Both strikes and protests are a form of collective action that is used to bring attention to demands, grievances and other issues. Just like a strike that involves refusing to work for a specified period, disrupting operations, productions or services to force concessions, protests aimed at addressing public issues, creating awareness and push for policy changes. This can be done in a one-time event or series of events depending on the outcome or nature of the issues. The strike part is mostly targeted and linked to labour disputes, wages, benefits or working conditions.
In Nigeria, the issue of strikes and protests didn't just begin today as it has been happening for decades now and many times, things aren't done rightly by the government, putting citizens on hold at their place of work and academics. This is always a disheartening situation when these issues arise because everyone knows what would be at stake which the government do not show concern about.
I have witnessed both scenarios which have affected me in some ways too. I remember the Academic Staff Union Universities (ASUU) strike that lasted for nine months in the year 2020 keeping all students at home and thereby delaying their studies due to the issue of not paying the staff salaries and also mandating the use of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). So also, another strike in the year 2022 which lasted eight months due to the government not fulfilling the 2009 agreement which included the commitment of the annual funding for revitalization of the sector.
I was in school at this period and wasn't affected at first because I was doing my degree course in the college of education that was affiliated with the University (OAU). The Obafemi Awolowo University also joined in the strike but later on, the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COAESU) also threatened to go on strike if the government didn't fulfil their needs. At that point, we knew this would cause a delay in our academics. The issue was about the government's failure to provide funding for the sector and neglect of colleges of education. The demand was for the government to provide 441 billion naira for the funding of the colleges' needs.
When this didn't happen, the union gave the government a 21-day ultimatum on July 15, 2020 or else, they would take an industrial action. For this 21-day warning strike, we were all sent home and all activities in the school were put at a halt.
The protest I experienced too, happened in the year 2014 when I was doing my Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) program at one of the colleges of education in the West. The issue was when the degree department hiked the school fees and students who were struggling to pay the initial amount found this to be aggravating and annoying, this infuriated and pushed them to protest to show their dissatisfaction concerning the sudden increment. A lot of things were damaged, lecturers' cars, school buildings too alongside and the school was shut down when one of the king's sons was shot, though he didn't die.
This issue led to the closure of the school for some months and when we resumed back, every student had to pay damage fees. This affected the NCE students which I was a part of because we joined the degree students to protest. No one was left behind from paying the damage fees because it was a condition to write the examination.
| source | source |
|---|---|
 |  |
The issue with protests and strikes is that both don't end well in some cases as a lot are damaged in the process. When there is a protest, souls are killed in some instances just like the EndSars in 2020, properties are vandalised etc. So also strike, salaries of the staff are put on hold, forcing every activity to stop and making employees sit at home for the time being. This also affects students as they are made to stay at home without learning.
In my country, the government enjoys toying with the lives of its citizens and does not do what needs to be done on time until things have become bad before addressing the issues. I wish such things do not happen but to take all issues seriously and work on resolving them as soon as possible instead of pending issues till they deteriorate.
This is my entry to the July Inleo Initiative, day 7 which can be found in this announcement post
Thanks for your time reading. Looking forward to your interaction.
Posted Using InLeo Alpha
