By Ikechukwu Odu
NSUKKA—- The Vice Chancellor of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, Prof. Aloysius-Michaels Okolie, weekend, said that the strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has lingered because politicians do not want disruption in their political agenda.
Prof. Okolie who argued that the Federal Government may not have known that ASUU is on strike, said that politicians are busy with buying of nomination forms and ensuring that they perpetuate themselves in power in 2023 and beyond.
The don spoke at the ESUT Business School, in Enugu State, adding that things would return to normalcy in the Nigerian University system when election fever beclouding the priorities of the politicians clears.
“The ASUU strike has lingered because the Federal Government feels that there is no need to listen to the Union and the politicians don’t want disruption in their political agenda. They are more interested in harvesting money for nomination forms and then getting their candidates to be another president, governor, senator or any of the political seats, not minding whether there would be value added.
“Just relax, we know the government well. By the time their eyes will open, they will remember that ASUU is on strike. In fact, it maybe that they don’t know we are on strike and I don’t think ASUU is bothered. I told my colleagues that the earliest time this strike will be called off is August, they thought I was joking.
“The politicians might have forgotten, because for them, they have known that education is not necessary for them to occupy their positions and that any illiterate can be anything politically in Nigeria. Assuming they need education to occupy these seats, you would have seen seriousness on their part.
“It is unfortunate that we have gotten to this level where our leaders no longer care about those they represent. They are remotely insensitive to the plights of the citizens on whose mandates they climbed to political limelight. They don’t even understand the environment and regrettably, Nigerian Constitution made it possible for them to move into political positions without studying. So, why should they know that there is any value attached to education? After all, they don’t need any advice to loot money, perpetuate themselves in office, kill people, harvest everywhere and appropriate everywhere.
“To rule Nigeria is the easiest thing anybody can think of because it only entails shooting your way through to power. Then, sit down every month to carry home any money that comes to your office. That is why I am saying that they are not aware that we are on strike.
“The only time you see the Minister of Labour and Employment coming to talk about ASUU strike is when he wants to create the impression that he is in charge. That is why he is always combative while addressing the Union. This is to tell you the level we are operating on. The only thing we can do is to keep praying for those people we call leaders. If they were really leaders, they ought to create opportunities and conditions for people to follow. Now that they are not creating the opportunities and conditions for us to follow, are they leaders or rulers? So, ASUU will come back when ASUU will come back,” he said.
