ASUU Strike: Lecturers, students unmotivated but traders excited as Nigerian universities reopen

Following the suspension of the prolonged strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the authorities of the concerned universities have in the past two weeks announced the resumption of activities in the institutions. Many revised their academic calendars and ordered the immediate resumption of academic activities with the aim of covering the lost ground.

For the eight months that the industrial action lasted, the striking lecturers were not paid their salaries. Until the National Industrial Court (NIC) ordered them to return to work, ASUU had cited that payment of the backlog as one of the conditions for suspension of the strike.

However, after the Court of Appeal affirmed the order of the industrial court, ASUU advised its members to return to their duty posts, banking on the reported pledge by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, to ensure that at least parts of the withheld salaries are paid, among other promises.

However, more than two weeks after the suspension of the strike, the lecturers confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that they were yet to be paid.

From the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), Bayero University Kano (BUK), Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), and Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), among others, concerned lecturers told PREMIUM TIMES’ reporters that they were not motivated to work.

Many students have also said the long absence from school has quenched their passion and that they are finding it difficult to acclimatise again.

But shop owners, artisans, and service providers on the campuses such as commercial transporters are glad that life is returning to the universities.

Unmotivated staff, students

Full academic activities have resumed in FUTA and some students have begun writing tests in preparation for their examinations which begin in two weeks, our reporter observed. But the students expressed frustration in getting back to their studies after such a long break in the system.

A student of the Electrical Electronics Department, Segun Dairo, said he and some of his mates had lost the motivation for studies as they had taken up other activities while the strike lasted.

“In the last eight months I spent my time learning skills related to my course and I was beginning to really settle into it when they called off the strike,” he said.

“Some others went to do some work and we were earning money, so returning to school was difficult.”

The student said he had remained in his first year since enrolling at the university in 2019, hoping there would be no other strike till the end of his academic programme.

Another student of FUTA, Prince Ome, said he was unhappy to resume at this time. The student of Computer Science said he was training to become an e-mail marketer and web designer during the strike. “For now I am preparing for examinations. There will be lectures next week and exams will start the following week,” he said. “I am hoping I will gradually get the right feeling as we go along.”

Students who spoke to our reporter expressed apprehension that ASUU may declare another strike over the eight months’ salaries. But ASUU Chairperson, FUTA, Olayinka Awopetu, said the lecturers are doing their work, despite their anger over the issue.

He said the matter had been worsened by the fact that the federal government has not addressed most of the issues over which the strike was called.

Fresh students dominate UNIABUJA CampusThe University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) Permanent Campus was a beehive of activities when our reporter visited last Wednesday. The school resumed academic activities on 24 October, and lectures had since begun, our reporter observed.

But the population of returning students on campus is still low despite the commencement of lectures. During a lecture for students of graduating class of Public Administration on Tuesday, only about 25 students attended, said a member of the class, Muhammad Nasir. He said there are over 130 students in the class.

“So far, I don’t really see things moving as they should be because lecturers are not available and when you see them, they just come but not really to teach. Maybe starting from next week,” Mr Nasir said.

He, however, expressed his excitement to be back on campus after eight months of the strike. “By now, I am supposed to be a graduate but due to the strike, we are still in the school environment running up and down. It is not what I planned for but we still thank God.”

A large number of fresh students was however noticed on the campus. The students could be seen at the Faculty of Management Science and the Faculty of Science queuing up for registration.

One of the fresh students, Reuben Bulus, said he started his registration shortly before the ASUU strike and was back on campus to complete it. Others said they could not start the registration before the strike was declared.

“I was doing my faculty screening when the strike commenced. So I am yet to finish. That’s why I am here now,” he said.

PREMIUM TIMES observed students taking lectures on BUS 103 at the management science faculty around 11 a.m.

Murmuring over calendar in UNILAGA report from UNILAG said many lecturers have relocated abroad but the university management said it could not confirm the claim.

A lecturer at the institution’s Faculty of Engineering who does not want to be quoted for fear of victimisation said 11 of his colleagues left the faculty during the strike. According to the lecturer, the backlogs of work left by those lecturers have been automatically transferred to the few left in the system.

“Just when we resumed, I learnt that 11 lecturers have left while three papers are still pending. So when they leave, the backlog of their work is now the responsibility of the few lecturers left. So you carry an additional load, and you are stressed, which nobody pays for,” the source said.

The lecturer said the low remuneration of the lecturers is a demotivating factor.

Meanwhile, students at UNILAG said academic activities have commenced in full throttle.

While the students expressed delight at resuming after months of the strike, others said the coming examination could mean low grades for them.

A 300-level student of Quantity Surveying at the Faculty of Engineering, Salaudeen Adewumi, expressed concern that the academic calendar which sets examinations to begin on 28 November would put students under undue pressure. The student, a member of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), said the association was trying to reach the management of the school for possible adjustment.

Similarly, a final-year student of Creative Arts and President of the Faculty of Art, Ovic Odeyemi, said the academic calendar might need to be reviewed to avoid mass failure of 100-level students who are not used to the system.

“The academic calendar doesn’t favour the 100-level students, and we are trying to speak on their behalf to the school management to see if they can give them more time to prepare. As a 400-level student, I can manage. But 100-level students that have not attempted any university examination and their first semester results matter a lot in boosting their CGPA.

“We are starting our exams on 28 November, so we have a month to prepare. Some lecturers have not even started. Some of the 100-level students even waited till after matric to resume school in January, now they have to keep up with everything they missed before the strike,” he said.

Some final-year students of UNILAG also expressed concern over the slow pace of their final-year projects, with some saying they are yet to be assigned to supervisors.

“I didn’t get a supervisor or project topic approved before the strike, so it is not palatable for me. I have to do everything in just a short while,” said a 400-level student, Odeyemi.

Another final-year student of Creative Art, Esther Omoyele, said she lost all motivation to attend to her projects during the strike despite having a topic approved and a supervisor assigned to her.