Professor Abdelghaffar Amoka, a renowned academic in the Department of Physics at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has issued a passionate appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently address the lingering crisis facing Nigeria’s public universities. Professor Amoka, celebrated for his pioneering work in high voltage research and for establishing the 400 kV HVDC Laboratory at ABU, is equally known for his unwavering advocacy for academic integrity and education reform.
In a strongly worded statement, Professor Amoka commended the President for presiding over two years of uninterrupted academic activities in Nigerian universities. However, he quickly noted that the feat was not a result of the current administration’s direct intervention but rather the resilience of university workers. He stressed that while this stability has been celebrated as an achievement, the actual state of the university system remains dire.
He cautioned that the existence of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) should not be mistaken as a cure to the deep-rooted challenges plaguing the sector. According to him, “Nigeria’s university education is in deep crisis,” and any belief to the contrary is deceptive. He argued that NELFUND does not address the structural and welfare issues that have long hindered the sector’s growth and stability.
Addressing the President directly, Professor Amoka welcomed his directive to prevent further strikes in universities. However, he insisted that such a directive would fail unless the government tackled the fundamental causes of recurring industrial actions. He warned that mere orders without solutions to lingering grievances would only be an exercise in futility.
The scholar particularly criticised the government’s approach to staff welfare, describing the recently promoted loan scheme for university workers as ill-conceived. He questioned the logic behind offering loans to employees whose legitimate earnings have been withheld for years. “I can’t have unpaid legitimate earnings with you, and you are offering me a loan. It doesn’t add up,” he said emphatically.
Professor Amoka listed the payment of withheld salaries, accrued academic allowances, and backlog of promotion arrears dating back to 2016 as urgent needs that must be addressed. He suggested that if the administration truly cares about the welfare of its academic staff, funds should be directly allocated to clear these debts rather than being channeled into a loan initiative.
He also reminded the President of the long-pending report from the Yayale Ahmed-led committee on the renegotiated 2009 agreement. Submitted in December 2024, the report contains recommendations for new salary structures and improved welfare packages for university workers. Professor Amoka urged the immediate signing and implementation of the report’s provisions.
Beyond welfare concerns, the physicist stressed that addressing these issues is essential for the development and competitiveness of Nigeria’s higher education system. He argued that underfunding, poor remuneration, and neglect of staff welfare not only demoralise academic staff but also threaten the quality of education offered to students.
Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Professor Amoka pointed to the upcoming National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). He expressed hope that the NEC would take decisive action if the government continues with what he described as “two-year-old talking time” without tangible results.
The professor outlined a possible timeline of industrial action should the government remain unresponsive. This would begin with a 21-day strike notice, followed by a two-week warning strike, and eventually an indefinite strike if negotiations fail to yield concrete action. Such a sequence, he warned, would again plunge the academic calendar into chaos.
For years, ASUU and the federal government have been locked in recurrent disputes over funding, welfare, and policy reforms. These disagreements have frequently led to prolonged strikes, disrupting academic schedules and straining relationships between lecturers and the authorities. Professor Amoka’s intervention underscores the possibility of another breakdown in relations if urgent steps are not taken.
In his appeal, he urged the President to see the resolution of these issues not just as a matter of union demands, but as a national priority. He argued that stable, well-funded, and motivated universities are critical for the country’s development, innovation, and global competitiveness.
Professor Amoka’s track record as a scientist and reform advocate lends weight to his message. With numerous publications on dielectric materials and decades of research and teaching experience, his voice is seen as a credible reflection of the realities within Nigeria’s academic sector.
The message to the President is clear: goodwill alone will not sustain the peace in Nigerian universities. Without prompt action to settle lingering disputes, the sector risks another wave of crippling strikes, with devastating consequences for students, staff, and the nation’s educational future.
As the ASUU NEC meeting draws near, all eyes will be on the federal government’s response. Whether the administration chooses to act decisively or maintain the status quo will determine whether the fragile calm in Nigeria’s universities continues or collapses into yet another round of industrial unrest.
