For di first time under President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria university system don enter serious wahala as ASUU don begin two-week warning strike wey don shut down academic activities across public universities.
Dis strike na big test for Tinubu promise wey e make for May 2023 say no ASUU strike go happen under him watch. But now, di matter don turn another story.
Government respond quick with “no work, no pay” order for di lecturers, but ASUU call am “war declaration.”
Di wahala start from di old 2009 agreement between ASUU and Federal Government wey talk say government go release ₦1.2 trillion to fix universities — money wey dem never see till today.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, talk say government don release ₦50 billion for lecturers’ allowance and include ₦150 billion for 2025 budget to fix school infrastructure.
But ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, say di intervention come “too late,” because government no talk anything during di 14-day ultimatum until two days before strike.
“We give dem three weeks to respond, nothing happen. Then two days to strike, dem come beg. E too late,” Piwuna talk.
Since 2009, different presidents — Yar’Adua, Jonathan, Buhari, and now Tinubu — don fail to keep ASUU agreement. Instead of fixing existing schools, government dey open new universities even when old ones no get money to run.
Tinubu own government don open 12 new tertiary institutions within two years while education budget still dey low — between 3% and 7% instead of di 20–25% wey UNICEF recommend.
ASUU still complain say lecturers dey collect poor salary wey make plenty professors and first-class graduates run go abroad. Dem also vex say government wan replace TETFund with NELFUND, wey go help only few students.
Analysts don warn say strike dey destroy Nigeria education system, affect students mental health, and make our universities lose value globally.
Many people now dey look President Tinubu to see if e go keep him promise. Education experts say make e put education first, even if e mean extra budget.
“If Tinubu fit stop ASUU strike and fix universities, e go be him biggest legacy,” one analyst talk.
