It is particularly not the happiest of times for Nigerians especially Nigerian youths who have to contend with the recklessness of unaccountable leadership. With all due respect to President Umar Yar'Adua and the leadership of ASUU, the place of education seems to be of no priority to both the Federal Government and to ASUU as well or else why should the ongoing strike action by university lecturers linger since June 2009? If the FG insist that ASUU returns to the classrooms before negotiations can continue, ASUU may well just do that and watch to see if the FG keep to their own side of the bargain. This may be common sense to many but the reality of the Nigerian experience is that if ASUU returns to the classroom, government will likely renege on their promises and employ political ways out of a problem that will again rear its ugly head hence ASUU's painful insistence.
The mistrust between ASUU and the FG is unfortunately at the expense of students who are forced to stay home without electricity to even monitor developments. This is a call to all students in this forum that while the two elephants fight, get engaged with some work, vocation or new learning. Take the opportunity to add value to yourself or your community. Learn a new language, develop new ideas by just imagining them, improve your computer skills or study the history of industrial disputes in Nigeria. You never can tell how these things play out. You may watch movies for recreational purposes but be careful what you watch. Give to your church or mosque service that is not necessarily monetary.
It may be useful to just improve your spelling skills at this time rather than the overdependence on Microsoft Word for spelling corrections. Learn spellings such as committee, hierarchy, superintendent, diarrhoea, macabre, etc that we normally gloss over.
This is an appeal to members of this forum too who have thriving businesses to look around your neighbourhood and reach out to one of these students. Not everything is about money so you could just reach out to impart knowledge, share experience or articulate redefinitions of the Nigerian state. The bottom line is that you remember this stay-at-home with some meaningful purpose attached to it. This will affect the call up for national service for some (I waited for three batches to pass before mine due to needless squabbles) but then there is always a gold lining to even clouds!
While we await a paradigm shift in governance in Nigeria, let us remain hopeful. Let us remain positive. Let us trust God and work with our hearts, hands and minds for a greater nation, one that defies the evils of educational instability, infrastructural lack, financial corruption, immoral social coexistence and shallow mindedness.
Remember to invite your friends to the forum. Many of us have done that already and I would like to specifically thank Adeoye Tope Jacob, Wallace Imoudu, Morenike Omidiji, Aina Ayinbode, Ene Odeh, Chike Nweke amongst many others. It is simple, you just go to the forum page and select 'invite friends to join'. The process is easier from there.
Remember your vote counts. Demand credible elections wherever you are.
'Wole Aguda
No comments:
Post a Comment