Category: Nigerian Tribune

Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr. Emomotimi Agama, has reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to deepening transparency, bolstering investor confidence, and aligning Nigeria’s capital market with international best practices in financial reporting and sustainability disclosure.

Dr. Agama said the SEC’s transition to market-to-market (MTM) valuation of assets represents a major step in ensuring fair value reporting and enhancing investor trust across the market.

He explained that the policy was designed after extensive consultations with market operators and would be implemented in phases to allow for smooth adaptation.

‘Timelines have been carefully considered, especially with the concerns being raised by market participants,’ Agama stated in an interview at the weekend.

‘For us at the SEC, it is important that while we introduce new regulations, we also listen to the market and find a common ground that allows everyone to move forward,’ Agama added.

According to him, the October 2, 2025, deadline for the submission of implementation plans will enable the Commission to assess the readiness of institutions, while September 2027 remains the target for full transition to IFRS 9 standards.

‘Requesting implementation plans is not a bureaucratic exercise,’ Agama clarified, explaining that ‘It is to gauge institutional capacity, identify challenges, and ensure all operators move in the same direction toward compliance.’

He explained that while equity funds in Nigeria are already reported at fair value, the new policy specifically addresses gaps within the fixed income segment of the fund management industry.

‘Nigeria has come of age, and we must do things according to global standards. IFRS 9 requires market-to-market valuation of assets, and we cannot be left behind among the community of nations,’ he said.

Dr. Agama emphasized that the reform would make Nigerian assets more globally comparable, allowing investors to better assess market performance and risk.

‘Our goal is to create a market that is internationally competitive. Adopting IFRS 9 enables compatibility among assets across borders and firmly positions Nigeria within the global investment ecosystem,’ he stated.

Responding to concerns that market valuation could heighten short-term volatility, the SEC chief assured investors that the reforms were designed to strengthen, not destabilize, the market.

‘Some have expressed concerns about volatility, but our intention is not to disadvantage investors. Over time, as the market adjusts, transparency will drive long-term confidence,’ he noted.

Beyond IFRS 9, the SEC is also championing Nigeria’s early adoption of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) framework, which provides guidelines for climate and sustainability disclosures. Dr. Agama disclosed that Nigeria ranks among the first countries in Africa to embrace and begin implementing the ISSB standards.

‘We pride ourselves on being first movers. However, we are also mindful of local realities. We are taking a gradual, balanced approach so that companies are not unduly burdened,’ he said.

He explained that the Commission’s goal is to implement standards that attract capital rather than restrict it, ensuring that reforms drive sustainable growth.

‘We will not implement standards that will lock companies out of access to funding. Our aim is to open the door to capital and promote long-term investment,’ he affirmed.

Looking ahead, Dr. Agama expressed optimism about the market’s outlook for the final quarter of 2025, citing macroeconomic reforms and the enactment of landmark legislations such as the NIIRA 2025 and ISA 2025 as catalysts for investor confidence and market stability.

‘Markets thrive on stability. With the micro- and macroeconomic reforms being championed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the market is positioned for significant expansion. The NIIRA 2025 Act is a game changer that provides the framework for sustainable growth,’ he stated.

Dr. Agama said that the SEC’s ongoing reforms, including the IFRS 9 transition and adoption of sustainability standards, form part of a broader agenda to globalize Nigeria’s capital market, enhance regulatory transparency, and foster inclusive wealth creation.

‘We are on a path of progress. The President’s reform agenda is already taking shape, ensuring that Nigeria’s capital market becomes a global reference point for transparency, investor confidence, and good governance,’ Agama added.

Sample 1: ‘If Bola Ahmed Tinubu eventually becomes Nigeria’s next president, there is every possibility that he would entertain and address the complains of the Yoruba nation agitators.’ (Opinion: How Tinubu’s emergence as APC flagbearer may reduce.Opera News, 21 June, 2022)

Let’s note the word complains which occurs in the following context: ‘he would entertain and address the complains of the Yoruba nation agitators.’ The slot in which the word occurs certainly belongs to a noun. But is the word (complain) a noun? Not at all. Here lies the problem. The form is not a noun but a verb. The noun form is complaint. We now devote attention to illustrating the usage of the verb (complain) and the noun (complaint).

Now read the following sentences: 1) You cannot complain because you partly created the problem. 2) The man complains too often about food but he hardly gives his wife enough money for domestic matters. 3) Nigerians don’t want to pay taxes but complain about poor infrastructure. 4) Western nations often complain about the Nigerian democratic culture forgetting their sordid influence on our history. 5) You have a right to complain and we also have a right to ask you for a better alternative. 6) I would rather complain openly than grumble and backbite. 7) Christians are not to complain about their leaders. Rather, they are to pray for them and, where possible, counsel them. 8) Customers are already complaining about the reduction in the quality and quantity of our products. 9) Students have been complaining about poor quality of instruction. 10) The followers who complain too much about their leaders may lack leadership qualities. 11) Are you surprised that some people complain about God?

The noun form is complaint: 1) Your complaints are usually baseless. 2) The committee members will not entertain frivolous complaints. 3) All petitions and complaints must be accompanied by supporting documents. 4) The woman says she is sick and tired of her husband’s unending complaints about almost everything. 5) I have stopped complaining since my complaints have yielded no positive results. 6) We have lodged a formal complaint against the accountant regarding delay in payment of salaries. 7) The leaders will be forced to act when the complaints are becoming too frequent. 8) Your complaints are being addressed by appropriate authorities. 9) You should not allow your complaints to degenerate into insubordination. 10) Your complaints must be devoid of bitterness, hostility and hatred. 11) Their complaints have nothing to do with money. 12) Repeated and habitual complaints will wear the leaders out.

Do not say: My complains are many. Say: My complaints are many. Do not say: God hates complains. Say: God hates complaints. Do not say: Your complains are receiving attention. Say: Your complaints are receiving attention. Do not say: I don’t have any complain. Say: I don’t have any complaint. Do not say: This complain is unheard-of. Say: This complaint is unheard-of. Do not say: She has been repeating the same complain month after month. Say: She has been repeating the same complaint month after month.

Three other words-and their usage-are worth considering here. These are: refrain, restrain/restraint, and constrain/constraint. To refrain from doing something is to deliberately avoid doing it. Let’s read the following sentences: 1)Members of the public have been advised to refrain from making comments on the desirability or otherwise of the corporate existence of Nigeria. 2)Health officials have been advising residents to refrain from dumping refuse in waterways to avoid disastrous flooding. 3)Principals and headmasters have been warned to refrain from collecting unauthorized fees from students. 4)To avoid being misunderstood by people who are not familiar with the situation, I have refrained from making any pronouncement on the development. 5)Those who cannot refrain from talking are advised to leave the hall. 6)It is in his own interest to refrain from interacting with the controversial lady.

Please note that the word is a verb, and we have of necessity allowed it to occur consistently in the verbal slot. In addition, let us note that it occurs regularly with the particle from. The two words together form an indissoluble idiom.

Now restrain: When you restrain someone or yourself you prevent that person or yourself from doing something or acting in a particular way. The restraining may be physical or emotional. Let’s read the following sentences: 1)It was with great difficulty that I restrained myself from hitting him in the face. 2)She was boiling inside, and it was obvious she managed to restrain herself from making explosive remarks. 3)The man charged towards the policeman, intent on strangling him, but was restrained by two hefty men. 4)Tipsy and horny, it was a miracle that he managed to restrain himself from going the whole hog with the lady.5)We have a duty as Christians to restrain ourselves from doing anything that is antithetical to our faith. 6)There were already signs that he would soon grow violent, but this time he would restrain himself and avoid destroying the household utensils bought by his wife.

The noun form is restraint. Let’s read the following sentences: 1)Men are often advised to exercise restraint in their dealings with women. 2)In life, there are times for sensible and productive restraint, and there are times for freedom, complete, wholesome freedom. 3)Business activities call for wisdom, calm calculation, and restraint. 4)Seasoned diplomats know when to act swiftly and freely and when to exercise restraint. 5)One should be sensible enough to exercise restraint among strangers and in a foreign land. 6)As one grows older, one’s sense of restraint should increase. 7) A sound sense of restraint is usually a function of cultural education.

Next, we consider the verb constrain. A thing that constrains a person or another thing limits his/its action, freedom of action, development, forces him/it to do or not to do certain things. Let’s read the following sentences: 1)Family ties often constrain people from taking up jobs from particular locations. 2)Poverty constrains people’s educational attainment in Africa. 3)There should be laws to constrain parents to send their female children to school. 4 Citizens should be constrained by patriotism to report crime to the police. 5)Constrained by love, he often helps his wife in the kitchen. 6)I feel constrained by honour to confess my misdeeds openly. 7)Expansion of a farm is often constrained by availability of land and funds. 8)The prosperity of any business organization is constrained as much by financial and human resources as by the vision of the founding director(s).

The noun form is constraint. The following sentences illustrate its usage: 1)The association died a natural death as a result of financial constraints. 2)But for cultural constraints (such as what people would say, what would become of the children, etc)the marriage would have ended in divorce a long time ago. 3)Powerful as the presidency is, it is subject to the constraints of checks and balances. 4)There are constraints on the powers of the governor that guarantee that those powers are not abused. 5)Social constraints even in an overly patriarchal society like ours prevent husbands from acting irresponsibly. 6)Working within the constraints of limited resources, we can only expect modest achievements. 7)The constitution privides the needed constraints on the powers of public officials. 8)Every human being works within the constraint of the limited time available to him in life.

Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Fair Finance Nigeria have called on the Federal Government to urgently address the menace of crude oil theft and ensure that revenues from the petroleum sector are transparently and effectively utilized for national development.

Speaking at the official launch of a report titled ‘Community Voices on Oil, Finance, and the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA): A Case Study of Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa States’ in Abuja, CISLAC Executive Director, Comrade Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani, lamented the colossal loss of 619.7 million barrels of crude oil valued at $46.16 billion between 2009 and 2020.

According to Rafsanjani, crude oil and natural gas remain the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, accounting for 89.23 percent of the country’s exports in the third quarter of 2023.

He noted that between 2020 and 2023, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) alone received over $10.3 billion in syndicated loans from local and international financiers, yet oil-producing communities remain impoverished.

The CISLAC boss identified complicity among oil companies, security agencies, government officials, and some community leaders as a major driver of persistent oil theft, which he described as a ‘lucrative criminal business.’

According to him, ‘If we are still treating oil theft in the lackadaisical attitude that it is being treated, definitely you will not see an end to the oil theft,’ he said. ‘At the end of the day, it is the generality of the communities that suffer.’

He added that host communities, despite their proximity to oil facilities, continue to live with exclusion, poverty, and environmental devastation. From January to August 2024 alone, five major oil spills were recorded in Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa States, with companies often opting to pay fines for gas flaring rather than invest in gas-gathering infrastructure.

The report highlighted lapses in the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, particularly in the Host Communities Development Trusts (HCDTs). Although oil companies are expected to contribute between $500 million and $800 million annually, only $21.7 million was remitted between 2022 and 2023, undermining sustainable projects and development initiatives.

‘Despite the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act, challenges persist around inclusion, transparency, accountability, illicit financial flows, and the equitable implementation of the HCDTs,’ Rafsanjani stressed.

The study also documented severe socio-economic and environmental consequences, including respiratory diseases, cancer, and loss of livelihoods resulting from spills and gas flaring. Communities like Ibeno, Eastern Obolo, Ayakirama, and Azuzuama were cited as case study areas where residents continue to endure hardship without adequate compensation.

Rafsanjani described the report as ‘an urgent call to action for government, oil companies, financial institutions, and civil society to prioritize transparency, accountability, and collaboration to secure a just and sustainable future for oil-producing regions.’

In his presentation, Director of Programmes at Connected Development, Mr. Agu Kingsley, emphasized the role of financial institutions in preventing ‘greenwashing’ by ensuring strict adherence to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards when financing oil and gas projects.

Kingsley disclosed that between 2020 and 2023, NNPCL received $8.6 billion in financing, enabling it to declare $1.7 billion profit in 2023. He added that over 50 percent of the 18 banks financing Nigeria’s oil sector claim to be signatories to global ESG principles, yet compliance remains weak.

According to him, ‘stronger regulatory frameworks and accountability measures are essential to strike a balance between project finance, environmental justice, and the development needs of host communities.’

Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, has granted amnesty to students who have overstayed in the university.

The disclosure was made by the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Carol Arinze-Umobi, on Friday, 3rd October 2025, during the 238th meeting of the Senate held at the Faculty of Social Sciences auditorium.

Prof. Arinze-Umobi stated that the retinue of appeal letters from overstayed students necessitated the move, which she deemed fit to present on the floor of the Senate for approval. The Acting Vice-Chancellor informed that the period for the amnesty covers two academic sessions – the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 sessions – while admonishing the concerned students to fully utilise the opportunity to address their academic challenges.

Prof. Arinze-Umobi also said the university had carried out several academic activities and achieved notable milestones under her watch in recent months. Among these is the selection of UNIZIK as one of the three universities in each of the six geopolitical zones for the sponsorship of postgraduate students via the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

The Professor of Law further disclosed that fourteen panels comprising forty-two members recently visited the university for resource verification towards the establishment of twenty-three new academic programmes.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor also commended members of the UNIZIK community for ensuring peace and stability on campus.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has fired a salvo at Nigeria’s 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, issuing a seven-day ultimatum to publicly account for the spending of an estimated N14 trillion collected as fuel subsidy savings.

The organisation also threatened to institute legal proceedings should the state governors and the FCT Minister fail to comply with the demand for transparency.

The N14 trillion represents a portion of the increased Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds shared among the three tiers of government since the removal of the petrol subsidy in mid-2023.

According to SERAP, the FAAC distribution for 2024 alone surged to N28.78 trillion, a 79 per cent jump from the previous year, with state governments’ allocations rising by 45.5 per cent to N5.22 trillion.

In a Freedom of Information (FoI) request dated October 4, 2025, and signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the group insisted that the savings must be spent solely for the benefit of poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

Failure to do so, SERAP warned, ‘would result in a morally repugnant result of double jeopardy on these Nigerians.’

SERAP urged public officials to invite anti-graft agencies – the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) – to track and monitor spending, ensuring that the money is not diverted into private pockets.

The human rights group also expressed concern over the alleged mismanagement of the funds, stating that the spending details have been mostly shrouded in secrecy.

‘We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter.

‘If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your state and the FCT to comply with our request in the public interest,’ the group added.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, on Sunday, congratulated Nigerian teachers as they joined their counterparts across the globe to celebrate World Teachers’ Day.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1994 designated October 5 as World Teachers’ Day to recognise and celebrate teachers.

Speaker Tajudeen, in a congratulatory message issued through his Chief Press Secretary, Leke Olatunji Baiyewu, commended Nigerian teachers for their unquantifiable role in shaping the lives and careers of young people in society.

He stated that teachers and academics deserve public and private support to efficiently carry out their educational role in the lives of young Nigerians.

The Speaker, who was also a teacher before joining politics, described teachers as ‘co-parents and experts in nurturing and moulding young people into educated, civilised, productive, and patriotic citizens’ of any country.

While noting that teachers are critical stakeholders in the polity, the Speaker called for training, retraining, and better welfare, especially for the academic staff of educational institutions.

Speaker Tajudeen reiterated the commitment of the 10th House to using legislative instruments to enhance access to quality and affordable education for all Nigerians.

The Speaker wished Nigerians happy celebrations.

Some grassroots leaders in the OBIdient Movement’s Lagos chapter have turned their criticism towards Dr Yunusa Tanko, the national coordinator, accusing him of backing a disputed list for the state’s leadership council.

The pushback came in a statement released at the weekend by Obiasogu David and Hon. Bamidele Akpata, representing support groups, the Central Organising Committee, and other stakeholders.

They rejected a circulating list for the State Coordinating Council, saying it was allegedly put together without their input by a group of politicians close to Tanko.

‘The purported list of the Obidient Movement State Coordinating Council for Lagos state, now making the rounds, hit us with rude marvel. This isn’t because we lacked knowledge of and were not actively involved in the process of revamping and structuring the Obidient movement in Lagos state, which has been running for months.

‘But the eventual decision and choice of the leadership for the movement in the state were totally abrupt and surreptitious, and the source of the list and some of the names enlisted are unknown to any active Obidient in the state.

‘To give it a befitting context, a set of position-seeking political actors, for intents that raise doubts, met and drew up a list, wherein they shared positions with loyalists, branded it ‘State Coordinating Council’ and imposed on the ObidientMovement in the state.

‘Such a move slaps us, as well as every concerned and active member of the Obidient movement in the state, with sharp, irksome shock, especially considering its covert and manipulative manner.

‘Our unequivocal stand is that of utter disregard and rejection of the purported list. We resolve to ensure that the Obidient Movement, for which we laboured to pioneer and build in the state since March 2022, must not derail from its core principles of integrity, truth, democracy, transparency, and populism, the virtues our leader, Peter Obi, espouses.

‘We must, also, reiterate that the movement in the state is not a political structure for any politician to hire or hijack for self-aggrandisement or to further their political agenda.

‘We are a people-driven movement, built on sacrifice, resilience, and the conviction to rescue Nigeria and Lagos from decades of failed leadership. Therefore, it is imperative that the decisions and activities of the movement, especially a vital one as forming the leadership of the movement at any level, must be subject to and co-opt the core principles of the movement.

‘In view of this, we insist that the leadership of the movement must be constituted through wide consultation and popular consent of the active stakeholders of the movement, a process that is devoid of political gimmicks and the interference of self-willed politicians.

‘Such leaders of the movement must embody the values and qualities of leadership, be active members of the movement from the founding times, and above all, must be chosen by active stakeholders of the movement, especially the Obidient support groups.

‘We call on those who shared the purported list to withdraw it immediately. The national leadership of the Obidient movement must, as a matter of urgency, call for a meeting with stakeholders of the movement in the state to discuss progress’.

Every October 5, classrooms, communities and countries around the globe pause to honour the people who shape the minds and morals of every generation: teachers.

World Teachers’ Day is more than just a date on the calendar; it is a reminder that without teachers, no society can grow, no nation can thrive, and no dream can truly take flight.

As the world celebrates World Teachers’ Day 2025, themed ‘Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession,’ here are five interesting things to know about this important global celebration and why it matters more than ever.

1. Commemorates a Historic 1966 Agreement

World Teachers’ Day marks the anniversary of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, a groundbreaking document that established international standards for teachers’ rights, responsibilities, recruitment and training.

That recommendation was the first to recognise teaching as a profession essential to social progress and human development. It set the stage for the modern understanding that teachers deserve not just respect, but strong institutional support to do their work effectively.

2. Officially Established by UNESCO in 1994

Although the 1966 agreement was the inspiration, the first official World Teachers’ Day was celebrated in 1994, following a declaration by UNESCO and its partners.

The goal was simple yet profound: to draw the world’s attention to teachers’ vital roles in shaping minds, building nations and driving development. Since then, every year’s celebration has grown into a global campaign for better teacher welfare and recognition.

3. Unique Yearly Theme

Every World Teachers’ Day is guided by a theme that reflects a pressing issue or aspiration in global education.

In 2025, the theme ‘Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession’ emphasises teamwork, mutual learning and the power of educators working together.

Past themes have focused on topics like teacher leadership, digital innovation and rebuilding education systems after crises, underscoring that teaching is both an art and a shared responsibility.

4. Global Celebration, but No Uniform Date

While October 5 is internationally recognized as World Teachers’ Day, several countries have chosen their own dates to honour educators, often tied to historical or cultural milestones.

For example: India celebrates on September 5, the birthday of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a philosopher and former President. Also, in Australia, as the day usually falls during school holidays, Australian states and territories celebrate on the last Friday of October each year instead.This variety highlights the universal respect for teachers, regardless of borders or calendars.

5. Attention to Teachers’ Challenges and Calls for Action

World Teachers’ Day is not only about celebration; it is also a wake-up call. Each year, UNESCO and education advocates use the day to highlight persistent challenges facing teachers worldwide like shortages of qualified educators, poor working conditions, limited access to professional training and low pay and job insecurity

UNESCO’s 2025 materials stress that ‘teachers are essential for achieving global education goals’ but warn that many still lack the resources and recognition they deserve. The day serves as both a thank-you and a reminder: teachers need more than applause; they need action.

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP ) in Edo State continued on Sunday as the faction (Legacy Group) loyal to Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Woke, elected its state working committee, headed by Barr. Nosa Ogieva.

Ogieva and 13 other members of the Edo PDP Executive who were sworn in during the party’s 2025 State Congress in Benin, promised to reunite members of the party, adding that PDP would soon begin to win elections again in the state.

While 11 of the members were returned unopposed, Tony Aziegbemi, Henry Tenebe and Victor Enoghama, were announced to have contested for Chairmanship, Secretary and Deputy State Chairmanship, respectively.

A total of 576 delegates from the 192 wards participated in the election.

Responding on behalf of the newly executive members, the state party Chairman, Barr. Nosa Ogieva, said their emergence marked a new chapter in Edo PDP.

He promised not to betray the party nor take it for granted, adding that his leadership would be repositioning and rebranding the party in Edo.

Ogieva sued for unity amongst the party members, maintaining that the loyalty of members is the bedrock of PDP.

Earlier in his opening remarks, Dan Orbih, said that the former Governor of the State, Godwin Obaseki, was responsible for the crisis in the party.

He alleged Obaseki quarreled with everybody he met in PDP, asserting that the poor performance of the party in the recently conducted by-elections showed how unpopular the PDP had become in Edo

Orbih urged the delegates to elect people with capacity that would reawaken the party in the state.

He carpeted an earlier statement issued by the other faction of the party, calling members to disregard the announcement for the State Congress.

He said ‘Just yesterday (Saturday), I saw a statement issued by some funny characters saying they are advising party members not to attend this event. Are you not here?

‘Those who don’t have any moral authority to speak on behalf of the party should keep their mouth shut.

‘As we prepare to elect our executive, I will appeal to you to vote for those with capacity to lead this party, not those who will sell out, not those who will deny members their legitimate right

‘As members of our great party. There is no doubt that PDP is going through a leadership crisis, both at the national level and several other states.

‘Let us not deceive ourselves for the first time in the history of our great party, we have elected governors of PDP and founding leaders, founding members of this party, leaving this party every day for one simple reason, failure of leadership.

‘Elected governors are living. Elected senators are living. Elected members of the House are living in Edo state, we know the root of our problem.

‘We had a united party where everybody related with one another as brothers and sisters, until Godwin Obasiki joined our party.

‘Obasiki destroyed our party. He sowed the seeds of discord, deep rooted seeds of discord in our party.

‘He sinned against the party. He sinned against the people. He sinned against the state.

Continuing, Orbih said ‘He came into the party and destroyed everything that was good in the party. Today, our party’s umbrella is shattered, torn, and we are here today to rebuild the party.

‘What used to put us together as a family was totally destroyed by obaseki. He fought every person except himself, and at the end, we are at a very disadvantaged position in the politics of Edo state.

Orbih described the other faction of the PDP as undertakers who he said were only praying for the party to collapse and then join the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE in this report X-rays the implications of the repeated strike actions by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) against the backdrop of the current threat to embark on a fresh indefinite strike if the Federal Government fails by next week to attend to its cry of many years.

IT is no more news that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarks on industrial actions whenever it has unresolved issues with the Federal Government. It does so repeatedly just like many other trade unions within and outside the academic system in the country.

In the last 26 years – from 1999 to date -, for example, hardly would a year pass without ASUU going on strike that lasted several weeks.

In 2020 alone, the union went on strike for nine months – which happened to be the longest in the recent history of ASUU strike. Just two years later, the union also went again for another round of eight months. These were during the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari, which also witnessed three months strike in 2018.

Every time, ASUU’s claim has always been that it declared strike after exhausting all other legal means of getting government to address its concerns.

Ironically, ASUU’s concerns over the years are almost the same. It has been about pushing government to inject more money to develop infrastructure in the public universities, to increase staff salaries and allowances, improve their working conditions and so forth.

The union always accuses government of underfunding universities and underpaying workers, claiming the condition has led to gross depreciation in the standard of public universities and their products.

At a time in 2009, an agreement was reached between the Federal Government and ASUU on the best way to fix the gap. This effort resulted in drafting of the popular 2009 Agreement and the subsequent memorandum of actions.

Now, 26 years down the line, most of the critical issues in the original agreement are still unattended to by the government, except for those that required little or no fund to implement, such as the recent imposition of ban on the establishment of new universities and a few others.

On this, the union is consistently pushing pressure on government to attend to them else it would order members to stay off work indefinitely.

For the current administration of President Bola Tinubu, the union has equally on several occasions issued warning strikes, staged several protests on campuses and also engaged the media all with a view to reminding the government about pending issues between them. But till date, there has been no convincing response.

A fresh threat was issued on Monday September 29, giving government a 14-day ultimatum to address those issues, failure of which will compel the union to declare an indefinite strike.

On the current threat, ASUU’s National President, Prof Christopher Piwuna, expressed strong determination and readiness of the union to proceed this time on indefinite strike if government remains adamant on the matter.

He said the union has been patient enough with the current government and now has been pushed to the wall and needs to react.

But to the stakeholders, while ASUU is right in its demands and also has the right to use strike actions to pursue its course, students, parents, the country’s education cause the general economy are always the ones who suffer major consequences of such actions.

According to them, the repeated disruptions caused by strke affect academic progression, delay graduation, push up parents spending, and also create long-term effects on career prospects and students’ personal growth.

Faruk Olateju, for example, has just finished his undergraduate Law degree programme at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka. He got admitted to the university in 2018 for the five years course. By calculation, he is supposed to have done with his studies in 2023.

Though, the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought the whole world to its knees for some months, prolonged Faruk’s stay on campus, the major cause of his additional two years was ASUU strike.

In 2020 alone, ASUU went on strike for nine months- the longest in the recent history of ASUU strike- and two years later, it went again for another eight months, totaling one year and five months.

Faruk, who had earlier in 2018 wasted another three months because of strike by the same ASUU, told Sunday Tribune in an interview that he would never wish that ASUU should go on strike again in the country.

According to him, whenever ASUU downs tools, the students bear the greatest impacts, because academic calendars are disrupted, graduation timelines are extended and many students lose opportunities, especially internships, scholarships or postgraduate studies abroad that are tied to strict timelines.

‘These are some of the opportunities that students tend to lose in the event of strike,’ Faruk stressed.

He also observed that ‘For the university system generally, the repeated industrial actions create uncertainty and weaken the global competitiveness of Nigerian graduates.

‘We also know that parents lose confidence in public education and this indirectly pushes people towards seeking alternative in expensive private universities or foreign institutions that many can’t afford, widening socio-economic inequality.’

Faruk emphasised that even though he may not be directly affected if ASUU should embark on a fresh strike as being threatened, he would wish such a strike is averted by all means.

According to him, it is difficult to be completely at ease when the future of thousands of students is at stake.

According to him, ‘The current strike notice reminds me of the uncertainty that always comes with every strike notice- the anxiety, the disrupted plans and the emotional torture that accompany such notices.

‘The 2020 and 2022 ASUU strikes really had a real impact on my academic journey as they extended my expected graduation timeline and disrupted my rhythm of learning, always having to pause on my reading or my learning every now and then.

‘So, the reading, the learning is not flowing as IT should and that alone HAS negative consequences.

‘Beyond the academics, strikes also affected the social impacts aspect of my students’ life, plans for law internships, professional programmes and even personal goals had to be rescheduled. However, that period taught me resilience, but it also reinforces how much instability can damage students’ morale.

‘Honestly, the repeated threat creates a climate of uncertainty. As a student, your mind won’t be at rest. You will be thinking that you will now be forced to go home again.

‘So, such instances become mentally draining because you cannot plan your life with confidence. Even when the strike doesn’t happen, the constant threats hang over students like a cloud. It reflects a deeper problem in the system.

‘While I recognize that ASUU has legitimate grievances about their concerns, I still believe that strike should not always be the weapon of choice.

‘We need more creative solutions, perhaps legal frameworks that enforce agreements, independent mediators with government and the union and more importantly demonstration of accountability on both sides. Students should not be the collateral damage in this struggle.

‘So, I hope both the government and ASUU can prioritize uninterrupted education for Nigerian citizens,’ he concluded.

Sharing the same view, the National Assistant Secretary of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Adetunji Olatunji Emmanuel, said no matter what, this proposed strike must not become a reality.

According to him, it is obvious that strike actions only inflict pains and suffering on the children of the ordinary Nigerians- the masses- who struggle day and night to send their children to school.

He argued that the politicians and government officials whose failures created the protracted imbroglio are actually not affected as their children are comfortably schooling abroad or in expensive private universities locally.

‘If their children were in our public institutions, he said, this protracted issue would have been resolved long ago.

‘That is why all Nigerian students demand that the Federal Government should, without further delay meet its obligations to ASUU and resolve all the outstanding issues.

‘We say enough of endless promises, excuses, and insincerity as we are tired of being victims of leadership irresponsibility.

‘On the part of ASUU, we also call its leadership to reconsider the weaponization of strike as the only tool of engagement moving forward.

Just like Faruk had observed, Adetunji said, ‘Every strike destroys our academic calendar, elongates our years in school, and diminishes the quality of our education.

‘The lecturers must understand that their struggle, no matter how just, should not become a weapon against the same students they claim to fight for.’

He declared that should the proposed strike become a reality, NANS as an umbrella body of all Nigerian students would have no option BUT to mobilize themselves for massive protests that would shut down the major highways, airports, government offices, and critical infrastructure across the country.

He said Nigerian students and their poor parents cannot BE faced with economic hardship, high inflation, all form of taxes in the face of low incomes and still have to suffer again just because of attenging public schools.

According to him, enough of government and ASUU wasting their future

For the National President of Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria (NPTAN) Alhaji Haruna Dajuma, his thought and perspective on the ASUUFG face off is becoming too embarrassing for the country.

He noted that parents have always been saying say no to ASUU strike as no parent is comfortable having their children at home when they supposed to be in school learning.

He, just like others, equally observed that the negative effects of strike actions outweigh the positive, with students bear the major brunt.

‘So, we cannot afford any strike again in Nigeria’s public universities,’ he emphasized, urging both government and ASUU to resolve their differences without disrupting academic calendar.