Commentary: Why Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Resumed Academic Activities

CHUKWUEMEKA EZUMEZU

The current face-off between the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and the Federal Government of Nigeria which began on March 23, 2020, has, once again, brought our educational system to the limelight of weakness and exposed the sector as a perennial third choice when it comes to national priority.

The arguable truth is that neither ASUU nor the Federal Government is consciously pursuing the welfare of the poor students who have remained the age-long victims of these titan wars. ASUU might be making a stance for the welfare of its members; same way the government is trying to protect its institution, but who is fighting for the students who would have counted losses in time and academics at the end of the day?

The truth, however, is that the involvement of state-government-owned and financed universities in the ASUU strike is rather starkly inconsiderate. Precipitating events have always revealed that, even though, unionism stands to salvage certain institutional anomalies, certain selfish interests usually begin to crop up, lending less meaning to and compromising the original objectives of the aspiration.

The demand for the reopening of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, COOU by the management of the revered stated-owned university and progressive ASUU unionists of the university, points to the right attitude of the institution’s management to take the right steps when necessary.

Historical struggles of ASUU in the university have been robust, fraternal and peculiar. However, recent tides have compelled the Anambra state government, the institution’s management and progressive unionists to deem it forthright to begin academic activities immediately and disassociate itself from any policy that discards the most interest of students, who would have lost one academic year, if the industrial action is allowed to continue.

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, no doubt, has its own peculiarities. But, despite these peculiarities and challenges, which have weighed down many sister universities, COOU has continued to excel across many fronts, courtesy of the most education-friendly governor of the state, Dr Willie Obiano and the highly knowledgeable and dedicated staff, disciplined student population and acumen of the impactful management team.

It is therefore counterproductive for anybody or group to engage in actions capable of demotivating the positive energy that currently drives the university. The backing of reopening of the institution is an essential call that overrides peripheral visions and egoistic purpose of any rational thinker.

Anambra state government and management of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University under the leadership of Professor Greg Nwakoby, have prioritized staff welfare to a scale that it is unprecedented in the annals of the university history, while remaining committed to ensuring that staff voices are heard.

In keeping with the ideals of ASUU, all Deans of faculty positions in the university have been democratized and occupied by duly elected Deans. Most notable is that despite the burden of lean resources, COOU staff get promoted and paid with no glitches.

For 2020 in particular, academic staff of the university, despite being on strike, completed and submitted their appraisal forms, the union-friendly university management considered the application and effected deserving promotions. Among the state universities in the south east region of Nigeria, it is only in COOU that workers are still being paid salaries in defiance of the hard economic times.

On career progression, it is noteworthy that only an ASUU-friendly university administration as that of COOU would meet thirty-five professors in the university in 2018 and within two years enabled and promoted the other well-qualified, deserving but hitherto stagnated academics to be so promoted to the hallowed professorial Vader.

That is the legacy of Governor Obiano through Professor Greg Nwakoby in COOU. The challenge of infrastructure deficit is being given serious priority by the government, while all TETFund projects abandoned by past administrations in the university are today being completed under the direct watch of Professor Nwakoby. These include lecture rooms, theatres, auditoriums, laboratories, hostels, library and general aesthetics of the university grounds.

Worthy of mention is the large scale of completion works being carried out on the buildings for faculties of Management Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Education. The long abandoned Faculty of Agriculture Complex is now fully completed. The two gigantic central laboratory complex in Uli and Igbariam campuses, abandoned since 2015, are speedily and aggressively receiving finishing touches.

Additionally, ASUU COOU specifically benefitted from the rapid infrastructural development in the university by having its secretariat roofed by the university management, while on assumption of office, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Nwakoby, immediately reversed suspended allowances due the union and its members. It is heartwarming that progressive minds are in support of the resumption of academic activities in Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University on Monday, October 5, 2020. To God be the glory.