I always say that corn is discussed while in its season! A writer once said "if liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they don't want to hear" ASUU has been on strike for the past five months and the main quarter that holds the key to unlock the Union's heart to return to classroom appears to be adamant. From series of meetings held with the Gov Suswam led committee to the Vice President and the President himself, it still appears that Govt has remained the same old man. The Union has tried on its part as a people who hold the interest of the students at heart. By accepting to leave waste the 2009 MoU, the Union has proved her committment towards ending the industrial action. This is because refusing to engage in a dialogue meant to re-negotiate this Memorandum wouldn't have placed the Union out of the law. It was an agreement, and Govt is bound to honour such. I remember how my heart had sprang with astonishment when the branches across the nation had voted for the Govt's new offer to be accepted. That gesture had convinced a reasonable citizens that the Union has got a heart to have played cool with an irresponsible Govt. And as a way of putting to rest the problem, the govt has recieved a three-demand list from the Union. This list which contains conditions for the strike's suspension has appeared to throw out the anger of some desperate Nigerians Students and Politicians, the former being too desperate to graduate while the latter appearing to be eager on writing songs of praise for a poor-rhymed drumbeat! On most of the nation's streets, these conditions as my friend Usman too believes, are outrageous. Permit me therefore, to walk a mile in them. The Union demands that her four months arrears be paid. For me, I see this as one of the most reasonable demands ever made by a people. Yet to some, the Union must sacrifice this arrears as part of their struggle - insanity! What other sacrifice can a professor with a family make to a nation's education than having his salary withheld for five months? It is rather funny that the agitators for this sacrifice do not consider what happens when a civil servant is not paid for a month. I know what happens when my father's wages are not paid after the last week of a month. Myself have become a worker since the commencement of the strike and I experience hell when the salary is delayed for a day! In essence, asserting the Union's forfeiture of her arrears is like dressing a lunatic to an august occasion. We do not have this in our labour laws. The Union's demand that the govt should show a level of committment by implementing the new offer shows the Union's attempt in preventing further disruption of the academic calendars. This is very interesting, at least on a deceptive Govt like ours. It is what the Union should have done in 2009 - no stories of strike would have been heard. There is nothing outrageous in this condition. If President Goodluck expects Nigerians and the Union to swallow his new offer with confidence, this would have been his step without being asked. And on the last condition, the Union wants none of her members victimised by Govt as a result of the strike. Is the Govt telling us she has an agenda to witch hunt certain lecturers when this matter is made to rest? And if so, why? However, if this is not the case, then why view this with suspicion? These are issues the Masses and the students are expected to ponder with. These conditions are simple and easy to chew by a Govt, just as they are sane in all ramification for the union to present. Suprisingly, our Govt, adamant and irresponsible as ever, has responded to these conditions with a sack threat if the lecturers fail to resume duty. And to my astonishment, a quarter of students like Vincent have appeared to be complimenting the govt for a job well done. If the union fears this threat, then my worry is that she has become a toothless bulldog, and that govt will resort to similar threats whenever an industrial action is observed. This is what I refer as under of the under-development. Finally, to every sane mind on this wrestle, be rest assured that Govt is only exhibiting a high and foolish state of ignoramus behaviour to have thought that sacking a nation's crop of academics in all the Universities is as cheap as sacking the entire Ministers! This threat has only surfaced the truth in Senator Mark's comment a month back, that "those who signed the Union's 2009 agreemet do not know their left from right." The govt that is now issuing this threat was inner in that 2009's MoU, and if the Senate President is to be considered, they lack a knowledge of their left from right to have issued a baseless threat of this nature! ASUU is not NUT, the sooner our Govt realises this, the better. Vanger Fater