Federal Government, ASUU and the Judiciary

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Just before the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) dubiously suspicious but expected go-back-to-work order, ASUU President had queried: what benefit would it be to the nation if professors were compelled to go back to the classrooms without their demands being met by government?

Published

3 years ago

October 11, 2022

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By Hope ‘O’Rukevbe Eghagha

So it was that in the dingdong end-strike and don’t-end-strike affair between the almighty Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the former deployed the hammer and anvil, carpenter and nail, and soldier and enemy approach to try and bully the intellectual powerhouse of the country into a humiliating submission.

To be sure, no union of academics worth its salt would allow a government of rudderless buccaneers who in seven years have ruined the nation’s economy, escalated the insecurity level in the country to run aground its high-ground moral ship and consign it to the ashes of history.

Also read: Jega slams Ngige over ASUU strike

General Yakubu Gowon in the zenith of his drunken-sailor days in military power could not decimate the union, not even with threats of and ejection of bewildered staff from official quarters.

The Great IBB, epitome of military power and egregiousness, could not intimidate ASUU, though that dribbler of a government banned and unbanned ASUU. He later approved a better welfare package for academics.

So, who are these white garment charlatans and urchins in the corridors of transient power masquerading as Holy Reverend Fathers from the Papacy? Our elders say that ‘a warrior is not a wrestler; he is killed the moment his spear and shield are overpowered’.

Also read: Atiku speaks on education, ASUU strike, teachers’ salaries

As a corollary he asked whether if a horse was forced to the stream would it be forced to drink too? Was this an expression of defeat? Acceptance albeit subtle of the immense power of the federal government? But ASUU leadership rose to the occasion: an appeal has been filed for a stay of execution order before the Federal Court of Appeal.

From all indications, the matter could reach the Supreme Court! The dingdong will continue. The grass will suffer. The nation will lose out ultimately!

In the aftermath of the order, academics were unanimous in their verdict: the federal government had deployed its notorious arsenal to securing a pro-government verdict.

The merits and demerits of the ASUU case were no longer in contention. Public sympathy was in favour of the striking academics. Some TV commentators on Arise TV and other stations went overboard with some asinine comments, pontificating as usual on all topics in the manner of Jack-of-all-trades-and-master-of-none! ‘No research is going on in our universities’.

‘Where are the Sanya Onabamiros’, they asked? ‘If you don’t work don’t expect to be paid! And so on. And I said to myself: when an iroko tree falls even women can cut chunks off for firewood.

Most members of the public do not understand that while the strike was ongoing, papers were still being written, some still traveled to attend conferences, went out of the country on fellowships, visited the laboratory every day.

My first and most acclaimed creative work – Death Not a Redeemer– was written during the long strike of 1992. Most are not aware that professors were reading, assessing Masters and PhD theses. That they were assessing upcoming academics for promotion to the next level.

So, it is inanity to argue that during strikes, academics do not work. Teaching services are withdrawn, yes, but other activities do not stop.

It was and is indeed humiliating that the salary scale of professors became a topic on social media and marketplace gossip, with some ignorant fellows castigating the professors for aspiring to earn as much pay as federal legislators.

Some castigated ASUU members for helping to rig politicians into office during elections. When the salaries of legislators and government appointees are fixed, it is done quietly, often arbitrarily, without any input from the public.

The federal government must have a rethink on its current approach. When the late General Murtala Mohammed purged the federal civil service on account of corruption, he thought he was cleansing the nation; but it turned out that he destroyed the civil service for ever.

ASUU should re-strategize on methods to achieve its goals going forward because it is dealing with an unusual government that is bent on ‘putting ASUU in its place’ especially with the mindset of Aso Rock. The matter is likely to get to Supreme Court. This will not help anyone in the system.

Collectively, we should develop another model of funding tertiary education in the country. Education without beneficiaries paying for tuition in the universities is a recipe for disaster.

Education is not free; somebody pays for. Somebody should pay for it. The federal government has opted to bear the cost running its universities. So, government must make up its mind. It must either bear the cost of tuition require beneficiaries to pay for tuition.

The state governments are more pragmatic in this regard. Students pay for tuition albeit in a roundabout manner. Also, the nation is skewed culturally and socially to favour university education as the only means of getting recognition.

Of course, the world has moved beyond that stage now. We must now direct our youth who cannot enter university to embrace skills acquisition programmes. The best IT engineers around the world we are told are not necessarily university graduates.

The dingdong affair has taken a dimension as I earlier indicated that will favour no one. ASUU has appealed against the lower court’s decision. The federal government initially directed Vice Chancellors to reopen universities and withdrew the order after receiving sound advice from stakeholders that that was not the way to go.

The VCs did not shut down the universities; so they are not expected to reopen what they did not close down. Where are the keys?

The keys to reopening the universities lie with both the government and ASUU. Collective bargaining without any rigid positions can help. Perhaps through back-channels government should ask ASUU: what is the minimum you can accept?

There should be informal meetings between parties to wriggle the nation out of education comatose. This is where diplomacy and the art of negotiation should help. There should be no war of attrition. Government must realise that ASUU currently enjoys wide public sympathy. People are scandalized about the salary scale of university professors.

If we are in a democracy, this should count. No government should go into general elections when its universities have been under lock and key for over seven months, except it deliberately wants to lose the election! Is someone listening to the third, inner voice?

SPORTS

CAF announces free e-visas for fans attending AFCON Morocco 2025

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13 hours ago

November 14, 2025

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CAF announces free e-visas for fans attending AFCON Morocco 2025

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The Confederation of African Football and the AFCON Morocco 2025 Local Organising Committee on Friday announced that fans travelling to the tournament will be eligible for free electronic visas.

The policy benefits citizens of countries that normally require a visa to enter Morocco.

“Electronic visas to enter Morocco — obtained through the YALLA app — are now free of charge for supporters attending the competition, which runs from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026,” CAF said in a statement on its website.

The governing body said the announcement comes amid growing global demand for Africa’s biggest football event, with more fans booking tickets.

It explained that fans need two documents, a fan identification and an e-visa, to stay in Morocco and enter football stadiums throughout the tournament.

“A Fan ID is mandatory for entry to all stadiums and official Fan Areas. Supporters can apply for both the Fan ID and e-visa in one place inside the YALLA app, streamlining travel and stadium access.

“The Fan ID application and e-visa request are completed seamlessly within the YALLA app, ensuring a faster, easier and secure experience for international visitors and local fans alike,” the statement added.

To apply, fans are urged to download the YALLA app on Google Play or the App Store, or visit the official YALLA website, complete the Fan ID form, and, if required, submit the e-visa request.

Once approved, supporters can purchase match tickets on the CAF ticketing platform.

“The new measures are designed to deliver a seamless, secure fan experience for Africa’s showpiece event that will be played across nine stadiums in six cities,” CAF said.

With Morocco hosting for the first time since 1988, the continent’s biggest football festival returns to North Africa amid high expectations, fierce rivalries, and a new generation of African stars ready to make their mark.

A total of 24 teams are expected to participate.

CBN unveils phased overhaul of fixed income market to boost transparency

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1 month ago

October 3, 2025

Olusegun Odunewu

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced a phased restructuring of the Nigerian Fixed Income Market as part of sweeping reforms to strengthen transparency, improve efficiency, and reinforce regulatory oversight across the country’s financial ecosystem.

In a circular signed by Okey Umeano, Acting Director of the Financial Markets Department, the apex bank disclosed that it will assume full control of both the settlement process and the trading platform for fixed income transactions beginning November 2025.

According to the CBN, this transition will allow the Bank to manage the trading environment directly while handling end-to-end settlement of fixed income instruments within its established financial market settlement system.

“This transition will enable the CBN to assume direct responsibility for the management of the trading platform and handle end-to-end settlement activities under the Bank’s established settlement system for financial market transactions,” the statement read.

To minimize disruption and ensure market stability, the reform will be implemented in carefully sequenced stages, with active involvement of key market stakeholders, particularly the Financial Markets Dealers Association (FMDA). The milestones for the first phase include:

User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Scheduled for the second week of October 2025, to test the proposed settlement infrastructure.

Pilot Phase: A transitional phase to run alongside the current system, ensuring operational stability and user adaptation.

Go-Live 1 (Settlement Process): Full migration of fixed income activities to the new CBN settlement system, starting November 3, 2025.

Go-Live 2 (Trading Platform): Launch of the new CBN-sponsored trading environment for Primary Dealers, Market Makers (PDMM), Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), and other approved market participants on December 1, 2025.

The apex bank emphasized that the reforms are designed to “strengthen market integrity, streamline operations, and establish a unified regulatory framework that ensures end-to-end visibility and supervisory oversight of fixed income transactions.”

Acknowledging the FMDA’s central role in market development, the CBN called for continued collaboration, stressing that stakeholder input would remain critical throughout the transition.

“We look forward to your continued partnership as we work together to deliver a more efficient, transparent, and resilient fixed income market,” the Bank stated.

The CBN assured participants that the transition would be coordinated to avoid disruptions and would ultimately serve the broader interests of market stability and economic growth.

The overhaul of the fixed income market is the latest in a series of regulatory reforms introduced by the CBN to strengthen Nigeria’s financial system. Just last month, the apex bank directed all Domestic Systemically Important Banks (DSIBs) to adopt early succession planning for Managing Directors/Chief Executive Officers (MD/CEOs) and top executives.

Under that directive, signed by Dr. Rita Sike, Director of the Financial Policy and Regulation Department, DSIBs must secure regulatory approval for the appointment of a successor MD/CEO at least six months before the expiration of the incumbent’s tenure. The move, according to the CBN, is aimed at bolstering corporate governance and reducing leadership uncertainties that could undermine financial stability.

By consolidating oversight of the fixed income market, analysts say the CBN is positioning itself to better support monetary policy transmission, strengthen market resilience, and drive long-term economic growth.

NEWS

Jandor joins 2027 Lagos governorship race, pledges loyalty to Tinubu’s leadership

Published

1 month ago

October 2, 2025

Olusegun Odunewu

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Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has formally announced his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election in Lagos State, this time under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Jandor, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the 2023 polls, made the declaration on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, during an Independence Day address in Lagos.

The media entrepreneur-turned-politician emphasized that his ambition remains rooted in the drive to serve the people of Lagos, noting that he is determined to bring new energy into the state’s leadership.

“As for Lagos State, I am offering myself once again to serve. I’m indeed running for the Lagos governorship race in 2027,” he said.

Reflecting on his previous campaign, Jandor recalled the momentum he generated during the 2023 elections, which marked his first major political outing.

He expressed optimism that, with the APC platform and the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he would be better positioned to actualize his vision for Lagos.

“When it was time for me to truly leave, I came all out, and we took Lagos by storm. Very soon, activities will begin to galvanize support from Mr. President and the party to ensure that whoever picks the APC governorship ticket in Lagos will have a strong run. Let me put this to rest: I am running in 2027,” he declared.

Jandor also used the occasion to openly endorse President Tinubu’s leadership, calling on Lagosians and Nigerians at large to rally behind the President for a second term in 2027.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has proven his capacity to lead this country with vision and courage. I call on Lagosians and Nigerians at large to ensure he gets a second term in 2027 so we can all continue to benefit from his progressive leadership,” Jandor said.

His defection to the APC and fresh declaration are expected to reshape the political landscape in Lagos, setting the stage for what could become a highly competitive race ahead of the 2027 elections.