ASUU has no disagreement with govt — Prof Olapegba

A Professor of Psychology at the University of Ibadan and member of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Peter Olamakinde Olapegba, has called on parents to try and understand the ongoing industrial action by ASUU and see the ASUU/Federal Government face-off as a means of keeping quality education alive in the country.

Professor Olapegba, who spoke in a telephone interview with the Nigerian Tribune, said rather than appeal to ASUU for insisting that the government should  honour its agreement with the union, parents should look at the agreement and charge the government to take steps to make the university system in Nigeria better as demanded by ASUU.

Olapegba said it was erroneous for parents to appeal to ASUU, saying the union had no disagreement but an agreement with the government.

“Parents have appealed to ASUU and I ask, on what? What are the demands of ASUU? What are the antecedents of government as regards the demands of the union? What is the government up to? ASUU does not have a disagreement with the government. What the union has with the government is an agreement. Whoever wants to beg ASUU, should first study the agreement and ask questions on why the government does not want to do anything about the agreement. Appealing to ASUU should be on certain concrete issues.

“Members of ASUU are also parents. Our own children too are in this and we are suffering together. It is not as if we can afford to take our children to foreign universities. Some people sacrificed to get the Nigerian university system to where it is today. We also should be willing to sacrifice to make it better.”

According to him, what ASUU is talking about is actually meant to achieve a better university system in the country. “The demands are not just frivolous. If there is an agreement, people should be responsible enough to honour the agreement. One party cannot just wake up one morning and renege on all that were agreed upon,” he said.

The government has been very insincere in all of its dealings in all of these. Should ASUU just accept the insincerity and insensitivity of the government?”

Decrying the lingering dispute, he said “When we were students in the university, we had the privilege of being in class with children of ministers, commissioners and other top people. But now, they have taken their children abroad and as far as they are concerned, the university system in Nigeria can crumble. So, I think it is a deliberate action on the part of the ruling elite because their children are not here. When their children graduate abroad, they flaunt their photos on social media for us to see. That underscores their insensitivity.”

On the latest development on the ongoing strike, he said the union had not said anything. “As far as I am concerned, the leadership of ASUU has not told us anything and that is what we are waiting for. We have our channel of communication. The leadership of ASUU has gone to a meeting and after the meeting; the leaders will brief the NEC of ASUU. Then the branch chairmen would brief congresses in their branches to tell us the outcome of the meeting.

“So, I think it is erroneous to say that there was a deadlock or not because there has not been any briefing on the outcome of the meeting. Until the union comes out with its official position on the meeting, we cannot say this or that was what happened.”

ALSO READ FROM  NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

• ‘39.6 percent of unmarried university students use sexual performance-enhancing drugs’
• Tips on building a happy and healthy relationship
• Safety precautions to observe at the airport
• Safety tips to observe when boarding a ride from a ride-hailing app
• Secure your social media accounts from hackers with these tips
• Things to look out for before starting a business
• Striking a balance between your 9-5 job and your side hustle
• Little or no work experience? Here’s what you can do
• Top 10 Business Ideas In Nigeria You Can Start With 100,000 Naira