PHOTO STORY: POS attendant, make-up artist… How students affected by ASUU strike are surviving
For years, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has engaged in persistent industrial actions to demand better welfare for lecturers and a quality educational system in the country. The impact of the strikes on the students, who are mostly at the receiving end, cannot be overstated.
The federal government and the leadership of ASUU have been at loggerheads over the former’s failure to follow through on some agreements made as early as 2009. The lecturers claimed that the majority of their demands have not been met. The statistics are terrifying! Lecturers have gone on nationwide strikes 16 times in the last two decades, totalling 51 months.
Since February 14, ASUU has been on strike again. Those who can afford to study in private universities are switching sides, while those who can afford the institutions outside the country are jetting out. Yet, there is a set of people who are just waiting for the strike to be over to resume their academic pursuits. While waiting, they’ve found different means to keep themselves busy, hone their skills and make money.
Fadekemi, a 400level student at the University of Abuja, does not want to stay at home idle. She opted for make-up training to keep herself active and earn income.
Fadekemi attending to a customer
Akagha Jennifer, an indigene of Imo state, is a final year student of political science at the University of Abuja. She’s now a fashion entrepreneur.
Jennifer: “I am learning how to sew clothes so that I can at least not sit idle while waiting for the strike to come to an end, and I can even make some money for myself prior to the time I get a good-paying job”.
Faith Adams, a 100-level undergraduate of Mass Communication at the Plateau State University, spent some years at home before gaining admission into the institution. With the prolonged ASUU strike, she took a job at a printing press. She also runs an ushering firm.
Faith: “I don’t want ASUU to call off the strike yet though, It’s giving me more time to explore. After school, it’s not like work is certain.”
David Nehemiah Kabushia, a 400-level Mathematics student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and also a documentary and lifestyle photographer
David: “I decided to go into photography as a result of the ASUU strike and so far, I would say it has been the best decision. The strike has affected me positively. To an extent, I have learned skills in photography and I feel I have found my purpose telling stories with my images.”
Daramola Abayomi, a 300-level student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna state, is now a full-time artist. He sees the industrial strike as a blessing in disguise.
Daramola working on graffiti…”I’m supposed to be in my final year with no real actual skills, just going to classrooms copying notes or even photocopying some to read all night with bulging eyes, cramming my life out and still struggling with a pass. The ASUU strike has given me the opportunity to discover myself and what I want to do after school. Right now, I’m into art and painting which I have been doing since I was young. With this strike, I had to resume full time.”
Ocheje Ochanya, a final year student of ABU Zaria, wants the strike to end on time so that she can graduate and figure out what to do with her life. In the meantime, she sews at home. “Different ideas and events are popping up to make me deviate from my initial plans of graduating before getting married. Friends and coursemates have been getting married since the ASUU strike gives us no hope,” she said.
Ochanya assisting her younger ones in doing their homework
Janet Sunday, also an undergraduate of ABU, is now a POS attendant
Takumi Minamino, a Ghanaian studying Sociology at the Federal University Kashare, Gombe state, now works as a photocopying machine operator at a business centre.
Minamino: “I’m not from a rich home. I don’t have influential parents. So, I have to help myself and I settled for this. Working at a business centre takes me out of the house so I can earn some money to take care of my immediate needs.”
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