WHAT CAN'T NIGERIA DO WITHOUT EDUCATION AND SKILLS?

The military rarely allowed prolonged school closures. They felt they had to keep schools open or they will become unpopular and thus, susceptible to a coup especially as there will be an uptick in crime rate and deliquesce among the students at home which will quickly give their government a bad name and open it up for being overthrown. 

Under the present plutocracy, however, performance means nothing because a government can always use propaganda to substantially configure public opinion and thus create a reputation for itself and force history, so to say. This works to a good extent because the nation is essentially inexperienced and largely uneducated. Many things going on in government today are propaganda-driven but are passed as words of convinced supporters or even of fair assessors. Moreover, the people, through political party affiliations have also bought shares in the government and so feel they have to defend it especially for the sake of benefits. 

In that type of a system, merit is unimportant, knowledge is not needed. What is necessary is loyalty. 

Under the military, loyalty of the people could only be procured through outright performance. Anybody who joins in promoting the government was quickly seen for what he was - a propagandist working for his pay. Knowledge was important back then and so was skill. They had to have a cabinet of highly knowledgeable people who also carried themselves with a lot of honour, relatively. If they didn't their government will simply go under. Civilian governments have no use for such things because they can always use propaganda and divisions to maintain their hold on power. (In any case, the people have no real options left, if you really look at it. They are left with a choice between the head and the tail of an egg as the correct place to break it from). The only way you will be able to hold the hands of the government to the fire under the circumstances is to use the gauge of performance in the basic essentials of economy and security of life and property. 

Where I am going with all of this is the strike by ASUU.  That strike is not an originating event in itself, rather is is a result of a deeper issue, namely, the fact that our system no longer needs educated and skilled people. If you take a minute to think about it, you will see that it is largely true. 

When last did you find the government consulting sociologists about underlying factors that is making people behave the way they do? 

When last was a psychologist or historian invited to throw light on complicated issues on television? 

How may specialists are in leading roles as kitchen cabinet or even cabinet members? They are only there in advisory roles to write speeches and draw up colourful PowerPoint presentations. Most of the times their advise is not even sought or considered. What is diligently treated is the politics behind the policy. The only time a professional advise becomes critical is of the stuff is going to the UN or to systems in first class counties of the world.  

The reason is. The leaders are not trying to do things right; they are only doing the right things. They are doing things that influence perception and pave the way for the next election. They understand governance as a mere perception market.not a parapet for lifting society amd resetting the course of history. 

The Nigeria of our time does not need engineers or doctors or pharmacist. What do you really need them for? Tell me. The other time, government civil engineers went to inspect a tall building under construction in Lagos and they gave it a pass mark even when they knew that it was defective. It collapsed anyway and killed a few dozens of people. The engineers that cleared that construction only need to be loyal to the top official and they will always keep their jobs. They won't be fired, much less prosecuted. Oh, you need engineers and technicians to drill oil - but you can always outsource all of that to white people and just wait for the cash deposits to drop into the CBN accounts.

Or doctors? Who cares. They are leaving for the the UK in droves and the Minister for labour's word is that it's a good thing because they will send money back home. He then advised those who remain to engage in the side hustle of farming to make ends meet. Nigeria doesn't have a use for all these people because Nigeria is not structures for excellence and productivity. Nigeria is structured to get the people content with averages, using the tool of propaganda to smoothen their perception and then to help those with power corner a lot of money. That's all. 

So, you can bet on it that Nigerian universities will go under the water. The government will not really do anything that will make them strong and relevant for the reason I have stated above. They are manufacturers of products with a weak demand as a source of depth and knowledge. Their products are like an affront in the real sense of it . In any case, a six-month strike is enough to fibe anybody clarity that along that line. What you can ignore for six months is definitely not essential.