Normalcy has returned to most Nigerian universities with the usual hustle and bustle, following the recent suspension of the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The suspension was announced by ASUU President, Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie last Friday. The lecturers had, through the strike, sought an increase in their salaries, with a view to stopping brain drain in the nation's ivory towers.
At the main campus of the University of Lagos, Akoka, lecturers have resumed work, attending classes and preparing the students for their second semester examinations beginning on Monday, 2 November.
Students have also resumed in their numbers, as most of them have been participating in various activities that make the institution bubble at all times, aside attending lectures.
Final year students could not contain their joy when ASUU called off its strike. Most of them had believed that they may have to carry over their course duration into another academic year.
Valerie Nwachukwu, a final year student of English Language at Unilag hopes the Federal Government will hearken to the yearnings of the lecturers who have promised to resume the industrial action.
“We can’t afford to wait again, if our lecturers embark on another round of industrial action. I hope they will do what is right, and we all can be happy,” she said.
At the Lagos State University (LASU) Ojo, not only the students are happy about the recent development, bars and restaurant operators are having a field day.
Defying the heavy rain in Lagos yesterday, many of the students gathered at the cafeteria and other joints, placing orders for their favourite meals and drinks.
Akinleye Akinwole, a 300-Level student of the school said their lecturers have also been showing commitment towards duty.
At the University of Abuja, the story is not different. Lecturers, as well as students have commenced academic activities and they all hoped that government would heed the call of the lecturers before its two-week suspension elapses.
Ago Iwoye, the home of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), is now a beehive of activities as students resumed on Monday.
However, Aghonigho Fortune, a student of the Delta State University, DELSU, is one of the doubting Thomases among students who would not resume in a hurry, as he is still pessimistic over the current face-off.
According to Aghonigho, the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua-led administration is synonymous with slow action, therefore, the ongoing negotiation between ASUU and the government may yield no fruit at all.
Like a valley blighted by darkness suddenly coming aglow at several points from colonies of fireflies, so has Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, famously called the Canaan City, come alive following the resumption of activities in the University of Calabar.
For several months, the city was akin to a queen without a crown as thousands of students (Malabites and Malabresses) of the university were forced out of the city following the prolonged Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike.
Okada riders, taxis drivers, cyber cafe operators, drinking joints, churches, the mama put joints, the okrika (second hand clothes) sellers, the landlords and even the local call girls, (bush meat) have come alive as business is booming. Life is generally on the high and fast side.
Motor parks are once again bubbling with activities as hordes of students are daily arriving the city to begin from where they stopped. The various carnival bands, which students form the bulk of their membership for the annual Christmas carnival parade round the city, can now heave a sigh of relief as they can begin rehearsals for the fast approaching end of year activities. The entire city is not just expectant, but in a festive mood, feasting on the goodies that these students are bringing with them.
In a related development, an Islamic cleric, Imam Moshood Mahmud, has commended the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for calling off the strike.
The Iman, who had made several appeals to the Federal Government on the issue, said ASUU has showed maturity with its recent decision.
He, however, urged the government to fulfil its part of the agreement made with ASUU so that the union will not have a reason to embark on another strike.
“As far as I’m concerned, what ASUU is demanding is not too much for the government to oblige. But it is sad to note that the education sector seems not to be important to the government,” Moshood opined.
—Additional report by Emmanuel Una/Calabar
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