Wednesday, 27 November 2013

what has ASUU contributed to the growth of the Nigerian universities Since its establishment?

ASUU was officially established in 1978 but before then, there was the Nigeria Associations of University Teachers (NAUT) which was founded in 1965 by five Nigeria premier Universities, namely: University of Ibadan (UI), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Ahmedu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ife, and the University of Lagos (UNILAG).Lets quickly look at some of the major activities of ASUU since its establishments:Just two years after the establishment of ASUU in 1978,
ASUU acts like a political party and formed part of the key players in the struggles against the military region in the 1980's.ASUU called-on its first ever strike in 1988 in lessthan a decade it was established, for increament in wages and the University autonomy. The military government don't like being controlled and on the 7th of Aug 1988, ASUU experience its first ban. It was not just only banned but were proscribed (forbidden) and its properties destroyed by thethen military government. And in 1990, two years after ban, ASUU was allowed again to operate.Two years after ASUU recieved pardon from the military government, ASUU went on another strike in Aug, 1992. Again, for the 2nd time ASUU was bannedon 23rd Aug, 1992 and most of its staffs dismissed. And again on 3rd Sept, 1992, ASUU was restored andtheir wages increased and the universities gained autonomy.One would have thought that after the settlement of ASUU demands in 1992, Nigeria Universities problems would be over and striking put to an everlasting end. But far from it, ASUU seems to lovestriking. Just 2yrs of settlement, ASUU went on another strike in 1994 against the dismissal of her staffs by the Sani Abacha military regime. The strike was also repeated in 1996 on which they were given a deaf ear.In 1999, in the democratic dispensation, ASUU went on strike for the right of University workers against the opposition by the government of Olusegun Obasanjo.The strike loving union, ASUU, had this grudge uptil date against the university of Ilorin (UNILORIN), who fought tiredlessly against ASUU until she gain her freedom and pulled out of ASUU. The management of UNILORIN failed tosee where all the strikes embarked upon are benefitted to the studentsand parents and then decided to pull out. After many attempt by ASUU to frustrate UNILORIN but failled then in July 2002, ASUU petitioned justice M. Akanbi of the ICPC to investigate the authorities of the university for financial mismanagement and corruption.ASUU, on May 2008, held a one week warming strike to press for a further increament in salary scheme and the reinstatement of 49 lecturers who were dismissed many years ago.In June 2009, ASUU went on an indefinate strike in the sick Yar'Adua regime, for majorly the payment of her allowances. In an attempt to remove the presure off the neck of the dying president, theFG under duress, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and payment of allowances with ASUU in Oct 2009. It should benoted that after 31yrs of the existance of ASUU, this is the first time ASUU entered an agreement with the FG on the student welfare.Yet again, the strike loving union, the academic vampire ASUU, went on an indefinate strike on the 1st Jun, 2013 till date claiming and blaming it on the failure of the FG to implement the MOU agreement and funding as well as‪#‎92billion‬allowances. It should also be notedthat this is the first time ASUU are embarking on a strike that had to do with infrastructure and offcourse, in the main reason of the strike; their allowances.Since 1978, ASUU have been able to increase their pockets, enjoy thefreedom of strike and enjoy the pay-role of opposition parties as a tool against several government and regimes. Now, my question to ASUU, what have you contributed to the growth of universities in Nigeria since 1978? What have the students benefitted from all this serial strikes you have been holding since 1978??

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