A STUDENT'S LETTER TO NIGERIAN LECTURERS

LETTER TO MY LECTURERS

Dear Sir/Ma

In as much as I love education, being the
only liberator of human minds, yet, the
kind of education you are giving us in this
part of the world is far from education
rather an exercise to imprison our human
mind.
Definitely, the late prof Claude Ake was
absolutely right when he said social science
as it is been thought is imperialism. Here,
education has it is now in Nigeria, is
imperialism, misleading and an exercise to
blindfold us.
Without any sentiment or bias and not
under any influence of alcohol, as I detest
beer, sir and ma, I can boldly say that your
kind of education here is not a liberator.
Education has been define by diverse
scholars especially from those in the
education sector. The word “education”
was derived from the Latin word “educare”
meaning to bring up, to lead out, to raise
up, to educate. For me, education is simply
a process to teach a person to have a mind
that seek for truth among lies. To bring us
up above lies, and lead us out of darkness.
Today, no education anywhere, not because
their is no school rather because today's
lecturers like you, sir/ma have obeyed the
military government of yore, that you
should teach what they paid you to
teach...And anyone that teach something
else will be throw into the labour market.
Now, what you are teaching or educating us
is simple, close your eyes to societal ills,get
a good grade in other to get a good job and
leave happily. In fact, one of you told me, "
you can't change this country, education
can never be free even Americas pay for
education, the best thing is,since you can't
beat them, so stylishly join then,money is
sweet o",
Sir/Ma, you once told us that university
ought to be the change agent of a society.
University ought to be moral compass of a
society. University ought to be where movement for social change springs up as
many society academian have done and
ours, ASUU had done like anti-
SAP,education funding, anti-military protest
and other struggles before, until you all
start teaching what they paid you to teach.
Today, commercialization of education is on
going, high unemployment, neo-liberalism
is expanding and corruption everywhere,
yet you are silent, teaching what they paid
you to teach us.
Today, our university don't raise curious
and inquisitive mind anymore. You breed
conformist that can't see beyond their
eyes. You breed educated illiterates that
can't question unworking status quo. You
breed educated illiterates that can't study
his society politics to realize the deceit and
lies.
You bread educated illiterates that sing
praises of government that construct road
with loan and take away education from
them. You breed educated illiterates that
don't bother to know the colour of their
constitution let alone study it. You breed
educated illiterates that easily praise
government for paper growth instead of
development, that knows theory not
applicability. You breed educated illiterates
that can't stand against sexual harassment
from you people. You breed educated
illiterates that can't reason that the
polarization of Hausas, Igbos and Yorubas is
for the continuous domination of them by
the ruling elites.
Sir/Ma, I hate this your type of education,
take away your degree, take away your
marks and scores, teach me what will
liberate my soul, teach me what I should
know, teach me that growth is not
development. Teach me that Africa was
once rich and in harmony before the
invasion of the whites. Teach me that
education can be free if these ruling elites
stop accumulating our collective wealth to
themselves. Teach me that with 500,000
minimum wage, my parent will pay
130,000 school fees. Teach me that
individualism above collectiveness breed
barbarism and poverty. Teach me that to
die for ones country is not gullibility. Teach
me to know that as long as our recurrent
expenditures is more than capital expenditure, no
development for us. Teach me that a
southwest governor that unlawfully took
1000 naira from workers salary for
whatever purpose is a criminal. Teach me
that I should revolt since 18,000 minimum
wage earner can't and will never be able to
pay 130,000 naira as school fees. Teach me
that we can change our country if we work
towards it. Teach me that APC/PDP are all
thieves as both have one interest to steal
and not ideology for our development.
Teach me that political-
economy,philosophy and law are must for
me to know even as I study music or
biochemistry or even English as what
happen in political economy of a society
determine the people lives and existence.
Teach me that our collective power is more
than the atomic bomb and we are 99%.
I believe by teaching me what I ought to
know, I will be able to achieve the main
purpose of education which is to develop
the individual so that he can be useful to
himself, his family, and the society
generally.
I hope this is not too much to ask my dear
lecturers as I even know that you are also
experiencing the hardship of the economy.
Some times you come to school with
empty stomach, board public transport
since you can't fuel your car, since your last
paid salary was four (4)months ago and
your illiterates landlord is nagging on you
for rent. Sir/ma, only by teaching me all
these can we fight this killing system.
Thank you as I look forward to your next
lecture.

Yours sincerely
Ifade Olusegun
Signed