For many young Nigerian university students, the recent decision by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to go on strike feels like a bad dream. Sadly, this bad dream may not go away so fast.
What the students expected to be years of learning, discovery, and progress has now been interrupted by another strike action by the university lecturers. Moreover, many of them are left reeling in frustration, regret and pain.
Take the story of AbdQuadri Oluwasegun, a first-year student at the University of Ilorin. Before resuming his studies, he quit his job as an Arabic teacher in Sango Ota to focus on them. However, just days before lectures began, ASUU announced a nationwide strike. “I made major personal sacrifices in preparation for the new academic session, only to be met with an unplanned strike,” he lamented. Now, he spends his days at home, idle and uncertain about what comes next.
For Oladapo Aishat, a final-year student at the University of Ibadan, the strike has derailed her project work and disrupted her plans. “This constant instability makes future planning difficult and reduces confidence,” she said, her voice heavy with worry.
Across the country, similar stories abound. Students like Shakirat Usman from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, recall how their practical sessions were abruptly stopped, while Temi, a fresh 100-level student at Obafemi Awolowo University, says she is yet to experience the university life she dreamed of.
Experts warn that the damage goes beyond academic delay. Dr Sanmi Johnson, a psychologist at Caleb University, notes that the long idle periods are already affecting students’ mental health. “Many are becoming distracted, anxious, or depressed. Some even turn to social media addiction or unproductive habits,” he said.
Parents, too, are feeling the pain. They pay rent, upkeep, and other expenses, only to see their children sitting at home. “The constant back and forth makes parents lose faith in public universities,” said Khadija Hassan, a 200-level student from Maiduguri.
Education experts fear that many students may eventually drop out as frustration builds. Some have already lost years to recurring strikes, spending six years on a four-year course.
As the ASUU faceoff with the Federal Government drags on, there is no doubt who the actual victims are. It is, of course, the students — a generation caught in a cycle of lost time and broken dreams. In the words of Dr Johnson, “When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. Our students are that grass.”
