ASUU Strike: Lecturers Recount How They Survived On ‘Cooperative’ Monies And Support From Spouses

Some Nigerian lecturers have come out to bare their minds on how tough things were for them during the eight-month period of the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

According to some of these lecturers, it wasn’t easy to survive with their families considering the situation of the country and the fact they were placed on the no work, no pay policy by the federal government.

Naija News learnt that some of the public university lecturers were reported to have said most of them depended on their spouses, monies from coperative societies and dependence on others to cater for their families during the eight-month period of the strike.

For some of them the eight months of strike offered them free time to embark on different pursuits including research and others.

A cross-section of these university dons bared their minds about what life was for them during the strike.

For the Director of the Distance Learning Centre, University of Ibadan (UI), Prof. Emmanuel Omobowale, “it has been by God’s grace. Spouses and hustling and cooperatives gave palliatives and loans to members. Coperatives also paid dividends to members. It has been fantastic. It has helped a lot.”

Femi Ajayi of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, said “those seven months could be likened to seven years of famine in Egypt during the time of Moses in the Bible.

‘’My coping strategies were reducing my expenses and no movement beyond my neighbourhood. Food consumption was reduced and bills were not paid sometimes. Requests were kept in view.

“Coping facilities were obtained from my union and cooperative society.

“Subscriptions were suspended. My farm became a source of vegetables and some food products.”

On his part, Dr Stephen Lafenwa of the political science department at UI had this to say “we have been using cooperative societies to take care of our needs. The cooperatives have been useful for us. We have some money and commodities. Although some of us have our wives working.”

Prof. Adewale Yagboyaju in UI too, said “I engaged in research and community development activities. It was a great opportunity to complete some ongoing research works and it enabled one’s efforts to pay off by way of journal publications. It also enhanced the search for new information and knowledge,” the Guardian reported.

This article was originally published on Naija News