ASUU strikes account for 4 in Nigeria’s 23 years of democratic rule

Since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999, members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have gone on strike for almost five years to press home their demands to the federal government.

The disagreement between ASUU and the Federal Government of Nigeria is fast becoming a legacy with series of bargaining, meetings and disputes all in an attempt to resolve outstanding issues in the university system.

Prolonged ASUU strikes over the years have truncated the aspirations of students in public universities to complete their studies in record time and has hindered, crashed dreams of many youths in the system.

Since 14 February 2022, public tertiary institutions in Nigeria have been on strike to register their grievances and demand for improved teaching conditions in government owned universities.

In 1999, ASUU was on strike for 5 months, while in 2000, the strike lasted for 3 months; also in 2002, students stayed home for 2 weeks.

The strike of 2003 lasted for 6 months; in 2005, there was a 2 weeks strike action. Also ASUU went on strike for 3 days in 2006: and 3 months in 2007.

The union embarked on a 1 week strike in 2008; and the strike of 2009 lasted for 4 months. There was a 5 months strike in 2010; while the strike of 2011 lasted for 59 days.

The 2013 strike took a total period of 5 months; and in 2017, the union went on strike for 1 month; the 2018 strike lasted for 3 months.

Similarly, in 2020, students were home for 9 months due to strike. In 2022, ASUU strike has been ongoing for 5 months and still counting.

Vanguard Newspaper reports that the leadership of ASUU recently rejected a crowdfunding platform initiated to terminate the current strike by lecturers of public universities.

The crowdfunding platform initiated by acclaimed philanthropist and owner of Human Rights Radio, Ahmed Isah, was aimed at raising money for the lecturers’ union with a view to ending the strike that has jeopardized academic activities in the nation’s public varsities.

Isah had invited the ASUU President, Professor Victor Emmanuel Osodeke, to his station to intimate them of his efforts aimed at resolving the age-long crisis between ASUU and the federal government, but Osodeke blatantly declined the offer.

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