The timeless proverb, “A word is enough for the wise,” encapsulates the essence of responsive leadership, the capacity to discern truth, heed warning, and act before crises unfold. In societies where wisdom is honored, a single caution often spurs reform. But in Nigeria, wise counsel seems to echo into deaf ears. Successive governments have demonstrated a worrisome pattern of denial, delay, and deflection, particularly in their dealings with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
For decades, the recurring conflict between ASUU and the Federal Government has reflected a deeper national malaise, a systemic disregard for intellectual voices and a chronic underestimation of education’s centrality to national development. What should have been an enduring partnership between government and academia has instead become a cycle of broken promises and mutual suspicion.
ASUU’s Struggle Is Not Selfish
It is important to restate, for clarity and truth, that ASUU’s struggle is not a selfish pursuit. It is a principled stand for the survival of Nigeria’s public university system, the bedrock of the country’s intellectual capital. The union’s central demands, adequate funding, improved welfare, respect for collective agreements, and genuine reforms, are not luxuries. They are minimum standards for any society that hopes to produce thinkers, innovators, and nation builders.
When ASUU demands better laboratory facilities, functional libraries, and stable salaries, it is not asking for personal comfort but for an environment where education can thrive. In the 1970s and 1980s, Nigeria’s universities were among the most respected in Africa. The University of Ibadan, Ahmadu Bello University, and the University of Nigeria once attracted scholars from around the world. Today, the decay is visible, leaking roofs, obsolete equipment, overpopulated classrooms, and demoralized staff.
The Nigerian state’s indifference has turned once vibrant academic communities into survival zones. Yet, rather than addressing these structural problems, each administration seems more interested in temporary fixes, salary adjustments, token negotiations, or political grandstanding, instead of comprehensive educational reform.
Historical Parallels: Lessons from Leaders Who Listened
History offers examples of leaders who understood the value of listening to the voices of education. In post-war Japan, Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida prioritized education as a foundation for national recovery. The “Yoshida Doctrine” placed teachers and scientists at the center of rebuilding a devastated nation. Similarly, in South Korea, education reforms of the 1960s and 1970s transformed a poor agrarian society into an industrial powerhouse.
Closer to home, Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s vision for free education in the Western Region of Nigeria in the 1950s was not a populist gesture but a strategic investment. Awolowo understood that the most valuable resource of any nation is the educated mind. His policy produced generations of professionals, entrepreneurs, and leaders whose contributions still echo today.
Contrast this with the present reality: Nigerian governments continue to treat education as a cost, not an investment. When teachers strike, they are accused of sabotage; when students protest, they are dismissed as unruly. Yet nations that prosper are those that see every classroom as a factory of national renewal.
The High Cost of Government’s Deafness
Each ASUU strike leaves behind a trail of disillusionment. Students lose academic years and momentum; parents suffer emotional and financial strain; and the nation’s intellectual calendar becomes distorted. The long-term cost, however, is more dangerous, the erosion of trust in public institutions.
A generation of young Nigerians has grown up believing that public education is synonymous with instability. As a result, the exodus of both students and lecturers continues. According to UNESCO estimates, Nigeria loses billions annually through educational migration and brain drain, resources that could have revitalized its own institutions.
The ripple effect is economic stagnation. Research suffers, industries lose innovation, and the nation remains dependent on imported expertise. No country achieves true development by neglecting its universities. As Nelson Mandela famously said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” But weapons unused rust into irrelevance.
A Call for Dialogue, Not Denial
The government’s frequent posture toward ASUU has been one of denial or dismissiveness. Yet, sustainable solutions cannot emerge from suppression or propaganda. What is needed is a structured, transparent, and continuous dialogue grounded in mutual respect.
Both sides must rebuild trust. ASUU must remain committed to reforms that enhance accountability within universities, while government must demonstrate sincerity by implementing agreements rather than making empty promises. Independent arbitration mechanisms, involving respected elders, educational experts, and civil society, could help to depoliticize the process and ensure follow-through.
The private sector, too, has a role. In successful economies, industry partnerships fund research, provide internships, and bridge the gap between academia and production. Nigeria’s business elite must understand that an investment in public education is an investment in national competitiveness.
The Path Forward: Wisdom and Courage
If the Nigerian government truly seeks progress, it must begin by listening, not selectively, but sincerely. Wisdom demands action before warning turns to crisis. It is time to see education as infrastructure, as vital as roads, power, or defense.
Reforms should prioritize:
1. Sustainable funding — through education endowment schemes, targeted levies, and public-private partnerships.
2. Institutional autonomy — allowing universities to innovate, generate income, and manage resources transparently.
3. Human capital investment — better welfare, training, and research opportunities for lecturers.
4. Accountability frameworks — ensuring that funds released are properly utilized.
The future belongs to nations that respect knowledge. China’s transformation, Singapore’s rise, and Finland’s innovation miracle all began with deliberate educational policies. Nigeria cannot expect a different outcome while walking a different path.
Conclusion: A Word for the Wise
A word, indeed, is enough for the wise but only if the wise are willing to listen. The ASUU crisis is not merely an academic dispute; it is a national alarm bell. Each unheeded warning deepens Nigeria’s educational and developmental crisis.
To ignore the plight of universities is to gamble with the destiny of millions of young Nigerians and by extension, the nation’s future. The time for tokenism is over. What Nigeria needs now is wisdom that acts, leadership that listens, and courage that reforms.
History will not remember how long we debated ASUU strikes, but how decisively we responded to save education when it mattered most.
