The 1999 strike which lasted for five months was to protest against the poor working conditions of its members. Since 1999, ASUU has embarked on strikes 16 times with the last few days being three in 2006. The strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities were meant to compel the Federal Government to honour agreements it reached with the union, adequately fund education, and achieve university autonomy. Look at how many dreams have been plugged into some politics and dilly-dallying.” Things need to change in Nigeria, if not many of us will leave. I had to save and starve to attend conferences, Nigerian universities are grossly underfunded. I’m on a scholarship and I am being paid stipends. It’s not the same culture and language.”ĭescribing the reality of the educational experience abroad with what was obtained in Nigeria, he explained, “It’s different from Nigeria, the mentorship, facilities and virtually everything. I am saddled with so much research, schedule. So coming here is a different ball game, regimen, research, and orientation. But of course, I did struggle a bit to settle down although not financially. Martins stated, “I arrived at the Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic, Central Europe, thinking that my Nigerian university had given me a lot and that I would seamlessly fit into the programme. But his determination to survive and adapt regardless of the conditions edged him on. He remarked that having to start his PhD all over again was difficult. The PhD student stated that apart from the strikes, the theft of his gadgets, money and other valuables from his apartment made him lose three chapters of his ideas which centred on body, politics and literature, adding “It was another defining moment for me.” Martins, who started PhD at his alma mater stated that the last straw that broke the camel’s back for him was the “Never-ending strike and of course, the interminable or less structured ways PhDs can be in Nigeria, very strangulating you can say.” My experience of Nigeria and strikes could be described as debilitating.” During the 2007/2008 session, there was also a long strike. Strikes have impacted negatively on my academics from my undergraduate to this present time. The strike elongated the period for master’s which I started in 2013 and eventually ended in 2015. There was another strike in 2013 when I ought to have completed my master’s. “I have been delayed by strikes,” Martins added, “I mean, right from my undergraduate days to my postgraduate studies.

Metro exodus chapters