Strikes not personal agenda, for good governance – Ex-ASUU chair

Former Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Lagos State University chapter, Prof Ojo Olorunleke, shares his thoughts with MUHAMMED LAWAL on the release of four months’ withheld salaries by the Federal Government, among other issues

There have been concerns that students in universities do not show seriousness in their studies. How true is this?

No, students in the universities are serious. Since the emergence of technology, studying at university has become an easy thing. The Internet is a new platform where students read a lot of things. Do not be surprised that some professors in the university may not know what these students know because of the digitisation of knowledge. So, students are reading but the age of science has changed the world. Importantly, the government should ensure that students study in an environment conducive to learning. They are willing to learn with adequate facilities.

With your years in the teaching profession, what do you say about cultism in the universities?

Like some years ago, cultism was rampant in almost all the universities in Nigeria. Today, it has seriously reduced. For instance, at Lagos State University, cult-related activities have gone down in the past few years. If the government funds the universities, there would be a big change. Money is needed to put a lot of things to work.

What were your contributions during your time as ASUU Chairman at the Lagos State University?

That was from 1993 to 1996; I was ASUU chairman at the Lagos State University. This period marked the military period, and the June 12 saga was on. So, ASUU as an organisation of university workers had to embark on a national struggle and the struggle led to what I referred to as ‘the partial liberation of Nigerian universities, because it led to the formation of an agency by the government that will receive some funds from foreign companies based in Nigeria.

That fund led to the creation of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and today, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund is the saving grace of Nigerian universities. During this period, I was obliged to be the chairman of ASUU-LASU, and we contributed our bit to national development through the creation of TETFund, but it was TETFund at that time.

What are the issues in the university system which should be addressed?

We had to look at education politically. When ASUU goes on any national struggle, it does not go on to struggle for its selfish interest; it looks at everything politically. They look at what can be done to improve education in Nigeria from kindergarten to university, polytechnic, college of education, etc. According to UNESCO, any serious nation must devote 26 per cent of its budget to education. Incidentally, less endowed countries than Nigeria can do that. When you look at the budget for education, UNESCO believes that we should not be less than 26 per cent of the budget. In Nigeria, the government has not deemed it necessary to implement that UNESCO recommendation.

Will you say Nigerian universities have witnessed development over the years?

What development? When ASUU went on strike for over 10 months, what did the government do? The government created an alternative ASUU at the University of Ife and some other universities. What development do we have? We have nothing. That is my perspective of Nigerian university education. In fact, I will say that we have been regressing for the past 20 years.

What are the critical issues being raised by the union?

I was ASUU-LASU chairman 20 years ago. So, I cannot speak authoritatively on what the union is agitating for. However, the union is asking for adherence to the agreement being reached with the Federal Government. Unfortunately, the Federal Government in its wisdom thinks that ASUU can be bamboozled. The major problem between ASUU and the Federal Government is the failure to adhere to the established norm of state unionism.