

do i smell cowardice?

what is the invention that can be attributed to your "professorship" ?

professor of what if i may ask.

not a hard question to answer for an "intellectual" such as you.

As I have said many times on this forum, I value my anonymity greatly. You don't need to know what I have invented etc. Weigh me by my posts, and if I am found wanting, say so.

texazzpete: You need to lay off him. He sounds like the real deal, exactly the type of lecturer we need to turn things around.

Thank you for your kind words, valued even more because they come from such an intelligent person.

Malawian: which school gave you a professorship? what was their criteria? obviously it wasnt in being smart. the problem is that you met a president who is willing and have been trying to make the country a better place for our children. you failed generation will not leave without a fight.
as a "professor" what is the invention that can be attributed to you?

what have you given to the country as a "professor"

why not put in a job application to one of the numerous private universities and see if you will be successful.

Smile. Good luck trolling.

adonismuller: your comments on this trend attacking students and making sentimental comments did not depict professionalism

Thanks for at least admitting that I previously did the right thing. For the records however, I did *not* attack students, and I tried my utmost to stay professional. As a teacher, ignorance is my sworn enemy. All I have tried to do here, as always, is to try to educate.

...stop being greedy and Egocentric...

this shows your view of ASUU, which colors every statement you make. How can you say we are "greedy" when the 200b that is the main problem now will never touch the hands of any lecturer? If you go through my previous posts, you will see clearly that I am sick and tired of the strike. However, the FG has burnt our hands so many times, and we need to be as sure as we can be before we call off. That way, we will not need to go on strike again next year when the stories start from FG.

Its got nothing to do with greed or ego. Its got a lot to do with the sad fact that the Nigerian Presidency can no longer be taken at its word.

Olril18: why should ASUU make their arrears an issue,the policy adopted by the federal govt has never worked in this country and will never worked..at the end of it all,the fg.might.theatened and brittles,but we all know they will end up paying those witheld arrears...so its really a crappy escuse by you guys..
and funny,ASUU president.has said earlier in public has long as they they acheived their aim,they are ready to forgo their arrears,so why the turn around??

So what's you point? Are you aware that FG has not said it has any problems paying the arrears? Are you aware that payment of the arrears is *standard* practice in labor issues in Nigeria? Why you guys want us to fight FG on both our behalves, but forfeit or salaries, I do not know.

Before you respond to that, can I quickly ask you: do you believe that ASUU is the only entity responsible for keeping school fees down? I often ask this question as a quick way of showing students that ASUU *does* fight for them.

adonismuller: Btw,you are not chatting like a prof. You are fooling around! A prof is supposed to encourage the students and educate them on the usefulness of the strike(if there's any)

You mean like this? : https://www.nairaland.com/1471435/ASUU-strike-lecturer-speaks

I repeat, your problem is that you are used to only a certain type of lecturer from your alma mata.

Since you leveled two accusations against me, and as God would have it, my previous threads show the obvious errors in them, I will await your apology (if you have any shred of sincerity or decency).

adonismuller: The problem with people like you is pride and that's exactly why all you ASUU members have lost public sympathy....

Do these look like the words of a proud (arrogant) person: https://www.nairaland.com/1286573/food-thought-nigerian-university-only

I think you're used to a certain type of lecturer, and you generalize from that myopic view.

Olril18: wow!! good question sir...
when i was there,the situation was worse,by the time i left,it has worsen
u can google this"creative arts students of unilag protests"
the sad situation in my department wasnt due to fg,but to all those disgraceful bunch of lecturers who epitomised d moral decay in nigerian universities..

Well, I can tell you that your department is an exception then. I have never denied the existence of lazy, inept or corrupt lecturers. I have however always been quick to note that the system has, since the 80's, been unable to recruit and retain the best minds at graduation, and this goes a long way to explaining the epidemic of disgraceful lecturer conduct.

Having said all that, no one should be left in doubt about whether
(a) the system is better able to recruit good minds now than in the 90's
(b) facilities-wise, there has been a definite improvement
(c) funding has improved

My brother, all of these are due to ASUU's efforts. So, let us criticize the corrupt and inept lecturers. In fact, lets fire them (I mean that). But let us also recognize that ASUU, as a union, has been the *only* entity keeping FG honest on tertiary education.

adonismuller: I asked a simple question!! What union has gone on strike ƒσя 6 months? You are just blabbing around!!!

If you can read, with your MSc, you shouldn't have any problem seeing the answer I gave to that particular question. I told you the sort of person I am so you will know that your "hunger looms" barb was water off a duck's back. Oh, by the way, do please tell us what university you graduated from*


* I ask because I don't think a student who attended one of our reputable universities will e so shocked to see a "prof" chatting with students.

Olril18: for ur information,im already a graduate,i graduated from unilag,creative arts department,so its not my first time in a university...

I don't do insults, so I won't insert myself into your exchange with the other fellow. I am however interested in a simple question:
Can you tell us whether the Creative Arts department in Unilag was better when you graduated than when you matriculated, or not? Short answer.

adonismuller: if really you are a prof you be fooling yourself and de-grading your status here!!! Which union has gone on strike more than 6 months? Why are you people S̴̩☺ interested in the arrears? Ohh now I know!!! Hunger looms!!

Hmm, I am "degrading my status" by using ICT to speak directly to my constituency (students?). I wonder what school you attend(ed). Probably staffed by academics who see themselves as demigods, no?

What union has gone on strike for 6 months? The union that stands as the custodian of the most important resource needed for national development, faced with the stark truth that the government would not fund said resource unless it stood its ground. That's who.

Hunger looms? I shake my head for you. Probably used to hungry teachers who took this job as a last resort? I'm not one of them for your information. Let me tell you, I take pride in the fact that I left much more lucrative options to come do this job. I take pride in the long list of lives I have (by God's grace) molded and see excelling. I take pride in the fact that (by Gods grace) I am enjoying a career dedicated to the simple premise of showing Nigerians: "it can be done".