ASUU: The Bigger Tragedy

The untimely demise of professor Festus Iyayi while on a selfless duty to put an end to the Fiscal toned Acdemic Staff Union of universities strike is a big tragedy to his family, friends, the union, his students and to the educational sector as a whole. But, the bigger tragedy is the tragedy of visceral arbitrariness, selfishness and maliciousness that the union has created from the loss of this educational role model. Postponing its NEC meeting indefinitely. Hanging the fate of thousands of university students on the back of a shared tragedy. For the over four months that this strike had lasted, though ambivalent and divided on the issue. Majority of students have given their support to the cause championed by the union even at their own detriment. They have held faith with the lecturers against the government despite majority of them not knowing half the reasons for the strike. Other than limited funding which the union poses as the major reason for the strike. Why then will the union not reciprocate the goodwill? Why will the union not put the students into consideration while making its decisions? It is right and humane for the union to mourn the death of the professor but why suspend the NEC meeting indefinitely? The union had raised students’ hopes about a possible suspension of the strike after its executives met with the president on 4th of November. Students were quite optimistic of the strike been called off as consultations were going on by the executives and its various units across the country. It was on one of such consultations that the union lost professor Iyayi in an accident in kogi state. The question this tragic loss poses is, should the death of our amiable professor work for the progress of why we lost him or against it? Must thousands of Nigerian students bare the brunt of the untimely death of a man who was trying to get us back to school? If our professor could speak to us again, will he approve the union executives keep schools under locks to atone for his untimely death? The 2012/2013 session was barely over its first semester in most universities when the strike began and if the strike is called off as soon as possible, a lot can still be achieved before 2013 ends. If the union was on consultations to inform it’s widely dispersed members on the positivity from the presidential meeting which could have ended the strike. That only means, the federal government has done its part and all now rest on the decisions of the union Members. So how justifiable is the indefinite postponement of the union’s NEC meeting ? How more insensitive can the union be? Riding on this tragedy to bring more pains to the more affected stakeholders? Coincidently, I was about to pen my opinion on lecturer impunity on campuses as an ignored bane to tertiary education development in Nigeria as against the picture the union has put forward to Nigerians this past months. Making it seem limited funding is the only problem that has limited the development of the sector. Did the union put parents and students into consideration while arbitrarily suspending the possibility of resumption till next year? Students who idly roam the streets and can make little or no positivity being out of school. Students whose educational itineraries have been altered. Parents who have to pay rents of empty and unoccupied hostels. Final year students who should have graduated and mobilized for the National Youth Service. Is the decision fair to other stakeholders? As much as I believe Professor Festus Iyayi should be mourned and eulogized as a hero of educational development. I don’t believe he will support the insensitivity of the ASUU executives. The sector and nation as a whole has suffered a tragedy from professor Iyayi’s death. The union shouldn’t make a bigger tragedy of keeping students at home longer than necessary in the guise of mourning him. It is exigent that the ASUU executives have a rethink of its initial visceral decision. A lot can still be achieved before the year runs to an end. May almighty God grant professor Iyayi’s family the fortitude to bare the loss. SOURCE:OMOJUWA