The Academic Staff Union of Universities issued a stark warning to Bola Tinubu’s government on Saturday, urging immediate action to prevent an impending strike that could paralyze public universities across the country.
In a statement signed by its National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, ASUU accused Tinubu’s administration of driving the union to the brink, despite recent assurances from the Education Minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa, that strikes would be a thing of the past.
Alausa had boldly declared, “Not again ever in this country will ASUU or tertiary institutions, trade unions, teachers, or lecturers go on strike,” basing his optimism on a strategy of dialogue and fulfilling union demands. However, ASUU dismissed these claims as hollow, arguing that words alone are insufficient. “Feelers across campuses indicate that lecturers in Nigerian public universities are, to put it mildly, not happy. They teach students on empty stomachs,” the union stated, painting a grim picture of academics struggling with inadequate resources and personal hardships.
The union highlighted the dire conditions faced by university staff, who conduct research in poorly equipped libraries and laboratories, drive dilapidated vehicles, and bear the burden of unpaid bills and family responsibilities. “Yet, elite Nigerians are quick to blame the universities for ‘producing unemployable graduates’ and failure to initiate innovative research for addressing the country’s problems,” ASUU lamented, pointing out the hypocrisy and neglect by successive governments.
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ASUU has long warned of the consequences of disillusioning the intellectual workforce, emphasizing the need for respect for collective bargaining principles as outlined in international labor conventions. The union criticized the government’s failure to finalize the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, despite a draft being submitted eight months ago. “Every major dispute ASUU has had with governments since 2012, when the 2009 Agreement was due for renegotiation, emanated from failure to respect the provisions of the signed document,” the statement read, listing unresolved issues like funding, autonomy, and salary arrears.
The union also expressed alarm over the politicization of university governance, condemning the reappointment of an acting vice chancellor at Alvan Ikoku University of Education despite questionable promotions. “Universities that are built on merit and scholarship are being turned into commodities for politicians and contractors in the appointment of vice chancellors,” ASUU warned, signaling a broader erosion of academic integrity.
As tensions mount, ASUU called on patriots to pressure Tinubu’s government and state authorities to address these grievances. “Nigerian academics are tired of governments’ excuses,” the union declared, signaling that patience is wearing thin. The threat of another strike looms large, with ASUU’s frustration boiling over after years of perceived deception and neglect by those in power.
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