There is this philosophy in my culture that our parents cherished, upheld and jealously guarded. It states: “Never use hunger as measure of punishment on your child. Allah who created the child will open other doors for it to feed; then the parents will lose control and become worthless, and this makes the child more emboldened and daring. (Ba a horo da yunwa)”.
The Federal Government of Nigeria employed hunger to force ASUU to submission in aiding the collapse of public university education; inevitably denying the children of the downtrodden access to university education. Allah has opened His doors of unlimited mercy for ASUU members. We are meeting the basic needs of our families.
Those with one or two difficulties are being assisted by the union and colleagues who have excess. So, in this, the FG has woefully failed; and the hunger strategy has proven to be only ludicrous.
Again, government has most probably forgotten that in ASUU, there are teachers of Political Science who teach propaganda, political intrigues and their remedies. ASUU has conquered FG’s propaganda; fire for fire.
The federal government has also forgotten that in ASUU, there are teachers of journalism who teach the dynamics of news framing and manipulation of information. It has been flattened on its attempt to use the media to blackmail ASUU.
The government has forgotten that in ASUU, there are teachers of Political Communication who teach agenda setting and how it is used to shape public opinion, as well as the tricks in the mediatisation of politics. It has been crushed here, as all its attempt to incite the Nigerian populace against ASUU have failed.
FG has forgotten that in ASUU, there are teachers of philosophy who have been teaching students how people of wisdom and courage humbled tyrants and tyrannies in the past, et cetera.
The government has now taken the drive to kill public universities at the court.
Perhaps, it has forgotten that in almost every university, there is a faculty of law populated with eloquent law teachers; some of whom are professors of international standard. In fact, many of these learned colleagues are plying their trade in some of the most developed countries of the world. About 100 of these prominent ASUU members have, so far, indicated interest to represent ASUU. So, federal government’s will is going to be comprehensively defeated in the court.
The only way out is for the government to do the needful in the interest of Nigerian students, their parents and our dear nation. This will save it from further ridicule and embarrassment.
Isa Sa’idu, PhD, is of the Department of Political Science and International Studies, ABU, Zaria.
