BY DR ALIYU U. TILDE, OCTOBER 10, 2022 | 08:19 PM
Where numbers are large and technology is limited, representation is inevitable, as the world has been operating before the 21st Century. However, the Internet today has provided excellent platforms for promoting internal democracy.
With the debut of ICT, decisions involving the lives of thousands of people can be fully democratised, giving every member a voice, even if the members are in millions, all done within a short time.
Given the untold hardships which the ASUU strike has visited on families and businesses (especially farming) of its members and the implications of violating the Court order on the Union’s reputation and possibly its future too, my humble view is: the abundant ICT experts among its students and members should organize an immediate online referendum on the next steps to be taken, especially on whether to resume work or not.
To keep a situation where few members, representatives as they are though at various levels of the Union, rule for all others on their basic survival may not be the best democratic practice in the 21st Century, unlike before. Worse still is relying on the advice of an activist, comfortable and flamboyant lawyer. Zuwa da kai, ya fi sako.
ASUU can conduct an online, secret ballot referendum instantly and give every member the chance, within a window of, say, 6 hours to express his or her mind by a YES or NO vote. The proposition could be that “members resume work in obedience to the Court order while ASUU continuous fighting for the cause in the following days and months”.
The Refrendum should be transparent and independent and the majority vote should be respected.
All future resolutions of ASUU at national and local levels can use a transparent, secret ballot, online referendum method. It’s easy and cost free.
I give this suggestion because I have noticed that among the lecturers I know those favouring resumption even before now are the majority. And many, especially the old among them, are not comfortable with a no-end-in-view strike. There may be many others like them among lecturers nationwide. They need to be heard.
I believe ASUU is for democracy. ICT is a friend of democracy, progressive, transparent, not pro-establishment or capitalist. ASUU should welcome it as a friend.
I hope this important suggestion is not coming late. I wanted it to come earlier in a more elaborate article of reforming tertiary education in Nigeria which time has not permitted me the chance to write yet.
Remain blessed.
Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde 10 October 2022
Conflict Reporting is dangerous and risky. Our reporters constantly face life-threatening challenges, sometimes surviving ambushes, kidnap attempts and attacks by the whiskers as they travel and go into communities to get authentic and firsthand information. But we dare it every day, nonetheless, in order to keep you informed of the true situation of the victims, the trends in the conflicts and ultimately help in peace building processes. But these come at huge cost to us. We are therefore appealing to you to help our cause by donating to us through any of the following means. You can also donate working tools, which are even more primary to our work. We thank you sincerely as you help our cause.
Alternatively, you can also email us on
info@yen.ng or message us
via +234 803 931 7767
13 December 2021
