RSUST: Another Avoidable Crisis

Normal academic activities have once again been disrupted at
the Rivers State University of Science And Technology (RSUST), Nkpolu following
the declaration of strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU).

Coming at a time many Nigerians appear to believe that the
era when universities used any imaginable reason to proceed on strike was over,
the action of ASUU at the RSUST comes as a rude shock. Indeed, the bone of contention
makes it even more trivial.

We are aware that nearly a month ago, threats and rumours of
strike started making the rounds when processes for the appointment of a new
Vice-Chancellor for the RSUST was put in place. The degree of agitation from
the beginning in some quarters did not even give authorities the benefit of
doing the right thing.

It is rather pathetic that because some people did not want
the re-appointment of Prof Barineme N. Fakae, whose first tenure just ended,
some staff actually started a process to stall his re-appointment at any cost.
But how this can represent the due process for the appointment of a
Vice-Chancellor also becomes suspect.

Giving the benefit of information at the disposal of the
state and powers to appoint, the Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi gave
Prof Fakae an acting appointment. Ever since, the leadership of ASUU has cried
foul and decided to confront the Rivers State Government, owners of the
university over the re-appointment of Prof. Fakae.

ASUU has told everyone that cared to listen that the Rivers
State Government did not follow due process. They have also commented freely on
the person and work of Prof. Fakae without any accusation of incompetence and
illegibility for the position.

Knowing the importance of education and how years of
senseless strikes at the nation’s tertiary institutions have made caricature of
university education, we consider the issue at the RSUST as most understanding
of a strike action. It is hardly plausible that an institution of that
magnitude would close shop because the owners of the school appointed an
officer in whom they have faith.

Whereas, rules must be obeyed, even in the recruitment of a
Vice-Chancellor, we wonder if the best option open to ASUU is to rush into a
strike. Even so, ASUU in RSUST cannot in every righteousness claim to have met
all the conditions for declaration of a trade dispute.

Apart from the fact that there could be exceptions to some
rules at certain times, ASUU needed to have exercised sufficient responsibility
and restraint because of the possible consequences of strikes in the university
system. Not only would academic calendars be altered, the effect it may have on
the students and scholarship can be devastating.

Experience has shown that whenever strikes are on, the
normal administration of men and materials suffer some set backs. Often,
researches are affected, general progress made may suffer, while the number of
years stipulated for programmes are extended. Sometimes, even very experienced
manpower may be lost.

That is why we are most reluctant to applaud the needless
disruption of academic activities at RSUST. We believe that no matter the
bitterness, ASUU could have leveraged on the prevailing democratic air to test
their own claim on the appointment of the V-C in court. This is however, not to
discount on the possibility of reaching mutual grounds through dialogue.

As professionals and parents themselves, we expect ASUU to
be more circumspect. At all times we want to associate ASUU with a group of
people who are desirous of building and maintaining progressive environment for
learning. Even when they do politics, ASUU must always be pro-academic.

While we can understand the re-appointment of Prof. B. N.
Fakae, we wonder why there should be some crisis every time he is to be
appointed. Without a doubt, Prof Fakae has worked up RSUST in many respects and
has taken it from 76th to 19th position on the list of state owned universities
in Nigeria, but people should be able to work with him.

We think that all well meaning persons in Rivers State
should prevail on ASUU in RSUST to go back to the classroom while its
leadership should open dialogue with its governing council and the Rivers State
Government on areas of conflict.