“On my way back, in the train, I was reflecting. I am at my best in flight. I try to catch up and be caught up…There is no use arguing with a jammed door.”
I was supposed to address a group of mechanics yesterday in Lagos as part of a continuous education program on new technologies, business literacy and personal development which we had planned for months with the Cooperative Federation of Lagos and a private College of Education at Iseyin.
I recommended the technical partners. They are a group of selfless Nigerians who worked with me when I was Director of Distance Learning at the University of Ibadan.
We had trained over 4000 mechanics in seven states in 2009 and 2010. For those who can remember, some of them participated at the 2010 Convocation of the University of Ibadan (UI) under the exceptional leadership of Olufemi Bamiro.
Five Nigerian newspapers dedicated editorials to celebrate the training and UI’s commitment to national development.
A year or two later, UI got a standing ovation at e-learning Africa at Nairobi. So I was told. I did not attend the event.
This year, by sheer fate, I started walking the path again. I have always been big on research and community service. I can’t say that much for my teaching skills.
I have not done badly with mentoring. I have often supported my graduate students at critical times because 99 per cent are self-sponsoring. Many come disillusioned and unsure of what they should be doing.
It is just human to help out as much as possible. It is difficult for one to have enough in the face of so much youth destitution and disillusionment.
Let me return to the training. I decided not to participate in the training because of amount of honorarium offered me, or so I thought.
Then I started feeling sorry that I even brought up the money issue. I had done much more in the past, in recent past, at great personal cost and inconvenience. I was sad. What was I becoming?
It occurred to me that I was reacting to the indignities arising from the disregard for what we do as lecturers and the negative valuation of intellectual work by government. No one can ever pay me enough for what I do!
I was glad when I received another call from Mr Owoseni, telling me that everyone was appealing for me to have a rethink and participate the following day.
I agreed. I got up early, got to the train station and boarded. I was grateful for the train; I have been grateful for this Buhari legacy but it seems gratitude is too little to give him. He wants more; our life.
Nigerian leaders think they own the country. They take offense when they are criticised. They equate government with a collective of appointees and exhibit a disposition as if sovereignty belongs to them. They are gracious when they perform their constitutional roles but pass the buck when they fail.
President Muhammadu Buhari has left my mouth bitter. I am often accused of being unperceptive for voting for him. Hindsight turns the genius into a nitwit and makes the dimwit a wise person when things go awry.
Buhari dithers when he should be resolute, quick to anger, slow in acting and makes one wonder if he mistakes rigidity for principles.
Certainly a man of war who makes peace with those he should crush and grinds peaceful people for asking for their humanity. Leadership is not personal. It should not be personalised.
Back to the story. I saw a group of extremely motivated mechanics, eager to learn and happy to have me among them.
It was a two-day programme of fantastic interaction. I felt well and grateful to God for the privilege of touching lives.
No amount of money would have given me the pure pleasure of selfless service. As I am writing this piece, I feel very well; extremely fulfilled.
On my way back, in the train, I was reflecting. I am at my best in flight. I try to catch up and be caught up.
I saw the headlines of the meeting between the president and the pro chancellors and I felt sorry for the oga at the top. There is no use arguing with a jammed door.
I am reviewing my works in the last six months as the train ride provides good stimulation.
Two books co-edited; one on higher education; the other on COVID-19 from a humanistic angle to be published internationally. The reviewers comments were elevating.
I have been part of four national workshops on education; delivered many trainings; been on radio many times contributing to national issues.
Yet, someone says that I am not working. It has to be truth because those who said it are too important and powerful to be contradicted.
I read the story about the visit of pro chancellors to the president. Negativity bias kicked in. I hear whispers in my head…”once again, we are back to the culture of organised begging, executive humouring, elaborate makeovers in unfitting appelatives just so to create a way.”
I caution myself to be more positive and open, thinking that something positive may yet come out of this strike. This group may end up defining the way forward.
I however expected that the president could have taken the moment and changed the tide sustainably. It is easy to do!
Give realistic offer; change the narrative from spending to investment; demand return on investment; ask those involved to provide parameters for ensuring effective, efficient and sustainable outcomes. Not rocket science.
No, not his style. If he believes in the right, that he is right, based on informed judgment, he must uphold it.
However, he who comes to equity must come with clean hands. You should not be overly righteous over rules you don’t keep. That is tyranny.
This is a needless strike! It is a sad commentary on governmental dissonance and lack of systems thinking. Every part is acting as a complete whole and the whole is gyrating widely without a moderator.
Anyway, I no go let Nigeria kill me. I still get mama. No one can belittle my work, diminish my quality or make me lose focus.
After all, long after they are gone from relevance, I will still be here by God’s grace. Long after I am gone, the youth will be here.
After this strike, we will have to deal with the internal issues in the system. Unions, management, councils and the entire workforce, enough is now enough!
This country must move forward! A systems reboot and course correction has become inevitable! We must not continue along this trajectory.
•Egbokhare is a professor of Linguistics at the University of Ibadan.
